SPNHL, Season 37: Week Three Power Rankings – “Where Are They Now?”
By: Dirty-Dietrich
 
The past few weeks have seen more trades and pickups than I have seen in some full seasons, with some huge trades sending nearly entire lines across conferences. With the masses being moved, I felt like going with “Music for the Masses”, but instead chose the more popular and more familiar follow-up album “Violator” by English electronic group Depeche Mode. It was released 30 years ago, it has stood the test of time as one of the best crossover records combining elements of pop, electronic music, and alternative rock.
 The shortest song off of “Violator” was the successful fourth single (and album opener) “World In My Eyes” at 4:26, and sets the tone for the remainder of the album: lengthy compositions that take you on a journey inside the creative imagination of guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter Martin Gore. While the former half of the album contains the fantastic “Personal Jesus”, the latter half of the album included three of Depeche Mode’s best songs in “Enjoy the Silence”, “Policy of Truth”, and the album closer “Clean”. None of this album is filler, but the highlights are that high and land this album on many publications’ of the greatest albums of all time.
 
I don’t even know who is on what team anymore so this is going to be fun. However, what we do know is that halfway through the thirty-seventh season of the SPNHL, we may have set a record for the most trades in a single season (definitely the most trades in the first half). We’ve seen TC swaps, we’ve seen depth player trades, we’ve seen two-for-one deals, a few blindsides, a big three-way-trade, and I think four teams have flipped almost their whole rosters. Numerous roster players have made trips to four or more rosters, and I don’t think their travels will stop there.
While there were definite winners (well, a winner, I think Philadelphia really ran the table with these moves) and losers of this trade spree, there is still a lot of competition in the league. Looking at the east, the aforementioned Flyers have made a slew of great trades and have won 13 games in a row (17-1 in the past two weeks) and are challenging the Lightning for the top seed in the conference. The Red Wings are in third in the conference, but are in danger of losing their third spot (and placement in the top 4) to the surging Penguins and the Devils as they finally get their feet underneath them. The Senators and the Leafs? The Senators might still have a shot, and the Leafs are actually starting to turn things around.
The west is a little strange: the top three teams are separated by three points, as Winnipeg has 40, Edmonton has 38, and Minnesota has 37. 10 points separate the Wild from the fourth place Knights, who after recent events, may not be staying in the playoff race for long: the Ducks have made some moves to save their season and look to be making a charge for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Sharks haven’t won a game in 13 matchups and the Canucks have lost seven straight. Yikes. 
Let’s take a closer look at how these teams fared in week three! We’ll start with the east.
 
EASTERN CONFERENCE


1. Philadelphia Flyers.
Record: 9-0-0.
MVP: GrammyHands.
Trend: Skyrocketing (W13).
Notable Stats: 43.3% powerplay conversion (3rd), won 17 of last 18 games (only team close).
The first (actual) perfect week of the season, the Flyers have been absolutely dominant over the past two weeks. With big wins over top teams like Winnipeg, Minnesota, and conference rivals Detroit, nobody has been able to figure out the antidote to Philadelphia’s success. The new arrivals of Spencer_Knight30 and NHLBEAST- will pair up as one of the best goaltending tandems in the league, and they’ll be playing behind a phenomenal defensive core that employs PXSTRNAK-_-, IsaacRixon, and one of the best two way players in the league: DudNastyy. Duchesne_x_10 and Yesc__ are going to be welcome additions to the offensive core, one that looks to be lead by xSilky93 and my boy GrammyHands, who leads the team in goals (30), assists (40), and points (70). In a conference once dominated by the Lightning, a new threat has emerged and it will be interesting to see who takes the top seed (and likely the President’s Trophy).
 
2. Tampa Bay Lightning.
Record: 7-2-0.
MVP: hypey-.
Trend: Upwards (L1).
Notable Stats: 157 goals for (1st), 67 goals against (2nd).
Speaking of the Lightning, they find themselves still atop the league with 45 points and some of the most impressive statistics in the league. They’ve scored the most goals and have the highest goal differential (+90), while also having the second best goals against total, powerplay efficiency (49.1%), and penalty kill (81.3%). PistolPete7788_ maintains his league lead in points with 50 (19 goals, 31 assists), while DodgesBlueShells leads defenders in assists from the point with 35, pairing together to form the best defensive pairing in the league. Shootersteele19 continues to be a reliable starter for Tampa Bay, with a 9-2 record, .841% save percentage and under 2 GAA with 2 shutouts. Tampa’s big three continue to produce, as i9i-stamkos-i1ic and bluedevil631 continue to produce (averaging 3.6 PPG or higher) while hypey- continues his torrid scoring pace, eclipsing the century mark with 114 points in only 26 games (54 goals and 60 assists, both league leading). The Lightning will have some competition in the east, but they’ll definitely be able to handle it.
 
