I think we shouldn't focus too much on the maximum, which should be occuring either today or tomorrow, but rather look at the forecast for the rest of the month. What is appearent from Wipneus maps is that the ice have started to melt away at the southern tip of Greenland. The current conditions have also been very favorable for ice transportation at both Frem strait, Labrador sea, St Lawrence basin and Berings sea.. However, these conditions will start to deteriorate during the coming days.
First, a powerful cyclone seems to head for Okhotsk basin as for Berings sea. That will for certain affect the ice given how thin it is there.
Second, the huge ice transportation through Frem strait will also cease to operate next week and at +144h at the ECMWF a cyclone will head for Svalbard and we all know how thin that ice is.
Third, I'm rather sure that the ice at St Lawrence will be sloshed away next week as a nor' easter will smash the North American east coast with very windy conditions.
Finally, here in Sweden we have had some ice growth in the Bothnian bay the last days but warmer weather is in sight there. there have also been some ice growth in the Finnish bay but I think it will melt away quite rapidly during the coming week or so. And let's not forget the Great lakes.. These numbers are however very small...
As a last thing, compare Wipneus ice maps between march 14 and 19 at Svalbard...