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.
Detroit Red Wings: Time to start selling folks. The departure of Datsyuk marked the end of an era and with Jimmy Howard seemingly done in motor city it’s time to move on.
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.
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.
New Jersey Devils
Carolina Hurricanes
Buffalo Sabers: One more year and this team can get there at the 70 game mark they’ll be outta here.
Tampa Bay Lightning: There selling at the deadline this is the biggest flip in the NHL in a while. With Ben Bishop out I don’t see the Lightning clawing into this.
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.
Vancouver Canucks: Time to sell the Sedin brothers. Last thing I want to see is the Canucks in the playoffs.
Winnipeg Jets: High Flying offensive power but overwhelming inconsistency equals a bubble team that doesn’t quite get in.
Calgary Flames: How are you going to beat a Ben Bishop, Johnathan Quick team up and the high flying LA Kings.
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.
Florida Panthers
New York Islanders: This team continues to Claw its way into the playoff race. Its too tough a division though.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Mike Babcock will take this team back to the playoffs. If that’s the case it may be time to grab a high class defenseman at the deadline.
La Kings
Saint Louis: Mike Yeo can kick this team into gear.
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 Blue Jackets has kicked them into a wild card spot.