This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
Around the Rink
The end of the season has snuck up on me. While there's only one team that has clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, six are already locked in place in the West.
Most teams have between five and six games to go. In the West, there's nought for playoff battles but what's happening between the Minnesota Wild and the Colorado Avalanche. That was fun for a bit, but after the Wild beat the Avs in Colorado last weekend, it seemed to seals their fate.
Including that game, Colorado has dropped three of their last four.
In the East, with just 5-6 games remaining for most teams, there's a lot up for grabs. Unlike many seasons, there's a lot at stake over the final stretch. That includes Detroit's incredible playoff streak. They're currently the team sitting on the outside, two points back from the Flyers, while the Flyers have a game in hand.
Let's take a look around a busy day league-wide.
Projected Goalie Starters (all times Eastern)
For updates on the projected goalies later in the day, check our Projected Goalies Grid
Maple Leafs (Garret Sparks) at Sabres (Chad Johnson), 7:00 PM
Blue Jackets (Sergei Bobrovsky) at Islanders (Thomas Greiss), 7:00 PM
Predators (Pekka Rinne) at Penguins (Marc-Andre Fleury), 7:00 PM
Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist) at Hurricanes (Cam Ward), 7:00 PM
Canadiens (Mike Condon) at Lightning (Ben Bishop), 7:30 PM
Devils (Cory Schneider) at Panthers (Roberto Luongo), 7:30 PM
Senators (Craig Anderson) at Wild (Devan Dubnyk), 8:00 PM
Coyotes (Mike Smith) at Stars (Kari Lehtonen), 8:30 PM
Flames (Joni Ortio) at Kings (Jonathan Quick), 10:30 PM
Canucks (Ryan Miller) at Sharks (Martin Jones), 10:30 PM
Injury News For Teams Playing Thursday
Toronto Maple Leafs
Raffi Torres, LW (knee) - has been shut down
Joffrey Lupul, LW (abdomen) - won't play again this season
Matt Hunwick, D (hernia)- is out for the year
Stephane Robidas, D (knee) - is unlikely to play at all this season
James van Riemsdyk, LW (foot) - is done for the year
Peter Holland, C (undisclosed) - was scratched Tuesday for the fifth straight game
Byron Froese, C (hand) - remains out
Leo Komarov, LW (lower body) - isn't expected back this week
Viktor Loov, D (undisclosed) - is questionable
Nikita Soshnikov, LW (upper body) - is questionable
Buffalo Sabres
Robin Lehner, G (ankle) - is done for the year
Tyler Ennis, LW (concussion) - is expected to rejoin practice soon
Evander Kane, LW (upper body) - didn't play Tuesday
Cody Franson, D (concussion) - is still not working out
Cody McCormick, C (blood clots) - won't play this year
Columbus Blue Jackets
Fedor Tyutin, D (undisclosed) - is unlikely Thursday
Jack Johnson, D (shoulder) - is done for the year
David Clarkson, RW (lower body) - remains out
Curtis McElhinney, G (knee) - isn't going to play again this year
Jared Boll, RW (suspension) - is serving a four-game suspension
New York Islanders
Adam Pelech, D (upper body) - started practicing with the team Monday
Jaroslav Halak, G (groin) - isn't expected to miss the rest of the regular season
Mikhail Grabovski, C (upper body) - has resumed skating
Marek Zidlicky, D (upper body) - hasn't had his situation updated in some time
Nashville Predators
Ryan Ellis, D (upper body) - was injured Tuesday and his status is up in the air
Anthony Bitetto, D (lower body) - is questionable
Pittsburgh Penguins
Olli Maatta, D (lower body) - is considered week-to-week
Scott Wilson, LW (lower body) - is on IR
Bryan Rust, RW (lower body) - is day-to-day
Brian Dumoulin, D (upper body) - is day-to-day and did not play Tuesday
Evgeni Malkin, C (upper body) - remains sidelined
Kevin Porter, C (ankle) - is out
New York Rangers
Dylan McIlrath, D (lower body) - has been cleared to play
Carolina Hurricanes
Phil Di Giuseppe, LW (upper body) - didn't play Tuesday
James Wisniewski, D (knee) - has skated on his own
Riley Nash, C (undisclosed) - remains out
Andrej Nestrasil, C (back) - is done for the year
Montreal Canadiens
Carey Price, G (leg) - there was some hope that Price would play Thursday
Jeff Petry, D (hernia) - is out for the year
Tom Gilbert, D (knee) - has another five months of recovery ahead of him
P.K. Subban, D (neck) - didn't play Tuesday
Mark Barberio, D (concussion) - is out indefinitely
Brendan Gallagher, RW (groin) - is traveling with the team, but didn't play Tuesday
Victor Bartley, D (lower body) - is day-to-day
Lucas Lessio, LW (undisclosed) - is questionable
Brian Flynn, C (lower body) - remains out
Daniel Carr, LW (knee) - has practiced wearing a no contact jersey
Tampa Bay Lightning
Nikita Kucherov, RW (lower body) - is questionable
Ryan Callahan, RW (lower body) - is questionable
Anton Stralman, D (fractured fibula) - is out indefinitely
New Jersey Devils
Jiri Tlusty, LW (wrist) - is out for the year
Tyler Kennedy, LW (lower body) - is sidelined
David Schlemko, D (upper body) - hasn't been ruled out of Thursday's game
Jacob Josefson, C (wrist) - is expected to be reevaluated soon
