DitchMarner
It's time.
Are we coming to a point where most teams are either trying to win the Cup or rebuilding/building long-term with the goal of eventually being good enough to do so? In other words, are teams that do whatever they can trying to just squeak into the playoffs even though they would be long shots to go all the way if they were to qualify mostly a thing of the past?
If we use the following arbitrary thresh holds, the majority of Western Conference teams this season can be classified as either "good" or "bad." Only two teams can be put in the "average" category. This would explain why it seems harder to predict a Cup winner this year than normal.
Below 82 points (bad): SJ, CHI, ANA, ARI, SEA, CGY - six teams
82 to 96 points (average): MIN, STL - two teams
97 or more points (good): DAL, WPG, COL, VAN, EDM, LA, NSH, VGK - eight teams
If you look at goal differentials, it seems the top teams are relishing beating up on the bottom-feeders. The situation isn't quite as pronounced in the Eastern Conference. At least there was a playoff race. But the Capitals sold at the deadline and managed to make the playoffs anyway and the Penguins traded one of their best players and were in the hunt for a spot until the last week.
If we use the following arbitrary thresh holds, the majority of Western Conference teams this season can be classified as either "good" or "bad." Only two teams can be put in the "average" category. This would explain why it seems harder to predict a Cup winner this year than normal.
Below 82 points (bad): SJ, CHI, ANA, ARI, SEA, CGY - six teams
82 to 96 points (average): MIN, STL - two teams
97 or more points (good): DAL, WPG, COL, VAN, EDM, LA, NSH, VGK - eight teams
If you look at goal differentials, it seems the top teams are relishing beating up on the bottom-feeders. The situation isn't quite as pronounced in the Eastern Conference. At least there was a playoff race. But the Capitals sold at the deadline and managed to make the playoffs anyway and the Penguins traded one of their best players and were in the hunt for a spot until the last week.