Weren't the Hawks just in first for the conference less than two weeks ago? Now it's impossible to get the division lead back?

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Elections have consequences.

The NHL lists standings by total points, not percentage, which is illusory. The Hawks hadn't really been in first in points percentage for a long time, not when Minnesota was rattling off twelve straight wins and the Hawks were sometimes winning, sometimes losing, but playing so damn many games. This seems to happen more often than not to us, where the schedule is very frontloaded and puts the Hawks in "first" simply based on the number of points they had the opportunity to take. Then the schedule spaces out at the same time they start losing heavily and before you know it, everyone's catching up.

Put it this way: the Hawks are on pace for 106 points. The Wild are on pace for 116. I don't think either team will finish quite that high, but with the way loser points are doled out this time of year, it becomes very hard to catch a team you're trailing absent their freefall. Like I said earlier, let's say Minnesota goes 5-4-1 in its next ten, just a smidge over even. The Hawks would have to go 5-0-1 in their next six to stay tied. It's going to be very difficult to catch them now, and do you think these guys are gonna gun it? It's probably St. Louis in the first again. It's another preseason till then.

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