Here are the power rankings for last week. A bit late, but I just started spring break so things have been a bit hectic as of late. With around 10 games left in the season for the majority of the teams in the NHL, we look at where teams are in the standings and how they are playing after turning the last corner of the season and racing down the playoff stretch.
Note: due to the lateness of this post, I am taking into account all games played on Sunday, March 22nd. Normally I only consider games up to Saturday, as I usually post by early Sunday afternoon.
1 (4). San Jose Sharks (106 points) - The phrase "home sweet home" has never meant more to a team than the San Jose Sharks. After losing 6 of 9 with 6 of those games on the road, the Sharks came back home and have seemingly righted the "fragile" ship, winning 5 of 6. Offense has continued to be the struggle of San Jose's game, but they have strung together several wins on the back of solid penalty killing, killing of 15 straight before giving up 3 to Phoenix in their one loss of the past 6 games, and then continuing to blank the opposition's power play. With a 3-1 win over the Avalanche Sunday, the Sharks have now taken advantage of their 2 game advantage over Detroit and are now the sole leaders of the league's highest point total with 106, 1 ahead of the Red Wings. With 10 games left in the season and San Jose getting hot at the right time, the Sharks look to finish strong while overcoming several injuries to their key players.
2 (1). Detroit Red Wings (105 points) - The Red Wings have finally made a decision in goaltending, and it has paid off. Chris Osgood 4 straight games, and the Red Wings have come out on top on all of them. Although not spectacular in goal, allowing a little under 2 goals per game during that stretch, the Red Wings offense, which has carried them all season, continues to score more than enough goals to relieve Osgood of some pressure. The goal now is for Detroit to win the President's trophy for the second time in a row, but both they and the Sharks have 10 games left in the season, and neither of them look to be losing anytime soon. A key game that may determine who comes out on top at the end will be on Monday when the Red Wings travel to Calgary to take on the 3rd place Flames. The last game they have placed against the Flames ended in a 6-5 overtime loss on home ice, but that was also the last game Ty Conklin has played in net for the Wings.
3 (2). Boston Bruins (102 points) - After the Bruins couldn't put together a winning streak and the race for the top spot of the Eastern Conference got tighter and tighter, the Bruins won the biggest game of the year in convincing fashion. Sunday morning Boston hosted the New Jersey Devils, who were only 3 points behind the B's for the lead in the East. But Boston delivered a rare loss to Martin Brodeur, scoring 4 goals and only allowing 1 off a 40 save effort from Tim Thomas, and Boston clinched their division. We'll see how the momentum shifts for the Bruins after a huge win, and if the Wings and Sharks end up losing a couple in the last few games, Boston has a good chance at the President's trophy as well.
4 (3). New Jersey Devils (97 points) - Martin Brodeur has gone 9-2-0 since returning from injury, and his 8th win gave him sole possession of the career win record for goaltenders in the NHL. But his second loss may be just as big as the record win, as he gave up 4 goals against the Boston Bruins. But he was just coming off a 35 save shutout effort against Minnesota and the Boston goals had some crazy deflections that Brodeur could not be fully faulted for. New Jersey still has a shot at the lead in the Eastern Conference as they are only 5 points behind the Bruins. And even if they don't get home ice for the conference finals, as long as they can rebound from this loss they still look to be favorites to win the East.
5 (5). Washington Capitals (96 points) - Washington is right in the mix of things in the upper echilon of the Eastern Conference, but Alexander Ovechkin is making all the headlines after his controversial planned celebration after scoring his 50th goal of the season, the only Capitals player to do so 3 years in a row. Media attention on Ovi could be good news for the rest of the team, as diverted attention could relieve some of the pressure that the Caps are facing as they try to make a bid for first place in the East. Their offense is the centerpiece of the game, and if the Capitals aren't putting up 30 to 40 shots on goal, that means Jose Theodore has to face more shots, and he is prone to let in goals. The Capitals, once a dominant team earlier in the season, are now being shadowed by New Jersey and Boston, and we will see how the team reacts to that in the final stretch.
