Gold teams have earned a 1st round bye. Green teams are locked into a playoff spot. Top 10 teams make the playoffs with the 1st 6 getting that important 1st round bye.
5 playoff spots have been locked up. 1 First round bye has been earned. Still alot of movement can happen in the 4 through 16 spots.
1 Winnipeg Jets (34-4) - Went 2-0 last week to cement their 1st round bye.
2 St. Louis Blues (30-8) - 2-0 last week. Remaining games Washington/Winnipeg, Toronto/Vancouver, Carolina/Pittsburgh. A Lou Feriggno style muscle flexing with a 231 point week. The Blues are purring on all kittens. Also have that 1st round bye locked in.
3 Carolina Hurricanes (30-8) - 2-0 last week. Remaining against New York/Philly, Boston/Tampa, and Detroit/St.Louis. Gibson came off of IR real quick like and it looks like these Hurricanes could do some damage with a league leading 240 point week. Essentially locked in 1st round bye
4 Colorado Avalanche (27-11) - 1-1 last week. They caught a hot Blues team last week and then put a damper on the Bruins playoff chances. Remaining games Anaheim/Detroit, Arizona/Edmonton, Buffalo/Montreal. They've locked into a playoff spot.
5 Anaheim Ducks (27-11) - Great week for the Ducks going 2-0 with a real tight match against the Oilers. With those wins they locked into a playoff spot.
6 Buffalo Sabres (25-13) - They went 1-1 last week to keep themselves in the thick of things. Games remain against Anaheim/Edmonton, Arizona/Montreal, Colorado/Winnipeg. They scored a fantastic 211 points last week, so they are heating up, but they ran into the Blues. Look to be on pace for that playoff birth and close to a 1st round bye.
7 Vancouver Canucks (23-15) - Last week went 1-1 . Remaining games against Boston/Tampa, Detroit/St.Louis, Anaheim/Edmonton.
8 Philadelphia Flyers (23-15) Previously 10th - A big time 2-0 against Vancouver and Toronto last week. Plays Arizona/Buffalo, Colorado/Winnipeg, and Vancouver/Washington over the coming weeks.
9 Edmonton Oilers (22-16) Previously 8th - Went 1-1 last week to keep afloat.
10 Boston Bruins (21-17) Previously 9th - A disappointing 0-2 to push this team right on the playoff bubble.
11 Washington Capitals (20-18) - 1-1 last week. Need to go at least 3-3 and continue to score more points to bump the Bruins out of the playoffs.
12 Toronto Maple Leafs (20-18) - 1-1 last week. 3 tough games, 3 easy games. With the Bruins coming back to this pack anything can happen especially if the NHL Maple Leafs start piling on the goals. I'd give them the nod now to take over the Bruins spot.
13 Montreal Canadiens (19-19) - 1-1 last week. Another solid week, but ran into a hot Oilers team.
14 Tampa Bay Lightning (17-21) 1-1 last week. They need to go 6-0 the rest of the way as they don't have enough points to break ties.
