The All-Star weekend is always the unofficial halfway point of the season, but this year brings an odd spread of games played thanks to COVID postponements and the previously scheduled Olympic break. While the Anaheim Ducks have played in 48 of their 82 games already, the New York Islanders have just 39 completed.
Despite still more than half the season remaining for some teams, many believe the Eastern Conference playoff picture is essentially already finalized. The Boston Bruins, currently sitting in the second wildcard spot, have a nine-point lead on the Detroit Red Wings despite having played four fewer games. The Islanders perhaps have a better shot if they were to catch fire in the second half, because of the number of games they’ve played to this point.
In the West, it’s not nearly as clear-cut. The Calgary Flames currently sit in the final wildcard spot, but are just three points behind the Anaheim Ducks for a divisional position with six fewer games played. In fact, the Pacific division in general will be an interesting race given how few games the Flames and Edmonton Oilers have played so far. Both of those teams could potentially contend for the division lead–currently held by the Vegas Golden Knights–with a relatively short winning streak. In the Central, it’s a little tighter, but the St. Louis Blues, currently in a wildcard position are still in danger of being caught by those pesky Pacifics.
Even teams like the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, and Winnipeg Jets aren’t really out of it at this point, despite rollercoaster seasons each. Winnipeg, once considered a Stanley Cup contender, has been brutal of late and now sits nine points behind the Flames for the last spot, but has also played just 42 games. There is still plenty of season left for them to make a push, though they’ll need better play from the leadership group in order to do it.
So which team that’s currently outside the playoff picture will end up making it? We’ve included the most likely answers below, but if you feel confident in someone else make sure to explain why in the comment section.
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OILERS
None in the East obviously.
@rdiddy75 – Damn you for typing faster than me today! FTR, I second that motion…
The Islanders are a good team, but the hole they have dug for themselves is much too deep. Even with a lot of home games left a 17 point deficit is asking too much. Detroit and Columbus are at best .500 teams. That’s a good thing or a bad thing depending on your point of view. Edmonton has elite players in a division that isn’t so daunting. I think the Oilers can regain the form they started the season with, so without hesitation they get the nod. Dallas and Winnipeg should be better than they are, but I don’t see either one being better than Colorado, Nashville, Minnesota or St. Louis. Finally,Ii look for Vancouver and Winnipeg to go into decline and start moving players at the deadline.
Answer should be the Jets.
Chevy gotta go.
He has wasted the Cup window of his team by first holding onto Maurice too long and then not finding a real replacement.
Nucks or Oilers are the only ones I see with decent odds.
Yeah, the East’s playoff teams are set; it’s just a matter there of which team gets into which seed. It’s not just a matter there that Boston would have to have an epic collapse and the Islanders/Wings have an epic comeback. It’s that New York or Detroit would have to start whipping teams like Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Toronto, Rangers — teams that are all hard-charging and showing no signs of weakness.
Who sees all of THAT happening?
Canucks are on a run. Ducks miss.
You quack me up.
The Stars should, based on talent, be the pick here. But they only seem to give a s**t 50% of the time, so they’ll likely just miss the playoffs like last season.
In lieu of that, the Oilers will likey make it in.