clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NHL Power Rankings: It's math, it's luck

By Dominik Updated
Totally a dive.
Totally a dive.

You can look at hockey a lot of ways -- and it's probably best to remember there is always a significant amount of luck in any season, much less any game. Still, last night's Devils 5-0 win over Washington, coming so soon after Atlanta beat the Capitals by the same score, just tests belief. You'd expect some of that luck to eventually come 'round the Islanders' way, but then you remember they just lost another defenseman -- and worse, it's to a significant eye injury.

The Islanders posted an update on Mike Mottau yesterday, and as David noted Katie Strang is sharing updates on Twitter. So thoughts and prayers (or whatever it is you do in your personal world orientation).

After the now-hot Blue Jackets visit Wednesday, the Islanders close out the month with the Devils. If they win neither, they'll have their first winless calendar month ever. Would that be just the luck if the Devils finally turn the corner right before the Islanders finally get their crack at them?

After the jump, our weekly power rankings -- still not last! -- and survey of media rankings. Plus, the confidence poll is open after a new rock bottom 30 last week. For diversion: Fornabaio's weekly Bridgeport chat at 1:30.

Media Rankings Survey

Outlet Rank Last Week Their Commentary
CBSSports 30 30
 A baker's dozen losses and counting. It has been so bad the Isles
have held leads for only total 44 minutes during the slide.
Col. Dispatch 30 30
 Have scored a measly 18 goals during their 13-game losing streak,
the franchise's longest in 20 years. Free Chris Botta!.
ESPN 30 29 [Burnside being Burnside]
Sportsnet (Brophy) 30 30 A change of coaches, from Scott Gordon to Jack Capuano,
doesn't help as the Islanders are now winless in 12 [sic] games.
TSN
(Cullen)		 29 27 The Islanders have dropped 13 straight and haven't fallen
to the basement yet. Unbelievable!
Average 29.8 29.2 10-game winless streaks breed very bad things.

Real Power Rankings

As always, courtesy of ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles. These are actually through Sunday and so do not include last night's results (such as the Devils win over Washington, which was such a coup I figured I'd artificially delay its effect. Okay, in truth I was just too lazy to update.)

    W L OTL Pts GP Win% Pts%/GP PWR
1 Detroit 13 3 2 28 18 0.778 0.4066 2281
2 Columbus 12 6 0 24 18 0.667 0.3784 2020
3 Los Angeles 13 6 0 26 19 0.684 0.3669 1979
4 Phoenix 10 5 5 25 20 0.625 0.3690 1972
5 Colorado 12 7 1 25 20 0.625 0.3583 1889
6 St. Louis 11 5 3 25 19 0.658 0.3556 1888
7 Washington 14 5 2 30 21 0.714 0.3579 1880
8 Nashville 9 6 3 21 18 0.583 0.3380 1799
9 Boston 11 5 2 24 18 0.667 0.3499 1794
10 Montreal 13 6 1 27 20 0.675 0.3383 1781
11 Philadelphia 13 6 2 28 21 0.667 0.3414 1761
12 Minnesota 10 7 2 22 19 0.579 0.3257 1724
13 Tampa Bay 11 7 2 24 20 0.600 0.3184 1691
14 Dallas 10 7 1 21 18 0.583 0.3086 1643
15 San Jose 9 6 4 22 19 0.579 0.2989 1642
16 Vancouver 10 7 3 23 20 0.575 0.3008 1597
17 Pittsburgh 11 8 2 24 21 0.571 0.2966 1585
18 Chicago 11 10 2 24 23 0.522 0.2858 1541
19 Anaheim 10 10 3 23 23 0.500 0.2812 1518
20 Atlanta 9 9 3 21 21 0.500 0.2768 1426
21 Calgary 8 10 1 17 19 0.447 0.2519 1368
22 Carolina 9 9 2 20 20 0.500 0.2565 1366
23 Ottawa 9 10 1 19 20 0.475 0.2501 1310
24 NY Rangers 11 9 1 23 21 0.548 0.2519 1306
25 Florida 9 9 0 18 18 0.500 0.2416 1295
26 Toronto 7 9 3 17 19 0.447 0.2303 1176
27 Buffalo 8 11 3 19 22 0.432 0.2123 1101
28 Edmonton 5 10 4 14 19 0.368 0.1848 1011
29 NY Islanders 4 12 4 12 20 0.300 0.1668 875
30 New Jersey 5 13 2 12 20 0.300 0.1502 781

If the Isles don't end their slump soon, next week's table will be ugliest of all.