What We Learned: Six-team race for the East Wild Card

Most of the Eastern Conference playoff picture feels set in stone. The most likely outcomes are that Boston's winning the Presidents' Trophy, Toronto and Tampa are playing in the first round, Carolina's winning the Metro, and we're getting a Devils/Rangers series.

It would take some good-sized disasters/miracles, that means the only thing that's up in the air is the Wild Card. And boy, is that ever up in the air.

The Penguins look pretty comfortable in the first spot, sitting with 63 points from 55 games — a pace for about 94 points. But that's where things get interesting, because the Pens have games in hand on most of the other teams that can at least pretend they're in the race here.

Because the Islanders are tied with them in points (but have played four extra games), the Capitals and Pan