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2019 Wild Playoff Chances and Possible Opponents


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**Updated the standings for us scoreboard watchers once again for entering today's action**

 

Wild play the Blues in about an hour, and my next update will either see the Blues keep the Wild exactly where they are (clinging to the last playoff spot) or see Minnesota put a bit of space between themselves and Vancouver, and inch closer to Dallas and the Blues themselves ahead.

Will all depend on which Minnesota Wild team shows up later on.

Current playoff match up sees the Wild put into the Pacific bracket against either Calgary or San Jose (both are tied atop their division and both are a point ahead of Winnipeg).

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Clinging to the last spot it is...

 

Wild brought almost nothing to their game against the Blues, but much like an undead creature, they are STILL alive in the post season picture.

 

Chicago and Arizona play today.

Yotes visit the Flames, while the Hawks are home to the Senators.
With a win each, they can pull up right beside Vancouver.....and right on the Wild's undead bumper...….

 

Wild have the woeful Anaheim Ducks on the schedule for tomorrow...and a week left overall to decided whether to try and continue on, or blow it up as the trade deadline is just a week away

Edited by TropicalFruitGirl26
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And even after the St-Louis no-game and being 1 game over ,500, the Wild still holds the 2nd WC spot. In the West, we used to say that you have to keep on winning, piling streaks with no pause if you just wanna keep hope to to be part of the postseason...

 

Remember of the good ol' NHL where the North Stars where clinching play-off spots with losing records.

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All we need -or to look for a better consistent goalie, like St.Loius  recently found in a rookie ( his records are fantastic); or to look for a few talented scoring stars like Tampa or Chicago have. Chicago won yesterday with an impressive score 8:7  in regulation against Ottawa. Tampa already reached 94 points in February with superb scoring records, but we are still 34 points behind (60 so far). I think we still have a dormant talent and capable to play well as a team, but we need to look for a catalysator capable to change our status, which we are missing at this moment.
So far 3 teams are impressing me the most - Tampa; St.Louis and Chicago.

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**Updated the Western playoff OP**

For those of us still able to stomach the goings on with the Wild...
They still sit in the final playoff spot, except this time, they have no less than FOUR teams right on their bumpers just a point behind (Arizona, Colorado, Chicago and Vancouver) and a fifth team (those Ducks Minnesota could not beat yesterday), sitting only three behind them now.

 

Chicago is at Detroit tonight, while Colorado is home to the Jets.... one or both may FINALLY remove Minnesota from that spot with wins.

 

Ugly, just downright ugly....:mellow:

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And......Chicago and Colorado pull ahead of Wild for last WC spot. For now, and due to our recent inspired play, we are DEAD LAST in Central, and have two more teams that can pass us if the slide continues.  This time last year we were 33-20-7.  It ain’t looking too good, but we ‘just need a few tweaks this year.’  Such prophetic words from CL.  I would say a ‘total tear-down’ to the foundation is more like it.  

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**UPDATED the standings to show the Wild clearly out of the top 8 entering tonight**

 

They've finally been knocked out of that position, but do play tonight against the Rangers and could possibly find themselves back in that 8th spot by the end of the evening.

Of course, of bigger importance, given the most recent trade, is how the team is responding to change and how well new player Ryan Donato will fit in.

 

Still a big cluster%$#@ at the bottom of the West, so any of those teams that can play somewhat cohesively, should be able to get and hold a playoff spot.

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***UPDATED the OP once again to reflect yesterday's action***

 

Minnesota Wild, with their monumental two game win streak :ph34r: , have climbed back into the top 8 and even pulled within a point of Dallas who sit in the 7th spot.

Of course, the Avalanche won yesterday as well and they sit a point behind Minnesota, ready to knock them out of the playoff picture once again.
The Turtle Pack seems to have fallen back a bit, with teams behind Colorado now sitting three or more points behind the Wild.

