Ultimate Team Rankings - NHL - SportsNation

The Mag: Ultimate Standings 2009

Welcome to ESPN The Magazine's seventh annual Ultimate Standings, in which we measure how much MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises give back to the fans in exchange for all the time, money and emotion the fans invest in them.

Perennial Top-10 finisher the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim grabbed the top spot this year for the first time, thanks to their array of affordable tickets, strong coaching and likable players. Curiously, their neighbors just up the road on I-5, the Los Angeles Clippers, are on the opposite end of the rankings, coming in dead last at No. 122.

The eight major categories that make up the Ultimate Standings were created based on feedback from fans about what they want most from their favorite teams (click here for a more detailed account of the method to our madness.) The categories:

Bang For The Buck (BNG): Wins during the past three years (regular season plus postseason) per revenues directly from fans, adjusted for league schedules.

Fan Relations (FRL): Openness and consideration toward fans by players, coaches and management.

Ownership (OWN): Honesty and loyalty to core players and local community.

Affordability (AFF): Price of tickets, parking and concessions.

Stadium Experience (STX): Quality of arena and game-day promotions as well as friendliness of environment.

Players (PLA): Effort on the field and likability off it.

Coaching (CCH): Strength of on-field leadership.

Title Track (TTR): Championships already won or expected in the lifetime of current fans.

Below you will find a sortable table of this year's Ultimate Standings as well as previous results going back to 2003. Subcategories that make up the overall ranking for that category are available for the 2009 results. Click on team names for a more detailed breakdown of the rankings.

Financial analysis by the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. Fan surveys by Maddock Douglas and GMI NetReflector.

Click on table headings to sort by category.

TEAM		RNK	BNG	FRL	OWN	AFF	STX	PLA	CCH	TTR
1.	Carolina Hurricanes	2	3	6	10	10	4	15	37	4
2.	Detroit Red Wings	4	10	1	1	57	82	3	6	1
3.	Washington Capitals	6	11	11	5	31	15	12	10	47
4.	Pittsburgh Penguins	8	8	3	4	32	103	9	42	21
5.	St. Louis Blues	10	13	10	7	6	45	21	35	62
6.	Anaheim Ducks	11	24	13	26	33	25	16	19	11
7.	Chicago Blackhawks	21	68	5	9	37	17	13	24	53
8.	Dallas Stars	22	25	39	41	55	40	30	43	24
9.	Columbus Blue Jackets	31	64	9	31	29	9	51	8	73
10.	San Jose Sharks	32	12	23	25	74	21	89	41	79
11.	Nashville Predators	37	59	15	61	16	30	36	39	85
12.	New Jersey Devils	38	75	24	30	79	18	33	44	12
13.	Ottawa Senators	53	52	44	22	69	67	84	60	57
14.	Philadelphia Flyers	54	77	27	8	87	48	47	79	69
15.	Boston Bruins	56	72	35	71	97	83	26	19	66
TEAM		RNK	BNG	FRL	OWN	AFF	STX	PLA	CCH	TTR
16.	Calgary Flames	60	67	36	15	101	89	65	85	50
17.	Buffalo Sabres	63	30	66	95	12	55	104	32	99
18.	Minnesota Wild	66	101	30	59	77	2	64	92	77
19.	Colorado Avalanche	74	55	46	63	114	68	79	117	16
20.	Vancouver Canucks	79	90	41	49	119	75	56	48	80
21.	Tampa Bay Lightning	85	93	61	106	50	73	93	86	29
22.	Phoenix Coyotes	88	35	91	122	28	72	85	97	117
23.	Florida Panthers	90	89	86	100	47	81	92	59	103
24.	New York Rangers	93	97	77	83	117	66	100	45	48
25.	Los Angeles Kings	95	113	64	96	105	76	75	72	96
26.	Montreal Canadiens	100	88	113	50	109	22	112	107	39
27.	Edmonton Oilers	102	91	76	56	102	109	115	118	51
28.	Atlanta Thrashers	108	94	98	120	91	85	99	81	114
29.	New York Islanders	115	115	94	118	85	122	97	100	93
30.	Toronto Maple Leafs	120	120	112	99	122	101	108	58	113