Power Rankings: Week 18

I think technically this is week twenty-something, but I’ve skipped around a little to do other things.  No matter!  The stats based power rankings return once more!  As always, I rank the teams within their conference in five categories (Pts, Goals per Game, Goals Allowed per Game, Power Play Percentage, and Penalty Kill Percentage) to achieve a bias-less ranking of the teams.  Points have counted double since the midpoint of the season because they continually become an ever clearer indication of how good a team is.

Coincidentally the Sabres move into a power rankings tie with the Washington Capitals for the eighth spot.  Uncoincidentally, I am a genius.  It’s pretty tough to find fault with any of theses (you know, unless you’re stupid).  Sure Ottawa could probably be a little lower and Florida might be better than we all think, but by and large every team seems to be right where it should be.

The East and West are two completely different animals, which I find fascinating.  In one, it seems no one is good…in the other, it seems everyone is good.  I have a hard time counting out anyone that makes it into the playoffs for those reasons.  The only thing I will say is that I hope Vancouver and St. Louis meet in the playoffs.  Two vastly different ways of building a team, one full of elite talent that’s significantly more skilled offensively than anyone in the league, the other littered with two ways players that are perfectly content to win games 2-1 and 1-0.  Awesome.