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Mid-Season Standings Depict League Parity

With over half of the 2007-08 NHL season complete, a quick glance at the standings reveals the level of point-parity that exists across the league.  Just 11-points separate the league’s #3 team (San Jose Sharks at 57 points) and the #24 team (Edmonton Oilers at 46 points).  Only 2-teams, the West’s #1 Detroit Red Wings and the East’s #1 Ottawa Senators, have managed to distinguish themselves from the pack in the standings over the #2 teams in their respective Conferences.   

In the Eastern Conference, the #1 Ottawa Senators (29-12-4) have a 7-point advantage over 2nd-place, a tie between the New Jersey Devils (26-15-3) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (26-16-3).  From there, just 7-points separates the 2nd-10th place teams in the East.  The tightest race is within the highly competitive Atlantic Division, where a mere 6-points separates the Division’s leader and last place team.  All  5 Atlantic Division teams are currently in playoff position in the East, holding down the 2nd, 4th, and 6th-8th seeds.  Of the Eastern Conference teams, the Pittsburgh Penguins have picked up the most momentum of late, going 9-0-1 in their last 10-games.  The Philadelphia Flyers are also on the move, going 8-1-1 in their last 10. 

In the Western Conference, the #1 Detroit Red Wings (33-10-4) enjoy a 13-point lead over the 2nd-place San Jose Sharks (25-13-7).  From there, just 9-points separate the 2nd-12th place teams, and the 14th place team is just 11-points out of 2nd place.  Pacific Division rivals San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks are on the move going 7-1-2 and 7-2-1, respectively, in their last 10. 

In addition to salary cap, point-parity across the league can be attributed in part to the Overtime Loss (OTL) which provides a one-point consolation prize to the team that requires a little additional time to lose a game.  The biggest benefactors of this rule have been the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the East and the Calgary Flames in the West, all of whom have picked up 8-points so far this season while losing games.  In all, 71-points have been earned in the Eastern Conference via OTL and 67-points in the Western Conference.  The OTL point diminishes the value of a win, and the consequence of a loss.  It decreases the distinction between competitive teams, giving little advantage in points to the teams that can close the deal and get the win in overtime.   

The level of parity across the league will result in a highly competitive 2nd half run for the playoffs, in which many East/West playoff positions may not be decided until the final day of the regular season.  Along the way, it will make for an interesting trade deadline as teams jockey for position to improve their rosters to gain a competitive advantage.  With most teams still in the running for a playoff spot, the trade market might well be constricted in terms of quality pick-ups.  Most teams will be looking for additions that will benefit the current season, with few sellers looking to unload quality players for the sake of future rebuilding.

Player Spotlight: #17 Petr Sykora

Born Nov 19, 1976 in Plzen, Czechoslovakia, Petr Sykora entered the NHL in 1995 being selected 18th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1995 Draft, and has accumulated 568 points (249G, 319A) to date in 766 career NHL games.  Among his 1995 draft class, only Jarome Iginla has scored more points in their NHL career.  He spent 7 seasons playing for the New Jersey Devils (1995-2002), 2.5 seasons playing for the Anaheim Ducks (2002-2006), 0.5 season with the New York Rangers (2005-2006) and one season with the Edmonton Oilers (2006-2007).  As a free agent over the summer, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 2, 2007. 

Sykora began his NHL career on the prolific New Jersey Devils “A Line” alongside Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott, and scored 42 points (18G, 24A) in 63 games during his first year.  In the next two seasons (96-97/97-98), he split his time between the New Jersey Devils and Albany (AHL), playing 77 NHL games total where he scored 39 points (17G, 22A).  He scored 50 points (24G, 26A) in 45 AHL games for Albany in those two years.  He earned a full time spot on the New Jersey roster during the 1998-1999 season, scoring 72 points (29G, 43A) in 80 games.  He went on to win the Stanley Cup championship with the Devils in 1999-2000, and came within a game from winning a second Cup in 2001.  That year, Sykora scored a career high in goals (35), assists (46), and points (81).  He went on to play one more year with the New Jersey Devils before being traded.

In 2002, Petr Sykora was traded to the (then Mighty) Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for Jeff Friesen and Oleg Tverdovsky.  In his first year with the Ducks (2002-2003), he contributed 59 points (34G, 25A) in 82 games.  In the following year, he was instrumental in carrying the Ducks to the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to his former teammates, the New Jersey Devils. 

During the NHL lockout, Sykora maintained his skills and proficiency by playing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Russian Super League, where he scored 31 points (18G, 13A) in 45 games.  An interesting sidenote, one of his teammates on the Magnitogorsk was a young Evgeni Malkin who scored 32 points (12G, 20A) in 52 games that year.   

Early in the first post NHL lockout season (2005-2006), Sykora contacted New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather looking to move from the Ducks to the Rangers via trade.  The trade was eventually executed on January 9, 2006, with Sykora going to the Rangers for defenseman Maxim Kondratiev and a 4th round draft pick that the Rangers had previously traded to Anaheim.  During the 2005-2006 season, Sykora played 34 games for Anaheim (7G, 13A) and 40 games for the New York Rangers (16G, 15A), for a season total of 51 points (23G, 28A) in 74 games.  On July 7, 2006, it was announced that he would not be rejoining the Rangers for the 2006-2007 season, and on August 11, 2006, he signed a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers. 

Sykora played a full 82-game slate with the Oilers in 2006-2007, scoring 53 points on the year (22G, 31A), but with a career low +/- rating of -20.  He finished first on the club in goals, tied for first in scoring, and came in thirs in assists.  It was his seventh season scoring 20+ goals.  He complete dthe season and his one-year term deal with the Oilers and became an unrestricted free agent over the summer. 

On July 2, 2007, Sykora signed a 2-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He comes to the team with a record of achievement and signiciant Stanley Cup playoff and finals experience that will be invaluable to the team.  Playing on the wing with the league’s most valuable player could buoy his game to a potential career high season if he can maintain his health and speed.  Scouting reports note his speed and deceptive shot that he can employ from almost anywhere on the ice.  Scouting also suggests that he can get rattled in physical contests, still needs work in his own zone and needs to find a level of consistency in his offensive game.    He is earning a reported $2.9M this season playing for the Penguins, and has contributed 3 points (2G, 1A) in 2 regular season games. 

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