Calgary Flames' playoff chances have plummeted according to analytics
The two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament couldn’t have come at a better time for the Calgary Flames.
The Flames have defied expectations in a big way this season but enter the break having struggled, losing three straight and six of their last eight. The recent skid has resulted in them falling out of a playoff spot they had held for a good portion of the new year.
NHL.com
By no means are the Flames out of the race. They sit just three points back of what has been a very inconsistent Vancouver Canucks team and still have 27 games remaining. Still, many don’t seem to like their chances of finding themselves in a playoff spot at season’s end.
Take MoneyPuck, for example, who is giving the Flames just a 22.5% chance of getting in, while the Canucks odds are at 64.1%. While a big portion of that has to do with the standings, both teams’ schedules to close out the season also play a role.
The Flames have a tougher schedule ahead, as 16 of their 27 remaining games will come against teams that are currently in a playoff spot. The Canucks, meanwhile, will face just 12 teams in a playoff spot over their final 27 outings.
While that alone gives the Canucks the slight upper hand, it’s the final stretch in April where the schedule really benefits them.
The Flames will have the difficult task of taking on the Vegas Golden Knights on April 5. The Canucks will then be in action against the Golden Knights the following night. That same back-t0-back scenario, with the Flames playing first, will happen three more times that month. The Canucks will face the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, (and for a second time) the Golden Knights right after the Flames went up against them the evening prior.
Conroy may help Flames at trade deadline
While this current picture doesn’t look promising for the Flames, they could get some help from GM Craig Conroy to give them the push they need.
Conroy has already been active, acquiring Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers less than two weeks ago. He may not be done there, either.
Another move of that magnitude is unlikely, but the Flames are still scouring the market for a right-handed centreman. It may only end up being a depth add, but one that could prove beneficial given the ongoing struggles of the fourth line.
There is also a chance Conroy makes a move for a left-handed defenceman, as that area has been exposed in an ugly way due to Kevin Bahl’s injury.
The trade deadline is scheduled for March 7, giving Conroy some time to work out a move or two if he sees fit. Though he won’t be giving up any pieces that would hurt the organization’s future, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him pull the trigger on at least one more move to help this group find their way into the playoffs.
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