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LHH Power Rankings # 11 - Don’t Call It a Comeback

By Torgo
NHL: JAN 13 Islanders at Rangers
I think you broke him, Anthony.
Photo by David Hahn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

There wasn’t much chance for movement for the Isles this week, with only 2 games wrapped around 5 days off. But they did make the most of it and managed to get themselves back into a Power Rankings playoff spot.

For review, the LHH formula is strictly math based. While all wins are good wins, it places a higher value on wins on the road, wins against higher ranked teams and wins by a margin of 3+ goals. Games that end past regulation are counted as ties in the formula.

Here’s what 3 of the 4 polls had to say:

Entry # 5 - Feb 17, 2019

Site Updated New Ranking Prior Ranking Comments
Site Updated New Ranking Prior Ranking Comments
Buffalo News 2/16/2019 6 6 Playoff site decision using both arenas is probably best compromise.
The Hockey Guy 2/16/2019 3 3 There isn't a player on this roster that is not playing well.
Brian Simmons 2/15/2019 3 4
ESPN 2/14/2019 6 5 What's so wrong about loving two goalies equally? Robin Lehner has gotten a bit more attention, but Thomas Greiss is only a slight step behind and has gone 4-0-1, saving 154 of 157 shots (.981 save percentage) in his past five games.
SportsNet 2/13/2019 4 4 Trade Deadline Prediction: Trader upgrader… we’re guessing. Lou Lamoriello’s lips are sealed like the Ark of the Covenant, but the GM has to reward a group that has rocked the Metropolitan, doesn’t he? While his lack of a 2019 third- or fourth-round pick gives us reason to think he’d be hesitant to let go of a first or second as well, the Islanders should be in the mix for the high-end forwards that become available.
NBC 2/11/2019 7 7 The Islanders are a perfect 9-0 in the second half of back-to-backs.
CBS 2/6/2019 6 6 They're legitimate. They beat who they're supposed to and give the real ones a fight. Barry Trotz really got this defense up to par.
NJ.com 2/5/2019 5 5 A 1-0 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning provided another example of how the Islanders can hang with the league's top teams. After being the NHL's worst defense in 2017-18, things have turned around dramatically on Long Island.

On to the rankings...

The Western Conference remains on top, with only Dallas (99.7) under the 100.0 ‘average’ mark. Tampa Bay (124.2) still remains in first, though Nashville (122.1) did pick up a little ground, but the Atlantic remains the most pathetic division in hockey, with 4 of the bottom 6 teams calling it home.

There was no movement in the Top 6, with Winnipeg (117.4), Vegas (115.9), Boston (113.3) and Los Angeles (107.4) not changing position. Anaheim (105.6) returned to the top 10 in 7th, St. Louis (105.4) remained in 8th, Washington (105.0) joined the top 10 in 9th and Colorado (104.8) jumped up to 10th.

San Jose (104.5) fell 4 spots from 7th to 11th, New Jersey (102.8) dropped 6 spots from 9th to 15th, and Toronto (102.3) dropped 6 spots from 10th to 16th.

The Isles gained 1.9 points to make it to 19th, 4th best in the Metro and 7th in the East. In the Western, they’d be 13th and 6 LHH points out.

There was little change in the bottom 5, with Arizona (68.1) firmly in 31st, Buffalo (74.8) in 30th, Detroit (85.3) down 2 spots to 29th, Montreal (85.8) up 1 spot to 28th and Pittsburgh (89.6) holing at 27th.

Atlantic - 102.0

# Team GP W L T PTS LHH # LW L#
# Team GP W L T PTS LHH # LW L#
1 Tampa Bay Lightning 59 40 14 5 85 128.3 1 126.2 1
2 Toronto Maple Leafs 58 36 22 0 72 117.6 3 117.5 3
3 Boston Bruins 59 32 24 3 67 107.5 11 100.2 14
9 Montreal Canadiens 58 29 27 2 60 101.9 15 100.2 14
10 Buffalo Sabres 57 24 28 5 53 94.6 18 96.0 19
11 Florida Panthers 56 21 28 7 49 94.0 20 93.2 21
13 Detroit Red Wings 59 21 31 7 49 88.2 24 89.2 23
16 Ottawa Senators 58 22 36 0 44 84.1 31 81.7 31

Metro - 100.5

# Team GP W L T Pts LHH # LW L#
# Team GP W L T Pts LHH # LW L#
1 New York Islanders 58 32 18 8 72 116.0 4 115.6 4
2 Columbus Blue Jackets 57 33 23 1 67 109.7 7 105.2 10
3 Pittsburgh Penguins 58 29 26 3 61 107.6 10 112.3 7
WC1 Carolina Hurricanes 59 30 26 3 63 102.8 13 96.5 18
WC2 Washington Capitals 58 29 25 4 62 102.6 14 100.4 12
12 Philadelphia Flyers 58 25 30 3 53 90.0 22 88.0 26
14 New York Rangers 57 19 30 8 46 87.7 25 85.8 26
15 New Jersey Devils 58 21 33 4 46 87.6 26 88.7 25

The Isles and Hurricanes would be WC1 and WC2, respectively.

Out west.. at least 2 of these Central Division teams will miss the post-season:

Central - 100.7

# Team GP W L T PTS LHH # LW L#
# Team GP W L T PTS LHH # LW L#
1 Nashville Predators 61 33 26 2 68 110.8 6 114.7 6
2 St. Louis Blues 57 30 26 1 61 109.7 7 101.2 11
3 Winnipeg Jets 59 34 22 3 71 109.0 9 115.4 5
WC1 Dallas Stars 58 30 28 0 60 104.8 12 108.8 9
WC2 Minnesota Wild 58 26 29 3 55 95.1 17 100.4 12
11 Colorado Avalanche 58 23 34 1 47 88.8 23 92.3 22
12 Chicago Blackhawks 59 23 34 2 48 86.6 27 85.1 30

Pacific - 96.9

# Team GP W L T PTS LHH # LW L#
# Team GP W L T PTS LHH # LW L#
1 Calgary Flames 58 35 19 4 74 119.2 2 118.8 2
2 San Jose Sharks 59 35 21 3 73 115.4 5 111.6 8
3 Vegas Golden Knights 60 30 27 3 63 98.8 16 99.4 16
9 Arizona Coyotes 58 24 31 3 51 94.1 19 93.8 20
10 Vancouver Canucks 60 23 31 6 52 92.6 21 98.6 17
13 Los Angeles Kings 58 21 33 4 46 85.2 28 86.4 28
14 Anaheim Ducks 58 19 34 5 43 84.9 29 89.1 24
15 Edmonton Oilers 58 21 34 3 45 84.7 30 87.4 27

Colorado would be WC1 and San Jose WC2.

This week’s schedule, not an easy one:

1/15 - @ 28 Montreal
1/16 - vs 15 New Jersey
1/18 - vs 5 Boston
1/20 - @ 17 Chicago

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