The race in the Western Conference is wide open with the top-nine teams separated by nine points. Dallas, Winnipeg, Colorado and Minnesota will jockey for the top-three spots in the Central. Nashville likely feels they still have a chance as well, while Seattle, Vegas, LA, Edmonton and Calgary will battle for positioning in the Pacific division.

No spots are guaranteed at this point.

Would anyone be surprised if Colorado wins the Central, despite sitting in 4th spot today? I wouldn’t. The Avs are getting healthier and have played better since January 1st. Heck, the Nashville Predators are 9-4 in 2023 and only three points out of the final wildcard spot. They will need to continue their strong play, but they too are in the mix.

The top-four teams in the Pacific are separated by three points. It is shaping up to be the best race in years. But who has the advantage? Health will be a major factor, as will any acquisitions before the March 3rd trade deadline. (Side note, is this the first Friday trade deadline in NHL history? I can’t recall one, can you?) And the strength of schedule will also play a huge role.

We can’t predict health, and the next 26 days will sort out the trade acquisitions, but we can take a deep dive into the remaining schedule.

*** (2BTB) = second game of a back-to-back.***

Seattle: (29-15-5, 1st in Pacific and 3rd most points in the Western Conference).
33 games, 15 at home and 18 on the road.
They are 8-3-3 v. bottom-11 teams (in the standings) and 21-12-2 v. the rest.
@ NYI, NJ, NYR (2BTB), PHI, WPG
v. PHI, DET
@ SJ
v. BOS, TOR
@ STL, DET, CBJ (2BTB), COL
v. ANA, OTT, DAL, DAL
@ SJ
v. EDM
@ DAL, NSH, NSH, MIN
v. ANA, LA, ARI
@ VAN (2BTB)
v. ARI, CHI
@ ARI, LVK (2BTB)
v. LVK

They have road trips of four, four and five games, but they have 16 games remaining v. bottom-11 teams. They are in a good spot to make their first playoff appearance in franchise history, but these first five road games out of the break will likely set the tone for their stretch run.

Los Angeles: (28-18-7, 2nd in PAC and tied for 3rd most points in West).
29 games remaining with 16 at home and 13 on the road.
They are 13-2-4 v. bottom-11 teams and 15-16-3
v. PIT, BUF
@ ANA
v. ARI (2BTB)
@ MIN, NJ, NYI (2BTB), NYR, WPG
v. MTL, STL, WSH
@ COL
v. NSH, NYI, CBJ, VAN, CGY, WPG, STL
@ CGY, EDM, SEA, VAN
v. EDM
@ LVK
v. COL, VAN
@ ANA

They only play nine games in February, so the other Pacific teams will have a chance to pass them as the Kings have the 4th highest points% today. The five-game road trip later this month could determine how aggressive GM Rob Blake is at the deadline. The Kings are the only playoff teams with a – GF/GA differential right now. They need to upgrade their goaltending.

They have 10 games remaining v. bottom 11 teams.

Vegas: (29-18-4, 3rd in PAC, 5th most points in West).
31 games remaining with 14 at home and 17 on the road.
They are 14-5-1 v. bottom-11 teams and 15-13-3 v. the rest.
@ NSH, MIN
v. ANA, SJ, TB
@ CHI
v. CGY, DAL
@ COL
v. CAR, NJ, MTL
@ FLA, TB, CAR, STL (2BTB), PHI
v. CGY, CBJ
@ VAN, CGY, EDM
v. EDM
@ SJ
v. MIN
@ MIN, NSH (2BTB)
v. LA
@ DAL
v. SEA
@ SEA

Thirteen of their final 19 games are on the road including a five-game trip out east. The major storyline will be the health of Mark Stone. Rumours persist that his back injury will keep him out the remainder of the season, which would open up $9.5m in cap space for them to use at the deadline. But they’d be without Stone. Their goaltending has really slowed down in the past six weeks. Like the Kings they are in the market for a goalie.

They have nine games remaining v. bottom-11 teams. They have a tough schedule.

Edmonton: (28-18-4, 4th in the PAC and have the 6th most points in the West).
32 games remaining with 14 at home and 18 on the road.
They are 10-3-2 v. bottom-11 teams and 18-15-2 v. the rest.
@ DET, PHI, OTT, MTL (2BTB)
v. DET, NYR
@ COL
v. PHI
@ PIT, CBJ
v. BOS, TOR, WPG
@ WPG (2BTB), BUF, BOS, TOR
v. OTT, DAL
@ SEA
v. SJ, ARI, LVK,
@ ARI, LVK (2BTB)
v. LA, ANA
@ LA, ANA (2BTB), SJ, COL
v. SJ

They have three four-game road trips, but they have been good on the road thus far at 15-7-1. They have 15 games remaining v. bottom-11 teams. They have a favourable schedule (quality of competition wise) and should make a good run to win their division for the first time since 1987.

Calgary: (24-17-9, 5th in PAC and tied for 8th most points in West).
32 games remaining with 16 at home and 16 on the road.
They are 8-4-4 v. bottom-11 teams and 16-13-5 v. the rest.
@ NYR, DET, BUF, OTT
v. DET, NYR, PHI
@ ARI, LVK (2BTB), COL
v. BOS, TOR, MIN
@ DAL, MIN
v. ANA, OTT
@ ARI, LVK
v. DAL
@ LAK, ANA (2BTB)
v. LVK, SJ, LAK
@ VAN
v. ANA, CHI
@ WPG (2BTB), VAN
v. NSH, SJ

They are done with games in the Eastern time zone on February 13th, and their travel distance and quality of competition down the stretch is very favourable. They have 15 games remaining v. bottom-11 teams.