3. Pittsburgh Penguins.
Record: 8-0-1 .
MVP: vxWoytkiw8xv.
Trend: Upwards (W6).
Notable Stats: 119 goals for (4th),  117 goals against (10th).
With Cookie_man_412 taking a brief leave of absence from the league, ACK-stonerboy has taken over and has guided the Penguins to a 6 game winning streak. With a big move this past week, the Penguins traded wade-belak to the Canucks for Cuban1616 and found a solid defensive partner for Bostonbruins_4_ (second in the league for points by a defender with 39) in Cookie’s place. With the departure of Belak, all the pressure is being put on Shock_r as their starting goalie, who is handling it well with a 13-3 record and a save percentage of .749%. While a slew of backup forwards have helped out the Penguins, the combination of Stoner (with a team leading 39 assists) and vxWoytkiw8xv (with a team leading 46 goals and 82 points) continues to produce and may ensure a deep playoff run for a scrappy Penguins squad that narrowly missed the playoffs last season.


4. Detroit Red Wings.
Record: 5-4-0.
MVP: LeCupidon.
Trend: Sideways (L2).
Notable Stats: 137 goals for (2nd), 56.8% penalty kill (12th).
The Red Wings find themselves still in third place in the conference, but a poor week amidst the success of other teams may impact Detroit’s trajectory for the remainder of the season. The high octane style of the Red Wings leads to a lot of high scoring games, and their defense are definitely contributing to that as Faaa_Kueue has contributed 15 points from the blue line, while curtisx18x leads the defensive core with 25 points in 16 games, good for a 1.6 PPG. Eddie2708_ and CapBan_Clark1999 remain a very competent 1-2 duo, winning 18 out of 26 starts on the season and both having save percentages within the .780% to .795% range. Offensively, KIDMON3Y may be the odd man out on a line that boasts mjvoell4 (4.1 PPG), Reapz2313 (3.5 PPG), and LeCupidon, who leads the team with 54 goals (tied for the league lead) and 99 points. The Red Wings will be looking to bounce back from a mediocre week and return to the success that they have consistently found over the past few seasons.
 
5. New Jersey Devils.

Record: 5-4-0.
MVP: TrueLegend07.
Trend: Upwards (W3).
Notable Stats: 104 goals for (7th), 60% penalty kill (11th).
Ahh, the Devils. All the talent in the world couldn’t save that damn penalty kill, but they have had some success going into this article as they ride a 3-game win streak. The toslick era in New Jersey has come and gone, and sees malf922 as a new addition to the defensive core lead by DJ_DeaThSlapz85 (19 points in 13 games) and AAli-21 (who also has played 17 games at forward, but looks to be returning to defense this week). The Devils still don’t have a starting goalie, as neither dreamteamm66 or Pensrul066 have been able to surpass the .680% save percentage mark. However, an old friend in Pfarrcyde23 looks to be the reliable anchor between bstieboydp and TrueLegend07 (with a team leading 33 goals and 74 points in 24 games), a winger duo that achieved much success last season. If the Devils can score a solid goaltender, they might be able to make a run at the playoffs.
 
6. Toronto Maple Leafs.
Record: 4-4-1.
MVP: Imperial_Blaze94.
Trend: Upwards, oddly enough (L3).
Notable Stats: 87 goals for (10th), 131 goals against (12th).
The Leafs got a lot of flak for a trade early in the season, but in comparison to other teams at the bottom of the league, they haven’t really given up or made a slew of bad trades. They started this past week going 4-1-1, showing signs of life from a competent squad. Dynasty1989 has split time at offense and defense, as one member of the Leafs defensive trio that also includes M_u_r_p_h_y_87 and GaMeRzBrOknThMbZ. Earlthegoat1979 has solidified his role as this team’s starting goalie (going 5-8 on the season) as SgtVandoos has one of his worst seasons in recent memory. Offensively, Dynasty and Christ-Boyz have played solid supporting roles to Imperial_Blaze94, who is leading by example with 16 goals and 26 assists in 16 games. Will the Leafs be able to rectify their season and make some noise in a competitive eastern conference?
 
