NHL playoff picture taking form

The playoff race was always going to be closer than ever due to the shortened and condensed schedule. With one week to go in this NHL regular season, the Stanley Cup playoffs are everything but set in stone. As of last week, several teams have clinched playoff spots, but more than half of the playoff spots are still to be determined.

The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the strongest teams going into the playoffs right now. Last week they not only clinched a spot in this year’s playoffs, but they secured the number one seed in the Western Conference. Starting off the season so hot, it’s no surprise that the Blackhawks are where they are now. The only question the Hawks have at this point is whether their goaltenders are up for the challenge.

While the Blackhawks control the Western Conference, the Pittsburgh Penguins have separated themselves from the pack and already clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference. With a 34-10-0 record, the Penguins have never lost an overtime game this season and are sitting comfortably 4.5 games ahead of the current number two seeded Boston Bruins. Even with Evgeni Malkin and Sydney Crosby out with injuries, the Penguins keep getting it done, winning their past 6 games with four remaining.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have stampeded from the back of the pack to give themselves a legitimate chance at a playoff berth. Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has played out of his mind down the stretch, winning 5 of the past 6 games to pull his team into the playoff picture. The Jackets are currently in the last playoff spot with three games remaining in the regular season. Unfortunately for the Jackets, the Detroit Red Wings are only one point back with four contests left on the schedule, giving them the edge for the last playoff spot if they win out the remaining games.

With the opportunity to clinch playoff berths with wins tonight, the San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues control their own fate. After a hot streak in the middle of the season, the Minnesota Wild are sitting in the seventh playoff spot and can secure a berth by winning their last four games.

In the Eastern Conference, the only team outside of the playoff picture that isn’t mathematically eliminated is the Winnipeg Jets. After just their second year in the league, the Jets have built a strong hockey franchise, and are only a game and a half out of the playoffs with three games remaining.