NHL schedule makers wasted no time in crafting the 2024-25 regular season schedule, getting right to work following the Stanley Cup Final on June 24th. The eagerly awaited schedule was released on July 2nd, providing fans and teams with a roap for the season.
However, when it comes to analyzing the schedule, using last season’s standings won’t cut it. At least not if you want to for all the trades and gs that have taken place over the summer. Instead, we have to predict where each team is likely to finish. That’s where 2024-25 NHL regular season point totals come in.
| Team | Proj. PTS | Team | Proj. PTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | 108.5 | Ottawa Senators | 90.5 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 102.5 | Buffalo Sabres | 89.5 |
| Dallas Stars | 102.5 | Detroit Red Wings | 89.5 |
| Florida Panthers | 101.5 | Philadelphia Flyers | 89.5 |
| New Jersey Devils | 101.5 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 89.5 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 100.5 | New York Islanders | 88.5 |
| New York Rangers | 100.5 | Seattle Kraken | 88.5 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 100.5 | St. Louis Blues | 88.5 |
| Boston Bruins | 99.5 | Utah Hockey Club | 88.5 |
| Nashville Predators | 99.5 | Washington Capitals | 88.5 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 99.5 | Calgary Flames | 82.5 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 99.5 | Montreal Canadiens | 75.5 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 98.5 | Chicago Blackhawks | 73.5 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 98.5 | Anaheim Ducks | 71.5 |
| Minnesota Wild | 97.5 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 69.5 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 97.5 | San Jose Sharks | 64.5 |
These projections, courtesy of strength of schedule (SOS).
Toronto Maple Leafs Over 101.5 Regular Season Points
How To Calculate Strength of Schedule (SOS)
To calculate Strength of Schedule (SOS), we begin with the projected regular season point totals for each team in the 2024-25 season. For each team, we gather the projected points of all their opponents. We then calculate the SOS by summing these projected points and dividing by the number of opponents. This average provides a measure of how challenging a team’s schedule is based on the strength of its opponents.
| Team | SOS | Team | SOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose Sharks | 92.9 | Seattle Kraken | 91.7 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 92.8 | Philadelphia Flyers | 91.6 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 92.7 | New Jersey Devils | 91.6 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 92.7 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 91.6 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 92.6 | Calgary Flames | 91.6 |
| St. Louis Blues | 92.1 | Florida Panthers | 91.5 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 92.0 | Nashville Predators | 91.5 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 91.9 | Minnesota Wild | 91.4 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 91.9 | Vegas Golden Knights | 91.4 |
| Washington Capitals | 91.8 | New York Rangers | 91.4 |
| New York Islanders | 91.8 | Carolina Hurricanes | 91.4 |
| Boston Bruins | 91.8 | Colorado Avalanche | 91.3 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 91.8 | Dallas Stars | 91.3 |
| Ottawa Senators | 91.8 | Los Angeles Kings | 91.1 |
| Utah Hockey Club | 91.8 | Vancouver Canucks | 90.8 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 91.7 | Edmonton Oilers | 90.6 |
Teams with lower projected point totals generally face tougher schedules. However, the conference and division a team belongs to also play a significant role in determining SOS, as there is a notable contrast between them.
Teams in the Atlantic Division and Central Division have an average regular season points total of 93.5, whereas the Pacific Division includes some of the lowest projections in the league and therefore the average regular season points total is just 89.
This explains why teams like the Montreal Canadiens. However, despite facing a relatively easier schedule, the Calgary Flames still have a lower projected point total of 82.5. This highlights that an easier schedule does not necessarily translate to a high point projection.
Vancouver Canucks Over 98.5 Regular Season Points
The 2024-25 NHL season will kick off in Europe on Friday, Oct. 4, when the Buffalo Sabres play the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Global Series at O2 Arena in Prague, Czechia.
In North America, the season starts on Tuesday, Oct. 8, with a tripleheader broadcast exclusively on ESPN. This will be highlighted by the Florida Panthers raising their first Stanley Cup championship banner before facing the Boston Bruins.
Canada Sports Betting will have you covered with preseason content leading up to the start of the 2024-25 regular season.