Blue Jackets celebrate shootout victory Thursday that clinched them a playoff spot (Julio Cortez)
Blue Jackets celebrate shootout victory Thursday that clinched them a playoff spot (Julio Cortez)Associated Press

NHL Saturday: Blue Jackets among nine teams still battling for playoff seeding

All playoff teams known prior to final day of regular season

> Best Bet
Blue Jackets (-180) over Senators

> Next Best Bet
Red Wings (-120) over Sabres

> Best Over Bet
Lightning-Bruins (6.5)

> Best Under Bet
Islanders-Capitals (5.5)

> The Skinny
We know the 16 playoff teams, we just don’t know exactly where nine of them will finish. And – if you can believe it – all nine have games Saturday against teams with virtually nothing to play for . . . Right now, the Blue Jackets would have the honor of being hammered by the Lightning in the first round, so we’re going with the “they have the most to play for” Best Bet selection. They would still need help from a listless Flyers team (against the Hurricanes), but winnng their own game will be Job 1 . . . We know the Red Wings stumbled against the Penguins Thursday, snapping a six-game winning streak that is a pretty impressive feat by a team out of the playoff running. They will feast on the Sabres, who snapped a 0-7-1 slide with an improbable win Thursday . . . The Lightning (who have scored 25 more goals than any other club) and Bruins are the two best teams in the East and will show it even in this quasi-exhibition tilt . . . Capitals are locked into their Metro 1 slot, so who knows who they might lace up against the Islanders team that they outdistanced to the finish line.

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