Eight Teams to Win the 2014 Stanley Cup

Sean Clancy

          Alright, well first I'd like to get it out of the way that I'm already bitter about the playoffs because my bracket has already gone to shit. After going 8-0 in game 1, four of my eight picks went on to lose their series. The Avalanche weren't able to close their series out, the Red Wings looked good early against the Bruins but ultimately that was pretty stupid pick, the Blues (who I picked to win the Cup) played the exact same losing series they did last season, and the Sharks endured a monumental collapse of historical proportions. And ya know what, they deserve it for the hideous all-black uniforms they wore AGAIN in the playoffs. Four years we've had to tolerate that awful attire, and it might just take an embarrassing loss like this one to get them to change it.

          That being said, we've reached the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs! And which teams are still alive you ask? Well.. the same damn teams as usual. In fact, the remaining eight teams account for six of the last seven Stanley Cup champions, and just like last season, the last five Cup champs are still alive. I find it difficult to root for a lot of these teams because it's not exciting to watch the same few teams compete for the Stanley Cup so often. Here I'll be ranking the order in which I'd like to see each of the remaining teams win the Cup. As I write this intro now, I have no idea how this list will turn out. Journey with me and let's discover just how my mind works.

1. Montreal Canadiens
         

          Trust me, I'm just as Murican as this guy, but it's time for the Stanley Cup to go back to Canada. No Canadian team has won the Cup since Montreal in 1993. This year, the most successful and storied franchise in the league is the only Canadian team still alive, and they have a team that's built for a serious Cup run. Up front they have a great mixture of young players as well as players in their prime. Not to mention the veteran leadership of Brian Gionta and Daniel Briere. Their blue line is solid, highlighted by one of the most exciting players in the league, PK Subban. And finally, the Habs have Carey Price between the pipes, a guy who's really grown on me the past couple of seasons and I would venture to say is one of the best tenders in the league now. There isn't much to not like about the way this team is built.

          One of the things that excites me the most about the playoffs is the fanfare, and while the fans are pretty great in every city (except Philly, anybody else see the half-empty arena with 5 minutes left in game 6 a few nights ago?), it's on a different level when it comes to the Canadian cities. The Habs have a HUGE fan base and I can only imagine what that city would be like if this team made it to the Stanley Cup finals, with a chance to win it all for the first time in over twenty years. Hell, I might buy a George Parros t-shirt, a fake mustache, and a ticket to Montreal just to experience it all in person.

          Oh, and did anyone see their playoff intro? Color me a Habs fan.

I honestly do not understand how this is done with just lights.

2. Los Angeles Kings

           I know what you're thinking. "The Kings? They just won it a couple of season ago! Isn't that what you were just bitching about!?" Yes, it is what I was just bitching about. But there's things about the Kings that I like that take precedence over the fact that they've recently won the Cup. For starters, this is another hockey team built the right way. They're extremely good and extremely deep in all areas. Second, any team that can pull off a comeback from being down three games to none.. well there's only three other teams in the history of the league that have done it. Third, they're one of the few teams in the league that actually has really nice black jerseys. Fourth, coach Darryl Sutter is hilarious.
         

If your butterfly doesn't look like this, you should
be playing a different style.

          Probably the biggest reason I root for the Kings though is Jonathan Quick. For anybody that knows goaltending, anybody that's ever played the position before or studied it as closely as I have, Jonathan Quick is without a doubt the best goaltender in the league. I'm not talking about statistics here. Throw out the wins, the save percentages, the Veizna trophies and all that, because these are all things that are largely influenced by what team you play for (yes, even save percentage). Just by analyzing Quick's athleticism, the way he moves around the crease with such speed and precision, his lightning fast reactions, his aggressiveness and knowing when to use it, his perfectly sealed and unwavering butterfly, and his ability to anticipate plays, improvise saves, and scramble for the puck without losing an ounce of his focus and composure is what differentiates him from being just another good butterfly goalie in the league. His unique take on the butterfly style and ability to perform it so flawlessly and even divert away from it when he needs to is what makes him more than just your standard issue butterfly goalie. It's what makes him the best in the league right now, and he deserves all the success and recognition he can get.

3. Minnesota Wild

          Well, we've already gotten into the teams I don't really care to see win the Cup. Don't get me wrong, the Wild are a great franchise and Chuck Fletcher's done a great job of assembling a serious contender, I just don't think they're quite there yet. I don't think they deserve it yet. They don't have the goaltending and honestly I don't like that Matt Cooke is on this team, and it's bad enough his name is already on the Cup once.

200,000,000 dollars. But there is only. one. goal.

          But then again, there's a lot to be excited about with this team too. They've put together a dangerous group of forwards led by Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, and Jason Pominville, all guys who I would love to see win the Cup. On defense, Ryan Suter is flanked by a good group of defensemen all looking to make names for themselves in this league, and getting their name on the Cup would certainly help with that. Plus, Minnesota is an incredible hockey state, and their Wild have yet to win the Cup since they came into the league in 2000. A championship would be a lot of fun for Minnesota, but like I said, I'm not quite sure I'm ready to go all in on the Wild.

4. Boston Bruins
       
          Well by no surprise to anyone, the Boston Bruins are Cup contenders again. That's because the President's trophy winning team is, and has been for several years, the most complete team in the NHL. They have depth, balance, versatility, skill, determination, and a hundred other good qualities that a Stanley Cup team needs. They've made it to the finals in two of the last three seasons and for good reason; they've earned it.
         

It's Tuukka time.

          Jarome Iginla is getting up there in age, and it's about time he won the Stanley Cup. He's been a great player throughout his career and he's never had a better chance to make it all count than he does this year. Right behind Jonathan Quick for the top goalie in the league is Tuukka Rask, who is going to win the Vezina trophy this year. He is another goalie who deserves a lot of success in this league, and he's got a great chance to earn it with the Bruins. I really like everything about this team, but they've been to the Cup finals a couple times recently and they'll be there again in the near future. As much as I'd love to see Iginla win the Cup, I'm hoping they get knocked out this year in their series against the Canadiens.

5. Anaheim Ducks

          The Ducks won their first Stanley Cup seven seasons ago, and they look to have a strong chance of winning their second this year. They have one of the strongest offenses in the league, an interesting goaltending situation, and one of my favorite coaches in the league, Bruce Boudreau. It's a shame they're also just another team that wears ugly black jerseys, and, well, their goal horn sucks.

          The biggest story for the Ducks is Teemu Selanne, who is playing in his final season in the NHL. If it weren't for him winning the Stanley Cup with the Ducks back in 2007, this team would be much higher on this list. Unfortunately though, there's not much for me to be excited about when it comes to the Ducks.

Although, if Coach Boudreau can find reason to be
fired up, maybe I can too.

