The Toronto North Stars have the tough end of season schedule. They are literally playing playoff teams or playoff contenders who are also going for the final playoff spot. Toronto is a pretty good team but playing against teams better than them is tougher than it looks.
They are going to play the Wolfpack lots of games, Buffalo, LA, and Hamilton. Hamilton aren't great but they play Buffalo who are battling Toronto for the final spot. Though buffalo aren't a great offensive team, they are a great defensive team with about 120 goals allowed only. However they play NEW like 4 games. They're in a hot streak and looking to secure a playoff spot for 3rd place. Toronto is a shit team in terms of defense and that'll be the focus. So they have a rough finish and have to do anything to win these games. They'll lose of course cause they're not good.
The toughest schedule coming up for the rest of the season belongs to the team least likely to make the playoffs that are still mathematically in the playoff race. The Edmonton Blizzard currently sit last in the West, and have 2 games in hand to eliminated San Francisco.
The Blizzard face the Riot 2 times in their end of season schedule, the most of any team in the SHL. The Riot are the top team in the SHL right now, and the Blizzard have won only 1 game this season in their previous 4 meetings. Also, they face the Dragons, Jets, Panthers and Renegades twice each, all teams that are fighting to stay or get into the playoffs in the West. And their final game is against the Rage who are 1 point out of the playoffs, so you best bet they will be fighting tooth and nail to win every point possible. So the easiest games in theory, for the Blizzard are the 2 against the LA Panthers, who they have also gone 1-3 in their past 4 meetings.
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To me, the Detroit Falcons have one of the harder schedules leading into the playoffs. Granted, the Falcons are in 2nd place overall in the SMJHL, but their spot isn’t safe, as Colorado is sneaking up behind them. In their last 10 games, the Falcons play:
- Vancouver 3 times
- Montreal 2 times
- Prince George 2 times
- Halifax 3 times
The most important games are the three games against Vancouver and the three against Halifax. The games against Vancouver can be seen as dangerous. Granted, Vancouver has nothing to lose since they’re already out of the playoffs, but a loss to them could mean the Falcons losing their top 2 spot in the league. The games against Halifax are also dangerous. Halifax is miles ahead of everyone else in the SMJHL currently, and losses to them could prove harmful to the Falcons’ current playoff spot. The games against Montreal and Prince George are less of a harm to the Falcons’ playoff chances. If anything, losing some of those games could give Detroit a more favorable playoff position.
Determine which team has the most difficult schedule over the last 10 games of the season and explain why. Will this impact whether they make the playoffs at the end of the season? Minimum 150 words, justify your decision using at least two statistics, either individual or team-based.
I don't envy the West Kendall Platoon schedule...
They start off at home against Calgary (have been home for 2 days, so really nice), but then have the following travel itinerary:
Manhattan (3 hour flight north)
Back home for 3 days to face Minnesota (another 3 hour flight followed by rest, rest, game)
Rest day, then to San Francisco (the California one, so 6 hours and going back 3 time zones, so jet lag)
Back home for Minnesota (reverse 6 hour flight, added jet lag, then game that night)
Rest day, then Boston for the Wolfpack (3 hour flight)
Over to Winnipeg the next day (5 hours plus a time zone, still on the road)
Home for the Steelhawks (5 and a half hours and a time zone, finally home, but you have to play a game before a good shower and your own bed)
LAP the next day (5 hour flight plus those damn 3 time zones again)
And a few days to make that 5 hour flight back to play Hamilton for the final game
No wonder they're on the skid, their flight plan is horrible. The whole team's at 80+ EN, though, so hopefully they're ready to use depth to secure that playoff spot that was all but a birthright early in the season. Not sure if there's another team that has a worse flight plan, maybe someone like would have a similar hell. Jesus, that means Kaapo Kekkonen, in his retirement year, played for two of the worst traveling teams in the SHL. Luckily, WKP's playing the old man less minutes per game (21 in LAP, 16 in WKP), so it should balance out.
Mac Registered
S23, S38 Challenge Cup Champion and wittle pretty princess
It may seem a little biased, given that it is my own team, however this was a discussion that we had recently, is that our end of the season schedule is one of the, if not THE most brutal.
With seven games left, this is our remaining schedule.
Code:
Manhattan Rage vs Winnipeg Jets
Toronto North Stars vs Manhattan Rage
Calgary Dragons vs Manhattan Rage
Manhattan Rage vs Hamilton Steelhawks
Buffalo Stampede vs Manhattan Rage
Manhattan Rage vs Hamilton Steelhawks
Winnipeg Jets vs Manhattan Rage
As you can see, we have the pleasure of facing off against the leagues best team, twice in that span, which is in, and of itself a challenge to gain two points, let alone four.
