Teams that may Rest their Players: Beware

[Pengwin7]

Just a note, with the season winding down - teams with banged-up players may rest them if they have nothing to gain in the standings.

A walkthrough of teams:
BEWARE: Nothing to gain in standings.
CAUTION: Could bench players later in week.
START 'EM: OK, still fighting for a playoff seed.

1. PIT, 70pts. Clinched 1st overall.
2. BOS, 59pts. With the only Sunday game, they may know position that day.
3. WAS, 54pts. Locked into the 3rd season, via SW Division champs.
4. MON, 59pts.
5. TOR, 55pts.
6. NYI, 54pts.
7. OTT, 52pts. With the only Sunday game, they may know position that day.
8. NYR, 52pts. Winnipeg plays their last game on Thursday. If WPG loses, NYR may just rest their players and accept 8v1 match-up against PIT.
9. WPG, 51pts.

*All non-playoff seeds could rest their players, as Calgary did.

1. CHI. Clinched 1st overall.
2. ANA. Clinched 2nd overall.
3. VAN, 59pts.
4. LA, 57pts
5. SJ, 57pts.
6. STL, 56pts.
7. MIN, 53pts.
8. CBJ, 51pts.
9. DET, 50pts.
10. DAL, 48pts. Could be eliminated by then.
11. PHX, 46pts Could be eliminated by then.

*All non-playoff seeds could rest their players, as Calgary did.


Special scheduling notes:
1. The OTT vs. BOS game is the only game on Sunday. I think everybody and their grandmother knows that they may want to save a transaction for the chance to win a category on Sunday. Of note though, it is possible that these teams will know their seed before that game. IF that is the case, you may see the teams rest their injured players (Bergeron? McQuaid?) and potentially their #1 goalies (Rask? Anderson?). In other words, it might be Khudobin vs. Lehner on Sunday - just a heads up!

2. There are three late (10pm EST) West-Coast games on Saturday night.
It is possible that these playoff teams will know their position prior to the game and may, therefore, start different players depending on scenario:

VAN @ EDM. (VAN could be the division champ before this game. LA beat 2-1 in season games, SJ beat VAN 2-0 in season games.)
PHX @ ANA. (ANA is locked in as 2nd seed, may bench players.)
SJ @ LA. (*This is a pretty interesting match-up as these teams are currently seeded 4/5 and may meet each other in a playoff match if they finish same way.)

[STONE.]

A couple things to remember (if you don't mind me adding).

Although Washington could rest some, I have to think that Ovy will be out there chasing the scoring title. Same goes for the Tbay duo.
Consider some of these awards/records when setting lineups.

I'm guessing it's more likely that some teams will rest for away games than home games also -- tougher to justify resting guys for the home town ticket buyers.

[Pengwin7]

A couple things to remember (if you don't mind me adding).

Although Washington could rest some, I have to think that Ovy will be out there chasing the scoring title. Same goes for the Tbay duo.
Consider some of these awards/records when setting lineups.

I'm guessing it's more likely that some teams will rest for away games than home games also -- tougher to justify resting guys for the home town ticket buyers.

Agree.
I highly doubt any of Stamkos, MSL, or Ovechkin rest.
It's just not in the nature of those players.

But a guy like Mike Green could very well sit the last game or two.
Malkin skated last night, but I could see him sitting the final game.
I think Patrick Sharp could sit out the last Blackhawk game or two.
Boston has already started rotating some of their defensemen to give them a break.

[kevinsrangers]

thanks guys.

[andrewklassen]

Great write up. I would add one thing regarding your comments about OTT and the NYR. With the gap between 6th and 8th being so tight I can't imagine these teams resting anyone until their place in the standings can't change. The difference between playing PIT or a struggling BOS team or a WAS team that has the best record of any Eastern Conf. team against the SE division [meaning their points, while tremendous, have largely come against the poorest teams in hockey] can't be ignored. For a coach to choose not to care about the match-up would seem borderline criminal to me.

[Otto2000]

Very valuable info -- Thanks!!!

[STONE.]

Proof of Pengwin's post (nice alliteration there if I do say so myself)

Schneider is day-to-day with an "undisclosed injury" for the Nucks.