The post-Christmas push
I hadn't updated my makeshift power rankings since before Christmas, and the old data offered an interesting portrait at how the standings have shifted since that point. Here's a look:
Points percentage
| Team | Before Xmas | Now |
| Nashville | 3 | 1 |
| Buffalo | 2 | 2 |
| Detroit | 5 | 2 |
| Anaheim | 1 | 4 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 5 |
| San Jose | 4 | 6 |
| Calgary | 13 | 7 |
| Dallas | 8 | 8 |
| Atlanta | 7 | 9 |
| Montreal | 5 | 10 |
| Pittsburgh | 19 | 11 |
| Vancouver | 24 | 12 |
| Ottawa | 20 | 13 |
| Minnesota | 15 | 14 |
| Tampa Bay | 20 | 15 |
| Toronto | 20 | 16 |
| N.Y. Islanders | 11 | 17 |
| Carolina | 12 | 18 |
| Edmonton | 15 | 19 |
| Colorado | 15 | 20 |
| N.Y. Rangers | 18 | 21 |
| Boston | 10 | 22 |
| Washington | 14 | 23 |
| Phoenix | 27 | 24 |
| St. Louis | 29 | 24 |
| Florida | 25 | 26 |
| Columbus | 26 | 27 |
| Chicago | 20 | 28 |
| Los Angeles | 28 | 29 |
| Philadelphia | 30 | 30 |
Goal differential
| Team | Before Xmas | Now |
| Nashville | 4 | 1 |
| Buffalo | 2 | 2 |
| San Jose | 3 | 3 |
| Anaheim | 1 | 4 |
| Detroit | 5 | 5 |
| Calgary | 9 | 6 |
| Ottawa | 11 | 7 |
| New Jersey | 13 | 8 |
| Pittsburgh | 19 | 9 |
| Minnesota | 13 | 10 |
| Dallas | 6 | 11 |
| Colorado | 7 | 12 |
| Tampa Bay | 16 | 13 |
| N.Y. Islanders | 10 | 14 |
| Vancouver | 24 | 15 |
| Montreal | 7 | 16 |
| Atlanta | 11 | 17 |
| Toronto | 20 | 18 |
| N.Y. Rangers | 18 | 19 |
| Edmonton | 13 | 20 |
| Carolina | 17 | 21 |
| Florida | 26 | 22 |
| Washington | 21 | 23 |
| St. Louis | 28 | 24 |
| Columbus | 25 | 25 |
| Chicago | 23 | 26 |
| Phoenix | 29 | 27 |
| Los Angeles | 27 | 28 |
| Boston | 22 | 29 |
| Philadelphia | 30 | 30 |
Labels: Power rankings
by James Mirtle @ 1:51 PM
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1 Comments:
Power rankings based on win loss records (i.e.points) and total goal differentials are highly misleading when teams are playing an unbalanced schedule.
The Western Conference is a good case in pont. In the west there are five very weak teams - L.A., Phoenix, St. Louis, Columus and Chicago.
Because of the unbalanced schedule Detroit and Nashville get to play these weak teams 32 times over the course of the schedule. Anahiem, San Jose and Dallas get to play them 28 times. However, all five North West Division teams play them only 20 times.
As a result, Detroit and Nashville - and to a slightly lesser degree Anahiem, San Jose and Dallas - have much easier schedules than the North West teams and therefore will have better win loss records and goal differentials.
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