So we are two days removed from the start of the NHL season.  A shortened season, but a season nonetheless.  We have presented our predictions for all you hockey poolies out there with our list of NHL players in the Top 250 projected scorers in terms of points, so now we make predictions for how the teams will finish in each of the conferences.  Will the Red Wings slip out of the playoffs without Nick Lidstrom?  Will this be the years that the Edmonton Oilers or Toronto Maple Leafs return to the NHL playoffs?   Do the Winnipeg Jets have a shot at making the post season in the tough Eastern Conference?  Well in a shortened season anything can happen?

2013 NHL Conference Predictions

As you know the top eight teams in each conference make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference
Rank	Team
1	y-NY Rangers
2	y-Boston
3	x-Washington
4	x-Pittsburgh
5	x-Philadelphia
6	x-Carolina
7	x-Ottawa
8	x-Tampa Bay
9	Winnipeg
10	New Jersey
11	Buffalo
12	NY Islanders
13	Montreal
14	Florida
15	Toronto

The Jets come close this year but due to a terrible travel schedule will miss post season action again.

Western Conference

How long will the Canucks be dominant during the regular season?  This could be the year where we begin to see a changing of the guard in the West.

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

The Oilers are close but until they address their goaltending we feel that they are not yet destined to be a regular for the post season. This could be the year that they prove us wrong… finally the futility might end. We see teams such as the Red Wings, Coyotes and Flames taking steps back this year. Up and coming teams such as the Oilers and Minnesota Wild could be two team that steal the seventh or eight spots in the West. It all depends on the start that the teams get.