it's tough to make up ground when you need 3 out of every 4 points just to keep pace. Really seems like a bigger imbalance than usual between the top and bottom teams, at least in the East. Some seasons we would be leading the entire league with our PT%
It does seem that way and maybe i is, but it's more likely just small-sample (i.e. half-season) noise.
The Leafs are at a 117pt pace so far.
Last 15yrs Top-5 points (pace) teams:
* = ~40gms in, 1/2 of a regular season
** = 56gm season, 2/3 of a regular season
*** = ~70gm season, 7/8 of a regular season
**** = 48gm season, 3/5 of a regular season
21-22*:
1. COL 128, 2. CAR 125, 3. FLA 122, 4. TOR 117, 5. MIN 117
20-21**:
1. COL 120, 2. VGK 120,
3. CAR 117, 4. FLA 116, 5. PIT 113
19-20***:
1. BOS 117, 2. STL 109, 3. COL 108, 4. TBL 108, 5. WSH 107
18-19:
1. TBL 128, 2. CGY 107, 3. BOS 107, 4. WSH 104, 5. NYI 103
17-18:
1. NSH 117, 2. WPG 114, 3. TBL 113, 4. BOS 112, 5. VGK 109
16-17:
1. WSH 118, 2. PIT 111, 3. CHI 109, 4. CBJ 108, 5. MIN 106
15-16:
1. WSH 120, 2. DAL 109, 3. STL 107, 4. PIT 104, 5. CHI 103
14-15: 1. NYR 113, 2. MTL 110, 3. ANA 109, 4. STL 109, 5. TBL 108
13-14:
1. BOS 117, 2. ANA 116, 3. COL 112, 4. STL 111, 5. SJS 111
12-13****:
1. CHI 132, 2. PIT 123, 3. ANA 113, 4. MTL 108, 5. BOS 106
11-12: 1. VAN 111, 2. NYR 109, 3. STL 109, 4. PIT 108, 5. NSH 104
10-11:
1. VAN 117, 2. WSH 107, 3. PHI 106, 4. PIT 106, 5. SJS 105
09-10:
1. WSH 121, 2. SJS 113, 3. CHI 112, 4. PHX 107, 5. VAN 103
08-09:
1. SJS 117, 2. BOS 116, 3. DET 112, 4. WSH 108, 5. NJD 106
07-08: 1. DET 115, 2. SJS 108, 3. MTL 104, 4. PIT 102, 5. ANA 102
06-07: 1. BUF 113, 2. DET 113, 3. NSH 110, 4. ANA 110, 5. SJS 107
05-06:
1. DET 124, 2. OTT 113, 3. DAL 112, 4. CAR 112, 5. BUF 110
So the only time this kind of pace hasn't been good enough for at least 2nd best in hockey is during signficiantly shortened seasons, which probably indicates that those seasons were just small sample varations, like this half season so far has been, and that not all the top teams will be able to maintain that pace over the full season.
So the question becomes - which of the top teams is playing the most sustainable brand of hockey?
Based on the underlying numbers, the Leafs are arguably playing the most sustainable brand of any of the top teams, so that's encouraging.