The Tampa Bay Lightning and Anaheim Ducks repaid my faith in them from the last Power Rankings with powerful weeks. And the Boston Bruins
get a big push up this week. As always, my rankings are based on this
simple formula: If the playoffs started today, here's how I rank my Cup
contenders, with some consideration for current form but also realistic
season-long trajectory.
| 2015-2016 Power Rankings: Week 18 | ||||
| RANK | TEAM / RECORD | TRENDING | COMMENTS | |
| 1 |
--
Last Week: 1 | Ho-hum (picture Jonathan Toews yawning), the Blackhawks come out of the break and win games in Colorado, Arizona and Dallas. When do the playoffs start again? | ||
| 2 |
--
Last Week: 2 | The Caps have won three straight but strangely haven't scored a power-play goal since Jan. 19, going 0-for-17 over the past five games with the man advantage. | ||
| 3 | 1 Last Week: 4 | Last season's Stanley Cup finalists are looking like Cup contenders again, winning 10 of their past 11 games. | ||
| 4 | 1 Last Week: 5 | On the morning of Dec. 26, the Ducks were 12-15-6, seemingly going nowhere. They've since gone 13-3-1. Watch out, world: The Ducks are very much back, baby. | ||
| 5 | 1 Last Week: 6 | Their five-game winning streak was snapped with an OT loss to the visiting Penguins on Saturday night. Still, the Panthers are for real, a comment I'm hearing more and more from opposing scouts and hockey execs. | ||
| 6 | 3 Last Week: 3 | The Pacific Division leaders begin a seven-game road trip Tuesday in Boston, with stops after that in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Newark, Washington, St. Louis and Nashville. | ||
| 7 | 1 Last Week: 8 | Goalie Brian Elliott has done a check of job replacing No. 1 Jake Allen since the latter went down. No surprise, really, because that's Elliott's track record in these situations. | ||
| 8 | 2 Last Week: 10 | I wonder if we'll look back at that come-from-behind win at Philadelphia on Saturday and view it as the turning point in the season for the Blueshirts. | ||
| 9 | 9 Last Week: 18 | Said a rival Eastern Conference hockey exec Sunday, "The Bruins are a sleeper. Quietly having a real good season." Take a bow, Claude Julien, you've earned it. | ||
| 10 | 3 Last Week: 7 | Their three-game winning streak was snapped with a 5-1 loss at home to the mighty Blackhawks. I think we know who's king in the Central. Stars are in Chicago on Thursday night for the rematch. | ||
| 11 | 2 Last Week: 13 | Five wins in their past six games for the surging Penguins. Tough test Monday night with the red-hot Ducks visiting. | ||
| 12 | 1 Last Week: 11 | The Red Wings were swept in Florida but responded with 5-1 wax job over the Islanders. The Panthers visit Monday night. | ||
| 13 | 1 Last Week: 12 | Funny weekend for the Isles, who were hammered 5-1 in Detroit but then went home and crushed the Oilers 8-1. | ||
| 14 |
--
Last Week: 14 | Marc-Edouard Vlasic has played his way back into the World Cup conversation for Team Canada. | ||
| 15 | 2 Last Week: 17 | GM Ray Shero has had the golden touch in his first year at the helm, including training-camp-invitee-turned-point-machine Lee Stempniak. | ||
| 16 | 7 Last Week: 9 | The Predators responded to getting pounded 6-3 by the Flyers with a 6-2 pounding of the Sharks. Talk about a tough week ahead with games versus the Capitals, Lightning and Panthers. | ||
| 17 | 2 Last Week: 19 | Jordan Staal is playing his best hockey since he arrived in Carolina, putting up 16 points (5-11) in his past 14 games. | ||
| 18 | 3 Last Week: 15 | The Avs began the post-All-Star break with three straight losses to Central Division rivals. The Canucks visit Tuesday night. | ||
| 19 | 5 Last Week: 24 | The playoff push took a tough hit with back-to-back losses this weekend, although the Flyers are still alive at just four points out. | ||
| 20 |
--
Last Week: 20 | They got a blowout win over the rival Maple Leafs after suffering a blowout loss to the Oilers. You just never know what you're going to get with these guys. The white-hot Lightning visit Monday night. | ||
