Point differential:

The top team in the NHL was again, yawn, the Detroit Red Wings with 115 points. The worse team was the Los Angeles Kings with 71. That's a 44 point difference. Here's a look at the point differentials in the years leading up to the lock out and in the post-lockout My New NHL era:

2008-  115 -71(44)
2007-  113-56 (57)
2006-  124-57 (67)
2004 - 109-58 (51)
2003 - 113-61 (52)
2002 - 116-54 (62)
2001 - 118-52 (66)

One stat that intrigued me was the Montreal Canadiens, just off a successful and improbable season, led the league in goals for with 262. Not a scintillating figure but one very much in line with the production of the era. In fact, no team has scored 300 goals this decade. The New Jersey Devils came close in 2001 with 295. I thought they were a defensive team! Ah, the ironies of sports.

The 1990s witnessed the 300-goal mark attained 29 times. In 1996, no fewer than 15 teams cracked the 300 barrier. The Pittsburgh Penguins led that year with 362.

Question: Have the new rules led to more goals? Nope. The Historical average tends to be 6.45. 2006 pretty much approached that figure.

Hey, at least fluidity is back in the game.

Alas, we shouldn't lament the 5 goals per game (since 1994-95) issue as it's right in line with what we regard as the golden age of hockey from 1946 right up until expansion in 1967. Here's a look at total goals scored in the league:
 
2008-  228.1 (6846) 5.56 per game
2007 - 241.5 (7245) 5.9
2006 - 260.6 (7818) 6.36 (last time over 6 in 1995-96 with 6.20)
2004-  210.6 (6318) 5.14
2003 - 217.6 (6530) 5.3
2002 - 214.7 (6442) 5.24
2001 - 226    (6782) 5.52

In terms of wins, 19 teams won 40 games in 2008. Expressed differently, that's 63% of the league. I didn't check, but I'm pretty sure that's the highest it's ever been. Heck, two entire divisions - the Northeast and Northwest - had every team  over .500. If you would argue that having this many teams grouped in like this has been watered down thanks to the shoot-out you may have a point:

2008 - 19 teams 40 wins/ 1 with 50 wins
2007 - 18/40wins 5/50wins
2006 - 15/40 5/50
2004 - 13/40
2003-  10/40 1/50
2002 - 12/40 1/50
2001 - 10/40 1/50

There you go. You never know who beats who in this league. I'm not so sure if this is a good thing. If this keeps up (and I'm being sarcastic here) maybe we'll have to appoint which teams win the Stanley Cup each season. Indeed, we give out ribbons for merely finishing a race in gym now. Such are the times.

Again I ask: Dynasty or Parity?