Submitted on: October 1 2009 by Steve Noah
WILL REPEAT AS STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS IN 2010
A simulation run by EA SPORTS™ NHL® 10 predicts that cover boy Patrick Kane will fall just short of claiming the Stanley Cup as the Pittsburgh Penguins repeat as Cup champions. Led by an outstanding performance by Conn Smythe Winner, Marc-Andre Fleury, the Penguins were able to withstand a relentless offensive assault by the young Chicago forwards. Hart Memorial Trophy winner Sidney Crosby and the Penguins take home the Stanley Cup for the second time in as many years with a 4 games to 2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Despite being considered one of the top teams in the league, the Detroit Red Wings barely made the playoffs, and were eliminated in a quick five games by the Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago established that they are a team to watch by finishing first in the West on their road to the Stanley Cup Finals. Other notable teams in the simulation included the Carolina Hurricanes, who finished with the most points in the league and walked away with the President’s Trophy; the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, who were the only Canadian teams to make the playoffs; and the Florida Panthers, who made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Several individual players also stood out in the NHL 10 simulation. The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby completes an injury-free season and captures the Hart Memorial trophy after posting 102 points during the regular season. The Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane has a breakout season and is one of the top ten point getters in the NHL. Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf takes the Art Ross trophy after leading the league with 107 points, while Ilya Kovalchuk walked away with the Maurice Richard trophy after leading the league with 57 goals, and NHL 09 cover boy, Dion Phaneuf caps a stellar year by leading the Calgary Flames to a NorthWest Division Championship and winning the Norris Trophy.
Final Regular Season Standings:
|
Western Conference
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
PTS
|
|
|
1
|
Chicago
|
54
|
26
|
2
|
110
|
|
2
|
San Jose
|
49
|
26
|
7
|
105
|
|
3
|
Calgary
|
47
|
30
|
5
|
99
|
|
4
|
Columbus
|
48
|
27
|
7
|
103
|
|
5
|
Los Angeles
|
46
|
30
|
6
|
98
|
|
6
|
Vancouver
|
43
|
29
|
10
|
96
|
|
7
|
Anaheim
|
43
|
30
|
9
|
95
|
|
8
|
Detroit
|
39
|
34
|
9
|
87
|
|
9
|
Nashville
|
39
|
35
|
8
|
86
|
|
10
|
St Louis
|
39
|
39
|
4
|
82
|
|
11
|
Phoenix
|
37
|
40
|
5
|
79
|
|
12
|
Edmonton
|
34
|
39
|
9
|
77
|
|
13
|
Minnesota
|
31
|
36
|
15
|
77
|
|
14
|
Dallas
|
33
|
43
|
6
|
72
|
|
15
|
Colorado
|
27
|
44
|
11
|
65
|
|
Eastern Conference
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
PTS
|
|
|
1
|
Carolina
|
54
|
23
|
5
|
113
|
|
2
|
Boston
|
49
|
25
|
8
|
106
|
|
3
|
Pittsburgh
|
47
|
28
|
7
|
101
|
|
4
|
New Jersey
|
46
|
29
|
7
|
99
|
|
5
|
Washington
|
47
|
31
|
6
|
98
|
|
6
|
New Rangers
|
45
|
31
|
6
|
96
|
|
7
|
Philadelphia
|
42
|
32
|
8
|
92
|
|
8
|
Florida
|
40
|
33
|
9
|
89
|
|
9
|
Tampa Bay
|
40
|
38
|
4
|
84
|
|
10
|
Montreal
|
37
|
36
|
9
|
83
|
|
11
|
Ottawa
|
39
|
39
|
4
|
82
|
|
12
|
Toronto
|
36
|
37
|
9
|
81
|
|
13
|
Buffalo
|
34
|
37
|
11
|
79
|
|
14
|
Atlanta
|
34
|
42
|
6
|
74
|
|
15
|
New York Islanders
|
31
|
41
|
10
|
72
|
A simulation is conducted by artificial intelligence or logic of the videogame that uses real-life data from each player. Results are extrapolated by the videogame when two teams match up based on player ratings, line combinations, and include variances such as injuries and hot streaks to give a realistic outcome of a game or series.
Working...