Time for the promised 2 week edition of the power rankings. The playoff picture is not much clearer despite two weeks of action having passed, and a lot of teams only have 4 or 5 games remaining to try and extend their season. But the power players are starting to come out and teams are getting hot (or cold) at the crucial part of the season. So here's a look at where these teams stand based on the past 14 days, and who their X-factor will be if they want to win the Stanley Cup.
1 (3). Boston Bruins (112 points) - After a bit of a slide, the Bruins have won 6 straight, clinched the Eastern Conference, and are threatening for the President's trophy, trailing San Jose by only a point. And the day after he received a contract extension worth $20 million, Tim Thomas shutout the desperate Rangers. But if the Bruins are to win it all, the aspect of the game they will be looking at will be the offense. Marc Savard will be the guy to look at, as he is young and doesn't have playoff experience, but leads the team in points and assists.
2 (1). San Jose Sharks (113 points) - San Jose has only won 3 of their last 6 in the past 2 weeks, with an impressive win over the Calgary Flames but a huge 2-5 loss against the Ducks Saturday night. It seems very likely that the Sharks will clinch the Western Conference, but they are in danger of giving up their first franchise President's Trophy if this play continues. Evgeni Nabokov, similar to the funk after the All-Star break, is playing a bit shaky, but their postseason success will be on the backs of their third and fourth lines. With players recovering, there is a lot of bodies waiting to play, and decisions that may impact the outcome of how the Sharks do in the playoffs.
3 (2). Detroit Red Wings (107 points) - In the last 5 games, the Red Wings are 1-4-0. 3 of those losses were at home. Chris Osgood will probably be the starting goaltender for the playoffs, but if the Red Wings end up facing a team like Anaheim, Edmonton, or St. Louis in the first round, the defending champs could be upset early given the way their goaltending has been. Thus, the obvious X-factor for the Wings is their goaltending. Ty Conklin clearly isn't the answer, so it is up to Osgood to turn in the performance that knocked Dominic Hasek off the starting spot last postseason.
4 (5). Washington Capitals (102 points) - The Capitals have clinched their division and went 2-2-0 in a quiet two weeks. Still, Ovechkin is piling up the points late in the season, and this is the perfect time for a superstar to get hot. The problem with the Capitals, this year and last year, is their goaltending. Jose Theodore has been pretty solid all season, but it also helps to have the third highest scoring offense in front of you. If Theodore can limit the goals against and allow his offense to pile up the scoring, the Capitals have a very good shot at the Cup.
5 (4). New Jersey Devils (102 points) - Since breaking Patrick Roy's record of career wins, Martin Brodeur has gone 3-5-1. The good news is that the offense has finally gotten out of it's cold streak and has begun scoring goals again, as the Devils won their last two games, which happened to be a back to back. Although history has shown that New Jersey's main problem is their offense, this season it will be up to Brodeur if the Devils are going to win or not. Last postseason he was mediocre at best, and he will have to overcome his recent slide and possibly Sean Avery, because this franchise only goes as far as Brodeur does.
6 (9). Carolina Hurricanes (95 points) - The Canes have won 8 straight on the back of Cam Ward, and have climbed out of the depths of the mess that is the middle of the Eastern Conference to a comfortable 5th place, clinching a playoff spot. No coincidence that all of this success has come after Carolina re-acquired Erik Cole at the trade deadline, and he is thriving as a key member of the offense. The key player in the post season will be Rob Brind'Amour, as he started off the first 2/3 of the season with a -27, but since Cole came along, he has improved it up to a -20 and has been red hot on the scoresheet. Which Brind'Amour the Canes will get in the postseason will determine how far they can go, but they are primed to be the sleeper team.
