| Team |
Average Ranking |
#1 Rankings |
Highest Ranking |
Lowest Ranking |
Standard Deviation |
Commentary |
| The Favourites |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 3.22 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 1.97 | In a bit of a surprise to me, Chicago is the overall favourite in the pool this year... |
| Washington Capitals | 3.37 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 2.23 | Ovechkin and company did impress again this season, finishing atop the league, but many remain skeptical that the Caps can overcome their history of playoff disappointments... |
| The Dark Horses |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 4.35 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 2.56 | The defending champs outpunch the weight of their fourth seeding in the east, but with Malkin healthy and Olympic hero Sidney Crosby leading the way, it`s not hard to see why... |
| San Jose Sharks | 4.71 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 2.85 | Despite consistent regular season domination, the Sharks` post-season reputation for humiliation has resulted in a devaluation of their pool ranking situation... |
| Detroit Red Wings | 4.96 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 2.70 | Like the Penguins, the Wings stand higher than their fourth seeding in the west would seem to warrant, but in the inverse to the Sharks, their history of post-season success gives people reason to believe... |
| Vancouver Canucks | 5.47 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 2.12 | The Canucks remain a popular sentimental favourite, with even the doubters ranking them no lower than ninth (giving them the lowest highest ranking aside from the two favourite teams)...and they are likely again the best hope to bring the Cup back to Canada...it would be quite a story to follow up Olympic gold with the Stanley Cup and give the city a year that would forever live in hockey glory... |
| The Longshots |
| Buffalo Sabres | 6.00 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 2.66 | Goaltending is key in the playoffs, so with Vezina candidate (if not shoo in) Ryan Miller between the pipes, you've got to think the Sabres at least have a chance... |
| New Jersey Devils | 6.41 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 2.98 | With the second-largest standard deviation for the second straight year (they had the largest the two years before that) there again appears to be little consensus on the Devils... |
| The Faint Hopes |
| Ottawa Senators | 10.55 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 2.70 | As much as some of us want to believe, only one brave soul ventured to rank them first... |
| Phoenix Coyotes | 11.02 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 2.62 | Apparently we all want marquee names and a playoff track record, because the Coyotes get little respect despite finishing the season just six points out of the lead in the west and having home advantage in the first round... |
| Los Angeles Kings | 11.43 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 1.95 | With the second-lowest standard deviation and an average ranking near the middle, the Kings appear to be a team people think could surprise in the first round, but would go no farther... |
| Boston Bruins | 11.55 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 2.46 | Nobody expects them to go deep into the playoffs, but a handful have picked the Bruins over the Sabres in the first round... |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 11.96 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 3.28 | The Flyers have the highest standard deviation this year, so the Devils-Flyers first-round matchup will likely make or break some entries... |
| Colorado Avalanche | 13.51 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 2.39 | The Avs have impressed this year with their young, up-and-coming lineup, but still very few have picked them over the Sharks in the first round... |
| Montreal Canadiens | 13.67 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 2.94 | Suzanne's #1 ranking may have skewed the stats on the Habs a bit, but they do have the third-highest standard deviation despite being second-lowest average ranking...then again, they haven't won yet this decade, so they are overdue... |
| Nashville Predators | 13.82 | 0 | 10 | 16 | 1.75 | The Predators are the only team not ranked by anyone in the top half...I'm rather surprised to see them given so little respect, but I guess that's the corollary of Chicago being ranked a strong first overall... |
