If the NHL playoffs started today: Projecting all 8 matchups as April begins
There are 17 days earlier than the begin of the NHL playoffs, and it’s nonetheless anybody’s guess as to who will occupy the closing two wild-card spots in every convention. A number of division crowns and home-ice benefit stay up for grabs, too. But if the playoffs started on Wednesday, right here’s what they’d appear like.
Eastern Conference
Buffalo Sabres (Atlantic 1) vs. Boston Bruins (Wild-Card 1)
Buffalo moved again to the prime of the division on Tuesday evening, and so they’re a digital certainty for the playoffs with seven video games to go. Buffalo has secured its first 100-point season since 2009-10. Considering what the Sabres have endured, spending the final 15 years out of the playoffs, they’ll take it. We’re all simply ready for his or her playoff berth to be official. Coach Lindy Ruff’s single-season turnaround must be ok for Jack Adams Award votes. Alex Lyon continues to be a Sabres savior with a 6-1-1 file in his final eight video games.
The Bruins, in the meantime, proceed to trip a robust season from goalie Jeremy Swayman, who has solely misplaced thrice in his final 11 video games. Boston has achieved effectively to win as many video games as they did at dwelling, with a 27-10-1 file, however they’ll miss having that home-ice benefit these subsequent couple of weeks. Five of Boston’s subsequent seven video games are on the street, and most of these opponents (together with Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Columbus) may nonetheless have one thing to play for in these video games.
Remaining schedules:
Sabres (7 video games): at Ottawa (Thursday), at Washington (Saturday), vs. Tampa Bay (Monday), at New York Rangers (April 8), vs. Columbus (April 9), at Chicago (April 13), vs. Dallas (April 15).
Bruins (7 video games): at Florida (Thursday), at Tampa Bay (Saturday), at Philadelphia (Sunday), at Carolina (April 7), vs. Tampa Bay (April 11), at Columbus (April 12), vs. New Jersey (April 14).
Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic 2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (Atlantic 3)
These matches stay very a lot in flux. The Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres are neck-and-neck for the prime seed in the Eastern Conference. (The Montreal Canadiens have an outdoor probability of usurping these groups, too.) But Dom Luszczyszyn’s model nonetheless favors the Lightning as the league’s greatest staff, with the highest odds of constructing the Stanley Cup Final and profitable the championship. It’s laborious to not like their possibilities after they boast a Hart Trophy candidate (Nikita Kucherov), a Vezina candidate (Andrei Vasilevskiy), a Jack Adams Award candidate (Jon Cooper) and a stable supporting forged.
The Canadiens are driving excessive on a six-game win streak. But they’ve been not too long ago been struck by the harm bug, with Alexandre Carrier out for as much as 4 weeks with an upper-body harm. Montreal’s closing 4 video games of the season may not be walks in the park both, with Columbus, the Islanders and Philadelphia all presumably having one thing to play for.
Remaining schedules:
Lightning (8 video games): vs. Pittsburgh (Thursday), vs. Boston (Saturday), at Buffalo (Monday), at Ottawa (April 7), at Montreal (April 9), at Boston (April 11), vs. Detroit (April 13), vs. New York Rangers (April 15).
Canadiens (8 video games): at New York Rangers (Thursday), at New Jersey (Saturday), vs. New Jersey (Sunday), vs. Florida (April 7), vs. Tampa Bay (April 9), vs. Columbus (April 11), at New York Islanders (April 12), at Philadelphia (April 14).
Carolina Hurricanes (Metro 1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Wild-Card 2)
The Corsi Canes proceed to stay round in the Eastern Conference penthouse, crowded as it could be with Buffalo and Tampa Bay making an attempt to take up residence. Remaining at the prime may require a run earlier than the finish of the common season, as they play Columbus once more (beat the Blue Jackets on Tuesday), the New York Islanders, Ottawa and Boston, amongst different opponents. You can argue about the playoff format all you need. But the route that presents itself for Carolina may probably cause them to one other Eastern Conference Final look.
