Currently, NO Boundaries and Minority Report find themselves jostling for the Presidents trophy for the second year in a row, while Team Shake ’N Bake looks to comfortably coast into the playoffs but only remains 9 points back from a first round bye. But nobody cares about the race for the 2 bye spots.
With 3 teams locked into a playoff spot, and 4 teams out of the picture, we have 5 teams competing for 3 playoff spots. With only 4 match-up weeks remaining before playoffs, we’re going to review each of the 5 pocket teams current situation and their outlook to make the playoffs.
With 3 teams locked into a playoff spot, and 4 teams out of the picture, we have 5 teams competing for 3 playoff spots. With only 4 match-up weeks remaining before playoffs, we’re going to review each of the 5 pocket teams current situation and their outlook to make the playoffs.
PROJECT HOLLYWOOD is leading the pocket with 214 points. Having won 7 of their last 8 match ups, ProHo is on their hottest stretch of the season. The offense is strong and deep and can compete with any team as they are currently leading the league in Assists, Points, and Power Play Points. Miller, Halak, and Khudobin form a nice combination of goalie stats that has balanced the team into a well rounded competitor and is a big reason for the recent stretch of good play. This team with a 14 point buffer shouldn't miss the playoffs.
As for ProHo’s 4 week schedule, they play 1 cellar team in the Good Sirs’ (who has some momentum having snapped a 9 week losing streak! yikes! sorrygoom#) after that, ProHo sees a competitive pocket team in MyGoodies, and 2 playoff bound teams in Shake ’N Bake and NO Boundaries. Not an easy last 4 weeks, but given ProHo’s recent play, current cushion in the standings, and the fact that ProHo usually waits till playoffs to disappoint, I like their odds for a playoff bid.
As for ProHo’s 4 week schedule, they play 1 cellar team in the Good Sirs’ (who has some momentum having snapped a 9 week losing streak! yikes! sorrygoom#) after that, ProHo sees a competitive pocket team in MyGoodies, and 2 playoff bound teams in Shake ’N Bake and NO Boundaries. Not an easy last 4 weeks, but given ProHo’s recent play, current cushion in the standings, and the fact that ProHo usually waits till playoffs to disappoint, I like their odds for a playoff bid.
THE PHENOMS sit in 5th with 210 points and are another hot team having won 5 of their last 6. The core seems too young to be a champion, but with the PedoPhenoms holding down the 5th spot and winning offensive categories as well as goaltending categories, they are in this position for a reason. They are battling some injuries at the moment, but continue to get contributions from all around the roster. This is why depth is important for playoff hopes (Cole).
The one thing stacked against The Phenoms is that they face the toughest remaining schedule. The next 2 weeks sees the Phenoms face playoff ticket holders (see what I did there) Shake ’N Bake and NO Boundaries, followed by 2 fellow, scrappy pocket-dwellers in Threat Level Midnight and Vonderkats. Rough schedule that could come down to that last week against Vonderkats. Being 10 points ahead of the the playoff line, if the Phenoms can just weather the storm of tough opponents and continue their hot play, they should be in.
The one thing stacked against The Phenoms is that they face the toughest remaining schedule. The next 2 weeks sees the Phenoms face playoff ticket holders (see what I did there) Shake ’N Bake and NO Boundaries, followed by 2 fellow, scrappy pocket-dwellers in Threat Level Midnight and Vonderkats. Rough schedule that could come down to that last week against Vonderkats. Being 10 points ahead of the the playoff line, if the Phenoms can just weather the storm of tough opponents and continue their hot play, they should be in.
MYGOODIES’ 200 points is the playoff line. Vanek has been healthy and had success as expected playing with JohnyT and MyGoodies’ other keeper forwards have been contributing as well. Ultimately though, the offensive Goodies are underwhelming when you have to rely on the Kings for offense and when you compare MyGoodies forwards to other pocket teams. HOWEVER, when your goalies are expected to win 3 categories every week, you only need to win 3 out of 7 offensive categories to get the W. Even though MyGoodies sits behind ProHo and PePhe (PedoPhenoms I’m trying it out), I think MyGoodies has the best chance at playoffs out of all pocket teams.
MyGoodies last 4 matchups are the easiest of the pocket teams. MyGoodies faces a fellow pocket foe in Project Hollywood along with a trip to the cellar of the cellar playing Hartford Wheelers, Gorilla Warfare, and the Good Sirs’. Even though this is the easiest schedule on paper, there could very well be a few traps in there. All cellar teams have the potential to have big weeks with Harford’s peskiness, Gorilla Warfare’s goaltending combined with Stamkos re-emergence, and the Good Sirs’ Russian potential. Overall, look for this team to finish in 4th or 5th.
MyGoodies last 4 matchups are the easiest of the pocket teams. MyGoodies faces a fellow pocket foe in Project Hollywood along with a trip to the cellar of the cellar playing Hartford Wheelers, Gorilla Warfare, and the Good Sirs’. Even though this is the easiest schedule on paper, there could very well be a few traps in there. All cellar teams have the potential to have big weeks with Harford’s peskiness, Gorilla Warfare’s goaltending combined with Stamkos re-emergence, and the Good Sirs’ Russian potential. Overall, look for this team to finish in 4th or 5th.
