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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 but 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.

After Thursday's games, Pittsburgh will have a league low 69 games played.

I'm going to take a quick look at the upcoming schedules of the teams fighting for their playoff lives as we speak. Seriously, it doesn't get any better than this; Thursday's games had the 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and 10^th seeds in the West all in action.

Eastern Conference

Boston – two games at home over the weekend (vs Phi, Tor) before heading out of a Pacific trip

Ottawa – two more vs Montreal this week, who they have yet to beat this year

Florida – five of their next eight after Thursday are on the road; 15-14-5 this season

Washington – ugly road trip over next week; @Winnipeg, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia

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Western Conference

Dallas – four straight at home starting Saturday; 20-12-3 this season

Phoenix – three of next four are on the road, including games vs Dallas, Colorado and San Jose

San Jose – five of next six are at home; 19-11-3 this season

Los Angeles – four of next five at home

Detroit – seven of their final 11 games are at the Joe, including one vs Nashville

Nashville – six of their next eight are on the road; including in Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit

Friday Mar 16 to Thursday Mar 22, 2012
Best Bets
Calgary 4.47 – @Edm, CBJ, @Col, @Min
Vancouver 4.33 – CBJ, @Min, @Chi, @Dal
Washington 4.33 – @Win, @Chi, @Det, @Phi
Pittsburgh 4.16 – @NJ, @Phi, Win, Nas
Edmonton 4.13 – Cgy, Phx, @Nas, @TB
Steer Clear
NY Islanders 2.23 – @Mon, @Tor
Dallas 2.76 – Chi, Phx, Van
New Jersey 2.81 – Pit, @NYR, @Ott
Minnesota 2.83 – Car, Van, Cgy
Tampa Bay 2.85 – StL, Buf, Edm
Saturday Mar 17 to Friday Mar 23, 2012
Best Bets
Vancouver 4.33 – CBJ, @Min, @Chi, @Dal
Carolina 4.33 – @Min, @Win, Fla, @CBJ
Florida 4.25 – Buf, @Phi, @Car, Edm
Washington 4.22 – @Chi, @Det, @Phi, Win
Edmonton 4.16 – Phx, @Nas, @TB, @Fla
Steer Clear
Dallas 1.76 – Phx, Van
NY Islanders 2.23 – @Mon, @Tor
Los Angeles 2.71 – Nas, SJ, STL
Anaheim 2.80 – Nas, @SJ, StL
Minnesota 2.83 – Car, Van, Cgy
Sunday Mar 18 to Saturday Mar 24, 2012
Best Bets
Calgary 4.42 – CBJ, @Col, @Min, @Dal
Vancouver 4.40 – @Min, @Chi, @Dal, @Col
Phoenix 4.34 – @Edm, @Dal, Col, @SJ
Carolina 4.26 – @Win, Fla, @CBJ, @Det
Washington 4.22 – @Chi, @Det, @Phi, Win
Steer Clear
St.Louis 2.01 – @Ana, @LA
NY Islanders 2.36 – @Tor, @TB
Los Angeles 2.60 – SJ, StL, Bos
Dallas 2.78 – Phx, Van, Cgy
Anaheim 2.80 – Nas, @SJ, StL
Monday Mar 19 to Sunday Mar 25, 2012
