Power Rankings: How They Might Finish

In our final installment of this season's power rankings, we take a look at how the teams might finish in the NHL standings. The San Jose Sharks have yet to claim the President's Trophy, but a win in their regular season finale, or one loss by the Boston Bruins, will give the Sharks the best record in the NHL for the first time in franchise history.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the standings, the New York Islanders are hoping that all of this losing will mean a big win in June.

1. Sharks (Last Week: 4)
The Sharks had an opportunity to clinch their first ever President's Trophy on Thursday night, but fell to Al Montoya and the Phoenix Coyotes. The Sharks are still looking like a lock to finish as the league's best team in the regular season, but will this be the year the Stanley Cup comes to San Jose?
2. Bruins (Last Week: 5)
The Bruins enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, and they're playing some pretty strong hockey, having won six of their past seven games. The last time the Bruins finished as the top seed they fell to the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round. If the playoffs started this weekend, the Bruins would be playing the Canadiens in the first round.
3. Red Wings (Last Week: 1)
For the fourth straight season, the Detroit Red Wings will finish the regular season with at least 50 wins. The Red Wings have four 30-goal scorers this season with Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Marian Hossa and Johan Franzen.
4. Capitals (Last Week: 4)
The Capitals claim their second straight Southeast Division title and win 50 games for the first time since 1985-86. Alex Ovechkin is taking home another Rocket Richard award as the league's leading goal-scorer, but will he win the Hart Trophy as league MVP once again?
5. Devils (Last Week: 7)
Despite playing, perhaps, their worst hockey of the season in recent weeks -- bad time to slump, guys -- the Devils clinched the Atlantic Division title on Thursday with a 3-2 win against the Ottawa Senators. Possible first round matchup: a Pittsburgh team that dismantled New Jersey, 6-1, a week ago.
6. Blackhawks (Last Week: 13)
The Blackhawks ended their six-year playoff drought, and set a franchise record for attendance in the process. Not only that, but Chicago is also looking like it will get home-ice advantage in the opening round. Welcome back, Chicago, we missed you.
7. Canucks (Last Week: 6)
The Canucks are still fighting for the Northwest Division title, entering the weekend with a two-point advantage over the Calgary Flames, who have two games remaining with the Edmonton Oilers. Vancouver closes its regular season on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche, the worst team in the Western Conference.
8. Flyers (Last Week: 9)
The Flyers can still claim home-ice in the opening round, and face the possibility of a throw down with their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch.
9. Hurricanes (Last Week: 8)
Hottest team in the NHL. The Hurricanes had their nine-game winning streak snapped with a 5-1 loss to Buffalo on Thursday, but that doesn't change the fact there are few -- if any -- teams playing better hockey heading into the postseason. Earlier this week, they crushed the Islanders, 9-0, in the most one-sided game we've seen in the NHL this season.
10. Penguins (Last Week: 5)
Another team hitting its stride at the right time, Pittsburgh can't finish any lower than sixth in the Eastern Conference and still has a shot at claiming the No. 4 seed. Evgeni Malkin holds a four-point lead over Washington's Alex Ovechkin with one game to play, as he looks to become the fourth different Penguin to win the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer.
11. Flames (Last Week: 11)
The Flames went from being Stanley Cup favorites in early March, thanks to their shopping spree at the deadline, to a team that can't string together consecutive wins heading into the playoffs. The Flames haven't won back-to-back games in over a month, and close out their regular season with a home-and-home series against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers would love nothing more than to keep their long-time rivals from winning a division title.
12. Rangers (Last Week: 13)
The Rangers clinched a playoff spot with a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. The only thing still to be determined is if their opening round opponent will be the Boston Bruins or the Washington Capitals.
13. Canadiens (Last Week: 15)
We still don't know what happened with Mathieu Schneider's shoulder, but the bottom line is he's on the ice, and he scored a goal on Thursday as the Canadiens clinched a playoff spot in their 5-4 overtime loss in Boston. If they face Boston in the first round, it would be the third time the original six rivals have faced off in the opening round in the past seven years. The Canadiens won the previous two series.
14. Blue Jackets (Last Week: 10)
Welcome to the playoff party, Columbus. The Blue Jackets clinched their first ever playoff berth on Wednesday by defeating Chicago, 4-3, in a shootout. It's been a long time coming, but fans in Columbus seem to be pumped about the idea of playoff hockey.
15. Panthers (Last Week: 17)
Even with their 3-2 win on Thursday, the Panthers were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. It's likely that Jay Bouwmeester has played his last game as a member of the Panthers, as the 25-year-old defenseman is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
