Weekly NHL Power Rankings: March 15th, 2010
With less than five weeks to go in the regular season, and each team scheduled to play less than 15 games, the playoff race is heating up.
Points are at a premium, and teams on the bubble are taking whatever they can get. The NHL’s bottom feeders have a chance to dash playoff hopes with some chippy and inspired play with their mix of youth and veteran presence.
This week’s biggest jumps in the rankings are the Canadiens, Rangers and Panthers.
The biggest slides belong to the Ducks and Thrashers.
1. Washington Capitals (no movement)
Record: 46-14-9
Last Week: 2-1-1
The Caps remain tops in the league after a thrilling overtime victory over the Blackhawks on Sunday. With Alex Ovechkin ejected from the game for boarding, the Capitals scored three unanswered goals in the third period and Nick Backstrom won it in overtime.
2. San Jose Sharks (no movement)
Record: 43-15-10
Last Week: 1-1-1
In a rematch of last season’s first round playoff series, the Sharks lost to the Ducks 4-2 on Sunday evening. In an attempt to spark scoring from his other players, head coach Todd McLennan has chosen to keep Team Canada’s line of Thornton, Heatley and Marleau split up, which has produced varying results. Top-line winger Devon Setoguchi has just two assists in his last five games and is way off pace from his 65-point season from only a year ago.
3. Chicago Blackhawks (no movement)
Record: 44-18-6
Last Week: 1-1-1
As mentioned, the Blackhawks blew a 3-0 lead in the third period and lost to the Capitals on Sunday. Defenceman Brian Campbell will be out for the season with a broken collarbone and broken ribs after taking a nasty hit from Alex Ovechkin. The Hawks are just two points behind the Sharks for the Western Conference lead, but if winning the West means playing the Red Wings in the first round, perhaps they should be content with second place.
4. Phoenix Coyotes (+2 spots)
Record: 42-22-5
Last Week: 3-0-0
Lee Stempniak has been a monster for the ‘Yotes since coming over from the Leafs at the trade deadline. He has five goals and six points in his first four games with Phoenix. The Desert Dogs have won five straight, and are now within striking distance of the Blackhawks for third overall in the NHL.
5. Vancouver Canucks (+1 spot)
Record: 43-23-3
Last Week: 3-0-1
Mikael Samuelsson notched his first NHL hat trick in a come-from-behind victory over the Avalanche on Tuesday night. Now playing on the Canucks top line with the Sedins, Samuelsson has already broken his career high for goals (30) and points (52) this season.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins (-2 spots)
Record: 40-23-5
Last Week: 0-1-1
Sidney Crosby holds a tentative lead on the NHL goal-scoring race, with one more tally than Alex Ovechkin. Crosby will need to hold off Ovi and sophomore sniper Steven Stamkos to get his name on the Rocket Richard trophy for the first time. Crosby’s Penguins slip this week after losing to the Hurricanes and Devils.
7. New Jersey Devils (no movement)
Record: 40-24-3
Last Week: 2-1-0
Despite all the talk of Martin Brodeur is beginning to show his age, the future Hall of Famer is on pace for his eighth season with more than 40 wins. He is currently tied with Evgeni Nabokov and Jon Quick for most victories this season.
8. Colorado Avalanche (no movement)
Record: 39-23-6
Last Week: 2-1-0
Peter Mueller has recorded a point every time he has put on his Colorado Avalanche uniform. Since being acquired at the deadline, Mueller has two goals and four assists and will be expected to keep up his scoring pace going into the playoffs.
9. Los Angeles Kings (no movement)
Record: 40-23-5
Last Week: 2-1-1
Anze Kopitar is no longer scoring at the pace he set at the beginning of the season, but his better than a point-per-game clip will land him 80+ points this season. 20-year old Drew Doughty is on pace for 61 points, a total that should earn him consideration for the Norris Trophy.
10. Philadelphia Flyers (no movement)
Record: 36-28-4
Last Week: 2-2-0
This past week, Simon Gagne compared Flyers sophomore forward Claude Giroux to the legendary Peter Forsberg. Gagne has played with both, and said that Giroux’s magic hands, brilliant vision and poise remind him of Foppa. The Flyers have cemented themselves in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and are now only three points behind the Senators for the fifth seed.
MIDDLE 10
11. Detroit Red Wings (no movement)
Record: 33-23-12
Last Week: 2-1-0
The Red Wings snuck into 8th in the West with wins over the Wild and the Sabres this week. They will need to be on their “A” game when they play the Flames on Tuesday night, as Calgary sits just one point behind them in 9th place.
12. Nashville Predators (+2 spots)
Record: 38-26-5
Last Week: 3-1-0
The Preds held off the Kings on Sunday afternoon for their seventh-straight victory over Los Angeles. Patric Hornqvist scored his 26th goal of the season, a ridiculous improvement over his two goals in 28 games from 2008-09. Nashville finished its most recent four game road trip 3-1, keeping them afloat in the tight Western Conference.
13. Buffalo Sabres (no movement)
Record: 36-21-10
Last Week: 1-1-1
After years of injury-shortened seasons, Tim Connolly has recorded 60 points in 67 games in 2009-10. He has recorded career highs in assists and points and is on pace to hit 18 goals, also a career high.
14. Ottawa Senators (-2 spots)
Record: 37-27-5
Last Week: 1-2-0
The Sens conceded the Northeast Division lead to the Buffalo Sabres in recent weeks, but they are looking for revenge. Ottawa has a favourable schedule this coming week, with games against the Leafs, Thrashers and Stars. At least on paper that is a favourable schedule – the Leafs have beat the Senators in two straight contests.
