All season long, a handful of the NHL’s Eastern Conference clubs have been jockeying for playoff positions. By comparison, the West looked straightforward.
That has changed since play resumed after February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Now, four Western teams are jockeying for one wild-card spot — and the Minnesota Wild may not be safe, either.
The streaks and slumps that are happening today could flip in an instant tomorrow, then flip again a week or two from now. It’s going to be a wild ride.
With exactly one month to go in the regular season, here’s the lay of the land in the Western wild-card race as of Tuesday, March 18.
Wild Card 1: Minnesota Wild – 68 GP, 81 pts
Position at 4 Nations break: third in Central Division, 70 pts
Record since 4 Nations: 5-6-1 (11 pts)
How They’ve Fared:With Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek on the shelf, the Wild’s offense has dried up. They’re last in the NHL in goals-for per game since the 4 Nations, averaging just 1.92.
The Road Ahead: The Wild got some much-needed breathing room with their first regulation win in nearly two weeks on Monday, but they’ve played more games than most of their rivals. Final-week clashes with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames could prove to be crucial.
Notable Quote: “You look at other teams bulk up, and it just kind of gives you a little bit of jealousy. We know next year is next year and that we’ll have that off our plate finally, but it just feels a little bit frustrating when you always want to be in that position to succeed.” – Marcus Foligno, on the Wild’s salary-cap challenges preventing trade deadline additions.
Wild Card 2: Vancouver Canucks – 67 GP, 73 pts
Position at 4 Nations break: WC2, 63 pts
Record since 4 Nations: 5-7-0 (10 pts)
How They’ve Fared:Quinn Hughes is back, and center Elias Pettersson has started to find his game. The Canucks have served up some inspiring moments, but they’ve been mixed in with disappointments as Vancouver has failed to pull away from the chase pack.
The Road Ahead: After they finish their homestand against the league-best Winnipeg Jets, the Canucks start a tough six-game Eastern road trip with a crucial game in St. Louis on Thursday.
Notable Quote: “We could have separated ourselves today, and everyone knew how big that would be. Now, we’re still in the same position we’ve been in, which is do-or-die pretty much every day. It’s exciting. It’s a nice opportunity for us to see what type of group we are.” Quinn Hughes, after Vancouver’s 3-1 loss to Utah on Sunday.
Canucks Have One Of The Most Difficult Schedules To End The 2024-25 SeasonThe Vancouver Canucks are down to their final 15 regular season games for 2024-25 and will need every point they can get in order to qualify for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vancouver will not be getting any breaks down the stretch, as they have one of the toughest schedules over the next month. This includes multiple matchups against the Winnipeg Jets and a six-game road trip that will take them to the East Coast.
Out of Playoffs: St. Louis Blues – 68 GP, 73 pts
Position at 4 Nations break: out of playoffs, 55 pts
Record since 4 Nations: 8-2-2 (18 pts)
How They’ve Fared:The Blues rode a hot streak all the way to a Stanley Cup in 2019, and they are showing the same mojo now. Jordan Binnington has ridden Canada’s 4 Nations win to a 6-2-0 record, and the Blues are now scoring by committee in a big way. The power play is clicking at over 30 percent, and seven players have picked up 10 points or more in the last 12 games.
The Road Ahead: The Blues and Wild have played the most games of the contenders, but St. Louis has a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way. It could come down to the season finale against Utah on April 15.
Notable Quote: “We’ve sent the message that we love each other, and we want to find a way in this locker room and build for right now and the future.” Jordan Binnington, as rumors of a fire sale swirled before the trade deadline.
Bolduc’s Patience, Willingness To Put In Small Details Starting To Pay Off For BluesMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — Zack Bolduc understood this would be a process, and it would not come overnight.
Out of Playoffs: Calgary Flames – 66 GP, 71 pts
Position at 4 Nations break: out of playoffs, 60 pts
Record since 4 Nations: 4-4-3 (11 pts)
How They’ve Fared: Since upsetting Washington on Feb. 25, the Flames have gone 2-4-3, losing ground in the overall race rather than making it up. An injury to Mikael Backlund has left them thin at center, and Monday’s blowout loss in Toronto might have been the ugliest of the bunch.
The Road Ahead: The Flames have played fewer games than any team on this list. But they’re two games below .500 on the road this year and will play nine of their last 16 away from home.
Notable Quote: “It’s the biggest game of the year. It’s a must-win for us. I need more from everybody, including myself. We’ve got to get out of this, and we’re right back in a playoff spot if we win tomorrow night.” MacKenzie Weegar, looking toward Tuesday’s game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.
Out of Playoffs: Utah Hockey Club – 67 GP, 71 pts
Position at 4 Nations break: out of playoffs, 57 pts
Record since 4 Nations: 6-3-2 (14 pts)
How They’ve Fared:Utah has been an analytics darling all season and started stringing together standings points after John Marino and Sean Durzi rejoined the blueline following months-long injuries. Clayton Keller has also had one of the hottest sticks in the league, with 15 points in 11 games.
The Road Ahead: Is Ian Cole the Utahn’s secret weapon? The well-travelled veteran defenseman has made the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons, despite playing for seven different teams. He helped the Canucks bump their three-year drought last year.
Notable Quote: “We’re not going to make the playoffs by looking at the standings. We’re going to make the playoffs by putting together good games, finding points and winning down the stretch.” Alexander Kerfoot on Sunday.
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