10+ games to go in the 2008-2009 regular season

[ktang 34]

From the West, my upset is that the Blues will get in, knocking out the Oilers.

From the East, I think the Canadiens will get knocked out by the Panthers because of the pressure in Montreal / Quebec.

[RadioGaGa 162]

From the West, my upset is that the Blues will get in, knocking out the Oilers.

From the East, I think the Canadiens will get knocked out by the Panthers because of the pressure in Montreal / Quebec.

If you play like shit (which the Habs are/have been) they won't make it regardless of WHERE they play.

[PWBIII 0]

I'd like to see all 5 central division teams get in. That would be something.

[ktang 34]

The Habs were lucky that the Panthers also lost tonight. A lot of the Habs players looked tentative tonight; Kovalev had the whole right side open to him early in the game, but bobbled the pass into the corner. Rolling puck or gripping the stick too tightly?

[DEATHTRON 19]

I dont know if Dallas is going make it...and at this point I hope they just lose out to get a better draft position.

Zach

[interpathway 9]

Florida, Carolina, and the Caps all make it in. Montreal is a no.

[ktang 34]

Now Anaheim and Minnesota are in the 9 and 10 spots with 76 pts, with St. Louis 1 point behind at 75 and Dallas at 74. Minnesota just got Gaborik back, but Koivu looked like he got hurt in the Edmonton game.

[Dean_ 0]

From the West, my upset is that the Blues will get in, knocking out the Oilers.

From the East, I think the Canadiens will get knocked out by the Panthers because of the pressure in Montreal / Quebec.

If you play like shit (which the Habs are/have been) they won't make it regardless of WHERE they play.

I agree, even if they sneak into the playoffs they will really need to pick it up if they are planning on making a run.

[ktang 34]

Panthers are now tied with the Canadiens. The Hurricanes are in 5th - good pickups in Samsonov and Maurice this year.

[Neal 41]

Now Anaheim and Minnesota are in the 9 and 10 spots with 76 pts, with St. Louis 1 point behind at 75 and Dallas at 74. Minnesota just got Gaborik back, but Koivu looked like he got hurt in the Edmonton game.

With Koivu out, I don't see how Lemaire doesn't win coach of the year if the Wild make the playoffs. These are the 4 centers he has on his roster:

7 Eric Belanger MIN C 69 12 20 32 -5

12 James Sheppard MIN C 72 4 13 17 -19

15 Dan Fritsche MIN C 41 4 7 11 -5

21 Peter Olvecky MIN L 24 2 2 4 0

Those centers match up beautifully with San Jose, Calgary or Detroit don't they?

As such, I think Edmonton and St. Louis will make the playoffs, and Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville and Anaheim won't.

[bednarz877 0]

if st louis is to make the playoffs andy murray should be a serious consideration too. hes had to deal with erik johnson being out all year, paul kariya being out since about november, eric brewer being out, tj oshie missed a few weeks, andy mcdonald missed about 3 months, and the goaltending situation this year has been decent at best up until recently.

[jww83 0]

I think after tonight's game against the canucks the Stars season is over. It's been a very down, up, down year for them with some ridiculous bad luck. Brad Richards being out for 15 or so games with a broken wrist only to break his other wrist in his first game back sums things up.

To go from the western conference final to more than likely not even making the playoffs the following year is very disappointing.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

But hey, next year the team will be healthy, plus a pretty good pick in this years draft.

[DEATHTRON 19]

Ya...you cant forsee injuries like the Stars have had. What I do like is with our falling stock and letting our young guys play we are going to hopefully get a nice position in the draft and score ourselves a legitimate scoring threat.

Zach

[furlanitalia 1]

In the east Montreal and NYR make it. I just want to see a caps pens showdown first round. Figure it'll be a great start.

West - Anaheim is out, but edmonton stays. I'd like to see Dallas make it.

[ktang 34]

Wow, Blues with a huge win today vs the Canucks, with #57 scoring a tough PP goal. Oilers lost to the Coyotes. So, now the Blues and Oilers are tied in the standings at 79 points, 9th place, with 8 games to go. Ducks are in 7th (5 game winning streak) and Predators are in 8th - the Preds beat the Sharks in an upset and have 80 points, 8 games to go.

