Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
Well right now
- Buffalo has missed 11 straight and may get in
- Detroit has missed 6 and may get in
- Ottawa has missed 5 and may get in
- Anaheim has missed 4
- NJD have missed 4 and will get in
I think 3 is optimistic. 4-5 is the fastest most of the time. But it can certainly take longer.
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Take a longer view and it it's a bit bleaker.
New Jersey is 9 of 10 years out, finally emerging with what looks to be a team that might be able to be in it multiple years.
Buffalo and Ottawa might make it this year as a low seed like Jersey did 4 yesrs ago. But they could fall back out for a couple years afterwards too until they establish themselves as a consistent team
I look at Colorado who first fell out of the playoffs in 06-07, got back the next year, fell off again to get the #3 pick, and bounced in and out for a couple years, had a good reg season than were terrible for a couple more years until establishing themselves again as a regular playoff team and now an elite team.
So 4 to 5 years to be in the playoff mix and than another 3 to 5 years to become a true upper echelon team.
But even that can be very dynamic.