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New York Islanders Odds of Playoffs Low but Possible by Thanksgiving

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 03: Casey Cizikas #53 of the New York Islanders sits in the net after being pushed in by Jean-Sebastien Dea #10 of the New Jersey Devils during the second period at the Barclays Center on November 03, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 03: Casey Cizikas #53 of the New York Islanders sits in the net after being pushed in by Jean-Sebastien Dea #10 of the New Jersey Devils during the second period at the Barclays Center on November 03, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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According to the number the New York Islanders don’t have a great chance of making the playoffs at the end of the season. If you believe it, that is.

According to Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen, being in a playoff position by Thanksgiving is vitally important. With the New York Islanders out of a playoff spot at the moment, is there something we need to worry about?

According to Boylen, 79.6 percent of teams in a playoff position as of Thanksgiving make the post season by season’s end.

That 79 percent is tabulated from 2013 to 2017. In those 51 of 64 teams made the playoffs after being in a playoff spot at Thanksgiving.

Add the 11 teams of 16 that were in a spot at Thanksgiving and stayed there by April and the odds drops to 77.5 percent.

Not Impossible

That 77.5 percent sounds like it’s already decided. Like the playoffs are basically set in stone. But remember, last season by Thanksgiving, the New York Islanders were in a playoff spot.

And they certainly weren’t in one by April. By the end of the 2017-18 season they were a full 17 points out of a playoff spot.

The four other teams that were in a spot put didn’t make it were (I’ve added their ranks at Thanksgiving) the Vancouver Canucks (4th in the Pacific), the Detroit Red Wings (3rd in Atlantic), Calgary Flames (3rd in Pacific), and the St. Louis Blues (1st in Central).

Obviously it isn’t impossible to make the post season. And with no single team running away with the Metropolitan Division the Isles can easily make it up the standings.

The New York Islanders might be out of a playoff spot at the time of writing, but they’re also only two points out of second place in the division with two games in hand.

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The odds of making the playoffs if you aren’t in a playoff position by Thanksgiving are slim. But the New York Islanders can still just as easily make the post-season. Moneypuck.com still has the Isles at a 50.89 percent of making the post-season.

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