So after that, what else could possibly be difficult? Spending 5 nights on the road, sleeping in hotels, airports, cabs, luggage, a late season vacation is something needed, but intermixed with games every other day, its hard to say a team on the bubble will have what it takes to make that final push with only two games at home, the final, being against the dominant Winnipeg Jets.
Gaining steam in the later half of the season, is Colt Jr, a player whose knack for clutch goals, with three of his four as game winners, could come as a surprise with a clutch OT goal to send the Rage to the playoffs.
Will that happen? Yes.
bluesfan55 IIHF Federation Head
Too young for this shit
New England is fighting for their life in the SHL, with the team only being two points out of the playoffs. However, they are going to have to try their best to make it this year, as they have a tough ten games left to end the season. The only easy games they have are two games against the Hamilton Steelhawks (who are bottom of the East but not eliminated yet) and a game against the San Francisco Pride, who have been eliminated.
New England vs Toronto
Toronto is two points above the Wolfpack, good for fourth in the East, and this game will prove crucial to both team's playoff hopes.
New England vs West Kendall
A very good young West Kendall team currently sit atop the East, ten points above New England, and if the Wolfpack want to make the playoffs, then this game is a must-win.
New England vs Winnipeg
This Jets team is lead by great veterans including Jason Visser, Zach Evans, and Luke Fleming. With the Jets sitting second in the West, the Wolfpack must hope that the team is off their game.
New England vs Minnesota
The Chiefs are second place in the East, eight points above the Wolfpack. With Minnesota almost having clinched, they will look to deal a blow to New England's playoff hopes with a win.
Surprisingly, the Wolfpack avoid games with Manhatten (42 points, level with them) and Buffalo (44 points, two points above them). Time will tell if New England will make the playoffs, but having won the Four Star Cup just three seasons ago, the team's spark isn’t out just yet.
ty to @High Stick King @EvilAllBran and @Ragnar for the sigs
Alex Mack Registered
S27, S29, S32, S40, S42 Challenge Cup Champion
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The Edmonton Blizzard have the hardest schedule to close out the remainder of season 37. Fortunately for the Blizzard they’re already eliminated from playoff contention so it probably does not matter all of that much. Why is their schedule the hardest. Well let’s look at their opponents. 8 of their 10 games are against teams that are basically in the playoffs. The Riot, Jets, Renegades, and Dragons are all strong teams that should be in the post season. 80% of your games against playoff teams when you’re the worst team in the league is not a good start. To make it even worse, 4/10 games are against the two best teams in the league. The Blizzard have to face the Riot and Jets twice, who are the top two teams in the league with 29 and 28 wins. These two teams also have the best point differentials in the league with 34 and 32 respectively. It hasn’t looked good for the Blizzard often this season and that’s unlikely to change going into the final stretch. Fortunately the Blizzard are playing for the first overall pick and have a good shot at securing it.
The Edmonton Blizzard have the most difficult schedule in the last 10 games of the season because they’re literally the worst team in the league in many statistical categories and overall and it’s not even close. Every game is an uphill climb for them as they’re trying to overcome teams with a drastic skill advantage. Because of these insurmountable odds, they’re clearly the team that’s in the most futile position and will have the most difficulty putting up wins in these final games. It will not, however, impact them making the playoffs or not, because that’s been established for quite a while that they will not be making the SHL Challenge Cup Playoffs. The Blizzard currently sit with a record of 12-25-7 and are 21 points out of a playoff spot. They’ve already been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, and the best result they can hope for now is a win in the SHL Draft Lottery.
The worst schedule must be that of the Hamilton Steelhawks, as they are the shittiest team in the East at the moment and they play against all Eastern teams that are above them in the standings they just cant lose a game. If they blow a game, they immediately are another game behind so they just cant lose them. With Minnesota (once) Buffalo (twice) New England (twice) Toronto (once), Manhattan (Twice) , West Kendall Platoon (twice) they simply do not have an real easy game (Sorry San Francisco, we really mean you) left.
Next to that as you can see in the schedule below, they only play at home for four more times, so they will have to win on the road to save their season.
64 289 Hamilton Steelhawks Minnesota Chiefs
67 297 Buffalo Stampede Hamilton Steelhawks
69 308 Hamilton Steelhawks New England Wolfpack
70 311 Buffalo Stampede Hamilton Steelhawks
72 321 Hamilton Steelhawks Toronto North Stars
73 324 Manhattan Rage Hamilton Steelhawks
74 332 Hamilton Steelhawks West Kendall Platoon
75 338 Manhattan Rage Hamilton Steelhawks
77 344 Hamilton Steelhawks New England Wolfpack
78 345 Hamilton Steelhawks West Kendall Platoon
The team that has the most difficult schedule in the last 10 games of the season are the Texas Renegades.
