Crosby, Kane and the Coyotes: the Playoffs Would Have Been Even Better Had These Five Qualified

It was a great day for the Alex Ovechkin and Washington Capitals, who made the playoffs after a wild night of NHL action.

Alas, one team’s fortune is another team(s) pain, as Patrick Kane, Sidney Crosby and John Tortorella won’t be heading into the post-season. Here are five who we would have liked to have seen qualify:

Patrick Kane Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Patrick Kane

The 35-year-old, who underwent hip resurfacing surgery, almost  dragged the Red Wings into the playoffs by scoring 20 goals and 47 points in 50 games. Unfortunately, his Showtime magic only went so far as Detroit’s playoff drought reached eight seasons. The good news is that Kane seems re-energized and there is already talk of him returning for another season or two. The question is, will it be in Detroit?

Sidney Crosby

For the second straight year, Crosby won’t be in the playoffs. Which is a shame, because his play certainly deserved it. Having scored 42 goals and 92 points in 81 games, some were questioning whether the Penguins captain should receive consideration for the Hart Trophy. Instead, with Crosby’s contract set to expire in the summer, talk will now inevitably turn to whether the 36-year-old could be on his way out of Pittsburgh.

John Tortorella

A month ago, Torts seemed like the odds-on favorite to win the Jack Adams Trophy. That’s how much the Flyers head coach had overachieved this year. If not for a late-season collapse, where Philadelphia finally came down to earth, can you imagine how many more post-game press conferences we would have been treated to, like this one?

Jeff Skinner

With Buffalo missing out again, the Sabres have now failed to make the playoffs for an NHL-record 13 seasons. For Skinner, who has never played in the post-season, the drought is even longer. He’s now gone 14 years without a playoff berth. That’s 1,006 games. three more years remaining on his contract, the next Sabres head coach needs to get it right — and soon.

Arizona Coyotes

If this was the last season for the NHL in Arizona — and it certainly is looking like it will be — then it couldn’t have been more inconsequential. One last ‘White Out’ would have been a nice sendoff for a team riding off into the sunset. But the Coyotes were never really in the mix for a playoff spot. They didn’t have a top-30 scorer or a top-end rookie worth any Calder Trophy votes. Tonight, they play their final home game in a 5,000 seat arena. Let’s see if they can sell out the place.