NHL Standings Predictions

With the NHL season right around the corner, I’d like to give some predictions for the NHL standings and who I see reaching the playoffs. Hockey, unlike baseball and basketball, can have some quick turnarounds as far as talent goes. We saw the Boston Bruins reach the playoffs despite barely scoring any goals all season. We also saw the LA Kings dazzle with young studs such as Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick. We also have the staple teams such as Washington, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, San Jose, Detroit, and Chicago. Here’s a look at how I see the divisions shaping up:

I see Toronto, Tampa Bay, and St Louis reaching the playoffs this year.

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Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

#	Team	Pts
1	Pittsburgh Penguins	107
2	Philadelphia Flyers	100
3	New Jersey Devils	98
4	New York Rangers	91
5	New York Islanders	87

Northeast Division

#	Team	Pts
1	Boston Bruins	103
2	Buffalo Sabres	94
3	Toronto Maple Leafs	92
4	Montreal Canadiens	87
5	Ottawa Senators	85

Southeast Division

#	Team	Pts
1	Washington Capitals	116
2	Tampa Bay Lightning	95
3	Carolina Hurricanes	90
4	Atlanta Thrashers	84
5	Florida Panthers	79

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Western Conference

Central Division

#	Team	Pts
1	Chicago Blackhawks	108
2	Detroit Red Wings	104
3	St Louis Blues	99
4	Nashville Predators	95
5	Columbus Blue Jackets	83

Northwest Division

#	Team	Pts
1	Vancouver Canucks	113
2	Colorado Avalanche	98
3	Calgary Flames	95
4	Minnesota Wild	89
5	Edmonton Oilers	77

Pacific Division

#	Team	Pts
1	San Jose Sharks	105
2	LA Kings	102
3	Phoenix Coyotes	97
4	Anaheim Ducks	91
5	Dallas Stars	85

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Bold: Playoff Teams

Stanley Cup finals pick: Pittsburgh over Vancouver