What to watch in the final days of this long NHL season
CBC
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Thanks to a slightly later-than-usual start to the regular season and a (sadly unnecessary) Olympic break, the NHL playoffs are running about three weeks behind schedule this year. But the payoff is coming soon. Only 10 nights remain in the regular season, and the playoffs start 12 days from today — on Monday, May 2. From teams battling for post-season positions to players chasing individual awards and milestones, here are some things to follow down the stretch:
How many Canadian teams will make the playoffs?
Probably three. Possibly four. Toronto and Calgary, who are among the league's best teams, have already clinched their spots. Edmonton is all but officially in, Winnipeg is all but officially out, while Ottawa and Montreal are eliminated.
The only Canadian franchise that's remotely on the bubble is Vancouver. The Canucks have stayed alive by earning at least a point in each of their eight April games, including a six-game winning streak. But last night's 4-3 shootout loss to Ottawa was a gut punch, dropping Vancouver's playoff odds to about five per cent. With five games left, the Canucks trail Dallas by four points for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference and are five back of Los Angeles for the final Pacific Division berth. In both cases, Vegas stands behind Vancouver and the team it's trying to catch.
Who will the Canadian playoff teams end up facing?
The Leafs just can't catch a break. With five games still to go, they've already set a franchise record for points (108) and sit third overall in the league. You'd think that would be enough for Toronto to finally win the Atlantic Division and avoid another brutal first-round matchup vs. Boston or defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay. But no. Florida is running away with the Atlantic, putting the Leafs on a collision course with Tampa or Boston, who are battling for third in the Atlantic and a playoff matchup with the Leafs.
Calgary is in a more comfortable position. They can't catch Colorado for the top seed in the West, but the Flames are on the verge of clinching the Pacific Division and securing the No. 2. They'll face the better of the two Western wild cards in the first round — probably Nashville or Dallas.
Edmonton will likely finish second in the Pacific and meet third-place L.A. in the opening round. But Vegas and Vancouver both still have a (slim and slimmer) chance to bump the Kings out of that spot.
Who will win the Presidents' Trophy?
It's a two-horse race between Colorado and red-hot Florida. The Panthers won their 11th in a row last night to pull even with the Avalanche at 116 points. That's eight clear of third-place Toronto. Colorado and Florida have identical 55-15-6 records, though the Avs have five more regulation wins. That gives them a slight edge heading into the final six games for both clubs.
Will Vegas avoid a bad beat?
The Golden Knights came into the season as a top-three favourite in the betting markets to win the Stanley Cup. But they now find themselves with only about a 1 in 7 chance of even making the playoffs after losing their last two games.
The return of star forward Mark Stone from a back injury last week promised to give Vegas a boost, but he hasn't notched a point in four games coming off his two-month layoff. Meanwhile, the Knights' big trade for Jack Eichel has not really paid off. He has a respectable 12 goals in 29 games for Vegas after missing nearly a full year with a back injury that fully soured his curdling relationship with Buffalo. But the Knights have won only 45 per cent of their games since he started playing for them. Eichel failed to reach the playoffs in each of his six seasons in Buffalo. Then he joins Vegas and suddenly they're in danger of missing the post-season for the first time in their five-year existence. Coincidence? Or is this guy the hockey version of a cooler?
