With the playoff season just around the corner, teams will begin to be eliminated swiftly, as some teams just don't have the wins on paper to make it count.
Suppose the Blackhawks lose to the Capitals tonight. In that case, they will be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, along with a Calgary regulation win over the former Eastern Conference Champs, the Florida Panthers.
In addition, there are scenarios where the team would be eliminated as a regulation loss, and would not be able to make the playoffs if either the Vegas Golden Knights or St. Louis Blues got a point tonight.
Likewise, the Blackhawks will not make the playoffs if they lose in overtime, shootout, or Vegas or St. Louis win tonight.
So, if the team has any hopes of moving forward into the off-season we should hope for a win, and hope the Panthers beat the Flames, the Rangers beating the Blues and the Red Wings defeating the Golden Knights.
