Eastern Conference Wild Card Watch

[SteelCityCannon]

What a night for the Islanders I guess.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Habs probably not gonna make it, but it's fun to be in a playoffs race anyways

I had Montreal as a bubble team finishing outside with anywhere from 85-90 points. That’s about where they’re at. How they’ve done it though is crazy. What a terrible start.

It’d kind of be nice to see Columbus make it. They’ve been out for a while. Detroit too.

 

[FoxyClean]

Fully expect NYR to pass NJ.

 

[Devilsfan118]

Fully expect NYR to pass NJ.

The math ain't mathing in that one, but I'd have to look long and hard to find a team less deserving of the playoffs than this Devils team right now.

But of f***ing losers, zero swagger right now.

 

[FoxyClean]

The math ain't mathing in that one, but I'd have to look long and hard to find a team less deserving of the playoffs than this Devils team right now.

But of f***ing losers, zero swagger right now.

Winning the two games in hand puts the Rangers 2pts behind NJ.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Winning the two games in hand puts the Rangers 2pts behind NJ.

The Rags also have one of the most brutal schedules remaining and probably won't have Fox for most of it. It's different playing the Predators and Islanders compared to the Leafs, Jets, Hurricanes, etc without him. The Devils suck though so you might be right.

 

[Coffee]

The Rags also have one of the most brutal schedules remaining and probably won't have Fox for most of it. It's different playing the Predators and Islanders compared to the Leafs, Jets, Hurricanes, etc without him. The Devils suck though so you might be right.

You still have the best username on HFBoards

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

You still have the best username on HFBoards

Appreciate it lol

 

[JJ68]

I miss Habs-Bruins playoffs. That's why we watch hockey.

Habs and Bruins in the playoffs is what Hockey is all about. Those series ALWAYS boil over.

No no, they’re done now, Habs won both because the Sabres play hockey like drunken pirates. We lose to Sj tomorrow.

correct

 

[JKG33]

I think it's NYR and Ottawa that make it in. I just don't see CBJ/DET/MTL's goaltending getting it done.

And honestly, if NYR gets Washington and OTT gets Toronto, there's some big upset potential

 

[Westlander]

I’d like to see Detroit and Ottawa get in for sentimental reasons, but it could go any which way now

 

[rockymtnoyster]

Columbus with Jenner coming back a week or so ago , and now Chinakov coming back last night looks dangerous considering they got cap space to make a splash if need be at the deadline. I'd say they stick and Ottawa makes it.

 

[JianYang]

Beware of putting too much stock into schedule strength

Back when the habs made their big push, it just so happened to be during the hardest part of their schedule.

If anything, I think results are even more randomized towards the end of the season.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

Interesting race. Like five teams for two spots, or six for three spots if you include the Devils. Will NJ start playing better? Upcoming stretch for NYR will be a good test.

 

[Summer Rose]

We'll have a clearer picture in a couple weeks. What I like about the NHL scheduling is that the last couple weeks of the season are almost all divisional games. That keeps things fun in terms of playoff races late in the season.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I am not confident in my Ottawa – Detroit prediction anymore. Looks like Columbus is going to be in. Maybe slightly premature, but certainly looks that way. But I think Ottawa might still grab the 2nd wildcard.

 

[chaz4hockey]

Columbus and Rangers are my probable 2. If so, Division leaders won't have an easy first round matchup

 

[JianYang]

I am not confident in my Ottawa – Detroit prediction anymore. Looks like Columbus is going to be in. Maybe slightly premature, but certainly looks that way. But I think Ottawa might still grab the 2nd wildcard.

Columbus reminds me of the 01-02 Habs. They are doing it a different way on the ice but that was the year an under-manned Habs team unexpectedly made the playoffs and went to the 2nd round while koivu was out with cancer.

I think Columbus is playing with a similar level of emotion and inspiration as well this year for obvious reasons

It feels like there is a sort of destiny with them making it.

 

[squashmaple]

I wish I as a Columbus fan had half the faith some of you do. I don't see it. I think it'll be the Rangers for sure, and either the Islanders or Red Wings because that's how this always goes. The East never changes. And also Columbus can score but they can't stop the other side from doing the same.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The Rangers April schedule is brutal (6 of 8 currently in playoff spots and other two pushing for it), so I’d like to have a little bit of cushion. I’m not sure we get in if we’re behind on April 1. Next 3-4 weeks will probably make or break our season.

We have to come out of the two road trips we have left (California and Winnipeg/Minny/and then Columbus coming back East) with at least 7 points I’d say.

The positive is that outside of that disastrous 20 game stretch in November/December (10 points in 20 games), we’ve pretty much played like one of the best teams in the league this season, points-wise (3rd in the league if you remove that stretch). And I know you can’t remove that. It counts in the standings and is why we’re on the bubble, but it does suggest that the Rangers if they can keep playing how they’ve played outside of that one stretch can pretty much beat anyone and win their way into the playoffs. Might even help for our playoffs to have started on January 1st (like you saw early for the Oil last season).

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I think it's NYR and Ottawa that make it in. I just don't see CBJ/DET/MTL's goaltending getting it done.

And honestly, if NYR gets Washington and OTT gets Toronto, there's some big upset potential

Ottawa's goaltending might have better overall stats, but expected stats say Detroit has had the edge in goaltending lol.

 

[JKG33]

Ottawa's goaltending might have better overall stats, but expected stats say Detroit has had the edge in goaltending lol.

In no world does a tandem of Talbot & Lyon > Ullmark.

 

[MXD]

The Devils should probably have been mentionned more than they've been.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

In no world does a tandem of Talbot & Lyon > Ullmark.

Yes Ullmark is the best out of the three. But Forsberg is also the worst out of the three. When you look at the tandem speaking, Talbot and Lyon's goals saved above expected per 60 is better than Ullmark and Forsberg.