This idea that bottom 10 is out of reach is crazy, and premature. Yes, they are currently 13th in winning percentage, but they are 3 points up on 20th, and 4 pts up on 24th overall, with 65 games remaining. They started on a 5-0-1 heater, when everything was going in for them. Since then, they are 2-5-2.
Here are the games, in their last 10, where they have acquired points:
PIT: tied it in the last minute, won in a shootout
NJD: solid win
MTL: late goal to tie, won in OT
BOS: down 3-1, got 2 3rd period goals to earn a point
BUF: down 2-0, came back to tie and get a point
They managed 8 pts in their last 10, by coming back late each time (except NJD). Goaltending was great, or outstanding, in every one of those games.
They could EASILY have only come up with 4 or 5 pts, instead of 8, over those games. And if they had, they would ALREADY be in the bottom 10, despite the 5-0-1 start.
For the record, I am in the try-to-win-every-game camp, and I would never cheer for losses. And I love the compete they have shown so far. But there is plenty of evidence to suggest that they have been punching above their weight class so far, and there is little little reason (other than goaltending) to think they are anything other than a bottom 10 team.
Teams currently below them in the standings, that won't be for long:
TBL, BOS, EDM, COL, STL (that takes them from 13 to 18)
Teams that will very likely pass them by New Year's, or at worst, the Feb break:
BUF, OTT, NYI, DET, SEA, UTA, NSH (any 5 gets them to 23)
Teams that I think eventually finish ahead of them:
PIT, PHI and maybe even CBJ or MTL
My guess is still that they finish in the 24-27 range (6th to 9th from the bottom)
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