NHL teams are just a few games away from completing their regular seasons, but there’s still much to be decided in both conferences’ playoff races. A handful of teams remain on the bubble, but have precious few opportunities left to sneak into the postseason.
Read on for our breakdown of the playoff races that will define the first round match ups in the 2014 NHL playoffs.
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NHL Playoff Race Preview and Analysis
Eastern Conference
Detroit Red Wings
Record: 37-27-14, 88 pts
Games remaining: @ BUF, @ PIT, vs CAR, @ STL
[sc:NHL240 ]With a four-point lead over the Maple Leafs, the Red Wings are in the driver’s seat for at least one of the two new wild card slots in this year’s playoffs. But Detroit has a tough final stretch, with three of their last four games on the road including two against top-tier playoff-bound teams.
The Blue Jackets have a tricky handful of games remaining. They have four games left, the final three of which come on the road. Their next three games (vs. Phoenix, @ Dallas, @ Tampa Bay) will all be against playoff-caliber teams with something to play for.
The Jackets are +6,000 to win the Cup, but they had much friendlier odds to earn that Wild Card spot.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 38-33-8, 84 pts
Games remaining: @ TB, @ FLA, @ OTT
The Maple Leafs are +15,000 to break their 47-year Cup drought, but first they need to get in. The Leafs are down three points to the Blue Jackets for the last wild card position.
The Leafs, to the pain of their tortured fans, have one of the easier schedules remaining of the bubble teams, but seem least capable of taking advantage of it. The team barely showed up in a 4-2 loss to the Jets on Saturday that has nearly sealed the coffin for Randy Carlyle’s team, and is now mired in a 2-8 record over its last ten games.
The only thing left for Toronto to do is concentrate on grabbing as many points as they can against the Lighting, Panthers and Sens – which should be easy considering two of the three have nothing to play for – and hope Columbus slips up.
Western Conference
Phoenix Coyotes
Record: 36-28-14, 86 pts
Games remaining: @ CLB, @ NSH, vs SJ, vs DAL
The Coyotes’ spot in the playoffs is suddenly in peril after five straight losses (two in regulation). The rest of Phoenix’s schedule doesn’t look any easier, with games against the Blue Jackets, the Preds and the Sharks before finishing the year with a potential wild card-decider against the Stars.
Dallas Stars
Record: 36-29-11, 87 pts
Games remaining: vs NSH, vs CLB, vs STL, @ PHX
Thanks to the Coyotes’ slip-ups, the Stars – +7,000 long shots for the Stanley Cup – now have their playoff fate in their own hands: win and they’re in.
However, that might be easier said than done. All four of Dallas’ last four games are against teams with winning records. And should the wild card come down to the final game of the season, the Stars (just 16-18-4 on the road) will need to win at Phoenix.
