Road Map Monday!
This is it, Clubbers, we are speeding down the backstretch of the 2024/25 NHL season. It seems like the puck drop on opening night just happened and already, in the blink of an eye, we are left with a mere twelve games left in the inaugural Utah Hockey Club regular season. I specify “regular” season because, blessed be the Club, we find ourselves in the midst of a four horse race for the second Wild Card spot. Today, I will cover the upcoming week of games for everyone involved in the race; the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and the St. Louis Blues; then I will give us detailed instructions on how to keep pace, a “road map” if you will. (A note: These are not predictions, I am merely going to go over schedules and proceed based on what seems more likely)
How things stand:
St. Louis Blues - 81 points with 10 games remaining
Calgary Flames - 77 points with 13 games remaining
Vancouver Canucks - 76 points with 12 games remaining
Utah Hockey Club - 75 points with 12 games remaining
St. Louis Blues:
Tuesday vs. Montreal
Thursday @ Nashville
Saturday @ Colorado
Two of these games feel obvious; a win against Nashville and a loss against Colorado. The tilt against Montreal is the tipping point. A Canadiens win would be welcome help to the Club. However, seeing as how we’re not here to make predictions, we’ll call this one down the middle and give St. Louis an expected one point. At the end of the week, the Blues should have 84 points.
Calgary Flames:
Tuesday vs. Seattle
Thursday vs. Dallas
Saturday @ Edmonton
Two games against teams firmly ahead of them in the standings and one game against a team firmly behind them. At the end of the week, the Flames should have 79 points.
Vancouver Canucks:
Monday @ New Jersey
Wednesday @ NY Islanders
Friday @ Columbus
Sunday @ Winnipeg
This is the hardest stretch of games to say what “should” happen. Outside of the Sunday matchup, and likely loss, vs the Winnipeg Jets, these are three games of very evenly matched teams. Just to err on the side of caution, the TLP analytics machine is going to give Vancouver two wins out of those three. At the end of the week, the Canucks should have 80 points.
End of week standings (As per the TLP analytics machine)
Blues - 84 points
Canucks - 80 points
Flames - 79 points
Utah Hockey Club:
Monday vs. Detroit
Thursday @ Tampa Bay
Friday @ Florida
Sunday @ Chicago
The TLP analytics machines likes Utah HC to come out of the week, Sunday night, with a 2-2-0 record, with 79 points. But, is that enough?! That would move Utah into a tie with Calgary, one point back of Vancouver, and 5 points back of the Blues. The analytics tell us that is NOT GOOD ENOUGH
The Road Map:
Continue down Playoff Push Boulevard, takings wins vs both Detroit and Florida. Suggested detours: Take a repeat win on Lightning Avenue. If that route is not available, search for available detours onto Overtime Loss Drive in either Tampa Bay or Florida.
Satellite imagery suggests that 80-81 points puts Utah within striking distance of St. Louis and puts us directly on a collision course for a season finale matchup against the Blues at the intersection of Win and You’re In!
- Dustin N.
