[squiggs96]

I've only run the data for the 2017-18, so I can't draw any conclusions or predictions yet, as the sample size is too small. I did find some things that I thought were interesting. For clarity's sake when I say game(s) I mean where the team is after the conclusion of a game played.

Vegas was the only team to spend the entire season above the black line, as they won their first three games. Tampa Bay only spent the conclusion of game #2 below the black line.

Minnesota was below the black line for 47 of the first 49 games, including the first 30. They were above the black line the rest of the year, starting after game #50. Of the playoff teams, Anaheim spent the most games below the black line, with 64. They were not permanently above the black line until the conclusion of game #73.

Florida did not make the playoffs, even though they hit the magic mark of 96 points. However, the only point they were above the black line was after game #3. They spent 80 out of 82 games below the black line, 1 game at 0.488 points above the black line, and 1 game (#82) at the black line.

The furthest a playoff team was below the black line was Philadelphia being 7.439 points after game #26. Colorado was 5.610 points below it after game #27, Pittsburgh was 6.171 points below after game #42, and Columbus was 7.098 points below after game #65. Florida was 11.024 points below after game #47, but as noted, didn't make the playoffs with 96 points.

All playoff teams except for Colorado finished above the black line. All non playoff teams except for Florida finished below the black line.

Of the non playoff teams, Buffalo and Arizona were the only two to spend the entire season below the black line. Edmonton and Montreal both spent the first game of the season above it, and then went below for the remaining 81 games. The most games spent above the black line for a non playoff team was by St. Louis. They spent 66 games above the black line, including the first 61, with the latest being after game #78. They finished 2 points below it.