Through a clerical error in the LHH boiler room, our own weekly Power Rankings isn't updated as of this posting, but it will be added in a few hours. [Update: They're attached now.] Those responsible have been shot. In the interim, we still have the media rankings survey as well as the now-weekly parody of what media members are saying. Distraction-worthy links first:
- At the SBN hub, Mike Chen takes an extensive look at the contenders for the NHL's next U.S. TV contract(s).
- With seven goals and two assists, Nino Niederreiter is WHL Player of the Week. Giggidy.
- Recent LHH FanPosts: Do you need a reminder about sample sizes for goalies? | What are your five Islanders wishes for next season? | Speaking of which, it's never too early to dream about 2011-12 blueline pairings.
- Before we get to what they're saying, here's what they're saying: Wait, OMG so Tavares likes being an Islander?! Sad Toronto media is sad. ... Meanwhile, the always-grumpy Ken Campbell actually saw the Gillies-Clutterbuck incident for what it was. ... Cal The Innocent, by the way, is still "out" after playing the next night at MSG and recording six hits.
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RSH Update: Rob Schremp naturally did not enjoy the feeling of being given up on after he hit The Waivers. But his new team is deploying him carefully, on a bottom line and in spot PP duty. Zero points, one shot in three games, with just 10:20 per game of TOI, an average of 1:45 per game on the PP. Looks like he's been skating with Eric Boulton and Ben Maxwell, so ... yeah.
Media Rankings Survey
Here is what they're actually saying, and much of it is positive and surprisingly unrelated to the thug meme that has dominated the impressions of those who didn't actually see either the Pens or Wild games.
Guy who apparently hasn't watched an Isles game this year? Portzline. Guy who is late to the Prevailing Narrative? Portzline. What a pundit!
(Seriously though, it's pretty funny -- the contrast in commentary between those talking about the team's actual play and the one guy revomiting the media narrative he's been spoonfed. Nice work!)
Outlet | Rank | Last Week | Their Commentary |
CBSSports | 24 | 25 |
Setting up to play the spoiler role with a 10-5-3 mark since the All-Star break. |
Cbs. Dispatch (Portzline) |
27 | 25 |
Highest paid Islander this season? Alexei Yashin. Most publicized? Trevor Gillies. What a franchise! |
ESPN | 25 | 27 | They've only won two of their past seven games, but they make you earn it. They're playing a hard game right now, and it's nice to see them close out the year that way. |
Sportsnet (Brophy) | 24 | 27 | The Islanders continue to be one of the NHL's hottest teams thanks in a large part to the play of goaltender Al Montoya, who is taking advantage of what might be his last chance to make it as a regular in the NHL. |
TSN (Cullen) |
24 | 25 | The Islanders have three guys -- Matt Moulson, Michael Grabner and John Tavares -- with at least 24 goals. You know how many teams have more than that? Zero. Toronto is the only other team with that many. |
Average | 24.8 |
25.8 |
The Islanders are worth keeping an eye on -- unless you're too engrossed with the Blue Jackets. |
Parody Rankings
...And hear is what we imagine they're saying:
Imagined Outlet | Rank | Last Week | Their Imagined Commentary |
Hipster McHipsterton, Yahoo Troll-in-Residence |
40 | 36 |
Watching games or reading is pointless, I just troll for fan anger with pejorative quips to fuel clicks, so: The Islanders are mean, stupid, idiots and I have great insight into their culture. |
Al Portly, Central Ohio Picayune |
32 | 30 |
I don't get to cover the playoffs and I'm mad about it, so...whom can I pick on? YashinLOL! |
Len Tootsie, Empire Tabloids Inc. |
36 | 32 | Make no mistake, Wrist Shots has learned that if Garth Snow would have just cried uncle instead of actually responding to a reporter's question about Trevor Gillies, then Colie would've totally made that suspension less. He'd also have suspended Milan Lucic too. |
The Omen, Toronto Shameless & Record | 28 | 28 |
John Tavares scored the goal of the week, but his fist-pump ran hollow because we all know he actually yearns to be playing for the Leafs. |
Remember, kids: Good players who step over the line are "hockey players" who are too important to their teams to suspend. Enforcers who step over the line are "goons who need to be made examples of." Historic rivalries that fill their games with fights are "old-time hockey slugfests." Other rivalries that boil over are travesties. The sooner you learn this, the sooner you will find enlightenment.
