stats

2011
bost +51 12 better than pitt (2nd)
Van = +77 42 better than san jose.

2010
philly = +11, 5th. must have been Pronger trade that helped them make it that far. should ahve never lost to Bruins (savard injury hurts them).
Chicago = +62, 12 beter than vanc.

2009
pitt, +25 4th. (what happened to boston? fricken killed it)
det, +51, 2 ehind SJ.

2008
Pitt +31, 9 behind Montreal...wow, very low margins that year,average is 10-15 in east.
Det: +73, 38 above dallas (who got 5th...ahh, Central Division sucked ass that yaer, no wonder detroit did so well)

2007
Anaheim - +55, 2nd, 5 behind Detroit 1st.
Ott +66 tied Buff (1st) (Ott finished 5th overall)

2006
Edm +5, finished 8th in standing and 9th in +- in west. no wonder they got smoked in teh finals.
Car +34, 2nd. Holy shit. Ott finished +103 (1st).

2004
Flames: +24 (finished 6th, 5th in +-)
TBL: +53, 4 goals above Devils who got 6th.

2003
Devils: +50. 31 behind ott.
Ducks: +10. finished 7th.

2002
Wangs: +64, 15 above SJ.
Carolina: Even. Finished 3rd, but in real standings (no divisions) would have finished 8th. wow, that could happen this year, Panthers or Caps in Finals, HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. how the fuck did Carolina even make the playoffs? only Montreal (8th) had a worse _+ at -2

General trend I see is

-if you finish in the top of your division and have first or second highest +- in your conference you should make it to the finals.

-if you finish outside top 4 in standings you have no chance at the Cup, if you happen to find yourself in the finals

- if you meet both (best standing and best +- in your conference [most likely the league but not necessary]) you probably win the cup. Pitt in 2009 is the ONLY exception, whereas the Ducks in 2007 isnot much of a difference between them and Detroit.

interesting stats.

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pens lost 2 games to the wild in 1991? thought both cups were flawless in the finals.

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1967 toronto

1970 Blues two teams with the longest SC drought. odd that Chicago and boston, two of the longest droughts suddenly win cups...

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lowest wins for each conference's playoff team by year.
E W
36. 42 2002
35. 36
38. 38
42. 41 2006 after lockout
40. 43
41. 41
41. 41
41. 43 2010
43. 43

need at least 41 wins PLUS 10-13 OT losses. general trend I see for lowest teams.
Pitt would need 7 more wins plus 5 OT losses, and then 10 games remaining. add in 2 moer wins for guaranteed spot. need 9-8-5 record to make playoffs.

teams like flordia, toronto, washington..one of those teams needs a +.500 record to make the playoffs in their last quarter of the season. . wow, flordia already has 12 OT losses.