3 reasons why the New Jersey Devils can still sneak into the NHL playoffs

The teams ahead of New Jersey in the Metro are not that good

To be more accurate, none of the teams ahead of the Devils in the Metropolitan Division, sans the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes, look as though they’re interested in making the playoffs. You can also add the Atlantic’s Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings to the mix.

And yes, you can argue the Devils haven’t been that good either, but that’s beside the point. The team that will end up in the second wild card spot will be the one that gets hot during the final month of the season, and right now, that can be anyone. 

The Sabres recently won three games in a row for the second time this season, while the Red Wings look like anything but a playoff team at the moment - despite them getting the best of Buffalo yesterday. 

The New York Islanders have been shut out in two straight games and lost three straight. We have no idea which Washington Capitals team will show up in any given game, and the Philadelphia Flyers are a below-average team that just happens to have a better record than their current talent level indicates. 

Yes, the Devils have their own issues, and we have seen them all season. But they only need to play better than the league’s other inconsistent playoff contenders during the final month of the season, and that really isn’t too much to ask.