In the Western Conference, there is a clear group of contenders, followed by a small group of teams on the rise, with a group of pretenders in the caboose.
The Final Four is now set, but which players have had the greatest individual success through the first two rounds of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs?
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Weeks ago at the trade deadline, the St. Louis Blues were silent. As it stands now, however, the Blues could wind up with the biggest acquisition of the stretch run.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday that forward Paul Kariya has been skating before team practices, and it appears possible that he could return should the Blues reach the postseason. Even more tantalizing, Blues president John Davidson said it would be a "nice surprise" if Kariya actually returned for a handful of the remaining regular season games –- a long shot, but not entirely out of the question.
But maybe it should be.
It seems nearly every club in the Western Conference currently outside of the playoff picture (save for the lowly Avalanche) has a legitimate chance at clawing their way in, as only 5 points separate 7th place in the conference from 12th. Crucial points will not come easy in the standings, or on the score sheet. Kariya had 15 points in 11 games and was a key member of a power play unit that led the league before hip surgery seemingly ended his season, and his return could be just the shot in the arm that Blues need to escape the pack and reach the postseason promised land.
Yet a premature return could prove disastrous. Kariya is only seven weeks removed from having surgery on his right hip, which itself came six weeks after having surgery performed on his other hip. Hip injuries are already difficult enough to recover from (just ask A-Rod), and can easily be exacerbated by an overzealous hockey player electing to forgo the proper amount of rest and rehabilitation. Lingering hip injuries have cut short the careers of superstar athletes in every major sport, perhaps most notably forcing Cam Neely into retirement at the age of 31.
Kariya will be 35 in October, an age where athletes aren't exactly known for quickly rebounding from surgery. He deserves to be commended for proving conventional wisdom wrong and changing the initial prognosis of "season-ending hip surgery" to "gearing for the playoffs." There are factors to consider, however, should the Blues allow Kariya to continue pushing himself with the idea that he could gain a roster spot come playoff time.
For starters, it could greatly alter team chemistry. The Blues failed to make an impact trade at the deadline because they still felt good about their playoff chances this season, as well as confident in their core of young players that will anchor the team into the future. Rumors persisted that the Blues were interested in acquiring former captain Chris Pronger, but Davidson and general manager Larry Pleau balked at the cost of bringing Pronger back to St. Louis, which likely would have cost them the crafty David Perron.
Many were puzzled when the Blues elected not to declare themselves buyers or sellers, but the non-action from the front office sent a clear message to the players. It was a declaration of faith in a team that has overcome low expectations, backbreaking injuries and goaltending shakeups to make noise all throughout the second half of the season. Keith Tkachuk and Jay McKee are worth more to this team than the low draft picks they would have fetched. And there is no reason to believe they can't avoid fading down the stretch and become the masters of their own playoff destinies.
And for their part, the Blues roster has responded just as everyone had hoped. They have remained in contention ever since. And in true, cheesy sports movie-esque fashion, the players have bonded in their escape from the Western Conference cellar. While the talent that Kariya could bring to this squad is without question, it should be weighed against how it might affect the Blues' chemistry. The lines that have gelled so well thus far would have to be juggled, and a winger like Dan Hinote, Brad Winchester or B.J. Crombeen would find himself on the healthy scratch list to make room for Kariya.
Other than the sturdy play of netminder Chris Mason, the biggest factor contributing to the Blues' success has been their increased intensity, especially as it pertains to forechecking and consistently chasing down and securing loose pucks in the opposing zone. Kariya will need time to test his footing, take some heavy checks and get up to speed just to match the intensity that the aforementioned three have already proved that they can bring to the table. Kariya deserves the chance to contribute his scoring abilities if healthy, but the energy and grit provided by those he might replace shouldn't be overlooked, either.
If the Blues clinch their first postseason berth since 2004, it is incredibly likely that they would square off against the juggernaut Detroit Red Wings, who have thus far outscored the Blues 22-9 in five straight wins against this season. The Wings have also defeated St. Louis in four consecutive playoff matchups, dating back to the Blues' 1995-96 campaign which ended at the hands of Steve Yzerman's triple-OT, game seven winning goal.
The April 2nd regular season finale between the Blues and Wings is pivotal. If the rest of the roster fails once again to notch a single win against Detroit this season, the onus may be on to press Kariya into action to change the Blues' fortunes. Kariya would likely contend that he can contribute, and his fellow players would love to have him on board, but Davidson, Pleau and coach Andy Murray need to huddle up and decide whether the risk of Kariya re-aggravating his hip injuries and having to miss time again next season is worth the reward of slightly better odds in a brutal playoff matchup with Detroit.
With the standings so tightly packed, anything can happen between now and the time when Kariya is ready to return. The Blues could fall short and miss the playoffs altogether. They could steal the home-and-home series with Columbus and finish as high as 6th in the conference. San Jose could hold off the Wings for the top seed in the West, further altering the playoff picture and possibly earning a matchup against the Blues themselves. All Blues fans can do at this point is speculate, continue rooting for a franchise on the rise and hope Kariya continues to progress ahead of schedule.
It's just that the old adage comes to mind -– if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Blues might be hurting, but they are certainly not broke with Paul Kariya on the shelf. Kariya, however, is most definitely broke. And if it is broke, not only should it be fixed, but fixed carefully and properly.
Kariya might be waiting in the wings, but it could be the Blues who are waiting on the Wings, a team they just can't seem to solve. If this is the case, perhaps all parties would be better served if the former assistant captain ends up waiting a little longer than he'd like to rejoin the resurgent St. Louis Blues.
