Parity Index

Take the winning percentage of the best team in the league (points/possible points), and compare it to the winning percentage of the league's worst team. The difference is the parity index, at least in my world.

Here are the biggest numbers since 1940:

Year – Best Team (Pct.) – Worst Team (Pct.) – Difference
1943-44 – Montreal (.830) – N.Y. Rangers (.170) - .670
1975-76 – Montreal (.794) – Washington (.200) - .594
1972-73 – Montreal (.769) – N.Y. Islanders (.192) - .577
1974-75 – Three teams (.706) – Washington (.131) - .575
1976-77 – Montreal (.825) – Detroit (.256) - .569
1992-93 – Pittsburgh (.708) – Two teams (.143) - .565
1995-96 – Detroit (.799) – Ottawa (.250) - .549
1977-78 – Montreal (.806) – Minnesota (.281) - .525
1983-84 – Edmonton (.744) – Pittsburgh (.239) - .505
1985-86 – Edmonton (.744) – Detroit (.250) - .494

By the way, the Canadiens went 7-0-1 against the Rangers in 1943-44. I wonder how the Rangers got the tie.

Now, the smallest numbers, which as you'd expect are dominated by the original six era:

Year – Best Team (Pct.) – Worst Team (Pct.) – Difference
1948-49 – Detroit (.625) – N.Y. Rangers (.392) - .233
1958-59 – Montreal (.650) – Detroit (.414) - .236
1949-50 – Detroit – (.629) – Chicago (.386) - .243
1947-48 – Toronto (.642) – Chicago (.383) - .259
1945-46 – Montreal (.610) – N.Y. Rangers (.350) - .260
1941-42 – N.Y. Rangers (.625) – Brooklyn (.365) - .260
1986-87 – Edmonton (.663) – Two teams (.400) - .263
1963-64 – Montreal (.607) – Boston (.343) - .264
1962-63 – Toronto (.586) – Boston (.321) - .265
2007-08 – Detroit (.701) – Two teams (.433) - .268

Now let's go back to the expansion era, starting in 1967. The big numbers:

Year – Best Team (Pct.) – Worst Team (Pct.) – Difference
1975-76 – Montreal (.794) – Washington (.200) - .594
1972-73 – Montreal (.769) – N.Y. Islanders (.192) - .577
1974-75 – Three teams (.706) – Washington (.131) - .575
1976-77 – Montreal (.825) – Detroit (.256) - .569
1992-93 – Pittsburgh (.708) – Two teams (.143) - .565
1995-96 – Detroit (.799) – Ottawa (.250) - .549
1977-78 – Montreal (.806) – Minnesota (.281) - .525
1983-84 – Edmonton (.744) – Pittsburgh (.239) - .505
1985-86 – Edmonton (.744) – Detroit (.250) - .494
1973-74 – Boston (.724) – California (.231) - .493

And the small numbers, which are filling in these days:

Year – Best Team (Pct.) – Worst Team (Pct.) – Difference
1986-87 – Edmonton (.663) – Two teams (.400) - .263
2007-08 – Detroit (.701) – Two teams (.433) - .268
1996-97 – Colorado (.652) – Boston (.372) - .280
2003-04 – Detroit (.664) – Pittsburgh (.354) - .310
1967-68 – Montreal (.635) – Oakland (.318) - .317
2002-03 – Ottawa (.689) – Carolina (.371) - .318
2009-10 – Washington (.658) – Edmonton (.337) - .321
2010-11 – Vancouver (.713) – Edmonton (.378) - .335
1987-88 – Calgary (.656) – Minnesota (.319) - .337
2008-09 – San Jose (.713) – N.Y. Islanders (.372) - .341

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