Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay Random
Why are those the games in hand, and not the next three games on the schedule?
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I was simply trying to illustrate that the "games in hand" could arguably be any game on the schedule.
If we are comparing to the Avs, as at the end of January we will still have three games in hand, so it should not be the next three games.
If we are comparing to the Blues, we will still have two games in hand as at Jan. 31, so again, not the next three games.
If we move it out to Feb. 21, being the end of the 4-Nations break, as compared to the Avs we will have 2 games in hand, and as to the Blues we will have 1 game in hand.
During that time we play 6 at home and 1 on the road;
Avs play 2 and home and 4 on the road;
Blues play 4 at home and 2 on the road.
So there is no reason to state the "games in hand" are necessarily the next 2 or 3, but any 1 of those 7 is one of the games in hand we will play as compared to those two teams...
Interestingly enough, we then gain another game on both those teams coming right out of the break, as they each have a back-to-back the first weekend (Blues host Jets and Avs, and Avs are in Nash. and StL.) putting us back to 2 and 3 games in hand respectively.
All three teams then play 2 more to close out February, so at the end of February we will still have 3 and 2 games in hand vs. Avs and Blues, again respectively.
Avs and Blues each have 7 games in April, while we have 9, including the Kings make-up game.
Our last 9 games are:
Utah, Ducks, Knights, Sharks, Ducks, Wild, Sharks, Knights and Kings, with no back to backs (although the Utah game is the 2nd half of a back-to-back coming from Colorado)...
It is quite arguable the games in hand are the Sharks, Knights and Kings...
Edit to add: I could try the same analysis vis a vis Boston (currently 3 games in hand), Ottawa (currently 2) Columbus (currently 2), Habs (currently 1), and Rags (currently 1), but that took quite a while to compare, and I gotta get back to work...