Weekly NHL Power Rankings: December 14th 2009

You can check out last week’s power rankings here.

The Los Angeles Kings vault themselves into the top-10 this week after a perfect 4-0 showing. Who would have thought the Kings would occupy top spot in the West?

Likewise, the Edmonton Oilers look strong, and have now won five straight.

The Sharks drop after losing three straight, and Tampa Bay free falls after four losses.

This week’s biggest jumps are the Kings, Oilers, Avalanche and Leafs. The biggest falls belong to the Lightning, Rangers, Flames, Sharks and Thrashers.

TOP 10

1. Washington Capitals (no movement)
Record: 20-7-6
Last Week: 2-2-0
Games This Week: (@ COL, @ VAN, @ EDM)
Despite a shocking 6-3 loss at the hands of the Leafs, the Capitals own the league’s best record to this point. Both Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom have racked up 37 points.

2. Chicago Blackhawks (no movement)
Record: 19-8-3
Last Week: 2-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. STL, vs. BOS)
On Sunday night, rookie netminder Antti Niemi recorded his third shutout in just seven games this season. Is Niemi the answer to the Blackhawks goalie controversy?

3. Pittsburgh Penguins (no movement)
Record: 22-10-1
Last Week: 2-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. PHI, @ PHI, @ BUF)
The Penguins have a home-and-home series with the Flyers this week, which will be the first meeting of the two teams since the first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It appears as if Pittsburgh has the upper hand here, but with patience running out in Philly, it’s tough to flatly predict a Pittsburgh sweep.

4. New Jersey Devils (no movement)
Record: 22-8-1
Last Week: 3-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. MTL, vs. OTT, @ ATL)
Zach Parise is 13th in league scoring, while leading the league in plus/minus and currently sitting second in shots on goal. Is there any question about his status among American NHLers?

5. Los Angeles Kings (+6 spots)
Record: 21-10-3
Last Week: 4-0-0
Games This Week: (@ VAN, @ EDM, @ CAL)
The Kings had a phenomenal week, beating the Flames, Sharks, Coyotes and Stars. Those are big points on division rivals, and they did it all without their top LW Ryan Smyth, who should return soon.

6. Colorado Avalanche (+4 spots)
Record: 19-10-6
Last Week: 3-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. WAS, vs. CLB)
The Avalanche faced off against the Calgary Flames on Sunday night for the Northwest Division lead and came out on top. Colorado currently holds the league’s sixth best record.

7. Phoenix Coyotes (no movement)
Record: 19-11-2
Last Week: 2-0-1
Games This Week: (@ DET, @ TOR, @ CLB, @ ANA)
Ice Edge Holdings has signed a letter of intent with the NHL, indicating the Coyotes will be playing in Phoenix for a few more seasons. (That’s what it means, right?) On the hockey side of things, the Desert Dogs continue to roll, beating up on the Sharks and Wild.

8. Buffalo Sabres (no movement)
Record: 19-9-2
Last Week: 3-1-0
Games This Week: (@ MTL, @ OTT, vs. TOR, vs. PIT)
Ryan Miller continues his super-human play, and Canadians are officially starting to worry about getting past him and Team USA at the Olympics in February.

9. Calgary Flames (-5 spots)
Record: 19-9-4
Last Week: 1-2-1
Games This Week: (@ LA, vs. ATL, vs. MIN, @ COL)
The Flames gave the Avalanche a gift in the form of the Northwest Division lead on Sunday night in a 3-2 loss.

10. San Jose Sharks (-5 spots)
Record: 19-8-7
Last Week: 0-1-2
Games This Week: (vs. ANA)
A light schedule coming up for the Sharks, who will try to rebound after a week in which they had no wins in three games, all versus division rivals.

MIDDLE 10

11. Detroit Red Wings (+3 spots)
Record: 17-11-5
Last Week: 3-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. PHX, vs. TB, @ DAL)
Henrik Zetterberg continues to score at a point a game pace; Pavel Datsyuk looks a little slower, and has only registered 7 goals so far this season. Jimmy Howard looks ready to take over for the aging Chris Osgood.

12. Boston Bruins (no movement)
Record: 16-9-6
Last Week: 1-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. PHI, @ CHI, @ TOR)
The Bruins look to be returning to their of from last season, with Marc Savard rejuvenated after signing a new contract, and Tuukka Rask making his case for the permanent starting job ahead of Tim Thomas.

13. Nashville Predators (no movement)
Record: 18-11-3
Last Week: 2-0-1
Games This Week: (@ CLB, vs. TB, @ EDM, @ CGY)
Figure this one out: The preds are 26th in powerplay, 24th in PK, 25th in goals for, and 14th in goals against. Can you point to any one reason for Nashville’s current success, beyond team cohesion?

14. Atlanta Thrashers (-5 spots)
Record: 16-11-3
Last Week: 1-3-0
Games This Week: (@ NYR, @ FLA, vs. DAL, vs. NJ)
An ugly week for the Thrashers, who find themselves outside the top 10 after losing to the Leafs, Flames and Canucks. However, Atlanta remains well above ground based on several solid weeks.

