2012 NHL Playoff Projections - 82 Games Played

When it comes to the NHL playoffs, a general rule of thumb is to expect the unexpected. While division winners typically hoist the Stanley Cup, top-seeded teams are no stranger to first round playoff upsets.

Acknowledging that the best predictor of future behavior is typically past performance, the chart below tracks teams over the second half of the 2012 NHL regular season examining their 10, 20 and 41 game records in order to measure where momentum lies heading into the postseason.

Team Performance Heading Into 2012 NHL Playoffs
EAST
	Final			10 GP		20 GP			41 GP
Team	W	Pts		W	Pts	W	Pts		W	Pts
1. NYR	51	109		6	12	10	21		24	51
2. BOS	49	102		7	15	11	23		21	45
3. FLA	38	94		2	9	8	22		18	46
4. PIT	51	108		6	12	15	31		26	62
5. PHI	47	103		5	11	13	28		22	49
6. NJD	48	102		7	15	13	28		25	54
7. WAS	42	92		6	14	11	25		20	46
8. OTT	41	92		4	8	9	20		20	45
WEST
	Final		10 GP			20 GP		41 GP
Team	W	Pts	W		Pts	W	Pts	W		Pts
1. VAN	51	111	8		17	11	25	26		58
2. STL	49	109	4		11	11	26	25		56
3. PHO	42	97	7		16	10	24	23		54
4. NAS	48	104	6		12	12	25	26		56
5. DET	48	102	4		10	7	17	22		49
6. CHI	45	101	6		15	12	28	21		49
7. SJS	43	96	7		14	10	23	18		41
8. LAK	40	95	5		13	13	29	20		48

Vancouver , St. Louis and Nashville bested the West from the season's midpoint with Chicago and Los Angeles leading during the final 20 games, and Vancouver and Phoenix finishing strongest over the final 10 games. San Jose endured the poorest second half of any playoff bound team with Detroit trailing its peers for the final 20 and 10 game stretches.

In the East, Pittsburgh led all others over the final 41 game and 20 game measures with Boston and New Jersey posting the best records during the final 10 games of the season. Ottawa trailed its playoff conference peers at each interval during the second half, with Florida being a close second.

In terms of streaks, New Jersey finished with six straight wins and Phoenix won their final five, leading their conferences in the category. Ottawa dropped their last three games owning the coldest finish, though three others (New York, Detroit, Los Angeles) lost their last two.

In short, Vancouver, Nashville, Phoenix, New Jersey, Boston and Pittsburgh are hot heading into the playoffs while Ottawa, Florida and Detroit are not. Of course, none of these statistical measures matter when puck drops tonight. It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life.

Let the second season begin. The real season. 16W.