The Playoff Push, Tanking and Scoreboard Watching Thread
- Thread starter Mike Liut
- Start date
ToastedRavioli
Registered User
- Jun 29, 2023
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Vancouver now 6 back of us with only one game in hand. Even if the Blues go 3-4 to finish out the season Vancouver would need to go 6-1-1 to pass us. They're basically out of the running unless we or Minnesota completely collapse.
TheOrganist
Don't Call Him Alex
- Feb 21, 2006
- 3,889
- 1,174
Thank you Jets. Nightmare season for the Nucks. Didn’t deserve anything good to happen to them.
Who knows what thread I read that in?! He was just excited that the Blues were closing on Edmonton. Catching Edmonton could affect draft order too. I’ll add them to the tracker if it gets closer.
| Team | Magic Number to clinch Playoffs | Current Points | Games Remaining | Possible Points | RW | ROW | Common Games |
| Wild | 13 | 87 | 8 | 103 | 33 | 38 | vs C, vs V |
| Blues | 13 | 87 | 7 | 101 | 30 | 36 | vs U |
| Flames | . | 80 | 10 | 100 | 26 | 31 | vs U, vs W |
| Canucks | . | 81 | 8 | 97 | 26 | 31 | vs W |
| Utah | . | 78 | 8 | 94 | 25 | 32 | vs C, vs B |
ChicagoBlues
See
- Oct 24, 2006
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Would love to see Jersey handle Minny again tomorrow and for the Avs to blow out the Flames!!! Bury them all and keep winning!!
ChicagoBlues
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- Oct 24, 2006
- 14,434
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They deserve what they've created; a mess.
They signed a softy to a massive deal, traded away a tough-as-nails real NHLer and made Hughes captain.
Tocchet must be shaking his head in disbelief. I noticed on their website that Ryan Johnson (former Blue) is one of the assistant GMs for the Canucks (they have several) and the GM for Abbotsford of the AHL.
ezcreepin
Registered User
- Dec 5, 2016
- 2,535
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Ignoring teams like Utah and Ducks, who btw aren't playing terribly, here are the scenarios that matter. For the sake of this post, I don't care about OT wins for the Blues, these wins have to be in regulation, but there are scenarios where we get in with OT wins:
Scenario 1
If the Blues go:
1-6-0, 89 PTS (we would win out in RW and ROW in this cases)
Canucks must go:
4-3-1, 90 PTS
Flames must go:
0-0-10, 90 PTS or better
Scenario 2
Blues go:
2-5-1, 91 PTS
Canucks must go:
5-2-1, 92 PTS
Flames must go: 10games
2-0-8, 92 PTS or better
Scenario 3
Blues go:
3-4-0, 93 PTS
Canucks must go:
6-1-1, 94 PTS
Flames must go:
4-0-6, 94 PTS or better
Scenario 4
Blues go:
4-3-0, 95 PTS
Canucks must go:
7-0-1, 96 PTS
Flames must go:
6-0-4, 96 PTS or better
Scenario 5
Blues go:
5-2-0, 97 PTS
Canucks eliminated
Flames must go:
8-0-2, 98 PTS or better
Scenario 1
If the Blues go:
1-6-0, 89 PTS (we would win out in RW and ROW in this cases)
Canucks must go:
4-3-1, 90 PTS
Flames must go:
0-0-10, 90 PTS or better
Scenario 2
Blues go:
2-5-1, 91 PTS
Canucks must go:
5-2-1, 92 PTS
Flames must go: 10games
2-0-8, 92 PTS or better
Scenario 3
Blues go:
3-4-0, 93 PTS
Canucks must go:
6-1-1, 94 PTS
Flames must go:
4-0-6, 94 PTS or better
Scenario 4
Blues go:
4-3-0, 95 PTS
Canucks must go:
7-0-1, 96 PTS
Flames must go:
6-0-4, 96 PTS or better
Scenario 5
Blues go:
5-2-0, 97 PTS
Canucks eliminated
Flames must go:
8-0-2, 98 PTS or better
- Feb 12, 2008
- 19,397
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Too much thinking for me lol, but I do appreciate the effort.
BlueMed
Registered User
- Jul 18, 2019
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TheDizee
Trade Jordan Kyrou ASAP | ALWAYS RIGHT
- Apr 5, 2014
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Calgary is playing pretty good hockey lately, going 8-2 could happen. They outplayed Dallas but lost, same with Edmonton.
Blues need to keep picking up points. Finishing in the Pacific bracket would be ideal. No matter who we play, it is going to be a extremely tough path. But if we get past Vegas, I much prefer a second round vs EDM/LA instead of COL/DAL.
Very similar to how the Blues had to go through the Hawks/Stars in 2 grueling 7 game series in 2016 only to be gassed vs Ref Jose who had a easy ride vs Trashville and LA.
Can you imagine going to overtime 8 times in your last 10 games and losing all 8?
I know we like to give WPG flak for not showing up in the postseason lately, but I feel like Hellebuyck is due in the round 1, especially how he is still playing great in March. Plus the central bracket for round 2 sucks with either COL or DAL.
