Current foe as it stands? The Nashville Predators. But there are a host of potential matchups for the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
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The Vancouver Canucks have been decidedly streaky this spring. In the 26 games since Jan. 27, they’ve either won multiple games or lost multiple games, with only two exceptions — both wins sandwiched by losses.
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With seven games left, including Wednesday’s visit to the micro-confines of Mullet Arena to take on the Arizona Coyotes, the Canucks need to start smoothing out the bumps and ramping up for the playoffs.
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The Canucks have lost three of their last four games heading into Wednesday night, but are still locked in a three-way battle for first in the Western Conference with front-running Dallas (103 points) and tied with Colorado (100).
The formula to make the playoffs has been solved. The Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks provided the final datum on Saturday, with VGK downing the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in OT and the conference-bottom-dwelling Sharks surprisingly thumping the St. Louis Blues 4-0.
But there are still a ton of variables left before the Canucks first-round opponents will be decided. The Canucks’ remaining games, despite two matchups with the Cancun-vacation-planning Coyotes, aren’t exactly easy.
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There’s a visit to Los Angeles to face the Kings, who beat them 3-2 two weeks ago, and a home date against Vegas — 6-3 winners on Tuesday. There’s a showdown with the Oilers in Edmonton on April 13, a game that could have massive implications on the West standings, as the Albertans are currently five points behind Vancouver, in second in the Pacific Division.
The Flames, whose playoff hopes are as alive as Schrödinger’s cat, visit Vancouver in the penultimate game, with the regular-season ending with a trip to Winnipeg to take on the Jets — who are in third in the Central and fourth in the West, just four points behind Vancouver.
Here’s a look at the contenders for potential first-round opponents …
QUICK REMINDER
The top three teams in the Central and Pacific divisions make the playoffs in the West, with the final two spots filled by the two teams with the next best records in the conference — the wild-card teams. Home-ice advantage in the seven-game series goes to the team with the better record.
Canucks Report
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The conference champion will face the wild-card team with the worst record, while the second-division winner will take on the wild-card team with the better record.
The teams finishing second and third in their divisions will play each other in the first round.
The last time the Canucks won their division was in 2013, when they won their fifth-straight Northwest crown … before getting swept by the sixth-seeded Sharks in the first round.
IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY
Canucks versus Nashville Predators
The Pacific-leading Canucks are three points behind the Dallas Stars for the best record in the West, with both teams having played 75 games. The Predators are the current wild-card leaders, three points up on the Kings — though L.A. has a game in hand.
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Head to head: On paper, it’s a positive outcome for the Canucks. They’re 3-0 against Nashville this year, including two away wins, and having outscored the Reds 13-6. Nashville has lost three straight games, but before that, they had been undefeated in regulation over 18 games (16-0-2), with 74 goals for and 33 against.
Left-winger Filip Forsberg has been on a tear this year, currently tied with his career high in points (84) and is one away from tying his goal-scoring high of 42. He was blanked in a 3-0 loss to Boston, but had points in 16 of his previous 17 games before that (15 G, 14 A).
Another reason to root for it: the potential return of Cody Hodgson to Vancouver. The Canucks’ pick in the 2008 draft, No. 10 overall, has been playing for the Preds’ AHL affiliate, returning to hockey after an eight-year hiatus to deal with malignant hypoglycemia. He’s scored six goals and added two assists in 12 games for the Chicago Wolves this year.
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WHO’S LEFT FOR NASHVILLE
Here’s the Predators remaining schedule, with positions heading into Wednesday’s games:
Thursday vs. St. Louis Blues (5th Central, 84 points)
Saturday at New York Islanders (5th Metropolitan, 81 pts)
Sunday at New Jersey Devils (7th Metropolitan, 76 pts)
April 9 vs. Winnipeg Jets (3rd Central, 4th West, 96 points)
April 12 at Chicago Blackhawks (8th Central – e, 49 pts)
April 13 at Columbus Blue Jackets (8th Metropolitan – e, 62 pts)
April 15 at Pittsburgh Penguins (6th Metropolitan, 79 pts)
CONTENDER NO. 1: Los Angeles Kings
(4th Pacific, 87 pts, current No. 2 wild card)
The Kings kicked off a four-game road swing two weeks ago with a 3-2 win over Vancouver, then promptly lost their next three games, giving up four goals in each of them.
