Who's the wildcards in the East?

[voyageur]

This year there hasn't been as much separation in the East as there has in the West. Pretty much every team has a shot at a WC position still with a bit of a winning streak, and mediocrity in the middle being the standard. Boston was looking safe and just fell back to the pack. Ottawa is struggling without Ullmark. Montreal is suddenly looking like a contender. Columbus too. Pittsburgh looks like they are in the fight. Detroit has been hot since their coaching change.

Halfway through the year the race is pretty murky. Who's your picks?

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[GrumpyKoala]

I stopped at ''Montreal is suddenly looking like a contender''

 

[HabzSauce]

I stopped at ''Montreal is suddenly looking like a contender''

They just beat the last 4 cup winners in their own barn ....

Just give us the cup already

 

[voyageur]

I stopped at ''Montreal is suddenly looking like a contender''

8-2 in their last 10 is second only to Vegas, and includes beating the last 4 Stanley Cup champs on the road, losing to Chicago in between to make it equitable.

I thought the Canadiens woes were a lot deeper than trading Justin Barron and waiving Cayden Primeau, but they are right in the thick of the race now, which I suppose translates into contention.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Just give us the cup already

includes beating the last 4 Stanley Cup champs on the road

Allright, Lets meet on Peel and st-Catherine in about 5 month.

 

[voyageur]

Allright, Lets meet on Peel and st-Catherine in about 5 month.

I'd think a Toronto-Montreal 1st round matchup with fans in the building would be a pretty good for the NHL but that's as far as I'll go...

Detroit I think is probably a notch ahead of Montreal though.

Columbus looks like the Cinderella story this year.

 

[wickedwitch]

If you sort by point %, there are 4 teams (Ottawa, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Boston) within 0.002 of each other in the race for WC2 with Columbus just ahead for WC1. But even most of the teams below them aren't that far back. There's not a single team that isn't a two week's winning streak away from the WC.

If I had to guess, I'd say of the top 5 WC teams by point %, the team with the worst chance would be Boston, assuming they've gotten past their new coach bump and have now reverted back to who they truly are. But it's such a mess, I genuinely wouldn't be surprised with any permutation.

 

[Tryamw]

Not the best result for the Matthews Marner line -6

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Having the Leafs in first in the Atlantic sure will motivate teams to finish as the wildcard for their shot at pulling the wheels off Cinderella's pumpkin coach.

 

[wickedwitch]

Having the Leafs in first in the Atlantic sure will motivate teams to finish eighth for their shot at pulling the wheels off Cinderella's pumpkin coach.

Except the team in 8th currently gets the Caps, who are definitely not know for being upset in the playoffs. Right?

 

[JianYang]

Wildcard is living up to its name in the east.

I'm not confident with any prediction, really

 

[lakai17]

Having the Leafs in first in the Atlantic sure will motivate teams to finish as the wildcard for their shot at pulling the wheels off Cinderella's pumpkin coach.

We love a good upset

 

[Schennanigans]

Rangers still get in imo.

 

[BB79]

Having the Leafs in first in the Atlantic sure will motivate teams to finish as the wildcard for their shot at pulling the wheels off Cinderella's pumpkin coach.

Amd it will be glorious

 

[Mike C]

Rangers still get in imo.

I tend to agree. Too much talent there . Maybe a coaching change is needed but I think they'll be in the mix at the end

 

[Schennanigans]

I tend to agree. Too much talent there . Maybe a coaching change is needed but I think they'll be in the mix at the end

Yeah they’ll eventually start being themselves again. Whether it’s from making a big trade or just start playing how they should I don’t expect the struggles to be season long.