| 21 | 1 Last Week: 22 | The Habs should play all their games in the afternoon for the rest of the season. The traditional Super Bowl weekend matinees on Saturday and Sunday produced back-to-back wins, the first time Montreal has strung together two straight wins since late November. That is a not a misprint. | ||
| 22 | 1 Last Week: 23 | The Coyotes have lost eight of their past 10 games as reality starts to set in for the rebuilding club. | ||
| 23 | 7 Last Week: 16 | Make it 10 losses in 11 games and 13 of the past 16 for the Wild. This is just too good a team to be struggling this much. GM Chuck Fletcher gave head coach Mike Yeo a public vote of confidence Saturday. | ||
| 24 | 3 Last Week: 21 | I sense progress has been made in the Dustin Byfuglien contract talks. Will it be enough? I hope so. He's a very popular player in the 'Peg. | ||
| 25 |
--
Last Week: 25 | I know the Canucks want to both make the playoffs while also retooling on the fly, but easily the best thing for them this season would be to pick as high as possible. Easy for me to say, I know. | ||
| 26 | 1 Last Week: 27 | Small sample size, I know, but Robin Lehner has been outstanding since finally returning from an injury that robbed him of most of the season. | ||
| 27 | 1 Last Week: 28 | Connor McDavid can't do it all. The weekend debacle -- a 5-1 loss at Montreal and an 8-1 loss in Brooklyn -- is a reminder of the work that's needed on that blue line. | ||
| 28 | 2 Last Week: 26 | One of the things the Flames have to decide for next season is who exactly will be their No. 1 goalie, with both their current guys pending UFAs. And neither Jonas Hiller nor Karri Ramo has set the world on fire this season, either. | ||
| 29 |
--
Last Week: 29 | Seth Jones is averaging 24 minutes per game in 13 games with the Jackets since coming over from the Predators. It's the kind of No. 1 role he never got in Nashville, obviously, stuck behind Shea Weber on the right side (Jones averaged 19:38 minutes in Nashville before the trade). | ||
| 30 |
--
Last Week: 30 | It really underlines the parity in the standings that if the Leafs are my 30th-ranked club, they're still a team that on most nights plays a hard game and makes the other team earn those two points. In other words, there are no tanking teams this season. | ||
Andy Bradford ·
Let
me see if I get this right. The Caps have 7 less losses than the
Blackhawks, have beaten the Blackhawks and are beating the Blackhawks by
4 points in the standings while playing 5 fewer games in the process,
yet the Blackhawks are the stronger team. Okay, whatever you say ESPN.
John Zybko
The
Caps are having a great seaon but the rankings are mostly based on "If
the playoffs started today, here's how I rank my Cup contenders". Given
the Caps recent history in the playoffs, they undoubtedly should be
ranked below the Hawks if the Hawks are doing just as well. Playing 5
less games at this point in the season is a dissadvantage. That means
they have to play 5 more games than the Hawks down the stretch. With the
games left to be played in the regular season, the Caps play about 20%
more games than the Hawks in the same time frame. Until the Caps show
they can win it all, they will be judged accordingly.
Zach Schultz
Snore.
Last year it was the Preds, Blues, and the Ducks that were taking the
Hawks' crown. The year before that, the Blues were coming (and the Kings
did.) This year, the Caps are "better than the Hawks."
The only team the that has a legit claim to be better than the Hawks is the Kings, because since the 2011-2012 season, they're the only one that have beaten them in a 7 games series. 
Matt Hunsberger
Zach
Schultz...The Cap are 7-2 verses the Blackhawks in their last 9 head to
head. If the finals come down to Chicago and Washington the Caps won't
be intimidated at all since they've completely owned the Blackhawks for
quite a while.