 

Yes, yes...still lots of time to sort these tortoises out and once again, the trade deadline may figure prominently into who gets in or stays out, but if a team is aiming for the postseason, better to barely sit in a spot than barely out, no? Exactly.   :)

 

Oh...and the current Minnesota Wild playoff draw in the first round? Those wacky Calgary Flames...which means at the moment, Minnesota would be tossed into the Pacific bracket.
If that were to happen, I believe it would be the first time since this format was adopted that the Wild end up outside of the Central bracket.

 

Now.....icing all these new young players (maybe more to come?), they just gotta actually get in!

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Well, as expected, Wild didn't hang on to the last playoff spot very long.

Colorado, with their win yesterday, jumped ahead and tied Dallas for overall points.
Wild now sit a point behind both, however, they play the Blues tonight and have a chance to jump over both once again (if Dallas doesn't win their game that is).

 

I want to see what this new-look Wild can do against St. Louis this time.
No more Blues winning streak, while the Wild seem to have been playing with better energy the last two games.

 

Dallas themselves will be playing in Chicago this afternoon, so they will have a chance to add to their totals....or the Blackhawks creep ever closer to the bottom of the playoff pack.

 

As crappy as the bottom of the West has played overall, I gotta admit, it does make for an interesting day to day watch on which teams will take the initiative and grab themselves a pair of points.

 

Wild could have easily just sunk to the bottom, but thankfully, some pride is being shown and they are at least trying to make the top 8......but will the trade deadline change all that?

Blues at Wild, 7pm EST/6pm CST.... Let's go boys!

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After the Wild's big win against the Blues, and their 3rd in a row, they are back IN the playoff picture.
If the team continues to play well, they could find themselves in this "in the playoffs, out of the playoffs" scenario from now till the end of the season.

Obviously, that is a downgrade from where the team was about a month ago when they were firmly in a playoff spot, but that was then, this is now, the team still needs to fill holes and find its winning culture once again.

Teams like Chicago, Vancouver and Edmonton seem to be falling back once again, which leaves the two wild card spots being contested between Dallas (just one point ahead of Minnesota), the Wild themselves, the Avalanche (one point behind MN and currently on a 4-game win streak but out of the playoff bubble), and the surprising Coyotes still hanging in there 3 points behind the Wild...and currently riding a 3-game win streak themselves.

 

Sitting in 8th, the Wild are currently matched up against the Calgary Flames and in the Pacific bracket.

 

The Nino trade has backfired for Minnesota, but to everyone's surprise, the Coyle trade that brought Ryan Donato to the Wild is paying off for the team.
Donato has been instrumental in jump starting this team since he got here...including getting last night's OT game winner.

 

Can he keep it up and will he pan out long term? Who knows.
He IS showing he has the skills to play at the NHL level after being primarily a college and Olympics player and it is good to see the Wild still making a playoff push with the younger guys playing big roles...………..and they may need to play BIGGER roles if the Wild do deal some other players at today's deadline day.

 

 

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Avs got beat yesterday by the Florida Panthers in a shoot out...it brings Colorado's point totals equal to Minnesota, but the Wild own the tie breaker by virtue of better ROW's.

 

Still in the picture are the Arizona Coyotes and they play tonight against the same Panthers that gave the Avs a hard time.
Wild play tonight as well. Tough draw...…...Winnipeg Jets.

Dallas, still just ahead of the Wild, play in Vegas tonight, while the Avalanche are idle.

 

The Calgary Flames didn't do a whole lot at the trading deadline, but then again, they probably didn't need to as they are the current number one team in the Western Conference, on a 5-game winning streak....and as things stand, right now would-be playoff matchup for the Minnesota Wild.

 

Can the Wild continue to hang on sans Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle and now, after Deadline Day, Mikael Granlund as well?

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**Update on the OP with the standings**

 

Wild continue to win....but so do their competition for playoff spots.
Minnesota, 4 game winning streak, latest victim? Those high flying, though currently scuffling, Winnipeg Jets.

Wild have been bumped back to #2 WC status due to Dallas winning their last game, but the point totals just continue to all be within a point or two of each other for all turtles involved!

Colorado and especially Arizona, just won't go away either!

 

Of the four teams (Dallas, Minnesota, Colorado, Arizona) contending for the two wild card spots, only the Avalanche are active today.
They play at San Jose and with a win can leap from out of the playoffs to ahead of Dallas for the 1st WC spot, which of course, means bumping the Wild OUT of the playoff picture.

