The trade deadline is around the corner and the playoff race is heating up, which means we’re in the home stretch of the 2018-19 NHL season. This is where teams either sink or swim in their quest for the postseason, but the current might be working either with or against them depending on the team.



As the season progresses strength of schedule becomes more and more important, a meaningful factor in how each team finishes. Over a full season the differences mostly wash out, but with 25 games left the effect becomes a fair bit stronger. Some teams will have a heavier split of games at home versus on the road, some teams will see a heavier dose of contenders versus bottom feeders and some teams will have more opportunities for rest versus a more packed schedule filled with back-to-backs and three-in-fours.



For most of the league the difference, even at this juncture, is negligible; their expected win total for the remainder of the season is nearly identical to what...