6. Chicago Blackhawks
         
          I'm all for dynasties, but is anyone else getting tired of the Chicago Blackhawks? This team has gotten more media coverage over the past few seasons than the Penguins, and that's saying something.

          Okay, to be fair, there are a lot of reasons to like a team like Chicago. For starters, they've easily been one of the most successful franchises in recent years, and that's because of their excellent management and coaching. Following their 2010 Stanley Cup win, a huge portion of the team was dismantled and re-constructed. I don't think I've ever seen a team change so much from one season to the next like the Blackhawks did that year (except maybe the Devils following the lockout-shortened 2013 season). The key though was that they kept their core players, Kane, Toews, Sharp, Hossa, Keith and Seabrook, in tact. A big reason why the Hawks have another chance to win the Cup this season is because all six of these players are still on the roster today. Even more impressive though is Stan Bowman's ability to put forth a team each season that is consistently deep and competitive. If it weren't for all the guys backing up Chicago's core six, they wouldn't be looking at the opportunity to capture their third Stanley Cup in five seasons.
         

"I'll give you an interesting story line!"
I don't care who wins the Cup this year, as long as this
image ends up in a frame and hung somewhere important.

          I'm genuinely excited by the prospect of a team being able to win consecutive Stanley Cups, especially in today's 30-team league which is more competitive than ever. It's even more exciting that this team plays in such a large market, because I've never seen anything like Chicago's Stanley Cup parade last year, which saw millions of people lining the streets to celebrate. But at the same time, because of the endless media coverage of this team and general lack of interesting story lines this year, I won't be disappointed at all when or if they are eliminated.

7. New York Rangers

          I'm still not sure what it is exactly that the Rangers are doing. They've traded away almost their entire first place 11-12 team, and what they've gotten in return is nothing to be excited about. The Rick Nash trade, which I still think was an awful move, has yet to pay any sort of dividends as he managed 39 points in the regular season and has zero goals to this point in the playoffs. Then the Rangers made what could possibly be the worst trade in years, giving up the heart and soul of their team, Ryan Callahan, along with a first round draft pick and a second round draft pick (with the possibility to become a first round pick depending on how far the Rangers go in the playoffs) for a 38 year old Marty St. Louis. In his first 19 games with the Blueshirts, St. Louis scored a goal.

          Ryan Callahan used to be the only thing that really excited me about this team, but now he, along with two incredibly valuable draft picks, are gone. It amazes me Glen Sather still has a job. He needs to stop trading away all of their depth players for stars. They need to focus on developing more than their top line, and work towards building a team that will be able to compete long term. The average life-span of the New York Ranger is far too short for them to ever be a consistent contender like the Blackhawks, Bruins, Kings, etc. Without guys like Callahan and Torterella, there doesn't seem to be much passion left on the Rangers. Alain Vigneault has done his best with an average-at-best roster, but ultimately the Rangers were a much better team two seasons ago. A Stanley Cup in New York would be huge, but because of the way the team is (mis)managed, I don't see them winning it in the near future, nor do they deserve it.

Miss me yet?

8. Pittsburgh Penguins
          Pittsburgh is a team that went to the Stanley Cup finals two seasons in a row several years back, prompting the NHL to make them the center of the hockey universe. Nobody in hockey other than the Penguins likes the Penguins.

If Paul Martin brings back this incredible flow, I'll
bump the Penguins up three spots.

          Don't get me wrong, they're a very good hockey team. Like the Blackhawks, they're a team that's managed to keep their core in tact which has led to consistent success. The reason I have the Penguins at number 8 on my list though is because I'm completely sick of them, their fans, and the media's obsession with them. We've seen Crosby and Malkin have their success and we've had this team shoved down our throats by the NHL for about five or six years now, and I don't know why. The Penguins are not the model hockey team. They've been inconsistent defensively over the last few years, especially in the playoffs, because they place such a heavy emphasis on offense. They're one of the dirtiest teams in the league, and they have the most biased commentators in all of sports. That bias has done nothing but create a fan base that thinks their team is the best in every aspect of everything, and always has been, and always will be. The last thing we need is for the Penguins to win another Cup and give these fools even more reason to not go away.

Sources: hockeyworldblog.com, Harry How/Getty Images, whitecovermag.com, Mark Garfinkel, AP Photos, notsportscenter.com, trlhockey.com, mnhockeyhub.com

2013 Power Rankings: Week 7

The streak is over, but the Blackhawks are still on top. The defending champ Kings continue their upward surge, meanwhile, Minnesota and Columbus find themselves in the top 16.

1/2/1/1/1/1/
1. Chicago Blackhawks . . . 21-2-3

12/8/3/2/2/2/
2. Anaheim Ducks . . . 18-3-3

5/7/4/4/3/4/
3. Boston Bruins . . . 16-3-3

10/6/7/5/5/5/
4. Pittsburgh Penguins . . . 18-8-0

8/5/14/8/4/3/
5. Montreal Canadiens . . . 17-5-4

23/27/28/23/15/12/
6. Los Angeles Kings . . . 13-8-2

14/21/16/11/12/7/
7. Carolina Hurricanes . . . 14-9-1

9/11/13/17/9/8/
8. Ottawa Senators . . . 13-8-4

16/16/22/19/23/18/
9. Minnesota Wild . . . 13-9-2

24/18/10/9/11/9/
10. Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 15-10-1

20/14/8/15/10/13/
11. Detroit Red Wings . . . 12-9-5

17/12/11/10/17/16/
12. New York Rangers . . . 13-9-2

3/4/9/6/7/11/
13. St. Louis Blues . . . 13-10-2

19/10/5/7/6/6/
14. Vancouver Canucks . . . 11-7-6

28/26/30/30/30/29/
15. Columbus Blue Jackets . . . 10-12-4

11/24/15/13/13/10/
16. Dallas Stars . . . 12-10-2

29/19/17/14/16/14/
17. Phoenix Coyotes . . . 12-10-3

6/9/2/3/8/15/
18. New Jersey Devils . . . 12-9-5

7/22/23/19/25/22/
19. Winnipeg Jets . . . 12-11-2

2/1/6/16/21/17/
20. San Jose Sharks . . . 11-7-6

15/15/24/26/26/24/
21. Colorado Avalanche . . . 10-10-4

21/20/18/12/18/21/
22. Nashville Predators . . . 10-9-6

13/13/19/22/27/27/
23. New York Islanders . . . 11-12-3

18/17/20/20/22/23/
24. Edmonton Oilers . . . 9-11-5

25/25/21/24/19/19/
25. Philadelphia Flyers . . . 12-14-1

27/30/27/28/24/25/
26. Washington Capitals . . . 10-13-1

26/28/25/21/20/20/
27. Calgary Flames . . . 9-10-4

4/3/12/18/14/26/
28. Tampa Bay Lightning . . . 10-14-1

22/23/26/27/29/28/
29. Buffalo Sabres . . . 9-14-3

30/29/29/25/28/30/
30. Florida Panthers . . . 7-13-6

So that's it for week 7. Disagree with my list? Think your team is ranked too low? Leave a comment and let me know why! Be sure to check back in net week to see the updated rankings.

