from Bruce Dowbiggin at the Globe and Mail,

TSN hockey analyst and former Calgary GM Craig Button has quantified the hurdles to holding onto a postseason berth or trying to jump up into a playoff spot. He produces his own daily form chart on the playoff possibilities that show who'll make it and who will fall by the wayside.

“People look at the standings and see that their team is just four or five points out,” says Button. “But we’re almost at the halfway point. If you’re that far behind with four teams between you and a playoff spot it’s going to be very hard to make a dramatic jump in the standings.”

Heading into action Sunday, Button’s charts estimated that it will take 51 points to make the Eastern Conference playoffs. In the tougher Western Conference, it will take 53 points and some tiebreakers to reach the postseason.

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