Eastern Conference Wild Card Watch

[boredmale]

If anything, I put even less stock in schedule strength down the stretch. You are more likely to catch Top teams playing uninspired games as we get closer to the end.

Yeah I can see the Caps having a few off nights over the next few weeks. Would be worse playing teams like the Leafs, Panthers or Lightening who are fighting for playoff positioning

 

[The Last Red]

It’s basically a two-horse race at this point. The Rangers are running out of race track quickly to make it a three-house race. CBJ, Detroit and Boston are pretty much done. “Anything can happen” doesn’t mean it will, obviously. The odds of anyone but Montreal or NYI being WC 2 are small, relatively speaking. They’re also the two best even strength teams of the lot, which is not a coincidence.

 

[Lshap]

What I notice (as an Islanders fan) is we seem to have this issue every year where we sort of get behind the pack then make a late season rush to make the playoffs. lol

Yeah, the Islanders have to be the most stealth team in the NHL. No huge regular seasons so they're usually forgotten about, and yet they've made the playoffs 7 times in the past decade, including back-to-back 3rd-round appearances in 2019 and 2020.

 

[Mirka the Turka]

Yeah, the Islanders have to be the most stealth team in the NHL. No huge regular seasons so they're usually forgotten about, and yet they've made the playoffs 7 times in the past decade, including back-to-back 3rd-round appearances in 2019 and 2020.

Lou is underrated

Takes crappy lineups to the playoffs

 

[Lshap]

Lou is underrated

Takes crappy lineups to the playoffs

Yup, the Islanders continue to punch above their weight. I'm old enough to remember Lamoriello from his start with New Jersey. Whatever mistakes he's made in recent years, I still consider him a legend.

 

[Sstroh84]

It's crazy that one of the highest scoring team in the NHL can go so cold over such a crucial stretch of the season. The CBJ average 4+ goals per game on home ice entering the homestand last week, that was 1st in the entire NHL. They were shut out in 3 of the 4 games and only scored 1 goal in the other. Could be just an unlucky stretch or a return to average after unsustainable scoring levels.

Either way, this was a critical stretch for the season for the Jackets and it feels like it has gone on too long to recover from.

 

[HabsQC]

Habs comeback from 4-1 to 4-4 in the 3rd vs the Habs at home. Eventually lost in SO.

Didn"t think they would come back. The race is very exciting this year

 

[A1LeafNation]

East coming down to

Habs Rangers Isles

 

[The Last Red]

East coming down to

Habs Rangers Isles

Rangers have played two more games than the other two. And are playing poorly. Probably done.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Lou is underrated

Takes crappy lineups to the playoffs

But, he builds the lineups?

 

[Mirka the Turka]

But, he builds the lineups?

Hard to build a lineup when your team is too good to get any draft picks and in a location that most free agents don't want to sign with.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

and in a location that most free agents don't want to sign with.

Why is that?

 

[JohnnyConcussion]

Why is that?

Right? God forbid I have to play hockey in the area of New York. I might as well just drown my children now so they don't have to maybe play hockey in *checks notes* NEW YORK. Who would want to live there as a millionaire?

 

[boredmale]

Rangers have played two more games than the other two. And are playing poorly. Probably done.

They gained a point on the Habs and Islanders yesterday. I wouldn't count them out. One good run and they can still make it. I say that as an Islanders fan

 

[Essenege]

I wouldn't put too much stock in schedule strength. Montreal had their biggest push up the standing in late December and January, when their schedule was the hardest.

If anything, I put even less stock in schedule strength down the stretch. You are more likely to catch Top teams playing uninspired games as we get closer to the end.

Look at how the standing looked at 4 nation break compared to now. Montreal was essentially out of it, and there's still runway for teams like Detroit to go on a big streak again.

You can always anecdotal evidence to support anything but on average schedule strength matters, I mean it’s easier to get the 2 points against Nashville and Chicago then Colorado and Dallas.

Habs have 5 games againssub .500 teams, Chicago, Nashville, Flyers twice (who are very bad lately) and Boston who sold at the TDL.

NYI and NYR have 2 and 3, respectively. It’s a sizeable advantage but of course there’s 0 guaranteed point in this league especially since Habs aren’t are powerhouse themselves

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

Habs lost two must win games against the NYI and Avalanche. They need those points badly.

 

[The Last Red]

They gained a point on the Habs and Islanders yesterday. I wouldn't count them out. One good run and they can still make it. I say that as an Islanders fan

Been waiting for that for months . . and crickets. Their team chemistry is in shambles. Well done, Drury.

 

[Gustave]

Habs lost two must win games against the NYI and Avalanche. They need those points badly.

You sure about that? Big difference between a loss in OT or in 60 minutes. A whole two points difference. In essence, they went 1-1.

 

[boredmale]

Been waiting for that for months . . and crickets. Their team chemistry is in shambles. Well done, Drury.

JT Miller, the locker room killer. lol

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

JT Miller, the locker room killer. lol

No bangers, all filler.

JT Miller diss track incoming.

 

[JianYang]

Habs lost two must win games against the NYI and Avalanche. They need those points badly.

They got 2 out of 4 points.

That is not a bad result, but they have lost their last 4 overtime competitions, and that needs to smoothened out going forward.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Habs lost two must win games against the NYI and Avalanche. They need those points badly.

They still came out with 2 of 4 points, because they aren't easy preys. They are one of the best 3rd period teams in the league, meaning they don't easily give up.

Of their remaining games:
2 games vs Panthers (2-0-0 so far)
2 games vs Canes (1-0-0)
1 game vs Sens (3-0-0)
1 game vs Leafs (1-2-0)
1 game vs Blues (1-0-0)
1 game vs Flyers (1-0-0)
1 game vs Bruins (0-2-0)
1 game vs Preds (1-0-0)
1 game vs Wings (2-1-0)
1 game vs Hawks (0-1-0)

There are no assurances, but with a combined record of 12-6-0 versus the teams left to play, their destiny is in their hands.

 

[Viqsi]

Monahan and Gudbranson back in practices for the Jackets. So maybe there's reason for hope.

 

[boredmale]

Monahan and Gudbranson back in practices for the Jackets. So maybe there's reason for hope.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Sens and Habs feel right.

IF Habs make it, I owe $100.