2008-2009 Predicted Standings

Eastern Conference

1. Montreal
   
2. Washington
   
3. NY Rangers
   
4. Pittsburgh
   
5. Buffalo
   
6. Tampa Bay
   
7. Boston
   
8. Philadelphia
   
9. Ottawa
   
10. New Jersey
    
11. Carolina
    
12. Florida
    
13. NY Islanders
    
14. Atlanta
15. Toronto
    

Western Conference

1. Detroit
   
2. San Jose
   
3. Calgary
   
4. Anaheim
   
5. Dallas
   
6. Colorado
   
7. Chicago
   
8. Edmonton
9. Columbus
   
10. Minnesota
    
11. Phoenix
    
12. St. Louis
    
13. Nashville
    
14. Vancouver
    
15. Los Angeles
    

I won't go into too much detail about my methodology (highly scientific, much too complicated), but I will explain a few things.

• I've been waiting a while for New Jersey's success to disintegrate, and clearly I'm pegging this as the year. In all likelihoods they'll sneak into the playoffs yet again, losing in the first round to a far, far superior team, but what little glimmer of hope I have that the Devils will fail is all I need.
• Maybe it's because I've only ever predicted the playoffs, where goaltending is huge, but starting goalies were a pretty big factor in these picks. Ottawa and Columbus's skaters, for instance, are of vastly different quality, but vastly different qualities of goaltenders puts them both at 9th.
  
• The possibility of trades was never considered with any team. Unless they're done early in the season, I don't believe they dramatically alter a team's position in the standings.
• Personal biases were considered with pretty much every team. For instance, I claim goaltending is a huge factor, yet the only reason I put the Canucks as high as 14th is that the Kings are too disasterous to be anything but dead last. This is because I live in Vancouver.

Here's hoping the Bruins and Avs bump themselves up, and that someone bumps off both first place teams.