I’m very very greatfull to see another child of……💯💯
The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs are about five weeks away from starting. Things in the Western Conference are slightly clearer than in the Eastern Conference. Three teams are vying for the final wild-card spot in the West.
The final stretch of the 2023-24 NHL regular season is here, with the passing of the NHL Trade Deadline. This year, there were more buyers than sellers at the deadline, which meant the standings were closer than in years past. As documented on Full Press Hockey, the Eastern Conference is a little more whacky and wild.
However, things are starting to settle as the Detroit Red Wings, who left the door open for teams to pass them, are battling the Washington Capitals for the final spot in the East. The same goes for the Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the final spot in the Metro Division.
Moving to the Western Conference, the Nashville Predators are locked into the first wild-card spot. Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights, St. Louis Blues, and Minnesota Wild are battling for the final spot in the West. This is precisely what the NHL wanted when they brought the Wild Card into effect.
The regular season’s final weeks will determine who gets in and who goes home, as some of these teams play each other to close the season. Let’s see where things stand and who could make the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
There is a chance a winning streak of any kind can propel the Blues or the Wild past the Golden Knights. The Wild’s eight-game point streak came to an end in Los Angeles. John Hynes has sparked the team, but can they withstand injuries down the stretch? The Blues also had a coaching change with Jordan Binnington doing what he did in 2019. But is the hill too high for either team to climb?
Nashville Predators – Wild Card One
The Nashville Predators are locking themselves into a playoff position thanks to going 13-0-2 in their 15 games. Who would have thought cancelling a team outing to see U2 in the Sphere when they were playing Vegas would rally this team as it has? The Predators are also healthy once again. Roman Josi, Juuse Saros, and Filip Forsberg are competing for their potential. Head coach Andrew Brunette has gotten buy-in from the players on the system. It took some time to do, but the Predators finally understood what he wanted from them. The young players are doing well, too. Tommy Novak, especially. He was rewarded with a new contract. However, General Manager Barry Trotz put the right guys in the room, and the team was successful. They have that 2017 feel all over again—a team you do not want to face in the playoffs.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights get on everyone’s nerves. We know what Vegas does with LTIR and being aggressive at the deadline. With Mark Stone out of the lineup this year, the team acquired Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl. Hertl may be ready for the playoffs. The defending Stanley Cup Champions hit a wall after coming out hot. They wanted to prove people wrong when the betting odds came out. However, injuries to Stone, Eichel, Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, and others have hurt the club. Stone is the heart and soul of the team, especially. It is hard to play without your captain day in and day out. Just ask
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