Real Power Rankings - [check back soon]
Our weekly "real" power rankings, courtesy of our own ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles (who is usually the one you'll find thanklessly compiling FIG picks in the game thread), will be added to this thread later tonight. Update: Here they are.
Explanation of how he does it is in the original post. If you have any questions about it, leave them in comments and he'll likely answer. For reference, last week's rankings are here.
W | L | OTL | Pts | GP | Win% | Pts%/GP | PWR | ||
1 | Vancouver | 42 | 16 | 9 | 93 | 67 | 0.694 | 0.3738 | 2062 |
2 | Detroit | 39 | 19 | 8 | 86 | 66 | 0.652 | 0.3575 | 1976 |
3 | Philadelphia | 40 | 19 | 6 | 86 | 65 | 0.662 | 0.3590 | 1960 |
4 | San Jose | 38 | 22 | 6 | 82 | 66 | 0.621 | 0.3472 | 1917 |
5 | Boston | 38 | 19 | 8 | 84 | 65 | 0.646 | 0.3480 | 1892 |
6 | Chicago | 37 | 23 | 6 | 80 | 66 | 0.606 | 0.3353 | 1855 |
7 | Pittsburgh | 38 | 21 | 8 | 84 | 67 | 0.627 | 0.3395 | 1854 |
8 | Tampa Bay | 37 | 21 | 7 | 81 | 65 | 0.623 | 0.3388 | 1850 |
9 | Washington | 36 | 20 | 10 | 82 | 66 | 0.621 | 0.3334 | 1816 |
10 | Los Angeles | 36 | 25 | 4 | 76 | 65 | 0.585 | 0.3281 | 1807 |
11 | Phoenix | 34 | 23 | 10 | 78 | 67 | 0.582 | 0.3264 | 1802 |
12 | Dallas | 35 | 23 | 7 | 77 | 65 | 0.592 | 0.3248 | 1795 |
13 | Anaheim | 35 | 26 | 5 | 75 | 66 | 0.568 | 0.3219 | 1770 |
14 | Montreal | 36 | 23 | 7 | 79 | 66 | 0.598 | 0.3257 | 1770 |
15 | Nashville | 33 | 24 | 9 | 75 | 66 | 0.568 | 0.3205 | 1770 |
16 | Minnesota | 34 | 25 | 7 | 75 | 66 | 0.568 | 0.3174 | 1750 |
17 | Calgary | 35 | 24 | 9 | 79 | 68 | 0.581 | 0.3151 | 1741 |
18 | Columbus | 31 | 26 | 7 | 69 | 64 | 0.539 | 0.3020 | 1668 |
19 | Buffalo | 32 | 25 | 8 | 72 | 65 | 0.554 | 0.2997 | 1637 |
20 | NY Rangers | 35 | 29 | 4 | 74 | 68 | 0.544 | 0.2974 | 1621 |
21 | St. Louis | 28 | 28 | 9 | 65 | 65 | 0.500 | 0.2818 | 1554 |
22 | Carolina | 31 | 26 | 9 | 71 | 66 | 0.538 | 0.2823 | 1551 |
23 | Toronto | 29 | 28 | 9 | 67 | 66 | 0.508 | 0.2747 | 1502 |
24 | New Jersey | 30 | 31 | 4 | 64 | 65 | 0.492 | 0.2730 | 1487 |
25 | Atlanta | 27 | 28 | 11 | 65 | 66 | 0.492 | 0.2700 | 1476 |
26 | Colorado | 26 | 31 | 8 | 60 | 65 | 0.462 | 0.2592 | 1425 |
27 | Florida | 26 | 31 | 9 | 61 | 66 | 0.462 | 0.2566 | 1401 |
28 | NY Islanders | 25 | 32 | 10 | 60 | 67 | 0.448 | 0.2463 | 1351 |
29 | Edmonton | 23 | 35 | 8 | 54 | 66 | 0.409 | 0.2209 | 1226 |
30 | Ottawa | 22 | 34 | 9 | 53 | 65 | 0.408 | 0.2173 | 1191 |