NHL’s East ‘have nots’ hoping to start challenging the elite

By JOHN WAWROW
AP Hockey Writer

The NHL’s Eastern Conference has been a case of the haves and have-nots for much of the past nine seasons. General managers of the teams on the outside the playoff picture are hoping they may finally be in position to break through. Age might finally be catching up to the elite teams in the East. Teams behind them were among the most active in adding talent this offseason. Still, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman remains realistic in assessing his team’s playoff chances.