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They’re back at home Wednesday night against the Seattle Kraken who, while technically alive in the playoff race, might as well get stuffed in that box with a certain Austrian scientist’s cat.
L.A. started that road trip with visions of sugar plums and first-place finishes dancing in their heads, but now it’s all about just qualifying for the playoffs.
Working in their favour: they’ve played one fewer game than Nashville and Vegas, and are only five points behind the Knights for third in the Pacific. They also finish with four straight games at home. So there’s still time to firm things up.
“Obviously we wanted to win one of those three games, but the past is the past and we’ve got to move on,” defenceman Jordan Spence told lakingsinsider.com “We’re playing against the Kraken, they’re a good team, so we have to just play one game at a time, not think about it too much, the standings. If we do that, if we focus on every game, I think we’ll be just fine.”
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Vancouver is 1-2 against the Kings this season.
WHO’S LEFT FOR L.A.:
Thursday, San Jose Sharks (8th Pacific – e, 42 points)
Friday vs. Vancouver Canucks (1st Pacific, 100 pts)
April 9 vs. Anaheim Ducks (7th Pacific – e, 54 pts)
April 11 vs. Calgary Flames (6th Pacific, 73 pts)
April 13 vs. Anaheim Ducks (7th Pacific – e, 54 pts)
April 15 vs. Minnesota Wild (6th Central, 81 pts)
April 18 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (8th Central – e, 49 pts)
CONTENDER NO. 2: St. Louis Blues
(5th Central, 84 pts, trail L.A. for No. 2 wild card by three points)
The Blues just won’t die. They’ve won eight of their last 11 games, two in overtime and one by shootout, while losing one in OT. In games decided by a single goal, they’re 12-3-3. They’ve clawed their way back into contention, though Thursday’s game in Nashville will likely decide their fate.
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They’re not dead if they lose, not with three straight games left against bottom-three teams in the West, but they close it out with two of their final three games against Presidents’ Trophy contenders in Dallas and Carolina.
Key figure for St. Loo: centre Robert Thomas is having a career year with his first All-Star appearance, on the back of 23 goals and 51 assists.
Vancouver is 1-1 vs. the Blues this year.
WHO’S LEFT FOR ST. LOUIS:
Thursday @ Nashville Predators
Saturday @ San Jose Sharks (8th Pacific – e, 42 points)
Sunday @ Anaheim Ducks (7th Pacific – e, 54 pts)
April 10 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (8th Central – e, 49 pts)
April 12 vs. Carolina Hurricanes (2nd Metropolitan, 101 pts)
April 14 vs. Seattle Kraken (5th Pacific, 75 pts)
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April 17 @ Dallas Stars (1st Central, 103 pts)
CONTENDER NO. 3: Minnesota Wild
(6th Central, 81 pts, trail L.A. for No. 2 wild card by six points)
The Wild have picked up points in four straight games, and three of their last four losses have come in OT or a shootout.
They haven’t thrown in the towel yet.
But Ryan Hartman’s stick-throwing antics have thrown a wrench in the works. The Minny forward made a mega-gaffe by tossing a stick in the direction of a referee in their OT loss to the Golden Knights, earning himself a three-game suspension when his team needs him the most. They still have an outside shot at nabbing a wild-card spot, but need to beat the Jets on Saturday for any realistic hope.
The Canucks are 1-1 against the Wild this year.
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WHO’S LEFT FOR MINNESOTA:
Saturday vs. Winnipeg Jets (3rd Central, 96 pts)
Sunday @ Chicago Blackhawks (8th Central – e, 49 pts)
April 9 @ Colorado Avalanche (2nd Central, 100 pts)
April 12 @ Vegas Golden Knights (3rd Pacific, 92 pts)
April 13 @ San Jose Sharks (8th Pacific – e, 42 points)
April 15 @ Los Angeles Kings (4th Pacific, 87 pts)
April 18 vs. Seattle Kraken (5th Pacific, 75 pts)
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