EDIT: The Islanders make the playoffs with a -18 GD, Capitals clinch with a -37!!

[miscs75]

My islanders have greatly benefited from the loser point this year. Yes the team has been better after Roy took over but we’re still not consistent enough to be a legit playoff threat. If we make the playoffs I don’t think we go passed the first round. In years prior the islanders were the team nobody wanted to play in the playoffs. Now, we’re likely the team other teams are hoping for.

If they can build on last nights win, it’s a completely different team in the playoffs. They actually played a quality and almost full game finally. It’s been a bit since we saw that.

 

[Ugene Magic]

The Pens had a +/- +15 or so before Guentzel was traded and nose dived from there. All while surrounded by huge net negative teams both below and above them.

They had a flawed roster and system. They could win huge and shut teams out, or just wilt away and lose huge tossing away leads, sometimes huge leads late in the game.<---Common

 

[KingsFan7824]

It’s just beyond absurd that the nhl standings are based on points…and some games distribute 3 points and some distribute 2 points.

And by the way, those three point games include some weird hockey mini game

Can't go by W's and L's, because too many games are too close in score too often(I believe soccer is based on points as well, for the same reason). Can't tie in the NBA or MLB, and ties are rare in the NFL, but those league have different values for scores. You have 1, 2, and 3 point shots in the NBA, can score anywhere from 1-4 runs on a single hit in baseball, and the NFL has 1, 2, 3, and 6pt scores. How often are any games in those leagues tied? In the NHL, every goal has a value of 1. Doesn't matter how you score, where you score, or when you score, every goal is worth 1. The 76-77 Canadiens, when there was no OT at all, with a goal differential of +216, had more ties than losses.

 

[Pi]

This year is very similar to the year the Habs and Flyers made the playoffs with like 88 points and then Halak went on a crazy run to beat the Capitals and Pens.

No one wants the spot and watch one of WC2 or Metro 3rd make the Stanley Cup Finals because hockey is just weird like that.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Can't go by W's and L's, because too many games are too close in score too often(I believe soccer is based on points as well, for the same reason). Can't tie in the NBA or MLB, and ties are rare in the NFL, but those league have different values for scores. You have 1, 2, and 3 point shots in the NBA, can score anywhere from 1-4 runs on a single hit in baseball, and the NFL has 1, 2, 3, and 6pt scores. How often are any games in those leagues tied? In the NHL, every goal has a value of 1. Doesn't matter how you score, where you score, or when you score, every goal is worth 1. The 76-77 Canadiens, when there was no OT at all, with a goal differential of +216, had more ties than losses.

While good points, almost 10 percent of baseball games go to extra innings. That’s a significant number. And it doesn’t transition into a home run derby where no longer just a W or L is distributed.

But your explanation is more about why there needs to be an OT, rather than a tie. Fair. But it doesn’t get at why there isn’t just a winner and loser at the end of an OT, rather than awarding the teams points just by getting to OT. That is the weird part to me. Don’t want ties? I get it. But why does the game transition to distributing three points?

 

[Profet]

All these "the Metro is trash" posts...

Yet the #1 and #4 teams in the league presently are Metro teams.

 

[boredmale]

This year is very similar to the year the Habs and Flyers made the playoffs with like 88 points and then Halak went on a crazy run to beat the Capitals and Pens.

No one wants the spot and watch one of WC2 or Metro 3rd make the Stanley Cup Finals because hockey is just weird like that.

In the case of the Islanders, they just needs the team defense and goaltending to try remember how they played the previous 5 seasons where they consistently ranked as one of the top defense/PK teams in the league(without losing any of the offensive gains they made this season).

I still don't understand how we went from a #6 PK last year to the worst in the league. I get in terms of 5 on 5 you might change up systems which might leave you more open to goals being scored on you, but you think with the PK if they only used the same system as the past 6 years they should be doing way better(and at some point this year they should have realized whatever they are doing ont he PK, it's not working and went back to old systems)

 

[SI90]

If they can build on last nights win, it’s a completely different team in the playoffs. They actually played a quality and almost full game finally. It’s been a bit since we saw that.

They played a great game. Problem is they haven’t done it nearly has consistently as we’ve seen in prior years. It’s a totally different feel. We used to be “built for the playoffs” we got away from that.

All these "the Metro is trash" posts...

Yet the #1 and #4 teams in the league presently are Metro teams.

Because they play against other trash metro teams!!! lol

 

[Profet]

Because they play against other trash metro teams!!! lol

Eh... Rangers still have the majority of their remaining games left against metro teams.

