Which NHL Teams Are Looking the Most Dangerous with the Playoffs on the Horizon?

Which NHL Teams Are Looking the Most Dangerous with the Playoffs on the Horizon?

Welcome back all right so we’re almost up to it aren’t we you know three and a half weeks from now we’re going to be looking at playoffs and a lot of discussion about who’s going to win who’s going to lose going be a lot of arguing a lot of back and forth one

Thing to look at is how a team’s been playing since the All-Star break and it is it is important to look at which teams are playing really well going into the playoffs it is not easy to turn that switch back on and it can be hard to

Stop a team that’s been playing playoff hockey for a while this is why Wild Card teams are dangerous these teams have been fighting their way through since the All-Star break trying to make the playoffs and so they could be a tough out in the playoffs cuz they’ve already

Been playing for their lives for a while whereas the teams at the top haven’t had that same level of stress and so that’s why you end up seeing upsets in many cases and I’ve said before I’ll say it again I I could see that being the case

This year we could see some upsets so the New York Rangers are the only team that’s clinched so far they have 100 points in 72 games uh since the All-Star break they’re 184 and one their points percentage 804 that is second on the board behind only Nashville so for a

Points percentage that’s pretty good for the New York Rangers uh they’re scoring 3.65 goals per game they’re allowing 2.43 goals against per game shesterkin 123 and one over that time period with a 931 safe percentage quick is 6 And1 with a 919 safe percentage so one thing that

The Rangers have that a lot of other teams on the board don’t is if something happened to their starter they have a backup they can throw in there and not not really have to worry that much uh the drop down from Chester and to Quick is there but is it enough to necessarily

Knock the Rangers out of the playoffs no uh the Rangers are going to be tough out this year um and and I think their play since the All-Star break shows that as well the 804 points percentage again second on the board easily second on the board although Carolina with 97 points

In 73 games they’ve been 176 and2 since the All-Star break with a 720 points percentage uh that’s still pretty good uh 3.36 goals scored per game 2.12 goals against per game the goals against are important and their goal tending has actually been really solid since the All-Star break as well ketv’s 86 And1

With a 920 safe percentage Freddy Anderson perfect 6-0 since returning 951 safe percentage and Spencer Martin likes it in Carolina 30 And1 with a 9921 safe percentage so whoever they go with in the playoffs for game one I’m guessing Freddy Anderson but if they came out and

Said we’re going to go with kochetov in fact if Carolina came out and said we’re going to rotate goalies in the playoffs I I don’t think anybody in Kane’s fandom would would Panic the canes are going to be tough they’re going to be a tough out um again they’re playing really really

Well sure it’s a little down from where the Rangers are playing recently and they’re three points back of the Rangers they’ve played one more game but still come playoff time they can compete the one question mark with Carolina remains will the goals be there when they need them as they Advance through the

Playoffs that’s where things have dried up for them in the past thus the additions of ketov and and and gensel at the deadline uh Philadelphia 73 games 82 points uh we all know this team hasn’t had the greatest run lately they’re 118 and4 since the All-Star break 565 points

Percentage that’s the lowest of any teams on the board from the East and it is the second lowest overall actually Vegas has the lowest points percentage we’ll get to Vegas last but uh 3.04 goals scored per game 3.35 goals against per game the the goaling is an issue and

I I think uh it is remarkable how long Philadelphia has stayed in this spot I think it’s remarkable how well they’ve played at times but also keep in mind that not too long ago he needed at least 100 points to reach the playoffs if the if the East was like that again this

Year Flyers wouldn’t be in this spot but every year is different Aron’s been 95 and four since the deadline or since the All-Star break uh 891 safe percentage sandstrom rough one and two with an 823 safe percentage and so Philadelphia the goal tending hasn’t quite been uh good

Enough to steal them occasional games here and there and it it may very well be what costs them a playoff spot should they end up falling out but again uh Detroit a team that’s not on the board because they’re not above the line uh will Detroit end up being able to knock

