Blackhawks Daily: All 16 Playoff Teams Are Decided For 2023-24

The Chicago Blackhawks are still trying to find their way in the Western Conference. It is going to be a while before they are competing for a Stanley Cup but competing for the Wild Card might not be that far away. A few moves here or there could start to get this team turning corners.

The 8 Western Conference playoff teams have been decided. The Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, and Vegas Golden Knights have made it from the Pacific Division. The Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche, and Nashville Predators have made it from the Central.

For a while, the West looked stronger at the top but not as deep as the East. There were a lot of teams fighting hard to be the final few teams to clinch playoff berths.

The Detroit Red Wings got to overtime in their game which eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers. Meanwhile, the Flyers didn’t know that so they pulled the goalie in regulation to try and break the 1-1 tie before going to overtime (they needed the regulation win to stay alive).

With the goalie pulled, TJ Oshie scored for Washington, and that eliminated the Red Wings (who did win in extra time) and the Flyers. It also eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins who were idle. That means the Washington Capitals are dancing once again.

It has been a bumpy ride for the Caps all season long but they got it done when it mattered most. Alexander Ovechkin ended up going off in the second half and got his total up to 31 goals. He needs 41 more to tie Wayne Gretzky’s record and 42 to break it. Nobody should doubt his ability to do it next season. For right now, however, his focus is on the playoffs.

That means we have all 16 postseason teams decided. The New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Washington Capitals are going from the Metropolitan Division. The Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning are going from the Atlantic.

All of these teams have earned their spot and deserve to be here. There are some great teams on the outside looking in but that is the state of the NHL right now. Everyone is good and everyone has a chance. Once the playoffs begin, you can expect the entertainment factor to be even more prominent.

Blackhawks In Case You Missed It

• The Chicago Blackhawks will help the NHL in its quest to make hockey one of the most exciting sports in the world. With all of the young talent they have, they will be a big part of the story.
• Petr Mrazek was once again outstanding for the Blackhawks during Tueday’s loss to Vegas. But if his play contines into next season, an improved roster makes this a potentially scary team.
• Frank Nazar came to the Chicago Blackhawks and scored his first goal on the first shot of his first game. It was a beauty too as he showed some of his speed and skill.
• The Chicago Blackhawks were smart to give Frank Nazar his contract now and burn a year of his deal. He is playing well to start his NHL career already.

Hockey Now Playoff Focus

• New Jersey Hockey Now: The New Jersey Devils are done for the season. There are a lot of things to figure out if they are going to return to the playoffs next season.
• Detroit Hockey Now: The Detroit Red Wings missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the most insane way they possibly could on Tuesday night.
• Philly Hockey Now: The end of the Philadelphia Flyers season was about as unconventional as you could have imagined.
• Florida Hockey Now: The Florida Panthers have won the Atlantic Division and will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.