What The Canucks Need To Do To Clinch The 2023-24 Pacific Division Title
With five games remaining, the Canucks are closing in on the Pacific Division crown.
With five games remaining in the 2023-24 season, the Vancouver Canucks are closing in on winning the Pacific Division. If the Canucks can hold on, it will be the first time they are crowned Pacific Division champions and the first they will have won their division since 2012-13. With this in mind, here is a look at the Pacific Division race and what Vancouver needs to do to clinch the title.
As of the end of games on Apr. 6, the Canucks hold a three-point lead over the Edmonton Oilers for first in the division. While Vancouver has five games left, the Oilers have six, which includes a matchup against the Canucks on Saturday Apr. 13 in Edmonton. While the Oilers do have an easier schedule competition-wise, they still have two back-to-backs, which could cause fatigue issues and losses down the stretch.
Another critical factor in deciding the division is that Vancouver currently holds the tiebreaker as a result of a points tie. The NHL uses regulation wins as the first tiebreaker, which the Canucks lead 41-37. Based on the math, it is highly improbable that both teams would tie in points and regulation wins, meaning Vancouver needs to either tie or beat Edmonton in order to secure the crown.
The big question now is, what do the Canucks need to do over their final five games to secure the Pacific Divison? The answer is simple: win games. If Vancouver can win three of their final five, which includes beating the Oilers in regulation, it should be enough to capture the Pacific Division title.
While the math gets a bit complicated, here is a simplified breakdown of why the Canucks game against the Oilers is so crucial. If Vancouver beats Edmonton in regulation next Saturday, the most points the Oilers could get would be 109 points. A regulation win would also give Canucks at 104 points, meaning they would need five points from the other four games in order to guarantee Edmonton could not pass them. Add in the fact that the Oilers are most likely not going 5-0 in their other five games, and, in theory, Vancouver could clinch the Pacific Division in front of their home fans on Apr. 16 with the Calgary Flames in town.
Winning the Pacific Division is essential for multiple reasons. First, it is a testament to how well the Canucks have played all season, and second, it guarantees home-ice advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs. Lastly, if Vancouver is able to clinch the title despite a late push by Edmonton, it will mean they will have broken out of their current slump and have found their game heading into the postseason. Overall, it should be an exciting final two weeks of the season as the Canucks look to make history and capture their first Pacific Division title in franchise history.
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