is the chicago blackhawks in the stanley cup playoffs
Chicago Blackhawks The Blackhawks opened the 2017–18 season with a resounding 10–1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.[114] The Blackhawks were four games above .500 with an 18–14–6 record at the end of December 2017, and only four points out of a playoff spot.[115] However, goaltender Corey Crawford missed much of 2018 due to an upper-body injury.[116] Inconsistent defense and goaltending, coupled with limited offense resulted in the team falling to the bottom of the Central Division.[117][118] The Blackhawks were eliminated from playoff contention on March 20, 2018, marking the first time in nine years that the team failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.[118] The team finished the season with a 33–39–10 record and 76 points in the standings.[119]
Stanley Cup Finals During the Original Six era, the top four teams made the playoffs, with the first and third place teams battling in one semifinal series, while the second and fourth place teams battled in the other. And from 1975 to 1981, all the playoff teams were seeded regardless of division or conference. Since 1982, the NHL's final round has pitted the league's two conference playoff champions.