How many points will it take to make the playoffs? (2017-18 edition)

[Frolov 6'3]

I think in a Nashville series, we lose in 6.

They are not higher in the standings just because of their second pairing and that we are stronger down the middle IMO.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Nashville will guide us through a table saw. They are the only team I would especially want to avoid in the west.

 

[Kale Hulls]

It's crazy how the top 7 teams in the Pacific all have a 5-4-1 record in their last 10 games.

 

[Basilisk]

8-3!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Stimpythecat]

I both love and hate this thread.

 

[KINGS17]

Ten games remaining. I think the Kings have to go at least 6-4, or maybe 6-3-1.

 

[Basilisk]

We can go 7-2, right?

 

[rajuabju]

Sad, but I have little confidence in us being able to hold on to a playoff spot, without getting a lot of help from Dallas & St. Louis continuing to also disappoint.

I'm predicting we end up as WC2, and then Nashville annihilates us.

And what sucks is Kopitar, Brown and Doughty have all been having pretty damn great seasons. Waste.

 

[kilowatt]

Sad, but I have little confidence in us being able to hold on to a playoff spot, without getting a lot of help from Dallas & St. Louis continuing to also disappoint.

I'm predicting we end up as WC2, and then Nashville annihilates us.

And what sucks is Kopitar, Brown and Doughty have all been having pretty damn great seasons. Waste.

What went wrong, then? Missing Carter for 75% of the season definitely didn’t help. We’re top five in goals against, as usual. We’re in the top half for goals scored.

I hope the Kings finish in the 7 spot. I would love a Vegas first round matchup.

 

[lumbergh]

Sad, but I have little confidence in us being able to hold on to a playoff spot, without getting a lot of help from Dallas & St. Louis continuing to also disappoint.

I'm predicting we end up as WC2, and then Nashville annihilates us.

And what sucks is Kopitar, Brown and Doughty have all been having pretty damn great seasons. Waste.

Seems to me that the Kings are in pretty good shape for a playoff spot. Even if they end up as WC2, they're in. That means we all get to see some Kings playoff hockey. Nothing sad about that.

I for one would love to see a Nashville-LA series. Talk about a David vs. Goliath matchup. Let's see if Doughty rises to the challenge, and outplays Josi. Maybe someone on the Kings goes on a tear and puts the team on his back. This is the beauty of NHL playoff hockey.

Frankly I like the Kings' chances in the playoffs against any opponent. Not saying they'd be favored, but there's a better than 30% chance they come out on top against any other team.

 

[The Pale King]

Seems to me that the Kings are in pretty good shape for a playoff spot. Even if they end up as WC2, they're in. That means we all get to see some Kings playoff hockey. Nothing sad about that.

I for one would love to see a Nashville-LA series. Talk about a David vs. Goliath matchup. Let's see if Doughty rises to the challenge, and outplays Josi. Maybe someone on the Kings goes on a tear and puts the team on his back. This is the beauty of NHL playoff hockey.

Frankly I like the Kings' chances in the playoffs against any opponent. Not saying they'd be favored, but there's a better than 30% chance they come out on top against any other team.

Nashville-LA would be strange for a lot of reasons. Firstly, I think Kopitar and Doughty are better than anyone on the Nashville roster. Not a typical 1 vs 8 scenario. They obviously have the depth though, and Rinne is playing out of his mind right now. If Quick can channel his old self though, which I still think he can, it's hard not to call the goalie match-up a wash.

And secondly the two teams have a ton of "weird" games, where it seems like the gameplans just break down and you end up with 7-6 finals or teams trading three and four goal streaks back and forth.

That said, I'd much rather play the Jets or the Golden Knights.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I agree, I think it would be super entertaining. LA Nashville games are just a total shit show, two teams with strict gameplans that just explode and break down at random times, two elite goalies who both play under .900 head to head regularly (shoulda kept Kuemper! ), and lots of scoring against the flow of play.

Not sure I can handle all their pseudo-tough antics followed by diving though, not a worse team in the league at begging for refs to save them.

 

[LAKings88]

Nashville
Vegas

Or

San Jose

Welp, if you can’t beat them in the first round you’re not gonna win anyway.

Rooting that Calgary, St. Louis, and Dallas lose from here on out.

 

[Reaper45]

Hans, bubby, I am your white knight!

Where's the update Hans?

 

[rajuabju]

What went wrong, then? Missing Carter for 75% of the season definitely didn’t help. We’re top five in goals against, as usual. We’re in the top half for goals scored.

I hope the Kings finish in the 7 spot. I would love a Vegas first round matchup.

Me too. And of course Carter missing most of the season is the #1 factor we're where we are. Any other team missing their #2 center for so long would be in a similar predicament. Just very frustrating.

 

[KINGS17]

Hans, bubby, I am your white knight!

Where's the update Hans?

Doesn't Hans shoot you in the head?

 

[Basilisk]

We can go 6-1-1, right...? EASY!!!!!!!!

 

[kilowatt]

According to SportsClubStats, the Kings have a 78% chance to make the playoffs. At this point, the only team they really need to outpace is St. Louis. Calgary’s loss tonight dropped their playoff chances to 0.0%, although they aren’t technically eliminated. Dallas has a 13% chance, but they’ve got a hard shedule and they’re playing really poor hockey.

Right now, St. Louis has a 51% chance to make the playoffs.

Western Conference Playoff Chances - Sports Club Stats

 

[kingsfan28]

LA-Vegas would be a lot of fun.Let the Sharks and Ducks beat up on eachother for change.

 

[Herby]

According to SportsClubStats, the Kings have a 78% chance to make the playoffs. At this point, the only team they really need to outpace is St. Louis. Calgary’s loss tonight dropped their playoff chances to 0.0%, although they aren’t technically eliminated. Dallas has a 13% chance, but they’ve got a hard shedule and they’re playing really poor hockey.

Right now, St. Louis has a 51% chance to make the playoffs.

Western Conference Playoff Chances - Sports Club Stats

Will be interesting to look at the numbers after tomorrow. Pretty huge Kings-Avs game

 

[HansH]

After the games of 3/21/18:

St. Louis is projecting as the bubble team with 95.48 points, so let's call that 96 and have the Kings target at 97 points to get in. That would require a record of 5-3 in the remaining 8 games (a percentage of .625).

The Kings do control their own playoff destiny, however. With one head-to-head remaining against Anaheim, the Kings would clinch P3 (and thus, the playoffs) as long as they win out. A regulation win over Anaheim would put tiebreakers out of play. An OT/SO win over the Ducks (along with wins in the other 7 games) would also clinch for the Kings as long as they got at least 4 ROW in their final 8 wins.

 

[mrkolice]

thx hans!

 

[johnjm22]

If we make the playoffs I really don't want it to be as an 8th seed. Nashville would dispose of us in short order.

Every one else I think we have at least a chance against.

 

[Basilisk]

5-1-1 .............WE CAN DO EET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HansH]

After the games of 3/22/18:

St. Louis is still lurking with a projected 95.48 points, which I'll round up to 96 and make the Kings' "safe" target 97 points. They need to go 4-3 in their last 7 games to achieve that. If we don't round the Blues up, then 3-3-1 (or .500) could also do it. The Kings also remain in control of their playoff destiny - go 7-0 with at least 3 ROW, and the Kings would lock down P3.

Vegas is 4 points from clinching their post-season ticket, San Jose is 11 points away from theirs. Vegas only needs 10 points to go their way in the remaining 16 games that matter (8 for the GKs, 8 for the Sharks) to lock down the division title.