When was the last time the Eastern Conference playoffs were decided by early March?

[matter2003]

Pretty crazy to think the playoff teams are pretty much already locked in barring a monumental collapse by someone and an extreme hot streak by a team outside the playoffs that is close enough to catch them, which at this point is likely only Columbus, who is 13 points behind Washington with a game in hand for the final wildcard spot.

Highly unlikely this happens.

Cannot ever remember having such a disparity between good and bad teams in the conference.

Has this ever happened before?

[Marvin]

I can't recall any ever.  For a long time, so many teams made it in that there was always a race somewhere.

[Mustache of God]

4 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Pretty crazy to think the playoff teams are pretty much already locked in barring a monumental collapse by someone and an extreme hot streak by a team outside the playoffs that is close enough to catch them, which at this point is likely only Columbus, who is 13 points behind Washington with a game in hand for the final wildcard spot.

Highly unlikely this happens.

Cannot ever remember having such a disparity between good and bad teams in the conference.

Has this ever happened before?

What's even more wild is that the season is a month behind a normal season (where the last game of the regular season ends the first week of April, this year it goes to the last week of April). If this was a normal season the playoff picture would have been set in early February.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

18 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I can't recall any ever.  For a long time, so many teams made it in that there was always a race somewhere.

Same number of teams are making in it in as any other year*

The thing is the stinky teams really stink and the good teams are really good (there is a tier 1 and tier 2 of the playoff teams) and really nothing inbetween this year.

*not counting that stupidity last year

[GASabresIUFAN]

Is it because the top 8 teams are that good or the bottom 6 are just that bad?  At least those 8 teams are still jockeying for postions.

[SwampD]

6 minutes ago, The Ghost of Doohickie said:

Same number of teams are making in it in as any other year*

The thing is the stinky teams really stink and the good teams are really good (there is a tier 1 and tier 2 of the playoff teams) and really nothing inbetween this year.

*not counting that stupidity last year

But a lower percentage of teams.

[woods-racer]

It's Tampa and Florida and the rest of the league. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

30 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

It's Tampa and Florida and the rest of the league. 

And Colorado ...

[Marvin]

By points percentage, the top 8 in the East haven't changed since NOVEMBER. Wow.

[mjd1001]

4 hours ago, woods-racer said:

It's Tampa and Florida and the rest of the league. 

Besides the game against the Sabres, the Flames have been a dominant team for the past month or so.  I'm not sold on Tampa, they just aren't playing very well against other teams in playoff positions, I think they have taken that 1/2 step backward this season.

[dudacek]

That step was Gourde/Goodrow/Coleman.

Be interesting to see if Hagel and Paul can make enough of that back.

[French Collection]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

That step was Gourde/Goodrow/Coleman.

Be interesting to see if Hagel and Paul can make enough of that back.

You’re right. That line was built for the playoffs and matched up well vs anyone.

Gourde is an energizer bunny, Goodrow is a Swiss Army knife while Coleman had grit with some scoring.

I watched Goodrow and Paul play junior together and Goodrow is the better player. Hagel could fill Coleman’s spot.

[Drag0nDan]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Is it because the top 8 teams are that good or the bottom 6 are just that bad?  At least those 8 teams are still jockeying for postions.

I'd say for the most part... the bottom of the barrel teams in the east can't keep the puck out of the net.  Buffalo is 4-6 when they score 4 goals... and have given up 5 or more 20 times in 63 games.  

The islanders just had a very weird year.  13 games on the road to start because of stadium issues, then out of that continued losing up to an 11 game losing streak to be at 5-10-5 through 20.  21-15-4 since then and -4 goal differential on the season. 

[MattPie]

I remember the west being this way years ago, but the east was always bunched up.