The Minnesota Wild have a 4.1% chance to make the playoffs, according to MoneyPuck. It ain’t pretty, but the show isn’t over until they’re mathematically eliminated and they’re not at that point just yet.
Minnesota has nine games to go and they are eight points back of the Los Angeles Kings, who with 87 points control the second wild card in the West. The Blues are close behind with 82 points and Vegas (90 points) could become a factor if they are passed up by the Kings.
Key games Monday night:
- Oilers at Blues
- Kings at Jets
Best result for the Wild: The Blues and Kings lose to stay at 87 and 82 points, respectively. Minnesota would still be eight points back but they would have two games in hand on the Blues and one on the Kings.
Key games Tuesday night:
- Senators at Wild
Best result for the Wild: Win to get to 81 points and hopefully be just six points back with seven games to go.
Key games Wednesday night:
- Kraken at Kings
Best result for the Wild: Kings lose in regulation. Wild would be six points back and have two games in hand on the Kings.
Key games Thursday night:
- Avalanche at Wild
- Blues at Predators
- Kings at Sharks
Best result for the Wild: Wild beat the Avs to get to 83 points while the Blues and Kings both lose in regulation. It probably won’t happen because the Sharks are terrible, but if it does it could have the Wild just four points back with five games to play.
The bottom line:
Now that we’ve got your hopes up, please be aware that the Kings have the easiest remaining schedule in the NHL (and the Blues have the fourth easiest schedule) so the odds of the Wild passing one or both aren’t very good.
