I'm fascinated by the daily update on various teams' chances of reaching the postseason that are provided in many leagues, including the NHL.
I'm not sure they tell us a whole lot we didn't already know — something we discussed on the debut episode of the North Score podcast, available on Startribune.com and shortly on iTunes as well — but they at least give us some snapshots of how a team is doing.
The Wild, for much of this season, was hovering at or below a 50 percent chance of reaching the postseason in the simulations run by both Hockey Reference and Sports Club Stats. You might have noticed the Wild has been winning a lot more lately, though, and not surprisingly its odds have improved dramatically.
Minnesota now has a 95 percent chance of reaching the postseason. The most likely scenario, too, is that the Wild gets in as the No. 3 team in the Central, not a wild card.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
