It’s a pretty large understatement to say that the 2023-24 NHL season has been long and arduous, but there is a silver lining just ahead: The Stanley Cup playoffs are now within reach of many teams, including the Nashville Predators. With only four games left in the regular season schedule, the Preds can legitimately start building the excitement and anticipation of moving on to the playoff season, where every team is 0-0-0, and regular season records don’t really mean anything. Yes, the best of the best in the regular season can easily fall face-first on the ice (just ask the Boston Bruins last season), but it’s the teams that enjoy the playoff grind that seem to make it all the way to early June.
The Predators have the Magic Number “One” Left
With four regular season games left, the Predators can wrap up a playoff berth with a win at home against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. With an overall record of 45-29-4, Nashville is down to the magic number “one” in terms of clinching a playoff spot and need just one point in the next four games in order to secure at least the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. With a win over the New Jersey Devils last night, the Preds could have stayed their final claim on a wild card spot yesterday. However, the St. Louis Blues are still mathematically contending for a wild card spot at their 6-5 shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks yesterday kept them still in the hunt for that elusive last playoff spot. A win over Winnipeg tomorrow night will secure a postseason spot for Nashville but there’s still many fluid instances of playoff spots still up for grabs in the Western Conference going into the final days of the regular season.
Who Will the Predators Face in the First Round?
At this point in time, it’s probably not a matter of if the Predators make the playoffs, but who will they face in the ominous first round of the postseason. At this moment in time, the playoffs are still fluid and seem to be a daunting task for Nashville. The most likely scenarios are these:
- Dallas Predators – facing the entire team is a task in itself given how dominant the Stars have been this season and a top Western Conference contender to make it to the Stanley Cup finals.
- Vancouver Canucks – what a difference a year makes. Under Rick Tocchet, the Canucks have turned things around, and with the likes of Elias Petterson, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko, Vancouver could easily make a deep playoff run.
- Colorado Avalanche – Let’s see, Nathan McKinnon and Cale Makar. Enough said.
- Winnipeg Jets – Connor Hellebuyck has helped turned around the fortunes of the pride of Manitoba and if they fly high on all of their engines, the Jets are simply dangerous.
- Edmonton Oilers – The comeback team of the season. With Connor McDavid and Company, all things are possible.
