Could the Devils realistically miss the playoffs?

[Romang67]

That 7-8 point gap looks a lot bigger when you realize that the Habs are pacing to finish the season with 88 points. A 7-8 point gap is a lot of ground to cover in 16 games when you aren't a very good team. Cause you're unlikely to pick up much more than like 16 points in those 16 games.

When the Jets beat the Stars the other day to take a 10 point lead in the Central, that pretty much solidified the division as won to me, even with a slump. And the Stars are a very good hockey team. We're just that close to the end of the season.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

That 7-8 point gap looks a lot bigger when you realize that the Habs are pacing to finish the season with 88 points. A 7-8 point gap is a lot of ground to cover in 16 games when you aren't a very good team. Cause you're unlikely to pick up much more than like 16 points in those 16 games.

When the Jets beat the Stars the other day to take a 10 point lead in the Central, that pretty much solidified the division as won to me, even with a slump. And the Stars are a very good hockey team. We're just that close to the end of the season.

Yeah, a team like Montreal would need to finish something like 11-4-1 to pass the devils, assuming the devils only go .500 against some of the weakest teams in the league.

 

[Summer Rose]

Yeah, a team like Montreal would need to finish something like 11-4-1 to pass the devils, assuming the devils only go .500 against some of the weakest teams in the league.

Which would be hard for them to do. The Devils are already leading in this race, and even if their car has taken some damage, the people they’re being chased by are driving 1973 Ford Pintos.

 

[Romang67]

Yeah, a team like Montreal would need to finish something like 11-4-1 to pass the devils, assuming the devils only go .500 against some of the weakest teams in the league.

Yep. It DOES happen (see the Hamburgler with the Senators a few years back), but I would bet against any given bad team to go on a crazy win streak to finish the season. And the Habs and Blue Jackets are bad teams. That's why they're packing for less than 90 points.

 

[viceroy]

Shamus Casey for calder

But he has as many goals as Lane Hutson in only 10 games! 10 GAMES!!!

...the Habs and Blue Jackets are bad teams.

Sure. But the Devils aren't a good team either, middling at best I'd say.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

With their win tonight I think they're probably safe. 8 point lead over 4th in the division.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The key is for them not to lose the #3 spot and get thrown into a chaotic Wild Card race.

For that reason, their win over Columbus the other day was absolutely huge, and their game in Columbus tonight is all but a last chance for the Jackets to make a long-shot run at #3.

If the Devils win tonight, then they only have to worry about the Rangers. Their game on April 5th will of course be a big deal because of the 4-point swing. But even in that scenario, the rest of the Devils’ April schedule is against teams that will likely have given up by then, while the Rangers have a brutal April calendar. So it would require the Devils to just completely implode to the tune of getting beaten repeatedly by bad teams, while specifically losing at least one of the key divisional games.

So tonight’s win simplifies things a lot. It’s basically: “don’t get caught by the Rangers, otherwise there’s a slim chance Montreal manages to catch you too”

 

[A1LeafNation]

Their best goalie is in the minors...