With the final stretch of the NHL season rapidly approaching, it’s about time – if you aren’t already – to start watching the scoreboard each night as the final wild card spot in the West gets decided. The race has ultimately come down to four teams: the Calgary Flames, the Vancouver Canucks, the St. Louis Blues and Utah Hockey Club.
Let’s compare their remaining schedules in order to get a better idea of what might be to come.

Calgary Flames (31-25-11, 73 points)

The Flames have 15 games remaining on the season:
  • Home games: 8
  • Away games: 7
  • Versus playoff teams: 8
  • Versus non-playoff teams: 7
  • Key match-ups: Utah (Apr. 1)
The only real advantage the Flames have over the other teams in the playoff race is the fact they have an extra game or two in hand. Their remaining schedule features a mix of top and bottom teams. With upcoming games against the Edmonton Oilers (Mar. 29) and Colorado Avalanche (Mar. 31), as well as two games versus the Vegas Golden Knights (Apr. 5 and Apr. 15), the Flames will need to take advantage of match-ups against weaker opponents like the Anaheim Ducks (Apr. 3 and Apr. 9) and the San Jose Sharks (Apr. 7 and Apr. 13) if they want to have any chance.
For the Flames, it doesn’t seem to matter whether they’re facing a top or bottom team, as their main issue is an inability to score goals. If they want to make a push, they need to find ways to generate offence; otherwise, they may be better off sinking to a top-10 draft position.
Dustin Wolf will likely shoulder most of the load down the stretch. He alone has been the primary reason the Flames have been able to stay in games, carrying the team on his back. Can Wolf continue to drag them into a playoff spot?

Vancouver Canucks (32-25-11, 75 points)

The Canucks have 14 games remaining on the season:
  • Home games: 6
  • Away games: 8
  • Versus playoff teams: 10
  • Versus non-playoff teams: 4
  • Key match-ups: St. Louis (Mar. 20)
Like the Flames, the Canucks have also struggled to find offence. Now with Quinn Hughes back in the line-up, he should help in driving offence. If Hughes can stay healthy – or at least not injured enough to keep him out of the lineup – that should provide a boost to their offence as well as provide a glimpse of hope.
It’s safe the safe, of the four teams remaining in the playoff race, the Canucks have the most difficult schedule remaining. With only four games to play against non-playoff teams, and less games at home versus on the road, the path to the playoffs is a steep one. If the Canucks can manage to get into the playoffs, it’ll be because they earned it.

Utah Hockey Club (30-27-11, 71 points)

Utah has 14 games remaining on the season:
  • Home games: 8
  • Away games: 6
  • Versus playoff teams: 7
  • Versus non-playoff teams: 7
  • Key match-ups: Calgary (Apr. 1), St. Louis (Apr. 15)
Like Utah, their remaining schedule is fairly average. Utah has not been an overly flashy team this season, simply hanging around the middle of the standings all year. Now, they have a legitimate shot at sneaking into the playoffs.
If Utah can get past its next five games, which include two against the Tampa Bay Lightning (Mar. 22 and Mar. 27) and one against the Florida Panthers (Mar. 28), and manage to win a couple of them, the rest of the schedule won’t look as daunting. With a game against the Chicago Blackhawks (Mar. 30) and two against the Nashville Predators (Apr. 10 and Apr. 14), there are points up for grabs.
It might be easy to discount Utah as a playoff contender, but they have proven they belong in the race and could very well qualify for the playoffs in their inaugural season.

St. Louis Blues (34-28-7, 75 points)

The St. Louis Blues have 13 remaining games on the season:
  • Home games: 8
  • Away games: 5
  • Versus playoff teams: 5
  • Versus non-playoff teams: 8
  • Key match-ups: Vancouver (Mar. 20), Utah (Apr. 15)
Ignoring the fact that the Blues have the fewest games remaining, it’s safe to say they have the most favourable schedule among the teams in the playoff hunt. With upcoming games against Nashville (Mar. 23 and Mar. 27), Chicago (Mar. 25), and the Pittsburgh Penguins (Apr. 3), the Blues also get to play the majority of their remaining games at home, which is a significant advantage.
While it looked as though the Blues were trending in the other direction before the trade deadline, they ultimately decided against trading captain Brayden Schenn or starting goalie Jordan Binnington. That decision has allowed them to remain competitive.
With the Canucks and Flames struggling, the Blues seem to be in prime position to take control and claim the final playoff spot.
It looks like the race for the wild-card spot will not be decided anytime soon, meaning hockey fans are in for an exciting stretch.
For Flames fans, however, the debate over the team’s direction continues. Given their recent play, it might make more sense to aim for the best draft position possible. But as everyone knows, players and coaches will never intentionally tank. As of now, all Flames fans can do is hope they don’t finish outside both the playoffs and a top-10 draft pick.
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