Leading 1-0 at home, five minutes from time, any club would expect three points.
But prior to kick off in Chelsea's 1-1 draw with The Potters, the lone point would have probably been a good return on the first instalment of a week with far greater obstacles and potential rewards ahead.
Diego Costa, rested here due to a tight tendon, didn't seem too impeded as he walked around the press room at half time with no real sign of a limp.
Questions about which tendon – left, right, which joint, or even which limb – were carefully glossed over; and Hiddink admitted his absence was more of a precautionary matter than any real impediment.
This, and the cautious decision to rest Cesc Fabregas in favour of a Nemanja Matic / John Mikel Obi midfield, irked some – who insisted Chelsea should here be chasing maximum points as part of the push for top four.
The problem, as I wrote last week, is that hopes have been dramatically elevated from the miserable moment last December when Jose Mournho received his marching orders.
Hiddink has turned Chelsea from a team on-course to finish the season on 35 points – certain relegation in almost any Premier League season; to one which, on current form, is on target to reach 57 points, and eighth place.
That is a small improvement on my mid-January prediction of 54 points and ninth, set out here.
Hiddink took over a team that had plummeted - in league place, performance and confidence – to somewhere lower than any previous Premier League champions had managed.
But even so, and including the time taken to turn around the supertanker, his Blues are presently on a trajectory headed for 73 points and a top four finish – if only their form were extended over a full season.
Hiddink, remember, does not have a full season in which deliver that objective – Mourinho had already used up 16 games.
And so, were he to deliver the magical top four from the standing start of his appointment in December, he would have needed to win at least 55 points from the 22 remaining games.
Put into the context of a full season, that is averaging the same as 96 points from 38 games – one more than Chelsea's own Premier League all-comers record for the greatest tally by any team in a campaign.
Top four was impossible back then. And it was no more possible prior to kick off against Stoke: despite the misplaced hopes set smouldering by the Dutchman's own success in the role of interim boss.
Hiddink has been clear all along that fourth place is non-achievable – or, at the very least, so highly improbable as to be a mathematical possibility and nothing else.
And now, with Chelsea on 40 points and only a further 27 up for grabs, it a probably a mathematical impossibility too.
This is why he has been using the league in the way he has.
That is not, as expected by some, to simply punctuate the domestic and European cup calendars.
But to retrieve lost confidence and dignity: raising the team up the table, repairing individual egos, reprogramming the side tactically, and giving chances to youngsters previously out in the cold.
All of which has been a success – although it must give way, at the crucial moment, to greater goals.
In a week where Chelsea have knock-out games against both Paris Saint-Germain and Everton, Stoke in the Premier League was always going to be the third most important match.
Hence Costa's omission, and the benching of Fabregas.
Individually, there were areas of concern: notably Baba Rahman, and second half sub Ruben Loftus-Cheek; who both looked a long way off where they really should be at this stage in their development.
But, aside from the obvious disappointment of the late goal, Chelsea acquitted themselves reasonably well: no return to the previous pattern of defeat, no costly injuries, and fingers crossed for Wednesday and Saturday nights.
Here Hiddink employed a good degree of pragmatism: making do with what he reasonably has at his disposal, to deliver the best result on all fronts.
Those demanding a more idealistic push for victory at every opportunity might like to consider what the ultimate footballing idealist looks like.
His name is Arsene Wenger, and Arsenal supporters are presently desperate to be rid of him.
For now, Hiddink's pragmatism is exactly what Chelsea need.
