DCHL Playoff Race Update

April 16, 2022

Eastern Conference

With 13 days left in the 2021 /22 DCHL season, it looks like the Atlantic division playoff race will go down to the last day of the season.

The fight for the last 2 playoff spots in the Eastern Conference playoff race is still down to 3 teams (3^rd in Atlantic and the 2^nd wild card).

Montreal and Florida are facing each other, and New Jersey is facing the lowly Detroit Red Wings on the last day of the 2021 / 22 DCHL Season.

The 2 Atlantic division team better have a 3-point lead on the Devils if they want a chance to make the playoffs.  Although the Red Wings have a 6-4 record over the last 10 games, they are 31^st overall in the DCHL with only the expansion Kraken with a worst record.

                              GP          W           L             OTL        Pts

Montreal             77           34           33           10           78

Florida                  74           35           33           6             76

New Jersey         75           34           32           9             77

With only 2 points separating the 3 teams, the race continues to be tight and although the Habs are currently leading the 3-team race, it looks like they’re in trouble. 

Montreal only has 5 games left against the Wild, Flyers, Senators, Sabres and the Panthers on the final day of the season.

The only game that you can say Montreal should win for sure is against Ottawa, the 4 will be tough games to win for the Canadiens.  Predicting that they will finish the season with a 2 – 3 or 3 - 2 record wouldn’t be a stretch.

At best Montreal will finish between 82 - 84 points.

The Devils have 7 games left against the Golden Knights, Sabres, Canes twice, Wings twice and Senators.  Predicting 4 wins for New Jersey wouldn’t be a stretch, which would give the Devils 85 points.

Finally, the Panthers have 8 games left against the Red Wings twice, Islanders, Leafs, Lightning, Bruins, Senators, and Montreal to close it the season.  Looking at the standings the Panthers only have 3 tough matchups left over the last 8 games.

Even if they only go 4 - 4 during that stretch they should give them 84 points.

So, the Canadiens will need help to make the playoffs, but the inconsistent Panthers might just be the ones that give it to them.

Western Conference

In the Central division 3 horses race for the last 2 spots continues, but since the last update, the Blues have taken over 3^rd place in the Norris division!

This statement was made in the last update “It may look like the Wild have a playoff spot wrapped up, but with only a 3-point lead on the Blues with 17 games left anything can happen.”

March 30th

                                             GP          W           L             OTL        Pts

Minnesota Wild               65           36           22           7             79

Chicago Blackhawks        68           36           27           5             77

St Louis Blues                    65           34           23           8             76

April 16th

St Louis Blues                    75           41           26           8             90

Minnesota Wild                74           40           26           8             88

Chicago Blackhawks        76           41           30           5             87

Will the Blues and Wild be able to keep the last 2 playoff spots in the Western Conference? 

Probably, the Blackhawks have 6 games left against the Coyotes, Kings, Sharks, Flyers, Golden Knights and Sabres to close out the season.  That is a tough schedule, the Hawks may even go 1 – 5 over that span.  At best they’ll go 3 – 3 to given them 93 points, but that unlikely.  My prediction: they’ll go 2 – 4 for 91 points.

The Blues have 7 games left against the Predators, Bruins, Sharks, Coyotes, Ducks, Avalanche and Golden Knights.

Although there are no easy matchups, the Blues should win at least 3 of these games to give them 96 points, which would be enough to beat out Chicago.

The Wild will need a major collapse over their last 8 games not to make the playoff which includes 6 home games over that stretch.  With a 20-13-2 record at home and only 2 tough matchups to close out the season the Wild are all but guaranteed to make the playoffs.