WhatIfSports 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Power Rankings
Using our NHL simulation engine, we placed the 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings in a round-robin tournament featuring the last 25 Stanley Cup champions. Every team in the tournament played every other team 51 times. The simulation generated each team's winning percentage (Win %) and average goals per game (Avg. Goals).
To simulate these games or any other theoretical matchups of your choosing, try the WhatIfSports.com NHL SimMatchup tool.
| 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings vs. Last 25 Stanley Cup Champions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Win % | Avg. Goals | Simulate vs. Kings |
| 1 | 1988-89 Calgary Flames | 72.8 | 4.2 | SimMatchup > |
| 2 | 2000-01 Colorado Avalanche | 64.3 | 3.5 | SimMatchup > |
| 3 | 1995-96 Colorado Avalanche | 63.6 | 3.7 | SimMatchup > |
| 4 | 1987-88 Edmonton Oilers | 62.9 | 4.7 | SimMatchup > |
| 5 | 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks | 62.5 | 3.2 | SimMatchup > |
| 6 | 2010-11 Boston Bruins | 57.4 | 3.0 | SimMatchup > |
| 7 | 1998-99 Dallas Stars | 55.7 | 3.0 | SimMatchup > |
| 8 | 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings | 52.0 | 3.1 | SimMatchup > |
| 9 | 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings | 51.9 | 3.1 | SimMatchup > |
| 10 | 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks | 51.5 | 3.3 | SimMatchup > |
| 11 | 2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks | 51.2 | 3.2 | SimMatchup > |
| 12 | 1989-90 Edmonton Oilers | 50.0 | 4.2 | SimMatchup > |
| 13 | 1993-94 New York Rangers | 49.9 | 3.3 | SimMatchup > |
| 14 | 2003-04 Tampa Bay Lightning | 48.9 | 3.2 | SimMatchup > |
| 15 | 2002-03 New Jersey Devils | 48.7 | 2.5 | SimMatchup > |
| 16 | 1992-93 Montreal Canadiens | 48.3 | 3.8 | SimMatchup > |
| 17 | 1990-91 Pittsburgh Penguins | 45.5 | 4.5 | SimMatchup > |
| 18 | 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins | 45.3 | 3.4 | SimMatchup > |
| 19 | 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes | 43.8 | 3.8 | SimMatchup > |
| 20 | 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings | 42.7 | 3.1 | SimMatchup > |
| 21 | 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings | 42.5 | 2.4 | Stanley Cup Champions! |
| 22 | 1999-00 New Jersey Devils | 40.5 | 3.1 | SimMatchup > |
| 23 | 1996-97 Detroit Red Wings | 39.8 | 3.0 | SimMatchup > |
| 24 | 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins | 37.0 | 4.4 | SimMatchup > |
| 25 | 1994-95 New Jersey Devils | 37.0 | 3.0 | SimMatchup > |
| 26 | 2011-12 Los Angeles Kings | 34.3 | 2.6 | SimMatchup > |
The L.A. Kings defeated the New York Rangers in five games - including three overtime victories - to claim the Stanley Cup. But before settling in for the offseason, our NHL simulation engine had one more challenge for hockey's newly-minted champs. We "played" a round-robin tournament in which the Kings played the last 25 Stanley Cup winners.
The Kings finished 21st of 26 teams in or simulation, winning 42.5 percent of their games. Given that their 2.4 goals per game was the lowest figure of any team in the simulation, credit goes to Kings goalie Jonathan Quick for keeping his team out of the cellar.
Among the teams the Kings edged out were the 2011-12 Kings, which finished last in the simulation. That version of the Kings captured the Stanley Cup despite being the Western Conference's No. 8 seed in the 2012 playoffs.
The simulation's top team was the 1988-89 Calgary Flames, which won 72.8 percent of their games, 8.5 percent more than the runner-up 2000-01 Colorado Avalanche. The Flames featured future Hall of Famers Lanny McDonald, Joe Mullen, Al MacInnis, Joe Nieuwendyk and Doug Gilmour.
The Detroit Red Wings claimed the best representation in the tournament with four teams. Two of the Red Wings' squads finished in the top 10 of the simulation, led by the eighth-ranked 2007-08 Red Wings. The New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins each had three teams in the simulation.