Jon Merrill, D (upper body) - is a couple weeks from returning
Patrik Elias, LW (knee) - is traveling with the team
Michael Cammalleri, LW (hand) - is done for the year
Jordin Tootoo, RW (upper body) - could return soon
Florida Panthers
Derek MacKenzie, C (lower body) - didn't play Tuesday
Dave Bolland, C (lower body) - remains on IR
Willie Mitchell, D (concussion) - has been cleared to return, but may have to end his career instead
Vincent Trocheck, C (ankle) - is out for three weeks
Erik Gudbranson, D (lower body) - didn't play Tuesday
Ottawa Senators
Chris Phillips, D (back) - won't play this season
Dion Phaneuf, D (lower body) - is out for all remaining games
Clarke MacArthur, LW (concussion) - won't return this year
Kyle Turris, C (ankle) - is out indefinitely
Patrick Wiercioch, D (upper body) - hopes to return this season
Mark Stone, RW (chest) - was ruled out of Wednesday's game after taking a big hit during play
Mark Borowiecki, D (knee) - is unlikely to return this season
Minnesota Wild
Ryan Carter, LW (shoulder) - has returned to practice, but is questionable for Thursday
David Jones, RW (illness) - is questionable for Thursday
Arizona Coyotes
Shane Doan, RW (concussion) - is expected to return Thursday
Michael Stone, D (lower body) - is unlikely to return this season
Joe Vitale, C (concussion) - isn't going to be back before the end of the season
Anders Lindback, G (Achilles) - is on IR
Jarred Tinordi, D (suspension) - is out for violating rules on PEDs
Dallas Stars
Brett Ritchie, RW (lower body) - did not play Tuesday
Tyler Seguin, C (Achilles) - will miss the rest of the regular season
Jason Demers, D (shoulder) - has resumed skating, but isn't ready to play
Kris Russell, D (lower body) - could return Thursday
Calgary Flames
Ladislav Smid, D (upper body) - is out
Karri Ramo, G (ACL) - is out for the year
Johnny Gaudreau, LW (upper body) - didn't play Wednesday
Jyrki Jokipakka, D (undisclosed) - didn't play Wednesday
Dennis Wideman, D (tricep) - is done for the year
Michael Frolik, LW (lower body) - is going to miss at least three games
Los Angeles Kings
Jordan Nolan, RW (back) - is out indefinitely
Kris Versteeg, RW (foot) - is day-to-day
Matt Greene, D (shoulder) - is out for the season
Marian Gaborik, RW (knee) - has skated and hopes to return before the end of the season
Vancouver Canucks
Radim Vrbata, RW (knee) - is done for the season
Jake Virtanen, LW (suspension) - will miss the next two games
Nikita Tryamkin, D (leg) - did not play in their last game
Alexander Edler, D (leg) - is done for the season
Brandon Prust, LW (ankle) - has been shut down for the year
Brandon Sutter, C (jaw) - won't play again this season
Luca Sbisa, D (upper body) - is likely to miss the rest of the season
Derek Dorsett, RW (upper body) - missed Tuesday's game
Chris Tanev, D (back) - miss Tuesday's game
Linden Vey, C ("banged up") - did not play Tuesday
San Jose Sharks
Matthew Nieto, LW (hand) - remains out
Matt Tennyson, D (concussion) - has skated with the team, but isn't cleared to return
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D (lower body) - remains out
Joel Ward, RW (undisclosed) - did not play Tuesday
Hot
Filip Forsberg, LW, NSH — I'm still blown away by the trade that brought Forsberg to Nashville. With 31 goals and 58 points, he's been on his game almost the entire season. But he's had a nice run recently too. He has three goals and three assists in his last six games, to go along with a plus-2 rating and an average of nearly three shots per game. He's heating up at the right team and Nashville has quietly been very good over the last month.
Sidney Crosby, C, PIT — He continues to inject himself into the Hart Trophy conversation despite a very, very slow start to the season. He's on a three-game point streak, but that doesn't seem all that notable any longer with how he's playing. Since February 29 he's put up seven goals and 16 assists through 16 games. He's a pretty safe bet right now.
Cold
Zemgus Girgensons, C, BUF — This isn't just about recently, it's the whole season. The 2015 All-Star Game selection put up 15 goals and 30 points last year in 61 games. Through 66 games this season he has just six goals and 17 points. It's a really disappointing total for a player who was thought to be a good pick for some secondary scoring. He has just one goal in his last 25 games.
Mike Ribeiro, C, NSH — Ribeiro hasn't scored in his last 12 games, and has only two points in his last 10. That includes five games where he didn't manage to take a single shot and he's had more than one shot just once. The value outside of points just isn't there, make Ribeiro a one-dimensional play, who isn't delivering on that one dimension.
Recommended Pickup
Victor Rask, C, CAR — One of the problems with playing in Carolina is the lack of media attention. On another team, Rask is maybe getting a lot more attention. He's been a solid two-way player and has racked up 20 goals and 45 points this season. He's put up four goals and 15 shots in his last four games and is an interesting depth play.