16. Ducks (Last Week: 14)
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Ducks are in a three-way fight with Nashville and St. Louis for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference. The good news for the Ducks, of course, is that their two remaining games are against the Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes, two teams out of the playoff picture.
17. Blues (Last Week: 18)
If the Blues can sneak into the postseason, after being decimated by injuries all season, it will certainly be one of the most fascinating stories in the NHL this season. The Blues have two games remaining against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche.
18. Predators (Last Week: 16)
The Predators are looking for their fifth straight trip to the postseason, and if they can get in, they're facing an opening round match up against either the San Jose Sharks or Detroit Red Wings.
19. Sabres (Last Week: 20)
The injury to Ryan Miller in late February was too much for the Sabres to overcome, as the team went 4-9 with him out of the lineup. That stretch did enough damage to keep Buffalo out of the postseason for the second straight year.
20. Wild(Last Week: 19)
The Wild enter play on Friday in playoff contention, at least in terms of the math. In terms of reality, it's probably not going to happen, as they need to win their final two games and get some help.
21. Oilers (Last Week: 21)
The Oilers are going to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive year -- and fourth time in the past five years -- but they can still deliver a damaging blow to the Calgary Flames with two games that could decide the Northwest Division crown. Will Craig MacTavish be the first coach to go this offseason?
22. Senators (Last Week: 25)
Cory Clouston was rewarded with a two-year contract extension for the Senators midseason turnaround. Will the strong finish build some momentum heading into next season?
23. Stars (Last Week: 22)
Two words: Mike. Ribero. What a goal.
24. Maple Leafs (Last Week: 23)
What will Brian Burke do in his first offseason in charge of the Maple Leafs? Jay Bouwmeester? A reunion with the Sedins? Christian Hanson, recently signed by the team, scored his first NHL goal in Toronto's 4-1 over New Jersey on Tuesday.
25. Coyotes (Last Week: 26)
The Coyotes entered this season with hopes for the playoffs, but for the sixth straight year they're going to be watching from home. Still plenty of young talent, and potential, in the desert. Al Montoya, former first-round pick of the New York Rangers, has been give a chance to play down the stretch and has won three of his four starts, while posting an impressive .925 save percentage.
26. Kings (Last Week: 27)
Speaking of young talent and potential, could the Los Angeles Kings be next year's Chicago Blackhawks? Why not? A strong group of young forwards and a defense anchored Kyle Quincey and 19-year-old rookie Drew Doughty.
27. Thrashers (Last Week: 24)
Aside from Ilya Kovalchuk scoring 40 goals again, the development of recent first-round picks Bryan Little (31 goals) and rookie defenseman Zach Bogosian (18 points in just 46 games) have to be considered positives for the Thrashers.
28. Avalanche (Last Week: 30)
Colorado has lost 10 of its past 11 games, and closes out its regular season with a pair of games against the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues. What's it mean? A really, really bad finish in the mile high city.
29. Lightning (Last Week: 28)
Tampa Bay has dropped eight straight down the stretch, and is headed toward another lottery pick this offseason. Speaking of lottery picks, Steven Stamkos looks like he's going to be a good one, as the 18-year-old rookie scored his 22nd goal of the season in Tampa's 4-2 loss to Washington on Thursday. Could the Lightning be in line to add a young, franchise defenseman from Sweden in the NHL draft? They could certainly use the help -- and stability -- on the blue line.
30. Islanders (Last Week: 29)
The Islanders still have to win the draft lottery to earn the right to select Canadian phenom John Tavares, but after all the losing they've done this season, they certainly deserve to win something. The Islanders have lost four of their past five games, while being outscored 26-8.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-11-2009 @ 5:58AM

rwing said...

Let the playoffs begin, and let the OCTOPI FLY!! When it's all over, it'll be the Detroit Red Wings who'll be hoisting THE STANLEY CUP HIGH!!!

4-11-2009 @ 7:10AM

hafttwo said...

yes the cup will definatly go through detroit and stay there again.

4-12-2009 @ 5:01PM

wiseoneiknow said...

this red wings fan is worried, losing 6 of their last 7 games is not good. not that they really had anything to play for. hopefully they do not peak as it appears. best shot is if the blues beat the avs in the last game. rather for the wings to be playing st louis than anaheim. if the wings can't find their stanley cup jerseys it won't matter who they play.

4-19-2009 @ 5:00AM

To wiseoneiknow...you are correct, if they play the way THEY KNOW THEY CAN, it won't matter who they play!!!!GO WINGS!!!!OZ-ZIE, OZ-ZIE!!!!

4-19-2009 @ 5:17AM

wiseoneiknow....guess I misinterpreted the latter part of your comment. Thought you said "if they can" find their Stanley Cup jerseys. Well, I believe they have..it is only 2 games, but if they CAN KEEP IT GOING AND STAY ON THEIR GAME, they have a GREAT chance. LET'S GO WINGS!!!!!