QOTD: What team are you eyeing in the playoff race?

[FlamesAddiction]

I do expect the Jets to slide a little bit, but that 4 point cushion on 8th is pretty big at this point of the season.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Lookng at Winnipeg. See a potential collapse coming. Even split between home and away games, but have a trip through Florida next week after stops in Nashville and St. Louis. Winnipeg gets Ottawa, Nashville, St. Louis (x3), Washington, Vancouver (x2), Montreal, Chicago, NY Rangers, and Minnesota. The only easy games they have the rest of the way are against Edmonton and Colorado, both at home. It may come down to the final game of the season where the Flames square off against the Jets. I hope not, as its in Winnipeg and is an afternoon game.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Really hope it's Vancouver that drops out. Would be so satisfying seeing a young Flames team make the playoffs while the old Canucks regret not rebuilding sooner.

I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again, Vancouver has 90% of their remaining games against the west and only have a .500 winning record against the west.

Minnesota and Winnipeg are showing no signs of slowing down. May end up with a 4-team battle for the last 2 pacific spots.

[mrkajz44]

Went with Minnesota for two reasons:

1) Tough schedule to finish
2) Elite goaltending will come down to earth

As soon as they start to slide, I think it will get ugly (think 8 game losing streak like the Flames in December).

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

If the Flames are in, all logic dictates it'll be the Sharks out, and one of the Wild or Jets. More likely the Jets.

But certainly the Sharks have to miss.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

If the Flames are in, all logic dictates it'll be the Sharks out, and one of the Wild or Jets. More likely the Jets.

But certainly the Sharks have to miss.

All logic?

That's a huge stretch. The Kings just lost 3 on a row and only ended the streak by beating Edmonton. Their corsi may be sparkly, but they're just not a great relay season team.

I don't think LA will miss, but there's plenty of logic says they will. Even with numbers and stuff

[Erick Estrada]

I think realistically it's a matter of the Flames winning the games they need to and letting the other teams decide their own fates as you can make a case for the Wild, Kings, Jets and Flames falling out due to schedule or injuries. Flames have an easier schedule compared to some of the other teams except maybe the Canucks have practically 10 free points against tanking teams so IMO they are a lock. The Jets, Wild, Kings in particular have a difficult upcoming schedules compared to the Flames, Canucks, and Sharks.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I think San Jose is toast. They just lost every home game in the month of February. That's not a playoff team.

I think the Kings are vulnerable. I think the Canucks are vulnerable. 1 of those 2 doesn't make it.

I think Winnipeg and Minnesota will be the Wild Cards.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Mission: 12W

Focus on the W's guys and you'll reduce your OOT scoreboard stress

10 W would probably do it now. 12 W to be safe.

[Joborule]

If Flames can maintain pace enough, Jets need to falter a bit. I feel the same as Bingo that Kings and Wild are going to secure a spot. Sharks aren't a concern anymore.

[heep223]

My head says that the Canucks are virtually in but my gut says that's the team who's spot we're going to take.

[SofaProfessor]

I think San Jose has a tough road ahead if they plan on making the playoffs. They're sitting behind LA and Calgary after tiebreakers and they've played 2 more games.

At some point you have to think that decimated blue line rears it's ugly head for the Canucks. Flames lost Giordano and it felt like the end of the world for a few days. I can only imagine how Canucks fans feel when they see their blueline.

LA looked good for a bit but cooled off and only cut their losing streak short by beating Edmonton. Who knows what they can do but I'd say look out for them.

Minnesota and the Jets may slide but I don't know if it matters. You don't want to get a wild card spot and end up playing Anaheim or Nashville in the first round. 2nd and 3rd in the Pacific is what everyone has their eye on.

[Enoch Root]

Don't know and don't care who it will be. I don't expect any teams to collapse. All the Flames have to do is finish ahead of 2 of those 5 teams. Any two. And they're in.

Just focus on winning and let everyone else watch the scoreboard.

[Murph]

Can't wait for the playoff race W/L spreadsheet...

[chummer]

Canucks.

Even with the easy schedule I think they're going to be this year's version of an 18 wheeler driving off a cliff.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by troutman

10 W would probably do it now. 12 W to be safe.

10 wins is 92 points. If you think 92 points makes the playoffs I don't know what to tell you except that I disagree. Also, how bad do you think the other teams in the race are going to be that they'll finish with LESS than 92 points?

Maybe you mean 10 wins and 3-4 Bettman points?

[polak]

LA. If we can beat LA I'm certian we'll get in.

I think SJ is in a hole now. Don't get me wrong, we could easily and VERY quickly join them or switch spots with them but right now, if we can just stay ahead of LA for 3rd in the Pacific we're golden.

We are extremely lucky that we went through that 3 game NY swing, played crappy and still managed to fumble our way into 3rd.

All of this will still be very tough without Gio.

[Robbob]

Selected VAN, but in reality I am very keen on watching the race for those 2 pacific spots.

[polak]

Vancouver being 3 points up at this point of the season puts them out of reach unless they falter as I doubt we'll be stepping up our winning % without Gio.

If you go on any other hockey forum, everyone is pegging us to fall out and logically, we are the most likely candidates. We need to maintain what we're at and hope for the best really.

The fact that this is even a discussion 63 games into this season is incredible though. It's a great time to be a Flames fan. Absolutely amazing. All of the suffering through the crappy Iginla-core, Darryl losing his mind phase has paid off.

I thank Feaster.

[Jay Random]

I figure that San Jose is not going to catch Vancouver, but L.A. might. If the Flames can catch Vancouver, they're in, even if L.A. also catches them.

Actually, for me, that would be the ideal outcome, since it would make the dirty Canucks miss the playoffs, and also increase the value of the 2nd rounder from the Baertschi trade. So I voted for Vancouver, even though L.A. would answer just as well.