Wild Card Race (Western Conference)

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Games in hand are the worst when trying to figure out where you stand. While it sucks that there are huge layoffs between some games this month, it's nice for the Flames to start having games in hand, rather than the other way around. Always seems like we are 1-2 games ahead of everyone, but now its a bit more even.

Which is why 'games over .500' is the best way to look at it

[Jets4Life]

Standings after Monday, January 19:

1. Winnipeg (25-14-8) 21 ROW, 58 pts
2. Calgary (25-18-3) 22 ROW, 53 pts
3. Los Angeles (20-14-12) 19 ROW, 52 pts
4. Dallas (21-17-7) 19 ROW, 49 pts
5. Colorado (19-18-10) 14 ROW, 48 pts

Calgary and Dallas win.
Colorado loses
LA loses in OT

[Street Pharmacist]

Standings using games over .500 to eliminate games in hand:

Vancouver +11
Winnipeg +11
Calgary +7
San Jose +7
----------------------
LA +6
Dallas +4
Colorado +1

Current pace is 94 points (12 games over .500) with San Jose as the pace setters

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Which is why 'games over .500' is the best way to look at it

That's how I've always looked at it in my head.

Two things that always frustrate me about the NHL are that they don't see anything wrong with having a point system that encourages you to play for a tie, and that they are the only NA league that hasn't figured out how to publish standings that account for discrepancies in games played.

It just makes me assume they are run by a bunch of idiots.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

Standings after Monday, January 19:

1. Winnipeg (25-14-8) 21 ROW, 58 pts
Vancouver (26-15-3) 24 ROW, 55 pts--second in Pacific Division
San Jose (24-17-6) 22 ROW, 54 pts--third in Pacific Division
2. Calgary (25-18-3) 22 ROW, 53 pts
3. Los Angeles (20-14-12) 19 ROW, 52 pts
4. Dallas (21-17-7) 19 ROW, 49 pts
5. Colorado (19-18-10) 14 ROW, 48 pts

Calgary, Vanocuver, and Dallas win.
Colorado and San Jose lose
LA loses in OT

The Canucks and Sharks should be included in the list because of how close the Flames are to them. The Jets are now tied with the Blackhawks in points (28-15-2 with 23 ROW).

[Jojado]

April 9th vs Kings
April 11th @ Jets

These are the Flames' last two games of the regular season. Do you smell what The Rock is cooking? Scary to think how big these games could be.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Standings using games over .500 to eliminate games in hand:

Vancouver +11
Winnipeg +11
Calgary +7
San Jose +7
----------------------
LA +6
Dallas +4
Colorado +1

Current pace is 94 points (12 games over .500) with San Jose as the pace setters

problem with that is that it assumes teams over .500 will play at .500 to be tied, it doesn't factor in games in hand

if San Jose wins 2 games and gets to +11, they haven't tied the Jets, because now the Jets have 2 games in hand

I think looking at max points attainable or vice versa points lost is better

Chicago 32
Vancouver 33
Winnipeg 36
Calgary 39
SJ 40
----------------
LA 40
Dallas 41
Colorado 46

[d_phaneuf]

so assuming every team in that list plays .500 rest of the way thats how the order would finish

regardless of Games played

[PegCityFlamesFan]

I took flames vs jets our last game expecting to see our teams battle for draft spots... never thought it could be for playoff contention.

[White Out 403]

If you put much stock in sports club stats and look at schedule coming up, I think Calgary and Winnipeg are looking good for playoffs. LA has a brutal schedule to play.

Winnipeg is 87% now for playoffs and Calgary is now above the 70% threshold. I'd love to see Calgary Vancouver round 1.

My predicted standings:
Nashville
St Louis
Chicago

Anaheim
Vancouver
Calgary

Wildcards
Winnipeg
San Jose

[White Out 403]

Mixed bag results so far tonight.

Wild lost but got a loser point
Nashville lost but got a loser point
Chicago won
Dallas is about to lose to Boston down by 2 goals
Vancouver lost which is nice

Winnipeg playoff odds went up by .2, Calgary went up by .4.

A pretty big meh night but odds didn't go down so cant complain about that (actually calgary and winnipegs odds should go up even slightly more when dallas drops a regulation loss to boston shortly)

[Bourque's Twin]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Mixed bag results so far tonight.

Wild lost but got a loser point
Nashville lost but got a loser point
Chicago won
Dallas is about to lose to Boston down by 2 goals
Vancouver lost which is nice

Winnipeg playoff odds went up by .2, Calgary went up by .4.

A pretty big meh night but odds didn't go down so cant complain about that (actually calgary and winnipegs odds should go up even slightly more when dallas drops a regulation loss to boston shortly)

I think it was a great night. Vancouver and Dallas are the Flames biggest threats and both lost in regulation. Chicago and Nashville are in the other division and are pretty much guaranteed playoff spots. The only thing that wasn't great was Minnesota getting the loser point.

[BsFaninCGY]

I want Dallas to lose as much as you guys do (doubly so), but it's not over yet - don't jinx my team!

[djsFlames]

Wonder if LA cracks 20 extra time losses this year.

Ridiculous that they've won only 20 of 46 games, not even half, yet they're right there.

But with their heavy road schedule I'm actually more worried about Dallas than them. But I think the 7th and 8th spots will ultimately come down to the two best of Calgary, Winnipeg, LA and Dallas.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

I think it was a great night. Vancouver and Dallas are the Flames biggest threats and both lost in regulation. Chicago and Nashville are in the other division and are pretty much guaranteed playoff spots. The only thing that wasn't great was Minnesota getting the loser point.

Yup. I like to look up more than down, and I see 2nd in Pacific as a realistic target

[djsFlames]

We're so lucky LA, San Jose and Vancouver have all been struggling with consistency for most of the season and haven't been able to figure things out. It's allowed us to be in this race. Whereas in recent years, the top 4 pacific teams have basically run away from the rest of the conference points-wise.

Of course finding our own success within the division has helped, but lucky for us what was perceived as the toughest division in hockey going in hasn't been as dominant this season.

[DJones]

Solid night for us. All 5 teams below us all lost their last game

[Itse]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

We're so lucky LA, San Jose and Vancouver have all been struggling with consistency for most of the season and haven't been able to figure things out. It's allowed us to be in this race. Whereas in recent years, the top 4 pacific teams have basically run away from the rest of the conference points-wise.

Of course finding our own success within the division has helped, but lucky for us what was perceived as the toughest division in hockey going in hasn't been as dominant this season.

Pacific has five legitime playoff contenders, and out of those we're the only team that would be considered a surprise to win at least a round or two. Very hard to win consistently when that's your competition.

Plus since the Oilers just give points to everyone, they don't help make differences between teams either

Personally I think we're lucky to be in such a tough division. Playing against very good teams all the time is the best thing for development.

[hwy19man]

After Tuesday's games:
1. Winnipeg (25-14-8) 21 ROW, 58 pts
Vancouver (26-16-3) 24 ROW, 55 pts--second in Pacific Division
San Jose (24-17-6) 22 ROW, 54 pts--third in Pacific Division
2. Calgary (25-18-3) 22 ROW, 53 pts
3. Los Angeles (20-14-12) 19 ROW, 52 pts
4. Dallas (21-18-7) 19 ROW, 49 pts
5. Colorado (19-18-10) 14 ROW, 48 pts
6. Minnesota (20-20-6) 18 ROW, 46 pts

Canucks and Stars lost
Wild lost in the shootout

[dissentowner]

So what do we prefer tonight? A Flames win and no 3 point game between LA and SJ obviously but which of those two are we hoping to win in regulation?