Way too many teams we'd have to have to pass in order to make the playoffs and the majority of those teams would have to start tanking which won't happen.
Here's the thing tho. This wasn't supposed to be a playoff team at least to any realistic observer of this team. But even if we don't make the playoffs, if we can hang around the periphery of the playoff bubble to the point where we are playing important games in the month of March, that would be invaluable experience for our young pups like Kakko, Chytil, Fox, Shesty...etc etc.
By the time we do become a playoff participant again(hopefully next year), the experience they will have gained this year will serve them well going forward.
I tell ya and I've said this a ton of times but it deserves repeating, other than Kravstov not being up here with the big club and contributing and of course the Lias fiasco, at this point in time, could this rebuild of ours have gone any better than it has?
In my mind the answer is resounding no!. And that includes Kakko maybe not doing as well as we might have thought he'd be doing tho I have no doubt whatsoever he will be a stud once he gains some more strength and stamina and works on his skating.
With the uber prospects we have in the system and THE most importantly, at least to me it is, the fact we have a stud goaltender in the waiting in Shesterkin, our future is ridiculously bright and games like tonight illustrate how lethal this team of ours will be once our kiddies get more and more experience.
So count me in as one damn happy camper even if we don't make the playoffs...