15. Vancouver Canucks (+1 spots)
Record: 18-14-0
Last Week: 2-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. LA, vs. ANA, vs. WAS)
Henrik Sedin has suddenly moved up to third overall in league scoring, with 3 more points than Sidney Crosby. Vancouver will need this type of play from Sedin if they want to move up in the Northwest Division.

16. Dallas Stars (-1 spots)
Record: 14-8-10
Last Week: 1-0-2
Games This Week: (@ ANA, @ SJS, @ LA)
Thumbs up to Stephane Robidas, the surprise Team Canada invitee who has recorded a cool 19 points and currently leads the league in hits with 116.

17. Edmonton Oilers (+9 spots)
Record: 15-13-4
Last Week: 3-0-0
Games This Week: (@ FLA, @ TB, @ STL)
The Oilers are now on a five game winning streak, and have vaulted themselves out of the bottom 10 teams. They will to sustain a winning pace in order to make up ground in the ultra-competitive Northwest division.

18. Ottawa Senators (no movement)
Record: 16-11-4
Last Week: 2-1-0
Games This Week: (@ TOR, vs. BUF, @ NJ, vs. MIN)
In league standings, Ottawa sits right in the middle of the pack. In the Northeast Division, they are just 4 points behind the Buffalo Sabres, who have one game in hand.

19. St. Louis Blues (no movement)
Record: 13-12-5
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (vs. COL, @ DET, vs. EDM)
Brett Hull will be honoured this week for his service in the Blues uniform. St. Louis probably wishes they had a prolific goal scorer this season, as none of the Blues have hit the double digits in goals to date.

20. Philadelphia Flyers (no movement)
Record: 14-15-1
Last Week: 1-3-0
Games This Week: (@ MTL, vs. NYI, vs. OTT, @ NJD)
Staff have begun construction at Fenway Park for the New Year’s Day showdown between the Flyers and Bruins. Hopefully the Flyers will show up to play, something they have struggled to do lately. They have just two wins in their last 12 games.

BOTTOM 10

21. Minnesota Wild (no movement)
Record: 15-14-3
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (@ PHX, @ COL, @ CGY, @ VAN)
The Wild might be playing average hockey, but they’ve at least emerged from the murky depths and shown they can win some games.

22. Columbus Blue Jackets (no movement)
Record: 14-12-6
Last Week: 1-1-1
Games This Week: (vs. FLA, @ NSH, vs. ANA)
Mathieu Garon officially has better numbers than sophomore slumping Steve Mason, and only a handful of Blue Jackets players are a plus on the season. Even Rick Nash, who has 33 points, is a -9.

23. Tampa Bay Lightning (-6 spots)
Record: 11-12-9
Last Week: 0-3-1
Games This Week: (vs. WSH, vs. EDM, @ COL, @ CHI)
The Bolts end a horrible week with a 4-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. In four games last week, they scored a meager three goals.

24. Toronto Maple Leafs (+4 spots)
Record: 11-14-7
Last Week: 3-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. OTT, vs. PHX, @ BUF, vs. BOS)
Everyone’s spirits are elevated in Toronto after a strong week, capped off by a 6-3 win over Washington on Saturday night. Phil Kessel will get another shot at the Bruins, as the Leafs play Boston for the third time in as many weeks.

25. Anaheim Ducks (+2 spots)
Record: 12-13-7
Last Week: 2-0-1
Games This Week: (vs. DAL, @ DET, @ CLB)
Corey Perry now leads the Ducks in scoring with 16 goals and 37 points through 32 games. Ryan Getzlaf is right there with him, with 30 assists and 36 points. However, the Ducks have a long way to go to be the team that knocked the San Jose Sharks out of the playoffs last year.

26. Montreal Canadiens (-1 spot)
Record: 15-15-3
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (vs. PHI, @ OTT, vs. PIT, @ ATL)
While the Habs are the most successful team in league history, this year’s version seems destined to hover about the .500 mark until April.

27. New York Islanders (-3 spots)
Record: 12-13-7
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (vs. FLA, @ NYR, vs. NYR, vs. MTL)
Johnny T continues to lead the team with 27 points, but Matt Moulson is right behind him with 25. They both have 15 goals on the season.

28. New York Rangers (-5 spots)
Record: 14-15-2
Last Week: 0-1-1
Games This Week: (vs. ATL, vs. NYI, @ NYI, @ PHI)
The Rangers continue to free fall down the standings, with losses to Buffalo and Chicago last week. The club has just one win in their last 7 games. Can someone give Marian a hand please?

29. Florida Panthers (no movement)
Record: 12-14-7
Last Week: 1-1-2
Games This Week: (@ NYI, vs. ATL, vs. CAR, @ CAR)
Can two games against league-worst Carolina allow Panthers fans to focus a little less on how badly mistaken they were to hold onto Jay Bouwmeester last year?

30. Carolina Hurricanes (no movement)
Record: 7-19-6
Last Week: 1-2-1
Games This Week: (vs. DAL, @ FLA, vs. FLA)
The Hurricanes will feature an Erik Cole Bobblehead night to represent the franchise’s young core of players. And no, it doesn’t come with a neck brace.

Be sure to check back every Monday for the Power Rankings.

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