Looking at the Calgary Flames playoff chances

The Calgary Flames did exactly nothing at this year’s trade deadline. All signs point to the Flames pushing forward as a bubble team trying to make the playoffs in a wild card spot, and then just seeing how things go in the postseason.

For a team that was written off from the start of the year, the Flames have undoubtedly surpassed the expectations of almost everyone. However, they remain in the mushy middle, and the success of their season now completely rests on their ability to make the playoffs.

With just 20 games left, and the Flames waking up this morning outside the playoff picture. Here’s how things look, and what the last stretch of games are going to feature.

A two-horse race

Over the past couple of weeks, the standings have shuffled into a two-horse race for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. If the Flames are going to make the playoffs, they’re going to need to make it over Vancouver Canucks, who currently hold down the second wild card spot.

The St. Louis Blues and Utah Hockey Club aren’t out of it by any means, but Vancouver is the team to beat, and the team the Flames need to pass.

With the surging Central Division, the first wild card spot is spoken for, so that really leaves just one spot up for grabs at this point.

Calgary Flames playoff odds

According to a variety of public sources, the Flames are in tough to make the playoffs over the Canucks, however the odds can swap in a matter of days if either team goes on any kind of streak, hot or cold.

Team	MoneyPuck	HockeyReference	PlayoffStatus	FanDuel Sportsbook	Power Rankings Guru	HockeyViz
CGY	26.8%	32.7%	37.0%	29.4%	29.8%	33.3%
VAN	42.8%	42.4%	37.0%	60.9%	42.6%	59.4%

Right now, the Canucks are in the driver’s seat and control their own destiny. They are only one point up on the Flames though, so things could change on a nightly basis.

Perhaps the biggest game on the calendar for the rest of the season is next Wednesday night, March 12th when the Flames and Canucks face off head-to-head for the last time this season.

Whoever wins that game will surely take over control of the playoff push. That’s what you call must-watch hockey.