Best case scenario from the week that was
2nd Atlantic: Ottawa: 47 GP – 55 PTS
3rd Atlantic: Detroit: 49 GP – 52 PTS
2nd Wild Card: Philadelphia: 50 GP – 54 PTS
In the Hunt
Boston: 52 GP – 52 PTS
Toronto: 47 GP – 51 PTS
Carolina: 48 GP – 49 PTS
Florida: 50 GP – 49 PTS
New Jersey: 50 GP – 49 PTS
Tampa Bay: 50 GP – 49 PTS
NY Islanders: 47 GP – 47 PTS
Buffalo: 48 GP – 47 PTS
Real Life
Well how to sum up last week? Umm not a pleasant one and the hockey was terrible as the Wings started Monday (23rd) with a 5.1 percent chance to make the playoffs and are now down to 1.6 percent (http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Atlantic/Detroit.html). Some of the games with the most impact on that percentage were: Detroit 0 Toronto 4 (-1.5), Boston 4 Detroit 3 OT (-0.3), Ottawa 3 Washington 0 (-0.2), NY Islanders 4 Colorado 2 (-0.2), Toronto 4 Calgary 0 (-0.2). With 11 games to go before the trade deadline it is imperative the Wings get off to a hot start after the break or the sell-off could/should begin. Sportsclubstats predicts the Red Wings need to go 20-9-4 for the remained of the season to have a 51 percent chance to make the playoffs. 24-6-3 is the requirement to get to 100 percent (well 99.8, I rounded).
Teams to keep an eye on
Boston – Detroit is seven points back with three games in hand.
Philadelphia – Detroit is also seven points back with one game in hand. Would need a lot of help catching the Flyers.
Toronto – Everything’s looking up for Toronto’s hockey club. They have all the momentum and are smooth sailing right into the playoffs. I haven’t seen leaf fans this confident since about 9 PM on May 13, 2013.
Red Wings games upcoming (1/31 – 2/2)
New Jersey @ Detroit 7:30 ET on Tuesday, 1/31
The weekday schedule (1/31 – 2/2)
I ranked the games on a scale of 1 to 4. 1+ is least important to 4+ for most important
Tuesday, January 31st
+++ Philadelphia @ Carolina 7 ET – Philadelphia is a team the Wings need to track down for a spot. No three point games please.
++ Washington @ NY Islanders 7 ET
+ Nashville @ Pittsburgh 7 ET
+ Columbus @ NY Rangers 7 ET
++ Ottawa @ Florida 7:30 ET – Ottawa is getting close to out of reach for second in the Atlantic.
++ Buffalo @ Montreal 7:30 ET
+++ Boston @ Tampa Bay 7:30 ET
++++ Toronto @ Dallas 8:30 ET – Crucial for Toronto to drop some games especially to teams in the West.
Wednesday, February 1st
++++ Boston @ Washington 8 ET NBCSN – Important game for playoff hopes. Both teams on the second game of a back-to-back.
Thursday, February 2nd
++++ Montreal @ Philadelphia 7 ET
++ NY Rangers @ Buffalo 7:30 ET NBCSN
+++ Ottawa @ Tampa Bay 7:30 ET
++++ Toronto @ St. Louis 8 ET
Best case scenario
2nd Atlantic: Ottawa: 49 GP – 58 PTS
3rd Atlantic: Boston: 54 GP – 56 PTS
2nd Wild Card: Philadelphia: 52 GP – 56 PTS
In the Hunt
Toronto: 49 GP – 55 PTS
Florida: 51 GP – 54 PTS
Tampa Bay: 52 GP – 54 PTS
NY Islanders: 48 GP – 51 PTS
Carolina: 49 GP – 51 PTS
Detroit: 50 GP – 51 PTS
Buffalo: 50 GP – 49 PTS
New Jersey: 51 GP – 49 PTS
