The NHL season is coming down the final stretch of the regular season. The majority of playoff spots have been clinched, though the race for the four Wild Card spots are wide open.
Detroit and Columbus lead the way in the race for the Eastern Conference Wild Card. The Capitals trail by four points, but that they must win out to get in, doesn’t look promising. Washington has to play at St. Louis and Carolina, before heading home to face Chicago and Tampa Bay in their finale. Those final four games are why Washington will come up just short of the playoffs.
Staying on the same path to miss the playoffs are the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs have played their worst hockey down the stretch, and going 2-8 in their last ten games, has certainly hindered their chance at the post season. Toronto only has three games left, and that will not be enough to see some playoff ice at the Air Canada Centre.
The best team to make the jump into the playoffs, the New Jersey Devils. The Devils have been playing solid hockey, getting points in eight of their last ten games. That all starts with solid goaltending, and the squad of Martin Brodeur and Corey Schneider. Schneider has done everything you want in a future franchise goaltender, picking up points four of his five games, down the stretch.
“I’ve known the character in that room for the three years I’ve been here,” Devils Coach Pete DeBoer said. “I knew there was no quit in that dressing room and these guys were going to play until they tell us we can’t play anymore.”
They’ll need every point in their last four games they can get. It starts tonight at the Prudential Center, against the Calgary Flames. After tonight, they’ll go to Ottawa before returning home for their final home games this weekend, against the Islanders and Bruins.
When it comes to Columbus, I think five points out of their last four games, will lock in their playoff spot. The surging Blue Jackets will be without star forward RJ Umberger. The veteran will be sidelined for at least two weeks, a crucial amount of time this late in the season.
The Blue Jackets will have their hands full facing three possible playoff teams this week, though some may be resting their stars down the stretch. They get their final week started tomorrow at Nationwide Arena, against Phoenix, before heading on the road to Dallas and Tampa. They return home for what should be an action packed Sunday against the Florida Panthers.
Then you have the Wild Card leaders, Detroit Red Wings. Their most important game this season is Tuesday in Buffalo, against the worst team in the NHL. If they lose that game, I’d pencil the Red Wings into early tee times Monday. They close out their schedule on the road in Buffalo and Pittsburgh, before returning to the Joe for Carolina, then close out the season on the road Sunday in St. Louis.
Eastern Conference Wild Card Prediction: Columbus Blue Jackets and New Jersey Devils
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