Chris Powroznik ·
The Caps are going all the way this year!
Jason Matusiak ·
Works at Kolpak & Lerner
Matt Hunsberger Regular season wins mean nothing in the playoffs.
Plus, since they only play twice a year, do you really think what happened in 2010 has any bearing on this year's playoffs? You must be a special kind of special. 
Phil Adams ·
I'm
a rabid Capitals fan, and I don't disagree with the rankings. Patrick
Kane is leading in virtually everything, and the Caps power play has
disappeared. And until they win the Cup, the team that has won it a lot
recently seems more likely to win it again.
Being ranked #1 would be great, as would another President's cup, another Richard trophy for Ovi, and maybe even an MVP for Holtby. But I'd trade it all to see Ovechkin hoist the Stanley Cup. Who wouldn't? GO CAPS!!!
Jason Matusiak ·
Works at Kolpak & Lerner
And
I think the Lightning beat the Hawks 4 of the last 5 they played before
the playoffs last year. How'd that work out for them?
David Tambeaux ·
Works at Center for Vein Restoration
Matt
Hunsberger Yeah and the big bad Bruins had beaten the Hawks and had a
better head to head until they faced them in the finals. Matt I got
news for you, you must not have been paying attention, the Blackhawks
game is not about winning the regular season. It's about One Goal.
Winning the Cup. BFD the Caps have beaten the Hawks. How did that work
out last year? Oh and wait, they won in week two this season. So that
means exactly, NUTHIN! The Blackhawks have 5 rookies int their
line-up, however their team has 6 guys with 3 Cups, 5 with 2 and 4 more
with 1. That is seasoned experience ...See More
Martin Wilbur
Phil
Adams I'm not a Capitals fan and I do disagree with the rankings. While
I understand a significant portion of the rankings is influenced by the
past week, the fact that Washington is not only four points ahead of
Chicago with five games in hand is significant.
Will Anderson ·
For
some reason the Caps do well at containing Toews and Kane and they have
Crawfords number for sure. I totally agree with the fact that this team
has a better record, less game played, better goal differential and 8
players in double digits in goals.
Matt Hunsberger
David
Tambeaux... The Caps have owned the Blackhawks for years. It's a fact
so deal with it. All the Chicago fans getting so mad about that fact
are pretty funny. The Blackhawks are the Capitals bitch. Just bend
over, relax, and take it.
Will Anderson ·
We all have to remember, we are arguing over the rankings from ESPN, possible the worst NHL coverage on the planet
Michael Pierce ·
Matt Hunsberger We can't hear you, the cup and the rings are in the way.
Brandon Pineda ·
I
am appreciative of such a high ranking for the Ducks, but it does seem
like a pretty high mark considering how their season went until the
Christmas break. Their possession numbers have been pretty unbelievable
the whole year and their goal tending has been stellar, so a few pucks
finding the back of the net has made all the difference. Watching them
night in and night out, I knew they were a better team than their record
showed and a little puck luck was all they needed. If they keep playing
like this, expect them to be top 5 in most power rankings and top 3 if
they leap frog the Kings.
John Merkel ·
Wow.
I'm surprised that with the knowledge of the fans posting that no one
has mentioned.that Ovi is the.most self centered captain in the league
and carries a me first attitute.
My grandmother could name.at least ten other captains who are better captains than the Russian Redneck. What kind of leadership does he offer.in the room? "OK everybody get me the puck in the left.faceoff circle and I will.show you that I am the.best player. (Disregard the 10-15/shots I take.a.game.that go nowhere near the net). 
James Kourouklis ·
John
Merkel you are an absolute and UTTER MORON! .. Congrats! .. I live in
DC and actually consider facts about Ovi not just assumptions made from
an uniformed distance .. His teammates LOVE HIM .. How about you replay
the footage of his 500th goal? .. Do teammates celebrate like that for a
self centered Russian Redneck? .. New guys like Williams and Oshie
absolutely rave about what a good teammate he is ... Keep being the
dumbest person on this Board .. Congrats!
