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NHL

Power Rankings: Rangers on Top

Posted Oct 16, 2009 7:00PM By Adam Gretz (RSS feed)

Filed Under: NHL Power Rankings

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Thanks to six straight wins the New York Rangers find themselves at the top of our power rankings, followed closely by some teams we expect to see, and one surprise team that continues to impress despite some low expectations entering the season.

  • 1. Rangers (Last Week: 3)
    The Rangers are on a tear right now, winning six in a row entering the weekend. They haven't lost since the first game of the season (a 3-2 loss in Pittsburgh) and currently have the best goal-differential in the league. Even better? Marian Gaborik's groin is still in one piece and he's scoring goals (six, to be exact).
  • 2. Penguins (5)
    After getting shut out at home by Phoenix, the Penguins haven't lost in four straight, sweeping a road trip through Philadelphia, Toronto, Ottawa and Carolina. Dating back to last season, and including the playoffs, Pittsburgh is 40-12-4 in its past 56 games (all under Dan Bylsma).
  • 3. Avalanche (7)
    I'm not sure how long this is going to last for the Avalanche, but it's impossible to ignore what they've done over the first three weeks of the season, winning five of seven games. They travel to Detroit on Saturday, and while it may not have the excitement of the late '90s and early 2000s games, it's always fun when those two teams get together.

  • 4. Blackhawks (16)
    We know this much about the Blackhawks: No deficit is too large to overcome. Chicago has won four in a row and is off to an impressive 5-1-1 start. Just wait until they get Marian Hossa in the lineup.
  • 5. Capitals (4)
    The Capitals cooled off a bit after roaring out of the starting gate, losing four in a row (only two in regulation) but got back to their winning ways on Thursday against San Jose. Alex Ovechkin, Niklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin still comprise the most dominant line in hockey.
  • 6. Flames (1)
    Speaking of cooling off ... after opening the season with four straight wins, the Flames have lost three in a row including an historic collapse in Chicago, blowing a 5-0 lead.
  • 7. Flyers (2)
    The Flyers lost their first game against cross-state rival Pittsburgh despite some bite from Scott Hartnell, and followed it up by blowing a 2-0 third period lead against Anaheim.
  • 8. Blue Jackets (10)
    Great start for the folks in Columbus, as the Blue Jackets have opened the season winning four of their first five games. We know Rick Nash can score goals, but it appears he's improved his playmaking skills as well, already recording seven assists.
  • 9. Sabres (17)
    The Sabres had quite a scare earlier this week when Thomas Vanek exited their win against Detroit with an upper body injury. Lindy Ruff initially said it could be "weeks," but that appears to have been a premature assessment. Buffalo remains unbeaten in regulation.
  • 10. Coyotes (11)
    Not many people saw their overtime win against St. Louis on Thursday (the AP estimates 5,000 people were in the building) and it's kind of a shame, because the Coyotes look to be an improved team in the early going. They've only allowed nine goals in six games and have two shutouts.
  • 11. Red Wings (15)
    The Wings have won three of four since returning from Sweden, including Thursday's 5-2 win over Los Angeles. They still don't look like the Red Wings we're used to seeing, but, once again, this is still a team to fear.
  • 12. Kings (12)
    The Anze Kopitar-Ryan Smyth connection is clicking in Los Angeles, but as expected goaltending has been the one question mark with this club. They currently rank 25th in the league in save percentage.
  • 13. Ducks (19)
    Jonas Hiller has picked up right where he left off in last year's playoffs, opening the season with a .936 save percentage.
  • 14. Stars (23)
    The Stars closed out the week as one of two teams still unbeaten in regulation (Buffalo being the other) and are coming off a dominating 6-0 win in Nashville. Brad Richards is on fire with nine points in five games.
  • 15. Senators (14)
    After no goals in his first five games, Milan Michalek has erupted with four goals in Ottawa's past two games, including a hat trick, the first of his career, in its 7-1 dismantling of Tampa Bay on Thursday.
  • 16. Oilers (20)
    All three losses have been by one goal, including a pair of tough games against Calgary, and Nikolai Khabibulin's return to Chicago where the Blackhawks peppered him with 38 shots in a 4-3 win. Player I'm watching that could prove to be a nice, under-the-radar pickup: Gilbert Brule.
  • 17. Devils (25)
    The Devils dropped their first two games of the season at home, and responded with a three-game sweep on a road trip through Florida and Washington, including a come-from-behind win against the Capitals.
  • 18. Sharks (13)
    Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton haven't disappointed on the top line, but the Sharks have been an up-and-down team through the first three weeks.
  • 19. Thrashers (6)
    Somehow, the Thrashers have played only three games in three weeks, so it's kind of impossible to know just what this team is going to be this season. I still like this team on paper and think it's one worth watching in the East.
  • 20. Blues (9)
    Expectations should be high in St. Louis, and, after a 2-0 start, the Blues have struggled in their return to North American soil, dropping three in a row. With only one goal in four games, Patrik Berglund was a surprise healthy scratch against Los Angeles on Saturday.
  • 21. Bruins (24)
    We're still waiting to see the team that finished No. 1 in the Eastern Conference a season ago. After Tim Thomas struggled in his first three starts, Tuukka Rask started Boston's past two games.
  • 22. Hurricanes (28)
    Cam Ward's highlight reel save against Bill Guerin saved Carolina a point in the standings, but it still wasn't enough to get the Hurricanes a win against the defending champs.
  • 23. Canucks (27)
    The Canucks received some bad injury news regarding Daniel Sedin, but they've at least found the "W" column, winning back-to-back games against Montreal and Dallas. Still my pick for the Stanley Cup.
  • 24. Lightning (29)
    Vincent Lecavalier has no goals through six games, but Ryan Malone is off to a tremendous start in Tampa Bay with six goals. His line -- including Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis -- seems to be the only one really contributing so far.
  • 25. Canadiens (18)
    I'm a fan of Jacques Martin's new seven-man strategy, though, I'm not sure if it's going to catch on around the league unless referees continue to look the other way.
  • 26. Islanders (22)
    Even though they haven't won a game yet, the Islanders are at least competing, losing all four games by one goal, including three in overtime or a shootout. John Tavares has a team-high five points.
  • 27. Predators (8)
    Jason Arnott has three goals. The rest of the team has ... four goals. Nashville is just 1-for-20 on the power play and has been outscored 20-6, including 16-2 during its current four-game losing streak. Yikes.
  • 28. Wild (26)
    What's to blame for Minnesota's slow start? Our resident Wild expert, Bruce Ciskie, says not everything can attributed to a new coaching staff and a new system.
  • 29. Panthers (21)
    Tomas Vokoun has been facing quite a bit of rubber so far this season, and the Panthers have lost four in a row since their come-from-behind win in the season opener.
  • 30. Maple Leafs (30)
    No wins in six games, and things aren't getting any easier on Saturday when the white-hot New York Rangers visit the ACC. The last time the two teams met -- a 7-2 Rangers win at the Garden -- Ron Wilson cut his post-game presser short, and the Leafs followed it up with a 4-1 loss to Colorado that included a goal that sums up the entire season to this point in Toronto.

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