Playoff hockey is right around the corner and all signs point to the Minnesota Wild punching their ticket earlier than we're used to seeing. Minnesota has a chance to guaruntee its spot in the postseason with a win over Boston on Saturday but have ways of getting in even if things don't go their way.
Clinching seems like a foregone conclusion at this point, which is worth celebrating in and of itself. The Wild have one of the strongest rosters we've seen in recent memory and have a chance to finally break out of the bummer streak of ope'ing out of the first round for yet another consecutive season.
To get there, though, they first have to secure a spot at the table.
Minnesota Wild clinching scenarios today (March 28th)
There's two ways the Wild can punch a ticket to the postseason: the easy way and the hard way.
The Easy Way
This one is pretty simple. If Minnesota beats Boston on Saturday, the Wild outright clinch a playoff berth.
It's very important to note that this is not a seed clinch, it's just a ticket to the playoffs. Minnesota still needs to do some work to clinch a Top 3 seed, which includes the possibility of flipping places with Dallas and earning home ice in the first round.
The Hard Way
A loss in Boston doesn't mean the Wild will have to delay punching a playoff ticket. It's not ideal but Minnesota can still clinch if they lose and have a handful of other results bounce in the team's favor.
Just like the easy way, there's a very important caveat here. Minnesota needs to pick up at least one point to trigger any clinching scenario, which means the Wild can't lose in regulation. If Minnesota loses in overtime or a shootout, then it'll need three of the following things to happen in order to clinch:
- Sharks lose to the Blue Jackets
- Predators lose to the Canadiens
- Kings lose in regulation to the Mammoth
- Kraken in regulation lose to the Sabres
- Knights lose in regulation to the Capitals
Again, there's fine print here that is crucial. The Wild need regulation losses by either the Kings, Knights, or Kraken whereas the Sharks and Preds can lose in any fashion. Minnesota only needs three of those results, and it doesn't matter which combination but remember that it only triggers if the Wild pick up a point in Boston.
Ideally the Wild just outright win and clinch, specifically because that helps their other cause. Minnesota is right on the heels of Dallas for that No. 2 seed, and a win in Boston means potentially finishing the weekend within a point of the Stars in the Central.
We still have eight games left in the season after today, but one of those is against the Stars. Clinching seems inevitable at this point -- barring some truly historic meltdown -- but the prize everyone should have their eyes on is that No. 2 seed.