5 of top 14 teams are from the eastern conference.

[Tkachuk Norris]

seems like it changes every year, last year the eastern conference had more

Actually last year was the first year the east was stronger for like a decade.

 

[Apotheosis]

XD You know how this all works right? The Atlantic has 4 of the bottom 6 teams in the NHL. The top 3 teams if the Atlantic have had the chance to beat up on them all year long. Tampa, Boston and Toronto's point totals are massively inflated because of that.

Or you know, you could be informed and research before saying this. Before Toronto or anyone in the Atlantic for that matter played a stretch of games against Buffalo/Detroit in their division, they were still 3 of the top 5/6 teams in the NHL.

 

[Bedards Dad]

This narrative is getting old...

Leafs vs Atlantic- 24 games: 14-7-3 for 31 points (106 point pace)
Leafs vs Rest of the NHL- 51 games: 31-16-4 for 66 points (106 point pace)
Leafs vs the West- 29 games: 19-8-2 for 40 points (113 point pace)
Leafs vs the East- 46 games: 26-15-5 for 57 points (101 point pace)

Maybe you should just focus on your own team

Going to ensure this is on every page to help dispel stupid myths

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Actually last year was the first year the east was stronger for like a decade.

Technically east was better in 15-16 and 16-17. Won the head to head and the cup winner was from the east.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

XD You know how this all works right? The Atlantic has 4 of the bottom 6 teams in the NHL. The top 3 teams if the Atlantic have had the chance to beat up on them all year long. Tampa, Boston and Toronto's point totals are massively inflated because of that.

What if the bottom feeders of the Atlantic only have bad records because they keep getting beaten up by the top teams?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

What if the bottom feeders of the Atlantic only have bad records because they keep getting beaten up by the top teams?

Generally you tend to have a bad record when you lose to all the other teams, not just the top ones.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Generally you tend to have a bad record when you lose to all the other teams, not just the top ones.

Yes and generally you tend to have a good record when you beat all the other teams, like the top 3 teams in the Atlantic are doing. Thank you

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yes and generally you tend to have a good record when you beat all the other teams, like the top 3 teams in the Atlantic are doing. Thank you

Fine but 4 of the bottom 6? Complete patsies. A threat to nobody but themselves.

The top teams are decent but that division is still a tire fire.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

It seems like we go back and forth between conference superiority every year.

Last year, Nashville won the West, but their 94 points in the regular season wouldn't even have got them into the playoffs in the East.

Right now, it appears to be all but set in stone that one of St.Louis, Colorado, Los Angeles will miss the playoffs in the west with enough points to have made it if they were in the East.

10th place Dallas, who is almost certainly not going to make the playoffs, would only be 2 points behind a playoff spot in the East with equal games played to the team they are chasing.

None of this really matters though. The true battle for conference superiority will always be the Stanley Cup Finals and only when that is over will we know which conference reigns supreme. 3 of the 4 best Cup Contenders appear to be in the East.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Who exactly...Chicago is done and LA is a bubble team nowadays. I see inexperienced teams or teams that can't get it done mostly.

Chicago is done and yet i have more faith in them returning to the playoffs next year than handful of teams in the East making it.

Pretty much what i meant in a nutshell.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Fine but 4 of the bottom 6? Complete patsies. A threat to nobody but themselves.

The top teams are decent but that division is still a tire fire.

You do know the teams I the Atlantic have a better record vs the rest of the league, Right?

 

[Cypress]

Would be interested to see the goal differential between conferences. I'd do it, but can't access nhl.com on my ancient phone. A glance at the st

 

[The Macho King]

I think Tampa has a worse record against the Atlantic than any other division (and has owned the Central this year, for instance). For some reason we can't beat Buffalo, Ottawa, or Boston.

 

[wandk128]

Until all games are equal, it's tough to take these standings as true indicators of strength

 

[Crazy Monkey]

XD You know how this all works right? The Atlantic has 4 of the bottom 6 teams in the NHL. The top 3 teams if the Atlantic have had the chance to beat up on them all year long. Tampa, Boston and Toronto's point totals are massively inflated because of that.

Just to make sure everything is super clear, should also add that in 24 games against the Atlantic (same number as Toronto), Washington is 16-6-2 which is a 116 point pace compared to their current 103 point pace. The irony in your statement is hilarious

 

[who_me?]

Who exactly...Chicago is done and LA is a bubble team nowadays. I see inexperienced teams or teams that can't get it done mostly.

The Kings won the Cup as a bubble team.

 

[Empoleon8771]

It's not all surprising, the Metro was the strongest division in hockey last year and a lot of teams have taken a step back. The Metro on this day in 2017 had 4 of the 5 top teams in hockey, with Washington, Pittsburgh, Columbus and the NYR all in the top-5.

 

[Rebels57]

The bottom half of the Atlantic is more awfuller. 23 points seperate #1 from #8 in the Metro, 40 points seperates #1 from #5 in the Atlantic.

Yeah the reason the Atlantic top teams have so many points are their extra games against the awful bottom half of Atlantic.

Metro has more parity.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Yeah the reason the Atlantic top teams have so many points are their extra games against the awful bottom half of Atlantic.

Metro has more parity.

You do realize that Toronto, Boston and Tampa also have loses against the bottom teams in the Atlantic, so it's not like they all went a combined undefeated against them.

 

[983 others]

Do you get a medal for being in the tougher conference or the toughest division? Some kind of certificate maybe?

 

[TheGroceryStick]

XD You know how this all works right? The Atlantic has 4 of the bottom 6 teams in the NHL. The top 3 teams if the Atlantic have had the chance to beat up on them all year long. Tampa, Boston and Toronto's point totals are massively inflated because of that.

agree
Tb/bos/tml wouldn't be anywhere near the playoffs if in another division.
And
The capitals would have won atleast 2 cups if division alignment didn't have them playing Pittsburgh every year.

It's a shame.

 

[N o o d l e s]

This narrative is getting old...

Leafs vs Atlantic- 24 games: 14-7-3 for 31 points (106 point pace)
Leafs vs Rest of the NHL- 51 games: 31-16-4 for 66 points (106 point pace)
Leafs vs the West- 29 games: 19-8-2 for 40 points (113 point pace)
Leafs vs the East- 46 games: 26-15-5 for 57 points (101 point pace)

Maybe you should just focus on your own team

And not to mention the Bruins are playing the Panthers 4 times and the Lightning 3 times in like their last 20 games. The way the new schedule is set up is so unpredictable that you can’t make the case Atlantic teams are just beating up on each other. Although I can’t speak for other teams schedules cause I haven’t looked

 

[N o o d l e s]

agree
Tb/bos/tml wouldn't be anywhere near the playoffs if in another division.
And
The capitals would have won atleast 2 cups if division alignment didn't have them playing Pittsburgh every year.

It's a shame.

Or they could just beat the Penguins for once

 

[LeafsNation75]

And not to mention the Bruins are playing the Panthers 4 times and the Lightning 3 times in like their last 20 games. The way the new schedule is set up is so unpredictable that you can’t make the case Atlantic teams are just beating up on each other. Although I can’t speak for other teams schedules cause I haven’t looked

With Toronto's schedule they did not play Buffalo at all this season until March 5th. Tomorrow night they are playing them for the 3rd time this month, this time in Toronto and again one more time on April 2nd.

Even though they played the Canadiens in October and November in Montreal, they did not play them in Toronto until March 17th and won't play them again until their last regular season game on April 7th.

 

[Dellstrom]

There’s just more experienced teams with a winning culture out West.

The last team from the West to win besides the Kings or Blackhawks (both of which might miss) doesn't even play in the West anymore. But alright.