15. Montreal Canadiens (+3 spots)
Record: 35-29-6
Last Week: 3-0-0
The Habs are back in the Eastern Conference playoff picture on the strength of a five-game winning streak. Mike Cammalleri, who still leads the Canadiens with 26 goals without having played a game since January 30th, has begun skating again and will provide an extra scoring punch with his return.
16. Calgary Flames (no movement)
Record: 34-25-9
Last Week: 2-1-0
The Flames are fighting for their playoff lives, sitting just one point back of the Detroit Red Wings for eight seed in the West. No doubt all of the Red Wings tuned in to the Canucks-Flames tilt on Sunday night, a game…
17. Boston Bruins (-2 spots)
Record: 30-25-12
Last Week: 1-1-1
The B’s have a slippery grip on the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, sitting just one point ahead of the New York Rangers. With Marc Savard expected to miss the rest of the season after taking a vicious hit from Matt Cooke, the Bruins will have to rely on young forwards David Krejci, Blake Wheeler, Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron for scoring, with a little extra help from 42-year old Mark Recchi.
18. St. Louis Blues (+1 spot)
Record: 32-27-9
Last Week: 2-1-0
The Blues are making a late season playoff push, much like they did in 2008-09. They are now just five points back of the 8th-seeded Detroit Red Wings, and have a game in hand on the 9th-place Calgary Flames. Alex Steen has six points in his last four games and will surely break his career high of 45 points, set in his rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
19. Minnesota Wild (+1 spot)
Record: 33-29-6
Last Week: 2-1-1
Backup netminder Josh Harding recorded his second straight win as the Wild beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Sunday. Expect the Wild to ride Harding while he is hot, as they are making a push for the playoffs and appreciate the solid goaltending.
20. Anaheim Ducks (-3 spots)
Record: 31-29-8
Last Week: 1-2-0
The Ducks snapped a five-game losing streak on Sunday night with a win over the San Jose Sharks. Finnish sniper Teemu Selanne scored the 599th goal of his career. With one more goal, Selanne will become the 18th player in NHL history to score 600 goals over his career, and join Jari Kurri as the only other Finn to have done so.
BOTTOM 10
21. New York Rangers (+4 spots)
Record: 31-29-9
Last Week: 2-1-1
Superpest Sean Avery returned to the Blueshirt’s lineup on Sunday, and scored two goals in a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rangers, currently on a two-game winning streak, are just one point behind the 8th place Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference.
22. Florida Panthers (+4 spots)
Record: 28-29-10
Last Week: 2-1-0
The Cats took down the mighty San Jose Sharks on Saturday night in a 3-2 overtime victory. Brian Allen scored the winner with just his fourth goal of the season. Unless the Panthers improve their play, they will be looking at a top five draft pick this spring as the Carolina Hurricanes appear to be moving on by.
23. Tampa Bay Lightning Record: 28-28-12 (+1 spot)
Last Week: 1-2-1
Steven Stamkos’ 17-game point scoring streak ended on Friday in a 3-2 win over the Washinton Capitals. Stamkos had recorded 17 goals and 33 points in the longest point streak in the Lightning’s franchise history.
24. Carolina Hurricanes (-2 spots)
Record: 28-32-8
Last Week: 1-1-1
Someone forgot to tell the Hurricanes that their season is over and they are due for a top five draft pick. After selling key pieces of their team at the deadline, the Hurricanes have continued their inspired play. They still have a looooong way to go to make it to the post-season, but they are 4-2-1 in the month of March and took down a much more talented Devils team last week.
25. Dallas Stars (-2 spots)
Record: 29-26-13
Last Week: 0-0-2
James Neal and Loui Eriksson lead the Stars with 25 goals apiece, a fact the Stars management must be thrilled about. Both drafted 33rd overall in the second round, Neal and Eriksson have lots of time left in this league – they both have more goals this season than their years on earth.
26. Atlanta Thrashers (-5 spots)
Record: 28-29-10
Last Week: 0-3-0
The Thrashers plummet down the rankings after a winless week of hockey. Once considered a playoff team, Atlanta is now 11th in the Eastern Conference and five points out of the eighth and final seed. They will need to jump over the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins for a chance to play the Washington Capitals in the first round.
27. Toronto Maple Leafs (+2 spots)
Record: 23-34-12
Last Week: 3-1-0
An infusion of youth has propelled the Leafs to new heights. This past week they recorded their first three-game winning streak of the season, beating the Bruins in a shootout, the Lightning in OT and the Oilers in regulation. Phil Kessel has recorded six points in his last four games and is on pace for 31 goals this season.
28. New York Islanders (-1 spots)
Record: 28-32-9
Last Week: 2-1-1
John Tavares 18 goals, 18 assists and -18 rating won’t be enough to win the Calder trophy this season. Matt Duchene is widening the gap between himself and Johnny T, with 23 goals and 24 assists. The Islanders have been thoroughly surprised by another youngster this season – Matt Moulson and his 25 goals.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets (-1 spots)
Record: 27-31-11
Last Week: 2-2-0
Rick Nash is on pace for 33 goals this season, which would be his lowest output since the 2006-07 season when he scored 27. Nash sits just five points ahead of Antoine Vermette for the team lead in points. He sure could use an offensive sparkplug like Nikita Filatov to fuel his production.
30. Edmonton Oilers (no movement)
Record: 21-40-7
Last Week: 0-2-1
The Oilers lost 6-4 to the Leafs on Saturday night in a battle between the NHL’s two worst teams. Edmonton has allowed 264 goals against this season, and have only scored 171 goals – they are worst in the league in both categories.