 

Wild's next chance at adding on more points won't come till tomorrow, when they face down the Western Conference's current top team (and possible 1st round opponent) Calgary Flames IN Calgary.

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The Minnesota Wild, after a fantastic game (albeit, a loss) against the Nashville Predators, are back in the playoff picture, tying Dallas for the top wild card spot while simultaneously holding down the 2nd WC spot.

Updated the OP with the latest standings as of this post entering today.

 

Wild still have teams in the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes hot on their heels, but with the point gained in the SO loss vs the Preds, the Wild have at least secured a tiny cushion so even a win by either of those two clubs keeps the Wild in their playoff position.

Better still, Minnesota has inched closer to St. Louis (only 3 pts behind) for that guaranteed 3rd spot in the Central playoff race. Blues, BTW, haven't looked nearly as good since losing their 11-game win streak.

Blues may still be a bit too far for Wild fans to think about, but maintaining their position or overtaking Dallas for sole possesion of the primary wild card spot certainly is attainable.....especially given how well this team has played even after trading away some key pieces.

 

Wild seemingly have gotten smaller but faster and are playing with lots more energy and purpose....and even the goaltending has held up pretty well, both Dubnyk, and even Stalock, as he showed in the last game.

 

One thing is for sure....the Minnesota Wild sure are a backwards bunch.
Make questionable trades? Get smaller? Get unproven guys? Go on with the same two much maligned goaltenders and defense?

No problem. They just start winning and looking like they can win on any given night now.

 

Hard to tell who the Wild will be matched up with if they make the post season now. Their position can shift wildy (no pun intended), as can the teams ahead of them....heck, we don't even know whether Minnesota will be in the Central bracket or the Pacific bracket.
They can face anyone from the Preds, the Jets, the Flames or the Sharks.

 

But at least the team is making watching games fun again!

Even in the loss to the Preds last night, I say that was one of the more exciting games they have played post deadline.

 

There will be no movement between the bottom Western teams today, but that changes tomorrow when the bulk of them all play....
Wild at Nashville

NYR at Dallas

Ana at Arz

Det at Col

and St. Louis plays at Anaheim the day after all those clubs play.

 

 

Don't know about the rest of you, but I can't wait to see what Minnesota has for their second game of the home at home vs the Preds and see if they can continue their playoff push moving FORWARD, and not just backing into the post season!

Let's go WILD!
:wild:

 

 

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Let's go WILD in our dreams too.😎  Just a dream after the last game. We did not get a playoffs spot yet, but I already have some crazy dreaming about a Stanley Cup finals - Minnesota Wild against Carolina Hurricanes; Staal against Staal(brother against brother); Fiala against Nino (a good Swiss player against a good Swiss player).  Zucker, Donato, Fiala, Staal, Parise will be our main snipers for that playoffs run. And Ek, Kunin, Greenway will be the main helpers for those snipers. And the rest of the team will play, as MNSOTA said a phrase about Musketeers, " all for one and one for all ".

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1 hour ago, Alexandron said:

Let's go WILD in our dreams too.😎  Just a dream after the last game. We did not get a playoffs spot yet, but I already have some crazy dreaming about a Stanley Cup finals - Minnesota Wild against Carolina Hurricanes; Staal against Staal(brother against brother); Fiala against Nino (a good Swiss player against a good Swiss player).  Zucker, Donato, Fiala, Staal, Parise will be our main snipers for that playoffs run. And Ek, Kunin, Greenway will be the main helpers for those snipers. And the rest of the team will play, as MNSOTA said a phrase about Musketeers, " all for one and one for all ".

 

Boy...you really ARE trying to give the TV ratings people nightmares, aren't ya? :bigteeth:

I mean, hey, I'd be up for a Min-Car Finals, but on top of the unlikeliness of it all, I think the networks will have a giant ^%%$ about that matchup!

