Forget about Philly

Everyone's focused on the Leafs catching Philly. The problem is, Philly doesn't matter. Right now, every team in the NHL is playing teams in their division to finish the season. If Philly not mattering hasn't dawned on you from that statement alone, let me expand.

Toronto has eight remaining games, (teams currently in the playoffs in bold):
BUF, OTT, BOS, BOS, MTL, BUF, OTT, MTL

Note that the only team Toronto is playing not currently holding a playoff spot is Buffalo, who probably will pass Philly.

Philly's remaining eight games are:
NYR, NYI, NYR, NJD, NYI, PIT, NJD, PIT

So ok, the Islanders stink, but the rest of the Atlantic is going to put a hurt on the Flyers. You're probably wondering then, if the Flyers are going to lose a lot of their remaining games, and the Leafs have the same schedule as Buffalo basically, what the point of this post is.

The Southeast division.

The Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals now play eight games against the Southeast division. The Capitals sit in ninth, the Panthers in eleventh, and the Leafs in twelfth. It's not that the Leafs can't pass Buffalo and Philly, in fact the Leafs may very well pass both of them with strong play over the remaining eight games, it's that there's no way both Washington and Florida are going to lose games and fall behind Toronto playing in the weakest division in the NHL.

For example, if Toronto runs the table and goes 8-0-0 to end the season with 92 points, the Capitals need only go 5-1-2 against the Southeast division to get to the same mark. 8-0-0 against Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa, and Boston, or 5-1-2 against Atlanta, Tampa, Florida, and Carolina? If you were putting money down, you'd take the 5-1-2.