Looking at New York Islanders playoff chances with 15 games to go

The New York Islanders enter Thursday night’s action in perhaps their most unusual place in the standings this season. After 67 games, the Isles are 31-28-8 for 70 points. Those 70 points put them three behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ahead of the Isles, are the rival New York Rangers with 72 points. Considering the Islanders have two games in hand at this point, the NHL playoffs are within reach. It’s still feasible for the Isles to leapfrog the Rangers and Canadiens and bounce into a playoff spot.

But that would mean a razor-thin margin for error heading into the final three weeks of the season. Looking at Money Puck’s NHL playoff odds, the Islanders have a 27.4% chance of punching their postseason ticket.

In contrast, the Rangers have a 32.6% chance of making the postseason, with the Canadiens sitting at 34.3%. Those odds don’t look bad, but they’re not exactly the most encouraging, either.

So, do the Islanders have a realistic shot at making the postseason? Yes, but a lot of it depends on what happens down the stretch. The Isles control their fate, but they’ll also have to get help from other clubs playing spoiler.

For instance, the Rangers play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. A Leafs win over the Rangers, combined with an Islanders win would allow the Islanders to pull into a tie with the Rangers at 72 points, making the race for the second wildcard spot all that much tighter.

Looking at New York Islanders' remaining schedule

Heading down the stretch, the New York Islanders have somewhat of a tough road ahead. They take on the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, then face two teams on the playoff bubble in the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets. These three are all winnable games, which the Isles cannot afford to drop.

Things get a bit dicey as the Isles take on the Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning twice, Carolina Hurricanes, and Minnesota Wild in their next five. Those five games could easily make or break the Isles’ playoff chances as the next batch of games features key matchups.

After playing the Nashville Predators on April 8, the Islanders take on the Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals twice, and Columbus Blue Jackets to close the season.

This final stretch of games against divisional opponents is crucial. The Isles are currently tied with the Blue Jackets at 70 points. Plus, the Islanders might still be jockeying for position with the Rangers heading into the final week of the season.

As for the Devils and Capitals, these two teams will likely already be locked in a playoff spot. With that being the case, it’s likely those two games on April 13 and 15 may be less competitive as both the Devils and Capitals may be looking to rest some of their regulars.

All told, the road ahead for the Islanders won’t be easy. But judging from the way the team has played over their last 10, the Isles’ 6-3-1 mark could prove just enough to squeak into the playoffs.

One thing is certain, the Isles won’t be playing out the string this season. So, it’s great to see the team won’t be going down without a fight.