The Panther
Registered User
As many will have noticed, this year's (2023-24) Washington Capitals clinched a playoff spot, with an unusual -37 goal differential, and the Islanders with a -18. I don't suggest that these two clubs were particularly "bad" in any way, but it is a bit unusual in the current era (I think) to see a -37 team qualifying.
So, maybe I have two specific questions relating to this, and then of course the thread can go in any direction besides:
1) What is the worst club to ever qualify for the playoffs in terms of goal differential and/or overall record? (I recall, when I was 11 or 12, the 1987-88 Maple Leafs making it in with a -72 goal differential and a horrible .372 record.)
2) What is the biggest gap between a "bad" club that made it in and a "good" club that didn't? I suspect this will largely feature the late-1960s' / early-70s period of the recent expansion clubs being in one (playoff bound) division. For example, the 1969-70 Montreal Canadiens famously missed the playoffs with a .605 record (and +43 goal differential), while that season's Oakland Seals made it in with a .382 record (and a -74 goal differential... wait, so that's even worse than the '88 Maple Leafs...).
So, maybe I have two specific questions relating to this, and then of course the thread can go in any direction besides:
1) What is the worst club to ever qualify for the playoffs in terms of goal differential and/or overall record? (I recall, when I was 11 or 12, the 1987-88 Maple Leafs making it in with a -72 goal differential and a horrible .372 record.)
2) What is the biggest gap between a "bad" club that made it in and a "good" club that didn't? I suspect this will largely feature the late-1960s' / early-70s period of the recent expansion clubs being in one (playoff bound) division. For example, the 1969-70 Montreal Canadiens famously missed the playoffs with a .605 record (and +43 goal differential), while that season's Oakland Seals made it in with a .382 record (and a -74 goal differential... wait, so that's even worse than the '88 Maple Leafs...).