Duds, Time Bombs, and Scapegoats

As the Elite Eight move on to Round Two of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, big questions loom over the Round One losers:

How long can John Tortorella and New York coexist?
Adding Sean Avery on the ice and Tortorella behind the bench made the Rangers better. It also turned them into a ticking time bomb. It's bound to go off eventually, and the New York press corps will be there to fan the flames.

Is the sun setting on Martin Brodeur's career?
Brodeur 2009 was billed as well-rested and motivated. Hockey's best clutch goalie is back! Instead, we saw inconsistency, blown leads, and suspect goals - like the one that completed the Devils' game seven collapse. Brodeur has been a playoff dud for the last few years, and he'll be 37 years old next season.

Whither Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau?
In the bitter fallout from another playoff collapse, breaking up the Thornton-Marleau core is the obvious option in San Jose. Marleau is the preferred scapegoat. But who's going to pay fair value for one of hockey's most maligned playoff performers? And don't the Sharks' problems run much deeper?

How did the Flyers get so soft?
Goaltending is a perpetual head-scratcher in Philadelphia. But the real glaring weakness is the defense, a talented group lacking anyone to play the body and clear the crease. And they can't do anything about it until they open salary cap space.

When will the Flames join the new NHL?
Calgary came within one win of the 2004 Stanley Cup, and it seems GM Darryl Sutter is still trying to win that series. His is an old-school NHL team, with too much grit, not enough speed, and a goaltender who used to rank among the NHL elite.

Does Carey Price have a future in Montreal?
The Canadiens have badly mishandled an outstanding young goaltender, demanding too much too soon and setting him up to fail. If Price continues to struggle, a change of scenery might be the only solution for all involved.

Photo: Tortorella tries to keep his cool. (Len Redkoles/Getty Images)