6 (7). Philadelphia Flyers (88 points) - The Flyers haven't really gotten a huge winning streak going, but they are doing enough to maintain 4th place in the Eastern Conference. It is unlikely that they will catch the Devils for the division lead and home ice in the second round, but the Devils haven't clinched the division yet. Similarly to the Capitals, the Flyers win game through offense by relieving pressure off of Martin Biron and their defense. Biron has been playing well as of late, so that puts a lot less pressure on the forwards. Finding the balance between scoring and good goaltending is the key for the Flyers, and if they can become consistant at both ends of the ice, the Flyers may make the second round of the playoffs interesting for one of the teams in the East.
7 (11). Pittsburgh Penguins (86 points) - A few wins go a long way in a tight conference race, and in the case of the Penguins, a lot of wins go a really long way. In the past 5 weeks, the Penguins went from 9th place and a team hurting in all kinds of ways to a team threatening to take 4th place from the Flyers. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were already tough enough to defend against, but now teams have to account for the likes of Bill Guerin, a revitalized Sergei Gonchar, Chris Kunitz, and Jordan Staal. Fleury hasn't exactly been an outstanding goaltender, but he makes just enough saves to keep the Pens alive long enough for a game winning goal by one of the Penguin superstars. Although the favorites are still New Jersey, Boston, and Washington to go to the conference finals, the Penguins are starting to look like the team that went to the Stanley Cup finals last year.
8 (6). Calgary Flames (88 points) - Exact same problem as last week. In the last 10 games, Calgary has dropped 6. In 4 of those losses, the Flames have given up 5 or more goals. The Flames looked to be the scariest offensive team in the West after the trade deadline and they still are, but it has been offset by the lackluster play of Mikka Kiprusoff as of late. The poster boy of the Flames may be Jarome Iginla, but the success of the team in the postseason rides on Kipper. And with the top two teams in the West offense oriented, they will need him to get his game back in the final weeks of the regular season, or they may be eliminated in the first round for the second year in a row.
9 (13). Carolina Hurricanes (85 points) - A week after they were trying to simply get into the playoffs, the Hurricanes are now 6th place in the East. 5 points is the difference between a long summer and a playoff appearance, but the recent play of Cam Ward and the acquisition of Erik Cole has done wonders for their team. They won all 3 games this past week, including wins over New Jersey (against Kevin Weekes), and Washington. The Canes, like the Pens, are looking like the biggest winners from the trade deadline, and if Cam Ward can continue to play like he did his rookie season in the playoffs, the Hurricanes may upset someone in the first round.
10 (9). Vancouver Canucks (85 points) - The Canucks are 2 points behind the Chicago Blackhawks for 4th place in the West but are looking like the favorites to get home ice in the ifrst round. Sundin and Burrows have become the Nucks' leading scorers during their huge stretch of wins, and Luongo is as solid as ever. The Canucks don't look to go past the second round, but a strong first series can do wonders in terms of momentum and the play of a team. And if any goalie can carry a team through the playoffs, it is Roberto Luongo.
11 (8). Chicago Blackhawks (87 points) - The Blackhawks have lost 7 of their last 10 games. Surprisingly, they are still 4th place in the Western Conference, but the recent surge by Vancouver makes their position seem very vulnerable. Home ice advantage may be huge if those two teams face in the first round of the playoffs, and that match-up is becoming more and more likely as the season ends. Nikolai Khabibulin has come back from injury, but has let in several soft goals since his return. He has a few more weeks to set up his "Bulin Wall" once again, but unless he becomes the star goaltender that carried the team earlier this season, the Blackhawks will end their successful season on a sour note.
12 (14). New York Rangers (84 points) - After a tough month of February, the return of Sean Avery, the acquisition of Nik Antropov, and the new coach have all put together a successful month of March. This was especially important for the Rangers as they faced a ton of Eastern Conference bubble teams all trying to steal playoff spots from teams that aren't Boston, New Jersey, and Washington. But the past week had the Rangers beating Philly, Montreal, and Buffalo before losing to Ottawa on Sunday. There is no guarantee of a playoff spot for the Rangers, and it may come down to the last game of the season. But key wins and what looks to be the start of a hot streak may be enough to put them into the playoffs and past the first round.