Best Bets
Edmonton 4.46 – @Nas, @TB, @Fla, @CBJ
Vancouver 4.40 – @Min, @Chi, @Dal, @Col
Florida 4.39 – @Phi, @Car, Edm, NYI
Washington 4.12 – @Det, @Phi, Win, Min
Boston 4.09 – Tor, @SJ, @LA, @Ana
Steer Clear
Los Angeles 2.68 – SJ, StL, Bos
Anaheim 2.70 – @SJ, StL, Bos
Dallas 2.78 – Phx, Van, Cgy
Detroit 2.85 – Was, @NYR, Car
Philadelphia 2.87 – Fla, Was, Mon
Tuesday Mar 20 to Monday Mar 26, 2012
Best Bets
Edmonton 4.46 – @Nas, @TB, @Fla, @CBJ
Florida 4.39 – @Phi, @Car, Edm, NYI
Calgary 4.32 – @Col, @Min, @Dal, Dal
Vancouver 4.15 – @Chi, @Dal, @Col, LA
Nashville 4.05 – Edm, @Pit, Win, @Chi
Steer Clear
Anaheim 1.66 – StL, Bos
Buffalo 2.84 – Mon, @NYR, Min
Chicago 2.97 – @CBJ, Van, Nas
Detroit 2.99 – @NYR, Car, CBJ
NY Rangers 3.01 – Det, Buf, @Tor
Wednesday Mar 21 to Tuesday Mar 27, 2012
Best Bets
Carolina 4.31 – Fla, @CBJ, @Det, @Tor
Florida 4.31 – @Car, Edm, NYI, @Mon
Tampa Bay 4.19 – Edm, NYI, @Phi, @Bos
Vancouver 4.15 – @Chi, @Dal, @Col, LA
Boston 4.14 – @SJ, @LA, @Ana, TB
Steer Clear
Anaheim 1.66 – StL, Bos
Los Angeles 2.61 – StL, Bos, @Van
San Jose 2.79 – Bos, Phx, Col
Chicago 2.86 – Van, Nas, @NJ
Toronto 2.92 – @NJ, NYR, Car
Thursday Mar 22 to Wednesday Mar 28, 2012
Best Bets
Edmonton 4.46 – @TB, @Fla, @CBJ, Dal
NY Rangers 4.28 – Buf, @Tor, @Min, @Win
Tampa Bay 4.19 – Edm, NYI, @Phi, @Bos
Boston 4.14 – @SJ, @LA, @Ana, TB
Vancouver 4.12 – @Dal, @Col, LA, Col
Steer Clear
Anaheim 1.75 – Bos, SJ
Chicago 2.01 – Nas, @NJ
St. Louis 2.85 – @LA, @Phx, Nas
Toronto 2.92 – @NJ, NYR, Car
Buffalo 2.92 – @NYR, Min, @Wash
Friday Mar 23 to Thursday Mar 29, 2012
Best Bets
Pittsburgh 4.35 – @Ott, NJ, NYI, @NYI
Florida 4.28 – Edm, NYI, @Mon, @Min
NY Rangers 4.28 – Buf, @Tor, @Min, @Win
Tampa Bay 4.25 – NYI, @Phi, @Bos, @NJ
San Jose 4.12 – Phx, Col, @Ana, @Phx
Steer Clear
Anaheim 1.75 – Bos, SJ
Phoenix 2.84 – @SJ, StL, SJ
Colorado 2.84 – Van, @SJ, @Van
Los Angeles 2.84 – Bos, @Van, @Cgy
Chicago 2.86 – Nas, @NJ, StL
Saturday Mar 24 to Friday Mar 30, 2012
Best Bets
Pittsburgh 5.40 – @Ott, NJ, NYI, @NYI, @Buf
Florida 4.44 – NYI, @Mon, @Min, @CBJ
NY Rangers 4.29 – @Tor, @Min, @Win, Mon
Tampa Bay 4.25 – @Phi, @Bos, @NJ
Detroit 4.19 – Car, CBJ, @CBJ, Nas
Steer Clear
Anaheim 1.75 – Bos, SJ
Ottawa 1.96 – Pit, @Win
Washington 2.81 – Min, Buf, @Bos
Phoenix 2.84 – @SJ, StL, SJ
Toronto 2.86 – NYR, Car, Phi
Sunday Mar 25 to Saturday Mar 31, 2012
Best Bets
Columbus 4.84 – Edm, @Det, Det, Fla, @StL
Florida 4.44 – NYI, @Mon, @Min, @CBJ
Boston 4.36 – @Ana, Tb, Was, @NYI
Pittsburgh 4.35 – NJ, NYI, @NYI, @Buf
Losa Angeles 4.26 – @Van ,@Cgy, @Edm, Min
Steer Clear
Ottawa 2.26 – @Win, @Phi
Anaheim 2.79 – Bos, Sj, @PHx
Phoenix 2.79 – StL, SJ, Ana
Montreal 2.91 – Fla, @NYR, @Was
Toronto 2.99 – Car, Phi, Buf