NASHVILLE – The Nashville Predators started the week knowing they could end up as high as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference or as low as the No. 7.

And even with two games left, the top three spots in the Central Division — and any combination of hosting or traveling to Winnipeg or St. Louis — remained possible. That’s some serious range with 80 games played.

It also fits this team, which just scored a much-needed 3-2 win at Buffalo, right after getting handled at home by Columbus, right after going to Pittsburgh and stifling the Penguins for a second straight road win, right after going to Winnipeg and getting outclassed by more than a 5-0 final score suggests, a few days after wins at San Jose and at home vs. Toronto made it clear this team is a contender, a few days after a loss at Anaheim made you wonder if these guys might flirt with a playoffs-free spring.

I have no idea what this team is going to do in its final two games, both at home to postseason non-qualifiers — Thursday vs. Vancouver, Saturday vs. Chicago — or in the playoffs that will finally, mercifully, arrive next week. Neither do you. Neither do they, even if they believe there’s a Stanley Cup run to be dug out of this Forrest Gump box of chocolates.

One night it’s a caramel-filled flavor sensation, the next night it takes 10 minutes to brush away the gross, fake-cherry taste. The Buffalo game was chocolate and nougat. It was good enough.

Ryan Johansen with the game winner. The much-scrutinized, badly needed second line of Kyle Turris, Mikael Granlund and Craig Smith making things happen. P.K. Subban looking like P.K. Subban. Pekka Rinne looking like Pekka Rinne. Austin Watson returning to the lineup. Dante Fabbro looking more comfortable.

Start rattling off names on that roster and it’s easier to remember that this team has the goods to play for a long time this spring. That’s always been true. It hasn’t always been easy to see. And it’s doubtful the final outcome of this regular season will have any effect on the postseason.

The Preds could secure home ice through the first two rounds and not make the second. They could be stuck traveling to Winnipeg for the first game of the playoffs and launch a long run from there (the Jets, by the way, had the dreaded players-only meeting after Tuesday’s 5-1 loss at Minnesota, the team’s fifth in seven games).

KNOW THE SCORE:

As Roman Josi said recently, the division is a separate goal, and winning it is “a big accomplishment” — one the franchise has achieved once, last season, so this is a chance to double its division-championship banners. And if that’s how things turn out late Saturday night, the over/under on enjoyment is one hour, until attention turns to the first-round opponent.

If regular-season achievement and momentum carried over, five wins in the final seven games last season to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy would have led to a better outcome than a second-round loss to the Jets.

If regular-season achievement and momentum carried over, five losses in the final seven games two years ago to be stuck with the No. 8 seed – and No. 16 overall – would have led to the quick exit against mighty Chicago most expected. Rinne and the Predators created their own momentum in Game 1 in Chicago, and it wasn’t halted until Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

And this team, which has felt in flux for most of the season, won’t have time to iron everything out before the playoffs begin. But Peter Laviolette knows what he has in his top line and his goaltenders. He knows what he got last spring from the now-reunited line of Watson, Nick Bonino and Colton Sissons. Everyone knows Turris will be key.

And this week of regular-season hockey will be deliciously good, no matter how the standings shake out, because it’s the last one.

Contact Joe Rexrode at jrexrode@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @joerexrode.