Taken from NSIDC images.
In 1993 (brown land surfaces) there was more multi-year ice than 2012, but it wasn’t well situated. Half of the MYI in 1993 was located East of Greenland, where it was doomed to get quickly transported out in the North Atlantic.
In 2012, most of the MYI is better situated towards the west, where it is likely to survive and age for several years.
Looks like CT has decided to “freeze” NH data before it goes over the line or has it already?
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/IMAGES/seaice.recent.arctic.png