NHL Power Rankings and Parodies

This is our weekly collection of media "power" rankings and commentary, along with our own calculations of where NHL teams stand. You'll also find the parody table. For the preview of tonight's game and that discussion, go here. (Since that post, Nathan Lawson was confirmed as tonight's starter and Justin DiBenedetto will indeed get a look with Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau.)

But first, a few good trade deadline and other reads before our weekly rankings and parodies:

• Another extensive and quite informative FanPost from garik16. For those averse to stats beyond simple G-A-Pts., I think if you read the intro you can at least get a picture of what GVT is about and why it's another great contextual reference. Or, just look at the pretty charts. Print it out and take it to the john, and ponder the value of Ty Wishart.
  
• Zenon Konopka got lots of texts from friends wishing him luck in Anaheim. With friends like these... [$5 please]
• This is pretty cool: Video of how trade calls go down in the NHL office. FYI, some of the paperwork for transactions is actually in the appendix of the CBA, if you ever wanted to know how some of that works.
• Also at Puck Daddy: A long essay on what all the trade hoaxes on Twitter says about media. To sum up: Consider your source before gossip-clicking away.
• The Penner trade, from the other side: A nice reaction post from the singular Quisp, at Kings blog Jewls from the Crown.
  

Media Rankings Survey

Here is what they're actually saying. Supposedly, Burnside did ESPN's comments this week. After reading the Isles entry, I don't believe it either.

Alas, judging by the number of no-shows from outlets that focused on the trade deadline in lieu of their weekly rankings post, I've come to the shocking realization that media power rankings are just content filler. We'll update the absentees if and when they are posted.

Parody Rankings

...And hear is what we imagine they're really saying:

Real Power Rankings

As always, these are updated through Sunday's games. Formula and calculations courtesy of our own ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles -- who is usually the one you'll find thanklessly compiling FIG picks in the game thread.

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 post is here.

It's been a long, injurious trip, but the Islanders as currently constituted are who we thought they are?