What needs to happen for Canucks to make the playoffs with 4 games left

Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports

Yes, I’m saying there’s a chance.

Not a good one, mind you. But certainly not impossible either.

The Vancouver Canucks can still make the playoffs. Yes, even after back-to-back losses when they can’t really afford any.

They’ll need to win and they need some help, but if the Canucks can win each of their last four games, there’s a chance that playoff hockey will return to Vancouver for the first time in seven years.

First, the Canucks need to beat the Calgary Flames on Saturday. That’s no easy task against the second-best team in the Western Conference, but the Flames have already clinched their division and don’t have much left to play for. Then it’s two games at Rogers Arena, against the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings, before the regular-season finale against the Oilers, in what will likely be a meaningless game for Edmonton.

Will it be meaningless for Vancouver as well? That will depend if they get help.

The most likely path to the playoffs for the Canucks is to pass the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars for the second Wild Card spot in the West.

So after tonight’s results, the #Canucks could still make the playoffs if:

-VAN goes 4-0-0
-DAL goes 2-2-0
-VGK goes 2-1-1

or…

-VAN goes 4-0-0
-LA goes 0-2-1
-VGK goes 2-1-1

or…

-VAN goes 4-0-0
-NSH goes 0-4-1
-VGK goes 2-1-1

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) April 22, 2022

If the Canucks run the table, they’ll need Dallas to do no better than 2-2-0 and Vegas to do no better than 2-1-1.

In order to catch LA, the Canucks would need the Kings to do no better than 0-2-1 in their remaining three games — one of which is against Vancouver.

The Canucks could technically still catch Nashville. The Predators would need to do no better than 0-4-1 in their last five games for that to happen though.

Conversely, one more regulation loss will mean the Canucks can no longer catch LA or Nashville. Dallas and Vegas would still be in sight, but probably not for long.

If the Canucks lose Saturday in Calgary, they could be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs by Tuesday.

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