Bull vs. bear: The case for, against NHL’s playoff locks, hopefuls

New York Islanders: 41-27-5 (.596 PT%), 87 factors, 9 video games remaining

Optimist: The Islanders are 9-6-0 because the Olympic break and getting the third finest workforce save proportion in all conditions. 

Pessimist: Eleven of their final 15 video games have been determined by one objective, and so they’ve been lucky to go 8-3 in these video games. Defensively, they have been a bit of leaky in that stretch, twenty second within the NHL in excessive hazard possibilities towards per 60 minutes at five-on-five, per Pure Stat Trick.

Detroit Crimson Wings: 39-25-8 (.597 PT%), 86 factors, 10 video games remaining

Optimist: John Gibson (.911 save proportion this month) has nonetheless been ok regardless of Detroit’s annual March swoon (5-5-2 this month). Plus, star middle Dylan Larkin is again from damage.

Pessimist: The harm may already be completed. Larkin getting damage hours after the commerce deadline and lacking seven critically necessary video games did not assist. The Wings have additionally did not stack factors, going 1-3-2 in one-goal video games because the break.

Ottawa Senators: 38-24-10 (.597 PT%), 86 factors, 10 video games remaining

Optimist: Goaltender Linus Ullmark seems to have discovered his recreation after a prolonged go away of absence, with a .904 save proportion since returning to motion on Jan. 31.

Pessimist: The Senators stay lifeless final in five-on-five save proportion this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets: 38-23-11 (.604 PT%), 87 factors, 10 video games remaining

Optimist: Since Rick Bowness took over on Jan. 13, the Jackets are 19-4-4, finest within the league in that stretch in each excessive hazard possibilities allowed per 60 minutes at five-on-five and objectives towards per 60 minutes at five-on-five. They have not sacrificed offense as their mix of younger stars and veterans have scored on the eighth highest fee per 60 minutes at five-on-five in that stretch.

Pessimist: They’ve the third most tough power of schedule remaining, together with two video games towards Metropolitan-leading Carolina.

Pittsburgh Penguins: 36-20-16 (.611 PT%), 88 factors, 10 video games remaining

Optimist: Pittsburgh survived a tricky stretch with out Sidney Crosby, going 5-3-3 in its first 11 video games out of the Olympic break whereas he rehabbed an damage suffered in Canada’s quarterfinal spherical win.

Pessimist: Each Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are battling accidents on this essential stretch run.

Boston Bruins: 40-24-8 (.611 PT%), 88 factors, 10 video games remaining

Optimist: The Bruins celebrity trio of winger David Pastrnak (90 factors in 67 video games), high defenseman Charlie McAvoy (55 factors in 60 video games and goalie Jeremy Swayman (28-15-4, .908 save proportion) reside as much as the billing.

Pessimist: The Bruins have probably the most tough power of schedule remaining, with de facto playoff video games towards Columbus (twice), Philadelphia and New Jersey who’re all determined for wins.

Montreal Canadiens: 40-21-10 (.634 PT%), 90 factors, 11 video games remaining

Optimist: They’ll rating — fourth in five-on-five objectives per 60 minutes and fourth in energy play effectivity. 

Pessimist: Like Anaheim within the Western Convention, the Habs are an journey. They’re twenty fifth within the NHL in excessive hazard possibilities towards per 60 minutes, per Pure Stat Trick.

The contenders

These groups aren’t trying over their shoulder at this level, however a deep playoff run is not a lock, both.

Minnesota Wild: 41-20-12 (.644 PT%), 94 factors, 9 video games remaining

Optimist: Elite offensive expertise, elite defensive expertise, a coach who preaches defensive construction and at the very least one goaltender able to carrying them on any given evening.

Pessimist: They have not gained back-to-back video games because the first week of March, and so they’re trending in direction of a nightmarish first-round matchup with the Dallas Stars the place a seventh recreation would finish in Dallas.

Buffalo Sabres: 44-21-8 (.658 PT%), 96 factors, 9 video games remaining

Optimist: The Sabres are 35-11-4 since Thanksgiving. The celebrities have performed like stars, the younger gamers are rising and the goaltending collective of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis compliments one another effectively. 

Pessimist: The Sabres are center of the street in controlling excessive hazard possibilities (50.6 p.c at five-on-five, seventeenth within the NHL per Pure Stat Trick) and will not convey a lot playoff expertise to the desk this April.

Tampa Bay Lightning: 44-21-6 (.662 PT%), 94 factors, 11 video games remaining

Optimist: Not one of the Japanese Convention contenders will convey Tampa’s expertise stage or mix of previous and present success, with winger Nikita Kucherov (121 factors in 67 video games) on tempo to steer the league in factors for a 3rd straight season. 

Pessimist: Defenseman and workforce captain Victor Hedman is taking a go away of absence, and it is not clear for a way lengthy. 

Dallas Stars: 43-18-11 (.674 PT%), 97 factors, 10 video games remaining

Optimist: The Stars are getting wholesome in time for the postseason, not like final season when Miro Heiskanen missed the primary spherical. 

Pessimist: Along with a probable tough street, the Stars stay with out star ahead Roope Hintz (44 factors in 53 video games) who hasn’t performed since early March.

Carolina Hurricanes: 45-20-6 (.676 PT%), 96 factors, 11 video games remaining

Optimist: They proceed to build up factors whereas star middle Sebastian Aho seems to be on tempo for his fourth 80-point season.

Pessimist: Carolina’s goaltending is a priority once more, however the path to the Japanese Convention Finals is perhaps the underrated story of the spring. The Canes are more likely to play one of the vital tough wild-card groups within the historical past of this format due to the depth of the race.

Colorado Avalanche: 48-13-10 (.746 PT%), 106 factors, 11 video games remaining

Optimist: The Avalanche are first in goals-for proportion and primary in five-on-five objectives for per 60 minutes and five-on-five objectives towards per 60 minutes. They by no means appear down for lengthy, following a middling 6-4-1 stretch with 4 consecutive street wins.

Pessimist: Colorado has by no means gained a playoff sequence towards Dallas (0-3) or Minnesota (0-1) within the Nathan MacKinnon period. They are going to play considered one of them in the event that they care for enterprise within the opening spherical.