In its simplest terms, Button's formula uses a team's current winning percentage, factoring in games remaining, to arrive at the number of wins -- and points -- each team will finish the season with. From that exercise, the formula can extrapolate the magic number for qualification and which teams currently in the race will reach that number. This equation will also determine tiebreakers should they become necessary.
Still not convinced? Check out the full explanation of Button's formula.
| EASTERN CONFERENCE | ||||||
| Current Position |
NHL Team |
Games Played |
Current Points |
Games Remaining |
Projected Points |
Wins to earn 8th |
| 8th |  |
69 | 76 | 13 | 89 | 8 |
| 9th |  |
69 | 72 | 13 | 84 | 10 |
| 10th |  |
69 | 72 | 13 | 84 | 10 |
| 11th |  |
68 | 69 | 14 | 82 | 11 |
| 12th |  |
69 | 68 | 13 | 79 | 12 |
| WESTERN CONFERENCE | ||||||
| Current Position |
NHL Team |
Games Played |
Current Points |
Games Remaining |
Projected Points |
Wins to earn 8th |
| 8th |  |
69 | 76 | 13 | 88 | 8 |
| 9th |  |
69 | 76 | 13 | 88 | 8 |
| 10th |  |
70 | 76 | 12 | 88 | 8 |
| 11th |  |
67 | 75 | 15 | 90 | 9 |
The skinny: Buffalo finds itself in the thick of a Stanley Cup Playoff race, four points behind the Washington Capitals, who currently hold the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.
Beating the teams below you in the standings and those with whom you are competing for a playoff spot becomes paramount at this point of the season.
While the projection may look daunting for the Sabres, they control their destiny with a game against Montreal on Monday (7 p.m. ET, TSN), followed by Florida and Tampa Bay before meeting Montreal again in nine days.
That run of games is pivotal for the Sabres because they play the Capitals on March 27, but it will not be a game of meaning if Buffalo doesn't obtain points in this critical stretch of games, which include three contests against teams currently out of the playoff picture.
San Jose finds itself out of the playoff picture as the week opens -- when was the last time that was the case?
The perennial Pacific Division champions have entered into a fight for their playoff lives.
That being said, the Sharks still project to the No. 8 position in the Western Conference -- largely based on having games in hand against the other teams in contention.
One of those games is Monday night against the Edmonton Oilers (9:30 p.m. ET, TSN), a team well below them in the standings. A win can give the Sharks a bit of breathing room as they head to Calgary to face the surging Flames on Tuesday.
Two wins by the Sharks and they can re-enter the race for first in the Pacific.
That's how fast things can change as the regular season enters its final stage.
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.