I'm not sure if you realize how much an 8-10 point cushion really is at this point in the year.
It seems like two weeks ago we were like 6 points behind the Rangers, and now we're like 14 or something.
Here is my biggest worry. No one else seems to be worried about this or has pointed it out.
I hope we aren't the first team screwed by this ROW BS.
I can't believe if we are tied in points with another team, and that team has 5 less wins than us, but one more regulation win than we do they get the spot.
Why does everyone think this team is a lock for the playoffs?
Do the math.
Winnipeg (8th) is on pace for 87 points. Washington (9th) is on pace for 87 points. Tampa (10th) is on pace for 86 points. Buffalo (11th) is on pace for 86 points.
We currently have 77 points, meaning we need 10 points to get us over the playoff bubble projection. Let's make it 91 just to be safe.
In order to reach 91 points, we need 14 points in our final 17 games to unofficially (only by my estimation) clinch a playoff spot.
That means we need to earn 0.82 points per game.
Here's a list of teams that are playing below a pace of 0.82 points per game:
Columbus Blue Jackets
The end.
Short translation: There are 29 teams in the NHL playing at a pace that we need to achieve to reach 91 points, which will likely guarantee us AT LEAST the 8-seed.*
*And that doesn't even take into consideration that there are A LOT of 3-point games in March and April due to teams taking any points they can get.
The Devils SHOULD most definitely be in the playoffs. Think about over the years how many teams with this cushion into the top 8 have missed. Not many.
The uninspiring play lately especially yesterday make me think we really need to turn this ship around, and set it right.
Anyone just hear that stat about Buffalo? That scares me.
But if Buffalo gets in it's okay, because I think Winnipeg won't get in. Now then you got Tampa Bay playing just as impressive lately. Unless Ottawa tanks or these two teams TB, and Buffalo go back to sleep this will be interesting.
We have such a cushion on 9th place right now this late into the season that if we can't earn enough points to be in the playoffs, we truly don't deserve to be there. Plain and simple.
Personally if 2 teams have the same amount of points, and wins, and one has more regulation, and OT wins they should get in before the team with more shootout wins.
Though I find it to be ridiculous if two teams have the same number of points, with one team having 5 more wins than the other team, but the other team has one more win in OT or regulation the team with 5 less wins gets in. That's a completely ridiculous, and unfair rule.
Personally if 2 teams have the same amount of points, and wins, and one has more regulation, and OT wins they should get in before the team with more shootout wins.
Though I find it to be ridiculous if two teams have the same number of points, with one team having 5 more wins than the other team, but the other team has one more win in OT or regulation the team with 5 less wins gets in. That's a completely ridiculous, and unfair rule.
Personally if 2 teams have the same amount of points, and wins, and one has more regulation, and OT wins they should get in before the team with more shootout wins.
Though I find it to be ridiculous if two teams have the same number of points, with one team having 5 more wins than the other team, but the other team has one more win in OT or regulation the team with 5 less wins gets in. That's a completely ridiculous, and unfair rule.
You are insanely paranoid.
The shootout tiebreaker is the most absurd topic that has often risen on this board all season.
The likelihood of us ending in a tie for 8th place is so incredibly minute. I think there have been 2 ties for 8th place in the East since like 1998 or something.
You can make the argument that if we weren't so good in the shootout, we wouldn't even be in contention for a tie for 8th place.
Tampa is at 68 points, and are 7-3 in their last ten
we are at 77 and 5-4-1
with 17 games left, that equates roughly to 12-5 for them, which means they end the season with 92 point, which will now be the bar for 8th place
with 17 games left, we are 9-6-2, best case scenario in terms of rounding up/down, which means we end with 95
so we only have 3 points up on tampa, if trends go.....so we have to improve our trends
Tampa is at 68 points, and are 7-3 in their last ten
we are at 77 and 5-4-1
with 17 games left, that equates roughly to 12-5 for them, which means they end the season with 92 point, which will now be the bar for 8th place
with 17 games left, we are 9-6-2, best case scenario in terms of rounding up/down, which means we end with 95
so we only have 3 points up on tampa, if trends go.....so we have to improve our trends
Well make it. If we dont, we dont deserve the playoffs
The shootout tiebreaker is the most absurd topic that has often risen on this board all season.
The likelihood of us ending in a tie for 8th place is so incredibly minute. I think there have been 2 ties for 8th place in the East since like 1998 or something.
You can make the argument that if we weren't so good in the shootout, we wouldn't even be in contention for a tie for 8th place.
I am pretty paranoid not gonna lie.
If this team starts winning we don't have to worry about the other teams though.
Then we don't have to hope some mediocre team in the West beats Buffalo, or a team with 2 more points than us beats the team with 2 points less.
Oddly enough one of the ties in the East for 8th was Pete Deboer's 2008/2009 Florida Panthers. I think this was before the ROW was initiated. I believe they lost out to the Canadiens with the tiebreaker being Montreal won the season series.
Tampa is at 68 points, and are 7-3 in their last ten
we are at 77 and 5-4-1
with 17 games left, that equates roughly to 12-5 for them, which means they end the season with 92 point, which will now be the bar for 8th place
with 17 games left, we are 9-6-2, best case scenario in terms of rounding up/down, which means we end with 95
so we only have 3 points up on tampa, if trends go.....so we have to improve our trends
So what you're saying is if we play below our average hockey, and Tampa plays great hockey, we're still ahead of them by 3 points.
Yeah, I'm pretty confident we have nothing to worry about.
On a side note, we're 12-6 against the Southeast this year. 8-3 against the Caps, Lightning, and Jets.
Some of you peeps really need to take a chill pill. It's going to be okay. This team hasn't even been that bad the last few games lol. I could only imagine if they were in the middle of the swoon the blackhawks were in a few weeks back whne they won like 1 out of 10. Before these last few games, NJ was 9-1-1!! The team just suddenly sucks now?
The Devils WILL miss the playoffs if they pull off an ultimate choke job, say, like win 3 - 4 games the rest of the year. I'm talking like MacLean Devils type of **** here. And then, you would need a couple other teams to contine winning games left and right even though all the bubble teams will likely all be taking points from one another. As mentioned earlier, if it ever got to that point, they certainly would not deserve to be there in the first place.
By no means does this mean the team is falling apart just saying. You said the last few games haven't been bad.
Yesterday was the low point of this slump. Another one goal loss, but a shutout by the Isles, and some AHL Goaltender who never won. Forget that everyone just looked lifeless out there.
Could they have played better yesterday? No doubt. It was a rough game, however, they also lost to an Islanders team who played a pretty strong game too. The same Islanders who beat Boston the day before. The same Islanders who also beat the Rangers last week. An Islander team who should have beat the Caps last week.
Their 1-4-1 record could easily be at least 3-3 right now.
If this is the low point for the Devils, we're in pretty good shape imho.
