Bang for the Buck: Which teams got the best value in 2012-13?

NHL teams’ payrolls have been capped for nearly a decade now, limiting the disparity between the big-market giants and their small-market counterparts. Still, the Philadelphia Flyers, who had the highest payroll in the league last season, spent over $23 million more than the NHL-owned Phoenix Coyotes. But the money didn’t matter: neither made the playoffs, and Phoenix actually finished two points ahead of Philly in the final standings. Did the teams that made it rain in 2013 get any bang for their buck? Let’s find out.

Here, courtesy of CapGeek, are the payrolls for every NHL team this past season:

	Team	Spending (USD)
1.	Philadelphia Flyers »	$72,549,431
2.	Vancouver Canucks »	$70,456,167
3.	Minnesota Wild »	$70,120,744
4.	New York Rangers »	$68,711,221
5.	Chicago Blackhawks »	$67,343,544
6.	Montreal Canadiens »	$66,857,720
7.	Pittsburgh Penguins »	$66,739,133
8.	San Jose Sharks »	$66,370,996
9.	Boston Bruins »	$64,486,562
10.	Tampa Bay Lightning »	$64,082,929
11.	Washington Capitals »	$64,053,698
12.	Toronto Maple Leafs »	$63,249,222
13.	Detroit Red Wings »	$62,823,032
14.	Los Angeles Kings »	$62,025,799
15.	Buffalo Sabres »	$61,437,023
16.	Calgary Flames »	$61,027,990
17.	New Jersey Devils »	$59,269,410
18.	Winnipeg Jets »	$58,447,941
19.	Florida Panthers »	$57,463,086
20.	Carolina Hurricanes »	$57,237,054
21.	Anaheim Ducks »	$56,931,061
22.	Colorado Avalanche »	$55,641,465
23.	Dallas Stars »	$53,967,129
24.	Columbus Blue Jackets »	$53,893,247
25.	Ottawa Senators »	$53,806,372
26.	Nashville Predators »	$53,723,203
27.	Edmonton Oilers »	$53,648,971
28.	New York Islanders »	$53,004,108
29.	St. Louis Blues »	$52,185,361
30.	Phoenix Coyotes »	$49,438,632

And here, courtesy of NHL.com, are the final standings for the 2013 season. Note that despite conference affiliations, the top 16 teams in the league turned out to be the 16 that made the playoffs.

Rank		DIV	GP	W	L	OT	P
1	p – Chicago	CEN	48	36	7	5	77
2	z – Pittsburgh	ATL	48	36	12	0	72
3	y – Anaheim	PAC	48	30	12	6	66
4	y – Montréal	NE	48	29	14	5	63
5	x – Boston	NE	48	28	14	6	62
6	x – St. Louis	CEN	48	29	17	2	60
7	x – Los Angeles	PAC	48	27	16	5	59
8	y – Vancouver	NW	48	26	15	7	59
9	x – Toronto	NE	48	26	17	5	57
10	y – Washington	SE	48	27	18	3	57
11	x – San Jose	PAC	48	25	16	7	57
12	x – NY Rangers	ATL	48	26	18	4	56
13	x – Detroit	CEN	48	24	16	8	56
14	x – Ottawa	NE	48	25	17	6	56
15	x – Minnesota	NW	48	26	19	3	55
16	x – NY Islanders	ATL	48	24	17	7	55
17	Columbus	CEN	48	24	17	7	55
18	Winnipeg	SE	48	24	21	3	51
19	Phoenix	PAC	48	21	18	9	51
20	Philadelphia	ATL	48	23	22	3	49
21	Dallas	PAC	48	22	22	4	48
22	New Jersey	ATL	48	19	19	10	48
23	Buffalo	NE	48	21	21	6	48
24	Edmonton	NW	48	19	22	7	45
25	Calgary	NW	48	19	25	4	42
26	Carolina	SE	48	19	25	4	42
27	Nashville	CEN	48	16	23	9	41
28	Tampa Bay	SE	48	18	26	4	40
29	Colorado	NW	48	16	25	7	39
30	Florida	SE	48	15	27	6	36

Now, let’s see which teams got the  best value. Playoff teams are in bold.