13 (10). Columbus Blue Jackets (82 points) - The Blue Jackets didn't drop down in rank because of bad play, but rather the rest of the league is starting to feel the pressure of the playoffs and have stepped up as well. But Columbus has won 7 of their last 10, defeating Chicago twice, Boston, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. The Columbus have all but secured their first franchise playoff berth, and with Antoine Vermette meshing with his new team nicely and Steve Mason almost a sure lock for rookie of the year, things are looking pretty good for the Blue Jackets, who look to face a very vulnerable Kiprusoff in the first round.
14 (12). Montreal Canadiens (81 points) - The Canadiens just haven't been able to put wins together. Price has gone soft again, and Halak isn't responding well. Luckily for the Canadiens, none of the bubble teams in the East have been able to win as of late either, but the fact is it is only a 1 point differential between the Canadiens making the playoffs or being sent home early. The team that had the league's top power play for the past two years has died, and it shows in the record. The Canadiens need to find a way to win elsewhere, because it doesn't seem like anyone, including Mathieu Schneider, can fill the void that Mark Streit left in the offseason.
15 (15). Florida Panthers (80 points) - Two weeks ago the Panthers looked like they would be what the Penguins are today: surging out of 9th place and into the middle of the playoff seeding. But instead, they have gone into a slump and find themselves still out of a playoff spot. Luckily for them the East is still an extremely tight race and 3 point games can still go a long way. They still need to find a consistant goaltender, and it doesn't help that their offense has been on and off. Some of this could be attributed to the injury of Bryan McCabe, the line partner of Jay Bouwmeester. He used to be a half-a-point a game scorer, but since his return from injury, he has 0 points and is a -5 in 1 win and 2 losses by the Panthers. Something needs to happen for the Panthers, and they have a big game coming up against Carolina on Monday. A win there could be a good start to a successful end of the season run for a playoff berth.
16 (18). Edmonton Oilers (79 points) - A 3 win week accompanied by recent struggles from other bubble teams has the Oilers finding themselves in 7th place in the West. 3 points seperate them from 9th place, but they have been winning while everyone below them has not. Their line up fluctuates a lot as the coach is trying to find the players on the team who want to win the most rather than just their top point scorers. The strategy seems to be working, especially with Dwayne Roloson's hot streak, but at some point he needs to put his playoff lines together and get them working if he doesn't want to go 0-4 in the first round.
17 (19). Nashville Predators (77 points) - Nashville has points in 4 of their last 5 games, but they are in 8th place more because of struggles by Minnesota, St. Louis, Anaheim, and Dallas than their ability to win games or send them to overtime. Pekka Rinne has had a good 2 month stretch and will be a key part of the Predators getting into the postseason in the final stretch, but their offense has been suffering from injuries and it cannot be relied upon at the end of the season, so the Preds will need some continued help from the bubble teams as well.
18 (20). Minnesota Wild (76 points) - Minnesota improved on their league's worst goals for, and now are out of last place in that category and for the first time all season have more goals than goals against. All this has been done without their superstar Marion Gaborik, who is trying to come back to the team in the final weeks of the regular season. Unfortunately for the Wild, most of the goal scoring has come when the Wild dug themselves in huge holes at the start of games, so they have not been able to convert most of their offensive surges into wins. They are still only 1 point out of a playoff spot, but they will need better play from their recently resigned goaltender if they want to extend their season.
19 (21). St. Louis Blues (75 points) - Only 2 points out of a playoff spot, the Blues need to put together some consistant offense fast. Chris Mason has kept them in most of their recent games, but in the past two weeks, each time the Blues have failed to score more than 2 goals, they have lost. The playoffs are still up for grabs and with each team around them struggling, the Blues have the ability to get the offense going and steal the 8th spot in the West.
20 (17). Buffalo Sabres (76 points) - The Sabres are succumbing to the pressure of the playoff race. Their coach publicly apologized for his team's recent play, saying it was embarrassing. The Sabres have no answer at goaltending, and the loss of Ryan Miller is looking like the key reason why the Sabres are going to miss the postseason this year.
