from Frank Seravalli of TSN,

For all the talk of parity, there is maybe one playoff spot up for grabs in each conference with exactly 20 per cent of the season to play.

Seven teams in the West all have a 99 per cent chance or better of making the playoffs, according to HockeyViz.com, leaving just Minnesota (78 per cent) to battle it out with Colorado (17 per cent). In the East, the Flyers (46 per cent) are the only non-playoff team with better than a 10 per cent shot. HockeyViz.com uses a model based on schedule, possession metrics and save percentage that has been touted as the most accurate in the analytics community.

Flyers forward Jakub Voracek predicted last week his team would need 10 out of 12 points in their six-game homestand to stay afloat in the chase. They can hit that mark (5-1-0) with a win against Tampa Bay on Monday night. Detroit (75 per cent) and Pittsburgh (88 per cent) will be tough to catch, but the final wild card spot will likely be decided with the Flyers facing the Penguins three times over the final 13 games. Voracek hasn’t played since Feb. 25 with a “lower-body” injury and he’s expected back by March 15.

more topics...