7 (10). Vancouver Canucks (94 points) - The Canucks have gotten back into form: the Sedin twins and Sundin are putting up points and Luongo is playing lights out goaltending. They have recently dropped 2 games, the last one a heartbreaking loss against Anaheim, but they won 4 of 7 the past two weeks. The X-factor is going to be the second line of Sundin, Kesler, and Bernier, and their penalty killing. The Canucks take a lot of penalties but with Luongo and two high powered offensive lines, they can grind their way to an unlikely championship.
8 (11). Chicago Blackhawks (95 points) - Chicago has won 5 of its last 7, with big wins over San Jose and New Jersey. But even with all that success, their goaltender Khabibulin hasn't been as good as he was early in the season before he went down with injury. In the past two games, the Chihawks have only given up 1 goal in each, but they have also limited their opponents to under 20 shots as well. That is one way to work around a goaltender trying to find his stride, but the Bulin Wall had better get back to form come postseason, because Chicago's defense can't continue playing like this throughout the playoffs.
9 (7). Pittsburgh Penguins (93 points) - Pittsburgh's offense has been explosive since the beginning of March, having scored 2 or more goals in all but one of the games and only losing 4, 3 in overtime. Their entire game relies on the puck being down in the offensive zone, with the occassional timely save by Fleury. Bill Guerin will be a huge key to their success, as much of the offense has been sparked by his trade to the Penguins at the deadline. If he disappears in the playoffs like he did a few years ago in San Jose, the Penguins may become a much more exposed team. If he continues to produce, the Penguins could find themselves back for another bid at the Stanley Cup.
10 (6). Philadelphia Flyers (95 points) - The Flyers haven't exactly played spectacular hockey lately, but they've been doing enough to maintain a 4th place standing in the East, despite the onslaught of wins by Carolina and Pittsburgh. But the Biron that has been shutting down offenses early in March has disappeared, and their offense has started to slide. Still, Jeff Carter looks like he's back in form, and the Flyers are still going to make the postseason at this rate. Martin Biron has to improve his game in the postseason though, as the Flyers have allowed 3 or more goals in the past 6 games. That is not a good thing if you want to survive the first round of the playoffs.
11 (8). Calgary Flames (94 points) - Everything is going wrong for the Flames at the worst possible time of the season. Their offense has disappeared and Kiprusoff is letting in goals left and right. Still, as long as the Flames don't have to face Detroit or San Jose in the first round, they have a chance to get some momentum going their way. But nobody in the Western Conference can be taken for granted, and if the Flames are going to be successful in the playoffs, everything will have to start with Kiprusoff. If he isn't playing well, no amount of goals by Jokinen and Iginla will save them.
12 (14). Montreal Canadiens (92 points) - Right when it looked like the Canadiens would miss the playoffs in their 100 year anniversary, they are right back in the mix of things, losing only 1 game these past 2 weeks. And they have come back with a bang, scoring 3 or more goals in all six games with their one loss an overtime 3-4 loss. Granted, they didn't have much competition, with wins over Tampa Bay, Atlanta, New York (Islanders), and Toronto. But a win's a win. The X-factor is going to be their power play. They are still reeling from the loss of Mark Streit, and their power play is a dull 18.7%. They were the #1 seed in the East last year because they were the #1 power play in the league. If they can get it working again, they could easily be a huge threat in the conference.
13 (21). Anaheim Ducks (88 points) - The Ducks were all but dead in the beginning of March, trading away some key players and picking up prospects, with all signs pointing towards rebuilding. But they kept Pronger and Niedermayer, and after a 0-1 home loss to San Jose, they've won 10 out of their last 11 games, including 6 in a row and a road win in the Shark Tank. The X-factor is Jonas Hiller, who is going to take over Giguere's starting spot in the postseason. Hiller is young and has no experience. But if this guy can keep his head level and deal with the pressure, the Ducks still have the offensive power to win games. They aren't as dominant as they were in 2006 when they won the cup, but having Bobby Ryan sure helps.
