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NHL Power Rankings Week 1: Crazy Things Happen in One Week of Hockey

Looking at last week's results? The standings? If you want to know how good the teams are, dig deeper.

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Power rankings are back! With a new season comes new rankings, but the same formula. If you recall from last year, the formula looks at non-shootout win point totals per game, and multiplies that by five-on-five goal ratio. The numbers end up between 0 and 2 normally, but in the early season, those numbers are highly volatile.

In any event, here we go:

 

Eastern Conference

This Week Last Week Rationale
Rating
Flyers_medium 1 -- The Flyers are off to a fantastic start, one of only four NHL teams without a regulation loss so far this year. Their 5-on-5 goal differential puts them just above Toronto so far.
4.078
Maple_leafs_medium 2 -- Toronto is off to a blazing fast start so far, but falls short of the number 1 spot due to being one-third of a goal behind the Flyers' 5-on-5 differential.
4.000
Sabres_medium 3 -- The Sabres have three players with three goals in four games. Tomas Vanek and Drew Stafford are common names, but Luke Adam is a surprise.
3.000
Capitals_medium 4
--
The Capitals are the lowest ranked undefeated team according to the formula, largely because they have a shootout win and a mediocre 5-on-5 goal differential.
2.188
Islanders_medium 5
--
The Islanders have gotten some excellent play from John Tavares and Al Montoya so far this year, and they look to surprise a lot of people this season. 2.100
Canadiens_medium 6
--
Montreal is off to a slow start, with only one win in four games. But they're winning the even-strength battle.
1.125
Rangers_medium 7
--
The Rangers have yet to win a game this year, but have an OT loss and a SO loss. With a mediocre 5-on-5 ratio, they stay afloat in the East.
0.833
  Devils_medium 8
--
The Devils have six points in four games, but they won two of them in the shootout. Coupled with their below-average 5-on-5 ratio, and you have a middling team.
0.710
Penguins_medium 9
--
Pittsburgh is sitting on three wins and eight points, putting them 5th in the NHL, but with a worse 5-on-5 ratio than Carolina, they aren't looking very good early.
0.665
Lightning_medium 10
--
Tampa Bay has only one win in five games and has a negative goal differential, just like last year. Sign of trouble to come? 0.640
Bruins_medium 11
--
The Bruins will probably hear about a Stanley Cup hangover, but with an even 5-on-5 ratio, there are signs of another good team.
0.600
Panthers_medium
12
--
Florida has four points in three games, a sign of a successful overhaul. But their 5-on-5 ratio is dragging them down here.
0.600
Hurricanes_medium 13
--
The Hurricanes have two wins and five points - the same as Vancouver - but a miserable 5-on-5 ratio is keeping them near the bottom of the league.
0.580
Senators_medium 14 -- Ottawa has two points in five games, but even that win came in the shootout. The league-worst 5-on-5 ratio means the Senators are likely the worst team in the NHL this year.
0.086
Jets_medium
15 -- The Jets haven't won a game yet, as they sit 0-3. They have the second-worst 5-on-5 ratio this year, barely above Ottawa's, so they will be challenging for worst team in the NHL.
0.000

 

Western Conference


This Week Last Week Rationale
Rating
Red_wings_medium 1 -- The Red Wings are off to a crazy good start, winning all four of their games in regulation and having a 3.67 goal ratio at 5-on-5. They are the only Western Conference team without a regulation loss.
7.340
Blackhawks_medium 2 -- Chicago won two games in regulation out of four and have a good 5-on-5 ratio. Dave Bolland also has three goals in three games, which is unexpected
1.875
Ducks_medium 3
--
The Ducks are struggling with offense, but their defense has been stingy. Two regulation wins and only one loss puts them in a good spot with a mediocre 5-on-5 ratio.
1.500
Coyotes_medium 4
--
Phoenix has seen their first round pick in 2009 score three goals in four games. From the blueline. Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been a pleasant surprise while Shane Doan continues to carry the team.
1.463
Stars_medium 5
--
The Stars have won four of five games, but they have an even 5-on-5 ratio. Don't expect them to win 80% of their games going forward.
1.400
Blues_medium 6
--
St. Louis has the second best 5-on-5 goal differential in the West but have only won two of five games. Look for one to change in the other direction.
1.256
Canucks_medium 7
--
The Canucks are off to a mediocre start, winning two of five games with a mediocre 5-on-5 ratio. Don't expect that to last.
1.120
Avalanche_medium 8
--
Colorado is surprising a lot of people behind the strong pay of Semyon Varlamov. Four wins in five games, but they're being outscored at 5-on-5. Something has to change.
1.056
Kings_medium
9
--
The Kings have a rather weak 5-on-5 ratio, but they managed to win two of four games. After the long road trip to the season, the Kings look forward to returning home.
1.038
Wild_medium 10
--
Minnesota is off to a pretty good start, winning two of five games, losing another two in the shootout. With an even 5-on-5 ratio, the Wild are hanging tough.
1.000
Sharks_medium 11
--
The Sharks have a really good 5-on-5 ratio, but only one win in three games. Look for the Sharks to improve soon.
0.887
Predators_medium
12
--
Nashville has a miserable 5-on-5 ratio, yet they've still managed to collect 5 points in 4 games. David Legwand is currently at a 2.00 points per game pace. Neither will last.
0.775
Oilers_medium 13
--
The Oilers are showing signs of improvement, with an even 5-on-5 ratio and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scoring 4 goals in three games. It's about to get exciting in Edmonton.
0.667
Flames_medium 14
--
Calgary only has one win in four games, but their 5-on-5 ratio suggest they aren't that bad. Still bad, yes, but not that bad.
0.400
Blue_jackets_medium 15 -- The Blue Jackets are win-less in five tries. And they just found out Jeff Carter has a hairline fracture in his foot while also sending Matt Calvert down to the AHL. Clearly, they're in trouble.
0.164