I was chatting with a
GM last week when he questioned the validity of those "ranking things"
media outlets -- like ours -- put out every week to determine the
hierarchy of the 30 clubs. His point was that there's so little to
choose from in today's parity-filled NHL that the difference between
teams is almost nothing these days. As a GM, all he cares about is
getting into that top 16 come April, and then all bets are off. Well,
he's right. But we're not canceling the Power Rankings. They're too much
fun! Love 'em or hate 'em, here are this week's:
| 2015-2016 Power Rankings: Week 8 | ||||
| RANK | TEAM / RECORD | TRENDING | COMMENTS | |
| 1 |
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Last Week: 1 | The Stars went 10-3-0 in November and capped the month in sensational style by erasing a 3-0 third-period deficit while beating the Wild 4-3 in OT Saturday night. Is there a team that's more fun to watch than these high-flying Stars? | ||
| 2 | 2 Last Week: 4 | Five wins in a row for a Capitals team that can beat you in a million different ways. Caps fans have been teased for a decade, but this is the most playoff-ready lineup they've ever had. Wouldn't a Stars-Caps Cup finals matchup be a treat to watch? | ||
| 3 |
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Last Week: 3 | The Habs went 10-2-0 in October and then added an 8-2-3 November. Not too shabby at all. But with Carey Price and Brendan Gallagher both out, this is their biggest test yet. | ||
| 4 | 1 Last Week: 5 | If Jake Allen can duplicate this in the playoffs, the Blues might finally get over that postseason hump. | ||
| 5 | 4 Last Week: 9 | Marian Gaborik has scored three goals in his last three games, waking up from a slumber that saw him score just twice in his opening 20 games. Dude, seriously. | ||
| 6 | 4 Last Week: 10 | I know it's always hard to determine an MVP when Jonathan Toews is the steady engine at the middle of it all, but the way Patrick Kane is going warrants serious Hart Trophy consideration. | ||
| 7 | 5 Last Week: 2 | Life without Derek Stepan began by being shut out by the Flyers on Saturday. There's no replacing Stepan, who will be out more than a month. The Rangers need to bear down defensively and win some low-scoring games, focus on their own end and let the rest figure itself out. | ||
| 8 | 5 Last Week: 13 | The Senators' opening two months very much went under the radar on a leaguewide basis, perhaps because they play in a division with Montreal, but Erik Karlsson is doing his Norris Trophy thing again and his Sens are for real. | ||
| 9 | 3 Last Week: 6 | Is this the same movie we are seeing again? The Wild once again have fallen on hard times in late November, just like they did a year ago, 1-4-2 in their past seven games. Come on, guys -- you're better than this. | ||
| 10 | 3 Last Week: 7 | The Predators, who got off to a 11-3-3 start, have dropped five of their past six games and apparently have forgotten where the net is. | ||
| 11 | 3 Last Week: 8 | Four young goalies of note were traded last summer: Eddie Lack, Robin Lehner, Cam Talbot and Martin Jones. So far, the Sharks are the winners of that derby. | ||
| 12 | 5 Last Week: 17 | Five wins a row for a streaky Bruins team that has looked both great and mediocre at different times. The B's head to Western Canada this week. | ||
| 13 | 2 Last Week: 11 | Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek each have six wins as the 50-50 job share continues. Do the Red Wings need to ride one guy? Not saying they do -- just asking. | ||
| 14 |
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Last Week: 14 | Really impressed by the work of first-year head coach John Hynes. The Devils are prepared and structured and their work ethic matches, if not surpasses, more talented lineups on most nights. | ||
| 15 |
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Last Week: 15 | The good news: The Penguins' power play has scored in six straight games. The not-so-good news: The Penguins have won only half those games as they continue to be OK, but not great, or not where they believe they should be. | ||
| 16 |
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Last Week: 16 | Thomas Greiss has fit in nicely as an offseason pickup, at 6-3-2 with a .927 save percentage. | ||
| 17 | 5 Last Week: 12 | Three wins in a row gave me reason to believe the turnaround was at hand. But then came weekend losses to the Caps and Isles. This team is so much better. It's confounding. | ||
| 18 |
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Last Week: 18 | The Panthers had a big weekend, with wins over the Isles and Red Wings. Veteran goalie Roberto Luongo has been dynamite yet again. | ||
| 19 | 2 Last Week: 21 | That's three wins in a row for the surprising Coyotes. They are not only are blowing away preseason projections, but doing so in a manner that's fun to watch. | ||
| 20 | 1 Last Week: 19 | The Jets follow up a huge 3-1 win at Minnesota Friday with a lame 5-3 loss at Colorado on Saturday night, capping a very disappointing 4-9-1 November. | ||
| 21 | 1 Last Week: 20 | The Canucks have really missed Brandon Sutter since he was injured on Nov. 10. They just don't have the depth to replace him in that role. | ||
| 22 |
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Last Week: 22 | That was a crushing late-game collapse against the Blackhawks on Black Friday. Let's see how the mystifying Ducks respond Monday night at home against the Canucks. Enough is enough, right? | ||
| 23 | 1 Last Week: 24 | Back-to-back four-goal games for the Sabres, who were due to break out given their shooting percentage numbers. | ||
| 24 | 6 Last Week: 30 | The Flyers, so incensed that they were ranked dead last in the Power Rankings last week, responded with three wins in four games, including impressive weekend wins over the Predators and Rangers. OK, message received! | ||
| 25 | 1 Last Week: 26 | Defenseman Brett Pesce, 21, is fifth on the team in ice time per game at 19:13. The former third-round pick is making a statement in his rookie season. | ||
| 26 | 1 Last Week: 27 | In a season likely headed nowhere, one of the bright lights has been 22-year-old Boone Jenner, with a team-leading 11 goals in 25 games. | ||
| 27 | 2 Last Week: 29 | Seven points out of a playoff spot, the season feels like it's on the line as the Avs get ready for four-game road trip through Brooklyn, Newark, Manhattan and St. Paul, Minnesota. | ||
| 28 | 3 Last Week: 25 | Garret Sparks, you're next in goal. The 22-year-old Marlies call-up is in net Monday night to replace the struggling Jonathan Bernier while James Reimer is hurt. | ||
| 29 | 6 Last Week: 23 | A three-game road trip netted one single point as the Flames continue to shoot themselves in the foot. | ||
| 30 | 2 Last Week: 28 | The team has new management and a new coach, but some of the same old problems: The goaltending isn't good enough and neither is the blue line. | ||
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