Clinching playoff spots

This one comes from a reader, who pointed out to me that the WHL site is claiming that Tri-City has clinched a playoff spot. And that, as anyone who can do basic math can confirm, is not true. In order to clinch a playoff spot, the answer to the question "If we never earned another point this year, are there 8 other teams that could finish ahead of us?", must be "NO".

In the Western conference, there's two teams that will miss the playoffs, so to clinch a spot, the Ams (who have 69 points right now) would have to have more points than two other teams in the conference could possibly end up with if they won every single remaining game. Portland, in last place, could possibly end up with 68 points - so the Ams have indeed ensured they will finish ahead of Portland. But in 9th place is Prince George, who have a possible maximum of 79 points. So, in theory, Prince George could still finish ahead of Tri-City and thus Tri-City could miss the playoffs.

Obviously that isn't going to happen.....but they haven't mathematically clinched yet either. And it's curious that the WHL site says Tri-City (in 3rd place) has clinched, but the 1st and 2nd place teams (Spokane & Vancouver) in the conference have not. Methinks this is a typo by the league.

For what it's worth, here's the so-called "magic numbers" for each of the teams in the league to clinch a playoff spot. This is the number of wins each team needs - and/or losses by the current 9th place team in the conference - to clinch a playoff spot.

Calgary Hitmen: 10.5 (23 games remaining)
Regina Pats: 11.5 (22 games remaining)
Lethbridge Hurricanes: 14 (25 games remaining)
Kootenay Ice: 14.5 (25 games remaining)
Moose Jaw Warriors: 14.5 (25 games remaining)
Brandon Wheat Kings: 15.5 (26 games remaining)
Medicine Hat Tigers: 16 (24 games remaining)
Swift Current Broncos: 19 (24 games remaining)
Edmonton Oil Kings: 29 (23 games remaining)
Saskatoon Blades: 31.5 (24 games remaining)
Prince Albert Raiders: 31.5 (23 games remaining)
Red Deer Rebels: 34.5 (22 games remaining)

Spokane Chiefs: 5 (25 games remaining)
Vancouver Giants: 5 (24 games remaining)
Tri-City Americans: 5.5 (25 games remaining)
Kelowna Rockets: 8 (23 games remaining)
Everett Silvertips: 12 (23 games remaining)
Seattle Thunderbirds: 15.5 (28 games remaining)
Chilliwack Bruins: 16 (26 games remaining)
Kamloops Blazers: 16.5 (24 games remaining)
Prince George Cougars: 33.5 (25 games remaining)
Portland Winter Hawks: 38 (24 games remaining)

If a team's "magic number" exceeds the number of games they have remaining in the season, then they need help to make the playoffs; ie, winning all their remaining games won't be enough - they need some other teams ahead of them to lose some games as well. So, for example, even if Portland won all their remaining 24 games, they'd still need Kamloops to lose at least 14 of THEIR remaining games in order to catch the Blazers for 8th place and a playoff spot.