With only one game of hockey, we thought it was a good time to feature our NHL power rankings by Mark. We’re on the Ducks in that game, but still waiting for Z-Code analysis to confirm our pick.
1. Chicago Blackhawks – At 9-0-2, this team looks unstoppable. How can they not be #1?
2. Pittsburgh Penguins – The Pens are the best team in the East and have the most weapons. How will they blow a Stanley Cup run this year?
3. New Jersey Devils – Save for one game, the Devils are on fire. With cleaner play, this is one of the best teams in hockey.
4. Boston Bruins – Tim Thomas just got traded to the New York Islanders, but it’s Rask’s team now.
5. Anaheim Ducks – Both goalies are playing well, but this offense is out of this world.
6. San Jose Sharks – After a hot start, the Sharks have fallen off a bit lately. They’ll be back, though.
7. Vancouver Canucks – Is there such a thing as too many goalies? The Canucks are trying to prove that there is.
8. Ottawa Senators – The Sens are one of the most underrated teams in hockey. Can this balanced roster perform consistently all year?
9. Nashville Predators – After a slow start, Pekka Rinne finally figured it out. That makes the Preds very, very dangerous.
10. St. Louis Blues – Defense, Defense, Defense. This strategy only works when your goalies don’t get blown out, though.
11. Montreal Canadiens – I cannot explain the Habs’ fast start, but I wouldn’t bet against them right now – especially at home.
12. Tampa Bay LIghtning – The most dangerous offense in the league found a goalie, but they’re slumping right now.
13. Detroit Red Wings – This old team seems to struggle on the road and is off to a mediocre start. Can Jimmy Howard figure it out and save the season?
14. Toronto Maple Leafs- How long can the Leafs win without a solid goaltender?
15. Dallas Stars – Excellent goaltending and timely scoring has the Stars squarely in the thick of things early on.
16. Edmonton Oilers – This young offense is exciting to watch, but better goaltending and the ability to finish games is needed before I get excited here.
17. New York Rangers- Too much talent to stay down for long, but the Rangers are off to a slow start.
18. New York Islanders – The Islanders have cooled off a bit, but they’re finally exciting to watch. Can they convince Tim Thomas to end his hockey hiatus?
19. Carolina Hurricanes – New toys haven’t translated to improved performance, but the Canes have the talent and goaltending to win.
20. Minnesota Wild – Perhaps buying the two most overpriced free agents this offseason wasn’t the way to build a playoff team.
21. Philadelphia Flyers – A slow start for Philly and injuries have the Flyers down in the dumps. They’re too good to stay here for long, though.
22. Phoenix Coyotes – Mike Smith isn’t enough to carry this depleted roster back to the playoffs.
23. Buffalo Sabres – One of the most volatile teams to bet on so far this year, the Sabres are completely unpredictable.
24. Winnipeg Jets – Lethal at home, but worn out by crazy travel, the Jets are slumping.
25. Florida Panthers – The Cats are off to a slow start and seem like a longshot to return to the playoffs.
26. LA Kings – What happened to the defending champs? Don’t forget, they were a horrible team most of the season last year, too.
27. Calgary Flames – The rebuilding has to begin soon here.
28. Washington Capitals – Last place in hockey by a wide margin, nothing is going right in Washington DC.
29. Colorado Avalanche – The Avs are a confusing team. They have weapons, but they aren’t performing either.
30. Columbus Blue Jackets – The Jackets seemed poised to be loosely competitive this year with Bobrovsky in net, but lately it’s been hard to defend them.
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