How are Canada’s teams stacking up against the NHL competition?
The GIST: With fewer than 10 games remaining in the regular season for each squad, the playoff-clinching chaos is already underway. As a refresher, the top three teams in each division plus the next two best teams in each conference advance to the postseason.
- Here’s how Canada’s teams are stacking up against the competition.
Eastern Conference: The Toronto Maple Leafs secured a postseason spot for the seventh-straight year thanks to the Florida Panthers’ 5–2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday. Now the Buds’ focus is on securing home-ice advantage as they look to reverse their first-round playoff curse. Could this be the year?
- On the other hand, while they’re not statistically eliminated, it’s not looking good for the Sens who sit three spots out of Wild Card contention.
- As for the Montréal Canadiens, they were officially eliminated from playoff contention after their 3–2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers last night.
Western Conference: Somebody call Avril Lavigne, because this is where it gets complicated. No Western Conference team has clinched yet, so if the current Wild Card–holding Winnipeg Jets can stop sputtering, they might be able to move up to top three in the Central Division and clinch a berth outright.
- Over in the Pacific Division, the Edmonton Oilers — led by the dynamic duo of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid — are currently in third, while the Calgary Flames are four points back of a Wild Card berth.
- And finally, no need to talk about
Brunothe all-but-eliminated Vancouver Canucks. No, no, no.
