Howe will they do it indeed? With 13-14 games left per team I think we can safely say that as it sits right now only the Oilers and Flames are sure bets to make the playoffs. It would certainly take a collapse of monumental type for Calgary to miss the show.
The remainder of teams are in a battle to the finish. We could literally see 2 or 3 spots change hands on the last game of the year. Based on todays standings (Feb 21st, 06) We can probably eliminate the Blues, Hawks, Yotes, Sharks, Avs and Stars from the race. Im sure that the GMs of a few of those teams might disagree, but it will be very tough to leapfrog 3 or 4 teams to get into the top 8. At this point I would suggest that only the Wings and Jackets have a decent shot at moving up if teams above falter. After 72 games approximately we see only a 6 point difference between 3rd and 10th place in the Conference. Unbelievably tight and any team that goes in the tank now or conversely puts on a long winning streak will see their fortunes change significantly.
Below the standings I have copied the teams final Matchups to see who has the toughest road…and who might have an easier time. The Wild, Kings and Wings all have more games against non-playoff teams left than do the others….will that be enough?
This looks to be a wild finish….hang on to the reigns Howe GMs …you are in for a tight finish!
HOWE Conference
x
OILERS 72 50 18 4 2 106
FLAMES 72 43 21 8 0 94
WILD 72 38 31 3 2 81
PREDATORS 72 37 30 5 1 80
CANUCKS 73 36 33 4 2 78
JETS 73 35 32 6 2 78
DUCKS 73 35 33 5 2 77
KINGS 73 33 34 6 5 77
WINGS 72 34 33 5 3 76
JACKETS 73 32 32 9 2 75
_______________________
BLUES 72 31 34 7 1 70
HAWKS 73 29 35 9 3 70
COYOTES 72 31 36 5 1 68
SHARKS 73 27 41 5 6 65
AVALANCHE 73 29 41 3 3 64
STARS 72 15 45 12 2 44
Wild Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
BLUES 2- 1- 0 ( 1) (11- 9)
CANADIENS 1- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 4- 9)
CAPITALS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 7- 5)
COYOTES 3- 0- 0 ( 1) (15-11)
FLAMES 0- 0- 1 ( 1) ( 4- 4)
HAWKS 1- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 5- 5)
HURRICANES 2- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 8- 4)
JACKETS 1- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 8-16)
LEAFS 1- 0- 1 ( 1) ( 7- 4)
SENATORS 0- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 1- 8)
STARS 0- 1- 0 ( 3) ( 1- 4)
Wild have 10 games out of their last 14 against non-playoff teams.
Predator Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
BLUES 0- 0- 1 ( 3) ( 4- 4)
CANUCKS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 1- 2)
COYOTES 2- 1- 0 ( 1) (12-10)
FLAMES 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 4- 1
JACKETS 1- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 4- 4)
JETS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 1- 3)
KINGS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 4- 3)
NORDIQUE 1- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 3- 2)
OILERS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 3- 6)
PANTHERS 0- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 3- 9)
WINGS 2- 1- 0 ( 1) (14- 6)
Preds have 8 games out of their last 14 against non-playoff teams.
Canucks Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
AVALANCHE 2- 0- 0 ( 2) (10- 4)
BLUES 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 5- 3)
BRUINS 0- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 3- 4)
DEVILS 2- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 9- 5)
DUCKS 1- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 6- 6)
FLAMES 2- 1- 0 ( 1) (13- 9)
HAWKS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 2- 3)
NORDIQUE 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 2- 1)
PREDATORS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 2- 1)
THRASHERS 0- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 3-11)
Nucks have 6 games out of their last 13 against non-playoff teams.
Jet Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
CANADIENS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 4- 5)
DUCKS 1- 1- 1 ( 1) ( 8- 8)
FLYERS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 4- 1)
ISLANDERS 0- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 3- 4)
LIGHTNING 2- 0- 0 ( 1) (11- 4)
OILERS 1- 2- 0 ( 1) (10-12)
PENGUINS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 0- 2)
PREDATORS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 3- 1)
SABRES 0- 0- 0 ( 2) ( 0- 0)
STARS 0- 0- 1 ( 1) ( 4- 4)
THRASHERS 1- 5- 0 ( 1) (13-32)
Jets have 6 games out of their last 13 against non-playoff teams.
Duck Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
CANUCKS 1- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 6- 6)
CAPITALS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 2- 1)
DEVILS 2- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 7- 3)
FLAMES 0- 2- 0 ( 2) ( 8-13)
FLYERS 0- 0- 1 ( 1) ( 3- 3)
ISLANDERS 0- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 5- 8)
JETS 1- 1- 1 ( 1) ( 8- 8)
LIGHTNING 5- 0- 0 ( 1) (26-16)
RANGERS 2- 2- 0 ( 1) (15-11)
STARS 0- 0- 0 ( 2) ( 0- 0)
Ducks have 7 games out of their last 13 against non-playoff teams.
King Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
AVALANCHE 2- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 7-10)
DEVILS 2- 1- 0 ( 2) (14-10)
FLAMES 0- 3- 0 ( 1) ( 9-14)
FLYERS 0- 0- 0 ( 2) ( 0- 0)
HAWKS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 5- 3)
ISLANDERS 3- 0- 2 ( 1) (17-13)
JACKETS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 2- 7)
LIGHTNING 1- 1- 0 ( 1) (12-10)
PREDATORS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 3- 4)
RANGERS 1- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 4- 6)
STARS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 5- 3)
Kings have 10 games out of their last 13 against non-playoff teams.
Wing Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
BRUINS 0- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 2- 3)
CANADIENS 0- 1- 1 ( 1) ( 5- 8)
COYOTES 2- 0- 0 ( 3) ( 8- 3)
JACKETS 1- 3- 0 ( 1) (11-16)
LEAFS 2- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 7- 1)
NORDIQUE 2- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 9- 5)
PENGUINS 0- 0- 1 ( 1) ( 4- 4)
PREDATORS 1- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 6-14)
SABRES 0- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 1- 3)
SENATORS 2- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 6- 3)
STARS 3- 0- 0 ( 1) (14- 6)
Wings have 9games out of their last 15 against non-playoff teams.
Jacket Matchups
Team W L T Left (GF-GA)
COYOTES 1- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 7- 9)
KINGS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 7- 2)
LEAFS 0- 2- 0 ( 1) ( 7-10)
NORDIQUE 1- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 9-11)
OILERS 1- 0- 0 ( 1) ( 3- 2)
PANTHERS 1- 1- 0 ( 1) ( 6- 6)
PREDATORS 1- 1- 0 ( 2) ( 4- 4)
SENATORS 1- 1- 0 ( 1) (10-10)
STARS 1- 1- 0 ( 2) (10- 9)WILD 2- 1- 0 ( 1) (16- 8)
WINGS 3- 1- 0 ( 1) (16-11)
Jackets have 6 games out of their last 13against non-playoff teams.