With only roughly eighteen games left for each team, things are starting to wind down. Now that you have caught your breath after Florida Gulf Coast knocked off #2 Georgetown let's take a look at how things stack up currently in the NHL.

 

1. Anaheim Ducks

 

They finally knock the Blackhawks off their perch atop the power rankings. What a run they have been on. Sure they are still three points back of Chicago but they have a game in hand and they just beat them 4-2 at home on Wednesday.

 

Anaheim has quietly posted a 22-3-4 record including going 7-0-3 in their last ten and have not lost in regulation in their last twelve.

 

They absolutely have what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. They have a potent, deep, offense led by Ryan Getzlaf and his team leading 35 points. Not only are his eleven goals a team best but his 24 assists are a team best by nine.

 

Even more importantly for Anaheim they have been getting it done between the pipes. They have not one but two great goalies that is ultimately going to make for one hell of a playoff decision. On one hand you have Viktor Fasth, the 30 year old rookie from Sweden. He has surprised us all and his numbers are fantastic. 11-1-1 in his thirteen starts with a 2.00 GAA and a save percentage up near 93%. Hiller has an 11-2-3 record with a 2.49 GAA and a .911 save percentage. Hiller has one shutout, Fasth has two.

 

It is a terrific problem to have. But it could end up making Bruce Boudreau look foolish in the playoffs. Never mind that I am excited to see that puzzled look on his face again these playoffs, but how hard is he laughing at Washington? They have sucked since he has gone and now he has the top team in these power rankings. What could be better?

 

2. Chicago Blackhawks

 

Sorry Blackhawks fans, but you lost fair and square. Speaking of stellar goalie play. You can't ask Corey Crawford and Ray Emery to play any better. Crawford has GAA securely under two (1.86).

 

Not to take anything away but it certainly helps when you have an offense as potent as Chicago does. That being said their record is showing what we all hoped we might see. Solid goalie play for that offense. They can and have create magic.

 

Patrick Kane leads the charge with 38 points including a team leading sixteen goals and 22 assists. They have had some rather tough injury trouble though. Patrick Sharp hasn't played in two and a half weeks and is probably another week or so away from seeing any action. They have also missed Hossa in spurts to various problems. If they stay healthy, they are the team to beat.

 

3. Pittsburgh Penguins

 

How is it possible that a team that is atop the eastern conference, that has won ten straight games with a 23-8-0 record, with the scoring leader, is third in every power rankings? That is how good numbers 1 and 2 have been. Pittsburgh is right there though. They are rounding into shape and they don't even have Geno right now. I tried to trade for Kunitz at the start of this year offering what you would offer for Chris Kunitz at the beginning of this year, not very much. I had Crosby so I figured I would try and his line mates. Great idea me, only I didn't push enough to get him and now it would probably take me trading Crosby to get him. As long as Fleury can be consistent the Penguins will be around for a long while in the playoffs.

 

4. Montreal Canadiens

 

As much as it pains me to put them ahead of my Bruins, they deserve it right now. With a 7-1-2 in their last 10 they have a two point lead over the B's although I will be the first to point out the Bruins have a game in hand.

 

Montreal has been scoring this year. They have the fifth most goals scored this year and when you pair that with someone as good as Carey Price, well then you know why they are as good as they have been. They have seven guys with eight or more goals and ten guys with nine or more assists. They keep scoring like that I'm not sure they can be beaten four out of seven.

 

5. Boston Bruins

 

Struggling a bit as of late. About a week ago every Bruins fan would be quick to point out we have four games in hand so being down just a couple points is no big deal. Well they made most of those games up and the deficit still remains. Injuries are starting to hit and legs are getting weary from the compacted schedule. They might need to make a move or two before the deadline to get back up to 100% for a long hard fought playoff run. They could/should even trade Lucic while he still has some stock left.

 

6. Minnesota Wild

 

Four straight wins and seven out of ten take them to the top of the Northwest Division. For the record I like this Wild team, but after the Bruins there is a considerable drop off at least at this point. Speaking of drop off, the Wild are going to have a tough week ahead of them. With five games in eight days it will be tough to maintain their winning ways.

 

7. Ottawa Senators

 

They have been scrapping by, trying to survive the injury bug, picking up all the points they can and remain in the playoff hunt, third in what appears to be the deepest division this year. Vezina and Hart trophy candidate Craig Anderson hasn't played since February 21 and top defenseman Erik Karlsson has been lost for the season. They can only go as far as Anderson takes them, in other words they need him back.

 

8. LA Kings

 

The LA Kings started off slow but have battled back to a tie for the 4 seed in the West. They have proven they can go on a long run and win a Cup already. They have what it takes to do it again. Beware Western Conference.

 

9. St Louis Blues

 

The Blues have won three of four and five of seven including scoring two points over the Ducks in an overtime win. Jake Allen has made a believer of many with his 8-2 record between the pipes. The Blues are coming on strong and are getting better.

 

10. Vancouver Canucks

 

The Cancucks seem to be on the decline, and have fallen right back into the Roberto Luongo trap but have too much talent to have the wheels fall off. They will be around come playoff time but I am not sure how much they will have for the rest of the West.

 

11. Toronto Maple Leafs

 

Phil Kessel has started slowly, but his offense has not been missed as much thanks to rookie Nazem Kadri. Kadri has 13 goals and twenty assists for a team high 33 points. The Leafs need some extra help on offense or at least get Phil Kessel to step his game up to remain in the playoff picture. We will find out soon enough with a home and home with Boston beginning tomorrow.