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***UPDATED STANDINGS FOR PLAY ENTERING TONIGHT***

 

Wild find themselves once again in the 2nd WC position...constantly flipping between that and the first along with Dallas, while still being trailed closely by Colorado and Arizona.
St. Louis, meanwhile, whom Minnesota and Dallas were creeping up on, came up with a big win against Anaheim last night, turning certain defeat into a victory for themselves in the final two minutes of the game, giving the Blues more cushion between themselves and the rest of the bottom West playoff pack.

 

All the pertinent players will be in action tonight.

 

---St. Louis plays on a 2nd game of a back to back at Los Angeles (Does Minnesota get help from the lowly Kings here?)

---Dallas is at home against Colorado (Two Minnesota competitors...at least one will lose....Wild still have to take advantage with a win of their own)

--Arizona is at home against Calgary (Tough draw against an angry Calgary team that lost a tough one against Vegas last night)

--Minnesota is on the road in Tampa Bay (Yea, Minnesota ONLY has to play the best team in the NHL)

 

Since the bottom of the West is so fluid and the top of the Central and Pacific divisions are far from set, Minnesota's playoff opponent, should they get in, can still be anyone from Calgary to San Jose...to Nashville to Winnipeg.

 

I am just glad Minnesota turned what could have been a disastrous trade deadline into an actual playoff race.
Despite two straight SO losses, I think the team has played well for the most part and against some pretty stiff competition too.

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Prior to our pre deadline dump I stated the was no reason why we couldn't go for 3rd place. Well, That took a hit.

Now we're back in position to go for it again. Briefly as close as only 2 pts behind St. Louis until those 2 OTL's, The pressure is now on the Blues. (even tho they have a game in hand on us)

 

Imo, That should be the Wild's goal instead of 'Just making it'.  A 3rd place spot would be way more interesting since we wouldn't probably know who we'd face until the final game vs Dallas is done.

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40 minutes ago, ClusterChuck said:

Prior to our pre deadline dump I stated the was no reason why we couldn't go for 3rd place. Well, That took a hit.

Now we're back in position to go for it again. Briefly as close as only 2 pts behind St. Louis until those 2 OTL's, The pressure is now on the Blues. (even tho they have a game in hand on us)

 

Imo, That should be the Wild's goal instead of 'Just making it'.  A 3rd place spot would be way more interesting since we wouldn't probably know who we'd face until the final game vs Dallas is done.

 

I will admit...once the Blues rocketed past Minnesota while the Wild were floundering looking clueless, hapless, helpless and any other 'less' you can think of....even I thought that Minnesota would do well just to get in.

Then, after the weird trades (and maybe the Wild got lucky on the Donato and Fiala ones...for now), I felt Minnesota got fleeced and this was Fenton's way of "clearing the deck" even if it meant losing a crapload of games the rest of the year and into next year....and all that led me to believe that I needed to stop thinking about playoffs and be prepared for years of Loss Pain.

But with the team, seemingly out of nowhere, finding new life, guys actually playing with PRIDE out there, and St. Louis showing what I've always felt they were ( a good team, but not nearly as good as some people think they are), all of a sudden, catching THEM in the standings doesn't seem all that far fetched.

Whether the Wild actually do catch them (or even make the post season) is something else altogether, but I am just glad that guys on the team just didn't fold the tents, took their ball n went home, waived the white flag, or any other corny cliché...and is just out there playing hockey, trying to prove they belong on the same ice sheet as contending teams, and especially with certain individuals, trying to show they ARE NHL worthy and the team should be thinking about retooling yes, rebuilding a bit, probably, but NOT just simply go through the motions and sell off everyone on the roster for pennies on the dollar.

 

Some fans have already said so, as have I, but I will say it again here:
The Minnesota Wild have made watching their games FUN again!
Even in the games they lost recently to Nashville....those were some damned good games.

And win or lose, whether they crack the top 8 for the playoffs or not, I just want the team to continue to put max effort out there and that the coaching staff and the front office truly sees what works and what doesn't out there, and keeps this team doing what it CAN do best...and that is play fast, north-south, unafraid hockey against ANYONE....as proven by their fantastic win against the league best Tampa Bay Lightning last night.

Blues? Yea...Wild got a shot at them....why not. 

