As the NHL all-star break approaches it is coming time we find out which teams are real playoff teams and which ones are the pretenders. Every year the bubble teams emerge, some to be Cinderella stories, some only to be swept in the first round and some that don’t even make the dance. It would be a waste of time to debate if division leaders and those safe in the 1 2 and 3 spots will make the playoffs. Come on the Black Hawks are making the playoffs no questions asked. So for this exercise were looking at the wild card teams and those teams out of the playoffs. Let’s get right to it.
Get Outta Here
Some teams just aren’t making the playoffs and therefore are a waste of my time to talk about. So if you make this list its not to late blow up the team and make some trades. Do it, start to rebuild make yourself a contender for this list next year.
Colorado Avalanche: Literally the worst team in the league. It’s not 2012 anymore, WAKE UP!!!! Blow this mess up, Trade Semyon Varlomov for a solid back up right now (Matt Murray anyone?). Get rid of your defensive core and trade them for draft picks. Grab a top five pick by moving on from Matt Duchesne. It’s over Colorado Patrick Roy ruined you.
Arizona Coyotes: I mean I feel bad for Mike Smith, the guy makes 50 saves in a game and they still lose the game. Tank and get a top five draft pick.
Slim Chances
These teams are so clustered together its ninety percent of the teams on this list. Spoiler alert this list will come out at the 60 and 70 game mark as well. So here are the teams that have a slight chance at making the playoffs if everything goes right for them.
Winnipeg Jets: The west is so tight it’s going to be very hard to grab the wild card spot from a Central division team. Not to mention the Pacific division is much better this year. With Edmonton, Anahiem, San Jose, and Vancouver all holding playoff spots.
Dallas Stars: You have to make a case for the Stars because they’ve been a playoff team the last few years but they will have to compete with the Blues and Kings for the extra playoff spot. I just don’t see that happening.
Detroit Red Wings
New Jersey Devils
Carolina Hurricanes
New York Islanders: All these teams have a fairly even chance of grabbing a wild card spot. Cant count anyone of them out because the Eastern conference is so tight.
50/50
These teams are more likely than the ones above to get into the playoffs but just a tier below the teams ahead of them. This is really based on trust for what they’ve done in the past or if were just uncertain of what’s going on.
Toronto Maple Leafs: I don’t buy into the rebuild that much but if Auston Matthews can drag this team into the playoffs as a rookie that would certainly be impressive.
Florida Panthers: The Panthers will have to come up with some of last season’s magic to grab the wildcard spot but its certainly do able. Aaron Ekblad must step up.
Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks are as up and down as a franchise gets. I don’t really buy into the Vancouver magic this team hasn’t been good since they had Bobby Lou in the net.
Los Angeles Kings: The return of Johnathan Quick will put this team back in playoff contention I guarantee it. Im almost as confident in these guys as I am in the,
Tampa Bay Lightning: Ben Bishop has had a rough season thus far. This offense needs to wake up and be the dominating one it has been in recent years. I think they will.
Calgary Flames: Sean Monnohan
Almost Probably There
Philadelphia Flyers: This team is gritty and refuses to die and I love it. They would be a great playoff team this year now that most of that roster has experience from last year’s series against the Capitals.
Saint Louis Blues: I trust Ken Hitchcock more than I trust Mike Babcok and that’s saying a lot.
Guaranteed
Honestly wasn’t going to put anything here for the first installment of this piece but
The New York Rangers: Are still the best team in hockey to watch. And the best all-around fundamentally. The rise of the blues has kicked them into a wild card spot.