THREAT LEVEL MIDNIGHT won’t go away. Sitting in 7th place with 196 points, TLM is only 4 points back and is looking to sneak into the playoffs. The franchise looked like they started a rebuild in December having sent away Marleau for a 1st round pick. Later in the year, we saw win-now/rental type of pieces like Cammalleri, Doan, Carter, Steen, Kesler, and Saad sent away for picks and younger, future pieces. How many win-now pieces does this team need to trade away before we can consider them out of the picture? Goaltending has even been a struggle, yet this team continues to challenge for a playoff spot. Credit that to great pickups off the wire and rookie magic. With all that said, this is a team with a bright 2015 and beyond. Threat Level Midnight will have to enjoy playing spoiler as I don’t see them able to claw into the playoffs facing heat from all directions.
TLM’s last 4 on the schedule are 2 pocket teams in Vonderkats and the Phenoms, a playoff bound Minority Report, and fellow spoiler Hartford Wheelers. Overall the schedule isn't super tough, but given the current roster, and need to make up points, I don’t see Threat Level Midnight outplaying 2 pocket teams for a spot. I do see them frustrating the Vonderkats and the Phenoms who are both fighting for points. This team is not ready to call it a season, but I can't imagine them not being on the outside looking in.
TLM’s last 4 on the schedule are 2 pocket teams in Vonderkats and the Phenoms, a playoff bound Minority Report, and fellow spoiler Hartford Wheelers. Overall the schedule isn't super tough, but given the current roster, and need to make up points, I don’t see Threat Level Midnight outplaying 2 pocket teams for a spot. I do see them frustrating the Vonderkats and the Phenoms who are both fighting for points. This team is not ready to call it a season, but I can't imagine them not being on the outside looking in.
VONDERKATS are not content in 8th place with 194 points. Sitting only 6 points back, and with a dangerous roster, this team has ground to make up, but do they have the roster to do it?
In the middle of the season this team was looking like they had completed the rebuild and were preparing for a playoff run. How did Vkats end up on the outside looking in? In the last 10 weeks the Vonderkats have 1 win. You read that right. 1 Win, 7 losses, and 2 ties. I don’t have any explanation for how that happened, especially given all the win-now talent that they have acquired in the last 2 months. However, if the Vonderkats start playing like they did at the beginning of the season, this team could very well be a sleeping giant.
Vonderkats upcoming 4 are the spoiler TLM, the wedge-ly MVB All-Stars (not quite a cellar team but they don’t get a paragraph in this ‘Pocket’ article either, hence the wedge), playoff bound Minority Report, and fellow pocketeer, the Phenoms. If the Vkats can make a statement against TLM and MVB and weather the storm against Minority Report, that last matchup against the Phenoms might be their ticket to playoffs.
In the middle of the season this team was looking like they had completed the rebuild and were preparing for a playoff run. How did Vkats end up on the outside looking in? In the last 10 weeks the Vonderkats have 1 win. You read that right. 1 Win, 7 losses, and 2 ties. I don’t have any explanation for how that happened, especially given all the win-now talent that they have acquired in the last 2 months. However, if the Vonderkats start playing like they did at the beginning of the season, this team could very well be a sleeping giant.
Vonderkats upcoming 4 are the spoiler TLM, the wedge-ly MVB All-Stars (not quite a cellar team but they don’t get a paragraph in this ‘Pocket’ article either, hence the wedge), playoff bound Minority Report, and fellow pocketeer, the Phenoms. If the Vkats can make a statement against TLM and MVB and weather the storm against Minority Report, that last matchup against the Phenoms might be their ticket to playoffs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With 5 teams competing for 3 spots, 2 teams are gooonnnaa haaave a baaad time.
I don’t see Threat Level Midnight climbing into a playoff spot, even though they are only 4 points back. The loss of win-now pieces hasn’t caught up with TLM, but I don’t think the fire power is there. It’s gotta catch up to them eventually, right?
That leaves 3 spots for 4 teams.
MyGoodies and Project Hollywood have the talent to compete for the hardware in the postseason. They are too good to miss out on a playoff spot and I don’t see them having flat enough runs to slide out of the top 6. It’s not a slam dunk, but I think I speak for the whole league when I say it would be very disappointing for everyone if these 2 teams didn't make the cut. Count on seeing them both in the postseason.
We are left with 1 spot for 2 teams. The Phenoms and the Vonderkats
Having won 5 of their last 6, the Phenoms are hot. Having won 1 of their last 10, Vonderkats are as cold as ice. Like a freeze pop. The Phenoms also hold a 14 point lead over the Kats. I do feel like each team is due for regression, meaning the Phenoms can’t sustain such a torrid pace, and the Vonderkats can’t sustain such a bitter, cold pace. To make things even more interesting, these teams play each other in the last week of the regular season! Thanks Baby Ballooga!
With 3 weeks and some regression from both teams in addition to the Phenoms tough schedule and the Vonderkats opportune schedule, it’s realistic to imagine that 14 point differential cut in half before their big week 22 showdown.
Overall it’s an uphill battle for Vonderkats but expect them to be in the picture and make the last week against the Phenoms a week to watch.