NHL Combined Special Teams Rankings in League - November 22, 2009

We're just over a quarter of a way through this NHL hockey season. Already, the NHL juggernauts like the Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, and Chicago Black Hawks have started their ascent towards the top of the league standings. In today's NHL, the importance of having effective combined special teams is of paramount importance in terms of having a chance to see the playoffs. With the prevailing attitude among officiating to even up powerplays, the importance of these special teams becomes even more important.

From The Pens Blog:

How many times have you heard a coach or GM complain that one team received more penalties than the other?
The NHL has established the fact that both teams will have a similar number of chances on the power play and, when they don't, the referees will do their best to even things up.
It's ridiculous and it's essentially an NHL standard now.

As a measure of the combined effectiveness of team's powerplay and penalty kill, the two percentages are simply added together. For teams that either want to see the playoffs or go deep into the playoffs, their special team number should most often be north of 100%.

Quick Thoughts:

At this juncture, there are 15 teams who's special team number is north of 100%
7 of the top ranked teams in the league are over 100%
6 of the bottom 10 teams have combines special teams number below 100%
9/16 teams (10 if you round up for Detroit) currently in a playoff spot are over 100%
Last year, the Phoenix Coyotes had a combined number of 91.3%. This year they're at 104.3%! Dave Tippet's doing one hell of a job so far this season.
The Edmonton Oilers have improved from 94.5% last year to 100.3% this season, but are still no where near a playoff spot.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were a combined 99.9% during the regular season last year. With both Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins powerplay last year (17.2%) was just 20th in the league.
The Tampa Bay Lightening who are currently clinging to 8th in the East are the only team currently in a playoff spot who have neither a powerplay over 20% or a penalty kill over 80%. Even for teams currently in playoff spots that are below a total of 100%, they typically have a penalty kill with greater than 80% efficiency or a powerplay over 20%.

NHL Teams Ranked by Combined Special Teams Efficiency

RANK S	Team	GP	P	PP%	PK%	Sp Team
1	SJS	25	36	25.5	85	110.5
4	CHI	21	30	22.8	85.3	108.1
24	ATL	19	22	24.4	82.9	107.3
21	NYR	22	23	22.1	84.7	106.8
15	PHI	20	25	25	79.3	104.3
10	CBJ	21	27	25.3	78.8	104.1
9	PHX	23	27	21.6	82.2	103.8
6	NJD	21	29	21.4	80.6	102
13	BUF	20	26	19.4	82.4	101.8
2	WSH	23	31	23.7	78	101.7
18	VAN	22	24	24.2	77.3	101.5
5	COL	23	29	19.3	82	101.3
27	MIN	22	18	18.3	82.4	100.7
25	EDM	23	21	22.3	78	100.3
19	NYI	23	23	18.8	81.1	99.9
12	DET	21	26	23.9	75.7	99.6
16	OTT	20	25	17.4	82	99.4
8	CGY	21	28	21	77.6	98.6
30	TOR	21	14	24.4	73.6	98
26	STL	20	20	12.7	84.9	97.6
17	BOS	22	24	13.2	84	97.2
20	MTL	23	23	16.7	80.4	97.1
3	PIT	23	30	14.3	82.2	96.5
11	DAL	22	26	19	77.5	96.5
7	LAK	24	28	22	74.4	96.4
28	ANA	21	17	22.4	74	96.4
14	NSH	21	25	15.7	79.7	95.4
29	CAR	22	15	15	79.4	94.4
22	TBL	20	23	17.6	75.9	93.5
23	FLA	21	22	13.8	74.1	87.9