The NHL playoff standings are getting clearer but there are still some heated races for the wild card spots. It was just a week ago that the Boston Bruins were on the outside looking in which led some fans to wonder if Claude Julien should be fired. On March 25 Adam Kaufman of Boston.com noted:
Change may be inevitable for a club that’s regressed to a shocking degree from a Stanley Cup finalist two years ago to a Presidents’ Trophy winner that bowed out in the conference semis last season to one now fighting for its playoff life each time it takes the ice.
If anyone, general manager Peter Chiarelli, who rebuilt this franchise from a postseason bystander to a champion for the first time in 39 years, is to blame. The problem starts at the top.
But now Boston has the key to their own destiny and faces a Detroit team tonight that has been ravaged by injuries and have faded down the stretch losing four of their last five. A Boston win tonight would put them in a virtual tie with Detroit in the NHL playoff race.
Here are the NHL Playoff Standings as of April 2:
NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE:
(Atlantic Division)
Montreal Canadiens: 102 points
Tampa Bay Lightning : 101 points
Detroit Red Wings: 93 points
(Metropolitan Division)
New York Rangers: 103 points
New York Islanders: 95 points
Pittsburgh Penguins: 95 points
Wild Card Leaders:
Washington Capitals: 94 points
Boston Bruins: 91 points
Outside Looking In:
Ottawa Senators: 88 points
Florida Panthers: 85 points
NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE
(Central Division)
Nashville Predators: 103 points
St. Louis Blues: 99 points
Chicago Blackhawks: 98 points
(Pacific Division)
Anaheim Ducks: 107 points
Vancouver Canucks: 95 points
Calgary Flames: 91 points
Wild Card Leaders:
Minnesota Wild: 95 points
Winnipeg Jets: 90 points
Outside Looking In:
Los Angeles Kings: 88 points
San Jose Sharks: 85 points