Philadelphia out because it definitely looks like Washington’s going to knock Philadelphia down and then you may have Washington and Carolina in the first round that could be interesting uh Boston 73 games 99 points I decided you know what I got to wear Boston Centennial Jersey cuz it’s not going to

Be a centennial season again I’m going to miss these jerseys when they’re gone uh they’re 117 and six since the All-Star break 583 points percentage that’s low compared to most of the teams on the board uh 2.96 goals scored per game 3.04 goals against per game the alarming thing with Boston’s been the

Defense and goal tending not being where you want it to be if you’re the Bruins uh Bruins Pride themselves on their goal tending and their their defense being excellent and it’s been kind of a mixed bag swayan 75 and one with an 899 uh safe percentage olark 42 and five with a

911 safe percentage olar’s been the better of the two goenda rotation come playoff time and I I don’t know Boston it feels like might be ripe for an upset in the first round it really is going to depend on who they’re up against uh if they’re up

Against say Tampa Bay which is how work if the playoffs were paired off right now I I don’t know if I would like their odds against Tampa that could be a very interesting series though once we get to Tampa I’ll explain why Florida 72 games 97 points they’re 157 and one since the

All-Star break 674 points percentage that’s excellent uh they’ve been a little colder lately obviously uh losing that game last night against Boston for example but they’re scoring 3.26 goals per game they’re allowing 2.13 goals against per game and their goal tending has been remarkable Bovi 96 And1 with a

923 safe percentage since the All-Star break stolar is 6-1 with a 945 save percentage stoar just been ridiculous so uh it is something to keep in mind of course that come playoff time bosski is going to be the goal tender and he’ll be the goalie unless something

Happens but uh yeah I mean it’s it’s been insane watching Florida and and how well stolar has played has been quite the story uh for Toronto 21 games played 89 points so they’re not going to be able to move up right but they do have to worry about Tampa Bay right

Underneath them uh for Toronto they’re 158 And1 646 is the points percentage so better than Philly better than Boston uh better than Tampa better than Washington and yet we hear all the doubting all the time and I get it uh they’re scoring 3.92 goals per game they’re allowing

3.13 goals against per game the concern I would have with Toronto is that 3.92 they’re probably not going to be able to get that in the playoffs so it could come down to defense and goal tending and there’s some real concerns there the 3.13 goals against per game is one of

The higher numbers not the highest but it’s it’s it’s higher than they want it to be Sam sonov has been their best of the three goendale 3-1 with a 902 safe percentage Martin Jones 2-1 with an 892 save percentage wall he may I I I do wonder

If he’s 100% he’s two and four with an 884 save percentage uh since the All-Star break then we get to the wild cards and for for Tampa Bay they have 85 points in 71 games tonight they’re at home against Boston and if they can win that they pull themselves within two

Points of Toronto now of course they’ve played the same amount of games but it can happen uh Tampa Bay 127 and two since the allstar break 619 points percentage uh scoring 3.48 goals per game allowing 3.38 goals against per game so getting back to the Boston argument uh a series between Boston and

Tampa Bay could be really high scoring because they’ve both had trouble keeping the puck out of their net compared to what they would want to um Boston likes to win Games 2 to1 3-2 uh for Tampa Bay vasileski widely seen as the best goenda like this season after this one’s

Done we may see a bit of a change in some of that that thinking but vasileski 106 and2 with an 895 safe percentage not where you want it to be and I say could because if Tampa Bay goes on a run in the play offs and vasilki plays really

Well his mediocre regular season numbers will be forgotten quickly Johansson’s 2- one with an 855 safe percentage since the All-Star break so there are some concerns for Tampa but uh they’ they’ve overcome those concerns in the past uh it just it could be a really crazy Series in the first round whoever they

Play against it could be one of the more high-scoring series we see Washington 71 games 81 points they’re 148 and2 since the All-Star break 25 points percentage yes uh their goal differentials ugly but not since the All-Star break they’re scoring 3.42 goals per game they’re allowing 3.25 goals against per game

Linden’s been very good 126 And1 with a 906 safe percentage over that time Darcy keer bit of a rough go for him lately he’s 22 and one with an 873 safe percentage so Ker’s numbers have been kind of kind of kind of ugly but lingren