I'll take the pacific bracket all day. Just looking for a competitive series either way, but the way we play on the road it almost takes the pressure off our guys going to WPG or VGK for the first two games anyway.
VGK would be a tougher matchup IMHO than the Jets. They are big, physical, talented and have some elite players. They are also very deep and their players like Kolesar, Roy, Barbashev, etc... would wear down our defensemen with physical play. Our only saving grace would be how well Binner moves the puck and could negate some of the hits they would dish out. I do agree with both of you though, that if somehow the Blues could win that series, the 2nd round is far less daunting if they don't have to deal with DAL or COL. When healthy though, the Oilers are still a cup favorite and would be a helluva challenge.
Either way, after missing out for a couple years, I'm stoked for the playoffs if we hold on. There is nothing better in the world of sports than Blues playoff hockey. LGB!!!!
bleedblue1223
Registered User
- Jan 21, 2011
- 51,792
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I'd just love a Blues/Oilers matchup. One of the rare occasions where a non-Divisional matchup would make for some great storylines.
Not so sure I would pencil Minnesota in for 4-4. I think Calgary still has a chance there. They are unlucky to have a dense sending schedule.
TheOrganist
Don't Call Him Alex
- Feb 21, 2006
- 3,889
- 1,174
I don't know what anyone could have wanted more from Hughes...by all accounts he's been a great captain trying to manage the lockeroom turmoil this yr and he's played his heart out. Tocchet will probably go to Philly and from what I've seen from Canucks fans they wouldn't be too broken about it...sounds like he plays a very plodding, d-first style. But yes, an "everything can go wrong, will go wrong" type of year for Vancouver. Too bad. So sad.
ChicagoBlues
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- Oct 24, 2006
- 14,434
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With so much turmoil, I am very far from saying Hughes is a great captain. In fact, I would speculate that Hughes being the captain is one of the problems.
taylord22
Registered User
- Mar 30, 2009
- 1,533
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At some point, I assume we'll want to give Sunny some extended rest. Our remaining schedule is very forgiving in terms of volume, but not so much in terms of quality of competition. Final two games are obvious options, but I wonder if we might try to sneak something sooner.
Brian39
Registered User
- Apr 24, 2014
- 7,069
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Agreed. And as well as we have been playing, we're far from a lock to go 4-3 in our last 7. Good teams go under .500 over 7 game samples all the time in the NHL.
Hell, there is currently a damn good team in the middle of such a stretch. The Panthers are 3-4-0 in their last 7 games and all 3 wins came in OT. They are 4-5 in their last 9. They won 6 straight games immediately before this 4-5 stretch (and were 11-2 in the 13 games before this stretch). They aren't playing for their playoff lives, but they are in the midst of a 3-way battle to determine who avoids a brutal 2-3 matchup and home ice advantage. They are far from meaningless games for the Panthers. This guy is telling me that we are so much better than the Panthers that we couldn't possibly struggle coming off a long winning streak? Sure thing bud.
Additionally, teams like Calgary and Vancouver go on sub-10-game rips all the time in the NHL. Acting like the scenarios he laid out are definitively not happening is crazy. Do you think anyone would have believed in the Blues to win 9 straight a few weeks ago? 5 weeks ago this team had yet to have a 3 game win streak.
Most places have the Flames in the 15%-20% range, which is about the odds of rolling a 6 on a normal 6 sided di. Certainly not smart money without getting favorable odds, but way more likely than just a definitive "not happening."
Via Moneypuck Minny are only favored to win 2 of their last 8 games. And only 1 out of 5 before heading into next weekend when they play away to CGY and VAN on back to back nights. The 1 they are favored in could be a trap game with Sam Jose.
CGY plays 6 before Minny and is favored in 2 with 1 being 50/50 with Anaheim.
VAN plays 5 before Minny and is favored in 2.
So assuming Minny struggles and CGY or VAN (more likely CGY) strings some wins together, Minny could be in hot water come time for that back to back series. And it’s all good for us as they’ll be taking points off each other.
I’m thinking 4-2-1 gets the Blues WC1.
CGY plays 6 before Minny and is favored in 2 with 1 being 50/50 with Anaheim.
VAN plays 5 before Minny and is favored in 2.
So assuming Minny struggles and CGY or VAN (more likely CGY) strings some wins together, Minny could be in hot water come time for that back to back series. And it’s all good for us as they’ll be taking points off each other.
I’m thinking 4-2-1 gets the Blues WC1.
Reality Czech
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- Apr 17, 2017
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Everything I've heard about Hughes suggests you're wrong. A captain can't just fix every problem on the team himself. He can't turn Pettersson into more of a competitor or tell JT Miller how to behave. It's been a mess if a season for them no doubt but I'm not blaming Hughes for that. They've also had a lot of injuries this season and they may well be in a playoff spot with a healthy Hughes and Demko all season.
ChicagoBlues
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- Oct 24, 2006
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I could be wrong about that and that’s okay. Without knowing what “everything I’ve heard” means, we know that what we hear is usually placating gloss-overs. In other words, who is going to rip the captain in the press?
What players and management say is sometimes very different from they really think, feel and/or believe.