2013 Power Rankings: Week 6

Six weeks, and still zero losses for Chicago. Meanwhile, Montreal and Anaheim continue to surprise, as the Devils and Lightning begin to plummet. 

1/2/1/1/1/1. Chicago Blackhawks . . . 19-0-3

12/8/3/2/2/2. Anaheim Ducks . . . 15-3-2

8/5/14/8/4/3. Montreal Canadiens . . . 14-4-4

5/7/4/4/3/4. Boston Bruins . . . 14-3-2

10/6/7/5/5/5. Pittsburgh Penguins . . . 14-8-0

19/10/5/7/6/6. Vancouver Canucks . . . 11-6-4

14/21/16/11/12/7. Carolina Hurricanes . . . 12-8-1

9/11/13/17/9/8. Ottawa Senators . . . 12-7-4

24/18/10/9/11/9. Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 13-9-0

11/24/15/13/13/10. Dallas Stars . . . 11-9-2

3/4/9/6/7/11. St. Louis Blues . . . 11-8-2

23/27/28/23/15/12. Los Angeles Kings . . . 10-7-2

20/14/8/15/10/13. Detroit Red Wings . . . 10-8-4

29/19/17/14/16/14. Phoenix Coyotes . . . 10-8-3

6/9/2/3/8/15. New Jersey Devils . . . 10-6-5

17/12/11/10/17/16. New York Rangers . . . 10-8-2

2/1/6/16/21/17. San Jose Sharks . . . 10-6-4

16/16/22/19/23/18. Minnesota Wild . . . 11-8-2

25/25/21/24/19/19. Philadelphia Flyers . . . 11-11-1

26/28/25/21/20/20. Calgary Flames . . . 8-8-4

21/20/18/12/18/21. Nashville Predators . . . 9-8-5

7/22/23/19/25/22. Winnipeg Jets . . . 10-10-1

18/17/20/20/22/23. Edmonton Oilers . . . 8-9-4

15/15/24/26/26/24. Colorado Avalanche . . . 8-8-4

27/30/27/28/24/25. Washington Capitals . . . 8-11-1

4/3/12/18/14/26. Tampa Bay Lightning . . . 9-11-1

13/13/19/22/27/27. New York Islanders . . . 9-11-2

22/23/26/27/29/28. Buffalo Sabres . . . 9-12-2

28/26/30/30/30/29. Columbus Blue Jackets . . . 6-12-4

30/29/29/25/28/30. Florida Panthers . . . 6-11-5

So that's it for week 6. Disagree with my list? Think your team is ranked too low? Leave a comment and let me know why! Be sure to check back in next week to see the updated rankings.

2013 Power Rankings: Week 5

Five weeks in the books, and still no Blackhawks loss. Enjoy the power rankings! First one's a shocker.

1/2/1/1/1. Chicago Blackhawks . . . 15-0-3

12/8/3/2/2. Anaheim Ducks . . . 13-2-1

5/7/4/4/3. Boston Bruins . . . 11-2-2

8/5/14/8/4. Montreal Canadiens . . . 12-4-2

10/6/7/5/5. Pittsburgh Penguins . . . 13-6-0

19/10/5/7/6. Vancouver Canucks . . . 10-4-4

3/4/9/6/7. St. Louis Blues . . . 10-6-2

6/9/2/3/8. New Jersey Devils . . . 10-5-4

9/11/13/17/9. Ottawa Senators . . . 11-6-2

20/14/8/15/10. Detroit Red Wings . . . 9-7-3

24/18/10/9/11. Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 11-8-0

14/21/16/11/12. Carolina Hurricanes . . . 9-7-1

11/24/15/13/13. Dallas Stars . . . 9-8-1

4/3/12/18/14. Tampa Bay Lightning . . . 9-8-1

23/27/28/23/15. Los Angeles Kings . . . 8-6-2

29/19/17/14/16. Phoenix Coyotes . . . 8-7-3

17/12/11/10/17. New York Rangers . . . 8-7-2

21/20/18/12/18. Nashville Predators . . . 8-6-5

25/25/21/24/19. Philadelphia Flyers . . . 9-10-1

26/28/25/21/20. Calgary Flames . . . 7-7-3

2/1/6/16/21. San Jose Sharks . . . 8-6-3

18/17/20/20/22. Edmonton Oilers . . . 7-7-3

16/16/22/19/23. Minnesota Wild . . . 8-7-2

27/30/27/28/24. Washington Capitals . . . 6-10-1

7/22/23/29/25. Winnipeg Jets . . . 8-9-1

15/15/24/26/26. Colorado Avalanche . . . 7-8-2

13/13/19/22/27. New York Islanders . . . 8-10-1

30/29/29/25/28. Florida Panthers . . . 5-9-4

22/23/26/27/29. Buffalo Sabres . . . 6-12-1

28/26/30/30/30. Columbus Blue Jackets . . . 5-12-2

So that's it for week 5. Disagree with my list? Think your team is ranked too low? Leave a comment and let me know why! Be sure to check back in next week and see the updated standings.

End of an Era in Buffalo: Lindy Ruff Fired

The big news today is that the longest tenured coach in the National Hockey League finally got the axe on Wednesday. After sixteen years behind the Buffalo Sabres bench, Lindy Ruff was relieved of his duties. The past few seasons haven't been all that good to Buffalo. Despite some of the talent on the Sabres over the past five seasons, they've only made the playoffs twice, and didn't make it past the first round either time. Now, with the team sitting at 13th in the conference, sporting a poor 6-10-1 record, it's clear that changes needed to be made.

Above: Lindy Ruff's reaction to learning he's been fired.
"And.. Todd Ricahrds hasn't been?"

General manager Darcy Regier made the tough decision to part ways with Ruff, who has coached the Sabres since 1997. Lindy Ruff has had tremendous success with Buffalo, however, has never been able to lead the team to a cup, even when they were the best team in the league at times. Now, the team is struggling to make the playoffs more often than not, and it seems as if Ruff's touch with the franchise has finally worn off.  A coaching change seems to be the best option for Buffalo to get back on track at this point, especially with a shortened season. 

"Hey ref! **** you ******* **** ****** with
 ******* ******* **** and a ***** **** sideways!"

