Torrid Winniing Pace of Western Conference

[Icesurfer 75]

At the current pace the teams are winning (or accumulating points) in the Western Conference the 8th seed at game 82 will have 97 points. That is INCREDIBLE. .... Probably because of the domination of the West over the East (West Conference has 73 wins and 52 losses against the East as of 12/13/09) but also because of the 3 point games.

Last year there were 76 three-point games in the West. This year the West is on pace to reach from 96 to 102 three-point games.

Needless to say this is not the year for the Wings to battle to make the playoffs.

At this current pace with 50 games remaining the Wings will need approximately 60 more points.... which means close to 30 more wins. You may think 30 wins in 50 games will be easy for them but let me remind you that it will be at least another month before they have most of the injured players back again and playing somewhat with the energy and strength they had earlier.

Wings can not let the foot off the gas pedal for one second if they want to make the playoffs! I just hope they are not totally exhausted by April. It actually may benefit them that some players have gotten some rest now.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Icesurfer

[thedisappearer 291]

There is only 1 team in the Western Conference with a losing record.

[under_par_00 45]

You've got to think that some teams will start slowing down. Also, the Wings will pick it up even more once guys start coming back from injuries. I don't see how teams like LA, Colorado, Pheonix, Dallas, and Nashville are doing so well.

[Wings_Toledo 233]

Eventually things will be decided based upon the remaining division matchups. There can't be that many teams with a winning record at the end of the season.

[Theophany 110]

Eventually things will be decided based upon the remaining division matchups. There can't be that many teams with a winning record at the end of the season.

Sure there can. In conference vs conference play, West is owning East.

Granted you're right and it will probably even out more, but at this point, it's not impossible to think that the West teams may end with an absurd amount of points.

[Datsyuk2Zetterberg 1]

LA and COL will drop.

Nashville probably too. PHX will sneak in at 7 or 8.

[cupforwings 138]

LA and COL will drop.

Nashville probably too. PHX will sneak in at 7 or 8.

You think PHX is the legit team?

I was leaning towards LA... but Nashville has been a playoff team before, so I could see them getting in

[Icesurfer 75]

The last two years the FIRST 8 teams to reach 38 points made the playoffs. So the 8 playoff teams were determined at the 38 point mark..... which is exactly where we are now. So if that holds true this year the Wings won't make the playoffs. I highly doubt that will happen but I also doubt all these teams will drop out like people are suggesting. The West is getting a lot of wins by defeating the East..... so the Wings should do the same..... hopefully..... but they have 4 wins and 5 losses against the East so far.

Phoenix may drop down but Vancouver and Edmonton always seem to make a strong push at the end of the season and Dallas always seems to be there too. All I can say is it will be one heck of a dog fight this year so it will be very exciting at the end of the season and the hottest team at the end of the season will probably go all the way. I think the Western Conference champ will come from the 6th, 7th or 8th seed because one of those three may be the hottest team going into the playoffs.

At least the Wings won't be bored at the end of this season.....LOL.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Icesurfer

[Theophany 110]

LA and COL will drop.

Nashville probably too. PHX will sneak in at 7 or 8.

LA and Colorado are much more legit teams than Phoenix is.

[Feldmarschall 9]

LA and Colorado are much more legit teams than Phoenix is.

I agree. Phoenix might as well be renamed the Bryzgalovs. If he gets out of bed funny and misses a couple weeks, they'll probably flounder. Their offensive numbers are horrid, mostly they're just riding great goaltending and boring hockey. I guess it's worked for New Jersey but they've at least got better supplemental offense and a roster full of plus players. Phoenix's player statline looks unbelievable for a sustainable playoff team.

[Doggy 130]

The last two years the FIRST 8 teams to reach 38 points made the playoffs. So the 8 playoff teams were determined at the 38 point mark..... which is exactly where we are now. So if that holds true this year the Wings won't make the playoffs.

16 teams make the playoffs.

So, if what you say does hold true, it doesn't mean the Wings won't make the playoffs.

[FinWing 26]

LA and Colorado are much more legit teams than Phoenix is.

Two words: Robert Lang.

[revmo10 3]

16 teams make the playoffs.

So, if what you say does hold true, it doesn't mean the Wings won't make the playoffs.

Ummm..yeah thats 8 from the West and 8 from the East. So, it doesn't matter what happens in the east for the wings. If it holds true that means the wings miss the playoffs. I doubt it will hold true this year. But we might as well stop thinking a win is a 2 point jump. With the amount of 3 point games this year....a win really only gains you 1 point. It'll be tough for the wings but I think we'll end up being a 5 or 6 seed.

[Doggy 130]

Ummm..yeah thats 8 from the West and 8 from the East. So, it doesn't matter what happens in the east for the wings. If it holds true that means the wings miss the playoffs. I doubt it will hold true this year. But we might as well stop thinking a win is a 2 point jump. With the amount of 3 point games this year....a win really only gains you 1 point. It'll be tough for the wings but I think we'll end up being a 5 or 6 seed.

Well if that's what he means, then what he's saying is false. The Blues had like a 14-20-3 start last year. There's no way in hell they were one of the first 8 teams to get 38 points and they finished 6th in the West.

[Rivalred 630]

All this year's overtime games are not helping either.

