Qualifications for the list
This list takes into consideration how the Canes would matchup with each of the eight teams that actually made the postseason. It’s not just based on how each of the squads that made the Eastern half of the NHL Playoffs finished up in the points department. Other things are taken into consideration.
For instance, the Canes tend to matchup horribly against the Rangers, even though they were not a playoff team this time around. On the other hand, the Canes usually play opponents like the Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, and Tampa Bay Lightning pretty tough.
There was really no telling to which version of the Canes we would see on the ice in 2017-18. They were one of the most unpredictable and up and down teams in the league this season. Yet, they still managed to sweep possibly the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Nashville Predators.
All in all, this list is based purely on hypothetical situations, and the current state of each playoff team. Some teams looked much better in the early portion of the regular season than they do now, in both conferences. The Minnesota Wild are an example of that. Overall, the chances that the Canes would have to make it past a matchup with each team is the ultimate determining factor to each ranking on the list.