Columbus vaulted into playoff competition due to their new-coach bump, after hiring Rick Bowness in mid-January. They’re now hanging by a thread after dropping 4 of their final 5 video games, together with a brutal shootout loss to Boston over the weekend, through which they blew a 3-0 lead. And now Mathieu Olivier is out for the subsequent few weeks after getting injured in that recreation. It doesn’t assist that three groups — Ottawa, Philadelphia and Detroit (and it could possibly be 4 if Washington continues to make up floor) — are knocking on the door, primed to leap Columbus in the standings. They want a win in the worst manner, however additionally they have one in every of the hardest schedules remaining.
Remaining schedules:
Hurricanes (8 video games): vs. Columbus (Thursday), vs. New York Islanders (Saturday), at Ottawa (Sunday), vs. Boston (April 7), at Chicago (April 9), at Utah (April 11), at Philadelphia (April 13), at New York Islanders (April 14).
Blue Jackets (7 video games): at Carolina (Thursday), vs. Winnipeg (Saturday), at Detroit (April 7), at Buffalo (April 9), at Montreal (April 11), vs. Boston (April 12), vs. Washington (April 14).
Pittsburgh Penguins (Metro 2) vs. New York Islanders (Metro 3)
The Penguins are second of their division, holding themselves afloat in the race for a playoff spot. And now they’ve Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin again. Also, the place would the Pens be with out Erik Karlsson, who has 21 factors in his final 14 video games? Talk about turning again the clock. The Pens, finally, might want to do that after they return to the postseason, which appears promising barring a late-season collapse.
Meanwhile, the Islanders may nonetheless flip again into the Metro’s second place. They’ve additionally been benefiting from the Blue Jackets’ current struggles. Matthew Schaefer, Matthew Barzal, Bo Horvat and Ilya Sorokin proceed to steer the Isles as they hope to return to the playoffs.
Remaining schedules:
Penguins (7 video games): at Tampa Bay (Thursday), vs. Florida (Saturday), vs. Florida (Sunday), at New Jersey (April 9), vs. Washington (April 11), at Washington (April 12), at St. Louis (April 14).
Islanders (6 video games): vs. Philadelphia (Friday), at Carolina (Saturday), vs. Toronto (April 9), vs. Ottawa (April 11), vs. Montreal (April 12), vs. Carolina (April 14).
Other playoff candidates
Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers (every with 86 factors, two behind Columbus), Washington Capitals (85 factors)
Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche (Central 1) vs. Nashville Predators (Wild-card 2)
All eyes are on Cale Makar and his well being in Colorado. Makar was injured in opposition to the Calgary Flames on Monday evening. And in keeping with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, Makar will miss a while so he could be prepared for the playoffs. It’s the proper name for an Avalanche staff nonetheless out in entrance in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice benefit all through the playoffs. And they’ve earned that standing, given how dominant they’ve been offensively and defensively this season.
The Predators, equally to the Blue Jackets in the East, are underneath siege for the second wild-card spot. Nashville has misplaced three consecutive video games. And a handful of groups, together with Los Angeles, Seattle, San Jose, Winnipeg and St. Louis, are shut behind them. The Predators can ill-afford any extra dropped factors between now and the finish of the season.
Remaining schedules:
Avalanche (9 video games): vs. Vancouver (Wednesday), at Dallas (April 4), vs. St. Louis (April 5), at St. Louis (April 7), vs. Calgary (April 9), vs. Vegas (April 11), at Edmonton (April 13), at Calgary (April 14), vs. Seattle (April 16).
Predators (8 video games): at Los Angeles (Thursday), at San Jose (April 4), at Los Angeles (April 6), at Anaheim (April 7), at Utah (April 9), vs. Minnesota (April 11), vs. San Jose (April 13), vs. Anaheim (April 16).
Dallas Stars (Central 2) vs. Minnesota Wild (Central 3)
The Stars and Wild have lengthy been on monitor to play one another in the first spherical.
Dallas spent a lot of this season trying robust, with nice offense and depth all through their lineup. The Stars even acquired Mikko Rantanen again, after he was injured throughout the Olympics. But the Stars have misplaced seven of their final 9 video games. Dallas wants factors as they try to carry off the Wild, who’re six factors behind them. One participant who’s carried out notably effectively of late: Jason Robertson, who has 14 factors in his final 11 video games.
