NHL Season 2013: Predicting the Final 2013 NHL Standings

The 2013 NHL season got off to a hot start this weekend, but how will the standings at the end of the season look?

This 48-game season will mean that each game will have double the importance, so that means a win could count as two, and the sting of a loss could be double as well.

Lets take a look at how the standings could look in 2013 as we go division by division starting with the Eastern Conference.

Atlantic Division

Atlantic Division	W	L	OTL	P
Pittsburgh Penguins	28	13	7	63
New York Rangers	26	12	10	62
Philadelphia Flyers	23	15	10	56
New Jersey Devils	20	17	11	51
New York Islanders	18	24	6	42

The Atlantic Division is one of the best in the NHL, and it will likely feature three playoff teams in 2013. 

The New York Rangers are the consensus pick to win the Stanley Cup in 2013, but the Pittsburgh Penguins will narrowly capture the division over the Blueshirts.

New York bested Pittsburgh last year in the Atlantic Division, and with the additions the team has made, they will make it a fight to the finish in the division.

The Philadelphia Flyers will finish in third place, and they will look for Ilya Bryzgalov to stand tall to compensate for the lack of depth on the blue line.  They will also need another big year from Claude Giroux.

The New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders will round off the bottom of the division, but New Jersey will put up a valiant fight for the No. 8 spot in the conference while the Isles contend for the right to draft Nathan Mackinnon or Seth Jones.

Northeast Division

Northeast Division	W	L	OTL	P
Boston Bruins	27	15	6	60
Buffalo Sabres	24	17	7	55
Ottawa Senators	21	17	10	52
Toronto Maple Leafs	20	22	6	46
Montreal Canadiens	20	24	4	42

The Boston Bruins are an easy pick for the Northeast Division because of their roster. They have the scoring, defense and goaltending to be a solid playoff team, and experience will give them the edge in a shortened season.

The Buffalo Sabres will give Boston a run for their money with newcomer Mikhail Grigorenko leading the way. Although Buffalo won't win the division, they will still make the playoffs because of Ryan Miller.

The Ottawa Senators will put up a fight in the division, but they will finish third in the division while fighting for the final playoff spot in the conference.

The two remaining Canadian teams in the division will finish at the bottom and both will compete for a lottery pick as the teams continue to build for the future.

Southeast Division

Southeast Division	W	L	OTL	P
Washington Capitals	26	15	7	59
Tampa Bay Lightning	25	18	5	55
Carolina Hurricanes	22	17	9	53
Florida Panthers	22	20	6	50
Winnipeg Jets	19	26	3	41

The Washington Capitals are going to excel under new bench-boss Adam Oates. A resurgent and focused Alex Ovechkin will compete for the Art Ross in 2013, as the Caps take home the Southeast Division title.

Look for the Tampa Bay Lightning to bounce back and make the playoffs as Anders Lindback settles in as the team's new starter in goal, and for Steven Stamkos and Marty St.Louis to have solid offensive seasons.

The Carolina Hurricanes' Staal duo will be successful as the team squeaks into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Florida Panthers will have a winning record, but they will fail to make the playoffs in an improved division, and the Winnipeg Jets will finish with one of the worst records in the NHL.

Central Division

Central Division	W	L	OTL	P
St.Louis Blues	30	13	5	65
Chicago Blackhawks	27	14	7	61
Nashville Predators	25	16	7	57
Detroit Red Wings	24	18	6	54
Columbus Blue Jackets	15	25	10	40

The Central Division is going to be a very interesting division in 2013. The St.Louis Blues have one of the top rosters in the NHL and the balance of defense, goaltending and scoring will allow them to have the league's best record.

The Chicago Blackhawks will have another strong showing in the division, and a healthy Jonathan Toews will help the team tremendously.

The Ryan Suter-less Nashville Predators come in at third in the division because of their subtractions over the offseason, but Pekka Rinne will lead them to the playoffs with another Vezina-worthy season.

The Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets will round out the Central Division because neither team improved their roster over the summer, but Detroit will compete for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Northwest Division

Northwest Division	W	L	OTL	P
Vancouver Canucks	26	13	9	61
Minnesota Wild	25	15	8	58
Edmonton Oilers	23	18	7	53
Colorado Avalanche	22	21	5	49
Calgary Flames	20	26	2	42

The Vancouver Canucks are currently a little battered and bruised on the second line, but they have the talent and experience to win the Northwest Division.

Major improvements over the summer for the Minnesota Wild will lead them to finish second in their division.

The Edmonton Oilers' main cast of characters have been playing throughout the lockout, and this will give the team an advantage in making the playoffs.

Colorado is a young team that will continue to grow, but until they make some more improvements they will finish outside the top eight, and Calgary will finish last in an improved Northwest Division.

Pacific Division

Pacific Division	W	L	OTL	P
Los Angeles Kings	26	16	6	58
Phoenix Coyotes	24	18	6	54
Anaheim Ducks	23	19	6	52
San Jose Sharks	24	21	3	51
Dallas Stars	22	20	6	50

The defending Stanley Cup champs will have no problem claiming the top spot in their division this year with an improved offense. At the start of last season the team didn't have Jeff Carter and he will play an important role on the team. 

The Phoenix Coyotes will finish second in the division as Mike Smith has another great year between the pipes, and the entire team will take another step forward.

Under Bruce Boudreau the Anaheim Ducks will take a step forward as they try to compete for the playoffs with the big-three intact.

The San Jose Sharks will have a winning season, but they will struggle in 2013 with Todd McLellan on the hot seat, and the Dallas Stars will finish last in the conference despite adding veterans Jaromir Jagr and Ray Whitney.

Final Eastern Conference Standings

Here is how the conference standings could look based of the divisional predictions made in the previous slides.

Projected Standings

Rank	Eastern Conference	Points
1	Penguins	63
2	Bruins	60
3	Capitals	59
4	Rangers	62
5	Flyers	56
6	Lightning	55
7	Sabres	55
8	Hurricanes	53
9	Senators	52
10	Devils	51
11	Panthers	50
12	Maple Leafs	46
13	Canadiens	42
14	Islanders	42
15	Jets	41

Final Western Conference Standings

Here is how the conference standings could look based of the divisional predictions made in the previous slides.

Projected Standings

Rank	Western Conference	Points
1	Blues	65
2	Canucks	61
3	Kings	58
4	Blackhawks	61
5	Wild	58
6	Predators	57
7	Red Wings	55
8	Coyotes	54
9	Oilers	53
10	Ducks	52
11	Sharks	51
12	Stars	50
13	Avalanche	49
14	Flames	42
15	Blue Jackets	40