	Team	Spending (USD)	Points	USD Spent/Point
1	Anaheim Ducks	$56,931,061	66	$862,591.83
2	St. Louis Blues	$52,185,361	60	$869,756.02
3	Chicago Blackhawks	$67,343,544	77	$874,591.48
4	Pittsburgh Penguins	$66,739,133	72	$926,932.40
5	Ottawa Senators	$53,806,372	56	$960,828.07
6	New York Islanders	$53,004,108	55	$963,711.05
7	Phoenix Coyotes	$49,438,632	51	$969,384.94
8	Columbus Blue Jackets	$53,893,247	55	$979,877.22
9	Boston Bruins	$64,486,562	62	$1,040,105.84
10	Los Angeles Kings	$62,025,799	59	$1,051,284.73
11	Montreal Canadiens	$66,857,720	63	$1,061,233.65
12	Toronto Maple Leafs	$63,249,222	57	$1,109,635.47
13	Detroit Red Wings	$62,823,032	56	$1,121,839.86
14	Washington Capitals	$64,053,698	57	$1,123,749.09
15	Dallas Stars	$53,967,129	48	$1,124,315.19
16	Winnipeg Jets	$58,447,941	51	$1,146,038.06
17	San Jose Sharks	$66,370,996	57	$1,164,403.44
18	Edmonton Oilers	$53,648,971	45	$1,192,199.36
19	Vancouver Canucks	$70,456,167	59	$1,194,172.32
20	New York Rangers	$68,711,221	56	$1,226,986.09
21	New Jersey Devils	$59,269,410	48	$1,234,779.38
22	Minnesota Wild	$70,120,744	55	$1,274,922.62
23	Buffalo Sabres	$61,437,023	48	$1,279,937.98
24	Nashville Predators	$53,723,203	41	$1,310,322.02
25	Carolina Hurricanes	$57,237,054	42	$1,362,787.00
26	Colorado Avalanche	$55,641,465	39	$1,426,704.23
27	Calgary Flames	$61,027,990	42	$1,453,047.38
28	Philadelphia Flyers	$72,549,431	49	$1,480,600.63
29	Florida Panthers	$57,463,086	36	$1,596,196.83
30	Tampa Bay Lightning	$64,082,929	40	$1,602,073.23

Finally, let’s take a look at the differential between teams’ spending positions and their standings positions:

Position Differential Rank	Team	Spending Position	Standings Position	Position Differential
1	St. Louis Blues	29	6	+23
2	Anaheim Ducks	21	3	+18
3	New York Islanders	28	16	+12
t4	Ottawa Senators	25	14	+11
t4	Phoenix Coyotes	30	19	+11
t6	Columbus Blue Jackets	24	17	+7
t6	Los Angeles Kings	14	7	+7
8	Pittsburgh Penguins	7	2	+5
t9	Chicago Blackhawks	5	1	+4
t9	Boston Bruins	9	5	+4
t11	Toronto Maple Leafs	12	9	+3
t11	Edmonton Oilers	27	24	+3
t13	Montreal Canadiens	6	4	+2
t13	Dallas Stars	23	21	+2
15	Washington Capitals	11	10	+1
t16	Detroit Red Wings	13	13	0
t16	Winnipeg Jets	18	18	0
18	Nashville Predators	26	27	-1
19	San Jose Sharks	8	11	-3
20	New Jersey Devils	17	22	-5
t21	Vancouver Canucks	2	8	-6
t21	Carolina Hurricanes	20	26	-6
23	Colorado Avalanche	22	29	-7
t24	New York Rangers	4	12	-8
t24	Buffalo Sabres	15	23	-8
26	Calgary Flames	16	25	-9
27	Florida Panthers	19	30	-11
28	Minnesota Wild	3	15	-12
29	Tampa Bay Lightning	10	28	-18
30	Philadelphia Flyers	1	20	-19

So what can we take away from all these numbers and charts?

• Despite making the playoffs, one might have expected the Sharks, Canucks, Rangers and Wild to accrue more points and make deeper runs.
• Payroll-wise, the Coyotes and Blue Jackets overachieved big-time despite missing the playoffs.
• Only two of the ten highest-spending teams — the Flyers and Lightning — missed the playoffs.
• Three of the ten lowest-spending teams — the Ducks, Islanders and Blues — made the playoffs.
  • None of the three made it past the first round.

    EDIT: Reader Matt spots an error in our analysis:

  “4 of the bottom 10 spending teams made the playoffs…. And the one you missed also made it to the second round… the Ottawa Senators.”

