HOW THE NHL'S WEST MIGHT STILL BE WON
With the post-season around the corner, participants, seeding are far from settled
Is it too early to talk about a Connor McDavid versus Jack Eichel playoff matchup?
With Los Angeles fading in the standings and Vegas returning back to full health, it's looking more and more like the Oilers and Golden Knights could meet in the first round.
If so, we could get our first head-to-head battle between the No. 1 (McDavid) and No. 2 (Eichel) picks in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
We're talking about two players whose careers have been linked for the past seven years. During that time, McDavid's Oilers have failed to meet post-season expectations, while Eichel's teams have simply failed to qualify for the playoffs.
But it's all starting to come together.
As of Wednesday morning, Edmonton was second in the Pacific Division. And though Vegas is on the outside looking in at a playoff spot, the Golden Knights are only three points back of the Kings with a game in hand. With Los Angeles now without Drew Doughty for the rest of the year, it's looking more like the NHL could get a matchup that has been years in the making.
Unlike the East, the West is still very much up for grabs. Neither playoff seeding nor playoff spots are settled. There are only eight points separating the second-place Oilers from the fifth-place Canucks in the Pacific, while as many as four teams are vying for the final wild card.
Here's a look at where things stand:
EDMONTON OILERS
Standing: 2nd in the Pacific Record: 42-26-6 (90 points) Games remaining: 8
Schedule: With Nashville, Vegas, Dallas, Colorado and Pittsburgh all coming up in the next few weeks, the Oilers won't have much time to relax.
Outlook: The Oilers have been playing their best hockey of the season. Since March 9, the team is 12-3-2. A lot of that has to do with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have combined for 93 goals and 210 points. But even more of it is because of goalie Mike Smith, who has yet to lose this month.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
Standing: 3rd in the Pacific Record: 39-26-10 (88 points) Games remaining: 7
Schedule: Though Los Angeles has only seven games remaining — the fewest of the teams in the playoff hunt — six of those are against non-playoff teams. But two of those, including Wednesday night's opponent, are on the second of back-to-back nights. Outlook: The retooling Kings have avoided a full-scale rebuild by hanging around a playoff spot all season. But with Vegas only three points back, their playoff hopes took a major hit this week with the announcement that Doughty had wrist surgery and is out for the year.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS Standing: 1st in wild card race Record: 42-26-5 (89 points) Games remaining: 9
Schedule: Don't buy those playoff tickets just yet: seven of Nashville's remaining games are against teams above them in the standings.
Outlook: If the season ended today, Nashville would play the Pacific-leading Calgary Flames in the first round. Fans will get a taste of that potential series with the two teams playing each other twice in the next few weeks.
DALLAS STARS
Standing: 2nd in wild card race Record: 42-27-5 (89 points) Games remaining: 9
Schedule: You have to think the Stars' season will come down to a three-game Western Canada road trip next week. If they survive that, they should be in a good spot.
Outlook: Since March 21, the Stars are 8-3-1. Some of that has to do with the play of backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood, who has picked up seven of a possible eight points since being acquired at the deadline. Based on their 1-0 win against Tampa Bay on Tuesday — a rematch of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final — Dallas looks like a contender once again.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Standing: 3rd in wild card race Record: 40-29-5 (85 points) Games remaining: 8
Schedule: It seems inevitable the Knights will get in. But with five of their eight games against playoff-bound teams — and five games on the road — it's still going to be a challenge. Outlook: Is Eichel ever going to make the playoffs? While it would be a huge story if a team as star-studded as Vegas misses out, it would be an even bigger one if the Golden Knights manage to catch the Kings, which would set up a first-round matchup against McDavid and the Oilers.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Standing: 4th in wild card race Record: 36-28-10 (82 points) Games remaining: 8
Schedule: With games against Arizona, Ottawa and Seattle, there's some easy points for Vancouver to pick up. But the one game the team should circle on the calendar is next Monday's against the Stars, who remain seven points up on the Canucks for the final wild card spot. Outlook: According to sportsclubstats.com, Vancouver has only a 5.2 per cent chance of making the playoffs. Those odds could significantly increase if the Canucks, who are on a four-game winning streak, continue to average 4.75 goals per game.
WINNIPEG JETS
Standing: 5th in wild card race Record: 35-28-11 (81 points) Games remaining: 8
Schedule: With five games remaining against Eastern teams, and two against divisional leaders, this is not the ideal schedule for a team needing to make up significant ground.
Outlook: What would it take for the Jets to make the playoffs? Frankly, a miracle, considering they are eight points back of the final wild card spot with only eight games remaining.