What to watch in the final days of this long NHL season

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Thanks to a slightly later-than-usual start to the regular season and a (sadly unnecessary) Olympic break, the NHL playoffs are running about three weeks behind schedule this year. But the payoff is coming soon. Only 10 nights remain in the regular season, and the playoffs start 12 days from today — on Monday, May 2. From teams battling for post-season positions to players chasing individual awards and milestones, here are some things to follow down the stretch:

How many Canadian teams will make the playoffs?

Probably three. Possibly four. Toronto and Calgary, who are among the league's best teams, have already clinched their spots. Edmonton is all but officially in, Winnipeg is all but officially out, while Ottawa and Montreal are eliminated.

The only Canadian franchise that's remotely on the bubble is Vancouver. The Canucks have stayed alive by earning at least a point in each of their eight April games, including a six-game winning streak. But last night's 4-3 shootout loss to Ottawa was a gut punch, dropping Vancouver's playoff odds to about five per cent. With five games left, the Canucks trail Dallas by four points for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference and are five back of Los Angeles for the final Pacific Division berth. In both cases, Vegas stands behind Vancouver and the team it's trying to catch.

Who will the Canadian playoff teams end up facing?

The Leafs just can't catch a break. With five games still to go, they've already set a franchise record for points (108) and sit third overall in the league. You'd think that would be enough for Toronto to