When the boys over at Five For Howling were kind enough to have me participate in their roundtable discussion last month, one of the subjects was what number would it take to qualify for the playoffs. I pegged that number at 95, maybe 97 and that was on past experience.
Since the lockout, the number of points required to qualify for the playoffs hovered around 90 – 96, with Calgary earning 96 in the 2006-07 campaign and Nashville and Anaheim earning 91 in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 years respectively. Last season the number needed was 95 and that honor went to the Colorado Avalanche.
Using that same metric, the Coyotes will need to run at least 14-11 the rest of the way to qualify at the eighth spot. Not a bad situation to be in, but it won’t be easy with tough Eastern Conference teams still on the docket and seeing Chicago and Nashville along the way.
Being in control of one’s own destiny is always a good thing, but at least they have some cushion as they have to play slightly better than .500 hockey to get in. However, I would prefer it if they had more distance. They match up well against Nashville and they have a tendency to break winning streaks that Philadelphia and Tampa Bay are on right now.
As we wait for the Washington Capitals, there is a lot of hockey to be played today, with teams that might affect the Coyotes’ place in line.
The teams that are closest to the Coyotes’ destiny today are Dallas as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Los Angeles Kings as they travel to Philadelphia, the San Jose Sharks as they take on the Panthers in Florida, and the Anaheim Ducks as they go to Edmonton to face the Oilers.
It will be somewhat strange to root for the Flyers, but slightly easier with the Panthers. An Oilers upset would be completely grand.
Even though football left a small hole last week with the Superbowl Champion Green Bay Packers, hockey will easily fill it.
Original Story:
http://onefansperspective.com/2011/02...
