Unlike many, I don’t believe there is true parity in the NHL. Despite the fact that there are often very few points separating the teams in the standings, the same clubs miss the playoffs year after year. They do so for a variety of reasons, including drafting incompetence, poor player development, substandard coaching and overall mismanagement.

If Florida, Columbus and Phoenix don’t qualify for the post-season this year--and it does not look as if they will--they will miss the playoffs for an unbelievable seventh consecutive campaign. Atlanta has played in only one playoff series since the new millennium, and Washington has missed the Stanley Cup dance five out of the last seven years. Chicago has qualified for the playoffs only three times since the 1995-06 season and Los Angeles has made only two playoff appearances over that same time span.

On the flip side, New Jersey and Ottawa have not missed the playoffs since the 1995-06 campaign and Detroit has an incredible streak of 17 straight seasons in the post-season, the longest in pro sports.

Some may argue, that because there have been six different Cup winners over the last six seasons, there is some sort of parity in the NHL. I say, tell that to Kings’, Blackhawks’, Panthers’, Blue Jackets’ or Coyotes’ fans. And when you do tell them, make sure you do so at a distance, for you may be egged for your ignorance.