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Below is a breakdown of the seventh week of NHL games in the 2017-2018 season (can you believe we are about 25% into the 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.
*Stats are as of 11/9/2017
Favorable:
Offense: The Blackhawks get Washington, Buffalo and Arizona this week which is good both offensively and defensively. It’s not easy to stack up on Blackhawks but perhaps you could try Artem Anisimov – 31%, Alex DeBrincat – 32% or Nick Schmaltz – 12%. The Bruins have it good with Nashville, Arizona and NYI, expect some solid goal production from them. The Blue Jackets also have a favorable week with New Jersey (good on the road, but at home not so bueno) and Arizona Coyotes.
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Goalies: The Hurricanes have an easier week as they face Vancouver, San Jose (both bottom 7 teams offensively) and LA on their west coast trip. Roberto Luongo has a good week with the Panthers facing the Islanders, and Avalanche with a tough Jets matchup in the middle of the week. The Montreal Canadiens will work to bounce back after a rough start with St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Edmonton who are all bottom third offenses on the road.
Power Play: The Blackhawks PP is TERRIBLE but they face some bad PK units in Buffalo and Arizona, expect to see an increase in PP production late in the week for them. Detroit has a good week with Winnipeg, and St. Louis who are both in the bottom third of the league on the PK. Montreal has a good week facing some bad PK teams.
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Penalty Kill: The Coyotes penalty kill gets a breather as they face some inept power play units in Columbus and the Blackhawks (which I continue to find comical that these two are amongst the worst 3 pp units in the NHL). They will be tested before that with the Bruins who are the 6th best unit.
Unfavorable:
Offense: AVOID BUFFALO this week. Three games on the road against Colorado, Chicago and St. Louis is a preverbial green mile for the Sabres on most all fronts. Also avoid LA on both fronts as they face Minnesota, Ottawa and Carolina who are all surprisingly good away teams. Not that San Jose was strong offensively but don’t expect too much from them either.
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Goalies: AVOID BUFFALO this week. (see Above). Avoid LA (see above).
Power Play: Washington’s PP is going to have their work cut out for them. They face two of the top 6 penalty kill units as they go against the Sharks and Blackhawks. Their “relief” if you want to call it that is against the Rangers who are 11th. Ovechkin might not be in for a big week.
Penalty Kill: Pittsburgh has a rough week facing Rangers, Islanders and Maple Leafs (who are lethal on the PP). Tampa Bay gets a gambit with NYI, Winnipeg and Colorado. Winnipeg has a strong PP.
NHL Forecaster Dec 3-10
Weekly Avgs | Mon, Dec 4, | Tue, Dec 5, | Wed, Dec 6, | Thu, Dec 7, | Fri, Dec 8, | Sat, Dec 9, | Sun, Dec 10 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weekly Avgs | Mon, Dec 4, | Tue, Dec 5, | Wed, Dec 6, | Thu, Dec 7, | Fri, Dec 8, | Sat, Dec 9, | Sun, Dec 10 |
0 | @ Vegas Golden Knights | vs. Ottawa Senators | 0 | vs. Minnesota Wild | 0 | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
8 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 0 | @ Boston Bruins | 0 | @ Columbus Blue Jackets | @ Chicago Blackhawks | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 19 | 15 |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 31 | 29 |
9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 6 |
@ Nashville Predators | 0 | 0 | vs. Arizona Coyotes | 0 | vs. New York Islanders | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
16 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
23 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
16 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
0 | @ Colorado Avalanche | 0 | 0 | @ Chicago Blackhawks | 0 | @ St. Louis Blues | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 6 |
7 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
22 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 22 |
16 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
0 | @ Vancouver Canucks | 0 | @ San Jose Sharks | 0 | @ Los Angeles Kings | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
21 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
12 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
20 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
vs. Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs | @ Montreal Canadiens | 0 | vs. Vancouver Canucks | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
14 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 28 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
17 | 13 | 0 | 28 | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
17 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
24 | 21 | 0 | 19 | 29 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
0 | 0 | @ Washington Capitals | 0 | vs. Buffalo Sabres | 0 | vs. Arizona Coyotes | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
21 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 26 |
21 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 28 |
23 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 22 |
21 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 26 |
0 | vs. New Jersey Devils | 0 | 0 | @ New Jersey Devils | vs. Arizona Coyotes | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 26 | 0 |
22 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 28 | 0 |
13 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 22 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 26 | 0 |
0 | vs. Buffalo Sabres | 0 | @ Tampa Bay Lightning | 0 | @ Florida Panthers | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
9 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
24 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
0 | vs. Nashville Predators | 0 | @ St. Louis Blues | 0 | vs. Vegas Golden Knights | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
18 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
11 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
15 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
0 | vs. Winnipeg Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 | vs. St. Louis Blues | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
19 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
23 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
