voyageur
Hockey fanatic
- Jul 10, 2011
- 9,467
- 8,157
I think a lot of people came into the season with the notion that the Central was significantly better than the Pacific. And they do boast 3 of the 4 best teams in the Conference.
But if the playoffs started today, on points, 5 Pacific teams would be in and Gary would be pretty happy with the matchups: Nashville-Vegas, Winnipeg-Colorado, Calgary-Edmonton, Anaheim-San Jose. Now granted Dallas with games in hand would pass Vegas, but Knights are hot, and Stastny is about to join them. Hitchcock is getting results too, so the bottom 2 teams in the playoff race are trending up. San Jose has been streaky. Anaheim is rolling along, in spite of injuries. And well, Calgary, the cardiac kids are tops in the West. I'm not discounting Minnesota or Dallas, but it definitely seems possible that the Pacific could have 5 teams in the playoffs.
But if the playoffs started today, on points, 5 Pacific teams would be in and Gary would be pretty happy with the matchups: Nashville-Vegas, Winnipeg-Colorado, Calgary-Edmonton, Anaheim-San Jose. Now granted Dallas with games in hand would pass Vegas, but Knights are hot, and Stastny is about to join them. Hitchcock is getting results too, so the bottom 2 teams in the playoff race are trending up. San Jose has been streaky. Anaheim is rolling along, in spite of injuries. And well, Calgary, the cardiac kids are tops in the West. I'm not discounting Minnesota or Dallas, but it definitely seems possible that the Pacific could have 5 teams in the playoffs.