NHL Playoffs: Who's In? Who's Out? Detailed Predictions: Part One

So it's almost the end of March, the NHL Playoffs are coming in a fury! I researched all the data possible, and played out game outcomes and figured out who will make the playoffs. These are predictions. This is how I came to my predictions.

First, I looked at matchups. Say it is San Jose vs Atlanta. Atlanta has been playing cruddy all season. I would give San Jose the two points.

If the game looks like a gimme game, I gave it to the team. If it was a potential playoff team vs a potential playoff team I considered four possibilities: The home record, the away record, the wins, and the points.

If the team was at home I put their home record vs the other teams away record. If it was close I would look at overall wins, and points. After all that detailed research, here are my NHL Playoff matchups.

Eastern Conference

First Seeded Boston Bruins versus Eighth seeded New York Rangers

Second Seeded New Jersey Devils versus Seventh seeded Pittsburgh Penguins

Third Seeded Washington Capitals versus Sixth seeded Carolina Hurricanes

Fourth Seeded Philadelphia Flyers versus Fifth seeded Montreal Canadians

Western Conference

First Seeded San Jose Sharks versus Eighth seeded Nashville Predators

Second Seeded Detroit Red Wings versus Seventh seeded Edmonton Oilers

Third Seeded Calgary Flames versus Sixth seeded Columbus Blue Jackets

Fourth Seeded Vancouver Canucks versus Fifth seeded Chicago Blackhawks

WHAT THE TEAMS NEED TO DO TO HELP THEMSELVES OUT!

This is part one of a two-part series. In this first part, I will take a look at the Eastern Conference and with details tell you what each team in the hunt needs to do! So let's get the fun started!

EASTERN CONFERENCE

First seeded: Boston Bruins (nine games remaining)

Boston is in a comfortable lead in the Eastern Conference. Four of their nine games remaining are against the Islanders, Lightning, Senators, and Maple Leafs. That should be eight points right there. So here is my goal for the Bruins with their fight to the playoffs.

Goal: You face New Jersey, New York Rangers, and Montreal Canadians at home, all fighting for better seeding in the playoffs. Beat two of the three, and gain confidence at home to better help yourselves in the playoffs.

Second seeded: New Jersey Devils (10 games remaining)

New Jersey is in a comfortable second seeded position right now. They have won seven of their last ten games. The Devils arguably are one of the best scoring teams in the league.

They got playoff experience everywhere, but some toughy games down the stretch (at New York Rangers, at Philadelphia, at Chicago, at Pittsburgh, and face Carolina at home on the last game of the season, a team fighting for a playoff spot.)

Goal: My goal for New Jersey is this. Win six of your last ten games, and try to win four of your six road games. Momentum is momentum, and with the playoffs coming, a win is a win no matter how you look at it.

Third seeded: Washington Capitals (eight games remaining)

Out of every team in the NHL, I personally believe that the Washington Capitals have the easiest schedule remaining. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the Capitals won the rest of their games.

They face Toronto on the road. Tampa Bay, New York Islanders, Buffalo, and Atlanta at home, and end the season facing Atlanta and Florida on the road.

Goal: Win five of your eight. Play your backup goalie Simeon Varlamov. Get him some playing time and rest up on Jose Theodore. Theodore is very streaky at times. Getting Varlamov some playing time could be needed in the playoffs; however, Theodore has playoff experience, and the rest could help him out!

Fourth seeded: Philadelphia Flyers (11 games remaining)

Philadelphia is almost hands down the most physical team in hockey today. I don't see a player on their team that wouldn't drop the gloves, well, maybe not Jeff Carter. The way he's been scoring though, he has no reason to drop the gloves.

Philadelphia is comfortable in fourth, and winning the division is pretty much not a possibility so here is my goals for Philly.

Goals: The Flyers face the Islanders twice, the Maple Leafs twice, and the Senators down the stretch. The Flyers should rest Biron at least once during those games. And they should win three of those five.

With that said. They also face the Rangers, Devils, Bruins, and Panthers on the road. Philadelphia is not in the safest position, just in a comfortable fourth seed. Gain some momentum by beating the Bruins or the Devils on the road. They face the Rangers in the last game of the season.

