A reader asked me about this. I thought it was interesting, and I'm not sure everyone has quite internalized it. The average seed to win the cup? 2.14 in their conference. No team seeded lower than 5th has won it since the WHA days:
Year | Team | Points | Conf.Seed |
2009 | Pit | 99 | T-4 |
2008 | Det | 115 | 1 |
2007 | Ana | 110 | T-2 |
2006 | Car | 112 | 2 |
2004 | Tam | 106 | 1 |
2003 | NJD | 108 | 2 |
2002 | Det | 116 | 1 |
2001 | Col | 118 | 1 |
2000 | NJD | 103 | 2 |
1999 | Dal | 114 | 1 |
1998 | Det | 103 | 2 |
1997 | Det | 94 | 3 |
1996 | Col | 104 | 2 |
1995 | NJD | 52 | T-5 |
1994 | NYR | 112 | 1 |
1993 | Mtl | 102 | 4 |
1992 | Pit | 87 | 4 |
1991 | Pit | 88 | 3 |
1990 | Edm | 90 | 2 |
1989 | Cgy | 117 | 1 |
1988 | Edm | 99 | 2 |
1987 | Edm | 106 | 1 |
1986 | Mtl | 87 | 5 |
1985 | Edm | 109 | 1 |
1984 | Edm | 119 | 1 |
1983 | NYI | 96 | 4 |
1982 | NYI | 118 | 1 |
1981 | NYI | 110 | 1 |
1980 | NYI | 91 | 2 |
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