[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by devo22

I posted this in the "drive for 30th" thread, but I guess it fits here as well. I took a look at the schedules of the seven teams at the bottom and tried to predict the outcome as realistically as I could think of.

FLORIDA PANTHERS: I don't expect much from them, they have 30th pretty much wrapped up.
at NYR L
at NJD L
at BOS L
vs NYR OTL
vs TOR L
at TBL OTL

COLORADO AVALANCHE: Giguere's rant has lifted them a bit, but they'll probably lose most of the games left.
vs EDM W
vs STL L
at STL L
at PHX L
vs MIN OTL

CALGARY FLAMES: tough schedule. I predict one more win, probably against Nashville.
vs DET L
vs ANA L
at MIN L
at NSH W
at STL L
at CHI L

CAROLINA HURRICANES: they have been pathetic, given their offensive depth. They have pretty much given up trying.
at WPG L
vs PHI OTL
at TBL OTL
vs NYI L
vs NYR L
at PIT L

NASHVILLE PREDATORS: shockingly bad ... 7 straight losses, 3 shutouts against during that span. I don't see them win another game.
at CHI L
vs CGY L
at DET L
at CBJ L

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: probably the easiest schedule, with CAR and FLA at home. I don't see them picking in the top 5.
at MTL L
vs CAR W
vs TOR L
at BOS L
vs FLA W

EDMONTON COILERS: something special. They have given up trying and have a tough schedule left = bad combination.
at COL L
vs ANA L
vs ANA L
vs CHI L
at MIN L
vs VAN L

As a result, the standings would look like that:

24 | 42 Points | Tampa Bay Lightning (19-25-4, 16 ROW)
25 | 39 Points | Edmonton Coilers (16-25-7, 14 ROW)
26 | 38 Points | Carolina Hurricanes (17-27-4, 17 ROW)
27 | 38 Points | Calgary Flames (17-27-4, 17 ROW)
28 | 38 Points | Colorado Avalanche (15-25-8, 14 ROW)
29 | 38 Points | Nashville Predators (15-25-8, 13 ROW)
30 | 34 Points | Florida Panthers (13-27-8, 10 ROW)

In that scenario, we would be ahead of Colorado and Nashville because of ROW, but behind Carolina because of goal differential. It's very close though, there's a good chance that we finish 25th, but we could also easily finish 28th or 29th.

I like your picks. Is it me or is there something wrong when teams like the Lightning, Hurricans, Predators, and Avalanche are playing this poor to end the season? I cut the Flames, Panthers, and Oilers slack because they are all bad teams for various reasons. The other teams simply should not be losing out to in the final weeks of the season and I'm wondering if this lottery has done the exact opposite of the desired effect with teams all tanking to finish bottom five because of the lottery chances of picking 1st without finishing last. I simply don't remember so many teams in a single season tanking like this. Something is not right here. Finally the Flames are finishing at the bottom of the league for the first time ever (and deservedly so) and it's like there's a race of 7 teams trying to out-suck the others with a bunch of them fairly talented teams already. Sad.