Conference rankings: then and now
Posted 2:55 PM ET | Comments 0
I saw on TSN today that they compared their pre-season rankings to the current standings in the NHL, so I thought I would do the same.
October predictions
1. Washington
2. Pittsburgh
3. Boston
4. Philadelphia
5. Carolina
6. New Jersey
7. NY Rangers
8. Ottawa
9. Montreal
10. Florida
11. Buffalo
12. Toronto
13. Tampa Bay
14. Atlanta
15. NY Islanders
1. Detroit
2. San Jose
3. Vancouver
4. Chicago
5. Anaheim
6. Calgary
7. Minnesota
8. St. Louis
9. Dallas
10. Columbus
11. Edmonton
12. Nashville
13. Los Angeles
14. Colorado
15. Phoenix
Olympic Break standings
1. Washington
2. New Jersey
3. Ottawa
4. Pittsburgh
5. Buffalo
6. Philadelphia
7. Boston
8. Montreal
9. Tampa Bay
10. NY Rangers
11. Atlanta
12. Florida
13. NY Islanders
14. Carolina
15. Toronto
1. San Jose
2. Chicago
3. Vancouver
4. Phoenix
5. Los Angeles
6. Colorado
7. Nashville
8. Calgary
9. Dallas
10. Detroit
11. Anaheim
12. St. Louis
13. Minnesota
14. Columbus
15. Edmonton
Feel-good teams (5 or more spots higher than pre-season)
Ottawa, Buffalo, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Colorado, Nashville
Disappointments (5 or more lower)
Carolina, Detroit, Anaheim, Minnesota
Just about all the feel-good teams have one thing in common: goaltending got them there. Especially with some teams, the man in the paint may have very well saved their seasons.
The disappoints can blame some of it on injuries to key players (all of them have at least one player that has missed significant time).
The West has turned out having more surprises than the East. We also have to remember, there's tons of hockey to be played after the Olympic break, so these rankings could change, especially with a couple good deadline deals.But now we at least have a good idea of who still can make a legitimate push for a playoff seed.
October predictions
1. Washington
2. Pittsburgh
3. Boston
4. Philadelphia
5. Carolina
6. New Jersey
7. NY Rangers
8. Ottawa
9. Montreal
10. Florida
11. Buffalo
12. Toronto
13. Tampa Bay
14. Atlanta
15. NY Islanders
1. Detroit
2. San Jose
3. Vancouver
4. Chicago
5. Anaheim
6. Calgary
7. Minnesota
8. St. Louis
9. Dallas
10. Columbus
11. Edmonton
12. Nashville
13. Los Angeles
14. Colorado
15. Phoenix
Olympic Break standings
1. Washington
2. New Jersey
3. Ottawa
4. Pittsburgh
5. Buffalo
6. Philadelphia
7. Boston
8. Montreal
9. Tampa Bay
10. NY Rangers
11. Atlanta
12. Florida
13. NY Islanders
14. Carolina
15. Toronto
1. San Jose
2. Chicago
3. Vancouver
4. Phoenix
5. Los Angeles
6. Colorado
7. Nashville
8. Calgary
9. Dallas
10. Detroit
11. Anaheim
12. St. Louis
13. Minnesota
14. Columbus
15. Edmonton
Feel-good teams (5 or more spots higher than pre-season)
Ottawa, Buffalo, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Colorado, Nashville
Disappointments (5 or more lower)
Carolina, Detroit, Anaheim, Minnesota
Just about all the feel-good teams have one thing in common: goaltending got them there. Especially with some teams, the man in the paint may have very well saved their seasons.
The disappoints can blame some of it on injuries to key players (all of them have at least one player that has missed significant time).
The West has turned out having more surprises than the East. We also have to remember, there's tons of hockey to be played after the Olympic break, so these rankings could change, especially with a couple good deadline deals.But now we at least have a good idea of who still can make a legitimate push for a playoff seed.