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Connor McDavid's overtime goal to beat the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off final last week was the best Canadian men's hockey moment of the last 15 years. Could Canada's first Stanley Cup parade since 1993 be next?
The chances aren't terrible, with three Canadian-based NHL teams currently ranked in the top seven overall, two more holding a playoff spot and another very much in the hunt for the post-season. One betting site has the implied probability of a Canadian team winning the Cup at around 29 per cent, while the seven clubs' title odds on the hockey-stats website Money Puck add up to about 25 per cent.
Here's a quick check-in on the seven Canadian teams as they enter the final ~25 games of the regular season.
The big 3
Leading the way is Winnipeg, which won its league-high 10th consecutive game last night to reclaim first place overall from the Washington Capitals. Mark Scheifele's overtime goal — his 329th for Winnipeg, breaking Ilya Kovalchuk's Thrashers/Jets franchise record — gave him 32 on the season, which ranks third in the NHL. Kyle Connor is sixth in goals with 30 and tied for fifth in points with 71. Along with the league's best record, the Jets (41-14-3) own the top power-play success rate (32.5 per cent) and goal differential (plus-70).
Winnipeg also has the NHL's best goalie. Connor Hellebuyck leads the league in all the major traditional stats — wins (35), goals-against average (2.04), save percentage (.925) and shutouts (6) — as well as the advanced Goals Saved Above Expected. He's a virtual lock to win his second straight Vezina Trophy and
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