from Michael Traikos at the Ottawa Citizen,

Commissioner Gary Bettman said he is considering “every conceivable alternative” on how the league can find some closure to this season. And we’re here to help. If necessity is the mother of invention, then let’s start inventing ways in which the league can still end up awarding the Stanley Cup.

Some of these ideas might sound crazy. But these are crazy times. And given the alternative of not having a name on the Stanley Cup, maybe they won’t be considered that crazy after all.

THE WILD CARD PLAY-IN

When the league went on hiatus, the schedule was incomplete. Some teams had played 71 games. Others had played 68 games.

The New York Islanders are currently one point back of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild card spot in the East. But the Islanders also have two games in hand. In the West, the Winnipeg Jets currently have a two-point lead on the ninth-place Vancouver Canucks for the first wild card spot. But again, the Canucks have played two less games.

If no more regular season games are played, the NHL has two options: they could determine playoff seeding by how the standings look today or base it on winning percentage.

Chances are, neither will make everyone happy. Not with weeks remaining and some teams riding a hot streak (Winnipeg) and others mired in a slump (Vancouver).

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