0 | 0 | vs. Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | 0 | @ Montreal Canadiens | @ Toronto Maple Leafs | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
16 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 |
21 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 28 |
15 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 7 |
23 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 19 |
vs. New York Islanders | 0 | 0 | vs. Winnipeg Jets | 0 | vs. Colorado Avalanche | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
20 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
17 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
20 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
0 | vs. Anaheim Ducks | 0 | 0 | @ Nashville Predators | @ Dallas Stars | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
11 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 0 |
13 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 0 |
12 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 0 |
0 | vs. Minnesota Wild | 0 | vs. Ottawa Senators | 0 | vs. Carolina Hurricanes | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
19 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
0 | @ Los Angeles Kings | 0 | 0 | @ Anaheim Ducks | 0 | @ San Jose Sharks | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
19 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 26 |
14 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 14 |
21 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 19 |
3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
0 | vs. St. Louis Blues | 0 | vs. Calgary Flames | 0 | vs. Edmonton Oilers | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
25 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
23 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
26 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
0 | @ Columbus Blue Jackets | 0 | 0 | vs. Columbus Blue Jackets | @ New York Rangers | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
12 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 |
15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 20 | 0 |
22 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 5 | 0 |
16 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 11 | 0 |
vs. Boston Bruins | @ Dallas Stars | 0 | 0 | vs. Vegas Golden Knights | 0 | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
14 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
14 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
@ Florida Panthers | @ Tampa Bay Lightning | 0 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins | 0 | @ Boston Bruins | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
4 | |||||||
11 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
15 | 31 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
7 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
14 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
0 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins | 0 | 0 | @ Washington Capitals | vs. New Jersey Devils | 0 | |
1 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
13 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 0 |
8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 0 |
0 | 0 | @ Anaheim Ducks | @ Los Angeles Kings | 0 | @ San Jose Sharks | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
19 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
21 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
@ Calgary Flames | 0 | @ Edmonton Oilers | @ Vancouver Canucks | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
24 | 22 | 0 | 23 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
21 | 23 | 0 | 30 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
24 | 21 | 0 | 27 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
28 | 28 | 0 | 31 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
0 | vs. New York Rangers | 0 | vs. New York Islanders | 0 | vs. Toronto Maple Leafs | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
23 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
14 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
@ Washington Capitals | 0 | 0 | vs. Carolina Hurricanes | 0 | vs. Ottawa Senators | vs. Minnesota Wild | |
3 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
10 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
19 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 11 | 20 |
18 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 17 | 9 |
0 | @ Montreal Canadiens | 0 | vs. Dallas Stars | 0 | @ Detroit Red Wings | vs. Buffalo Sabres | |
2 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
20 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 15 | 14 |
25 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 29 |
18 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 30 |
13 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
0 | vs. New York Islanders | 0 | vs. Colorado Avalanche | 0 | vs. Winnipeg Jets | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
20 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
17 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
20 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
0 | 0 | vs. Calgary Flames | 0 | 0 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins | vs. Edmonton Oilers | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
23 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
17 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
24 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
0 | vs. Carolina Hurricanes | 0 | vs. Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | @ Calgary Flames | 0 | |
2 | |||||||
1 | |||||||
15 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
16 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
20 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
24 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
vs. San Jose Sharks | 0 | vs. Chicago Blackhawks | 0 | vs. New York Rangers | 0 | 0 | |
3 | |||||||
0 | |||||||
16 | 18 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
16 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 19 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
6 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
0 | @ Detroit Red Wings | 0 | @ Florida Panthers | 0 | @ Tampa Bay Lightning | 0 | |
0 | |||||||
3 | |||||||
9 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
22 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
12 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
15 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 8 | 0 |