Power Rankings - Week 7
2023-01-12
Good Evening Gents,
Here are the power rankings for Week 7
Quick side note - Tom Petty was one ugly bastard...
Moving on...
While MTL still holds the top spot in the league, and has for the last 3 weeks, CGY's incredible goaltending this week (4 GA, the entire week), and 6-game winning streak (including victories against close rivals MTL and LAK) has them in the top spot this week. I do not anticipate they will stay there, but it's been a fun run.
PIT has slowly regained the respect it once had. For the last few years, PIT hasn't felt like a force to be reckoned with (even with McDavid), but this year, like Julia Roberts before them, they have once again found their way into the respectibility category. They move up to 3rd after taking MTL to OT and beating OTT. Could they challange for 2nd spot in the east? A giant pile of shit, might mean yes...
Speaking of the steaming pile of slump that is OTT, while the alcohol-infused rant tried to convice you things were dire, they are not. Let's face it, the real season doesn't start until the playoffs, and nobody is counting out OTT, no matter how many balls they are currently chugging. They drew with WPG in their double-header, so they are no slouch. But they are definitely in the shadow of MTL's giant, giant testicles for the moment.
I think that the measurement of respectibilty comes in the form of which goalie do you start against an opponent. If you're starting your back-up, let's face it, you're not worried about losing. When you use your starter, that sends a message that you respect your opponent... or you just want to completely anihilate them. So far the record this year for anihiliations has to be the 14-0 victory by LAK over CHI.
LAK slipped this week, but not because they weren't up to par, they just didn't face quality opponents. Beating the last place team 14-0, while hilarious, doesn't really tell us how the team fares against quality opponents.
WPG for example, faced MTL once and OTT, twice. That's a heavy week. They came out 1-2 there. Certainly a challenging week, but because of their strong start, we are expecting better of them. They are definitely a powerhouse, but less god-like as we previously thought.
Fun Fact: EVERY team in the East has a positive goal differential, except PHI. 7/8 teams. That's insane. And yet... the top 3 league leaders in GA are WPG, CGY, and LAK - all teams fromt the West.
Speaking of the 4th best team in the West - I'll give it to EDM... they have more points that DET. Which... I'm sure if you would have asked them before the season starts if they'd be ahead of DET, they would have said 'no'. So they have to be proud of that. They are also sufficiently ahead of MIN in 5th, so they can pretty much coast for the rest of the year. So... wake me up when the playoffs start, right?
The East is the exact opposite, and definitely the most exciting to watch right now. While MTL seems to have a lock on 1st, OTT could slip out of 2nd, PIT keeps motoring on, and then you have 4th place. WSH is slowly pulling away, but can they hold it?
The thing is: DET has only played CHI once. WSH has played CHI three times. So there's 4 points for DET right there... But then you have TBL, only 2 points back of DET, who hasn't played MIN at ALL. Meanwhile, WSH has played MIN three times ALSO, and DET has played MIN twice. WSH has to be able to pull off some big wins against some of the more top-tier teams to truly lock in that 4th and final playoff spot.
Nothing would please NYR more than to sneak in and grab that 4th spot, but, while they have been playing strong defensively, those offensive numbers will have to come up to play spoiler to WSH, DET and TBL. Maybe that 11-1 thrashing of CHI is the start of something?...
Good luck to everyone this week!
If I get a snow-day tomorrow, I will look at teams records vs. top teams, and team records vs. lower teams.
I love when you speak about my giant testicles
Power Rankings - Week 7
Montreal Dethroned, Detroit in Free Fall, Ottawa is salty
I love the fact that you speak of MIN (instead of VAN) as an easy opponent such as CHI. It will (perhaps) motivate him to get outta the “ Last Lines Uploaded ; Over a year” club. #wakedemghosts
Power Rankings - Week 7
Montreal Dethroned, Detroit in Free Fall, Ottawa is salty