Let’s check out, as of today, how much each NHL team will be spending in 2013-14, again courtesy of CapGeek:

	Team		Salary Payroll	Cap Payroll
1.	Philadelphia Flyers »		$76,194,117	$69,153,522
2.	Boston Bruins »		$65,440,000	$70,223,810
3.	Pittsburgh Penguins »		$70,810,000	$65,398,333
4.	Detroit Red Wings »		$68,200,000	$67,947,879
5.	San Jose Sharks »		$63,756,666	$65,131,667
6.	Los Angeles Kings »		$68,810,000	$64,386,894
7.	Edmonton Oilers »		$58,841,666	$67,774,167
8.	Chicago Blackhawks »		$67,760,000	$62,946,795
9.	Columbus Blue Jackets »		$60,976,667	$66,808,809
10.	New York Rangers »		$65,226,666	$62,881,667
11.	Winnipeg Jets »		$57,701,000	$63,201,357
12.	Dallas Stars »		$58,368,334	$62,993,611
13.	Tampa Bay Lightning »		$64,953,572	$63,990,477
14.	Minnesota Wild »		$67,152,778	$65,265,534
15.	Montreal Canadiens »		$64,465,000	$63,610,833
16.	Anaheim Ducks »		$57,145,000	$62,795,833
17.	Vancouver Canucks »		$64,489,000	$59,952,778
18.	Nashville Predators »		$62,326,666	$62,862,976
19.	Carolina Hurricanes »		$59,365,000	$59,425,000
20.	Toronto Maple Leafs »		$58,996,434	$59,704,167
21.	Washington Capitals »		$56,725,000	$58,634,295
22.	Phoenix Coyotes »		$52,300,000	$58,176,667
23.	St. Louis Blues »		$56,991,667	$57,925,833
24.	Calgary Flames »		$51,717,500	$57,321,250
25.	New Jersey Devils »		$55,383,333	$59,720,834
26.	Colorado Avalanche »		$55,565,000	$58,833,333
27.	Buffalo Sabres »		$54,745,833	$54,645,357
28.	Ottawa Senators »		$50,877,500	$53,835,833
29.	Florida Panthers »		$50,176,209	$57,140,375
30.	New York Islanders »		$44,431,500	$49,496,976

Who do you think will outperform their payroll in 2013-14? Who is spending the most on a pile of crap? Tell us in the comments!

Related Reading:

Panther Parkway lists the NHL’s five best “Puck for Your Buck” Contracts

Sports Illustrated looks at the smartest deals of the summer

Elliotte Friedman said today that some within hockey circles believe the cap could rise to as high as $80 million by 2017-18

ROAD TRIPPIN’: PART 3 OF YOUR TEAM-BY-TEAM GUIDE TO 2013-14′S BEST NHL ADVENTURES

In case you missed it, check out Part One and Part Two of our 2013-14 NHL Road Trippin’ guide.

Despite a not-so-brief work-related detour, we’ve arrived at the third and final installment of our 2013-14 NHL Road Trippin’ guide. Needless to say, we’re starting to feel like our Hockey Falls predecessors:

Nevertheless, we have soldiered on and planned itineraries for the patient fans of the late-in-the-alphabet teams (no, that’s not one of Bettman’s new divisions). If you’re new to the series, be sure to check out our Rules of the Roadtrip, which has some helpful tips you oughta read before you hit the road.

And while we’re here, we’d like to wish our fellow Puckheads luck surviving August, which everyone knows is a hockey fan’s most devastating month on the calendar. It’s that time between free agency and training camp that just makes us squirm. Keep coming back to Hockey Falls, as we’ll be doing our best to help you through this dark time. See you on the other side.

Philadelphia Flyers

Depart Philly: January 12

Return to Philly: January 15

Distance: 865 miles

Gas: $148

Driving Time: 14 hours, 1 minute

Games: 2

Want to see a lot of goals? Don’t care which net they end up in? Then, dear Flyers fan, this trip is for you! A thin blue line and laughable goaltending tandem shouldn’t stop Flyers fans from catching a couple of games in the Empire State this January. On Sunday, January 12th, drive up to New York City for a Metropolitan (!?!?) Division rivalry game between the Rangers and Flyers. Spend Monday in NYC, then wake up early on Tuesday and make the journey out to Buffalo for the game that night. Fill up on wings before heading back to Philly on Wednesday.

