Feel like you can almost confidently lock in 6 maybe even 7 playoff spots in the East already. Florida, Toronto, Jersey, New York, Carolina, and Washington feel like locks. Tampa probably should be included as well which leaves one wildcard spot for the group of teams sitting in and around .500 that you listed.
I agree I think 6 spots are spoken for.
I'm not quite ready to call Tampa a lock yet because it wasn't that long ago they were in that group.
But they are close if they can come out of their next 7 games 4-3 or better I think they are in.
The next 7 are
Pittsburgh
Columbus
Dallas
Colorado
Washington
Nashville
Toronto
I'm never going to say a team with Crosby on it can't win because It's Crosby and even at 37 he can go off on any given night. But Tampa should win that.
Then It's Columbus and again Tampa should win that.
Then you get to Dallas they are really good that's going to be tough.
Washington has been good all season.
Colorado is starting to get healthy It SHOULD be harder to beat them this time.
Nashville for some reasons sucks but they are loaded with talent.
Toronto and Tampa are almost ALWAYS good games.
As long as they don't stumble in the next 7 I think they get in.
Although last time I checked Point was injured, not sure if he's back yet or not