14 (13). Columbus Blue Jackets (89 points) - Columbus has only won 2 of its last 6 games, but 3 of the 4 losses were in overtime. Thus, they still find themselves in a prime position for their first franchise postseason appearance. The race is getting tighter and the Blue Jackets can easily drop out. But Rick Nash is getting hot and the acquisition of Antoine Vermette has put more depth in their lines. Steve Mason has started to look like a rookie recently, but if he can find the dominant form earlier in the season, the Blue Jackets are back in business.
15 (19). St. Louis Blues (86 points) - The Blues are in a huge jam down in a tie for 8th place, but they have been playing some pretty good hockey. They have won 5 of 7 games in the past two weeks, and most of the wins have been centered around Chris Mason. The Blues are almost in exactly the same situation as the Blue Jackets: a great young goaltender, with some key offensive players. They have a little less depth and that will ultimately have them not getting out of the first round if they do make it, but for them to have any sort of success in the postseason will rely on Mason.
16 (17). Nashville Predators (86 points)- Nashville has won 4 of 7, and has picked up points in all but 4 games since March began. That formula will get them in the postseason, but a look at how many of those games were OT losses will tell you that the Predators aren't likely to get out of the first round, especially since their likely opponent will be San Jose, who has eliminated them in 5 games the past two years. The X-factor is their power play. It is a very lowly 15.4% this season, and they don't get too many chances because they take more penalties than they draw. But they have Shea Weber on the blue line, who is one of the top offensive defenseman, and a guy like Weber can easily spark a power play.
17 (12). New York Rangers (89 points) - The Rangers are fortunate that they are in 8th place, as it is more because the teams below them are losing rather than the Rangers winning. Still, Lundqvist is looking better than ever, and Nik Antropov and Chris Drury are putting up points. The Rangers want to play the tough, grinding, low-scoring game, and they haven't been able to do that recently. But if they can get that style of play going in the postseason, they can be relatively successful. The X-factor is Sean Avery: Saturday night he "accidentally" hit his stick on the back of Tim Thomas's head, which almost started a line brawl. Worse, it was during a TV timeout, when Thomas was stretching near center ice. It worked against Brodeur; it didn't work against Thomas. We'll see how Avery's antics help or impede the Rangers if they make it to the playoffs.
18 (15). Florida Panthers (87 points) - The Panthers are in the best position of all the bubble teams to knock the Rangers out of 8th place. Still, they've only won 3 of 6 the past two weeks, and their defense core that helped score them a lot of goals is no longer putting up points. Craig Anderson is a young goaltender, which history has recently shown could be a good thing in the postseason. But any sort of success will rely on the Panther offense, which revolves around Jay Bouwmeester. If their offense gets going, the Panthers are almost unstoppable.
19 (18). Minnesota Wild (83 points) - The Wild have exchanging wins and losses the past two weeks, which does not bode well for a team 2 points out of a playoff spot. Still, the return of Marion Gaborik has sparked the lowest scoring offense, as Gaborik has 6 goals in 7 games since he got off the injured reserve. Their success will also rely around Gaborik: he is their best offensive player and outside of Nolan and Koivu, nobody else can produce offensively quite like he can. If the Wild can piece together consecutive wins and make it in the postseason, they can be a very scary 8th seed.
20 (20). Buffalo Sabres (85 points) - Buffalo has won 4 of their last 6 and picked up 9 points in that span. However, everyone above the Sabres, minus the Rangers, has been winning games left and right, so the Sabres are still in a deep hole with 4 games left in the season. But they are happy to welcome back Ryan Miller, and their offense is starting to get things going. The X-factor is Miller: he has been less than stellar throughout the season, but if he becomes the goaltender he was last year, then the Sabres have enough offense to knock out almost anyone in the playoffs.
