The 2026-27 NHL season features an 84-game schedule, which inflates point totals league-wide compared to prior 82-game campaigns and shifts the baseline for reaching 80 points. Preseason projections from multiple models cluster 24–28 teams above that mark, driven by strong cores in Colorado, Carolina, Dallas, and Tampa Bay alongside rebound candidates like Montreal, Buffalo, and the New York Rangers. Rebuilding clubs such as Chicago, Vancouver, and Toronto face steeper challenges from roster turnover, goaltending questions, and schedule difficulty, while injury resilience and overtime outcomes will determine whether marginal teams clear the threshold. Early October results have reinforced typical parity, with few teams separating dramatically after the opening week. Trader consensus therefore centers on how many bottom-third clubs avoid prolonged slumps rather than on elite-team dominance.