Has been quite good he’s the starter I I do Wonder okay so in a playoff setup is it going to be different will lingren get lit up we you never know until the playoffs start uh which goalies are going to be car able to carry over a

Good regular season and which ones won’t be able to but the East is interesting because again I think you can make an argument for almost anybody on the board and we’ll see how it goes from here on the western side of things you got Dallas 99 points and 73 games again it’s

Remarkable how many teams we at 100 98 97 99 there’s so many teams all within a few points of each other uh but for Dallas they’re 156 and three since the deadline 688 points percentage they’ve been they’ve been good at getting wins uh not always the prettiest of wins but

They’ve been good at getting wins 3.58 goal scored per game allowing 2.79 goals against per game the interesting thing for me with Dallas’s goal tending I think wedgewood’s been a little bit better than AER lately ottinger’s 124 and2 with an 893 save percentage Wedgewood 32 and one with a 907 safe

Percentage I just I think wedgewood’s giving him pretty good goal tending uh but of course otter will be the goenda and I’ll be curious to see whether we get the AER we got a couple years ago against Calgary or if we get the ainger from last year’s playoffs

Where he could look great one night and and if he the next we’ll see uh callado 72 games 97 points for them they’re 147 and2 since the All-Star break 652 points percentage that’s quite good uh 3.48 goals scored per game 2.65 goals against per game gurv is kind of Getting

Outplayed By ananin just a little bit gv’s 104-1 with a 9913 safe percentage ananin 9 or 43 and one with a 931 save percentage so uh pretty good run for the the rookie goenda I think has probably been overplayed a little bit by Colorado so it’s good to see the backup getting more

Work and we’ll see if ggv’s numbers uh improve going into the playoffs with him getting extra rest uh 72 games 94 points for the Winnipeg Jets who of course lost in overtime last night against the Oilers they’re 1410 and one since the All-Star break a 580 points percentage so low comparatively speaking especially

With the teams that they’re fighting for these this top spot with uh 2.92 goals scored per game 2.72 goals against per game one of the lower numbers in ter terms of goal scored per game uh they’re they’re barely ahead of Boston uh and they’re ahead of Vancouver so I am ready

For disappointment but but uh huk has not been as good as this backup either there’s the other other qualifier here too and I’m sure people in the comments all stupid hockey guy the the backup will usually play against the weaker opponent than the starter I don’t think

That’s as true as it was say 20 30 years ago but that’s definitely there hell box numbers 98 And1 with a 912 safe percentage bris 5-2 uh with a 928 safe percentage so since the All-Star break bris has been good one thing to keep in mind brasis was the starting goalie for

Vegas against Winnipeg to start last year’s playoffs so as crazy as it may sound um I I would say go with the Haw goalie if you’re Rick bonus and if you decide for game one you know what bris played really well let’s throw him in

There see if we can throw the other team off I don’t have a problem with that uh Vancouver 72 games 98 points they’re 128 and3 since the All-Star break 587 points percentage scoring 2.83 goals per game allowing 2.83 goals per game uh it’s been a kind of a mediocre mixed bag for

Vancouver since the All-Star break and the goal tending which was fantastic and and bailing them out at times early in the season not as good since the All-Star break Demco of course is currently injured 85 And1 with a 907 safe percentage Casey dis Smith’s doing

The best he can but he’s not a starter he’s 43 and2 with an 875 safe percentage of course he’s the guy until Demco comes back so uh I do think that’s probably caused them to lose a game here and there that maybe they otherwise wouldn’t

Have but I I I can’t really put that on to Smith I just feel like with the two point 83 goals scored per game I don’t know something’s just different with the Canucks over the second half of the Season we’ll see if they can shake themselves out of these these doldrums

They’ve been in this is why I’ve been saying just I just enjoy the ride while it lasts I enjoy the regular season I enjoy watching a team win during the regular season because I never have any idea what’s going to happen in the postseason uh for the Oilers 90 points