Most teams have played the Metro more than the Rangers at this point.

 

[miscs75]

They played a great game. Problem is they haven’t done it nearly has consistently as we’ve seen in prior years. It’s a totally different feel. We used to be “built for the playoffs” we got away from that.

Blame the last season and first half of this one for the lack of coaching that got away form the “built for the playoffs” feel. The PK is the giveaway for that one.

 

[BB79]

All these "the Metro is trash" posts...

Yet the #1 and #4 teams in the league presently are Metro teams.

And how's the rest of the division? Team #3 has 85 points, the lowest of the 3rd seeds by a good margin in the league. 2 points separates them from missing the playoffs entirely. It's the most unbalanced division in the league.

 

[Profet]

And how's the rest of the division? Team #3 has 85 points, the lowest of the 3rd seeds by a good margin in the league. 2 points separates them from missing the playoffs entirely. It's the most unbalanced division in the league.

Thats my point... Unbalanced != Trash

 

[KingsHockey24]

Semen Varlamov is the GOAT.

 

[Profet]

Semen Varlamov is the GOAT.

He's not even the GOTT (this time)

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Gonna suck when whoever comes out of the East beats up whichever Western champ limps into the finals.

I'm happy to see the Stars and Avs on a collision course right now. It wouldn't be a WCF meeting, regrettably, but seeing those two going toe-to-toe gives me fuzzy memories of the NHL as I first knew it as a young kid over 20 years ago. Avs-Red Wings got all the attention of course but the Stars were a very credible third team in the West during that time.

 

[Mattilaus]

Its crazy that buffalo is going to miss badly despite having a positive GD. Ik it has been said for the past decade, but they are due for the chips to start falling in their favour.

you must be new here

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I've always been a big believer in looking at goal differential alongside a team's record to see if they're for real. It's usually very dependable and generally evens out over the season. This year is definitely an outlier in the East. Don't forget Philadelphia too.

 

[Mattilaus]

Thats my point... Unbalanced != Trash

I mean it kinda is trash if only 2 out of 8 teams is any good isn't it? 75% of the teams are struggling just to make it in the top half of the league.

 

[Profet]

I mean it kinda is trash if only 2 out of 8 teams is any good isn't it? 75% of the teams are struggling just to make it in the top half of the league.

Depends on how you look at it I guess.

The Metro has the fewest number of mathematically eliminated teams of any division currently.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

When Toronto finished dead last they were -48.

It’s ridiculous either are in the conversation.

 

[Mattilaus]

Depends on how you look at it I guess.

The Metro has the fewest number of mathematically eliminated teams of any division currently.

Being almost mediocre (as in almost being good enough to be in the top 50% of teams) isn't a good argument for a division being good imo. If any of those teams were in literally any other division, they wouldn't be close to sniffing a spot. The only reason they are close to a spot is because they all suck aside from the top 2.

4th in Atlantic - 93 pts
4th in central - 92 pts
4th in pacific - 92 pts

3rd in metro - 85 pts
4th in metro - 83 pts

 

[unicornpig]

east sucks, always has

 

[SensontheRush]

Being the WC2 in the East this year is like being the tallest midget.

Seems like a very crude comment to me.

 

[Tres Peleches]

Absolutely nuts. With just a handful of games to go in the RS and a team with that sort of split is 3rd in the metro. Washington should be a bottom feeder with a -40 split too. What a fall from grace for the metro for starters, but also how is that even possible? This seems like something that could have occurred in 1986 when it was a 21 league team, but in a 32 team league teams that underwater in their goal differential being in the hunt this late in the season?

I think Pittsburgh or Detroit deserves a spot just by default lol. Just as another point of fact, but only 3 teams in the entire Western conference have worse goal differentials than these two teams, and all of them are absolute bottom feeders. Even languishing Calgary and the Arizona coyotes (who are 7 games below 500!!!!) have better goal differential splits too.

So in the games they didn’t get a point they lost by multiple goals… and they games they won they won in close games… thats all goal differential means

If the other teams were so much better, because they should have accrued more points than the bad Islanders and Capitals

 

[kvladimir]

It's the slimmest of chances, but there is still a scenario where BUF could make it. They have the RW tiebreaker vs NYI, DET, WSH and PHI, some tough matchups late in the season vs teams that might not have much to play for by then (DAL, FLA, TBL), and lots of games between these 6 teams fighting for the 2 spots that could cannibalize their points, while BUF wins out.

Not saying we should be expecting this, but it is possible, and what a story that would be!

Woof. One of my most instantaneous jinxes ever, and that's saying a lot coming from me