Four things we’ll miss if the NHL cancels 2019-20 season

April 4.

The date circled around on calendars around the hockey world. Had the COVID-19 pandemic not stopped briefly the NHL’s 2019-20 season, it would have functioned as the last day of the routine season.

Naturally, there’s still a possibility that the season will be played out; although as time continues to go on, how much of that will pertain to fulfillment is unidentified and whether there will be a Stanley Cup champ called is TBD. Teams had anywhere from 11-14 games staying with a few of those games including cross-continent travel.

In the meantime, all we can do is hope hockey returns and rather of this being thing’s we’ll miss if the NHL season is canceled– it develops into– things we can anticipate seeing now that hockey is back.

Auston Matthews scoring 50 (or more) objectives

The Toronto Maple Leafs star scored his 47 th goal of the season in the team’s last taped game on March 10; a one-time power-play snipe that wound up being the game- winning goal.

With 12 games left on the Leafs’ schedule, it was an excellent bet Matthews would have ended up being the first Toronto gamer given that Dave Andreychuk potted 53 in 1993-94 to strike the mark — which is, by the method, prior to No. 34 was even born. Last season, John Tavares netted the exact same 47, which was the highest number given that Andreychuk.

Expectations have actually constantly been high for the 2016 first- general choice after scoring 40 in his novice year when he won the Calder Memorial Trophy, and it looked like he was satisfying them. He was even in line for the Rocket Richard Trophy, one area behind the leading men.

Race for the Rocket Richard Trophy

Mentioning the Rocket Richard Trophy: what a race it would have been to the end. Naturally, Capitals star winger Alex Ovechkin, who has actually recorded the trophy a record 8 times, was atop the leaderboard together with the Bruins’ David Pastrnak. Whether Ovi or Pasta would have clinched or somebody like Mika Zibanejad leapt ahead is anybody’s guess; keep in mind, Zibanejad scored 5 objectives in a game less than a month back.

Certainly however, it would have been enjoyable to see.

MORE: Rocket Richard Trophy previous winners, history

Playoff presses

Absolutely Nothing and we indicate absolutely nothing was chosen in the playoff races when things concerned a shrieking stop.

Sure, there were teams that had actually strengthened areas like the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues; nevertheless, neither team had actually formally secured their division titles. The Lightning left 24 points on the table and just required 8 leading catch the Bruins, while the Avalanche just sit 2 points back of the Blues for the Main title.

On the flip side, a fight was developing amongst teams going for among each conference’s final 2 wild-card areas.

The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets, connected at 81 points, hung on to the last 2 Eastern Conference playoff areas, with 3 teams within striking range. Out West, it looked like guideline wins would have played a crucial role as four teams were lining up for a fight for 2 tickets to the postseason. Among those teams, the Vancouver Canucks, who were technically on the outside searching in, was one mention of the 3rd area in the Pacific Divison.

MORE: Seeding situations, breakdown for final areas in 2020 playoffs

The last ‘Fight of Alberta’

Which brings us to the greatest travesty if the routine season is canceled– losing out on the final installation of the ‘Fight of Alberta.’

Oh, what a grand game this would have been on the last day of the routine season: Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers. 2 teams who dislike each other taking on in a possible first-round playoff preview.

Who can forget the last conference? It had everything.

Anticipation.

Intrigue.

Big conserves. Fancy objectives. Goalies pulled. Goalies battling. Goalies returning in after being pulled. That game followed the 3rd installation saw Matthew Tkachuk and Zack Kassian settle their practically three-week-long disagreement that bled over from match- up No. 2, the Flames winning in a shootout with Big Save Dave Rittich toss his stick up in event to which Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl called “just disrespectful.”

Sigh.

It would have been a wonderful night in Alberta that we are unfortunate to have actually missed out on.