Western Conference Playoff Watch: February 13, 2015
By Austin Manak
Last week I started and promised a weekly series examining the Colorado Avalanche’s playoff chances as we navigated the stretch run of the season.
It looks as if this may end up being a short series, as the Avalanche have driven the Scooby Doo bus off the side of a cliff. Now the mystery isn’t if this team is going to make the playoffs. That case is solved. Instead the mystery is who is going to end up traded at the deadline. It’s going to be a fun couple of weeks speculating and breaking down rumors.
Alas, for formality sake, let’s take a gander at the teams fighting for those wild card spots out west. After all, most of the league still has dreams of extending their season.
Colorado Avalanche
Current position: 6th in Wild-card (55 points in 55 games)
Current trajectory: Balloon floating around the room making fart noises
Last 10: 3-5-2
Playoff Odds: LOL
The Colorado Avalanche players can be brave, and say all the right things. This team claims they haven’t given up – and they shouldn’t. Unfortunately, short of a miracle, the recent 4-game skid has ended their playoff chances.
Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic have their work cut out for them as they make some tough decisions in the upcoming weeks and months. For now, Avalanche fans can just relax and try and enjoy the next few weeks of hockey as the regular season winds down.
Winnipeg Jets
Current position: 1st in Wild-card (66 points in 57 games)
Current trajectory: Holding their breath
Last 10: 3-5-2
Playoff Odds: Decent, but descending
The Jets were in the news recently for their blockbuster trade of Evander Kane. Sure, Kane was out for the year anyways, but he is still a supremely talented player to give up.
Also relevant is the removal of Zach Bogosian from the Jets D. Sure, Tyler Myers has potential, but his play has been inconsistent of late, and now he has to get used to new surroundings. It was a risky move to get rid of a proven commodity on the back-end.
With the teams charging up the standings from below, you get the feeling that the Jets are thinking the end of the regular season can’t come fast enough. The Jets also have played at least 2 more games than every team chasing them.
Calgary Flames
Current position: 2nd in Wild-card (63 points in 55 games)
Current trajectory: Cooling off
Last 10: 6-4
Playoff Odds: Like a candle in the wind
I think that the Flames are going to end up on the outside looking in when the playoffs start. Their possession numbers aren’t that good. The Flames ES Corsi for % of 44.5 is better than only Buffalo and Colorado. They are being held up by a strong PDO of 101.1.
The Avs used that formula last season, but I just think their are a couple of good teams charging up the ladder. The Flames look like a rung that is likely to get stepped over. We’ll see what Calgary can pull off at the deadline, because I think they will need to do something.
Minnesota Wild
Current position: 3rd in Wild-card (61 points in 54 games)
Current trajectory: Maintaining their hot streak
Last 10: 7-1-2
Playoff Odds: I think they’re gonna do it
The mid-season struggles of the Wild are a distant memory at this point. If the Wild can sneak into the playoffs, those pains will all be forgotten.
There is no denying the talent of this team, and after a tumultuous season that saw a lot of off-the-ice issues haunt their star players, the Wild seem to finally be locked in on the ice. I think the Wild are going to make the playoffs. They have games in hand on everyone around them, and are tough in their home barn (15-7-5). Plus they have two more shutout victories over the Avalanche left on the schedule… #EasyPoints!
LA Kings
Current position: 4th in Wild-card (60 points in 54 games)
Current trajectory: Heating up
Last 10: 4-4-2
Playoff Odds: I mean, c’mon… It’s the Kings. They’re going to make it, right?
Like I said above, I think Minnesota is in. I also have a hard time imagining that the Kings are actually going to miss the playoffs. They have won 3 in a row, and seem like they are finally starting to play the brand of hockey that has netted them 2 of the last 3 Stanley Cup crowns.
This team doesn’t seem poised for another crown for their king-ish heads, but I think it’s a really good bet that they’ll make the playoffs.
The key for LA will be playing well on the road, where they are a dismal 7-12-6. Compare that to their franchise record home pace of 17-6-6, and well, it makes it clear where there needs to be improvement.
Dallas Stars
Current position: 5th in Wild-card (58 points in 54 games)
Current trajectory: Sneaky and consistent
Last 10: 5-4-1
Playoff Odds: Coming at you like a dark horse
The Stars are easy to overlook when you think about teams chasing a wild-card spot. They are the ultimate dark horse at this point, but with their offensive talent, there is a real possibility that they could get hot down the stretch.
Dallas comes off as an easier opponent than Minnesota or LA, so it’s possible that they will perhaps catch a team or two sleeping down the stretch. It will be interesting to see if this team makes a move on the blue-line at the deadline to try and bolster their chances down the stretch.
Those other teams hiding in their division’s top-3
The Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks are also likely to factor in the wild-card picture down the stretch. They have 63 and 64 points, respectively. Both have played .500 hockey over their last 10. Both are sitting pretty in their divisions as of today, but if you look at their point totals, they are still right in the thick of things. Calgary and LA both provide legitimate threats to catch these guys.