SBN Power Rankings - Penguins 3rd in league, 1st in East

by FrankD on Oct 1, 2009 12:45 PM EDT

Last year at this time I think the SBN Network had maybe 10 NHL blogs at the most. This season, with the league more or less entirely represented, SBN is unveiling a new feature known as the SBN Power Rankings. Each week the managers of each team site on SBN will rank each team's performance. From there the numbers will be averaged out and we'll get an idea of which team, according to the bloggers, is tearing it up.

Believe it or not the list is pretty unbiased. How do I know this? Considering how many people may hate or envy the Penguins, they more or less fell where you'd expect them to go.

This feature will also give an all-in-one place for every blog to interact. As you may already know, you can head over to another blog with your Pensburgh username. Now thanks to the new SBNation.com, there is a central location for the rankings where everyone can chip in and add their two cents.

So check it out and keep an eye open all season long.

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Frank/Hooks,
How about posting your weekly picks and asking the rest of your peers to do the same? That way we will see who the biased ones truly are.

by Ulf Murphy on Oct 1, 2009 1:17 PM EDT reply actions

Haha Well take my word on it, most of the guys were very genuine in their picks. Not calling anyone out here in particular but some of the guys over at the Flyers blog ranked the Pens higher, likely while gritting teeth and shaking feverishly.

Plus I think that kinda takes away from the scheme of it all. I mean, a power rankings thing has more weight to it when a group of 30+ people decide who has the so-called “power” rather than just one person. It’s kinda like what I’d imagine a player feels when he’s nominated for an award by his peers. It’s nice to know that people recognize you as being that good.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Oct 1, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Kind of like the BCS?

My point is that with only 30-35 people in the population, the statistics are easily skewed by a few. By making it public, the biased person can be called out. The vote is still part of a whole, but obvious bias can be pointed out and explained “I never saw Utah play, but I voted them 12th because they were unbeaten from a small conference”.

Obviously there is some objectivity to take into account, but anyone ranking the Islanders in the top 20 or the Flyers dead last (I CAN DREAM!) would be biased and could skew the results by a few spots. Whereas putting the Flyers 10th, probably 3-4 spots low but acceptable due to Emery’s “?”, would bring the sample closer to the mean.

I understand where you are coming from, but I believe all of these votes should be public record. If you got the nuts to put it on paper, have the nuts to defend it.

by Ulf Murphy on Oct 1, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Hooks,
I tried to use Yambag in that last sentence, but it didn’t sound right. I will keep trying!

by Ulf Murphy on Oct 1, 2009 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Excellent! Yes, you gotta work it in just the right way!

(uhh that kinda sounds weird)

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Oct 1, 2009 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Perhaps in the overall scheme of things, but Eastern bloggers are only voting for the East and Western bloggers are only voting for the West. So maybe when both collaborate for the Top 10 there’s a chance it’s skewed but I think the actual Conference rankings are somewhat genuine.

And yambag is an excellent word to work into your vocabulary. I’ll also accept “change purse” or, as an off-the-boat German friend once referenced it as, “bajingle.”

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Oct 1, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Wrong!

The Penguins, as Stanley Cup Champs, should open the season in the #1 spot. They can move up or down as play progresses, but they deserve the benefit of the doubt right now…

Gads, as Caps fan, am I really writing this??? ;-)

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 1, 2009 1:48 PM EDT reply actions

It’s ok to speak for the Pens on this one. The previous years champs should remain atop the list until they lose. JMHO. This is a problem with power rankings in all sports, not just hockey.

by PensFan024 on Oct 1, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s a good point. I think it was also done while considering who came and went on the team as we head into the new season. We can argue that the Pens haven’t changed much, but a lot of people like to harp on the fact that a Scuderi and Gill-less team is going to crash and burn defensively.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Oct 1, 2009 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Scuderi is a big loss… moreso than Gill as he has lots of upside. I still think the Pens and the Caps are the teams to beat this season in the East, and whomever wins will skate the Cup.

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 1, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

The Penguins, as Stanley Cup Champs, should open the season in the #1 spot. They can move up or down as play progresses, but they deserve the benefit of the doubt right now…

Gads, as Caps fan, am I really writing this??? ;-)

This comment is the reason SB Nation exists. Hahaha

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Oct 1, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Indeed it is… :)

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 1, 2009 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Pens #1 is Legit

They’re a hell of a good hockey team.

huh??

by fat_daddyo on Oct 1, 2009 2:42 PM EDT reply actions

How wrong these rankings are...

I know the value of picking teams at this point in the season. It ranks somewhere around your parents predicting that you’ll marry the girl/guy next door in 20 years. Sure, it has happened in the past, but no sane person would rely on those predictions or put a month’s paycheck on it to prove how strongly they feel about the proposition. Things I would bet a paycheck against:

1) The Kings finishing ahead of the Stars, instead of behind them like these rankings show. The Stars are going to be horrible this year. The Kings have a lot of potential.

2) The Wild finishing 2 spots behind the Stars. See above rationale.

3) The Predators finishing 3 spots behind the Stars. See #1…

4) The Coyotes finishing 4 spots behind the… Stars.

You get the picture. I was reading TSN and 40,000+ people voted on whom would be the Stanley Cup champions this year. What teams finished ahead of the Pens? The Leafs, Canadiens, and Canucks. This SBN poll smells fishy.

"Oh, buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too!" - Mike Lange

by gorgalor on Oct 2, 2009 2:11 AM EDT reply actions