The NHL's Eastern Conference Playoff race is a fight of who wants it least

This is the dumbest playoff race you can ever imagine.

The playoff race in the NHL’s Eastern Conference has devolved into one of the dumbest playoff races that I can recall in any sport in recent memory. Seven mostly mediocre teams (Washington, Philadelphia, Detroit, New York Islanders, New Jersey, Pittsburgh and Buffalo) of varying degrees of disappointment fighting it out for two playoff spots.

Nobody is playing well.

Nobody is taking advantage of the failures of the other teams.

It has to be an immense source of frustration for each fan base as they watch the teams around them stumble and fall, all while their own team does the same thing. The entire thing is just Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes, only instead of one Sideshow Bob doing it there are seven of him.

This is supposed to be the time of year and the type of finish that draws you in and captivates you with good, intense hockey and teams playing at a high level to earn a playoff spot. This is supposed to bring out the best in everybody.

What we are watching instead is a race where somebody might end up sneaking in by default and because somebody has to take the spot.

First, let’s just look at some numbers overall team performances as of late.