Six people facing increased pressure in second half of NHL season

Jimmy Hascup, USA TODAY Sports Published 2:37 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2018 | Updated 2:40 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2018

SportsPulse: NHL insider Kevin Allen breaks down the first half of the season and gives us his picks for best story line, MVP and rookie of the year. USA TODAY Sports

As the Feb. 26 trade deadline nears and the playoff push kicks into high gear, pressure will mount across the league. Here are several people in the cross hairs:

Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers coach. Vigneault has gotten the Rangers into the playoffs in each of his four seasons with them, but a lot of that success can be attributed to Henrik Lundqvist, who has posted a .919 save percentage in that span. After reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2013-14, the Rangers’ quality of play has fallen off in each successive season. Vigneault's handling of younger players and constant line juggling has drawn criticism. The team, which is currently in a 4-5-2 stretch, has given up at least 40 shots on goal 12 times this season. Continued struggles amid the constant pressure to win now in New York could signal a tipping point in Vigneault’s stay.

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Anton Forsberg; Jeff Glass, Chicago Blackhawks goalies. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford’s status for the season is in doubt because of vertigo-like symptoms. That puts the limelight on an inexperienced netminding group, especially because the Blackhawks have little salary cap room to maneuver. Forsberg, who has put up solid American Hockey League numbers, and Glass, a journeyman who made his NHL debut this year, have 31 career NHL games between them. Chicago is in last place in the Central Division, three points out of the playoffs, and extending its playoff streak to 10 seasons might depend on these two.

Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals captain. This will come as unfair to Ovechkin, who with 28 goals is projected for his eighth 50-goal season. But even as the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, the Capitals are not as dominant as they’ve been in years past. They are more top-heavy on offense and defense. That means that Ovechkin will have to continue to carry the offense, which ranks ninth in the NHL. Or the blame, unfairly, will be put on him if they disappoint again.

Garth Snow, New York Islanders GM. The Islanders’ problem is clear: they rank second in offense and last in goals against and 30th in penalty kill percentage. Their .895 team save percentage is 28th. They desperately need a goalie. Fixing that could mean a playoff berth. But they also need some clarity on John Tavares’ future. He is set to be a free agent this offseason. It would behoove them to win now for myriad reasons.

Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks captain. With nine goals, Pavelski might not reach 20 goals for the first time in a full 82-game season since 2007-08. His 29 points are pacing him for his worst season since 2009-10 when he recorded 51. He has 1.18 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five, a mark that ties him with Boone Jenner and Noah Hanifin. The Sharks have the 20th ranked offense, and with more production from Pavelski — he’s scoring at 4% lower than his career average — they might be better than just be one point clear of the final playoff spot.

Jan. 16: Predators center Ryan Johansen (92) is looked at by trainer Andy Hosler after being hit by the Golden Knights' William Carrier. Johansen ended up leaving the game. Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Six people facing increased pressure in second half of NHL season

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