Coming into the NHL’s 4 Nations Event break, the Japanese Convention wild-card race is as shut as ever, as six groups are at the moment inside 5 factors of one another.
With a good race shaping up, let’s check out which groups are contenders and that are pretenders.
Ottawa Senators: Contenders
The Senators have surged lately, going 8-5-2 within the month of January after a six-game win streak throughout December. A lot of their success is because of the play of goaltender Linus Ullmark, who has the seventh highest save proportion within the league (.915).
They at the moment sit in third place within the Atlantic division and are simply 4 factors behind the Maple Leafs for second place. With one of many best records since Dec. 1, the Senators’ consistency has them as actual playoff contenders.
Boston Bruins: Pretenders
Boston has floated round a wild-card spot for a lot of the season and it at the moment sits simply on the skin with 60 factors in 55 video games. There’s loads of purpose, nonetheless, to consider the Bruins might be out of the playoff image for the primary time since 2016.
The Bruins have struggled to attain this season, with a 25th-ranked 2.76 objectives for per sport. Their particular groups have not fared effectively both, with a 30th-ranked energy play (12 p.c) and a 25th-ranked penalty kill (75.6 p.c). On high of all that, star goaltender Jeremy Swayman has struggled, sporting only a .898 save proportion. With these numbers, Boston might be on the skin wanting in.
Detroit Crimson Wings: Contenders
The Crimson Wings have been the best team within the league since Todd McLellan took over, going 15-4-1 with two separate seven sport win streaks. They at the moment sit within the first wild-card spot and are only one level behind Ottawa for third place within the Atlantic.
Detroit has additionally gotten some elite play from their stars throughout their current run. Lucas Raymond (25 factors in 20 video games), Dylan Larkin (24 factors in 20 video games) and Moritz Seider (15 factors in 20 video games) have all been wonderful. In the event that they sustain their play, they need to be within the postseason for the primary time since 2016-17.
New York Islanders: Pretenders
The Islanders lately had a seven-game win streak, vaulting them again into wild-card rivalry. Nevertheless, regardless of being simply three factors behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card, New York has a troublesome street forward.
It was lately introduced that star ahead Mat Barzal is out indefinitely with an harm, an enormous hit to the staff’s ahead core. For a staff that already struggles to attain objectives and has the third hardest remaining schedule, it could be an excessive amount of to beat.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Contenders
Regardless of shedding captain Steven Stamkos to free company, the Lightning have not missed a beat. Nikita Kucherov has as soon as once more been taking part in at an MVP degree with 77 factors in 50 video games and free agent signee Jake Guentzel has paired properly with Kucherov on the highest line with 51 factors in 51 video games.
With goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy again to kind (.918 save proportion), search for Tampa Bay to take care of its present wild-card place.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Pretenders
Columbus has been a shock story this season because it sits only one level out of the wild card. The Blue Jackets might be due for a slide, although, as their high ahead Kirill Marchenko was simply sidelined for six to eight weeks with a damaged jaw.
Though the Blue Jackets are a top 10 scoring staff within the league (3.24 objectives per sport), they battle to keep the puck out of their internet (3.30 objectives towards). With out Marchenko, they might not be capable to outscore their defensive issues.
