Tyler J. Altemose

This week's Power Rankings has a bit of a "streaky" side to it. All of the top teams have all had or are currently in the middle of winning streaks. Conversely, those teams at the bottom have been performing, let's say, "sub-par." So without further adieu, I present this week's Power Rankings.

 

 

 

 

 

Washington Capitals

Current Rank: 1 | Previous Rank: 7 | +6

Last season, Braydon Holtby was a relative unknown who was playing in the ECHL. This week he led the Caps between the pipes to their third and fourth straight wins against some very good Eastern Conference competition.

 

Philadelphia Flyers

Current Rank: 2 | Previous Rank: 1 | -1

The Flyers saw their 6-game point streak come to an end in overtime on Sunday. Fortunately for them, their 7-game point streak lives on.

 

Vancouver Canucks

Current Rank: 3 | Previous Rank: 12 | +9

Much like Philadelphia, the Canucks also saw their 6-game win streak come to an end this week.

 

St. Louis Blues

Current Rank: 4 | Previous Rank: 9 | +5

The Blues won 7 straight before getting crushed by Columbus Wednesday night.

 

Los Angeles Kings

Current Rank: 5 | Previous Rank: 3 | -2

The Kings have won 8 of it's last 10, including both contests at home this week.

 

Ottawa Senators

Current Rank: 6 | Previous Rank: 16 | +10

My dark horse in the East continues to ride! Four in a row!

 

 

Anaheim Ducks

Current Rank: 7 | Previous Rank: 27 | +20

The Ducks took care of some struggling competition this week to extend their winning streak to 5 games.

 

Columbus Blue Jackets

Current Rank: 8 | Previous Rank: 10 | +2

This team may actually be for real.

 

 

Detroit Red Wings

Current Rank: 9 | Previous Rank: 4 | -5

The Red Wings continue to stay strong.

 

 

Minnesota Wild

Current Rank: 10 | Previous Rank: 14 | +4

The Wild and their nasty special teams (2nd-ranked PP and 8th-ranked PK) continued to win this week.

 

Boston Bruins

Current Rank: 11 | Previous Rank: 2 | -9

The Bs were having a rough week until the Penguins utterly imploded before their very eyes the other night.

 

Montreal Canadiens

Current Rank: 12 | Previous Rank: 20 | +8

Les Habitants had a solid week which included ending Vancouver's 6-game winning streak.

 

Carolina Hurricanes

Current Rank: 13 | Previous Rank: 18 | +5

The 'Canes stumbled out of the gate this week but managed to stick the landing.

 

Dallas Stars

Current Rank: 14 | Previous Rank: 5 | -9

There isn't much you can say about a team that wins one game 6-3 and loses the other 0-5.

 

San Jose Sharks

Current Rank: 15 | Previous Rank: 13 | -2

Remember Antti Niemi? You know, the goaltender who won the Stanley Cup championship last season with the Blackhawks? He's 1-4-0 so far this season.

 

Florida Panthers

Current Rank: 16 | Previous Rank: 24 | +8

To go 2-2 on the week isn't really a bad thing if you're the Florida Panthers.

 

Tampa Bay Lightning

Current Rank: 17 | Previous Rank: 6 | -11

Lightning wasn't striking on the road at all this week.

 

 

Colorado Avalanche

Current Rank: 18 | Previous Rank: 8 | -10

After the week they had at home, the Avalanche look to hit the road.

 

 

Calgary Flames

Current Rank: 19 | Previous Rank: 21 | +2

Things continue to look gloomy in Calgary.

 

 

Chicago Blackhawks

Current Rank: 20 | Previous Rank: 23 | +3

If we have to call them the "Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks" for the next seven months they better start playing like it.

 

Pittsburgh Penguins

Current Rank: 21 | Previous Rank: 15 | -6

The Penguins continue to struggle, dropping 2 of 3 and falling to 10th in the East.

 

New York Rangers

Current Rank: 22 | Previous Rank: 11 | -11

I finally give this team some praise and they go and lose 3 of 4. Someone go reinstate the "Henrik Lundqvist Suicide Watch".

 

Buffalo Sabres

Current Rank: 23 | Previous Rank: 28 | +5

The Sabres mastered the shootout this week.

 

 

Atlanta Thrashers

Current Rank: 24 | Previous Rank: 19 | -5

The Thrashers got thrashed this week.

 

 

Phoenix Coyotes

Current Rank: 25 | Previous Rank: 17 | -8

The 'Yotes managed to lose in regulation, overtime, and shootout all in the same week.

 

Edmonton Oilers

Current Rank: 26 | Previous Rank: 26 | +/-0

The Oilers send their thanks to the Blackhawks for continuing to lose to all the terrible teams such as themselves.

 

New York Islanders

Current Rank: 27 | Previous Rank: 29 | +2

I don't know what's worse: the fact that the Isles have lost 8 straight as of Thursday or that they've done so and still aren't in last place in the Atlantic division.

 

New Jersey Devils

Current Rank: 28 | Previous Rank: 25 | -3

Kovalchuk's shootout "attempt" against the Sabres the other night serves as a metaphor for this team's season so far.

 

Nashville Predators

Current Rank: 29 | Previous Rank: 22 | -7

The Preds have lost 8 of their last 10 games, including all three this week.

 

 

Toronto Maple Leafs

Current Rank: 30 | Previous Rank: 30 | +/-0

The Maple Leafs have lost 10 of their last 11. Remember when they were the best team in the league? Neither do I, really.