1. What is the NHL Magic Number?

The NHL Magic Number represents the combination of points your team needs to earn and/or points your closest opponent needs to lose to clinch a playoff spot or division title. It's a key metric during the playoff race.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard NHL magic number formula:

Where:

• 82 — Total possible points in an NHL season (though actual maximum is 164)
• Points — Your team's current point total
• Games Left Opponent — Number of games remaining for the closest competitor

Explanation: The formula accounts for the maximum points your competitor could earn from their remaining games (2 points per game).

3. Importance of Magic Number

Details: Tracking the magic number helps fans and teams understand how close they are to securing a playoff berth or division title as the regular season winds down.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your team's current point total and the number of games remaining for your closest competitor. The calculator will show how many points your team needs to clinch.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a magic number of 0 mean?
A: A magic number of 0 means your team has clinched the playoff spot or title - the competitor can no longer catch up.

Q2: How does overtime affect the magic number?
A: Since both teams get at least 1 point in OT games, the magic number decreases more slowly when competitors play overtime games.

Q3: Can the magic number be negative?
A: No, the calculator shows 0 if the result would be negative, which means you've already clinched.

Q4: Why 82 in the formula when maximum points is 164?
A: The formula is based on the number of games (82) multiplied by the 1-point minimum from each game, not the 2-point maximum.

Q5: Should I use this for wild card races?
A: For wild card spots, you need to consider multiple teams - this calculator is best for two-team races.