Brandon Pineda ·
I am still just trying to figure out what this has to do with my pay in the first place.
James Kourouklis ·
Brandon
Pineda agreed .. I like Boudreau and will always pull for him ..So good
luck to your Ducks .. I find some Chicago fans interesting .. I guess
extreme short term success causes you to lose grip with reality and the
ability to remain somewhat grounded ..
Roger Kint
What
makes me laugh so hard is when 'Hawks fans say, "I am not worried about
the Caps because of their history", so conveniently forgetting that, if
the past predicted the future, you guys wouldn't have any of these
recent Cups. You had a run of futility worse than Washington's prior to
your very-recent prosperity, and if the past was a predictor, you'd
still be struggling to sniff the playoffs once in a while.
And that's where I take my solace. If the piss-poor sadsack Blackhawks that I remember for most of my life (I'm old, and yes they had an occasional decent season like a blind squirrel stumbling across an acorn) can break through and win Cups, anyone can. Even my cursed Caps. 
Sergio Bonilla
Not
too many Blackhawk fans would say that, unless it is to rile Caps fans
spouting regular season stats, thinking the regular season means more
than it actually does. Nothing is guaranteed, and I'd worry about any
team that makes the playoffs. The amount of worry depends on the team
though. I'm more worried about the Kings than the Caps. I'm worried
about teams in the west more than the Caps because the Blackhawks need
to go through the WCF before even thinking about who they might face if
they get that far. It could be the Lightning or another team coming out
of the ECF.
Petr Novak ·
I
moved to Chicago in 98 so I had a 10 year stretch to watch some pretty
horrible hockey. I did go to quite a few games then because the tickets
were dirt cheap. To be honest with you, I'm going to attempt to whipe
that memory out of my head right now because it is very sad. Now, for
the last eight years Chicago hockey fans have been the luckiest fans
because of this teams success.
I've never really understood fans boasting of how their team is awesome and the other guy's team isn't on the fact that a fan doesn't really have anything to do with his or her team's success. The execs draft play...See More 
Joe Fitzsimmons
Chicago
had about an 10 year darkness starting in the late 90s, in which they
actually made the playoffs once, they were awful, but prior to that,
they had (and still have) the 2nd longest playoff streak in history at
28 years I believe...so yes, they were awful during that time, but they
were very strong for most of the 80s/early 90s going to the Finals in
91, long history of success in Chicago...most sports franchises have
periods of total suckdom, I just think many people just want to hate on
Chicago so they keep harping on that dark period and call any success
after that time bandwagon stuff...I just don't think u know your hockey
history
Joe Fitzsimmons
And
who said the Hawks fans forgot anything? The reason they're so excited
is because a proud/storied franchise came back from the absolute gutter
to become an amazing franchise. just think you're a very bitter Caps
fan, for your sake I hope they win it someday, you're obviously just a
hater until then
Roger Kint
Joe
Fitzsimmons Chances are really, really good that I know a lot more,
accurate hockey history than you and any 5 people you know, but I'll
just leave that alone...
Before 2010, the Hawks last Stanley Cup win was in 1961. 1961. Between 1961 and 2010, their history was no better than Washington's. And that 1991 Finals appearance was wonderful, kind of like the Caps' 1998 Finals appearance. No win, just an appearance. As I correctly said, Chicago's past prior to 2010 was no better than Washington's has been... if the past decided the future, you guys would still be struggling for suck with Washington.
Roger Kint
Joe
Fitzsimmons Again, and not surprisingly, wrong. Perhaps reading isn't
something you are familiar with. I never denied that Chicago did come
back from the gutter. What I said, and maybe you can get someone to
read and explain this to you, is that it is comical to hear 'Hawks fans
say 'The Caps won't win, they always lose', when that very line fit the
'Hawks up to 2009.
