via ESPN:

“I can guarantee you yesterday the whole entire league is scoreboard watching, and that includes them,” [Ryan] Johnson said Monday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000. “And I’m sure they were sitting there hoping there wasn’t a plane leaving Chicago today for Vancouver, I can tell you that much.”

Johnson would be right, but as a fan who has always been a little freaked out about facing the Blackhawks, I have to say I’m a bit less stressed about it with them losing their final game and not seizing their own destiny. Plus the first round is a better time to face them than later, imho—put old ghosts to rest before they even have a chance to get in your head.

All things considered, the situation is not as daunting as it might have been. As Johnson put it: “I should send over a case of cognac or red wine to [the Wild] to kick off the next few days.” Indeed. Send one to Dallas, too. Someone needs to thank them for stretching their carcasses out on the playoff highway like roadkill.

(Updated with a Mullet…)