Post by Derrick - Senators on Dec 21, 2010 17:19:43 GMT -5
Commissioner Rankings
1. Ottawa (1)
After losing 4 straight, the reigning NAFHL Champ, “5th Place” Ottawa is categorically 27-6-3 over the past 3 weeks. As predicted, a league worst -30 one month ago, Ottawa is now +8 on the season (and rising). Anders Lindback is the latest superstar in the making to come out of the Ottawa goalie factory (league leading 33 Wins), posting spectacular numbers over the past 3 weeks, including back to back shutouts, and a 5 game winning streak. Ottawa Offense is pretty good too. Leads the league in Goals, Assists, PPP, and GWG even though Alexander Ovechkin only has 3 goals in his past 20 games.
2. Minnesota (2)
With Bryzgalov on the shelf, ”1st Place” Minnesota is 2-4-2 categorically in goalie categories (which was previously keeping this team afloat), en route to an overall record of 16-13-7 over the past 3 weeks. Although sitting #3 in the overall standings, Minnesota only has two offensive stat categories in the Top 5 for the year: +37 (4th) and 456 PIM (1st). Fun NAFHL fact of the day: Minnesota is only one of two teams to remain undefeated in any statistical category halfway through the year in weekly play owning a 2-0-9 record in SHP. (Ottawa 9-0-2, PPP). Alexander Semin = 5pts/11gp.
3. Carolina (4)
If SHP were the only statistical category scored, the Carolina Hurricanes would win the NAFHL championship every single year. Its 15 SHP on the year is equivalent to Ottawa (8) and San Jose (7) combined. No other team but Calgary has more than 5. Ryan Miller has regressed over the past month (6, 2.73, .907) but Henrik Zetterberg (7pts/4gp) should continue his torrid pace with fellow teammates Pavel Datsyuk and Dan Cleary on the shelf for a prolonged period of time.
4. San Jose (5)
San Jose can’t decide if it is a 10-1 team or a 2-9 team. Like Detroit, inconsistency is an issue, but recent numbers indicate an upward trend moving forward. It is going to take more than a couple 10-1 wins over Anaheim and Washington to prove this. Team captain Sidney Crosby owns an amazing 25 game point streak (and counting) while Brian Little has proven to be a useful re-acquisition (13pts/14gp). Pronger out, Staal in, should help goals (142), SHP (7), and SOG (1392) while Jon Quick does his best Ondrej Pavelec impersonation (7, 1.79, .934, 3) over the past month seemingly lightening the load for starter Roberto Luongo.
5. Detroit (3)
Inconsistency, mismanagement, and injury pretty much sums up Detroit’s season. Jason Spezza, Dan Cleary, and J.S Giguere join already banged up stars Marian Gaborik, Peter Mueller, and Ryan Callahan on the list of injured players for Detroit. League worst (-31) and 11th-10th-11th in goalie wins, GAA, and SV% respectively. Howard+Kiprusoff > = < Giguere+Kiprusoff. It’s not rocket science. Brian Rafalski has yet to score a goal, but leads the league for defensemen with 13 assists over the past month, 23 total on the year. Jeff Tambellini = Points in 6 straight games.
6. Calgary (7)
”Boston-Lite” is what they are calling the Calgary Flames in Beantown after its Week 8 defeat at the hands of the Bruins (5-6-1). This is also the case because Boston and Calgary have nearly identical stats (give or take), with Calgary falling outside the Top 5 in several categories. Most noticeable is the resemblance in Goalie stats on the year between CGY (2.52, .918) and BOS (2.51, .916). This will of course be the determining factor on who gets the 6th and final playoff spot when these two teams meet again in Week 19. Marc-Andre Fleury coming back down to earth a little, allowing 3 or more goals in 4 of his past 6 while only obtaining 3 wins.
7. Boston (6)
After winning 3 straight weeks, Boston has now lost its last 3 weeks of head to head play, (against the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams in the standings). However, this has not stopped the Bruins from amassing excellent offensive numbers so far placing Top 5 in every single category. 5th G, 3rd A, 3rd +/-, 4th PIM, 3rd PPP, 5th SHP, 2nd GWG, 4th SOG. These numbers should only improve with the return of Marian Hossa to the lineup, the trade of James Wisniewski from NYI to MTL, and the re-emergence of Neanderthal Olli Jokinen (10pts/13gp), who had seemingly “lost all fantasy relevance.”
