Oh yes, it’s time for the NHL playoff race as we’re now officially in February. And while all eyes will soon be on the 4 Nations Face-Off, let’s not forget about what all 32 teams are ultimately playing for: a playoff berth.
That’s why you’ll see them all up the intensity heading into and exiting the 4 Nations. But which three teams are making a legitimate case for at least an interesting wild card run who either looked like they were irrelevant heading into the year, or made themselves irrelevant at some point this season?
All three of these squads might just surprise you. Ditto for the one team that’s slowly dashing its playoff hopes as they appear to have once again hit another slump, even if they’re making efforts to remedy the scenario.
3 teams that are up in this intensifying NHL playoff race
Nobody but their most die-hard fans had a high opinion of the Ottawa Senators, yet here they are, blowing out powerhouses and heading into Sunday with 60 points and in third place in the Atlantic. And just think: They don’t even have their No. 1 goaltender, Linus Ullmark, back at 100 percent just yet. Once Ullmark’s ready to roll, the Sens might be scary.
The New York Islanders are still a good three points out of the wild card before Sunday’s slate, but a seven-game winning streak once again confirms the Isles will make this one interesting. Last season, we saw something similar happen late in the campaign, and they stole a playoff berth, so what’s not to say the same thing happens in 2025? Hey, a lot of credit goes to general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Remember when the Detroit Red Wings looked like they were on track to end up posting the most disappointing season, arguably, of any team in the league? The Wings were supposed to make 2024-25 the season when they’d return to the playoffs, only to fall flat. Well, enter Todd McLellan, and suddenly, those representing Hockeytown are once again full of life, as McLellan is now 13-4-1 before Sunday.
One down
While the New York Rangers made a much-needed trade for J.T. Miller, they’re quickly running out of time. As of early Sunday afternoon, the Blueshirts had lost three in a row after seemingly getting back on track. Sitting with just 52 points, the Rangers now find themselves six points out of the second wild card prior to Sunday’s slate of games.
To make matters worse, the Rangers were also six behind the Boston Bruins and five behind the Detroit Red Wings. If Miller, any other potentially new arrival, and the locker room don’t develop a much-needed sense of urgency fast, this is gonna be a long, slow meltdown that could see the Blueshirts all but eliminated from contention before they know it.