Final Standings Projections At The Mid-Way Point

It’s impossible to tell exactly how the remainder of the 2017-18 season will shake out, but with the NHL set to resume it’s unofficial second half of the season tomorrow, there’s no better time to look at the current state of the league. The final standings could look much like they do now or they could differ greatly, depending on whether or not the status quo shifts over the next few months. The trade deadline, rookie wall, and the health rigors of an 82-game season can all change the course of the campaign for many teams, but as of now, this is what the final standings and 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs will look like:

Atlantic Division

1. Tampa Bay Lightning – 119 points
2. Boston Bruins – 115 points
3. Toronto Maple Leafs – 98 points
4. Detroit Red Wings – 79 points
5. Montreal Canadiens – 77 points
6. Florida Panthers – 77 points
7. Ottawa Senators – 68 points
8. Buffalo Sabres – 62 points

Metropolitan Division

1. Washington Capitals – 105 points
2. New Jersey Devils – 96 points
3. Columbus Blue Jackets – 95 points
4. Philadelphia Flyers – 94 points
5. Pittsburgh Penguins – 92 points
6. New York Islanders – 90 points
7. New York Rangers – 90 points
8. Carolina Hurricanes – 87 points

Eastern Conference First Round Playoff Match-ups:

#1A Tampa Bay vs. #2W Pittsburgh
#1M Washington vs. #1W Philadelphia
#2A Boston vs. #3A Toronto
#2M New Jersey vs. #3M Columbus

Central Division

1. Nashville Predators – 113 points
2. Winnipeg Jets – 108 points
3. St. Louis Blues – 101 points
4. Dallas Stars – 98 points
5. Colorado Avalanche – 97 points
6. Minnesota Wild – 95 points
7. Chicago Blackhawks – 89 points

Pacific Division

1. Vegas Golden Knights – 116 points
2. San Jose Sharks – 101 points
3. Calgary Flames – 97 points
4. Los Angeles Kings – 95 points
5. Anaheim Ducks – 93 points
6. Edmonton Oilers – 79 points
7. Vancouver Canucks – 74 points
8. Arizona Coyotes – 54 points

Western Conference First Round Playoff Match-ups:

#1P Vegas vs. #2W Colorado
#1C Nashville vs. #1W Dallas
#2C Winnipeg vs. #3C St. Louis
#2P San Jose vs. #3P Calgary

The biggest takeaway from this current outlook? It won’t take 100 points to be a playoff team this year, but the vast number of mediocre teams opens the door for some last-minute playoff drama. The Islanders, Rangers, Wild, and Kings all project to be just one win outside of a playoff berth. These races could come down to the wire. It should be a fun second half.