Dallas: (28-13-10, 1st in Central and have the most points in the West).
31 games, 17 at home and 14 on the road.
They are 13-3 v. the bottom-11 teams and 15-10-10 v. the rest.
Home v. ANA, MIN, TBL BOS
@ MIN
v. CBJ (2BTB), CHI
@ LVK
V. VAN, ARI
@ CHI (2BTB)
v. COL, CGY
@ BUF, SEA, SEA, VAN, EDM, CGY
v. SEA, PIT, VAN
@ CHI, ARI, COL
v. NSH, PHI, LVK
@ DET, STL
v. STL (2BTB)

They have 13 games remaining v. the bottom 11 teams in the NHL. They have three sets of BTB games remaining and their toughest part of the schedule is a six-game road trip in March.

Winnipeg: (32-19-1, 2nd in CEN and 2nd most points in West)
30 games remaining. 15 at home and 15 on the road.
They are 17-4 v. bottom-11 teams and 15-15-1 v. the rest.
v. CHI, SEA
@CBJ, NJ, NYR (2BTB), NYI.
v. COL, NYI, LAK
@ EDM
v. EDM (2BTB), SJ, MIN
@ FLA, TB, CAR
v. BOS
@NSH, STL
v. ARI
@ANA, LAK, SJ
v. DET, NJ, CGY, NSH, SJ
@ MIN (2BTB), COL.

The Jets have a very difficult travel schedule between March 11th to 28th that starts in Florida and ends in San Jose. They play 10 games in 10 different cities. The two home games are just pit stops between road trips.

They have 10 games remaining v. the bottom 11 teams.

Minnesota: (27-17-4, 3rd in CEN and 7th most points in West).
34 games remaining, 17 at home and 17 on the road.
They are 16-3-1 v. bottom 11 teams and 11-14-2 v. the rest.
@ ARI, DAL
v. LVK (2BTB), NJ, FLA, COL, DAL, NSH, LAK
@CBJ, TOR (2BTB)
v. CBJ, NYI
@ VAN, CGY
v. CGY
@ WPG, SJ, ARI, STL
v. BOS, WSH
@ NJ, PHI
v. CHI, SEA
@ COL, LVK
v. LVK
@ PIT
v. STL
@ CHI
v. WPG
@ NSH

The Wild have a 7-game homestand starting this Thursday, but they end the season with eight games in eight different cities. They have 11 games remaining v. the bottom-11 teams.

Colorado: (27-18-3, 4th in CEN, 8th most points in West).
34 games remaining, 16 at home and 18 on the road.
They are 10-7 v. bottom-11 teams and 17-11-3 v. the rest.
@ PIT, TB, FLA
v. TB
@ MIN (2BTB), STL
v. EDM
@ WPG
v. CGY (2BTB), LVK, NJ
@ DAL
v. SEA, SJ, LAK, ARI
@ MTL, TOR, OTT, DET
v. CHI, PIT, ARI
@ ARI, ANA (2BTB)
v. MIN, DAL
@ SJ, SJ, LAK, ANA
v. EDM, WPG
@ NSH (2BTB)

They have stretch in March where they play nine of 12 games v. bottom-11 teams. They have 13 games remaining v. the bottom-11 teams and 12 of them are in their final 21 games. They should make a strong push as I have to think they will improve their record (10-7) v. those teams down the stretch.

Nashville: (24-18-6, 5th in CEN and 10th most points in West).
34 games remaining, 17 at home and 17 on the road.
They are 11-6-1 v. bottom-11 teams and 13-12-5 v. the rest.
v. LVK
@ PHI
v. ARI, BOS, FLA
@ MIN (2BTB)
v. VAN
@ SJ, ARI
v. PIT
@ FLA, CHI, VAN, ARI, LAK, ANA (2BTB)
v. DET, CHI, WPG
@ NYR (2BTB), BUF
v. SEA, SEA, TOR (2BTB)
@ BOS, PIT
v. STL
@ DAL
v. LVK (2BTB), CAR
@ WPG, CGY
v. MIN, COL (2BTB)

They play 16 games in March including 10 on the road. They will need to be in the race on March 3rd for GM David Poile to consider having them as a buyer. His challenge is they only play 10 games in February, so they likely will be out of a playoff spot by then. I don’t see them making it.

They have 11 games remaining v. bottom-11 teams.

Nashville will need to play great to get in. I don’t see it happening, but the races for home ice advantage and the two wildcard spots will be great. I view Edmonton and Seattle as the best chances to win the Pacific. Edmonton has found its stride since January 1st, and they haven’t relied on one facet of their game to win. They are scoring, both 5×5 and on the power play, and they’ve rediscovered the defensive game they had down the stretch last year, and both goalies have been solid.

It also helps that Connor McDavid is chasing 60+ goals and 150 points. I could see Ken Holland being more aggressive at the deadline than Seattle GM Ron Francis, and that should only improve the Oilers’ odds of winning the division. Vegas’ goaltending is a concern, but the potential gain of $9.5m in cap space due to Mark Stone finishing the year on LTIR, would allow Kelly McCrimmon to take some big swings at the deadline.

Los Angeles, Minnesota and Calgary will likely battle for the two wildcard spots. The Flames have the most favourable schedule, and the biggest question will be if they start running with Dan Vladar more often.

Who do you think wins the Central? Who wins the Pacific? Who misses the playoffs?

Do you want to come with us to Toronto in March for an HNIC matchup that we’ll be watching in a suite? Of course you do. That’s why I’m telling you to sign up for the #NationVacation to T.O. and join us for a weekend that no one will soon forget. Check out the details you need right here.