21 (22). Anaheim Ducks (74 points) - The Ducks have been able to beat teams worse than them but not teams better. They find themselves the beneficiaries of two recent games against the Phoenix Coyotes, but have also dropped two games in the past two weeks against the Wild and Sharks. Unfortunately for the Ducks, the schedule remains tough, as they have 2 games against the Predators, Oilers, and Sharks, as well as an away game against the Canucks. The Ducks made it clear at the deadline that they were transitioning into a rebuilding phase, but have managed to stay in the playoff picture, and still have the roster to make a late season push into the 8th spot.
22 (16). Dallas Stars (74 points) - Injuries and a struggling Marty Turco have been the story all season for the Stars. The Stars had a tough road trip this week, losing at Vancouver, Calgary, and then San Jose, and failing to pick up any points in the 3 games. They have a fairly easy schedule down the stretch with a couple of games against top Western Conference teams, but with the way Turco has been playing and Brad Richards out indefinitely after returning from injury for 1 game, nothing will be a given for the Stars.
23 (25). Ottawa Senators (72 points) - The Senators are 9-2-0 in the month of March, with their 2 losses coming from Boston and Calgary. The Sens wish this had happened in the beginning of the season, but bad goaltending had negated the point scoring machine that is the "pizza line" early on. Luckily, they have found Brian Elliot, and they are all probably looking forward to a promising season next year.
24 (24). Toronto Maple Leafs (73 points) - The Maple Leafs have a very slim chance at making the playoffs mathematically, but they don't have the roster or talent to do so. Luckily, they have plenty of opportunities to play spoiler for their Eastern Conference rivals, with 2 games against the Sabres, two games against the Flyers, and a game against the Canadiens coming up.
25 (23). Los Angeles Kings (70 points) - Recent struggles have cost the Kings their bid at a playoff spot, and although they still have a mathematical chance at the 8th seed, the toughest games are still ahead for the Kings, with Calgary, Vancouver, and San Jose waiting at the end of the season. Still, Jonathan Quick has been a surprise for the Kings, and next season may be the year where they finally phase out of rebuilding and start trying to win playoff games.
26 (27). Atlanta Thrashers (66 points) - The Thrashers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games, and are trying to get the most out of all their players in a meaningless end of the season. Still, you have to respect the coaching staff continuing to work on the small details of their forwards as they look ahead towards what looks to be a long offseason for the franchise. They have the scoring talent without a doubt, but they will have to make a decision regarding the future of their goaltending.
27 (28). Phoenix Coyotes (67 points) - Shane Doan vowed that his team would play better, and they had a couple of wins to show for it, including a last second thriller against San Jose. But they have not found a way to defeat the Ducks, and remain dead last in the Pacific Division. The future is there for the Coyotes, but at the same time the future has been the only thing that looked good for the Yotes in the past decade. Needless to say, the postseason will be interesting for the franchise who have been struggling to try and transition out of the rebuilding process.
28 (29). Tampa Bay Lightning (62 points) - Steven Stamkos has been on a scoring tear in the last half of the season. Lecavalier and St. Louis haven't lost their offensive game, so the Lightning will be a scary team next year if they can secure a star goaltender in the offseason.
29 (26). Colorado Avalanche (64 points) - The Avalanche GM started the season saying he expected his team to be contenders for one of the two spots in the Stanley Cup Finals. Instead, the Avalanche find themselves dead last in the Western Conference. Injuries to Sakic and Statsny has killed their offense, and to say their goaltenders have been a disappointment would be the biggest understatement of the year. The Avs will be looking to rebuild during the offseason around their key offensive players who have huge contracts and no-trade clauses. The first area they will look at will be goaltending, but with a lower salary cap expected to be implimented by the league next season, it will be difficult to maneuver around all those contracts.
30 (30). New York Islanders (56 points) - Jonathan Tavares should already be buying a house in Long Island.
Some final thoughts: The Eastern Conference is looking more and more interesting as the West is becoming clearer in terms of playoff seeding. The thing I will be looking at is the play of the Washington Capitals, who have slowed down since the halfway point of the season. Of course, it could be argued that the Caps only had a shot at first place in the conference earlier this year because New Jersey took a couple of weeks deciding between Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen. But needless to say, Washington does not look to be a dominant team anymore, and with all the controversy surrounding their star player, they are ripening themselves up to be prime candidates for a first round upset in the playoffs.
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