THURSDAY COMMENTARY – PEEING INTO THE WIND

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

You’ve heard the phrase “Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear.”

There’s no exact parallel for that for the NHL standings right now as we head into Christmas, but it’s the closest metaphor I can find today.

We continue to be fascinated with the stat that if you’re in a playoff spot at U.S. Thanksgiving, you’ve got a 75%-90% chance of making the playoffs.

I’m sure that rings true for teams like Vegas, Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Dallas and a few other stalwart franchises.

But for fringe teams like Edmonton, Calgary, Washington, Florida and the Jets, all it means is “you’re in the conversation” for the playoffs, but there’s plenty of work to be done.

The team I’m least concerned about is the Calgary Flames but losing in a shootout to the perennially crappy Vancouver Canucks Wednesday night will cause considerable hand-wringing today in Cowtown.

That’s just the way fans are; up and down like a toilet seat.

But let’s look a little closer – some of those fringe teams have undergone considerable change. Florida has a new coach in Paul Maurice and they’re very clearly still trying to get to know each other.

The Flames performed a massive renovation on their forward units and tweaked the blueline, yet stood pat in goal.

Their inconsistency can be explained.

I’m not sure the Oilers’ can, because they’ve experienced very little change other than swapping out goalie Mike Smith for Jack Campbell, and the results have been disappointing.

I’d love to be the one preaching patience to these rabid NHL fans – and have them actually listen – but in the end it’s like my Mom would say about peeing into the wind.

Not a good idea, and entirely a waste of time.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV, YouTube Live and WQEE Radio)