Three NHL Teams In A Playoff Spot That Could Fall Out

Typically, by U.S. Thanksgiving, NHL teams who are in a playoff spot are likely to make the postseason. But, are there some exceptions this season?

Here are three contenders to lose their playoff position:

The Rangers are hanging onto the first wild-card spot in the East, but that's deceiving as they're tied with the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins with 25 points. The team has lost five in a row and it doesn't appear things are turning around anytime soon. 

Their downward spiral is becoming harder to ignore. Reports of friction between the front office and players suggest deeper issues within the team. GM Chris Drury has made it known he's open for business and thrown Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba out there as players he's willing to move. It's also being reported that Kaapo Kakko could be destined for a fresh start. 

Adding fuel to the fire, rumors indicate the Rangers have explored a trade for Vancouver’s J.T. Miller, which feels like a desperate move to spark a faltering core. If the team can’t stabilize its internal dynamics, their playoff aspirations may slip away. 

The Flames are exceeding expectations, thanks in large part to stellar goaltending from rookie Dustin Wolf and veteran Dan Vladar. 

Wolf’s .918 save percentage and 2.59 goals-against average are drawing Calder Trophy buzz, but relying on a rookie netminder is risky. Rookies are notoriously inconsistent, and Wolf’s performance could regress to the mean as the season progresses. Vladar’s future with the team is also uncertain with the trade deadline looming. If their goaltending cools off, Calgary’s overachieving run could come to an abrupt end. 

It's important to keep in mind too that the Flames not being sellers this season would be a surprise. Right now, the team is winning and their GM wants to buy. However, no one is selling yet and as time goes along, the Flames may hit a losing streak or two which will change their mindset about shopping for players to improve their team this season. 

Technically on the outside looking in, but tied with the Flyers and Rangers. it’s hard to ignore the Bruins’ struggles before and after firing their Jack Adams-winning coach Jim Montgomery. This is the third time the team has let a coach go that the rest of the league knows is a top-tier bench boss. This time, Montgomery was out of the job for five days before being quickly hired by the St. Louis Blues. 

Their new coach Joe Sacco’s tenure has started shakily – including a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. They have the league’s second-worst power play (12 percent) and a goal differential of -19. Their top scorer is David Pastrnak (22 points) and he is tied for 42nd in the league for scoring. No one else is close. 

The Bruins are at a crossroads. If they hit another slump, especially with the parity in the Eastern Conference, their playoff spot could be in jeopardy.

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