Who’s in and who’s out if NHL playoffs started today

Which teams are in and which teams are out if the Stanley Cup playoffs started today?

With 15 or so games left on the slate for every NHL team, the playoff picture is beginning to take shape.

It’s never too early to start making bold predictions and prognoses about who is going to the big dance and who will be hitting the links in April. Paying no mind to the fact that the NHL playoff seeding could change 15 times between now and the official start of every hockey fan’s favorite time of year, here’s a look at who would be in if the NHL playoffs started today.

Atlantic Division

1. Tampa Bay Lightning

The top dogs in the Atlantic have been in their rightful lofty place all year. The Tampa Bay Lightning (47-17-4) jumped out to a fast start and haven’t looked back, jumping on the back of prolific scoring from their top line pairing of Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos to pull out ahead early behind the two superstar’s Art Ross-worthy seasons.

Once Victor Hedman overcame his slow start and started piling on points later in the season, the Lightning were so far ahead that his Norris Trophy bid of a season was just gravy. Andrei Vasilvesky has been fantastic in his first season as a starter, and sophomore Brayden Point and rookie Yanni Gourde took steps toward being stars in their own right. It’s an embarrassment of riches in Tampa Bay, and the Bolts are the class of the Atlantic and the East.

2. Boston Bruins

Boston (42-15-8) faltered early on as its young roster adjusted to life in the NHL, but the Bruins figured it out in the second half in time to put together a serious push in the new year, where they have gone 27-8 since January 1.

Powered by a scorching hot first line of David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron that gives opposing coaches fits and is showing no signs of slowing down with Bergeron’s late season foot injury, the B’s have had no lack of goals this year. The twilight years of stalwart Bruin Zdeno Chara have been propped up by the emergence of American rookie Charlie McAvoy, who is playing well above his years and is the team’s icetime leader. Fast, strong and well-coached, the Bruins will be a tough matchup for whoever is unfortunate enough to draw them in the first round.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

Rounding out the Atlantic are the new-look Leafs in year two of the Shanaplan. Toronto (39-22-7) has no problem scoring goals and is much better in 2018 at keeping them out of its own net.  Morgan Reilly’s ascendance to a true No. 1 defender has stiffened the D and provided a great first pass option that lets the Buds get out of their zone with ease and utilize the talents of franchise cornerstone Auston Matthews and the other contingent of high flying forwards William Nylander and Mitch Marner. The signing of veteran Patrick Marleau has been a complete success, and Nazem Kadri is looking like he will win a Selke trophy someday. The future is bright in Hogtown, and maybe this is the year the Leafs break the curse and bring back some playoff glory to their long suffering fans.