The final four-game homestretch begins tonight for the chief combatants in the Eastern Conference lower-seeds playoff race. With 78 games down, the Islanders (89 pts.) host the Leafs, the Blue Jackets (90 pts.) visit the Sabres, the Senators (92 pts.) host the Panthers, and the Flyers (92 pts.) are in Detroit (89 pts.).
Technically, the Washington Capitals are also in this picture, winning last night to match the Islanders at 89 points but with one fewer game to go.
For the Islanders, whether this season sees playoffs or not, tonight is a significant one due to Pete DeBoer’s debut as their head coach.
And he has some changes in store, it seems: Mathew Barzal will be back at center and Max Shabanov will get a real chance. And in alignment with what I assumed but did not see when he was acquired, Brayden Schenn will skate on the wing, though you wonder if he’ll take more of the faceoffs than Barzal.