Minnesota can be the underdogs all the way.....kinda fun that way given all that has transpired.

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***Updated the standings on the OP***

 

…..to account for how the teams look entering today's action.

Minnesota, Dallas, St. Louis, Arizona...all winners yesterday...Colorado took a hit.

End result is, the Wild and Dallas created a bit of cushion between themselves and the cutoff line, while Arizona is still trying to keep pace.
Blues have teams to worry about again for their 3rd Central position.

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Another OP update to the standings....even though today there will be no movement regarding the bottom West teams.
Any games today will see some jockeying at the top (WPG, CGY, VGK).

But after yesterday's games, we can now see who is being defined as having a chance still and who doesn't.
I eliminated Anaheim from the picture because although mathematically alive, they are just done.
Vancouver, Chicago, and Edmonton are pretty much done too at 65 and 67 pts, but there is a sliver of possibility that two or more of the contenders falter, and they go on a streak.....not likely, but possible, thus I left them in.

What it seems its really coming down to is, the Stars, the Wild, the Coyotes, and the Avalanche...four teams fighting for two wild card spots...and this is assuming the Blues hang on to 3rd in the division, which has no bearing on the Yotes, but certainly for the Avs, Stars, and Wild.

 

Also, San Jose has taken the top spot in the West, so should the Wild finish where they are, it will be a trip to the Shark Tank and not the Saddledome for the boys in green, and yes, they will be tossed into the Pacific bracket still (call me nuts, but somehow, I'd rather the Wild take their chances on the west coast bracket instead of the Central one.....just a gut feeling).

 

Speaking of which, Minnesota plays those Sharks, at the X, tomorrow, so that could give us a bit of a preview of how the Wild stack up against San Jose should that playoff matchup become a reality in about 3 weeks.

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On 3/10/2019 at 2:12 PM, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Speaking of which, Minnesota plays those Sharks, at the X, tomorrow, so that could give us a bit of a preview of how the Wild stack up against San Jose should that playoff matchup become a reality in about 3 weeks.

 

Like chum in the water...

Related image

Edited by IllaZilla
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**UPDATED THE OP STANDINGS ONCE AGAIN***

 

Wild enter tonight on the outside looking in.
They play tonight, as do all the teams directly in front of them.

Minnesota will get a chance to take a chunk out of one of them themselves, as they take on the Dallas Stars on UNFRIENDLY home ice at the X.... while Arizona, who holds the last spot, plays the Ducks in the desert, and the Blues are in Ottawa.

 

If Minnesota wants to make good on BB's playoff guarantee, then they are going to HAVE to start winning on home ice, and another loss on home ice, particularly to a team they are chasing like the Stars, could be devastating at this stage of the season.

 

Wild played some fantastic hockey, even in some losses, but the last two games? Well, some of that magic seems to have disappeared.
Did they play over their heads? Or can they just dial things back up to the way they were and make another run down the stretch and look legit doing it once again?

We shall see.

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    After the trade our team had a real competitive drive for a short period of time(6 games). Also team had a nice win against the best NHL team this season Lightning , which means that we are capable to compete, as well as we are capable to work hard if we have the real will to win. And then that competitive drive burned out again. Sincerely, I do not know if we are able to restore it (competitive drive) till the end of the season. The most horrible part of this season media said about our worst home ice performance in a Wild history. I even not mentioning about our poor PP production.

     I think many fans are disappointing of our possible participation in playoffs this year. As well as many fans just would like to see only nice games even without the win til the end of the season out of our team. Personally, I would like to see out of 11 remaining games just 6 wins on the home ice to make happy the fans which are planning to come to the home ice arena this season. And also would like to see at least some other players in a try out mode for the big club during the rest of the season – forwards Sokolov; Rau; Anas; defenseman- Mennel.

   The other players (Aberg,Rask,Brown, Bitteto),if possible, should go to Iowa for a reconditioning mode.

Sadly to say our prospects rotation as well as the best selection between the big club and a farm club as usual was low this year too. Without a try out mode we will never know if the player-prospect has ability and talent to play in NHL. 

 

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