NHL Standings

Nashville has been in second place in their division for much of the season, but they are penalized because they have placed the least amount of games in the league. If you look at the standings based on a percentage of possible points earned instead of total points, you see a different story:


WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL GP PTS PCT
NASHVILLE 23 35 .761
DETROIT 27 38 .704
CHICAGO 24 20 .417
COLUMBUS 26 14 .269
ST LOUIS 23 13 .283

NORTHWEST GP PTS PCT
VANCOUVER 27 34 .630
CALGARY 27 33 .611
COLORADO 26 31 .596
EDMONTON 27 31 .574
MINNESOTA 24 23 .479

PACIFIC GP PTS PCT
DALLAS 24 33 .688
LOS ANGELES 26 33 .635
PHOENIX 27 28 .519
ANAHEIM 26 26 .500
SAN JOSE 24 20 .417


EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC GP PTS PCT
PHILADELPHIA 24 33 .688
NY RANGERS 27 37 .685
NEW JERSEY 24 26 .542
NY ISLANDERS 25 25 .500
PITTSBURGH 26 20 .385

NORTHEAST GP PTS PCT
OTTAWA 23 38 .826
BUFFALO 26 33 .635
MONTREAL 26 33 .635
TORONTO 27 33 .611
BOSTON 27 23 .426

SOUTHEAST GP PTS PCT
CAROLINA 24 33 .688
TAMPA BAY 27 31 .574
ATLANTA 26 23 .442
FLORIDA 26 20 .385
WASHINGTON 25 18 .360


In other words, the maximum the Preds could have earned thus far is 46 points in their 23 games, and they have 35, or about 76.1%. This means that they currently have the best record in the Eastern Conference, and only mighty Ottawa is higher overall.