So. It’s January 18, and the Flyers are legitimately, truly in the playoff race. We’re still not entirely sure how or why, but we’re more than halfway through the season, and the Flyers are closer in points to the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers than they are to the first team out of the playoffs in the East. Public playoff models all have them at over a 50 percent chance to make it, while sportsbooks pretty much all have them as odds-on to make the playoffs.
With all of that said, if you haven’t been looking around at who else is in it this year, now’s a good time to take a look at the playoff picture in the East.