San Jose, who has clinched the #2 seed, still has FOUR possible first-round opponents - Nashville, Phoenix, Los Angeles or Chicago. Vancouver, the #1 seed, still has three possible opponents.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL STANDINGS POSSIBILITIES
Seed Club
1 VANCOUVER (clinched)
2 SAN JOSE (clinched)
3 DETROIT (clinched)
4 ANAHEIM (clinched)
5 Nashville or Chicago
6 Nashville or Phoenix
7 Nashville, Phoenix, Los Angeles or Chicago
8 Los Angeles, Chicago or Dallas
If the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Detroit Red Wings in regulation or overtime:
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Phoenix Coyotes
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Nashville Predators
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Chicago Blackhawks
If the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Detroit Red Wings in a shootout:
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Nashville Predators
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Chicago Blackhawks
If the Chicago Blackhawks get one point against the Detroit Red Wings:
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Chicago Blackhawks
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Nashville Predators
If the Chicago Blackhawks lose in regulation to the Detroit Red Wings AND the Dallas Stars defeat the Minnesota Wild in regulation or overtime:
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Dallas Stars
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Nashville Predators
If the Chicago Blackhawks lose in regulation to the Detroit Red Wings AND the Dallas Stars defeat the Minnesota Wild in a shootout or lose in regulation, overtime or a shootout:
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Chicago Blackhawks
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Nashville Predators
Note on three-way tiebreaker:
Should Chicago defeat Detroit in a shootout, three teams (Chicago, Nashville and Phoenix) would end the season tied in points (99) and ROW (38) and occupy the 5 through 7 seeds in the Western Conference. The process to separate more than two teams tied in points and ROW is...best percentage of points earned in games involving those teams.
(By-Law language: "If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs...shall be used to determine the standing")
Chi pct is .650 (went 5-2-3, 13 pts earned out of 20 possible -- 3-1-2 vs Nsh, 2-1-1 vs Phx)
Phx pct is .563 (went 4-3-1, 9 pts earned out of 16 possible -- 2-1-1 vs Chi, 2-2-0 vs Nsh)
Nsh pct is .500 (went 5-5-0, 10 points earned out of 20 possible -- 3-3-0 vs Chi, 2-2-0 vs Phx)
So the order would be:
5. Chi
6. Phx
7. Nsh
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.