We often talk how important starts are in the NHL.... So I wondered how likely it would be that a team off to a hot start....like the Devils, Islanders, Bruins, Jets, and Vegas are this season...Would make the playoffs...
American Thanksgiving is often brought up as a major point in the season...so I thought I would take the first tweety games of the season and see how many points a team needs to get in those 20 games to be pretty certain to have a playoff ticket....
I started with 30 points in 20 games....
Over the last 9 seasons 23 teams have gotten to 30 points in 20 games...Only the 2015-16 Canadiens would go on to miss the playoffs...
So how about 27 points in 20 games?
Over the last 9 seasons 59 teams have gotten to 27 points in their first 20- games. Only 2 of them have missed the playoffs....(see Below)
So far this season....
The Bruins have 28 points in 16 games Vegas has 26 points in 16 games.
The other teams with a shot to get to 27.... Good chance: NJ has 24 points in 15 Games Winnipeg 19 points in 14 Games Dallas 19 points in 15
Possible Chance to get to 27 points in 20 games. Carolina 21 Points in 16 Seattle 19 points 16 Edmonto 18 in 16 Toronton 16 points in 16 Colorado 17 points in 14 Panthers, Detroit, and Montreal all have 17 points in 15
So the race to 27 is on!
Below are the stats from the last 9 years that I compiled...
30 points in First 20 games
2021-22 Carolina Florida Toronto Edmonton
2020-21 Tampa Toronto
2019-2020 Washington NY Islanders Boston
2018-2019 Tampa Nashville
2017-18 Tampa
2016-2017 Montreal
2015-16 Montreal- Missed Playoffs NY Rangers Dallas
2014-15 Pittsburgh NY Islanders
2013-14 Chicago Minnesota St Louis San Jose Anaheim
27 points in First 20 games
2021-2022 Florida Carolina Washington Rangers Tampa Toronto Calgary Edmonton Minnesota
2020-2021 Ny Islanders Washington Tampa Boston Carolina Florida Toronto Winnipeg Vegas
2019-2020 Boston Montreal Washington NY islanders St Louis Edmonton
2018-19 Tampa Toronto Nashville Minnesota
2017-18 Tampa Toronto Columbus New Jersey St Louis Missed Playoffs Winnipeg Vegas
2016-17 Montreal NY Rangers Pittsburgh Chicago
2015-16
Montreal Missed Playoffs Ny Rangers Washington Dallas St Louis …¨ 2014-15
Montreal Tampa Pittsburgh NY Islanders Anaheim Vanvcouver
2013-14 Tampa Chicago Minnesota St Louis Colorado Anaheim San Jose