NHL Playoff Odds Tighten As The Cup Picture Starts To Take Shape

The Athletic’s latest playoff projections are doing what this time of year always does: sorting the contenders from the teams that need a small miracle and a very large jump in the standings. These models can feel like a front-office mood ring, but they matter because they show which clubs are still living in the sweet spot between hope and reality. The standings are starting to harden, and the margin for error is getting smaller by the day.