With a week to go in the NHL regular season, there are five teams vying for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Of the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers, only two will make the playoffs. Which two will rise above this uninspired group and make the playoffs? The divisional playoff format debuted in 2015 and has failed to capture the renewed rivalry fervor that it was intended to. Instead, it's often failed to reward strong regular season performances and is difficult for a more casual audience to understand.

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