The Pittsburgh Penguins are the hottest team heading into the playoffs. Here Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates yet another one of his goals. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Only the 2005-06 champion Carolina Hurricanes had piled up fewer than 10 wins in their final 20 games of the season. The 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks (13-3-4), 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings (12-6-2), 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins (15-3-2), 2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks (11-6-3) and Boston Bruins (10-6-4) all put together 24-or-more point finishes in their final 20 games.
Interestingly, the two hottest teams entering the playoffs will clash in the first round this spring.
Here are the final 20-game segments for the 16 teams that made the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs:
Pittsburgh 15-4-1--31 points
Philadelphia 13-5-2--28 points
New Jersey 13-5-2--28 points
Chicago 12-4-4--28 points
Los Angeles 12-5-3--27 points
St. Louis 11-5-4--26 points
Nashville 12-7-1--25 points
Vancouver 11-6-3--25 points
Washington 11-6-3--25 points
Phoenix 10-6-4--24 points
Boston 11-8-1--23 points
San Jose 10-7-3--23 points
Florida 8-6-6--22 points
NY Rangers 10-9-1--21 points
Ottawa 9-9-2--20 points
Detroit 7-10-3--17 points
Up and down
The Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues wound up being the most improved teams compared to their point total last season, while the Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning suffered the biggest drop.
Florida +22
St. Louis +22
New Jersey +21
Colorado +20
Ottawa +20
NY Rangers +16
Edmonton +12
Dallas +6
NY Islanders +6
Nashville +5
Chicago +4
Winnipeg +4
Pittsburgh +2
Boston -1
Detroit -2
Phoenix -2
Los Angeles -3
Philadelphia -3
Calgary -4
Minnesota -5
Toronto -5
Vancouver -6
Buffalo -7
Carolina -9
San Jose -9
Washington -15
Columbus -16
Montreal -18
Anaheim -19
Tampa Bay -19
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
