Frequently Asked Questions
Use this page when the rankings start a fight, or when you just want the quick explanation without digging through every methodology detail. These are the questions people usually ask when a ranking feels surprising, a lineage call gets messy, or a metric label needs a straight answer.
Ranking questions
Why can a team with fewer Cups rank above a team with more?
Because Frozen Ledger reads the whole résumé, not just the ring count. Championships matter a lot, but deep playoff runs, sustained relevance, and franchise-wide consistency matter too.
Does Frozen Ledger automatically favor older franchises?
Longer histories can build bigger cumulative totals, but Frozen Ledger also surfaces Average FLI and peak-season context so older teams do not get a free pass just for existing first.
Is this supposed to be the final word on every franchise debate?
No. It is supposed to be the part of the argument that remembers the full record before everybody starts throwing banners around.
Franchise history and lineage
What counts as one franchise here?
Frozen Ledger follows franchise lineage when the underlying franchise record continued. That means relocations and identity changes can still belong to one connected history.
So how are relocations handled?
If the franchise record stayed alive through a relocation, Frozen Ledger keeps that history connected while still labeling the present-day club by its current identity.
Why does historical context matter so much here?
Because the league did not always look the same. Expansion, playoff formats, schedule length, and other milestones changed what success meant in each era. The NHL History Guide is the best place to see that context quickly.
Metric questions
What is the difference between Total FLI and Season FLI?
Total FLI is the all-time cumulative number for the counted franchise history. Season FLI is the score for one specific season.
Why does Average FLI matter?
Average FLI helps you compare shorter and longer histories without pretending the same number of seasons are involved.
What does Best Season actually tell me?
Best Season points to the strongest single campaign in the tracked franchise history. It is the quickest way to find the peak year on a team page.
Reading the site
What should I read first if a ranking surprises me?
Start with How FLI Works, then check the team page, then use the Glossary if a metric label needs a quick decode.
When should I use the NHL History Guide?
Use it when the real answer is era context: playoff structure, schedule length, awards, or key league changes that shaped what a season or championship meant at the time.
Do I need to read everything to use the site?
Not at all. Rankings first. Team page next. Extra pages only when you want the why behind what you are seeing.