My initial reaction to Ruff's dismissal was that it seemed rash to fire a successful coach of sixteen years based on a poor seventeen game stretch. It reminded me of the Capitals firing Bruce Boudreau (the fat guy on HBO's 24/7 that cursed a lot) because of a weak stretch of games (or his colorful vocabulary). Either way, firing good ol' Bruce was one of the worst moves that any team has made in recent memory. Boudreau, who's team started the 11-12 season with a record of 7-0, was fired in late November of that same season after a stretch that saw them win just 3 of 11 games. Despite the fact that the team was still in playoff position with a record of 12-9-1, general manager George McPhee fired Boudreau on the basis that "the team wasn't winning, obviously, and this wasn't a slump". Excuse me, Mr. McPhee, but after four straight division titles and a 7-0 start to his fifth season, a stretch of 3-7-1 would be the exact definition of a "slump". And not even a very bad one! Yet it was reason enough for McPhee to order Boudreau to take his winning ways to Anaheim, where his Ducks have compiled a 12-2-1 record so far this season. 

I want to tell you all a story to kind of illustrate why I like the move by Regier of not wasting any time  and shaking things up early this season:

The big bad John MacLean coaches his team into oblivion.

Once upon a time, in the 10-11 season, the New Jersey Devils introduced John MacLean as the new head coach. Right away, the nasty old coach began implementing a more offensive-minded approach to a team whose success has been based off their defensive systems. Since the start of the season, the team was stuck in dead last place, a dark and scary position. A coaching change wasn't made until December 23, but by then, the scared little Devils were trailing far behind the nice, safe top 8. They brought back a big, strong, handsome coach named Jacques Lemaire, and he turned the team around by focusing on defense first, a concept the players were familiar with. They became the hottest team in the league and began to surge up the standings, but weren't able to crack a playoff spot by season's end. However, had there been another couple weeks for the Devils to work with, I doubt there's anyone who doesn't believe they would have found themselves safe in the top 8. The end!

The moral of the story is that everyone would have lived happily ever after had the Devils not waited until the third month of the season to make a much-needed coaching change. That's why I like the fact that the Sabres didn't waste any time letting themselves get stuck too far behind the competition before changing coaches. They've struggled in recent years, and Ruff doesn't seem to have been able to get things going again. Getting a fresh face in there to shake things up might be what Buffalo needs to get themselves back in playoff position.

Lindy Ruff finished his tenure with the Sabres with 1,165 games coached, 571 wins, 4 conference finals appearances, 2 division titles, 1 President's Trophy, 1 Stanley Cup final appearance, and a Jack Adams award for coach of the year. He'll be replaced by Ron Rolston, coach of the team's AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Congratulations to Lindy Ruff on a long and successful stint with the Sabres, and best of luck to him in the future. My guess is his next stop will be in Colorado. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comment section below.

Photo credits: blogs.thescore.com, AP Photo, getrealhockey.blogspot.com, thesportsbuff.com

2013 Power Rankings: Week 4

It may not seem like it, but a month has come and gone in this hockey season, which is already 1/3 done with. Nobody could have predicted the directions that some of these teams have taken, nor the positions a lot of them are in now. Here are the power rankings for the end of week 4. The first three numbers indicate previous week's rankings.

1/2/1/1. Chicago Blackhawks . . . 12-0-3
The Hawks are 1 win away from tying the record for best start in league history. If that's not deserving of the top spot again, I don't know what is.

12/8/3/2. Anaheim Ducks . . . 11-2-1
The Ducks have been almost unbeatable themselves, having lost only once over the course of their last 8 games. They cleaned up well on a recent road trip, winning 5 of 6 games away from the Pond. 42 year old Teemu Selanne leads the team in points, while in net, rookie sensation Viktor Fasth is undefeated.

6/9/2/3. New Jersey Devils . . . 9-3-3
New Jersey only picked up 1 win this week, but still find themselves in great position. Age clearly has not caught up with the tandem in net, and up front, Elias, Clarkson and Kovalchuk are still putting up point-per-game numbers. The schedule gets considerably lighter in the coming days for the Devils.

5/7/4/4. Boston Bruins . . . 9-2-2
Boston only had 1 win last week, but are still winning far more often than losing. What's been most impressive about this team is their penalty kill, which is operating at a mind-blowing 94.1%.

10/6/7/5. Pittsburgh Penguins . . . 11-5-0
Since those 2 straight losses to New Jersey, the Penguins have won 3 in a row. They've got one of the best powerplays in the league, and Crosby is now just 1 point behind Thomas Vanek for the NHL lead.

3/4/9/6. St. Louis Blues . . . 9-5-1
The ship appears to have been righted for the Blues after a 5 game losing streak. They've won 3 in a row and are still the most balanced team in the league. Proof? Their 2nd highest point scorer only has 1 goal, while their leading goal scorer is 10th on the team in terms of points.

19/10/5/7. Vancouver Canucks . . . 8-3-3
Vancouver lost a couple close ones last week, but still has points in 8 of their last 9 games. Ryan Kesler returned to the lineup, and already has a goal and an assist in 2 games. Roberto Luongo's been excellent between the pipes.

8/5/14/8. Montreal Canadiens . . . 9-4-1
Montreal's out to prove that the 6-0 loss to Toronto was just a fluke. After going 3-0 last week, I'd say they're doing a good job of that. Lots of players have stepped up offensively, and Carey Price has been the bright spot of this team.

24/18/10/9. Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 9-6-0
They've got wins in 5 of their last 6 games including 2 shutouts against division rivals. Toronto's been one of the best teams in the league lately thanks to balanced offensive contributions and consistent goaltending from a relatively inexperienced tandem. Still, the poor special teams may be cause for some concern.

17/12/11/10. New York Rangers . . . 8-5-1
The Blueshirts have points in each of their last 5 games. They haven't been scoring a lot of goals, but they're not giving them up either. Everything's clicking on this team except for their league-worst powerplay.

14/21/16/11. Carolina Hurricanes . . . 8-4-1
3 wins last week for one of the best offensive teams in the league. The negatives for this team are Cam Ward's struggles in net and an awful penalty kill. 29th in the league. However, they're still averaging the most shots per game in the league.

21/20/18/12. Nashville Predators . . . 7-3-5
The Predators picked up points in all 3 of their games last week, including two shutout wins. Pekka Rinne's brilliance has the worst offensive team in the NHL in playoff position.

11/24/15/13. Dallas Stars . . . 8-7-1
The Stars have been playing well lately, but don't seem to have an answer to the Flames. Two losses to them last week. Luckily, they only have to play them 1 more time this season. Jaromir Jagr leads the way for a balanced group of forwards.

29/19/17/14. Phoenix Coyotes . . . 7-6-2
Phoenix won 2 of 3 games last week and have points in 8 of their last 10 games. Nobody's been stealing the show offensively, but small contributions from all over the line-up have been providing the Yotes enough goals to remain in the playoff race.

20/14/8/15. Detroit Red Wings . . . 7-6-2
Only 1 point in 6 games last week. Detroit's not been scoring many goals past their top 6, and poor special teams have been hurting them lately.