[ben_usmc 253]

I agree. Phoenix might as well be renamed the Bryzgalovs. If he gets out of bed funny and misses a couple weeks, they'll probably flounder. Their offensive numbers are horrid, mostly they're just riding great goaltending and boring hockey. I guess it's worked for New Jersey but they've at least got better supplemental offense and a roster full of plus players. Phoenix's player statline looks unbelievable for a sustainable playoff team.

At the same time Col. has been lucky with both goaltenders playing very well. They have been outshot and for most of the games only bursts of offense. So if we are going by pure goaltending it's not absurd to think Col. is just as lucky as PHX.

[dat's sick 1,002]

I don't believe in that "first 8 teams to make it to 38 points make the playoffs"-theory at all. Maybe it was true last year, but more than anything it's just an indication that the teams who play good in the first half of the season often play good in the 2nd half as well. Some teams have 35 games played, some 31. Because of the schedule, some teams will get to 38 points faster than others, despite maybe not winning more games.

The West is really sick this year.. no bad teams at all. Meanwhile, the East sucks. I don't see any team except MAYBE the Caps being a threat to the Penguins third straight finals appearance.

[Doggy 130]

I don't believe in that "first 8 teams to make it to 38 points make the playoffs"-theory at all. Maybe it was true last year,

No, it wasn't true at all last year. As I said, the Blues had a horrible start and finished 6th. I found a source to prove this. Not only were St. Louis not in the top 8, but they were dead last (4pts behind 14th) in the West when 8 teams had 38 points. This blows that claim out of the water.

Standings at Dec 29, 2008. When 8 teams had reched 38 points in the Western conference.

San Jose 60

Detroit 51

Chicago 47

Calgary 46

Vancouver 43

Anaheim 42

Colorado 39

Phoenix 39

Edmonton 37

Nashville 37

Minnesota 36

Columbus 36

Los Angeles 36

Dallas 35

St Louis 31

Western seeds for the 2008/09 playoffs:

San Jose

Detroit

Vancouver

Chicago

Calgary

St. Louis

Columbus

Anaheim

So 6 of the first 8 teams to reached the playoffs. Hardly a shocking statistic.

Source: http://www.shrpsports.com/nhl/stand.php?li...Dec&date=29

Edited December 14, 2009 by Doggy

[Icesurfer 75]

I, for one, do not like the 3 point games. The point system in the NHL, IMHO, really stinks. I believe more credit should be given to teams who win in regulation or win in overtime vs winning by the shootout. The shootout is not as thrilling for me as it once was. And actually when the teams are tied in the last part of the third period the game gets BORING. Why? Because teams want to be guaranteed at least one point so they don’t take chances and play very safe boring hockey. And to top that off those teams who know they have a good chance of winning in the shootout just play very safe defensive hockey in the 5 minute overtime as well. And if your team doesn’t do well in shootouts, it can be very boring. So it looks like some teams are playing for shootouts which is really ridiculous because it is of no value when you get to the playoffs.

One way to change that is to change the point system. If teams are awarded 3 points for a regulation or overtime win and only 2 points for a shootout win you will then see teams battle to try to score every last second of the third period and every second of overtime. They won’t rely on the shootout. I don’t think the shootout should be given the same weight compared to a 60 minute battle or 65 minute battle. An overtime loss and a shootout loss would still get only one point. So the losing team is NOT given 50% credit for losing in overtime or in the shootout. It would make the end of the game more interesting and it will give more credit to the better overall team.

If you want to make it even more interesting a regulation win could get 4 points, an overtime win 3 points, and a shootout win 2 points and the overtime loss or shootout loss only one point… talk about an intense battle.

[Theophany 110]

At the same time Col. has been lucky with both goaltenders playing very well. They have been outshot and for most of the games only bursts of offense. So if we are going by pure goaltending it's not absurd to think Col. is just as lucky as PHX.

No, but Colorado has a much more solid core of forwards as opposed to Phoenix.

Same thing on the blue line.

Also, I'd take Anderson every single time over Bryzgalov.

[FinWing 26]

I, for one, do not like the 3 point games. The point system in the NHL, IMHO, really stinks. I believe more credit should be given to teams who win in regulation or win in overtime vs winning by the shootout. The shootout is not as thrilling for me as it once was. And actually when the teams are tied in the last part of the third period the game gets BORING. Why? Because teams want to be guaranteed at least one point so they don’t take chances and play very safe boring hockey. And to top that off those teams who know they have a good chance of winning in the shootout just play very safe defensive hockey in the 5 minute overtime as well. And if your team doesn’t do well in shootouts, it can be very boring. So it looks like some teams are playing for shootouts which is really ridiculous because it is of no value when you get to the playoffs.

One way to change that is to change the point system. If teams are awarded 3 points for a regulation or overtime win and only 2 points for a shootout win you will then see teams battle to try to score every last second of the third period and every second of overtime. They won’t rely on the shootout. I don’t think the shootout should be given the same weight compared to a 60 minute battle or 65 minute battle. An overtime loss and a shootout loss would still get only one point. So the losing team is NOT given 50% credit for losing in overtime or in the shootout. It would make the end of the game more interesting and it will give more credit to the better overall team.

If you want to make it even more interesting a regulation win could get 4 points, an overtime win 3 points, and a shootout win 2 points and the overtime loss or shootout loss only one point… talk about an intense battle.

I'd be all for handing out three points every game. Three for regulation win, two for OT/SO win and one for OT/SO loss.