 

12. Detroit Red Wings

 

Like the Canucks the Red Wings seem to be on the decline, but again they have too much talent to let it sink them. They have been struggling though. They have not really been clicking on offense and haven't seem to recover from the loss of long time great Nick Lidstrom.

 

13. New Jersey Devils

 

Here is something rather interesting. Patrick Elias has 9 goals 19 assists for 28 points. Ilya Kovulchuck has 10 goals 17 assists for 27 points. Their line mate Travis Zajac? 5 goals 6 assists for 11 points. How do you not stumble into more assists if you are Zajac? How can you be a top line guy next to two offensive studs like Elias and Kovulchuck and not accidentally get more than six assists on their combined nineteen goals? Zajac is a free agent in nearly every fantasy hockey league and it doesn't seem like its going to change. But New Jersey really needs it to. Unless they keep getting goals from Marty Brodeur.

 

14. San Jose Sharks

 

This is a team right on the bubble. They are currently eighth in the West, clinging to a playoff spot. There are seven teams within six points that want that last playoff spot. The next week and a half before the trade deadline will determine whether they are buyers or sellers. They could decide to rebuild.

 

15. New York Rangers

 

Currently tied for the last playoff spot with the hurting Hurricanes. The Rangers meanwhile are hurting for goals. They have only allowed 73 goals this year, that is good for third in the East. But they have only scored 71 which is tied with San Jose for the lowest in the NHL thus far.

 

This seems to be a common theme with defensive minded clubs. One year the bounces go their way and they can score goals the next they are struggling to find the back of the net and you aren't sure you can come back when trailing 1-0. The Rangers had their great year last year and now are onto the downside of that theory.

16. Winnepeg Jets

 

Just shut out by the Capitals now the second time this year. They cling to just a two point lead in probably the weakest division in the NHL, the Southeast, you know the region of North America Winnipeg is located.

 

17. Carolina Hurricanes

 

No Cam Ward and no Dan Ellis. Yet they still have playoff hope. Eric Staal continues to be the most underrated player in the NHL and he could get them into the dance.

 

18. Columbus Blue Jackets

 

Holy hell Columbus is coming. 7-0-3 in their last ten games thanks to Sergei Bobrovski's outstanding play. He has only allowed one goal a game over that stretch including three shutouts. That is flat out outrageous. Keep that up and the Blue Jackets will find themselves in the top 8 in the West.

 

19. Dallas Stars

 

As impressive as it is, it's not a good sign when a 41 year old Jaromir Jagr leads your team in goals. They need more offense to help out the goaltending.

 

20. Nashville Predators

 

With only 75 goals this year they clearly have been struggling to score. Mike Fisher has basically been asked to carry the offensive load for the team, that is a tall order to fill. They have the defense and Pekka Rinne, the best goalie in the league the last few years, but they need to find some more offensive quickly.

 

21. Tampa Bay Lightning

 

They have the offense, but they have nothing else. Young goalie Anders Lindback just got hurt and will miss some time so that isn't going to help. They have accumulated 98 goals good for 4^th most in the NHL. Yet they sit 12^th in the East five points back of a playoff spot.

 

22. Washington Capitals

 

Also five points back of a playoff spot but they don't even have the scoring Tampa Bay has. The Caps are not making the playoffs this year. It's time to rethink that core of guys, yes Ovechkin.

 

23. New York Islanders

 

Playing fairly well this year. 5-3-2 in their last ten is about right for a team that has just gathered up points whenever they can. Young John Tavares is a stud, as his 18 goals would prove, and Matt Moulson can shoot with the best of them. They aren't quite there yet, but they have some nice pieces. They could make a run and get into the playoffs if they can play solid defense.

 

24. Buffalo Sabres

 

Another one of those Rangers teams that struggles finding the scoring touch. Ryan Miller can only do so much especially now that he is getting up there in age.

 

25. Philadelphia Flyers

 

Every year they seem to be able to score but they just can't play defense well enough. They can't seem to find anything that resembles consistent goaltending and their 27 points define exactly how poorly they have played as a team. And it is only going to get worse. They played the easier portion of their schedule to start the year. It isn't going to get any prettier from here Flyers fans. Sorry but maybe Claude Giroux will wake up and do something fun this year, maybe.

 

26. Edmonton Oilers

 

Still very very young. They aren't quite ready to make the leap. They don't have the experience to do it, and aren't quite playing well enough as a team to do so. They will fall off a bit and grab another nice draft pick that one of these upcoming seasons will pay off in riches.

 

27. Phoenix Coyotes

 

Phoenix has lost three straight and is 3-6-1 in their last 10. They are on the verge of falling apart, they need to get some momentum back in their favor quickly.

 

28. Calgary Flames

 

Ditto on the momentum front. Their defense is despicable at the moment and their offense isn't doing their defense any favors. They could be looking to trade Iginla very soon.

 

29. Colorado Avalanche

 

Tied with Calgary for last place in the West with just 26 points. Their struggles have really shown up on the road, with just seven of their 26 points coming in opponent territory. But -17 goal differential means you are right where you deserve to be...last place.

 

30. Florida Panthers

 

The only team that really seems completely out of the playoff hunt. I just said -17 goal differential was bad...double it and you have Florida's, that's right -34. They have allowed 111 goals this year. They can't stop anyone and with 77 goals they are barely keeping pace with the worst offenses there are. They are well on their way to the NHL draft lottery.

 

mlz

Friday, March 22, 2013