21 (16). Edmonton Oilers (83 points) - Edmonton has lost 6 of their last 8, and they went from a somewhat comfortable postseason spot to 3 points out of 8th place. Even worse, the Oilers have the least games remaining out of all the teams in the NHL with 3. They have a slim chance of making the playoffs, but they'll have to win all 3, and those wins and any postseason success will rely on their offense. Dwayne Roloson has played outstanding goaltending, he just needs some help on the scoreboard.
22 (22). Dallas Stars (80 points) - The only scenario that has the Stars making the playoffs is if they win all 3 of their remaining games, and the Oilers, Predators, Wild, and Blues lose all of their games. That pretty much says the Stars have less than a 1% chance of making the postseason, which isn't a surprise given their injury-filled offense and the disappearance of Marty Turco. If, by some sort of miracle, they make the postseason, Marty Turco needs to become the Turco of old. They have absolutely too many injured guys to sustain any sort of offense, so Turco needs to carry the team like he did against San Jose last year.
23 (23). Ottawa Senators (78 points) - The Senators are going to miss the postseason this year, but future success will be on the back of their rookie goaltender Brian Elliot. The Sens have the offense, they have just lacked goaltending the past several years. Elliot will look to change that next year.
24 (24). Toronto Maple Leafs (77 points) - The acquisition of Vesa Toskala and coach Ron Wilson didn't help the Maple Leafs much, but it did reveal what their problem is: their defense. It obviously was not their goaltending since Toskala excelled under Wilson in San Jose, which had a much better defensive roster. The trade deadline had the Leafs losing Nik Antropov, their key offensive player, so they'll need to fill that hole in the offseason as well.
25 (25). Los Angeles Kings (75 points) - The Kings will have a big decision to make this offseason: who will be their goaltender of the future? They have Jon Quick, Jon Bernier, and Erik Ersberg to choose from. All are young and have a lot of potential, so this isn't exactly a bad position to be in. The Kings have some good offensive weapons, and their young defenseman are starting to become big time playmakers at both ends of the ice, so the Kings have a bright future to look forward to.
26 (27). Phoenix Coyotes (75 points) - Here's a team that was supposed to make a bid at a playoff position. Now the question is the future of the entire franchise. Will they be moved? Does Gretzky deserve to coach? Shane Doan and Ilya Bryzgalov are great players, but the Coyotes need a lot of help in a lot of other places.
27 (26). Atlanta Thrashers (74 points) - The Thrashers need to decide how long they want to hold on to Kovalchuk. He is a superstar, but he can either spend the rest of his career rebuilding this team or be traded for a shot at a Stanley Cup. They have a good, young offensive group, but inconsistant goaltending has killed them the past few years. If Kari Lehtonen can stay healthy, he could be a decent goaltender, but he doesn't have the history to warrant any faith in his health.
28 (28). Tampa Bay Lightning (66 points) - Despite Lecavalier saying he loves Tampa, all questions are whether or not he will be traded. Ramo is a good goaltender and Stamkos is a future superstar, but it will still take a few years of drafts, trades, and experience before the Lightning are in the postseason again.
29 (29). Colorado Avalanche (64 points) - There are two issues to be addressed by the Avs, whose GM said that they would be contenders for the Cup this year: goaltending and Joe Sakic. Their goaltending has been horrible since the retirement of Roy. Joe Sakic probably wants to return for a 21st season after spending most of this season injured. Will the great Sakic retire an Avalanche? Or will the franchise trade him away so he has one last shot at a championship next year?
30 (30). New York Islanders (61 points) - Is it draft day yet?
Final thoughts: Here are my predictions of the bubble teams that will make the playoffs: none except St. Louis. With the way the Blues have been playing, they will probably knock of Nashville and secure 8th place, but it will most likely take the last game of the season to do so. Boston is in the best position to secure the President's Trophy, if they really want it. San Jose is still recovering from injury and Todd McLellon is slowly reducing the ice time of his star players in preperation of the postseason, and may virtually double the ice time of his fourth line if the Sharks clinch the conference before the season ends. We'll see if Claude Julien does the same.
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