Phoenix Coyotes

Depart Phoenix: November 2

Return to Phoenix: November 7

Distance: 1422 miles

Gas: $244

Driving Time: 20 hours, 48 minutes

Games: 2

Hello….is there anybody in there? If there happen to be any of those mythical creatures called Coyotes fans reading, have we got a trip for you! It starts early in the morning on Saturday, November 2nd, when you’ll head to San Jose to see the best looking hockey player in the league.  Wait, he doesn’t play for them anymore? Well, if driving 10 hours to see a mere hockey game still sounds enticing, catch the game that night and then spend the next 3 days enjoying beautiful California, from the north to the south before you see Coyotes-Ducks on Wednesday the 6th in Anaheim. Head back home after the game and hope the team hasn’t lost another owner while you were in the car.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Depart Pittsburgh: April 30

Return to Pittsburgh: May 5

Distance: 1480 miles

Gas: $254

Driving Time: 22 hours, 7 minutes

Games: 2 (1 outdoor/1 indoor)

One of the perks of rooting for Sidney Crosby’s team — other than, you know, watching Sidney Crosby — is that your club gets to take part in all the cool stuff the league does. Such is the case on Saturday, March 1st, when the Pens will play the defending Cup champs at Soldier Field in Chicago. If you’re a Pens fan, make sure you don’t miss that one, and as long as you’re there, you might as well dart south to see Pens-Preds in Nashville on the 4th before heading back to the three rivers after the game.

San Jose Sharks

Depart San Jose: April 30

Return to San Jose: May 5

Distance: 2892 miles

Gas: $496

Driving Time: 47 hours, 28 minutes

Games: 2

Unfortunately, the good people making the NHL schedule didn’t have Sharks fans in mind when they put together this year’s edition. The Sharks will travel more miles in 2013-14 than any other NHL team, and unlike you, they’re stuck on cushy, lavish charter jets instead of enjoying the open road. There’s no  simple LA-ANA-PHX stretch, so instead, we’re sending Sharks fans up north. If you leave on Monday, November 11th in the morning, you’ll get to Calgary by the next night and get to see the Yotes and Flames play in a game you’ll surely hear about on ESPN the next morning. You’ll have all of the 13th to drive to Vancouver and enjoy the beautiful Canadian landscape before Sharks-Canucks on the 14th. You could go back to Edmonton for the next night, but since you’ll already be right near the U.S. border, just head home and watch it on TV in San Jose.

St. Louis Blues

Depart St. Louis: March 19

Return to St. Louis: March 24

Distance: 1948 miles

Gas: $334

Driving Time: 29 hours, 45 minutes

Games: 3

The Blues get that awesome New York triplet of games, (and that’s one I’ll be doing for sure), but since we’ve already used that setup in our guides, we’ll get more creative here. For example, on Wednesday, March 19th, you could go see the Blues and Blackhawks rekindle an always-fun rivalry. Since you’re already in that direction, keep going east and be in Philly the night of Saturday, March 22nd to see two 1967 expansion teams in a matinee. Just 21 hours after the game ends, the Blues are in Pittsburgh to play the Pens, yet another 1967 matchup. If you hustle, you can get back to St. Louis by the wee hours of Monday morning and load up on caffeine to get through the day at work or school.

***Bonus road trip: If you’re willing and able to miss Thanksgiving with the family in exchange for a crazy week of driving, listen up: Leave St. Louis on Tuesday, November 26th for Denver to see Blues-Avs the next night. Continue westward, stop at a grocery store and grab a turkey sandwich on Thursday, and get to San Jose for Friday night, the 29th. It’s Blues-Sharks On Sunday, December 1st, the Rams play the 49ers just across the Bay in San Francisco. Stick around for that game, then head south to Los Angeles for Blues-Kings on Monday. It’s a full day’s drive back to St. Louis, but after 3 hockey games and a football game, your adrenaline will be pumping enough to get you home.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Depart Tampa: February 27

