The Chicago Blackhawks are home for the remainder of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and if things fall a certain way one thing that is obvious will become a fact in the Western Conference and that’s the fact that the Central Division is the toughest division in the NHL.
Since the NHL has gone to the new format with the division play and wild cards, the Central Division has put 5 team into the Stanley Cup playoffs while the Pacific Division has put the minimum of three teams every year.
The Chicago Blackhawks have won twice in the new format, lost on a fluky overtime Game #7 goal off of Nick Leddy, and this year lost on the road in a 7th game in the opening round to their biggest rival.