The peripheral NHL team(s) (9th seed and down) to go to Playoffs this year in EC?

[Scenicdrive]

Which peripheral NHL team (from the 9th seed and down) will go to Playoffs this year in the Eastern Conference?

Is it Buffalo? Toronto? Atlanta? Florida? Or New Jersey?
Buffalo is a pretender but with a new owner who promised a new outlook, the stupid Buffalo Sabres may surprise many this year by sneaking in playoffs, last for a series or two.
Toronto is the dark horse here and its chance looks good.
Atlanta and Florida are pretenders.
New Jersey is red hot now but it may be too late to play catch up.

What do you think?

Eastern Conference
Rank Team GP W L OT PTS GF GA Home Away Last 10 Streak
1 Philadelphia 61 40 15 6 86 202 155 20-8-3 20-7-3 7-2-1 Won 1
2 Tampa Bay 60 35 18 7 77 187 188 20-7-4 15-11-3 5-3-2 Won 1
3 Boston 60 34 19 7 75 188 145 15-12-3 19-7-4 6-4-0 Won 3
4 Pittsburgh 62 36 20 6 78 180 150 20-11-2 16-9-4 3-5-2
5 Washington 61 32 19 10 74 165 153 17-7-7 15-12-3 5-4-1 Won 2
6 Montreal 62 32 23 7 71 161 161 19-8-6 13-15-1 3-5-2 Lost 1
7 NY Rangers 62 32 26 4 68 172 155 14-13-3 18-13-1 3-6-1 Won 1
8 Carolina 61 28 24 9 65 177 188 15-10-3 13-14-6 3-4-3

9 Buffalo 59 28 25 6 62 170 172 13-15-2 15-10-4 5-4-1 Won 1
10 Toronto 61 27 27 7 61 157 184 14-11-6 13-16-1 6-2-2 Won 2
11 Atlanta 61 25 26 10 60 174 201 13-12-5 12-14-5 2-7-1 Lost 4
12 Florida 60 25 28 7 57 156 168 12-11-6 13-17-1 3-6-1 Lost 2
13 New Jersey 60 26 30 4 56 129 161 14-13-3 12-17-1 9-0-1 Won 8
14 NY Islanders 62 23 31 8 54 170 202 12-14-4 11-17-4 6-3-1
15 Ottawa 60 20 31 9 49 137 195 10-16-5 10-15-4 3-6-1 Won 2

 

[Ironhead]

I have to agree that the Devils likely waited too long/fell too far behind to be able to make the playoffs. Can they keep this pace up to the end of the regular season ?

The Buffalo Sabres may just get that kick start they need. Watch over the weekend, including Monday, to see if they are buyers rather then sellers.

The Leafs are in a unique situation. Go for it this season or stay the course, bite the bullet and if it happens great, if not then nothing lost.
I am all for 'going for it' so long as Burke does not sell the youth and picks he has aquired for a 30something top six forward.

 

[Scenicdrive]

I have to agree that the Devils likely waited too long/fell too far behind to be able to make the playoffs. Can they keep this pace up to the end of the regular season ?

The Buffalo Sabres may just get that kick start they need. Watch over the weekend, including Monday, to see if they are buyers rather then sellers.

The Leafs are in a unique situation. Go for it this season or stay the course, bite the bullet and if it happens great, if not then nothing lost.
I am all for 'going for it' so long as Burke does not sell the youth and picks he has aquired for a 30something top six forward.

What is hurting the Sabres is Darcy 'Regina' Regier's small mindedness and conservatism despite the new owner's willingness to open up his treasure chest and give Regier all the ropes he desires to build a Stanley cup caliber team. Acquiring Brad Boyes is generally viewed as positive in enhancing Sabres' scoring muscle. However, the unwillingness to unload many of the current useless players and to add more good players may hurt this year's playoff chances. Perhaps Regier will hang himself with all these ropes that he cannot use. LOL!!!

The way it shapes up now is 4 teams (Rangers, Hurricanes, Sabres, and Leafs) fighting for the last two playoff spots. There is no reason Leafs will not go all out and see if they can sneak into the 8th spot.

 

[Scenicdrive]

It looks like Toronto is determined to go to playoffs. It gains lots of ground and keeps on winning. At this pace, it will catch the sleepwalking Sabres, possibly surpass the Rangers and the Canes. Pegula, Pegula, what do you have to do to wake up this below average team called the Stupid Buffalo Sabres???

 

[Scenicdrive]

The Leafs' Playoff Hope Is Still Alive

Courtesy of the Buffalo Sabres, who let the Leafs to be the more hungry team in Saturday night's game. Toronto is now only 4 points behind the 8th place Sabres. Anything can happen when the fat lady finishes singing.

 

[Scenicdrive]

With Toronto losing to Detroit and Carolina losing to Tampa Bay tonight, it looks like Buffalo, Rangers, and Montreal will play musical chairs on their playoff seatings.

Eastern
Rank Team GP W L OT PTS GF GA Home Away Last 10 Streak
1 x-Philadelphia 73 44 19 10 98 233 197 21-10-6 23-9-4 4-2-4 OT 2
2 x-Washington 75 43 22 10 96 203 182 22-8-7 21-14-3 8-2-0 Lost 1
3 Boston 74 41 23 10 92 224 177 18-13-5 23-10-5 3-4-3 Lost 1
4 Pittsburgh 75 44 23 8 96 216 182 23-13-2 21-10-6 7-2-1 Won 3
5 Tampa Bay 75 40 24 11 91 223 228 22-11-5 18-13-6 3-3-4 Won 1
6 Montreal 75 40 28 7 87 200 194 22-10-6 18-18-1 5-5-0 Lost 2
7 NY Rangers 76 41 30 5 87 218 181 18-16-4 23-14-1 8-1-1 Won 1
8 Buffalo 75 38 28 9 85 222 210 18-16-4 20-12-5 6-3-1 Won 3

9 Carolina 75 35 30 10 80 211 224 20-13-4 15-17-6 4-5-1 Lost 1
10 Toronto 75 34 31 10 78 199 228 17-14-7 17-17-3 5-4-1 Won 3
11 Atlanta 74 31 31 12 74 205 242 16-15-7 15-16-5 5-4-1 Lost 1
12 New Jersey 75 34 36 5 73 155 189 18-15-3 16-21-2 4-5-1 Lost 1
13 NY Islanders 75 29 34 12 70 209 237 16-16-5 13-18-7 5-2-3 Lost 1
14 Florida 75 29 36 10 68 184 207 15-15-8 14-21-2 3-5-2 Lost 3
15 Ottawa 75 29 37 9 67 171 228 14-19-5 15-18-4 7-3-0 Won 2

 

[Scenicdrive]

The Rangers was in control of their playoff life until they 'shot themselves in the foot' with a loss last game. Carolina just seizes the opportunity. With a win at the last game, the Canes will go to playoffs as the 8th seed. This is a very dangerous team. If they get pass Round 1, look for them to do a lot more damages.