2/1/6/16. San Jose Sharks . . . 7-4-3
After winning their first 7 games of the season, the Sharks are winless in all 7 of their games in February. The lack of depth in San Jose has resulted in just 3 goals for the bottom 6 forwards. Not good at all.

9/11/13/17. Ottawa Senators . . . 7-6-2
Ottawa's only got 2 wins in February, goal-scoring is quickly becoming an issue, and they just lost Erik Karlsson AND Jason Spezza likely for the season. Despite Craig Anderson's Vezina-worthy play, it's safe to say this team is in trouble.

4/3/12/18. Tampa Bay Lightning . . . 7-6-1
Tampa picked up just their second win of the month on Saturday. They're still very dangerous offensively, but the problem has been defense. This team's allowed at least 3 goals in each of their last 5 games.

16/16/22/19. Minnesota Wild . . . 7-6-2
The Wild went 2-1-1 last week. They've been finding ways to win games, but they're having problems scoring goals. 29th in the league when it comes to goals per game.

18/17/20/20. Edmonton Oilers . . . 6-5-3
The Oilers earned their first two wins of the month last week, but still struggle to find consistency. The lack of depth scoring continues to be the worst aspect of this team, and it's why they're dead last in 5v5 goal differential.

26/28/25/21. Calgary Flames . . . 5-5-3
These guys got points in 3 of 4 games last week, including two huge wins against Dallas. The problem has been keeping the puck out of the net in Calgary, and Jarome Iginla's slow start. Despite Iginla only having 1 goal this season, balanced scoring around the rest of the lineup has been producing enough goals for Calgary to earn points.

13/13/19/22. New York Islanders . . . 6-7-1
Two straight wins for Long Island against division rivals including a hat trick for John Tavares to snap a 5 game losing streak. Defensively the Isles have struggled, but they have some of the strongest special teams in the league so far.

23/27/28/23. Los Angeles Kings . . . 5-6-2
The Stanley Cup champs won 2 of 3 last week but weren't able to snap the Blackhawk's undefeated streak. They've improved defensively, but are still looking like the offensively challenged Kings of last season.

25/25/21/24. Philadelphia Flyers . . . 6-9-1
Only 1 win in 4 games to start their 6 game road trip. To put it simply, Philly's been average at best at all aspects of the game. Claude Giroux's slow start is hurting the team.

30/29/29/25. Florida Panthers . . . 4-6-4
Well the good news for Florida is that they have points in 6 of 7 games in February. The bad news is they only have 2 wins in that time. The worse news is that they have the worst goals against average in the league.  Similar to last season, the overtime/shootout losses are beginning to pile up again. It worked for them last season, but the Southeast division is stronger this time around.

15/15/24/26. Colorado Avalanche . . . 5-7-1
A 1-1-1 record last week isn't helping the Avalanche out of the early hole they've dug themselves into. Semyon Varlamov isn't quite the goalie he was in the KHL, but then again, he hasn't had much help.

22/23/26/27. Buffalo Sabres . . . 6-9-1
Only 1 win last week for a Buffalo team that can't seem to find its rhythm. The offense, led by Thomas Vanek, is still top 10 in the league. Ryan Miller's played well in net too. The problem is the defense, which allows 33.8 shots against per game. That's the highest in the league.

27/30/27/28. Washington Capitals . . . 5-9-1
A 3 game winning streak for the Caps was snapped on Sunday by the Rangers. Struggles defensively continue to plague a team that's got one of the best powerplays in the league. The lone two games on the schedule this week are two huge home games against the Devils.

7/22/23/29. Winnipeg Jets . . . 5-8-1
The Jets lost all 3 games last week and have the worst penalty kill in the league. A number of their players continue to under-perform and the goalies have been shaky.

28/26/30/30. Columbus Blue Jackets . . . 4-9-2
The Blue Jackets are only picking up 1 win a week and as a result, have the fewest points in the league. Nobody on the team is having any kind of breakout year, and the only decent aspect of this team is the penalty kill. Things aren't looking good.


So that's it for week 4. Disagree with my list? Think your team is ranked too low? Leave a comment and let me know why. Be sure to check back in next week and check the updated rankings.

How NHL Realignment Should Be Done

Ever since the Atlanta Thrashers became yet another one of commissioner Gary Bettman's failures a couple years ago and moved to Winnipeg, there's been a bit of a problem. The NHL never bothered to realign the conferences/divisions, and as a result, the Winnipeg Jets (located up in there Canada eh) have been playing in the Thrashers' old Southeast division with the likes of the Florida Panthers. Think for a moment about how idiotic that is. The Winnipeg Jets have been playing in the same division as the Florida Panthers for two seasons. In a league where the divisions are geographically organized, this makes no sense. Let me give you a list of all the NHL teams that are in closer proximity to the Jets than the Panthers are:

• All of them

"I got 99 problems, and misplaced teams are 30 of them."

It's pretty evident that the NHL needs to do something, and in fact, they are! Talks have begun over the last couple days, and the NHL anticipates having a realignment plan in place over the next few weeks. Yeah, they said that about the CBA too..

Actually, the NHL presented a realignment proposal a little over a year ago that was rejected by the Players Association on the basis that it made no sense. Since then, the topic hasn't been brought up again, until a few days ago. The problem with the old proposal was not the league's lack of good ideas, but the horrible execution of those ideas. See, the NHL had proposed a four-conference alignment with a whole new playoff format. The good ideas here are the time-zone friendly alignment, which has potential to embrace current rivalries and breed new ones. The bad execution of those ideas are a questionable playoff format, a poorly structured regular season schedule, and the fact that the two Florida teams play in the same division as the Bruins, Canadiens, Sabres, Maple Leafs, and Senators. I thought the point of realignment was to make the divisions more geographically sound, not screw them up even more. Below is the NHL's proposal.

Why in the world are Tampa and Florida in that division? Whenever the line connecting
divisional teams has to dodge other teams (Toronto to Tampa), there's clearly a problem.

Aside from the obvious geographic problem above, there remains problems with the regular season scheduling. Basically, since some conferences have 7 teams and some have 8, the only way to have a "fair" schedule (same amount of in-conference games for each team) is for every team to have to play 86 games rather than the standard 82. And it's a pain in the bum trying to do the math to figure how they came up with it. The day the ridiculous scheduling format is put into place is the day I take the time to actually explain it. But no matter how you slice it, there's no way to divide 30 teams up evenly amongst 4 conferences. Inevitably, the regular season schedule format is going to be confusing should the NHL choose to take the 4 conference route, which I'm actually in favor of. Another issue is the NHL proposes that the top 4 teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs, and the match-ups are 1v4 and 2v3 in all 4 conferences. Eventually, you have 4 conference champions who are then seeded and battle for the Stanley Cup. The problems with this are that all the conference rivalries will be done by the end of the second round, and conferences that have a lot of top teams one year will see some of the better teams in the league eliminated more quickly. 

