Bobby Ryan

A tough decision can be made easier with these charts showing you the best five and worst five schedules for upcoming seven-day periods. Some of you used them last year. However, for the benefit of new readers. here is a refresher. The number next to the team indicates the ‘multiplier’ to use on a player’s point-per-game pace to give you an idea how many points to expect for that week.

The Ducks can thank their 11-2-2 record since January 6 for getting them even remotely close to being mentioned in the race. Now if you consider being out eight points qualifies them as being in the playoff race, the next 14 days is going to decide whether they can get to that eighth spot or not. Anaheim, who is tied for the League in road victories (6), starts a terrifying eight game road trip on Friday. Not only do they start it off against the Wings, but seven of the eight teams they play have a much better record in their own barn than on the road. The other unfortunate thing is that even if they manage to do well on this trip, they only play one team that they're in contention with for a playoff spot — Minnesota.

Last week I mentioned the Hawks starting a similar trip that the Ducks are starting this week, except it was for nine games. They proceeded to go out and get hammered by Sam Gagner, then follow it up with losses to Calgary and Colorado. They currently have one of the worst road records for a playoff team, and their schedule doesn't get much easier this coming week. After playing San Jose on Friday, they head to Phoenix, Nashville and MSG to face the Rangers. Two weeks ago no one imagined that Chicago would be 10 points back of Detroit, but now we could see them fighting for their lives to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Another team starting a very lengthy road trip is the San Jose Sharks, who will head out for nine straight after Friday's game against Chicago. While their 12-7-4 road record doesn't necessarily show it, the Sharks have struggled to score away from HP, averaging only 2.4 goals per game, compared to just over 3 at home.

Speaking of the Red Wings, I unfortunately can't complete this week's article without mentioning their home streak of 18 consecutive wins. The fantastic news for Red Wings owners is that they have played a league high 31 road games so far this season, giving them only 10 more in their final 27 games. That means seven of their next eight and nine of their next 11 at the Joe. The record speaks for itself, but consider this: Detroit’s goal differential on the road is -11. In six less games at home, their goal differential is +51. Aside from Zetterberg, all of their top players have equal to or more points at home. The biggest difference coming from the captain himself, who has 21 points at the Joe and only 7 away from it.

Just like the Red Wings, the suddenly hot Sabres are now in the midst of playing eight of nine at home as well. They're in a situation much like the Ducks in that this next stretch of games leading to the trade deadline will decide whether they have a shot or not. Nine points back with three games in hand is not an insurmountable feat. The shocking thing about Buffalo’s home and road scoring tendencies isn't the goal differential at home (80 gf, 71 ga), it's that they've only scored 48 goals in their 28 road games. I'm not really sure how they've managed 11 wins on the road scoring only 1.7 goals per game, but play your Sabres with a little more confidence for the next two weeks.

