NHL Playoff Push

As the world takes a break for the Winter Olympics, it gives us time to look at the NHL in its hiatus and examine the end of the season and the push to the playoffs.

As seems to be the case every season, with approximately 20 games left, the separation between being in and being out of the playoffs is miniscule.

In the East, the difference between 6th and 11th is a whole 5 points. In the West, the difference between 8th and 13th is 5 points, meaning that nearly any team who has a good run at the end of the season can play themselves into the playoffs and control their own destiny.

In fact, with the exception of Edmonton and Toronto, every team in the NHL has a legitimate chance to make a run at the playoffs.

Sadly, the majority of sports fans will be so enthralled by college basketball for the entire month of March that they will miss this race to remain alive in the NHL.

While hockey is largely ignored by the average sports fan, many were still captivated by the USA's victory over Canada in the Olympics and even if you didn't watch the game, you're probably going to watch the next game the USA plays. And if, by some chance, there is a rematch of the Miracle game from the 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid between the USA and Russia, you know you will be in front of that television.

So why is nobody going to enjoy the run to the playoffs in the NHL? Because there is no nostalgia there. There is no history of something you couldn't miss. There is no engrained memory of something absolutely amazing happening to your team in the run to the playoffs.

Perhaps in the playoffs there is such a moment, but the run to the playoffs doesn't hold enough sway, does it?

Everybody undoubtedly has some memory of a college basketball upset or last-second shot that seemed miraculous. If you're old enough, you undoubtedly remember the 1980 Miracle victory at Lake Placid.

So while you won't pay attention, I'll let you in on what you'll miss.

Washington and San Jose will fight for home ice advantage. Washington will have no problem. San Jose may, but they should pull through.

Boston and Philadelphia will try to stay in the top eight, doing their best to stay out of the eighth spot, where they would face Washington and certain first-round elimination.

The race between Montreal, Tampa Bay, the Rangers, and Atlanta is far too close to call for the final spot. I'd put my money on Atlanta today. The Rangers are too unreliable and injury prone, though if Marion Gaborik can return in full strength, watch out for the Rangers (but never count on Gaborik to be healthy).

In the West, Vancouver and Colorado will battle for the Northwest division crown and the third seed instead of potentially the fifth, sixth or seventh.

Calgary will try to hold on to its playoff spot after a serious free-fall in January in which they lost nine straight games, all of them close with the exception of a complete thrashing by San Jose of 1-9.

Detroit will make a push to make the playoffs once again. Can you remember the last time they didn't make the playoffs? It hasn't happened this millennium. Do you really think it will now? They aren't the team they used to be, but if anybody knows how to get into the playoffs and play in the playoffs, it's the Red Wings.

Dallas also looks to have a decent chance at the playoffs, while Anaheim, St. Louis and Minnesota are on the outside looking in.

Of note at this point is that if there is a tie at the end of the season, Minnesota will likely have the tie-breaker over everybody with only 4 overtime losses as compared to Dallas and Detroit's 12.

Put your money on Detroit for another year to make the playoffs, but this might be the last year to do so for some time.

All in all, I'm sure you'll enjoy March, my favorite sports month of the year, even if you completely ignore the excitement in the NHL, but think of the joy that will be added if you do pay even the slightest bit of attention, at least on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays when the college basketball tournament takes a break.