The 2024-25 NHL season has less than a month remaining; boy time really flies when you're having fun! Although the playoff picture is still taking shape, very slowly I might add, the only team that has clinched a post-season berth is the Washington Capitals.
The standings in both the Eastern and Western conferences change day by day, with the final playoff line-up likely not showcasing the contending teams until the last possible minute. That's why this final stretch is so important. These four teams are not sitting comfortably and may experience some concerns through these last few weeks.
1. Edmonton Oilers
Currently the Edmonton Oilers, who have 87 points, sit in the third playoff spot in the Pacific Division; with the two Wild Card places occupied by Minnesota and St. Louis, who have 85 and 81 points respectively. The next closest team is the Calgary Flames, with 77 points, but the standings change day by day, game by game. While the team has only lost four games this month with one of those being in OT so they still earned a point, their best two players are not at 100% right now and this is concerning.
Is it miss the playoffs concerning? I don't think it's that extreme, but, the Oilers should be a little bit worried.
Captain Connor McDavid sustained an injury against the Winnipeg Jets last Thursday and the team's leading scorer with 101 points, Leon Draisaitl, sustained an injury last Tuesday during their game against the Utah Hockey Club. Both are projected to miss at least a week and may not be available until the start of next month.
This is worrisome going into the last couple weeks of the season. Of course this is a team sport, so if the rest of the way others step up offensively, like key player Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did against the Kraken (he had a hat trick), then they could be just fine. Time will tell.
2. Vancouver Canucks
Currently the Vancouver Canucks are on the outside looking into the playoff lineup from the fourth Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, which is five points out from the make-the-playoffs second Wild Card spot. Of course missing the playoffs in a season where the drama between players before the trade deadline took over headlines would just be the icing on the cake.
The Canucks have lost three of their last four games heading into a match-up tonight at the New Jersey Devils (who have had some concerning injuries and play recently). This is only their third stop on a long six-game road trip which has yet to see a win. The Canucks face the top seed in the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets, to conclude the trip on March 30, so these middle games where they face other teams also on the cusp of the playoffs (New York Islanders, Columbus Blue Jackets) are supremely important.
The light for the Canucks? They have a game in hand on the St. Louis Blues (who have won five straight though) so every point matters. The Blues are in the second Wild Card spot in the conference, they're five points ahead of Vancouver in the standings. We'll see how this plays out for the last few weeks.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have seen better days; currently they've lost their last six games and eight of their last nine. Not a good trend to have heading down into the stretch of the season.
They started March on a high note; beating rival Detroit to end February and then beating them again in the Stadium Series March 1. At that point the Blue Jackets occupied the first Wild Card spot in the East. Right now they're four points out and sit in a miss-the-playoffs fifth spot. A pivotal game occupies the schedule tonight; with the Blue Jackets looking to get a much needed win against the New York Islanders, who sit in the fourth Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
While this stretch is worrisome, the team is activating two players off injured reserve, defenseman Erik Gudbranson and forward Sean Monahan, who have both been out for long periods. They also have Norris Trophy favorite Zach Werenski, so they can potentially pick up their play to secure a spot in the quest for the Cup.
This is definitely not a comfortable place to be for the Blue Jackets.
4. New York Rangers
The New York Rangers, who had a historic season in 2023-24 and won the President's Trophy with the best record in the NHL, find themselves just on the outside looking in. They occupy the third Wild Card spot in the East with 74 points, one point behind the Montréal Canadiens, who would make the playoffs if the season ended today.
A big win on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks put the team back in the win column after dropping three straight. Yes, two points and a win, but only 12 shots on goal? It is a miracle they were able to win. The team is heading to California this week for a three-game road trip where they'll face a strong LA Kings team first before ending the week with a back-to-back against two very beatable teams in Anaheim and San Jose.
One issue plaguing the Rangers is consistency. Foward Mika Zebanejad is on and off with a plus-minus of minus-19. Forward Artemi Panarin is on and off while leading the team in scoring with 75 points. Forward Vincent Trochek isn't hitting the numbers he hit last season. Veteran winger Chris Kreider? His numbers are way down. Some nights they look like a team. Some nights they don't.
This is cause for concern. Do they have enough drive and passion to make a run? It doesn't seem like it, but I know Rangers fans would like to see them squeak in.