NHL: Handicapping the Western Conference playoff race

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With roughly 30 NHL games left in the regular season, the pressure is turning up and every point matters. Here’s a deep dive into the Western Conference playoff race.

The NHL All-Star break has come and gone which means that the intensity of every single game magnifies as the standings become more fluid than ever before. Teams are jostling to establish themselves in the standings as the general managers look on to evaluate what their decisions will be at the NHL trade deadline.

The Central Division is more established, with the reigning Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues sitting on top and the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars fighting for second place. It’s the Pacific Division that is highly unpredictable and constantly changing.

Currently, the Vancouver Canucks are number one but we shall see if that can last, especially with the red-hot Edmonton Oilers coming after them. Which teams will remain competitive and which ones will eventually fade away? Here is a deep dive into the Western Conference’s tight playoff race.

The Untouchables

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These are the teams that are set to make the playoffs barring some incredible collapse. These teams include the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Vancouver Canucks. With just six points separating the first and fifth teams in the Pacific Division, it is just too unpredictable to say which other Pacific teams are guaranteed a spot.

St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues is arguably the most well-rounded team in the entire league. Their goaltending from both Jordan Binnington and Jake Allen have been great, their defensive depth and talent is uncontested, and their forward depth is one of the best in the NHL. They have been this good with Vladimir Tarasenko out all season long and when he returns (he is expected back late April), they will be even more dangerous. This team is poised to be a legitimate threat at repeating as champions.

Colorado Avalanche

After making some major additions to their forward depth in the offseason, the Colorado Avalanche has become one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. Lead by Nathan MacKinnon and anchored by a tandem of Philip Grubauer and Pavel Francouz, this team has gone from a last wild-card spot to a Stanley Cup contender. The team is tied for first in the league in goals per game (3.6) and it’s thanks to their offensive talent on both their forwards and defense. (Cale Makar for the Calder?)

Dallas Stars

While the addition of Joe Pavelski has not boosted their offensive numbers the way Jim Nill intended, Ben Bishop‘s Vezina-worthy season has definitely been a big help. The team’s .921 save percentage thanks to Bishop and Anton Khudobin is the best in the NHL. Good goaltending wins championships and the Stars have two of the top 5 goalies in the league.

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks’ season has shocked the hockey world. We knew that they had promising young talent, but to be at the top of the Pacific Division in February was not expected at all. Quinn Hughes has been better than advertised and Jacob Markstrom has taken this team on his back. Unless this team completely falls apart in their final 29 games, they are going to make it to the postseason for the first time in five years.

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