8. Atlanta (10)
Kari Lehtonen (15, 2.47, .920) is this teams MVP. Or is it young breakout star Logan Couture (10 goals this month)? Either way, Atlanta is this years version of last’s years Columbus Blue Jackets (R.I.P); middle of the pack in every category (offensive/goalie), with the threat of beating any team any given week.
9. Toronto (9)
Whats left to say? Toronto owns an unprecedented 9-2 record on the year in both GAA and SV%. And that’s it. The end of this miracle run is inevitable, now it is just a guessing game as to when. A couple of 8-1 and 9-1 wins against Colorado and Boston has propelled Toronto back up the standings, but lets not forget Toronto lost 4 of its past 5 previous weeks. NAFHL fun fact #2: Toronto has owned 4+ IR players on the year (2 current) and has yet to place any of these players on IR.
10. Washington (8)
11, 11, 11, 2, 12, 6, 9, 8. No, these are not last nights lottery numbers. These are in fact the rankings for the Washington Capitals offensive stat categories in comparison to its peers on the year. If not for the spectacular goalie play of Semyon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth, and Pekka Rinne (24, 2.40, .916, 5) this team might just be battling Anaheim for 12th in the standings. Being -26 on the year and owning a league worst 89 PPP (20 fewer than anyone not named Colorado) is never a good sign. As Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green go, so goes this offense.
11. Colorado (12)
Lost 3 weeks in a row, but new additions Ilya Kovalchuk (7pts/8gp), Vincent Lecavalier (5pts/6gp), and Tomas Vokoun (3, 2.88, .927) give this team much needed star power while dealing from a point of strength (D), AND still keeping its best defenseman.
12. Anaheim (11)
What a train wreck. Anaheim has gone 5-25-6 over the past 3 weeks, capping off a 5-week losing streak, en route to losing 9 of 11 weeks total on the year. Its only two wins coming against Calgary and Ottawa. This team of “lame ducks” is last in every single goalie category (18, 3.36. .894, 1), while still rostering an outlandish 6 goalies. Quantity does not equal quality. To further illustrate the impact/damage, Anaheim is 5th in the league in total points scored (548) ranking 4th in goals, 4th in assists, 3rd in GWG, and 5th in SOG.
Standings
1. Minnesota
2. Ottawa
3. Toronto
4. Calgary
5. Carolina
6. Atlanta
7. Boston
8. San Jose
9. Washington
10. Detroit
11. Colorado
12. Anaheim
IDLE
COULD RISE
COULD FALL
1. Ottawa (1)
After losing 4 straight, the reigning NAFHL Champ, “5th Place” Ottawa is categorically 27-6-3 over the past 3 weeks. As predicted, a league worst -30 one month ago, Ottawa is now +8 on the season (and rising). Anders Lindback is the latest superstar in the making to come out of the Ottawa goalie factory (league leading 33 Wins), posting spectacular numbers over the past 3 weeks, including back to back shutouts, and a 5 game winning streak. Ottawa Offense is pretty good too. Leads the league in Goals, Assists, PPP, and GWG even though Alexander Ovechkin only has 3 goals in his past 20 games.
2. Minnesota (2)
With Bryzgalov on the shelf, ”1st Place” Minnesota is 2-4-2 categorically in goalie categories (which was previously keeping this team afloat), en route to an overall record of 16-13-7 over the past 3 weeks. Although sitting #3 in the overall standings, Minnesota only has two offensive stat categories in the Top 5 for the year: +37 (4th) and 456 PIM (1st). Fun NAFHL fact of the day: Minnesota is only one of two teams to remain undefeated in any statistical category halfway through the year in weekly play owning a 2-0-9 record in SHP. (Ottawa 9-0-2, PPP). Alexander Semin = 5pts/11gp.
3. Carolina (4)
If SHP were the only statistical category scored, the Carolina Hurricanes would win the NAFHL championship every single year. Its 15 SHP on the year is equivalent to Ottawa (8) and San Jose (7) combined. No other team but Calgary has more than 5. Ryan Miller has regressed over the past month (6, 2.73, .907) but Henrik Zetterberg (7pts/4gp) should continue his torrid pace with fellow teammates Pavel Datsyuk and Dan Cleary on the shelf for a prolonged period of time.
4. San Jose (5)
San Jose can’t decide if it is a 10-1 team or a 2-9 team. Like Detroit, inconsistency is an issue, but recent numbers indicate an upward trend moving forward. It is going to take more than a couple 10-1 wins over Anaheim and Washington to prove this. Team captain Sidney Crosby owns an amazing 25 game point streak (and counting) while Brian Little has proven to be a useful re-acquisition (13pts/14gp). Pronger out, Staal in, should help goals (142), SHP (7), and SOG (1392) while Jon Quick does his best Ondrej Pavelec impersonation (7, 1.79, .934, 3) over the past month seemingly lightening the load for starter Roberto Luongo.
