Greg Wyshynski, ESPNNov 27, 2023, 07:00 AM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason can read a calendar.
His team was predicted by many to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth straight season and for the 11th time in 12 seasons. But the Wild were seven points out of a playoff spot on Nov. 23, a.k.a. American Thanksgiving.
“Everything’s absolutely negative around everything. But we can’t be negative,” he said. “If we just continue to stay that way, then we’re not going to get out of this. We have to have a little push back.”
It’s hard not to feel pessimistic for any team that’s outside of the playoff picture on Turkey Day. Since the NHL began its wild-card format in 2013-14, 76.6% of the teams in a playoff spot on U.S. Thanksgiving ended up advancing to the postseason.
But here’s a message of hope for the Wild and everyone else chasing a playoff berth: There have been seasons when this trend has been bucked. There have been seasons where the postseason field looks starkly different than it does on Thanksgiving. And I think we’re in for another season of playoff berth upheaval.
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Here were the NHL standings on American Thanksgiving, based on points percentage:
Atlantic
1. Boston Bruins (.861)
2. Florida Panthers (.658)
3. Toronto Maple Leafs (.647)
Metro
1. New York Rangers (.794)
2. Washington Capitals (.688)
3. Carolina Hurricanes (.611)
WC1: Detroit Red Wings (.583)
WC2: Tampa Bay Lightning (.575)
Central
1. Dallas Stars (.722)
2. Colorado Avalanche (.667)
3. Winnipeg Jets (.667)
Pacific
1. Vegas Golden Knights (.750)
2. Los Angeles Kings (.735)
3. Vancouver Canucks (.675)
WC1: St. Louis Blues (.585)
WC2: Seattle Kraken (.500)
It was the same pool of teams based on raw standings points, too.
Congrats to all of these teams, because history shows us that the majority of them should be involved in the Stanley Cup Playoffs next spring.
From ESPN Stats & Information, here’s the season-by-season breakdown of teams in playoff…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/story/_/id/38986929/nhl-standings-playoffs-thanksgiving-predictions-turnaround
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2023-11-27 11:49:57
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