YOU KNOW THEY SAY ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. BUT YOU LOOK AT THE SEATTLE RIOT AND YOU LOOK AT THE TEXAS RENEGADES AND YOU CAN SEE THAT STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE! SEE NORMALLY IF YOU GO 1 ON 1 WITH ANOTHER TEAM YOU GOT A 50/50 CHANCE OF WINNING! BUT SEATTLE'S A GENETIC FREAK AND THEY AREN'T NORMAL! SO THE RENEGADES GOT A 25% AT BEST AT BEATING THE RIOT! AND THEN YOU ADD JED LLOREN TO THE MIX, YOU THE CHANCES OF WINNING DRASTIC GO DOWN FOR THE RENEGADES! SEE, THE RENEGADES HAVE TO PLAY SEATTLE 4 TIMES IN THE FINAL 10 GAMES, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE A 1/16 CHANCE OF WINNING ALL THOSE GAMES, BUT SEATTLE HAS A CHANCE A OF WINNING 3/4 CHANCE OF WINNING ALL THOSE GAMES. SEE THE 3 WAY AT SACRIFICE YOU GOT A 33 1/3 CHANCE OF WINNING. BUT I, I GOT A 66 2/3 CHANCE OF WINNING CAUSE THE WINNIPEG JETS KNOWS THEY CAN'T BEAT SEATTLE AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN GONNA TRY! SO TEXAS RENEGADES YOU TAKE YOUR 33 1/3 CHANCE MINUS SEATTLE'S 25% CHANCE AND YOU GOT 8 1/3 CHANCE OF WINNING AT SACRIFICE. BUT THEN YOU TAKE SEATTLE'S 75% CHANCE OF WINNING IFYOUR WAS TO GO 1 ON 1 AND THEN ADD 66 2/3 %. SEATTLE GOT A 141 2/3 CHANCE OF WINNING AT SACRIFICE! SENIOR RENEGADES? THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE AND THEY SPELL DISASTER FOR THE TEXAS RENEGADES AT SACRIFICE!
Oh, during the season so far, Seattle has lost 3 out of the 4 meetings between the teams, so they'll be looking to finally get a win over the hated Renegades. Seattle will need to score against the Renegades though, as they currently have 12 goals to their 13.
When looking over the schedule I would say the Hamilton Steelhawks have the most difficult schedule over the last 10 games. They are currently sitting in last place in the eastern division and I believe the schedule they have coming up will deter their chances of making the playoffs. They started the season very strong but that wasn’t enough to stop the top teams in the east.
In the last 10 they play Minnesota, Buffalo, New England, Toronto, Manhattan and West Kendall Platoon. 4/6 of those teams are currently in a playoff position and aren’t locked down. Basically every game left of the season is an important one as spots 3,4,5,6 are very close. When looking at the standings the teams I think the must win games are the ones against Manhattan and Buffalo all fighting for the 4th spot in the East. Right now looking at stats their best chances are against Manhattan where they’ve gone 2W-1L, they haven’t been as lucky against Buffalo going 2W-4L. The Steelhawks have players like Ben Dover who is currently leading the team with 47 points in 44 games played, there’s Noro Wozy with 42 points and rookie Robert Phelps with 39 points to help them finish off the 10 games. It will be tough for them to make top 4 but I really think the last 10 games are all difficult teams to play against and won’t be enough for the Steelhawks to finish in a playoff position.
Of all the team schedules down the stretch, the Manhattan Rage have the least enviable position in my opinion. On the outside looking in towards a playoff spot, the Rage have to play damn near perfect hockey for the rest of the season. To do so, they're looking down the barrel of some seriously big guns.
At the time of this writing, their remaining games are all against the Hamilton Steelhawks, Buffalo Stampede, and the Winnipeg Jets.
On the one hand, the Steelhawks and Stampede may not be considered "top tier" teams in terms of difficult opponents. On the other hand, the stakes are higher for those teams than the ones that have already clinched playoff spots. The Steelhawks and Stampede are fighting for the same exact spot at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, which means that there are more mouths to feed than there are points to go around. With everything on the line, you can expect both teams to bring their A games against the Rage. With 4-6 games left in the season, nobody's out of this race, even the Steelhawks having staved off elimination with 38 points.
Their remaining opponent, the Winnipeg Jets, has already clinched their Western Conference berth. This is the other poison the Rage needs to pound before they can make the playoffs. With 59 points already, the Jets' second place standing would top the Eastern conference and shows that they've been imposing their will upon the other teams all season long.
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would have a similar hell. Jesus, that means Kaapo Kekkonen, in his retirement year, played for two of the worst traveling teams in the SHL. Luckily, WKP's playing the old man less minutes per game (21 in LAP, 16 in WKP), so it should balance out.
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