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Western Conference bubble teams: What are the keys to playoff qualification?

By Matt Morrow

DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 21: Corey Crawford
DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 21: Corey Crawford /
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ST. PAUL, MN – JANUARY 14: Minnesota Wild players celebrate a third period goal by Daniel Winnik against the Vancouver Canucks during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on January 14, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN – JANUARY 14: Minnesota Wild players celebrate a third period goal by Daniel Winnik against the Vancouver Canucks during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on January 14, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Minnesota Wild

Cap Space: $1.75 million per CapFriendly.

Points: 51

Eric Staal has had a career rejuvenating season this year. He’s leading the Wild in goals, points, shorthanded points and shots. One big key to the Wild’s playoff hopes lies solely on his shoulders. If he can keep this up, and the team can keep offensively contributing from the top of the lineup to the bottom, the Wild should have a decent chance at qualifying for the playoffs.

Another key can also be looked at as an area of improvement, and that’s road record. Away from home, the Wild are 9-13-1. To both make the playoffs and advance in them, a team needs to be able to steal games on the road. Based on their below average record, that has not been the case so far.

The Wild have an extremely strong penalty kill, good for 83.2 percent and seventh best in the league. If they want to be able to go on a run to close out the season and qualify for the playoffs, they are going to have to keep this up. Conversely, their power play percentage is 19.1, good for 15th in the league. This number needs to improve as the intensity of the games do. A team with an extremely effective penalty kill and a dangerous power play has a chance in any game, no matter the matchup.

Staying on the special teams theme, the Minnesota Wild have taken 198 penalties so far this season, good for fifth most in the NHL. Conversely, the team who has taken the least has 127. While the Wild have an above average penalty kill, being able to control their emotions and stay out of the box will likely lead to more scoring, and theoretically a playoff berth.

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