Now, I like the four conference idea, however, I prefer them to be called divisions. I still think two of the divisions should be considered the "Eastern Conference" and two considered the "Western Conference", for playoff purposes. I'm going to present my alignment idea for the 30 team league we have today, and I'll likely do another post in the near future covering relocation of teams and expansion of the league, which will include a new realignment plan. But for now, here's the current 30 teams:

Basically, this is the most time-zone friendly and geographically sensible alignment.Yes, I realize the Pittsburgh Penguins are not in the same division as any of their rivals, and no, I don't care. The division they'd like to be in already has 8 teams, and the only solution is a drastic change in the alignment. Which, to be honest, is probably how the NHL arrived at their stupid "Florida in the Northeast" idea. I don't pander to the Penguins like the NHL does, and this is how the alignment should look. Besides, it's not like Pittsburgh will never play the Flyers and Capitals again. Plus, what's wrong with a Pittsburgh-Detroit rivalry? Didn't they play each other in the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row not too long ago? Or a Pittsburgh-Buffalo rivalry? Didn't they play each other in the first winter classic back when the NHL didn't make it a habit of cancelling their marquee events? So to everyone bitching that the Penguins aren't getting what they want, pipe down. Pittsburgh should have never been in the "Atlantic" division in the first place. 

Regular season: I offer a slightly simpler solution than the NHL, but still unavoidably confusing:

• 7 team divisions:
• 6 games against division teams (6 teams*6 games=36 games)
• 2 games against all non-division teams (23 teams*2 games=46 games)
• 36 games+46 games=82 games.
• 8 team divisions:
• 5 games against division teams (7 teams*5games=35 games)
• 2 games against all non-division teams (22 teams*2games=44 games)
• 35 games+44 games=79 games
• An extra game will be played against 3 division teams, rotating yearly, for a total of 82 games.

Playoffs:

• Top 4 teams in each division qualify (8 from East, 8 from West). Those 8 teams are then seeded 1-8, and the playoff structure as we know it commences. 
• This allows for a wider range of playoff match-ups, as well as the possibility of two rival teams playing for the chance to go to the Cup Finals (Devils-Rangers last season, which wouldn't be possible under the NHL's proposed playoff format). 

This is the unequivocally best way to go about the realignment process. It builds on the NHL's four conference/division idea, while actually executing it in a way that makes sense and doesn't damage the integrity of the game. There's going to be a lot of realignment news over the next couple weeks, because it seems they're really pushing it now. Expect whatever the league settles on to go into effect for the 13-14 season, because I can't imagine the Jets playing in the Southeast division for another season. It seems a bit complicated at first, and there's a lot of consideration to be put into realigning a national sports league, but I believe this is the most efficient way to go about it. 

Or, maybe they'll just keep 6 divisions and move Detroit to the Eastern Conference.

Who says realignment is complicated?

Photo credits: blogs.edmontonjournal.com, tomfulery.com, bleacherreport.com

2013 Power Rankings: Week 3

A crazy week in the NHL is done, and without any hesitation, here are the updated power rankings coming out of week number three.

1/2/1. Chicago Blackhawks . . . 10-0-2
Chicago remains undefeated in regulation after picking up 3 more wins last week. One of those wins was against the Sharks, who were last week's rankings leader. The red-hot Corey Crawford picked up his first shutout of the season on Sunday.

6/9/2. New Jersey Devils . . . 8-1-3
The Devils are riding a 5 game winning streak that's seen them beat a few division rivals, the offensive powerhouse Lightning, and the previously conference-leading Penguins in back-to-back games. David Clarkson is out to prove last year's 30 goals wasn't a fluke. Thomas Vanek is the only player who's lit the lamp more than him this season.

12/8/3. Anaheim Ducks . . . 8-2-1
With points in 7 of their last 8 games, the Ducks are showing that they can compete with any team in the league. Over that stretch, they've picked up 3 out of a possible 4 points against San Jose, as well as beaten St. Louis and the defending cup champs. Rookie goalie Viktor Fasth is a perfect 5-0 so far. Teemu Selanne doesn't age.

5/7/4. Boston Bruins . . . 8-1-1
Boston's been solid since their shaky game against Buffalo. Due to a cancelled game, they only played 2 games last week, but picked up wins in both. Their powerplay hasn't been very good at all, but their penalty kill, operating at 92.9%, is tied with Chicago for best in the league.

19/10/5. Vancouver Canucks . . . 7-2-2
The Canucks continue their rapid ascent back to the top. They're also riding a 5 game winning streak and have one of the top three goalie tandems in the league right now. If these guys can get their special teams going, they may be on their way to a third straight President's trophy.

2/1/6. San Jose Sharks . . . 7-2-2
After winning their first 7 games, the Sharks have lost their last 4, only collecting 2 points in that span. Marleau's once incredible offensive dominance has slowed to a halt. However, the defense and goaltending have been superb. This team still has the pieces to remain a top contender in the conference.

10/6/7. Pittsburgh Penguins . . . 8-5-0
Pittsburgh's huge 5 game winning streak came to an end over the weekend with 2 losses to New Jersey. Expect this talented group to get back on track with a much lighter schedule over the next couple weeks.

20/14/8. Detroit Red Wings . . . 7-4-1
Detroit is stabilizing themselves after a slow start. They won 3 of their 4 games last week. Their special teams have been awful, yet they've been sustained by their consistent 5 on 5 play. Zetterberg and Datsyuk have taken charge offensively, combining for 10 goals and each averaging more than a point per game.

3/4/9. St. Louis Blues . . . 6-4-1
Keeping the puck out of the net has quickly become a problem for St. Louis, and as a result, they've dropped 4 straight games, managing only 1 point. However, this is a balanced team that's been deadly on the powerplay. 36.6% this season.

24/18/10. Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 7-5-0
Toronto's won 5 of their last 7 games and are currently enjoying a 3 game win streak. Their last game was a huge 6-0 win over the division rival Canadiens. Phil Kessel looks to finally be getting going, and the goalies are doing a good job of holding down the fort.

17/12/11. New York Rangers . . . 6-5-0
The Rangers won 2 out of 3 last week, and are slowly beginning to look like the Eastern Conference finalists of last season. Depth contributions have been key, and Lundqvist is returning to form in net. The biggest problem for this team has been the powerplay. 29th in the league won't cut it for much longer.

4/3/12. Tampa Bay Lightning . . . 6-5-0
Four regulation losses has certainly slowed these guys down, yet they still lead their division. Their top forward lines have been producing goals at an alarming rate. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the lowest they're ranked all season.

