#honestly this scenario would be a really funny followup to last year where it took until literally the last game to see who wc2east would be

[freddieandersen]

so a dumb thing ive just put together is that it’s not unlikely that the leafs clinch a playoff spot on friday-- four ways simultaneously. scenario under the cut bc y’all who aren’t hockey fools don’t wanna see this i know

condition 1: the devils get 3 points in 2 games (tuesday and thursday). condition 2: the jackets get 2 points in 2 games (tuesday and thursday). condition 3: the flyers get 2 points in 2 games (tuesday and wednesday). condition 4: the panthers get 2 points in 2 games (wednesday and thursday). condition 5: the leafs win on wednesday against the panthers.

should all five conditions be met, the leafs would have 99 points, and:

the panthers would have 87 points with 6 games left; the devils would have 89 points with 5 games left;  the jackets and flyers would both have 91 points with 4 games left.

of the panthers’, flyers’, devils’, and jackets’ remaining games, none are played against each other. thus, all four teams could theoretically win all their remaining games, leaving each with 99 potential points (matching the leafs) as well as a greater potential ROW than the leafs (were they to lose all remaining games).

thus, should the leafs do anything against the islanders besides lose in regulation, they will have 100 points, clinching a playoff spot, four ways, simultaneously.

i would die if that happened tbh bc i’m going to Be at that game and let’s be real that would be wild, like, each individual condition isn’t that unlikely, but getting all five exactly right is unlikely