In simplest terms: New Jersey and Las Vegas might just continue their astonishing starts.
Below is a breakdown of the third week of NHL games in the 2017-2018 season. The graph breaks down the schedule and the strength of the opponent in goals for, goals against, their power play and penalty kill and ranks it against the rest of the league on a scale from 1-31 (with 31 being the worst) So the higher the average ranks you see for an opponent the better schedule that team has. It factors in how well a team does at home vs. on the road as well. This week I will update as 3 weeks of actual production should be somewhat reliable going forward.
Favorable:
Offense: Arizona Coyotes have a nice week going up against the New York Islanders, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils who have all shown signs of anemic defenses. Having a cross-country trip with a young squad will veer one of two ways for the Coyotes, look for the Islanders game to give you a hint on how they will fare. The Blue Jackets face the Sabres, Jets and Blues who all have lapses on defense and questionable goalie play.
Goalies: Cory Schneider might have a strong but limited week with two games against Ottawa and Arizona both matches at home. Ottawa on the flip side faces a LA Kings team without Jeff Carter, Philadelphia team (at home) and a New Jersey Devils team who may or may not be legitimate, the jury is still out on the longevity of their strong start.
Power Play: New Jersey’s PP will have a favorable week as Arizona and Ottawa are bottom third Penalty Kill units. Las Vegas Golden Knights might rack up a few PP and potentially increase their historic start as Chicago and Colorado are sub-average penalty kill units.
Penalty Kill: Las Vegas gets the bonus on everything that is NOT 5vs5 hockey, the Blackhawks and Aves were not strong power play units away from home last year. Buffalo’s already electric power play unit faces Detroit Red Wings, and San Jose who are not very good. Look for some strong penalty killing and a chance for some W’s from the Sabres.
Unfavorable:
Offense: Boston Bruins after two favorable schedule weeks go up against Martin Jones and Jonathan Quick at least they are at home. Jonathan Quick and Henrik Lundqvist are goalies who excelled on the road last year so Montreal Canadiens have a difficult home stretch this week.
Goalies: Edmonton, who is already off to a rough start faces Pittsburgh, Dallas and Washington who are among stronger and gifted offensive teams. Sidney Crosby, Jamie Benn and Alex Ovechkin are a rough stretch for Cam Talbot. Pittsburgh on the other side goes up against Connor McDavid, Patrick Laine, Mark Schiefele, Nikolaj Ehlers (x2 for these three) and Eric Staal.
Power Play: The Vancouver Canucks face off against two top ten Penalty Kill units against the Wild and Capitals.
Penalty Kill: The Blues go up against the Hurricanes and Blue Jackets, two of the top ten PP units in the NHL.
Untitled
Weekly Avgs | Mon, Oct 23 | Tue, Oct 24 | Wed, Oct 25 | Thu, Oct 26 | Fri, Oct 27 | Sat, Oct 28 | Sun, Oct 29 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weekly Avgs | Mon, Oct 23 | Tue, Oct 24 | Wed, Oct 25 | Thu, Oct 26 | Fri, Oct 27 | Sat, Oct 28 | Sun, Oct 29 |
0 | @ Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | @ Florida Panthers | 0 | @ Tampa Bay Lightning | @ Carolina Hurricanes | |
0 | |||||||
4 | |||||||
19 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 12 | 22 |
19 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 23 | 14 |
16 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 6 | 21 |
10 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 6 |
0 | @ New York Islanders | 0 | @ New York Rangers | 0 | @ New Jersey Devils | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
16 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
26 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
20 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
18 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 0 | vs. San Jose Sharks | 0 | vs. Los Angeles Kings | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
0 | vs. Detroit Red Wings | @ Columbus Blue Jackets | 0 | 0 | vs. San Jose Sharks | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
13 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
13 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
21 | 0 | 27 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
0 | vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | 0 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs | vs. St. Louis Blues | 0 | vs. Anaheim Ducks | |
3 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
15 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 18 |
10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 17 |
7 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
0 | @ Nashville Predators | @ St. Louis Blues | 0 | vs. Dallas Stars | 0 | vs. Washington Capitals | |
2 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
11 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 1 |
16 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 7 |
12 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 3 |
14 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 7 |
0 | @ Vegas Golden Knights | 0 | 0 | vs. Nashville Predators | @ Colorado Avalanche | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
24 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 28 | 0 |
26 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 30 | 0 |
26 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 30 | 0 |
25 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 29 | 0 |
0 | 0 | vs. Buffalo Sabres | 0 | vs. Winnipeg Jets | @ St. Louis Blues | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
15 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 0 |
22 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 26 | 18 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 0 |
18 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 0 |
0 | vs. Dallas Stars | 0 | 0 | @ Vegas Golden Knights | vs. Chicago Blackhawks | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
21 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 10 | 0 |