Gary Krall
Roger
Kint Chances are really, really good that you don't. The Hawks made the
playoffs 28 straight years and 39 of 40. I guess that's being "In the
gutter". I guess your uber history knowledge only goes back to '97.
The Caps played a full month less hockey than the Hawks last season and have played pretty much the fewest games in the league so far this year. Get back to us after they've made those games up heading into the grueling post season. Those "Games in hand" haven't even been played yet, much less won by the Caps. It has little to do with past seasons, although they do matter. In all honesty, Hawks fans have been hearing the same chirping from Blues, Canucks, Wild, Stars, Preds and Sharks fans pretty much every season. Just do it! 
Paul Cappitelli
You
obviously are lying about your age, or lying about how long you have
followed hockey or are just an idiot. The Hawks made the playoffs 28
straight years that ended in something like 1997. There dark period was
relatively short lived, so you couldn't have been watching all that
long. Sorry your team has never won and you have to act like a know
nothing jerkoff about it Roger Kint
Ted Ostoich ·
Works at Currently working on health issues
Yeah
Roger been a fan since 69, but I do not live in the past like obviously
you do, One of these days you just may experience the thrill of being
the fan of a Dynasty, Be it as it may, No team has accomplished what the
Hawks have the past 10 years in the Post Salary Cap era!
David McFitzpatrick
Generally
good argument Roger except for one thing: the Hawks suckage didn't
happen when they had stanley cup talent. The horrible years just prior
to the current team they were (intentionally BTW) little more than an
AHL team, while the Caps continue to lose with teams loaded with talent.
I don't recall many Hawks teams where they horribly underperformed in
the playoffs (although there was that first round exit after winning the
presidents trophy during the Keenan era), but that's something the Caps
have made a habit of recently. They have the team to win it all now,
they have as good of a chance as anyone if not better, let's just see
them get it done this time. It would make a nice story.
Mark Dooley ·
When
you're 30th-ranked and your AHL affiliate is on pace to set a record
for wins and has 4 of the top 10 scorers in the league...you're tanking.
Brian Reilly ·
When
it comes to the playoffs there are certain teams (Chicago and LA) who
know how to win. They don't have to talk because their play on the ice
says it all. Than there are teams whose best player guarantees a win
only to fall on their faces in a Game 7, therefore they don't know how
to win in the playoffs. Hey Caps fans I hear the President's Trophy is
really nice so you have that to look forward to. Lord Stanley... That's
reserved for the Big Boys not playoff chokers
Brian Reilly ·
John Hodges whose guarante flopped... Cup is gonna stay out West for the 6th time out of 7 seasons
Brian Reilly ·
John Hodges BTW off topic but thanks for Arietta
John Hodges
Brian
Reilly he's turned into quite a beast for you guys. Have to admit, when
the O's moved him I thought he needed a change. Always had the tools
here but he struggled big time...Nothing could replace my O's win or
lose but I hope the Cubbies win a WS soon
Wes Sims ·
Says
the guy who's team had to emerge from almost a half century of
irrelevant futility in 2010 to build that bandwagon for its Midwestern
inbreds to ride around on.
Brian Reilly ·
Wes Sims whiny bitch party of 1 your table is ready.
Wes Sims ·
It's ok. When my children don't understand things, they usually react by calling it stupid...
Usually they have to grow up a little before they understand that talking smack as a front dinner is poor form. Gotta give him credit on the Arietta comment though. That one is solid. But to that, I also hope you are enjoying Rahm Emanuel
Wes Sims ·
Front runner, not front dinner. Though that sounds delicious.
Brian Reilly ·
Wes Sims says the fucking moron week called the Midwestern people inbreds. Go fuck yourself you useless pile of dog shit
Noah Baranimal ·
Works at Medline Industries, Inc.
Wes
Sims Half a CENTURY? More like 10 years out of 90. Lets not forget, the
Blackhawks went to the playoffs 29 straight years before 1998 and were
top 5 in attendence at the Chicago Stadium.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment