Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Final Quarter: 2022-23 NHL Season

By the Numbers: Looking ahead to the final quarter of the 2022-23 NHL regular season.


* The 2022-23 campaign remains theĀ highest-scoring season in 27 years (6.3 G/GP)Ā as it enters its final quarter Friday, with theĀ Hurricanes-CoyotesĀ game marking the exact three-quarter mark (984 of 1,312 GP).

*Ā Forty-three percent of games this season have been comeback wins, tied for the second-highest rate at this stage of a season behind 2005-06 (44%).

* Twenty-three teams either hold a playoff spot or sit within six points of one, includingĀ five clubs who currently hold a postseason position that did not qualify in 2022Ā (New Jersey, NY Islanders, Vegas, Seattle and Winnipeg). There has been a playoff turnover of 5+ teams in every season under the Wild Card format.

* Led by theĀ Bruins, who are on pace to set NHL records for wins and points in a season, the Eastern Conference includes theĀ top five teams in the League standings along with a group of seven clubs separated by a six-point margin currently battling for twoĀ WildĀ Card spots.

*Ā Three of four divisions have a difference of three points or less between first and second place, including a tie atop the Pacific Division where four points divide the top four clubs. As a whole,Ā the difference between first place and eighth place in the Western Conference is seven points.

*Ā Connor McDavidĀ has already reached both the 50-goal and 100-point benchmarks this season and enters Friday with a chance to become the first player in more than a century withĀ multiple goals in six straight games. Overall, seven players are on pace for 50+ goals and 13 are tracking toward 100+ points (with McDavid the only one to already reach either benchmark).


League Trends
118Ā ā€“ Number ofĀ multi-goal comeback winsĀ in 2022-23, the second most in NHL history at this stage of a season behind 1985-86 when there were 123 over the course of the entire campaign (only 840 GP).

48Ā ā€“ Number ofĀ multi-goal, third-periodĀ comeback winsĀ in 2022-23, one shy of tying the NHL record for an entire season (49 in 2009-10).


Rush to the Playoffs
14Ā ā€“ Number of times over the past 15 applicable campaigns (since 2007-08) that the gap at the ā€œplayoff lineā€ hasĀ been five points or less in both conferencesĀ at the three-quarter mark of the season (i.e., the difference in points between the lowest playoff seed and the first non-playoff team). The only exception was in 2021-22; this excludes the 2020-21 season when there were no conferences. That margin currently stands at four points in the Eastern Conference and five points in the Western Conference.

12Ā ā€“ Number of teams in the Eastern Conference that have held a playoff position since play resumed after the All-Star break.

7Ā ā€“ Number of teams in the Western Conference that have occupied aĀ WildĀ Card position since play resumed after the All-Star break.

7Ā ā€“ Difference between first place and eighth place in the Western Conference. The smallest margin at the end of a season between first place and eighth place in a conference is 10, in theĀ 2007-08 Eastern ConferenceĀ when the top-rankedĀ CanadiensĀ had only 10 points more than the No. 8-rankedĀ Bruins. The only other instance of that point differential beingĀ less than 14Ā was in theĀ 2014-15 Western ConferenceĀ (12 points between ANA and CGY).

6Ā ā€“ Number of points separating theĀ Penguins,Ā Islanders,Ā Sabres,Ā Senators,Ā Panthers,Ā CapitalsĀ andĀ Red WingsĀ ā€“ the twoĀ WildĀ Card clubs and next closest teams in the Eastern Conference standings. Three of those clubs are looking to break a stretch of at least five seasons since their last playoff berth (Buffalo: 2011; Detroit: 2016; Ottawa: 2017).

6Ā ā€“ Different First Round matchups theĀ StarsĀ have had since Feb. 1. In total, all eight current playoff teams in the Western Conference have had at least three different opening round matchups over that span.


Leading the Pack
73Ā ā€“ Consecutive days theĀ HurricanesĀ have spent in first place in the Metropolitan Division (since claiming their 20th win of the season Dec. 20). New Jersey ranks second in the division, one point back of Carolina. They are the only clubs to occupy the No. 1 seed in the Metropolitan since late October (CAR: 75 days, NJD: 49 days since Oct. 30) and will meet once more this season: March 12 in New Jersey (CAR:Ā 2-1-0 in 3 GP; NJD:Ā 1-1-1 in 3 GP).

67Ā ā€“ Fewest games required by a team to clinch a playoff spot since 2005-06, with the 2009-10Ā CapitalsĀ setting that benchmark.

61Ā ā€“Ā Fewest games in NHL historyĀ needed by a club to reach 100 points in a season, a mark set last night by theĀ Bruins. On pace forĀ 64 winsĀ andĀ 135 points, which would be NHL records for each category,Ā Boston next plays Saturday on ABC, ESPN+ and Sportsnet (1 p.m. ET vs. NYR).

58Ā ā€“ Largest YOY point improvement from one season to the next (min. 80 GP in first campaign) by any team in NHL history, achieved by theĀ SharksĀ from 1992-93 (24 points in 84 GP) to 1993-94 (82 points in 84 GP). They are the only team in NHL history to make a 50+ point improvement in campaigns of equal length. New Jersey is on pace for a 53-point improvement vs. 2021-22 (63 points) while Seattle is trending toward a 39-point jump relative to last season (60 points); both would be among the top eight YOY changes in NHL history.

43Ā ā€“ Consecutive days as the No. 1 seed in the Central Division for theĀ Stars, despite holding a lead of five points or less for that entire span. Their current advantage is three points over the second-placeĀ Wild.

5 ā€“Ā The top five clubs in the NHL hail from the Eastern Conference ā€“ the first season in NHL history in which this has occurred (after min. 50 GP for each club). Only two seasons have ended withĀ at least the top three teamsĀ in the NHL being from the same conference:Ā 1993-94Ā (3 from Eastern) andĀ 1990-91Ā (4 from Clarence Campbell). Conferences became a permanent fixture in 1974-75 (except for the pandemic-impacted 2020-21 season).

3Ā ā€“ Number of teams in the NHLā€™s modern era (since 1943-44) to sit atop their division standings for the entire season. TheĀ Bruins, who have been No. 1 in the Atlantic every day so far in 2022-23, can join the 2008-09Ā SharksĀ (Pacific Division), 1984-85Ā OilersĀ (Smythe Division) and 1977-78Ā CanadiensĀ (Norris Division) on that list. San Jose claimed the Presidentsā€™ Trophy that year, while Edmonton and Montreal hoisted the Stanley Cup.

2 ā€“Ā Number of teams that have finished first in their division in three or more of the franchiseā€™s first six seasons in the NHL. TheĀ Golden Knights, who sits first in the Pacific after previously winning a division in 2017-18 and 2019-20, can join theĀ BruinsĀ andĀ OilersĀ as teams to accomplish the feat.


Scoring
156Ā ā€“ Current on-pace point total for Art Ross Trophy frontrunnerĀ Connor McDavid, which would be the highest single-season total since 1995-96 whenĀ Mario LemieuxĀ tallied 161 points in 70 games. Only five different players in NHL history have recordedĀ 150+ points in a season:Ā Wayne GretzkyĀ (9x), Lemieux (4x),Ā Bernie Nicholls,Ā Steve YzermanĀ andĀ Phil Esposito.

31Ā ā€“ Years since a defenseman recordedĀ 100+ points in a season, withĀ Erik KarlssonĀ on track to become the sixth different blueliner in League history to hit the mark. Karlsson is also pacing toward becoming theĀ seventh different blueliner with 75+ assists in a seasonĀ and first sinceĀ Sergei ZubovĀ in 1993-94.

30Ā ā€“ Years since the NHL last saw a 70-goal scorer, withĀ Alexander MogilnyĀ and rookieĀ Teemu SelanneĀ sharing the League lead with 76 apiece in 1992-93.Ā Connor McDavidĀ is currently on pace for 69 goals in 2022-23, within range of becoming the ninth different NHL player to scoreĀ 70+ goals in a season.

27Ā ā€“ Years since a player led the NHL in goals, assistsĀ andĀ points at the end of a season (outright or tied), withĀ Mario LemieuxĀ the last to do so in 1995-96. Overall, only six different players have done so:Ā Wayne GretzkyĀ (5x), Lemieux (2x),Ā Gordie HoweĀ (2x),Ā Phil Esposito,Ā Howie MorenzĀ andĀ NewsyĀ Lalonde.Ā Connor McDavidĀ currently tops the League in goals, assists and points.

21Ā ā€“ Number of players in NHL history to score 60+ goals in a season, withĀ Connor McDavidĀ sitting eight goals shy of the mark with 20 games remaining. The last time the NHL had consecutive campaigns with aĀ 60-goal scorerĀ was a 14-season stretch from 1980-81 through 1993-94.

19Ā ā€“ Number of players on pace for 40+ goals in 2022-23, including four who have already hit the mark. Nineteen would be the highest single-season total of 40+ goal scorers in 29 years (23 in 1993-94).

13Ā ā€“ Number of players on pace for 100+ points in 2022-23, more than double the number who were tracking toward triple digits at the same stage last season (6 entering final quarter of 2021-22). In the past 25 seasons (since 1996-97), only one campaign has featuredĀ at least eightĀ 100-point players (8 in 2021-22).

7Ā ā€“ Number of players on pace for 50+ goals in 2022-23, includingĀ Connor McDavidĀ (52) who recently became theĀ fastest active skater to hit the mark (61 GP). In the past 25 seasons (since 1996-97), only one campaign has featuredĀ at least fiveĀ 50-goal scorers (5 in 2005-06).

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