We’ve all heard it. The teams in playoff position on Thanksgiving make the eventual playoffs in April. So I did a tad of research. Since my time, and attention span, is dwindling I only went back the last two years. Or since they created the present day divisional set up.
Of the 32 teams that were in playoff position on the fourth Thursday of November, six failed to make the playoffs. In other words, 84% did.
However the percentage sky rockets if you sit in the top three seeds of your division. Of those 24 teams only 1 failed to make the playoffs. The 2013-14 Washington Capitals barely sat in third place of the Metropolitan Division. They were just one point ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes who sat out of the playoff picture entirely. Translation, the Caps didn’t exactly tear it up in the first 20 games.
The bottom line is, if you sit in the top three spots of your division on Thanksgiving you have a 96% chance of making the playoffs. At least according to the last two seasons.
Interesting note: The Toronto Maple Leaf were in wild card position for both years and of course puked it up each time.
Meanwhile Mike Babcock boosts they are only 3 points out and, “we would like to be in playoff position”. I say, be careful for what you wish for.
This year looks particularly tight with numerous teams on the bubble. I’ll give this thread a few more days to marinate, until Thursday’s turkey, and see what the standings tell us. Maybe we can find some value on a future. Who knows.
Of the 32 teams that were in playoff position on the fourth Thursday of November, six failed to make the playoffs. In other words, 84% did.
However the percentage sky rockets if you sit in the top three seeds of your division. Of those 24 teams only 1 failed to make the playoffs. The 2013-14 Washington Capitals barely sat in third place of the Metropolitan Division. They were just one point ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes who sat out of the playoff picture entirely. Translation, the Caps didn’t exactly tear it up in the first 20 games.
The bottom line is, if you sit in the top three spots of your division on Thanksgiving you have a 96% chance of making the playoffs. At least according to the last two seasons.
Interesting note: The Toronto Maple Leaf were in wild card position for both years and of course puked it up each time.
Meanwhile Mike Babcock boosts they are only 3 points out and, “we would like to be in playoff position”. I say, be careful for what you wish for.
This year looks particularly tight with numerous teams on the bubble. I’ll give this thread a few more days to marinate, until Thursday’s turkey, and see what the standings tell us. Maybe we can find some value on a future. Who knows.
