The playoff push is back! The playoff push is back!
How exciting.
If you don?t know what the playoff push is, it?s courtesy Leafs beat writer James Mirtle at the Globe and Mail, and what it does is list all the teams in the NHL along with the records they?ll likely need down the stretch to qualify for the postseason.
Obviously this isn?t an exact science, but it?s still fun anyways.
For example, Mirtle predicts the Leafs will need to go 19-14-0 to make the playoffs (for the first since the lockout).
The Rangers. meanwhile, could go 13-21-1 in their last 35 games and still qualify, which would make John Tortorella so happy.
The least likely to make the playoffs? Your Columbus Blue Jackets, who would have to go 30-3-0 to sneak in.
Given how things currently sit, we project that the postseason cutoff in both conferences will be 92 or 93 points points. That can shift slightly over the final 30 or so games, but it shouldn't move more than a point or two.
Taking into account our projected marks for eighth place, here is the record all 30 teams will need in their remaining games to get there:
Eastern Conference (93 points)
N.Y. Rangers - 13-21-1
Boston - 14-20-1
Philadelphia - 15-19-0
Pittsburgh - 16-16-1
Ottawa - 16-13-1
Washington - 19-15-0
Florida - 19-15-0
New Jersey - 19-15-0
Toronto - 19-14-0
Winnipeg - 21-10-1
Montreal - 23-10-0
Tampa Bay - 23-10-1
N.Y. Islanders - 24-10-0
Buffalo - 24-9-0
Carolina - 24-7-0
Western Conference (92 points)
Detroit - 12-19-1
St. Louis - 13-19-1
Vancouver - 14-19-0
Nashville - 14-18-0
Chicago - 14-18-0
San Jose - 16-19-0
Los Angeles - 17-15-0
Minnesota - 18-14-1
Dallas - 20-14-0
Colorado - 19-12-0
Calgary - 20-12-0
Phoenix - 20-12-0
Anaheim - 24-9-1
Edmonton - 25-7-1
Columbus - 30-3-0
So... any takers on the Blue Jackets to make it?
How exciting.
If you don?t know what the playoff push is, it?s courtesy Leafs beat writer James Mirtle at the Globe and Mail, and what it does is list all the teams in the NHL along with the records they?ll likely need down the stretch to qualify for the postseason.
Obviously this isn?t an exact science, but it?s still fun anyways.
For example, Mirtle predicts the Leafs will need to go 19-14-0 to make the playoffs (for the first since the lockout).
The Rangers. meanwhile, could go 13-21-1 in their last 35 games and still qualify, which would make John Tortorella so happy.
The least likely to make the playoffs? Your Columbus Blue Jackets, who would have to go 30-3-0 to sneak in.
Given how things currently sit, we project that the postseason cutoff in both conferences will be 92 or 93 points points. That can shift slightly over the final 30 or so games, but it shouldn't move more than a point or two.
Taking into account our projected marks for eighth place, here is the record all 30 teams will need in their remaining games to get there:
Eastern Conference (93 points)
N.Y. Rangers - 13-21-1
Boston - 14-20-1
Philadelphia - 15-19-0
Pittsburgh - 16-16-1
Ottawa - 16-13-1
Washington - 19-15-0
Florida - 19-15-0
New Jersey - 19-15-0
Toronto - 19-14-0
Winnipeg - 21-10-1
Montreal - 23-10-0
Tampa Bay - 23-10-1
N.Y. Islanders - 24-10-0
Buffalo - 24-9-0
Carolina - 24-7-0
Western Conference (92 points)
Detroit - 12-19-1
St. Louis - 13-19-1
Vancouver - 14-19-0
Nashville - 14-18-0
Chicago - 14-18-0
San Jose - 16-19-0
Los Angeles - 17-15-0
Minnesota - 18-14-1
Dallas - 20-14-0
Colorado - 19-12-0
Calgary - 20-12-0
Phoenix - 20-12-0
Anaheim - 24-9-1
Edmonton - 25-7-1
Columbus - 30-3-0
So... any takers on the Blue Jackets to make it?