In 70 games for them uh so they’re eight points back of first place they’ve got two games in hand right uh 148 and3 record since the All-Star break 620 points percentage scoring 3.68 goals per game and allowing 3.16 goals against per game uh I do have some I don’t know if

Concerns the right word I’ll be curious to see how Skinner does in the playoffs better way of phrasing it uh he’s 95 and three since the allstar break with a 9 897 safe percentage picker five and three with a 912 safe percentage and where this gets interesting to me is

That right now they would play the LA Kings and the LA Kings are playing a very stifling style of hockey it’s tough to play that in the playoffs uh in 71 games the LA Kings have 87 points they’re 157 And1 since the All-Star break 674 points percentage so that’s

Quite good uh it’s the same record in points percentage as the Florida Panthers have uh 3.04 goals scored per game by La they’re allowing 2.3 goals against per game basically you got to score first against the Kings uh Talbots 93 and one since the All-Star break with

A 933 safe percentage RX 6 and four with a 916 safe percentage goal ending has been pretty good I I don’t think there’s there’s anything to pick at here with the LA Kings and go well clearly this is what’s going to sink them uh they’ve been the best team in the Pacific

Record-wise since the All-Star break do not sleep on the Kings um I did a video on that very early in the season I did that I did a video on that before the season even started like are we We discounting the Kings uh then we get to

The Wild Card spots and by wild cards I mean the hottest team in the NHL and the defending Stanley Cup champions pick your poison Nashville 72 games 90 points they’re 172 and two since the allstar break 857 points percentage uh 3.95 goal scored per game and 2.38 goals against

Per game so you name it Nashville’s owning it right now and Nashville’s within Striking Distance now Winnipeg so when you look at the points percentage differences here Winnipeg 1410 and one Nashville 172 and two those records since the allstar break tell you Winnipeg shouldn’t shouldn’t be resting

On their Laurels at all or they could find themselves in a wild card spot which would be interesting cuz then we could potentially see say Winnipeg and Vancouver in the first round which should be a fascinating one uh but Nashville uh Soros has been great 132

And two with the 923 safe percentage he had a rough first half and I think that’s a big part of the reason why the record wasn’t great uh not too long ago uh but since he’s picked it up so’s the rest of the team lanolin’s 4-0 since the

All-Star break 925 save percentage Kevin linen and remains one of the more underrated backups in the the National Hockey League and finally Vegas uh 72 games 86 points they’re 10 10 and two since the All-Star break but they’ve been they’ve been hot lately right so they are 500 they’re scoring 3.14 goals

Per game and allowing 3.41 goals against per game since the All-Star break so they’re they’re definitely going to want to make sure the defense and the goal tending are in order and that’s the one concern that you’d have if you’re Vegas right now Aiden Hills hurt he’s 6 and8

Though since the All-Star break with an 889 safe percentage I don’t know that he’s been 100% throughout that uh Thompson 42 And1 with a 911 safe percentage just Aiden Hill’s safe percentage was fantastic in the first half of the season it’s been very pedestrian since I do wonder if he’s

Dealing if he’s been dealing with an injury and now he’s out again and all that right Peta o And1 with an 857 safe percentage that’s last night’s game on the board so it will be very interesting to see which of the teams that are red

Hot right now can carry that on into the playoffs which team would you not want your team to play against in the playoffs and why let me know your thoughts in the comment section below as always don’t forget to hit like And subscribe if you haven’t done so already

But yeah for me right now I would say the team in the East I would not want to have to face in the first round might be the capitals honestly might be the capitals because of the the way they play hockey and Out West it’s got to be

Nashville that 18 game point streak it just feels like there’s an INE in inevitability to the way they’ve been playing uh they’re nine points out of first in the division which is unlikely but again could they pass Winnipeg yeah and then if you get uh say Dallas

Nashville in the first round or Colorado Nashville in the first round who knows what’s going to happen so let me know your thoughts thank you guys so much for all your support as always I will talk to you again soon

Hey all and here’s a look at how teams have been playing since the all star break. I honestly think this might be the toughest playoffs to predict that I have seen in a long time.

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