And Then There Were Three...

By Adam W Parks

This is the final week of the NHL regular season. The Wings clinched themselves a playoff spot last week, but their position in the standings is as firm as waves in gravy.

With just three games left Detroit could finish as high as fifth or at the bottom in eighth. Currently, as of Wednesday morning, April 7, the Wings sit in seventh and would matchup against the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs.

Does Playoff Position Even Matter?

NHL talking heads and fans seem to agree that all of the top teams in the West are fearing a first round date with Detroit. Not only are the Wings healthy and playing their best hockey of the season right now, but they have arguably been the best team in the league after the Winter Olympics.

Despite all the injuries and scoring struggles in the first 75% of the season the Wings have faired very well against the top four teams in the conference. Detroit has earned seven out of a possible eight points against the Sharks (3-0-1), and six points from Vancouver (3-1-0) and Phoenix (2-0-2).

Their 2-2-1 against Chicago looks less than impressive at first glance, but those two regulation losses came when Detroit was down in the injury dumps. When healthy Detroit has the edge with two wins and a shootout loss.

A Perfect Matchup?

Ideally, this would be the best possible first round matchup. The Wings are more familiar with the Hawks and they would avoid the long travel to other far-western destinations like Arizona, California, and dumb-Canuckville. Plus, neither Cristobal Huet nor Antti Niemi look that impressive in net. I'd take Jimmy Howard to win four out of seven against those two losers.

It would be a perfect opening round series for the NHL too. If the season did indeed end with no change in the standings in either the West or the East, Detroit Vs Chicago would be the most attractive and intriguing opening round series in all of the playoffs. The story lines write themselves:

Two Original Sixers! A rematch of the 2009 Western Finals! Another chapter in the revitalized rivalry!

There are only two potential toppers to that in any 2010 playoff series: Pittsburgh Vs Washington in the Eastern Finals, or (dare I say?) a Stanley Cup 'Rubber Match'...

Be Careful What You Wish For

Alas, in order for this first round dream series to occur, we as Wings fans will have to hope for a very poor finish out of Hockeytown. Chicago (107) is two points behind San Jose for best in the West and has clinched at least the No. 2 seed.

Detroit lost back-to-back games to Nashville and Philadelphia on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Now they must climb over the Kings for the sixth seed before they can catch the Predators if they want to secure fifth place--the highest possible playoff position.

The Wings have the best chance to win-out the rest of the season with home and away games against Columbus tonight and Friday, and a season finale in Chicago on Sunday.

Los Angeles has two tough games out of their three remaining. They play host to Phoenix on Thursday and Edmonton on Saturday, and then finish out in Colorado on Sunday. Nashville only has two games left and both are potential pitfalls: in Phoenix tonight and at home Saturday against a Blues team that is playing like they haven't already been eliminated from the playoffs.

What is the worst case scenario here if the matchup and seed doesn't matter? As long as the Wings win two or all of these remaining games, I couldn't be happier with the way this regular season concludes.

Damn it feels good to discuss the potential scenarios after stressing slightly over the prospect of Detroit not making the postseason! Three more games before the playoffs! Let's see your @#$%ing beards! Let's throw some @#$%ing octopi! Let's @#$%ing go!

Peace