1. Trivia (+3):

VW: Whew

6. (+3): I think Texas was the most talented team that missed the Finals. They have all the weapons and experience, but just can't get it done. It's the third season in a row now that they have made the Western Conference Final but have been struck down by a Californian team. It's bad luck. I really hope for their sake that they are able to nab at least a Finals or a Cup win before Winnipeg comes crashing through the door again in 5 seasons to retake their dominant form in the west. Texas is a very well built team, and I would hate to see them go through this sustained window of success with nothing to show for it. Believe me, it's not fun. I lived it in Winnipeg for too long until we finally won a Cup in 72. Texas has been one of the higher ranked teams in the Central and West for 8 seasons now, so to see them come up short again is rough. 

10. (+2): I noticed this trend halfway through the season. It's very interesting, and I think it can be attributed to chance. Usually there is one team in a deep rebuild, but many of those teams are on the upswing from the gutter the past few seasons. You could say the skill is more evenly distributed, but I think it's just teams aren't TRYING to lose. In the past we've seen too many teams with an average TPE of like 500 that get steamrolled. They at least put out a decent roster now. I think in one or two seasons we will be back to seeing a bottom dweller when some top team decides to plunge into a rebuild.