Half Way Home

 1) With most NHL teams having played close to half their 2013-14 schedule we decided to do what we did at-quarter-pole. Basically taking each teams record and project an 82 game season point total based upon each teams current point total/games played. As we wrote then, These are NOT Predictions, they are Projections! Also remember with this season's realignment there is also a new playoff seeding format so the top 8 teams won't necessarily be the 8 playoff teams

2) First in the East:

Pittsburgh-118
Boston-113
Tampa Bay- 105
Montreal- 100
Washington- 95
Detroit-92
Toronto-90
Philadelphia-86
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NY rangers- 82
New Jersey-82
Columbus-80
Ottawa-78
Carolina-78
Florida-72
NY Islanders- 64
Buffalo- 55

3) Next the West:

St. Louis-123
Anaheim-122
Chicago-122
San Jose-117
Los Angeles- 114
Colorado-108
Vancouver-107
Phoenix- 101
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Dallas-97
Minnesota-90
Winnipeg-82
Nashville-80
Calgary-71
Edmonton-60

 4) Analysis:

• The first thing that struck us with these numbers is how few points (at this juncture) it will take to make the playoffs in the East, (86). That would be 8-10 points fewer than in the previous post Bettman lock out seasons, and a whopping 15 points less than what it may take out West. Yet another not so subtle reminder of where the best teams are!


• Year to year there really isn't a huge difference in the top 8 in the West (outside of Nashville's  fall, and Detroit now in the East. In the East the 'biggest loser would be Mr Bettman with all 3 NY metro teams on the outside of the playoff spot and their back to back yankee stadium games a month away.