Minnesota is eighteen factors forward of fourth-place Winnipeg regardless of having 4 wins in its final 10 video games. But as soon as the Wild enter the playoffs, they shouldn’t be taken calmly, given their roster of stars, supporting items and the goaltending duo of Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt. With most of those potential playoff matchups in flux, Minnesota-Dallas nonetheless appears like the most sure matchup of them all.
Remaining schedules:
Stars (7 video games): vs. Winnipeg (Thursday), vs. Colorado (Saturday), vs. Calgary (April 7), vs. Minnesota (April 9), vs. New York Rangers (April 11), at Toronto (April 13), at Buffalo (April 15).
Wild (8 video games): vs. Vancouver (Thursday), at Ottawa (Saturday), at Detroit (Sunday), vs. Seattle (April 7), at Dallas (April 9), at Nashville (April 11), at St. Louis (April 13), vs. Anaheim (April 14).
Anaheim Ducks (Pacific 1) vs. Utah Mammoth (Wild-Card 1)
The Ducks’ youth motion has powered them this season and has them on the verge of a Pacific Division title. But the harm bug has hovered round them in current days. Cutter Gauthier was injured on Monday in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his standing is everyday. They practically misplaced Leo Carlsson to an harm in that recreation, too. Fortunately, there are upcoming alternatives for Anaheim to earn factors in opposition to lesser opposition — however a few of these groups are nonetheless hungry for playoff spots.
The Mammoth hope to construct on their level hole above the second wild-card spot, however they’ve additionally solely received 4 out of their final 10 video games. What has helped Utah is the proven fact that the groups under them have additionally hit dropping skids — excluding San Jose and Winnipeg. The Mammoth are nonetheless amongst the league’s greatest producing shot makes an attempt, high-danger possibilities and anticipated targets, and sit on the verge of their first playoff berth of their new dwelling.
Remaining schedules:
Ducks (8 video games): at San Jose (Wednesday), vs. St. Louis (Friday), vs. Calgary (Saturday), vs. Nashville (April 7), vs. San Jose (April 9), vs. Vancouver (April 12), at Minnesota (April 14), at Nashville (April 16).
Mammoth (8 video games): at Seattle (Thursday), at Vancouver (Saturday), vs. Edmonton (April 7), vs. Nashville (April 9), vs. Carolina (April 11), at Calgary (April 12), vs. Winnipeg (April 14), vs. St. Louis (April 16).
Edmonton Oilers (Pacific 2) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific 3)
Goaltending has been in the highlight for the Oilers for a while, and that received’t change now that they’re on the doorstep of one other playoff look. Connor Ingram has received his final two begins with a .919 save share, whereas Tristan Jarry defeated the Mammoth in his final begin. Can Ingram and Jarry maintain up in the playoffs, and make the job rather less troublesome for Connor McDavid and others? We will see. The Oilers are 6-3-1 of their final 10, however famous person Leon Draisaitl continues to be sorely missed.
The Vegas Golden Knights are 1-0 in the John Tortorella period. The NHL world continues to be processing the late-season firing of Bruce Cassidy. Tortorella probably received’t tweak a lot together with his group. But he must get them going forward of the playoffs, and a possible matchup in opposition to the Oilers. Vegas has struggled at occasions to knock off groups in playoff place this 12 months. Five of their seven remaining video games are in opposition to non-playoff groups, an opportunity to get factors and push for second place in the Pacific.
Remaining schedules:
Oilers (7 video games): vs. Chicago (Thursday), vs. Vegas (Saturday), at Utah (April 7), at San Jose (April 8), at Los Angeles (April 11), vs. Colorado (April 13), vs. Vancouver (April 16).
Golden Knights (7 video games): vs. Calgary (Thursday), at Edmonton (Saturday), at Vancouver (April 7), at Seattle (April 9), at Colorado (April 11), vs. Winnipeg (April 13), vs. Seattle (April 15).
Other playoff candidates
Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets (76 factors, one behind Nashville), Seattle Kraken (75 factors), San Jose Sharks (75 factors), St. Louis Blues (73 factors).
