Sports Club Stats, that addictive playoff probability tracking site, lists the percentage chances of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 29 teams.
But when you get all the way down to the Columbus Blue Jackets, there is no percentage. Not even the 0.0-percent of the Edmonton Oilers. It just says: "NO."
But there's a good reason for that pessimism: The Blue Jackets have 51 points in 69 games; hence, they have 13 games remaining; hence, the highest total of points they can collect for the rest of the season is 26, should they go … sorry, when they go 13-0, giving them a total of 77 points.
The Colorado Avalanche, meanwhile, have 76 points entering their nationally televised home game against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. With a victory, they'll either move into the No. 7 seed if the Phoenix Coyotes lose to Nashville or the No. 8 seed if the Coyotes win.
In either case, 78 points from the Avalanche means the Blue Jackets are the first team eliminated from the playoff race this season. You know, officially; pretty sure the Jackets stopped thinking about the playoffs right around Halloween.
UPDATE: Or they're already eliminated. This is why I don't dabble in math. From MD in the comments: "Columbus can only get to 77 points (32 ROWs). Colorado, Calgary, and LA all have 76 points. Seven other teams have 78-plus points. LA and Calgary play on March 28 which means one of them will become the 8th team to reach 78 points. (Col and Cal also meet a few times, but LA/Cal is first.) Columbus is eliminated right now because either the Kings or Calgary are guaranteed to have 78 points by the end of play on March 28th."