Can Nashville Predators make NHL playoffs? Analyzing their chances of competing for this year's Stanley Cup

The Nashville Predators’ playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread, although to be fair, they weren’t even supposed to be in this position.

At the NHL trade deadline, outgoing GM David Poile was wheeling and dealing in the hopes of making the Predators as bad as possible for a playoff spot. The barren Nashville Predators roster responded with one of the hottest months in team history, vaulting them into just three points out of a playoff spot with two games remaining.

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How can Nashville Predators make NHL playoffs?

A three-team race

The Nashville Predators’ playoff odds are slim entering the final two games of the regular season.

What makes it even slimmer is that the Predators will need both the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames to lose one of their last three games. The bad news is that their remaining three games are against current playoff teams or teams competing for the playoffs.

The Predators have a must-win game coming up on Tuesday when they play the Calgary Flames. If the Predators lose that game, they will be eliminated from the playoffs, if they win, they’ll have a slim chance against the Winnipeg Jets.

Opposing schedules

Both the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames have easier schedules compared with the Nashville Predators in the final week of the season.

The Jets have a hold on the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. If they win two out of their last three against the San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, and Minnesota Wild, they will have the spot wrapped up.

The Calgary Flames, aside from their game against the Predators, have a much easier schedule, visiting the Vancouver Canucks on April 8t, and finishing against the San Jose Sharks at home in the season finale. For the Predators, the Flames have a big advantage on them in points. If they beat the Predators at home, it will be a nail in their coffin.

Putting goals in the net

When the Predators have won, they’ve been able to put pucks in the net. When they’ve lost, they often get shut out.

Much of that aspect comes in the mental side of the game, as when the Predators don't score first, they are usually on the losing end. The Nashville Predators need to be mentally focused on generating offense in their final two games. If the Predators do that, they will be a tough team to keep out of the Western Conference playoff picture.