Previewing Blackhawks Potential First Round Opponents

Well the season is winding down and the battle for playoff positioning has begun.

As it stands today the Chicago Blackhawks are looking like a lock for the six seed. They hold a five-point lead over the Phoenix Coyotes and trail the Red Wings and Nashville Predators by four points.

While anything is possible it is safe to say the Hawks will not be able to catch the division leading Blues so the highest seed they can clinch would be the fourth. If they did end up as the four or five seed they would be looking at a first round matchup against one of their division rivals.

If they fall out of the six seed they would face either the Blues or Vancouver Canucks who are currently battling for the top seed in the West.

So the purposes of this piece I am going to focus on whom they will face if they stay as the sixth seed. Interesting enough there are four possible opponents because the Pacific division is so tight.

Only one point separates the four teams in the Pacific division who are competing for the playoffs. Anaheim is currently fifth in that division and is 11 points back so no real shot at the playoffs.

So with nine games left on the schedule and no more games against these four how did the season series shake out against their four possible first round opponents?

Check out the breakdown here.