How Low Can You Go?
The Edmonton Oilers did it. They beat the Red Wings tonight becoming the seventh number eight seed to knock off a number one since the current playoff format started in 1994.
There’s no “just” in there because looking at the numbers it’s not that rare of an accomplishment. There are two number one and two number eight seeds each season. As there was no season last year that means there’s been 24 number one seeds. Number eights are now 7 for 24 (29%). I wish we could break out some historical odds and see how you’d do dropping 100 on each number 8 every year. It feels like the NHL’s version of the NCAA #12 seed.
So far all of the lower seeds in the Western Conference have come out series winners. San Jose was a powerful #5 and Colorado became a surprising #7 winner. If #6 Anaheim can win, you’re looking at the low-ball conference. The exact opposite is happening over in the East where two series have been won by the higher seeds and the other two have the higher seeds in the lead.
However, outside of Anaheim few diehard hockey fans will be rooting for the Ducks. If #3 Calgary wins the series we’re looking at the playoffs version of the Battle of Alberta, a series that has the potential to be very exciting, if not the best of the bunch.
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