After the (very strange) win over the Coyotes, the Flames have 77 points in 66 games played. They are a couple back of the Minnesota Wild for the division lead and three up on the Canucks, who have a game in hand. Colorado and Nashville are also within striking distance (74 points each, 66 games played).
Assuming a 94 point threshold to make the post-season, the Flames need 17 points or a record of 8-7-1 in their final 16 games to qualify. Of course, a lot will depend on how Vancouver and Colorado play down the stretch as well.
Here's the sched for the rest of the regular season:
March -
Coyotes - 3-1 W
Blue Jackets
Preds
Blues
Capitals
Thrashers
Blackhawks
Blue Jackets
Avalanche
Wild
Avalanche
Canucks
Oilers
Canucks
April -
Oilers
Wild
Canucks
The good news: Minnesota, highlighted above, is the only opponent remaining that currently has more points in the standings than Calgary - and the Flames have had their number all year for whatever reason. Really, the schedule couldn't be much softer and the chances of cutting a 8-7-1 (or better) swath through that group are pretty good.
The bad news: As I've mentioned before, lots and lots of divisional matches to end the year. The Flames are an "okay" 11-8-4 against the NW this year and will be facing desperate Canucks and Avs teams to finish the season. If they go completely limp like they did last April, chances are the play-offs will begin (and end I suppose) without them.
Encouraging news: I think the team has looked good lately, although they haven't really had the results to show for it. That despite illness and injury to some top players and a spate of bad luck the likes of which I don't think I've ever seen before. I mean, how many posts - including posts on EMPTY NETS - have the Flames hit recently? It'd take more than one hand to cout them all, that's for sure.
Also, Jarome Iginla has looked like the Jarome of December since late February. He simply dominated the Coyotes last game and has been more of handful for the opposition the last couple of games. Iginla's now an impressive +31 a ES this year, and full 10 marks ahead of the closest skater (Alex Tanguay at +21). Imagine where that number would be if Huselius hadn't hit 10 posts last month...
Im liking where the team seems to be headed, although I still have minor quibbles about roster management: I'd still like to see a Lombardi/Tanguay scoring line behind Iginla and a Conroy/Yelle shut-down line taking on the tougher assignments. But that's just me. That said, Jim Vandermeer has been a welcome addition and has justified my continued dislike and damning of the Eriksson signing. Anders in the pressbox beside Warrener (Sarich benching notwithstanding) gets a big thumbs-up from me. On a possibly related note, Dion Phaneuf has looked every bit like the future star he promises to be since his contract extension...
Anyways, onwards and upwards. Things are about to get very interesting. I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming excursion to the SE division. Im sure the incredibly snake-bitten Kristian Huselius is too.
EDIT - The Forechecker has more interesting thoughts on the post-deadline schedule. He concludes the Flames have the easiest path to the post-season out of any of the NW division teams. Check it out.
