Quote:The New England Wolfpack are the best team that won't make the playoffs

This is shaping up to be highly likely, although the Wolfpack are doing their best to make things as tense as possible for the Chicago Syndicate, who only hold a 1 point lead on the Wolfpack with each team having the same number of games remaining. In fact, this playoff spot could very well be decided in a matchup between these two teams, as they still have one game against each other remaining. Whoever is the loser of this matchup likely faces a steep climb for that fourth seed.

Chicago's remaining schedule is as follows; LAP, WPG, TBB, NOLA, CGY, HAM, NEW, SFP, TBB, TEX, TBB
New England's remaining schedule is as follows; TOR, SFP, CGY, BUF, BUF, TBB, CHI, EDM, MAN, TBB, MIN

Let's compare these schedules. First, the number of games against what can be considered true Challenge Cup contenders.

CHI: 3 (NOLA, CGY, HAM)
Projected record: 1-2

NEW: 5 (CGY, BUF, BUF, EDM, MAN)
Projected record: 2-3

Both NEW and CHI have shown a propensity for knocking off elite teams, yet it is still likely that both teams finish these games with a losing record.

Second, the number of games against bottom feeders.

CHI: 4 (TBB, SFP, TBB, TBB)
Projected Record: 4-0

NEW: 5 (TOR, SFP, TBB, TBB, MIN)
Projected Record: 5-0

Thirdly, the number of games against playoff hopefuls.

CHI: 3 (LAP, WPG, TEX)
Projected Record: 2-1

NEW: 0

There is one game missing from each team's projected records here, and that's the NEW-CHI game.
With my projections, I have CHI finishing 7-3, excluding the NEW matchup, and NEW finishing 7-3 excluding the game against CHI. This would mean CHI would still have a 1 point lead with the game against NEW not being taken into consideration, and so, I do believe that the winner of this matchup will be the one to claim the final playoff seed.

Note how interesting this would be if New England hadn't lost 3 games to BAP, a game to TBB, a game to TOR, and a game to Minnesota?

Also note how interesting this would be if New England traded their star players out of conference instead of strengthening two conference rivals, as HAM is only 5 points up on CHI and 6 points up on NEW with two more games played.

East playoff race could be interesting.

TLDR; winner of NEW-CHI makes the playoffs.