The Oilers Tragic Number Update: How Edmonton Can Still Win The Pacific Division

The Oilers have played 70 games this season and have 61 points. That's not good, it's not even close to good, but it's almost an improvement on the team's final total from last season of 62. So, yay progress. Those 61 points also mean that the Oilers, amazingly, haven't yet been mathematically eliminated from winning the Pacific Division. Here's what would have to happen for the Oilers to win their division this season:

• The Los Angeles Kings have to go 0-16-0.
• The Anaheim Ducks can win just on of their final 15 games, that game has to be versus the Kings.
• The San Jose Sharks can get not more than four points.
• The Oilers win all 12 of their remaining games in regulation.
• The Oilers end up with a better goal differential than the Ducks. Currently the Oilers are -36, the Ducks +8.

If those five simple things happen the Oilers will win the Pacific Division on the third tie-breaker. If that doesn't happen the Oilers streak without a division title will extend to 29 years (seriously, this team hasn't won their division since 1986/87).

Okay, so the division is basically out of reach, next year will be our year, what about the Wildcard spots, what's the story there? Last week the tragic number was 18, now it's down to 12. So the Oilers probably have another week before the golf course is made official, but not much more than that.

And lastly the thing that really matters at this point, the draft lottery. With the Oilers in 28th place their current odds of securing a fifth first overall pick in seven seasons, something that is in no way a problem for the NHL, is 11.5%. Where the rest of the non-playoff teams stand, and an idea of how the lottery could play out, is as follows.