The drive to stay alive: NHL’s most difficult schedules
By ARI BAUM-COHEN
A reliable way to predict how teams will fare in the final leg of the season is to examine the strength of their remaining schedule. Most of the hardest schedules belong to teams that are either barely hanging on to a playoff spot, or just outside of the playoff picture. Will these teams be able to overcome their nightmare schedules and advance to the postseason?
Los Angeles Kings
Games Remaining: 16 (4 Home, 12 Away)
vs. +.500: 14
Los Angeles has exceeded expectations this season, and sits a few points out of a playoff spot. Don’t expect the Kings to make a late-season push.
Twelve of the Kings’ final sixteen games are away from the Staples Center. Los Angeles plays back-to-back road games March 13th and 14th against Vancouver and San Jose, followed by a home game. The Kings then go on a six-game road trip that opens with back-to-back games against Boston and Pittsburgh. Terry Murray’s boys end the season against San Jose at home, but before that they must travel through western Canada, playing three games in four nights against Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
That’s a lot of frequent flyer miles racked up in a short period of time.
Nashville Predators
Games Remaining: 15 (6 Home, 9 Away)
vs. +.500: 14
Led by rookie Pekka Rinne and a balanced scoring attack, Nashville has gone 12-5-2 in its last 19 games and has a slight edge for the final playoff spot. To hold steady, Nashville will need to continue its strong play against quality opponents.
Nashville has two games remaining against both San Jose and Detroit. The Predators also have two games against the Blackhawks and a Columbus team that has been playing well. Nashville still has a four and three-game road trip and they close the season with a nasty back-to-back set (Detroit and Minnesota).
St. Louis Blues
Games Remaining: 16 (7 Home, 9 Away)
vs. +.500: 14
St. Louis has been playing well with an 8-3-1 record over the last 12 games to show for its effort. Only a whisker out of a playoff spot, the Blues will have to overcome a difficult remaining schedule to sneak into the playoffs.
St. Louis plays consecutive games against San Jose and Detroit, Minnesota the next night and then head to the Northwest for three games in four nights in Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary. To close out the season the Blues play five of six on the road, including back-to-back road games against Chicago and Detroit.
New York Rangers
Games Remaining 15 (7 Home, 8 Away)
vs. +.500: 13
After a hot start, the Rangers find themselves outside of the playoff picture. They will have to make up ground with the most difficult remaining schedule in the Eastern Conference.
In addition to remaining games against Boston, New Jersey, Pittsburgh and a pair of games against the Habs, the Rangers play a tough Flyers team four more times. Though the Rangers play Ottawa and Atlanta, they end the season in Pittsburgh, at home to New Jersey, at Carolina, at Boston, at home to Montreal, and finish with a home-and-home set with Philadelphia.
Calgary Flames
Games Remaining: 15 (7 Home, 8 Away)
vs. +.500
Calgary will make the playoffs but has not locked up the division. The Flames have lost their last three games and their upcoming schedule does not get any easier (other than a game against the Leafs).
Calgary plays Detroit twice, San Jose once and has back-to-back road games against Pittsburgh and Columbus. The biggest challenge for the Flames may be their final three games of the regular season. Calgary must play in Vancouver before heading to Edmonton for a Battle for Alberta home-and-home for its final two games of the regular season.