January: 3-6-3 (2-1 OT) Horrible start, we somehow give up a 3-0 lead in the first match, but bounce back on the Sunday with a GK change. Two of our players go to Czechia and win bronze in the World Juniors, hosts
Czechia beat Slovakia in the final. Lose to the bottom team and blow the rivalry match against Tappara to wave goodbye to a chase for the regular season title, we're now 12 points behind after 37/60 matches. A tough schedule means I have to change around on the lines a lot, and we finish the month 4th - 17 points off the lead and 5 points ahead of the pre-play-off spots.
February: 3-4-1 (0-1 OT). We're barely making shots now so something must be messed up with the tactics; I turn on the shooting for the first line and see if that helps - which it sort of does, we squeeze out a win against TPS despite a penalty fest. Also manage to sign a couple role players to contracts; if I stay on next season we'll have about $1.2m to spend on 10 players. Pretty middle-of-the-road results but we defend our spot in the quarterfinals. We close the month in sixth, but with games in hand over the teams ahead.
Meanwhile, in the NHL, champions Arizona are 24-31-9, placed 13th in the West and quite unlikely to make the play-offs.
Table at the end of February 2021