We've (and Mr. we've IIRC) have had this discussion hundreds of times (maybe a slight exaggeration :P ) before.
What we are in the middle of right now is what the league wants and what keeps attendance up and money flowing for teams that it otherwise wouldn't have coming in. It's the product of the current point structure for wins/losses/OTW. It's a bit of smoke and mirrors, number magic, creative accounting.
We have to go on a run that a Stanley Cup winning caliper team could only do just to make the playoffs. But, through the leagues season point totals we look close or doable, but the reality is a little different.