Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Comparing the PP/PK goal-differentials of all 30 teams

Winnipeg Jets v Calgary Flames

Winnipeg Jets v Calgary Flames

Getty Images

Simple task here. Take the power-play goals each team has scored with the man advantage and subtract the power-play goals it’s surrendered while shorthanded.

A team is going to have a positive ranking if:

--- It scores on a high percentage of its power plays and/or kills a high percentage of its shorthanded situations.
--- It draws a lot of penalties and/or doesn’t take many penalties.

Note: this doesn’t take into account shorthanded goals.

The results:

1CAROLINA16
1CHICAGO16
3DETROIT15
4CALGARY11
4ST LOUIS11
6WASHINGTON10
7PITTSBURGH9
8MINNESOTA8
9SAN JOSE7
9TAMPA BAY7
11VANCOUVER4
12DALLAS2
12NY ISLANDERS2
14LOS ANGELES1
14NY RANGERS1
16NASHVILLE-1
16OTTAWA-1
18COLORADO-2
18MONTREAL-2
18PHILADELPHIA-2
21TORONTO-4
22BOSTON-6
23EDMONTON-7
23NEW JERSEY-7
25COLUMBUS-8
25WINNIPEG-8
27FLORIDA-9
28ANAHEIM-13
29ARIZONA-15
30BUFFALO-35


Notes:

--- Carolina at the top may surprise some people. But the Hurricanes have an excellent penalty kill, plus they don’t take many penalties. That’s a good combination. It’s even strength that’s hurt the ‘Canes this season. Only three teams -- Edmonton, Buffalo, and Arizona -- have a worse 5-on-5 ratio.

--- If the ultra-disciplined Flames (fewest times shorthanded in the NHL) make the playoffs and the undisciplined Jets (most times shorthanded in the NHL) don’t, what you see above is a big reason why.

--- Not a good ranking for the Panthers either. For a bubble team like Florida, special teams can be the difference between making and missing the playoffs.

--- Case in point, Vancouver. Not great 5-on-5, the Canucks have had an effective penalty kill (4th) all season, and their much-maligned power play has climbed up to 11th with a recent run of goals.

Related: The Jets should probably knock it off with all the penalties