Friday Feb 10 to Thursday Feb 16, 2012
Best Bets
St. Louis 4.23 – Col, SJ, @CBJ, NYI
Anaheim 4.22 – @Det, @CBJ, @Min, @Pit
Buffalo 4.14 – Dal, TB, NJ, @Phi
San Jose 4.03 – Chi, @StL, @Was, @TB
Tampa Bay 3.95 – @Buf, @Pit, Ott, SJ
Steer Clear
Washington 1.79 – @NYR, SJ
Nashville 1.83 – @Bos, Chi
New Jersey 2.00 – Fla, @Buf
Carolina 2.15 – @Col, @Mon
Edmonton 2.18 – @Ott, Tor
Saturday Feb 11 to Friday Feb 17, 2012
Best Bets
Anaheim 4.32 – @CBJ, @Min, @Pit, @NJ
Florida 4.24 – @NJ, @NYI, Ott, Was
St. Louis 4.23 – Col, SJ, @CBJ, NYI
San Jose 4.19 – @StL, @Was, @TB, @Car
Buffalo 4.04 – TB, NJ, @Phi, Mon
Steer Clear
Carolina 1.88 – @Mon, SJ
Pittsburgh 2.09 – TB, Ana
Phoenix 2.70 – Chi, Van, @LA
Philadelphia 2.77 – NYR, @Det, Buf
Dallas 2.80 – LA, @Det, Cgy
Sunday Feb 12 to Saturday Feb 18, 2012
Best Bets
Anaheim 4.32 – @CBJ, @Min, @Pit, @NJ
San Jose 4.19 – @StL, @Was, @TB, @Car
St. Louis 4.15 – SJ, @CBJ, NYI, Min
Washington 4.05 – @NYR, SJ, @Fla, @TB
NY Islanders 4.04 – Fla, @Wpg, @StL, Car
Steer Clear
Nashville 1.93 – Chi, @Det
Edmonton 2.04 – Tor, Col
Colorado 2.05 – @Van, @Edm
New Jersey 2.05 – @Buf, Ana
Ottawa 2.26 – @TB, @Fla
Monday Feb 13 to Sunday Feb 19, 2012
Best Bets
St. Louis 4.30 – @CBJ, NYI, Min, @Chi
San Jose 4.25 – @Was, @TB, @Car, @Det
Vancouver 4.18 – @Phx, Col, Tor, @Edm
Anaheim 4.17 – @Min, @Pit, @NJ, @Fla
Boston 4.04 – NYR, @Mon, @Win, @Min
Steer Clear
Philadelphia 1.81 – Buf, Pit
Los Angeles 1.92 – Phx, Cgy
Ottawa 2.26 – @TB, @Fla
Columbus 2.70 – StL, Chi, @NYR
Phoenix 2.76 – Van, @LA, Dal
Tuesday Feb 14 to Monday Feb 20, 2012
Best Bets
St. Louis 4.30 – @CBJ, NYI, Min, @Chi
NY Islanders 4.16 – @Win, @StL, Car, Ott
Anaheim 4.17 – @Min, @Pit, @NJ, @Fla
Boston 4.04 – NYR, @Mon, @Win, @Min
Winnipeg 4.02 – NYI, @Min, Bos, Col
Steer Clear
Philadelphia 1.81 – Buf, Pit
Phoenix 1.91 – @LA, Dal
Los Angeles 1.92 – Phx, Cgy
Columbus 2.70 – StL, Chi, @NYR
Detroit 2.78 – Dal, Nas, SJ
Wednesday Feb 15 to Tuesday Feb 21, 2012
Best Bets 📢 advertisement:
San Jose 4.51 – @TB, @Car, @Det, @CBJ
Anaheim 4.31 – @Pit, @NJ, @Fla, @TB
Vancouver 4.14 – Col, Tor, @Edm, @Nas
NY Islanders 4.06 – @StL, Car, Ott, @Buf
Edmonton 3.98 – Tor, Col, Van, @Cgy
Steer Clear
Ottawa 2.26 – @Fla, @NYI
Columbus 2.72 – Chi, @NYR, SJ
Phoenix 2.73 – @LA, Dal, LA
Tampa Bay 2.74 – SJ, Was, Ana
Minnesota 2.80 – Win, @StL, Bos
Thursday Feb 16 to Wednesday Feb 22, 2012
Best Bets
Washington 4.54 – @Fla, @TB, @Car, @Ott
San Jose 4.51 – @TB, @Car, @Det, @CBJ
Los Angeles 4.11 – Phx, Cgy, @Phx, @Col
NY Islanders 4.06 – @StL, Car, Ott, @Buf
Dallas 3.92 – Cgy, @Phx, Nas, @Mon
Steer Clear
Florida 1.85 – Was, Ana
Toronto 1.94 – @Van, NJ
Ottawa 2.07 – @NYI, Was
Columbus 2.72 – Chi, @NYR, SJ
Phoenix 2.73 – @LA, Dal, LA
Friday Feb 17 to Thursday Feb 23, 2012
Best Bets
Washington 4.54 – @Fla, @TB, @Car, @Ott
Anaheim 4.46 – @NJ, @Fla, @TB, @Car
San Jose 4.40 – @Car, @Det, @CBJ, @Tor
Vancouver 4.10 – Tor, @Edm, @Nas, @Det
Dallas 3.97 – @Phx, Nas, @Mon, @Chi
Steer Clear
NY Rangers 2.04 – CBJ, @PIT
Ottawa 2.07 – @NYI, Was
Columbus 2.72 – Chi, @NYR, SJ
Minnesota 2.80 – @StL, Bos, @Fla
Florida 2.82 – Was, Ana, Min
Saturday Feb 18 to Friday Feb 24, 2012
Best Bets
Vancouver 5.20 – Tor, @Edm, @Nas, @Det, @NJ
Dallas 4.92 – @Phx, Nas, @Mon, @Chi, Min
Washington 4.39 – @TB, @Car, @Ott, Mon
Chicago 3.96 – @CBJ, StL, Det, Dal
NY Islanders 3.94 – Car, Ott, @Buf, NYR
Steer Clear
Florida 1.96 – Ana, Min
Ottawa 2.07 – @NYI, Was
Buffalo 2.76 – Pit, NYI, Bos
Detroit 2.77 – SJ, @Chi, Van
Nashville 2.81- @Dal, Van, StL
Sunday Feb 19 to Saturday Feb 25, 2012
Best Bets
San Jose 4.31 – @Det, @CBJ, @Tor, @Nas
Washington 4.29 – @Car, @Ott, Mon, @Tor
Boston 4.25 – @Min, @StL, @Buf, @Ott
Vancouver 4.20 – @Edm, @Nas, @Det, @NJ
NY Rangers 4.20 – CBJ, @Pit, @NYI, Buf
Steer Clear
Toronto 2.74 – NJ, SJ, Was
Carolina 2.80 – Wash, Ana, Fla
Columbus 2.84 – @NYR, SJ, Col
Ottawa 2.87 – @NYI, Was, Bos
Calgary 2.89 – Edm, Phx, Phi