Another week, another installment of the Power Play Point Potential Rankings. It still amazes me how much variance there can be within a single week of NHL action. Yet, the best and worst teams in the rankings rarely change.
It is interesting the Anaheim Ducks can be one of the best teams in the NHL, while their special teams rank so poorly. Similarly, the Chicago Blackhawks penalty kill has been awful all year. These are the anomalies though, Philadelphia and New York’s improved play correlates with their improved special team’s play, while the Penguins prove the correlation between strong special teams play and success in the NHL.
Ultimately the PPPP Rankings are best used for your fantasy hockey needs by plucking out ideal matchups to exploit in your daily games and daily lineup leagues.
Remember the Defensive Rankings are one through 30 as worst to best, while the Offensive Rankings are first to worst. For example, the New York Islanders are ranked first in the Defensive Rankings, making them the most favorable matchup.
Good luck this week fake hockey fans and enjoy.
You can download this week’s Power Play Point Potential Rankings below:
January 14th Offensive PPPP Rankings
January 14th Defensive PPPP Rankings
January 7th Offensive PPPP Rankings
January 7th Defensive PPPP Rankings
Explanation of the PPPP Rankings
2013 PPPP Rankings and Power Play Statistics
*Statistics through January 13th, 2014.
Getting Defensive
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have to be viewed as a favorable matchup and team to target going forward. Ben Bishop will started on Tuesday night, but goaltending is only a piece of the pie. Given their clientele the Lightning’s ninth ranking is fitting and their slide has been substantial over the past month.
- Trending in the other direction, the Anaheim Ducks find themselves outside the top ten favorable matchups for the first time since the December 2nd Rankings. Arguably, the NHL’s best team has been horrible both shorthanded and with the man advantage, look out if they continue to improve in both facets.
- Colorado has become a staple in this column, their yo-yo rises and falls in the rankings are again understandable given their core is young and clearly prone to ups and downs. The Avalanche are dealing with some injury issues too, so it might be an excellent time to target them. Just keep in mind their schedule isn’t frightening through the rest of the month.
- A staple among the league’s most difficult matchups since the beginning of last season, Boston sits at nineteenth in the rankings. This is a large slide for the Bruins, but with their injuries on defense it is understandable. This is a trend to monitor at this point and not overreact to.
- Just seven days ago, we looked at the Sabres’ improvements and currently, they sit as an unfavorable matchup at twenty-second in the rankings. Their goaltender’s save percentage while down a man is over ninety percent, so regression is possible, but they’re playing low scoring games consistently and are no longer a team to target.
- After spending the entire first three months of the season hovering around the league averages statistically, the Philadelphia Flyers are ranked twenty-fourth this week. They’re killing at a tick below eighty-five percent and have dropped eleven spots since November 26th.
- The matchups to target are the same fab five of the New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators and Phoenix Coyotes.
- Only the order has changed among the league’s stingiest, as Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Montreal, New Jersey and St. Louis remain the toughest matchups down a man.
On the Offense
- On December 18th, the Rangers were ranked nineteenth, today, they’re seventh. It has been an excellent month, but the Rangers are finally healthy and finally getting production from all their weapons. Both power play units can score and the Rangers should remain among the top ten going forward.
- The Islanders’ power play is clicking, their percentage has climbed over three points since the December 18th Rankings. The void left by Mark Streit and the injured Lubomir Visnovsky is finally being filled and John Tavares is scorching hot. In fact, Tavares is putting together an impressive resume for the Hart Trophey.
- Montreal finds themselves outside the top ten for the first time since the first installment of the Offensive PPPP Rankings on October 11th. It has been a gradual fall though, as they have dropped in five straight rankings, beginning December 2nd. They could climb back up, but them hovering around the ten spot is the most likely.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have seen a more drastic fall. On December 2nd they were ranked ninth, currently, they sit at twentieth for a second straight week. They are a lunch pail group, and projecting them in the top half of the rankings is difficult. They’re a middle of the pack power play offense at best.
- Detroit has fallen in the rankings every week since November 26th, when they peeked at sixth. Their power play percent and goals for per sixty minutes have both dropped almost four whole points during their free fall. Injuries to Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are obvious causes, so expect them to click again when both are back to full health.
- The Ducks’ power play percentage is a tenth shy of a full two point improvement over the past week. The NHL better look out if they finally figure it out with the man advantage. If their special teams can ever catch pace with their five-on-five play they may be unstoppable.
- The Leafs have climbed back into the top five, replacing the Bruins. The Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks are the four teams in front of Toronto, who sit fifth.
- With the Ducks’ climb out of the bottom five, the Carolina Hurricanes find themselves as the fifth worst team with the man advantage. Only the Canucks, Sabres, Stars and Panthers are worse than Carolina.
