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Scoreboard watching, a worst case scenario with Buffalo on their bye |
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The Buffalo Sabres enjoyed some upward movement in the standings thanks to a stretch where they won three of four games heading into their bye week. After bouncing along near the bottom of the division and conference a three game winning streak gave them a boost to the middle of the playoff-contender pack. Alas, maybe that's why head coach Dan Bylsma said this about the bye week, "Five days is an eternity in the hockey season. It's a long time and it's a break you don't want at this point [with] the way we're playing and the wins we've put together. You maybe want to forgo the five days and keep playing."
However, the bye week was collectively bargained for by the NHL Players Association and it's Buffalo's turn. It just so happens to coincide with an important stretch of the season where the Sabres are trying to get into the playoff picture and they'll be watching as the teams around them gather points while making up games in hand on the Sabres.
As of Monday night, Buffalo played 60 games, the most in the conference and here were the standings in the division:
Montreal--70 pts
Ottawa--68
Florida--66
Boston--66
Toronto--65
Buffalo--62
Tampa Bay--58
Detroit--56
Here are a list of games each team plays while the Sabres are on the bye:
Montreal (2) -- @ NYR; vs. NYI
Ottawa (2) -- @ NJD; @ CAR
Florida (2)-- vs. EDM; vs. CGY
Boston (2) -- @ ANA; @ LAK
Toronto (2) -- vs. WPG; vs. NYR
Tampa Bay (2) -- vs. EDM; vs. CGY
Detroit (1) -- vs. NYI
If every team in the division won their games, here's what the standings would look like:
Montreal--74 pts
Ottawa--72
Florida--70
Boston--70
Toronto--69
Tampa Bay--62
Buffalo--62
Detroit--58
Here's where Buffalo stood on Sunday night in the conference from the second wild-card spot down:
Boston--66 pts
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Toronto--65
NY Islanders--64
Philadelphia--63
Buffalo--62
New Jersey--60
Tampa Bay--60
Carolina--56
Detroit--56
Here's the schedule for each team:
Boston (2) -- @ ANA; @ LAK
Toronto (2) -- vs. WPG; vs. NYR
NY Islanders (2) -- @ DET; @ MTL
Philadelphia (1) -- vs. WSH
New Jersey (1) -- vs. OTT
Tampa Bay (2) -- vs. EDM; vs. CGY
Carolina (2) -- vs. PIT; vs. OTT
Detroit (1) -- vs. NYI
There is only two possible "three-point game" on the schedule here (NYI/DET) so we're going to give the win Metropolitan Division (NYI) and a loser point to Atlantic Division (DET.) Here would be the standings if every team won their games with the three-point games going as laid out:
Boston--70 pts
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Toronto--69
NY Islanders--68
Philadelphia--65
Tampa Bay--64
Buffalo--62
New Jersey--62
Carolina--60
Detroit--57
At worst, the Sabres would end up seventh in the division, eight points behind the third place Florida Panthers and would be 13th in the conference, eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card spot.
Of note, the Florida Panthers' five-game winning streak has them in a playoff spot right now. Prior to that the Cats were fifth in the division, five points out of third place, and they were 11th in the conference, four points out of the second wild card spot.
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