Power Rankings: Week Ending Dec. 18, 2009

Sure, it's getting to look a lot like XMAS, but it's also getting to look like it's separating "pretenders from contenders" time.

With that, here are the power rankings for the week ending Dec. 18:

1. New Jersey - Winners of eight of their last 10 games, the Devils are being buoyed, not only by the return of several (previously) ailing vets (Niedermayer, Oduya, and Pandolfo) but by the performances of Niclas Bergfors and Vladimir Zharkov. Marty Brodeur's back, as if there was any concern, to the contrary.

2. Los Angeles - Well, lookie here! Look who's tied for the lead in the Western Conference standings. Sure, they've also been buoyed—in their case, via overtime and shootout wins—but, quite an accomplishment for a team who no one predicted this level of success. Well, except for me (shameless gloating alert).

3. Chicago - Interestingly enough, this electrifying team has been doing it as much with defense as they are with offense, leading the league in fewest goals allowed. Prior to his victory in a high-scoring affair, backup goaltender Antti Niemi had given up only one goal in his previous three starts.

4. Washington - Bit of a rough week for the Caps, by having to grind out a shootout win over the 'Canes, and enduring a blowout loss to the Leafs. Huge drop-off in team's performance when Simeon Varlamov cannot go—the alternative is the goaltending "stylings" of Jose Theodore and Michal Neuvirth.

5. Calgary - Really struggling to score goals, these days, with only 15 goals in their last eight games. Kipper can only do so much—getting Jerome Iginla back on the scoring train will definitely help.

6. Phoenix - The 'Desert Dogs' are still rolling, going 8-1-1 in their last ten games. They are not a team that offensively scares anyone, being ranked 26th in goals scored, but, they play stout defense, and they have benefited from the goaltending tandem of Ilya Bryzgalov and Jason LaBarberra.

7. Pittsburgh - With a healthy lineup, they're starting to win, consistently. It is puzzling, however, as to how they lose, in regulation, to decidedly inferior teams, such as Carolina and the NY Isles.

8. Buffalo - Arguably the hottest team in the league, having won nine of their last twelve. Ryan Miller's shoulders are getting quite heavy, so, any goal-scoring support would definitely help.

9. San Jose - A scheduling quirk had the Sharks play only one game, this week. Hopefully, the rest will help them, as they'd dropped five in a row (before their win against the Ducks), previously, four of which were in the Shark Tank.

10. Nashville - The 'Preds have gone 5-0-1, recently, and, do my eyes deceive me, or, are the 'Preds lighting the lamp, these days? They continue to impress, impending, brutal road stretches be damned.

11. Colorado - The 'Avs have stabilized, going 4-2-0 over their last six games, Tuesday night's blowout loss to the 'Caps, aside. Props to Peter Budaj for filling in, so admirably, while starting netminder Craig Anderson was injured.

12. Detroit - Winners of five of their last six, the 'Wings, massive injury bug, aside, certainly don't win by their goal-scoring. They've done it in a traditionally non-'Wing way, via solid defense and goaltending, with Jimmy Howard firmly establishing himself in net.

13. Vancouver - The 'Nucks are hot, having won four of their past five games, during a recent homestand. The Sedin twins are also really hot, but, they could really use some secondary scoring, and soon.

14. Atlanta - No one knows how they keep doing it, but, the 'Thrash keep staying afloat. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec's recent struggles, going 1-3 with a Save % of only .876, is a concern.

Oh, and so do those 3-4K 'friends and family', in attendance (you can't fool us, with your "attendance" figures, Thrash brass), at Phillips Arena, are also a concern.

15. Boston - The Bears are mired in mediocrity, going 2-2-2 over their last six games. Their penalty-killing unit, ranked no. 1 in the league, along with the timely power-play scoring of Marc Savard, have kept them afloat.

16. Dallas - Have stemmed the tide, so to speak, having gone 1-1-3 during a brutal West Coast to East Coast road swing. A nice stretch, of six of their next seven games, at home, should help their cause.

17. Minnesota - Somebody, please tell me how this team continues to do it: 10-2-1 over their last 13 games is impressive, particularly without any known offense or scoring threat. Sound defense and Nik Backstrom are always a great foundation, though.

18. Ottawa - Pascal Leclaire is set to return to the 'Sens on December 23rd. They're making due, with Brian Elliot in net, so, if they can continue to maintain their .500 ways (4-4-0), they can stay in the playoff hunt. Jason Spezza's knee injury did hurt those chances, though.

19. Florida - Have to give the Panthers credit, playing well during a 4-0-1 stretch, particularly without their top two players: Cory Stillman and David Booth. Hopefully, both can rejoin the team—they've been traveling with the team, recently—and give some support to Tomas Vokoun.

20. Edmonton - Win five in a row on the road? No problem. Return home for their next two games? Two straight losses. Jeff Deslauriers continues to fill in, admirably, for 'Bulin Wall.'

21. St. Louis - They have been disappointing, to say the least. More troubling have been the team's defensive lapses, giving up over 34 shots in eight of their last 10 games.

22. Toronto - Take away that dreadful 1-7-1 start, and you have a pretty good hockey team. Although they've struggled in their last two games, they have nearly erased that horrid start.

23. Anaheim - Randy Carlyle (on the hot seat) rumors start to spread, then the Ducks start to win, with a 3-1-1 streak. Recent call-up Dan Sexton has certainly helped the Ducks search for some offense.

24. Columbus - The struggles continue in Columbus. They begin a tough four- game road stretch, but, given their recent play at home, anywhere but Nationwide Arena would be considered more comforting. They appear to have started to return to last year's model of play, but, until they can start to reel off some wins, this is still a fragile, fragile team.

25. Philadelphia - Like Columbus, a team trying to search for an identity. While showing signs of better play, this team could just be an asymmetric disaster.

26. Tampa Bay - Again, the defense is so much better, for the first time in a long time. But, with LeCavlier and St. Louis struggling to find the back of the net, they will continue to disappoint. Were it not for Steve Stamkos and Ryan Malone, this team would be an even bigger mess.

27. Montreal - Win a game, lose a game...you get the idea. Pathetic results, for the league's greatest dynasty - their faithful deserve so much more.

28. New York Rangers - You need more than two players to win, and since scientists haven't figured out how to clone Marian Gaborik and Hendrik Lundquist, 10 times, each, they will continue to be an sub-par team.

29. New York Islanders - The wild inconsistencies continue—for every impressive victory over an upper-echelon team, there comes a blowout loss to a team who struggles. Still, a pleasant surprise, when compared to last season.

30. Carolina - Too many injuries, and a team who may have overachieved, late last season, may have finally brought the 'Canes to this point. The next step is to blow it up and start over.