Return to Tampa: March 2

Distance: 2457 miles

Gas: $422

Driving Time: 35 hours, 50 minutes

Games: 2

Right after the Olympic break, on Thursday, February 27th, the Bolts head to Nashville to take on the Preds. After enduring 3 whole weeks without NHL hockey, get back to the game you love (and the team that, by this point in the year, you probably hate) in style by making the 10-hour drive, with a stop in Atlanta if you’ve never been to The Varsity or feel like investigating the farfetched myth that there was once a hockey team that played there (wait, that happened?). See the game that night, then take your sweet time drifting through Memphis and Little Rock on the way to Dallas, for Lightning-Stars on Saturday, March 1st. Hug the Gulf Coast on the way back to Dallas. You’ll get there by Sunday evening if you leave after the game.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Depart Toronto: January 8

Return to Toronto: January 11

Distance: 1461 miles

Gas: $251

Driving Time: 25 hours, 5 minutes

Games: 2

A pretty easy, long-weekend road trip for the Leafs, as long as their fans haven’t rioted and killed Dave Nonis by the time January 9th rolls around. That’s when the Leafs square off against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, only a 12 hour drive south. The next night, Friday the 10th, the Leafs are in DC, which is right on the way back to Toronto.

Vancouver Canucks

Depart Vancouver: January 11

Return to Vancouver: January 18

Distance: 3179 miles

Gas: $545

Driving Time: 48 hours, 34 minutes

Games: 3

Canucks fans get to take a trip to Southern California and Arizona in mid-January. Leave on Sunday, January 11th and head down the Pacific Coast to Los Angeles, for an early litmus test in the Western Conference against the Kings on the 12th. If the Sedin Sisters can’t get the job done at Staples, we advise you refrain from rioting; the LAPD won’t let that shit fly. Moving on, the ‘Nucks get the Ducks on Wednesday the 15th at Arrowhead Pond the Honda Center *sigh* and then play the Coyotes in Phoenix the next night. Gird your loins right after the game for a 23-hour hike through Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to get back home. Or, if you’d rather extend your bender vacation, stop in Sin City on the way back. But word of advice: no matter how well you think you know hockey, DO NOT parlay NHL games…you have been warned.

Washington Capitals

Depart D.C.: January 24

Return to D.C.: February 1

Distance: 2023 miles

Gas: $347

Driving Time: 31 hours, 43 minutes

Games: 5

This five-city tour might be the best of the bunch, fitting for followers of the defending Hart Trophy winner. Believe it or not, you won’t rack up too many miles even while following your team around like some dirty hippies on Phish tour. Leave the District of Columbia on the morning of Friday, January 24th and head to the New Jersey to catch Caps-Devils at the Rock. Hit the Jersey Turnpike and head due North to Montreal, where you’ll catch Les Habitants à Centre Bell. Spend the rest of the weekend in Montreal, which we hear is one of the most gorgeous cities in the league, before making your way back across the border to Buffalo. The Caps and Sabres face off on Tuesday the 28th. Stock up on Mighty Taco for the rest of your trip before making a move to Ohio. Be there by Thursday the 30th to see Gaborik, Dubinsky, Anisimov and the rest of the Rangers BJs fire a cannon, or something. Early Friday morning, make the three-hour trip from Columbus to Detroit, where the Caps will cap off their roadtrip at the Joe, where “Rocking your Red” will probably be counterproductive. The trip home to D.C. from Detroit will be the longest leg of the trip, coming in at a shade under eight hours.

Winnipeg Jets

Depart Winnipeg: November 24

Return to Winnipeg: December 3

Last but not least, the Jets. Not a ton of travel options for fans in the ‘Peg, but old reliable, the New York triplet, is on the table, and it’s too good an opportunity to miss. It’s 25 hours from Winnipeg to Newark, so leave on Sunday, November 24th and get to The Prudential Center by the 25th. You’ll have all day Tuesday Wednesday to hang out in New York City before heading out to Long Island the night of the 27th. You’re Canadian, so you won’t be missing Thanksgiving the next night, and while we Americans are busy stuffing our faces (as per usual), you can head to Philly for a night on the town. It’s Jets-Flyers on Friday the 29th. Saturday and Sunday are free to spend either in Philly or back in NYC, as the Jets play the Rangers on Monday, December 2nd. That’s 4 games and a lifetime of memories made (and forgotten) in 2 of the best cities in the world. Head back to Winnipeg on Tuesday the 3rd.

Distance: 3534 miles

Gas: $606

Driving Time: 54 hours, 18 minutes

Games: 4

Well, that’s all folks. Enjoy the Open Ride and don’t hesitate to make a pit stop in Hockey Falls if you find yourself in the neighborhood. We’ll bring the beers.