7. Ottawa Senators.
Record: 0-6-3.
MVP: Randymarsh2012.
Trend: Downwards (OT1).
Notable Stats: 135 goals against (13th), 103 penalties against (14th).
 
Man, I can’t believe Wheelchairdevon8 went with the week three team flip. He didn’t even have that bad of a roster, they just weren’t playing that well… for a few seasons. Regardless, their new defensive core, after more moves than Patty Kane in the shootout, consists of Notorious250, Eggman–1, BETOBONE1, and DUPERMAN13 (miss ya buddy). If Defaults-Potato didn’t quit before getting traded, he may be the backup to Devon. Offensively, it looks like X_beaster_x might be the only option to pair with old Randymarsh2012, one of the few players to survive the flip and the team leader with 10 goals and 26 points. After a winless week, will the Senators be able to right all the wrongs this week and get back in the win column?
 
WESTERN CONFERENCE
 
1. Edmonton Oilers.
Record: 8-1-0.
MVP: JonFromEarth.
Trend: Upwards (W5).
Notable Stats: 65 goals against (1st), 25.5% powerplay conversion (12th).
We’re on fire! We may not be first in the conference, but we only lost once last week (got a few FF wins) and are riding a wave of momentum through the halfway mark of the season. l9lTKJOSl8l is determined to get that Norris, and his frequent partners of rharmer3 and ChiefTrout have been very helpful in his campaign to do so. ciulla19 had a rough week in net last week, but is ready to turn it around and get that save percentage above .800% again. He better, he’s playing eight games this week. DeathClxwn, II-C-_-O-_-W-II, and Buckleyx18 (early Calder candidate, anyone) have all benefitted from the arrival of JonFromEarth, who has scored 30 goals and notched 33 helpers on the season. If our offense can be as good as our defense, we might be a team to watch out for in the playoffs.
 
2. Winnipeg Jets.
Record: 6-1-2.
MVP: BRANN-THE-MANN.
Trend: Upwards (W3).
Notable Stats: 120 goals for (3rd), 73.2% penalty kill (3rd).
Bennie and the Jets have been one of the favourites in the west from the start of the season, and have been at the top of the conference all season. While it’s not surprising to see them up there, they have to be pleased with their results given the lack of availability from some of their better players. ProdigyToLegend has the most games played for this team at defense, and has 25 points in those 17 games. ttommyboiii and BROKEN9216 have each played nine games, but expect CaptCanada_ to be Prod’s regular partner going forward. Glachs has all but taken over the job of Winnipeg’s starting goalie (9-4 with a .768% save percentage), but dophares2000 isn’t a bad choice for a backup goalie either. PBM_TroyJ has only played 4 games this season, so Gallagher_11x (3.3 PPG), i_Zinczy_i_TV (3.1 PPG), Bartlett–98 (team leading 44 points), and BRANN-THE-MANN (19 goals in 15 games) have really stepped it up and carried the offensive load for the Jets. When Troy and Tommy start playing more, look out for Winnipeg.
 
3. Minnesota Wild.
Record: 5-3-1.
MVP: chadkillz134.
Trend: Upwards (W1).
Notable Stats: 82.1% penalty kill (1st), 72 goals against (3rd).
Sportsgeek5 continues to find success this season with his defense and goaltending focused approach to team construction, with some of the best defensive numbers across the league. Their defense is similar to Tampa Bay’s duo: you have a solid offensive defender in shepard-88 (27 points in 21 games) and a stalwart stay-at-home defender in SNAKE_-_PLISSKIN (64 takeaways in 21 games). Their offense continues to deliver, as Beantwn_beatdwn, BarDownski_90 (a team leading 3.6 PPG), and  CSM0419_ (who leads the team with 43 points) lead a formidable forward core. chadkillz134 is having a season to remember in net, going 13-9 but stopping .841% of shots and maintaining a 2.9 GAA. If Chad keeps up his play, the Wild will cruise into the playoffs and give any team trouble.
 