Canadiens pulled out an OT win to stay 2 points ahead of the Panthers, who won to snap a 3-game losing streak.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Wow, Blues with a huge win today vs the Canucks, with #57 scoring a tough PP goal. Oilers lost to the Coyotes. So, now the Blues and Oilers are tied in the standings at 79 points, 9th place, with 8 games to go. Ducks are in 7th (5 game winning streak) and Predators are in 8th - the Preds beat the Sharks in an upset and have 80 points, 8 games to go.

Canadiens pulled out an OT win to stay 2 points ahead of the Panthers, who won to snap a 3-game losing streak.

Even if the Blues don't make it this year....this late push has had a lot of the young guys step up into leadership, pressure type roles and perform well. A huge plus for next year.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Wow, Blues with a huge win today vs the Canucks, with #57 scoring a tough PP goal. Oilers lost to the Coyotes. So, now the Blues and Oilers are tied in the standings at 79 points, 9th place, with 8 games to go. Ducks are in 7th (5 game winning streak) and Predators are in 8th - the Preds beat the Sharks in an upset and have 80 points, 8 games to go.

Canadiens pulled out an OT win to stay 2 points ahead of the Panthers, who won to snap a 3-game losing streak.

Even if the Blues don't make it this year....this late push has had a lot of the young guys step up into leadership, pressure type roles and perform well. A huge plus for next year.

I agree. Even if they miss the playoffs, they have to see this season as a huge success.

[ktang 34]

Wow, Blues with a huge win today vs the Canucks, with #57 scoring a tough PP goal. Oilers lost to the Coyotes. So, now the Blues and Oilers are tied in the standings at 79 points, 9th place, with 8 games to go. Ducks are in 7th (5 game winning streak) and Predators are in 8th - the Preds beat the Sharks in an upset and have 80 points, 8 games to go.

Canadiens pulled out an OT win to stay 2 points ahead of the Panthers, who won to snap a 3-game losing streak.

Even if the Blues don't make it this year....this late push has had a lot of the young guys step up into leadership, pressure type roles and perform well. A huge plus for next year.

I agree. Even if they miss the playoffs, they have to see this season as a huge success.

With Edmonton's loss to Minny just now, the Blues are in 8th spot (9-3-3 in their last 15 games). Edmonton is in 10th spot, 1 pt behind Anaheim. Nashville is showing some real grit, getting by Detroit to stay in 7th spot.

Go Blues!

[westcoastsniper 0]

cheering for Canucks, but St. Louis looked good in that game, it's unfortunate that it doesn't have just a little more veterans on the team, not necessarily in a leadership role, but in a gary roberts 'I'll kill these bastards with my barehands to get that puck' sort of manner, makes 'em a little more hard-nosed. That being said, Van's oldest dudes (Demitra & Sundin) aren't the exact definition of grit.

But yeah, Columbus, St. Louis, L.A. and Chicago all look good, and to a lesser degree Gretzky's team there in the desert... :)

Just hope they don't get those guys and then trade away their draft picks for the next five-seven years like vancouver did.

[mack 44]

Preds getting some big wins this weekend. Currently would be squaring off against Detroit and I wouldn't want it any other way.

[dsjunior1388 81]

I'd like to see all 5 central division teams get in. That would be something.

especially after all the people who claimed the wings were running rampant in a weak division.

[Chadd 916]

I'd like to see all 5 central division teams get in. That would be something.

especially after all the people who claimed the wings were running rampant in a weak division.

It was true for a number of years.

[furlanitalia 1]

http://thehockeynews.com/articles/24806-TH...s-just-yet.html

Great article on how the end of the year can play out for teams on the lower end of the spectrum.

[koivulchuk 1]

I'd like to see all 5 central division teams get in. That would be something.

Any hockey nerds know if this has actually happened before? All 5 teams from one division making the playoffs? I know 4 has happened several times.