Welcome to Week 1 of the TWC Playoff Power Rankings! Here at TWC, we use a statistical model to effectively rank teams on a week to week basis. The model takes into effect winning percentages, CF%, SCF%, HDCF% as well as SV%. Each statistical category is weighed and scored differently, giving each team a unique TWC Score that determines their ranking after each week. The formula puts the highest emphasis on winning percentages over other statistics. All numbers are taken in all situations, to incorporate special teams into the fray. Don’t like where your team is ranked? Unfortunately, they will have to turn it around on the ice, as we take zero personal opinions into effect.

Have any suggestions for the TWC Playoff Power Rankings for next season? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Rank Change Team Last Week Record TWCScore 1 +7 New York Islanders 3-0 3-0 832.9 2 +11 Washington Capitals 2-0 2-0 805.1 3 +9 Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 3-0 789.7 4 -1 Boston Bruins 1-1 1-1 751.0 5 +5 Nashville Predators 1-1 1-1 750.0 6 +5 Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 2-1 745.4 7 +9 Colorado Avalanche 1-1 1-1 722.8 8 +6 Winnipeg Jets 1-2 1-2 720.2 9 -7 Calgary Flames 1-1 1-1 682.2 10 -3 St Louis Blues 2-1 2-1 671.1 11 +4 Dallas Stars 1-1 1-1 655.4 12 -6 Toronto Maple Leafs 1-1 1-1 652.8 13 -8 San Jose Sharks 1-2 1-2 640.9 14 -13 Tampa Bay Lightning 0-3 0-3 604.7 15 -11 Carolina Hurricanes 0-2 0-2 583.2 16 -7 Pittsburgh Penguins 0-3 0-3 568.8

Power Ranking Notables

Nobody saw this coming. The first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs is already seeing huge deviations from expectations. The infallible Tampa Bay Lightning are one game away from being swept. The Columbus Blue Jackets went all in at the trade deadline, and despite nearly missing, they’re seeing their team come together at the right time.

The big power ranking disparities come from those who are undefeated and those who are still winless. However, in the series that have seen wins for both teams, the performances have been much more even, as they should be.

The closest series so far have been the Calgary Flames versus Colorado Avalanche. The Flames dominated Game 1, and Avalanche countered in Game 2.

Other tied series see one team heavily outplaying the other, such as the Boston Bruins holding the edge over the Toronto Maple Leafs, and similarly the Vegas Golden Knights over the San Jose Sharks.

Player Standouts

The Good

Mark Stone is already making a strong case for Conn Smythe. Not far behind him would be Jordan Eberle, Robin Lehner and Sergei Bobrovsky. Plenty of other standout players, but these are the players that have single-handedly changed game outcomes.

The Bad

Paging Steven Stamkos. Paging Sidney Crosby. Where are they? These two captains will have to face tough questions and find ways to extend their teams’ postseasons. A quick exit isn’t on either the Lightning’s or Penguins’ playoff itineraries.

Related: TWC NHL Playoff Player Rankings

Biggest Gainer and Loser

Gainer: Washington Capitals (+11)

The Washington Capitals skyrocketed in the rankings after being statistical underdogs against the Carolina Hurricanes. Experience at times can trump a lot of other factors, and the Cup defending Capitals have the ability to win playoff games. During the playoffs, even if a team is heavily outplayed, at the end of the night only the win matters. The Capitals know this.

Loser: Tampa Bay Lightning (-13)

Shockingly, the Lightning are on the cusp of getting swept. They’re playing good hockey still, but one thing they haven’t encountered all year has been adversity. The Stanley Cup favourites heading into the playoffs are facing extremely tough odds at advancing through to the second round, let alone fighting for the Cup in June. It’s a bad time to go cold and stringing together four wins in a row against a surging Blue Jackets team isn’t going to be easy. Kudos to Columbus.

What are your thoughts? Are you surprised where your team landed this week? Let us know at @wincolumnblog.

Related:

Regular Season TWC Power Rankings:

Week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |26

All data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.