Canucks now lead in true barometer for first place in NHL
The Vancouver Canucks have claimed the NHL lead in yet another crucial stat.
While the team has been first place in the league standings for some time, they’ve benefited from playing more games than other teams.
After securing one point in a controversial loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Canucks are now first in the NHL by points percentage.
Points percentage works exactly as it sounds and measures the ratio of total available points a team has grabbed. It helps to balance the playing field when comparing teams that have played an unequal number of games during the season.
NHL.com
The Canucks benefited by both the Boston Bruins and the Winnipeg Jets losing last night. The Bruins fell 3-2 in regulation to the Carolina Hurricanes, while the Jets lost 1-0 in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Canucks have not won the Presidents’ Trophy since the 2011-12 season. That year, they finished with 111 points, their second-best total in franchise history.
They are currently on pace for 117 points, the exact number they reached when they won their first Presidents’ Trophy in 2010-11.
With the Canucks and Bruins sitting atop the league standings, a rematch of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals is a very real possibility.
The Canucks only have one game left, against the Columbus Blue Jackets, on Saturday before the NHL All-Star Break. They have six people — five players and one coach — representing the organization at this year’s event.
The team’s lead in the Pacific Division has ballooned to seven points. The Canucks still have four games left against the Los Angeles Kings, three games against the Vegas Golden Knights, and one against the Edmonton Oilers.