9/11/13. Ottawa Senators . . . 6-4-2
In 3 games last week, Ottawa collected 3 points and remains near the top of the conference standings. They've only scored 7 goals in their last 5 games though. Exceptional goaltending and strong special teams are what's keeping this team afloat.

8/5/14. Montreal Canadiens . . . 6-4-1
Montreal lost all 3 of their games last week, all of them against division rivals. They've showed their flashes of brilliance this season, but are slipping from a good team to an average team. Perhaps upcoming games outside their division will turn things around for the Canadiens.

11/24/15. Dallas Stars . . . 6-5-1
The Stars' offense still hasn't gotten it going yet, but the team did win all 3 of their games last week. Jamie Benn's been a huge contributor since he re-signed with the team, and Jaromir Jagr leads the team in points at age 40.

14/21/16. Carolina Hurricanes . . . 5-4-1
5 out of a possible 6 points last week for the team that averages the most shots per game in the league. They've improved their special teams and are scoring goals at an acceptable rate. If the Hurricanes can improve defensively, they'll be in the playoff hunt right down to the end of the season.

29/19/17. Phoenix Coyotes . . . 5-5-2
The Coyotes have shut out San Jose and Dallas so far this month, and have been much better than the first week. As long as they have good balance and can keep the puck out of their net, expect this team to win a lot of low-scoring games.

21/20/18. Nashville Predators . . . 5-3-4
Nashville played well last week, but weren't able to crack the mighty Blackhawks. However, they did blow St. Louis out 6-1 and shutout the Kings. The Predators have been finding ways to get points, but with a league-worst 1.83 goals per game, that may not last unless they can bury the biscuit more frequently.

13/13/19. New York Islanders . . . 4-6-1
The Islanders started off strong but have since lost 4 in a row. They only have 1 win at home and the schedule doesn't get any easier there. The good news is they have a strong offensive group and the addition of Lubomir Visnovsky on defense should help at both ends of the ice.

18/17/20. Edmonton Oilers . . . 5-4-3
Edmonton snapped a 5 game losing streak with a win over Columbus on Sunday. They did pick up points in 3 of the 5 losses, but these guys need to start ending more games in regulation if they hope to make the playoffs. The biggest problem for the Oilers has been depth scoring which has been non-existent past their top 6 offensive contributors.

25/25/21. Philadelphia Flyers . . . 5-6-1
Philly's gotten points in 4 of their 5 games in February thus far, and have put together some good team efforts. Their offensive output has increased slightly, but still has a ways to go to match the kind of force it's been the past couple seasons.

16/16/22. Minnesota Wild . . . 5-5-1 
Minnesota ended a 3 game losing streak on Saturday with an overtime win against Nashville. The offense has  slowed down considerably for this team. They haven't played well 5 on 5, however, their penalty kill is among the best in the league.

7/22/23. Winnipeg Jets . . . 5-5-1
The Jets have been losing more than they've been winning lately, but they did manage to pick up 2 wins in 3 games last week. They still haven't figured out their penalty kill, and Tobias Enstrom is still the leading scorer for this team.

15/15/24. Colorado Avalanche . . . 4-6-0
Only 2 games on the schedule for the Avalanche last week, and they lost them both. Their powerplay has dropped to dead last in the league. Good news is they have one of the easier schedules for the remainder of the month of February.

26/28/25. Calgary Flames . . . 3-4-2
They looked good in their 2 wins last week but then got wiped by Vancouver 5-1. They have one of the best powerplays in the league and are 1 of only 2 teams that is undefeated when outshot. The other is Chicago.

22/23/26. Buffalo Sabres . . . 5-7-1
The Sabres won 2 out of 4 last week and continue to struggle defensively. If it weren't for Vanek's 11 goals in 12 games, Buffalo would be in terrible shape. There's a lot to fix, but I still believe this team can contend for a playoff spot.

27/30/27. Washington Capitals . . . 3-8-1
The offense hasn't been too bad for the Caps, and Ovechkin's gotten himself going a bit. Only 1 win last week, but it was a big one. The team finally exploded for 5 goals on Saturday, and Braden Holtby picked up his first shutout of the season.

23/27/28. Los Angeles Kings . . . 3-5-2
The defending cup champs only won 1 of their 3 games last week and Jonathan Quick continues to struggle in net. A number of under-achieving forwards are putting the Kings out of the playoff race early. They're only 1 goal above last place in terms of goal scoring.

30/29/29. Florida Panthers . . . 4-6-1
Florida was on a 4 game point streak up until a 5-0 loss to Washington on Saturday. Things were improving for Florida, but not much. After that loss to Washington, they're dead last in the league in goals against per game and are the worst team 5 on 5.

28/26/30. Columbus Blue Jackets . . . 3-7-2
Only 1 point in 3 losing efforts for the Jackets last week. Goals have been extremely hard to come by for Columbus. At -15, Columbus has the worst goal differential in the league.


So that's it for week three. Disagree with my list? Think your team is ranked too low? Leave a comment and let me know why. Be sure to check back in next week and see the updated rankings.

2013 Power Rankings: Week 2

Another awesome week in the NHL is done. There were lots of surprises, turn-arounds, and significant jumps in the rankings. The first number (smaller one) indicated the team's previous ranking, while the bigger number is this week's ranking. Enjoy.

2/ 1. San Jose Sharks . . . 7-0-1
Still no regulation losses for a team that's just barely edging out the Blackhawks for first place. The difference here is San Jose's commanding +16 goal differential. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau continue to lead the way on this team, with Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture not far behind.

1/ 2. Chicago Blackhawks . . . 7-0-2
With points in all nine of their games so far this season, Chicago is well deserving of the top spot, if not for San Jose's dominance thusfar. These two teams have a match-up this week which should help clarify who the number 1 position truly belongs to.

4/ 3. Tampa Bay Lightning . . . 6-2-0
If Tampa's offense doesn't scare the shit out of you, then the only explanation is you probably don't have any shit in you. 15 goals in 3 games this week for 39 on the year so far. The closest team to them is still 8 goals behind.

3/ 4. St. Louis Blues . . . 6-2-0
Rookie Vladimir Tarasenko continues to lead this unbelievably balanced team, whose only losses have come against Chicago and Detroit so far. Bonus points for Wade Redden having just as many goals as Ovechkin.

8/ 5. Montreal Canadiens . . . 6-2-0
This team's been a big surprise so far. After finishing last in the conference last season, Montreal's out to a terrific start. Only one loss since their defeat opening night. If you look up the word "solid" in the dictionary, it'll probably say "see Carey Price".

10/ 6. Pittsburgh Penguins . . 6-3-0
After a tough loss to the Islanders, the Pens picked up 3 convincing wins over rival teams. The new faces in Pittsburgh are fitting in well, and their contributions have been huge. Fleury's been good in net, but Vokoun has been even better.