25 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 16 | 0 |
23 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 19 | 0 |
28 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 24 | 0 |
0 | @ Colorado Avalanche | 0 | @ Edmonton Oilers | @ Calgary Flames | 0 | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
17 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
15 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
0 | @ Buffalo Sabres | 0 | @ Tampa Bay Lightning | 0 | @ Florida Panthers | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
20 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
21 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
13 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
0 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins | 0 | vs. Dallas Stars | 0 | vs. Washington Capitals | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
0 | @ Montreal Canadiens | 0 | vs. Anaheim Ducks | 0 | vs. Detroit Red Wings | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
18 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
11 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
0 | vs. Chicago Blackhawks | 0 | 0 | vs. Colorado Avalanche | 0 | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
20 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
22 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
25 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
27 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
@ Toronto Maple Leafs | @ Ottawa Senators | 0 | @ Montreal Canadiens | 0 | @ Boston Bruins | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
4 | |||||||
18 | 13 | 27 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
10 | 18 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
11 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
12 | 9 | 22 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | vs. Vancouver Canucks | 0 | vs. New York Islanders | 0 | vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
14 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
20 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
20 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
0 | vs. Florida Panthers | 0 | vs. Los Angeles Kings | 0 | vs. New York Rangers | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
18 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
16 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | vs. Ottawa Senators | vs. Arizona Coyotes | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 27 | 0 |
22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 29 | 0 |
25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 26 | 0 |
25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 27 | 0 |
0 | vs. Calgary Flames | 0 | 0 | @ Chicago Blackhawks | vs. New York Islanders | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
15 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 28 | 0 |
16 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 11 | 0 |
0 | vs. Arizona Coyotes | 0 | @ Minnesota Wild | 0 | @ Nashville Predators | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
11 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
15 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
vs. San Jose Sharks | 0 | 0 | vs. Arizona Coyotes | 0 | @ Montreal Canadiens | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
18 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
21 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
19 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
0 | vs. Los Angeles Kings | 0 | vs. Philadelphia Flyers | @ New Jersey Devils | 0 | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
27 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 22 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 14 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
0 | vs. Anaheim Ducks | 0 | @ Ottawa Senators | 0 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
19 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
13 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
0 | vs. Edmonton Oilers | 0 | vs. Winnipeg Jets | 0 | @ Minnesota Wild | @ Winnipeg Jets | |
2 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
17 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 29 |
13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9 | 18 |
19 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 8 | 26 |
@ New York Rangers | 0 | 0 | @ Boston Bruins | 0 | @ Buffalo Sabres | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
17 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
17 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
15 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
0 | 0 | vs. Calgary Flames | 0 | @ Carolina Hurricanes | vs. Columbus Blue Jackets | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
17 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 22 | 7 | 0 |
8 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 21 | 12 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
0 | @ Carolina Hurricanes | 0 | vs. Detroit Red Wings | 0 | vs. Anaheim Ducks | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
20 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
18 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
22 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
vs. Los Angeles Kings | 0 | 0 | vs. Carolina Hurricanes | 0 | vs. Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
23 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
17 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
0 | @ Minnesota Wild | 0 | vs. Washington Capitals | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 0 | @ Vancouver Canucks | 0 | @ Edmonton Oilers | @ Calgary Flames | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 17 | 5 |
16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 9 | 18 |
15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 17 | 12 |
0 | 0 | 0 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins | @ Columbus Blue Jackets | 0 | vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 3 |
16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 9 | 0 | 19 |