Fansided

The NHL’s Wild Wild Western Conference wild card race

By Jeremy Lambert

ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 24: Nathan MacKinnon
ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 24: Nathan MacKinnon /
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Eight teams battle for two wild card spots in the NHL Western Conference. Sorry, fan of hockey. Your team just won’t make the cut.

There is less than a month remaining in the NHL season, and nothing is close to settled in the West. Right now, eight teams are fighting for five spots. The Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, and Vegas Golden Knights are the three secure teams in the playoffs. That leaves one spot in the Central, two spots in the Pacific and the two wild-card spots.

The wild-card race out West has been a bit boring in the last couple of years. The Minnesota Wild were five points better than the Colorado Avalanche in 2015-16 for the final wild card spot. The Nashville Predators were nine points better than the Wild. Last year, the Calgary Flames and Predators were seven point betters than Jets.

This year, we’re finally getting chaos.

The eight teams in question are the Avalanche, Flames, St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Wild.

While every team has to feel good about its chances heading into the stretch run, the rules state not every team will make it. Three teams will be left out in the cold, hoping for a little lottery luck or putting together a game plan to acquire Erik Karlsson.

Your team won’t make it.

If you’re a fan of one of the aforementioned eight teams, better luck next year. Your team has one fatal flaw that will prevent it from reaching the playoffs and getting beat by the Nashville Predators.

DENVER, CO – MARCH 02: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche scores against goaltender Alex Stalock #32 of the Minnesota Wild at the Pepsi Center on March 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 02: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche scores against goaltender Alex Stalock #32 of the Minnesota Wild at the Pepsi Center on March 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Minnesota Wild: Road Woes

The Wild have five regulation losses at home. That’s the lowest mark in the league.

It’s a different story on the road, where they are 14-17-1. Of the current playoff teams in the West, that’s the worst road record. Bad news, Wild fans: Minnesota finishes the season with nine of 14 on the road. They’re beginning a road stretch where they’ll be away from Minnesota for four out of five. They end the season with three road games out in California.

This current stretch is crucial. Three of the four road games are against non-playoff teams. Minnesota will play the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes. That doesn’t sound all that bad, but they lost 5-3 to the Coyotes on Mar. 1.

This is not entirely the fault of the Wild. It’s the fault of their fans. If you’re a Wild fan, you put lofty expectations on your state by declaring yourself the State of Hockey.

No other state could possibly live up to that moniker.

The Wild are comfortable playing in Minnesota because they are playing in front of true hockey fans. Why should they play hard in front of Arizona fans? Fans of the Coyotes aren’t actually hockey fans. They go to the games because it’s the only way to cool down in Arizona.

Here’s what you have to do, Wild fans. Either travel better or drop the State of Hockey nickname. If you can outnumber home fans like Blackhawks fans do at every road game, then the team will play better on the road. Or, if you drop the moniker, the team will treat road games as any other game.

You want another first round exit, Minnesota? You know what to do.

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