Make sure its not possible for the Rangers to get a fifth seed and face the Flyers. Beat them.

Fifth seeded: Pittsburgh Penguins (Eighth games remaining)

Many consider the Penguins a threat in the Eastern Conference. Not I. They are an extremely talented team, that rides streaks like surfers ride waves. The Penguins have hit a hot streak in March.

They lost an important game today against the Flyers. They got a few give me games against the Islanders and Lightning. But the other six games will really be a challenge for the Penguins.

Goals:In order to keep a fifth seeded state they need to most likely get 95-98 points (because Montreal has many home games, and they are good at home). Pittsburgh currently has 86 points.

Pittsburgh needs to win five or six of their last eight games to get a good seed in the playoffs. Many people want to see a Washington/Pittsburgh matchup in the playoffs, but Washington has a dangerous team and have Pittsburgh's numbers this season.

A Pittsburgh/Philadelphia series would better suit Pittsburgh. Make sure to beat the Lightning and Islanders, then you are in a position to where you can win three of your other six games. Take the gimme games.

Sixth seeded: Carolina Hurricanes (eight games remaining)

The Hurricanes have hit a hot streak at home as of late, winning eight straight games at the RBC Center. Five of their remaining eight games are at home. Among those eight games includes games at Florida, and two games in the state of New Jersey.

They have a tough set of games left, and could end up anywhere from fifth seeded, to not even making the playoffs with the schedule they have.

Goals: Carolina has got to set momentum for the playoffs first. Win three of the five home games you have. In the playoffs Carolina could be facing Philadelphia, Washington, New Jersey, or Boston. All decent teams at home.

Win one of the games they play in New Jersey to gain a boost in case they play them in the playoffs. An even better boost would be to beat the Devils on the last game of the season.

Seventh seeded: New York Rangers (nine games remaining)

The New York Rangers have a very hard road to travel to maintain a safe slot in the playoffs. As of now they'd be facing a New Jersey Devils team. They need to try and get up to a fifth seed, but it is gonna be difficult for them.

Their last seven games are against Carolina, Pittsburgh, Montreal, New Jersey, Boston, and Philadelphia twice. It's safe to say, the Rangers have a rough last seven games of the season.

Goals: Try and win six of your nine games. They face Minnesota at home and Atlanta on the road to start. Then seven games against the Eastern Conference playoff teams. If they beat Minnesota and Atlanta, that'd put them in a position to win four of their last seven games. It is possible to do it.

They face New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Montreal at home, where they own at Madison Square Garden. If they win two home games, they could then win two of the four remaining games. The odds are stacked very high, and sadly, if the Rangers don't meet the odds, it's possible that they don't make the playoffs.

Eighth seeded: Montreal Canadians (10 games remaining)

Montreal has 10 games remaining in their season. Five of those ten games are gimme games for Montreal as they face Atlanta, Tampa Bay, New York Islanders, Toronto, and Ottawa.

The other five games, three of them are at home. Montreal has a very good scheduled chance of making the playoffs, and making their dream season an even bigger dream for the much loved Canadian fans.

Goals: Montreal needs to win at least four of those five give me games. Win two of the three home games. With the remaining two road games against the New York Rangers and Boston win one of them to gain momentum for the playoffs.

If they beat the Rangers on the road, it will give an added boost, as they could gain a playoff position, or they could not make the playoffs. To sum it up, Montreal needs to win seven of their last 10 to feel comfortable in the playoffs. As you see, it is clearly possible to happen!

Florida Panthers (10 games remaining)

The Panthers currently have 80 points in the standings. They have a team that is talented, but may not be playoff talented. It is clearly possible for them to make the playoffs. They have to gain some momentum fast though. Their remaining schedule has two gimme games against Atlanta.

But their schedule isn't too friendly from there as they face Carolina, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Washington.

Goals: Florida is not in a good spot at all. They have 80 points, and have to have at least 92 points to feel comfortable for the playoffs. They have two give me games against Atlanta to make 84 points. With eight remaining games after that, they need at least eight points.

Get eight points no matter how you can. Get in overtime. Whatever they do, Florida can not lose more than two games. If they lose more than three of those other eight games, consider the Panthers done.

Come back tomorrow as I take a look at the Western Conference!