5. Detroit (3)
Inconsistency, mismanagement, and injury pretty much sums up Detroit’s season. Jason Spezza, Dan Cleary, and J.S Giguere join already banged up stars Marian Gaborik, Peter Mueller, and Ryan Callahan on the list of injured players for Detroit. League worst (-31) and 11th-10th-11th in goalie wins, GAA, and SV% respectively. Howard+Kiprusoff > = < Giguere+Kiprusoff. It’s not rocket science. Brian Rafalski has yet to score a goal, but leads the league for defensemen with 13 assists over the past month, 23 total on the year. Jeff Tambellini = Points in 6 straight games.
6. Calgary (7)
”Boston-Lite” is what they are calling the Calgary Flames in Beantown after its Week 8 defeat at the hands of the Bruins (5-6-1). This is also the case because Boston and Calgary have nearly identical stats (give or take), with Calgary falling outside the Top 5 in several categories. Most noticeable is the resemblance in Goalie stats on the year between CGY (2.52, .918) and BOS (2.51, .916). This will of course be the determining factor on who gets the 6th and final playoff spot when these two teams meet again in Week 19. Marc-Andre Fleury coming back down to earth a little, allowing 3 or more goals in 4 of his past 6 while only obtaining 3 wins.
7. Boston (6)
After winning 3 straight weeks, Boston has now lost its last 3 weeks of head to head play, (against the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams in the standings). However, this has not stopped the Bruins from amassing excellent offensive numbers so far placing Top 5 in every single category. 5th G, 3rd A, 3rd +/-, 4th PIM, 3rd PPP, 5th SHP, 2nd GWG, 4th SOG. These numbers should only improve with the return of Marian Hossa to the lineup, the trade of James Wisniewski from NYI to MTL, and the re-emergence of Neanderthal Olli Jokinen (10pts/13gp), who had seemingly “lost all fantasy relevance.”
8. Atlanta (10)
Kari Lehtonen (15, 2.47, .920) is this teams MVP. Or is it young breakout star Logan Couture (10 goals this month)? Either way, Atlanta is this years version of last’s years Columbus Blue Jackets (R.I.P); middle of the pack in every category (offensive/goalie), with the threat of beating any team any given week.
9. Toronto (9)
Whats left to say? Toronto owns an unprecedented 9-2 record on the year in both GAA and SV%. And that’s it. The end of this miracle run is inevitable, now it is just a guessing game as to when. A couple of 8-1 and 9-1 wins against Colorado and Boston has propelled Toronto back up the standings, but lets not forget Toronto lost 4 of its past 5 previous weeks. NAFHL fun fact #2: Toronto has owned 4+ IR players on the year (2 current) and has yet to place any of these players on IR.
10. Washington (8)
11, 11, 11, 2, 12, 6, 9, 8. No, these are not last nights lottery numbers. These are in fact the rankings for the Washington Capitals offensive stat categories in comparison to its peers on the year. If not for the spectacular goalie play of Semyon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth, and Pekka Rinne (24, 2.40, .916, 5) this team might just be battling Anaheim for 12th in the standings. Being -26 on the year and owning a league worst 89 PPP (20 fewer than anyone not named Colorado) is never a good sign. As Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green go, so goes this offense.
11. Colorado (12)
Lost 3 weeks in a row, but new additions Ilya Kovalchuk (7pts/8gp), Vincent Lecavalier (5pts/6gp), and Tomas Vokoun (3, 2.88, .927) give this team much needed star power while dealing from a point of strength (D), AND still keeping its best defenseman.
12. Anaheim (11)
What a train wreck. Anaheim has gone 5-25-6 over the past 3 weeks, capping off a 5-week losing streak, en route to losing 9 of 11 weeks total on the year. Its only two wins coming against Calgary and Ottawa. This team of “lame ducks” is last in every single goalie category (18, 3.36. .894, 1), while still rostering an outlandish 6 goalies. Quantity does not equal quality. To further illustrate the impact/damage, Anaheim is 5th in the league in total points scored (548) ranking 4th in goals, 4th in assists, 3rd in GWG, and 5th in SOG.
Standings
1. Minnesota
2. Ottawa
3. Toronto
4. Calgary
5. Carolina
6. Atlanta
7. Boston
8. San Jose
9. Washington
10. Detroit
11. Colorado
12. Anaheim
IDLE
COULD RISE
COULD FALL