Eastern Conference Wild Card Race is Embarrassing

[NJDevilsFan21]

It's pretty wild how close this is.

 

[PolishPrince21]

Given the way it's gone this year they'll blow their games against lowly Chicago and Columbus.

don't worry you'll win one and we will pack it in vs the habs.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Pittsburgh last two games again team fighting for Bedard.

 

[miscs75]

don't worry you'll win one and we will pack it in vs the habs.

Josh Bailey is gonna go 1g 2a and lead them to a 4-1 victory vs the Laval Rocket.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Sabres make the playoffs easily if the idiot GM gets Levi on the team 2 weeks earlier.

What lol. That’s not how it works

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

All I'm going to say is it's definitely entertaining!

I actually watched part of the Panthers/Toronto game. I'm in Islander black-out territory, but saw the updates. Like other Pens fans, we're not too hopeful this year, so making it is fun, but not making it isn't the end of the world.

I don't think the Pens are going to make it easy on themselves though, as that has been their motto the entire year.

Give Panthers credit for their run and Lyon. If they make it, having a hot goalie will make whoever they face miserable. Can't wait!

If the Pens do make it, I don't want to face the Devils. We'd be done in 4 straight blowouts against them :\.

 

[Gurglesons]

don't worry you'll win one and we will pack it in vs the habs.

lol, I think you guys lose and then the Penguins like lose in OT or some shit.

 

[LGBlues]

I don't get the lack of head-to-head matchups down the stretch this year - Pens playing Chicago on Game 81 etc.

 

[eco's bones]

Speaking of the Pens and Caps----the game has always been a rollercoaster. Always an end of the ride. You got your HOF'ers but eventually they can't carry their teams anymore. I know the sick feeling in the stands or in front of the screens and the locker room but it's kind of a cycle of life thing.....also eventually those on the bottom (or some of them anyway) start to rise up and they push other teams out. For the Pens/Caps it's basically time to start over and FWIW give it time and it can get interesting again. Meanwhile you've been to the top of mountain so no one is going to feel all that sorry for you. That's just how it is.

 

[AfroThunder396]

The optimal way this ends is for neutral fans:

-NYI to lose in regulation to MTL tonight
-Setting up a win-and-in scenario for PIT that they get to dwell on for a day
-PIT chokes by losing to CBJ in regulation
-Islanders get WC2 by default

Not only is this hilarious for playoff scenarios, it's also hilarious for draft lottery scenarios.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I don't get the lack of head-to-head matchups down the stretch this year - Pens playing Chicago on Game 81 etc.

It appears they set things up so that Thursday 4/13 is packed with as many rivalry/marquee games as possible.

 

[Osakahaus]

Islanders are going to slot in Bailey to the lineup against the Habs...

His last game saw him giving the puck to Canes players lmfao

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

The optimal way this ends is for neutral fans:

-NYI to lose in regulation to MTL tonight
-Setting up a win-and-in scenario for PIT that they get to dwell on for a day
-PIT chokes by losing to CBJ in regulation
-Islanders get WC2 by default

Not only is this hilarious for playoff scenarios, it's also hilarious for draft lottery scenarios.

It wouldn't make me raise any eyebrows if it went down this way . At a minimum it would probably get some more viewers and more impactful drama.

 

[Artemi Panarin]

Watch NYI lose against MTL and PIT lose against CBJ after losing to CHI. Embarrassing indeed.

 

[Dubi Doo]

The optimal way this ends is for neutral fans:

-NYI to lose in regulation to MTL tonight
-Setting up a win-and-in scenario for PIT that they get to dwell on for a day
-PIT chokes by losing to CBJ in regulation
-Islanders get WC2 by default

Not only is this hilarious for playoff scenarios, it's also hilarious for draft lottery scenarios.

I'd rather not see the Isles in the playoffs; they're a boring team.
I'm glad Florida made it. They have some serious firepower. That could make for a solid series against a higher seed.
Pitt is in their twilight years, but I would still like to see Crosby in the playoffs.

 

[drktmplr12]

hi yes, i was told that the panthers wouldn't make it.

i'm here in file a formal complaint

 

[AfroThunder396]

Lots of Cats fans beating their chest loudly today. If you guys really want to brag about being a wildcard team that dropped 30 points from last year, weird flex but have fun I guess.

 

[Artemi Panarin]

hi yes, i was told that the panthers wouldn't make it.

i'm here in file a formal complaint

Can't you see we're occupied with pointing + laughing at PIT/NYI?

 

[McGarnagle]

I thought Buffalo was still alive but I forgot that it goes by ROW and not wins total. They could win both of their remaining games and finish in a tie with the Isles and/or Pens at 91 points with more wins than both and miss out because of the ROWs

 

[MessierII]

I thought Buffalo was still alive but I forgot that it goes by ROW and not wins total. They could win both of their remaining games and finish in a tie with the Isles and/or Pens at 91 points with more wins than both and miss out because of the ROWs

It’s regulation wins first then ROW

 

[Ncit3]

I’d prefer the Penguins get in and lose in the first round. Crosby is getting a little long in the tooth and I wouldn’t put it past the NHL rigging the lottery to give the Penguins a third (fourth?) generational talent in a row in the draft.

 

[rojac]

I’d prefer the Penguins get in and lose in the first round. Crosby is getting a little long in the tooth and I wouldn’t put it past the NHL rigging the lottery to give the Penguins a third (fourth?) generational talent in a row in the draft.

I believe the worst that the Penguins can finish is 20th which would put them 13th in the draft. A lottery win could only move them up to 3rd overall.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Speaking of the Pens and Caps----the game has always been a rollercoaster. Always an end of the ride. You got your HOF'ers but eventually they can't carry their teams anymore. I know the sick feeling in the stands or in front of the screens and the locker room but it's kind of a cycle of life thing.....also eventually those on the bottom (or some of them anyway) start to rise up and they push other teams out. For the Pens/Caps it's basically time to start over and FWIW give it time and it can get interesting again. Meanwhile you've been to the top of mountain so no one is going to feel all that sorry for you. That's just how it is.

I’m holding out a bit of hope that they can maintain relevance. Their prospect pool is probably 20-22ish if you rank it now and that should go up a few spots with a few higher picks this year. In two years they’ll have zero bad contracts once Backstrom, Oshie, and Kuznetsov are gone so they should have the cap space and assets to make trades to stay competitive in the short term if they pull it off.

I worry the most honestly about next year. Kuznetsov, Mantha, Backstrom, and Oshie are all anchors and that’s a lot of dead weight to trim in one off-season. Oshie may have to LTIRetire after next season because he’s broken. Sandin is also a promising piece to a retool but he’s definitely a downgrade defensively to Orlov. Next year I think will be choppy waters but who knows.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

LA can send their Team B to the East if nobody wants that 8th spot

let me know, i can make it happen

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

Saw this posted on Reddit