5/ 7. Boston Bruins . . . 6-1-1
Boston's been almost unbeatable until a 7-4 breakdown against Buffalo and narrowly edging out Toronto on Saturday. Still, 6 wins in 8 games is pretty impressive. Overall, this team's been great, but there's a few that have been just a little better recently.

12/ 8. Anaheim Ducks . . . 5-1-1
Things are coming together in Anaheim. Their forwards are getting going and as a result, the Ducks have points in each of their last four games. The team's record speaks for itself.

6/ 9. New Jersey Devils . . . 4-1-3
Devils fans will say only 1 regulation loss in 8 games. Most anyone else would say only 4 wins in 8 games. Even though the team's been losing more than other top 10 teams, they've been picking up points in their losses. After giving up 10 goals in 2 games, New Jersey cleaned up with a 3-0 win Sunday.

19/ 10. Vancouver Canucks . . . 4-2-2
The scoring's been off to a slow start for Vancouver, but that's okay, because Luongo has re-emerged as Vancouver's number 1 goalie. His 1.46 GAA is second only to Craig Anderson. In their last game, Vancouver took down the mighty Chicago Blackhawks.

9/ 11. Ottawa Senators . . . 5-3-1
Lots of players have stepped up and played really well for Ottawa, especially Kyle Turris, whose racked up 8 points in 9 games. The story of this team though is Craig Anderson. He's only giving up about a goal per game and is rocking a mind-blowing .964 save percentage.

17/ 12. New York Rangers . . . 4-4-0
Gaborik, Richards and Nash lead the offense for the Blueshirts, who have 3 wins in their last 4 games. Their next game comes against the rival Devils, who beat them in the Eastern Conference final last season. This will be a huge test for a team that has something to prove after their slow start to the season.

13/ 13. New York Islanders . . . 4-3-1
The Islanders picked up two big wins over Pittsburgh and New Jersey last week. Evgeni Nabakov's proven he's still capable of being a reliable starter in the NHL, and John Tavares has been leading the way for one of the better offensive teams in the league so far.

20/ 14. Detroit Red Wings . . . 4-3-1
Detroit's picked up points in 4 of their last 5 games, which includes 3 wins, one of them being over St. Louis.  The absence of Lidstrom on the blue line still isn't doing the team any favors, however, they seem to be adjusting.

15/ 15. Colorado Avalanche . . . 4-4-0
The goalies have played well, and so have the top forwards. After 3 straight losses, this team's looked good with 2 big wins. However, Colorado needs more depth contributions.

16/ 16. Minnesota Wild . . . 4-3-1
Minnesota won 2 of their 3 games last week, including a win over Chicago. Zach Parise leads the team in points and Backstrom's been better in net. The Wild have a light schedule this week and should be able to improve their position among the top 16.

18/ 17. Edmonton Oilers . . . 4-3-1
Edmonton's been playing a lot of close games, and are picking up points more often than not. The top 6 forwards have been the primary reason this team is playing well. But like last week, they still need an all-around bigger team effort to tip more of the scales in their favor in all these close games.

24/ 18. Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 4-4-0
Toronto won 2 out of 3 this week, and played a close game against Boston. Reimer's played well in net. Their top offensive guys are off to a slow start though, especially Phil Kessel. No goals in the first 8 games isn't going to cut it.

29/ 19. Phoenix Coyotes . . . 3-4-2
Phoenix secured 2 wins and points in all 4 games last week. Both wins were shutouts courtesy of Chad Johnson and Mike Smith. The Coyotes seem to have sorted out their early defensive struggles, and the return of Mike Smith should really help with that. They're also getting offensive contributions from all over the line-up, and are averaging a strong 3 goals for per game.

21/ 20. Nashville Predators . . . 3-2-3
The team's played okay, and 8 games into the season, have already found themselves in 5 shootouts. The up-side is they're picking up enough points to remain in the playoff hunt. The down-side is they only have 1 win in regulation and got shutout by Phoenix.

14/ 21.Carolina Hurricanes . . . 3-4-0
Only one win last week for the Hurricanes who can't seem to get it going. The Staal brothers have been the best component for a talented team that's struggling early. Their special teams have been the thorn in their side this season. They're in the bottom 5 for both the powerplay and penalty kill.

7/ 22. Winnipeg Jets . . . 3-4-1
After such a promising start, the Jets have fallen on hard times. They've lost their last 3 straight games and have given up 18 goals in the process. The good news is that they're not having problems scoring themselves.  The bad news is, well, everything else. Penalty kill is operating at a league-worst 59.3%

22/ 23. Buffalo Sabres . . . 3-5-1
Since winning their first two games, Buffalo's only picked up 1 more win and 3 more points. Defensively, they've struggled. However, Thomas Vanek leads the league with 19 points in just 8 games. Pominville and Hodgson have also been playing very well.

11/ 24. Dallas Stars . . . 3-5-1
The Dallas Stars have 1 win in their last 6 games. The goaltending's been good, but goal scoring has been a big problem. This team is the second worst in that department so far.

25/ 25. Philadelphia Flyers . . . 3-6-0
The Flyers broke a three game losing streak with a 5-3 win over Carolina. Bryzgalov's been good in net, and once this club finally gets it's offense going, they may be a force to be reckoned with again.

28/ 26. Columbus Blue Jackets . . . 3-5-1
Columbus picked up 2 wins last week and are playing better defensively. In fact, they're one of the best penalty killing teams in the league. However, they're only averaging 2 goals per game and will be stuck near the bottom of the standings again if they can't step it up and start to string a few wins together.

23/ 27. Los Angeles Kings . . . 2-3-2
This is not the start the Kings envisioned. They managed to collect 3 points this week, but were also lit up for 7 goals by the Ducks. Everything on this team has been average, except for their scoring. (Or lack there-of.) That's been below average.

26/ 28. Calgary Flames . . . 1-3-2
Calgary's been playing well at times, it just hasn't shown yet. They were only in action twice last week, and despite not being able to get a win, they did take the Blackhawks to a shootout. They've played well defensively but Mikka Kiprusoff's been weak in net. With only 1 win in 6 games, there's lots of room for improvement in Calgary.

30/ 29. Florida Panthers . . . 3-5-0
After an embarrassing 5 game losing streak, the Panthers picked up 2 wins and seem to have found a scoring touch. The problem is making it last. Their powerplay's improved, but there's still a number of problems in Sunrise.

27/ 30. Washington Capitals . . . 2-6-1
Braden Holtby is not the goalie he was last season, and with Ovechkin playing the way he is, the Caps don't look to be a contender this year. With just 2 wins in 9 games, the Capitals have dug themselves a deep hole early.


So that's it for week two. Disagree with my list? Think your team is ranked too low? Leave a comment and let me know why. Be sure to check back in next week and see the updated rankings.