4. Vegas Golden Knights.
Record: 2-6-1.
MVP: Kingtom111! He survived round 2 of the Fall cleaning!
Trend: Downwards (W2).
Notable Stats: 113 goals for (5th), 119 goals against (11th).
Here’s where the rest of the conference kinda falls off. Icey’s cleanup of Vegas has drawn a lot of criticism, and people feel like he could have gotten a much better return than what he did. While they ended last week on a winning streak, it was their only victories throughout their week. Budz_780 remains a Knight, and it will be interesting to see if PghFANATIC or Heroic_veil2 will be his frequent partner. While IceyAsylum23 has played the majority of games for Vegas, expect to see Fivestarcoock put in some more time between the pipes. The Knights have a dependable forward line in GM-turned-player Diirty_triix_13, SA_Pliskin, and Lo-Maximus, but let’s not forget about lifelong Knight Kingtom111 and his 30 points this season. On paper, this team doesn’t look that bad, so let’s see what they can do.
 
5. Anaheim Ducks.
Record: 3-6-0.
MVP: xSalda-, another story of survival in the west!
Trend: Downwards (L3).
Notable Stats: 70% penalty kill (5th), 65 goals for (12th).
Well, Triix stepped down, and ExE took over after not wanting to be a GM this season and almost not even wanting to play. What a series of events! ExE-_-53 also made a boatload of trades to bring some new players to his squad, including some versatile forward/defenders in NowYoDead, SMOKESHOWJOE, and Fluri37. They have a respectable 1-2 goaltending combination in angl3dangle_ and wade-belak, and made a big acquisition to get toslick for the right wing. xSalda- may be the only Duck remaining from the Triix era in Anaheim, and with the new arrivals, he may see the same success he has had in other leagues. Only time will tell in Anaheim, but this is another team that looks good on paper and will give the rest of the conference a bit of a challenge.
 
6. Vancouver Canucks.
Record: 1-8-0.
MVP: xHAC_Rambo.
Trend: Downwardss (L7).
Notable Stats: 57 goals for (13th), 159 goals against (14th).
Albeit still at the bottom of the conference, the Canucks don’t find themselves on as steep of a slope as the team we’ll discuss afterwards. steelersfan26 got some new partners on defense in MayhemX113 and the always reliable M1keal, while tripZ504 found a new goalie to help him out between the pipes. However, I don’t think that JoshuaDuhaime will make a significant defence on this team. Myles_Mayfield96 and TopCheeseNeon have put in the most time on offense alongside xHAC_Rambo, who is actually having a good season despite the rest of his team’s poor performance. Rambo has 18 goals in 13 games, and it’s a shame that the Canucks don’t have much more help than that. Oh well. They may not finish in last though…
 
7. San Jose Sharks.
Record: 0-9-0.
MVP: Bunzy-62.
Trend: Nosediving (L13).
Notable Stats: 20.8% powerplay conversion (14th), 57 goals for (14th).
Visibility12 🦈 🏆 – GM SJ: 21/08/2020
“not gonna lie i’m having fun now that we’re playing as a unit
even if we haven’t won in a week and a half”
Yikes! At least you’re optimistic. Like Anaheim and Vegas, this is another team that has made a slew of trades over the past few weeks. However, San Jose’s trades haven’t worked out for them evidently. Visibility12 has taken over and brought back teamrun420 and Headcase25 as his defensive partners, and the three of them will make a respectable trio. WakeDog19 and SpankMeDddy could be a solid 1-2 duo if Spank plays a few more games, and offensively, Servnspike and Bunzy-62 should be able to make some magic happen. Serv is a good two-way center, while Bunzy is leading the team with 29 goals and 44 points in 15 games. Will the Sharks be able to win a game this week? The smart money says yes.
 
While the league has been shaken up significantly, some new life has been breathed into some teams that were struggling. If this new life is enough to rectify these team’s seasons is still yet to be answered, but with two weeks to go before the deadline and three weeks left in the season, these teams hope to find their answers sooner rather than later. Looking at the top of the league, we have a few teams in each conference who are looking to lay claim to the title of the best team in the league, and some that are clear favourites in doing so. Let’s see if the rest of the season is a little more competitive than the first half, especially with the team flips.
Thank you for tuning into SPNHL: Off the Ice this past weekend, which you could/could have watched live on https://twitch.tv/thespnhl_media. Fluri, Pliskin, and I are always happy to bring you the latest news and hot takes from the Sony Playstation Hockey League, and while Fluri may be away this weekend (he’s moving on up in the world! (just moving)), we still believe that Pliskin and I know enough about OBS to bring you a broadcast. Be sure to subscribe to be notified of whenever we go live, and feel free to watch archived episodes and see if any of our hot takes were actually freezing cold!
Good luck to everybody this week, we’ll see you on the ice!
Cheers,
DD.