Hey, everybody, it’s Loffs Watch! Motto: Watching them ‘loffs since 2024.
It’s April 2 today, but even if it were still April Fools. I would never lie to you. Such is the sacred, solemn compact of Loffs Watch. I cannot say the same for the NHL standings, which spread such vile calumny this morning.
So you expect us to believe the Caps are back in the second wild-card spot? The Philadelphia Flyers have one more standings point (83) than the Washington Capitals (82), but that’s because the Flyers have played three (3) more games. One way of thinking of that is that the Caps are on a 92-point pace and the Flyers are on an 89-point pace. If the Caps earn just one of their next six potential points in their next three games, only then we could call it a tie.
Meanwhile, we shouldn’t sleep on the Red Wings, who beat the Lightning 4-2 last night. They’re not out of the race yet. They’ve got dates against the Rangers and Sabres coming up before a cataclysmic collision with the Capitals on April 9.
Keep in mind: it’s most likely that the Caps only have to beat one of the Wings or Flyers in order to make the playoffs. Right now, they’re beating (by points percentage) both, and they’ve got extra games left on their schedule. That’s why the Caps are ahead according to the models.
| Source | % |
|---|---|
| HockeyViz | 71 |
| Moneypuck | 67 |
| The Athletic | 64 |
(By the way, we subscribe to HockeyViz. If you’re interested in understanding hockey better in this particular way, we recommend it.)
So with both challengers gaining some ground last night, the Capitals’ playoff chances faltered, but only a little bit. In addition to DC’s game against Buffalo tonight, those chances may move again depending on how the CHI-NYI and PIT-NJD games go. You’re rooting for the Hawks and Devils, so I bet that feels nice and normal for you.
Loffs Watch Theme Song of the Day
Loffs Watch, signing off. Be back tomorrow for more Loffs Watch.
