NHL Power Rankings: Rejection of Realignment Plan Looks Like a Power Grab

I’m upset the NHL’s realignment plan was nixed.

Instead of playing late-night games in Western Canada three times a year, the Wild would be playing Midwest rivals in Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit.

All those cities are easily accessible by plane or car, so fans in Minnesota could attend away games, and people at home wouldn’t have to stay up until midnight to see the conclusion of a game that started at 9:00 Central time.

I’m not alone in this, either.

Hockey aficionados in Detroit know that their team has the roughest road schedule in the NHL.

Dallas is in need of viewership, and fans in Texas are in the Central time zone but playing Pacific teams in their division three times a year.

And I can’t imagine anyone in Winnipeg wants to see the Jets travel to South Beach for games against divisional opponents. After all, nobody believes there’s an organic rivalry between Winnipeg and the other teams in the Southeast.

Finally, hockey fans in Quebec City, Seattle and Kansas City know that the Coyotes could have easily been relocated under this plan.

Of course, fans in Raleigh are thankful their rebuilding team is playing the Southern expansion teams rather than the Rangers, Flyers and Penguins.

Even in that case, however, the franchise would benefit from having teams with a large amount of displaced fans in the research triangle that would come to Hurricanes games.

In the end, this looks like a power move for the NHLPA before the CBA expires, reminding hockey fans that, once again, the two sides could be in for a lengthy argument this summer.

30. Edmonton Oilers

Last week: 27

Edmonton finished their road trip with one win in seven games.

All of the losses came in regulation.

In short, the once-promising Oil are in trouble.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets

Last week: 30

A win early in a road trip is always good, even if it is a 1-0 scrapper with the offensively inept Kings.

28. New York Islanders

Last week: 28

The Islanders had a three-game winning streak going, but lost two winnable games against Anaheim and Phoenix to finish off their road trip.

27. Anaheim Ducks

Last week: 29

Anaheim picked up their first win of the month with a 4-2 comeback effort over the Islanders.

The Ducks have home contests against Columbus and Dallas before hitting the road to take on three Canadian opponents, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

26. Minnesota Wild

Last week: 20

The reeling Wild have one win in their last 12 games.

Things don’t get any easier either.

Minnesota faces San Jose, Chicago, St. Louis, Philly and Toronto in their next five games, four of which come on the road.

25. Buffalo Sabres

Last week: 24

After a 4-3 regulation win against Edmonton, things have gone sour in Western New York.

The Sabres lost 4-2 in Carolina, and Winnipeg nipped them in overtime.

Things don’t get any easier, either.

They have to play red-hot Toronto twice and only have one home game the rest of this month.

24. Carolina Hurricanes

Last week: 25

Carolina has lost three of four, but took the Islanders to a shootout and beat Buffalo in regulation.

Unfortunately, the team has Philly and Boston coming to town next week.

23. Montreal Canadiens

Last week: 26

The Canadiens had a tough road trip, one win in six games, but treated their hometown fans to wins over Winnipeg and Tampa Bay by a combined score of 10-4.

22. Calgary Flames

Last week: 23

After finishing their seven-game road trip with a 2-4 record (capped off with a 9-0 loss in Boston), the Flames treated their hometown fans to a 3-1 win over Minnesota (Jarome Iginla netted his 500th goal in the contest).

Fortunately, Calgary gets to play their next three games at home.

21. Tampa Bay Lightning

Last week: 17

It’s pretty simple in Tampa:

When they’re at home, they win (11-5-0).

When they’re away, they lose (6-15-3).

They had a three-game win streak going—all those games were played in Florida.

Then they lost the next three—all of which were played in Canada.

The Bolts need to learn how to win on the road if they want to get back into the Eastern Conference race.

20. Winnipeg Jets

Last week: 10

A 7-3 loss to the struggling Canadiens and being shutout in Toronto sent a harsh message to Winnipeg:

The Jets have a while before they can establish themselves as the team to beat in Canada.

19. Phoenix Coyotes

Last week: 18

Shane Doan has done many things in his 15-year career with Phoenix.

One thing he hadn’t done until Saturday was record a hat trick.

He accomplished the feat in a 5-1 win over the Islanders in front of his home crowd.

18. Florida Panthers

Last week: 21

With Winnipeg and Washington breathing down their necks, the Panthers have dropped three of their last four.

Fortunately for fans in South Florida, the Cats play their next three games in Sunrise…but they come against Vancouver, Pittsburgh and Boston.

17. Ottawa Senators

Last week: 19

The Sens had their four-game win streak snapped by Philly, but have played good hockey of late.

Ottawa is scoring three goals per game (eighth in NHL) and are second in their division.

If only this team played some defense.

16. Washington Capitals

Last week: 16

The Caps had their four-game winning streak snapped in San Jose, but Washington is finally responding to Dale Hunter’s instruction.

It should not go overlooked, however, that three of the team’s four wins came against reeling Buffalo, putrid Columbus and inconsistent Calgary.

The Capitals need to prove they can beat quality competition.

15. Los Angeles Kings

Last week: 15

The coaching change seems to be working in Los Angeles.

The Kings have responded to Darryl Sutter by winning contests, but being shut out by lowly Columbus has to sting a little bit.

14. Nashville Predators

Last week: 14

The Preds have only one loss, a 4-1 decision against Dallas, in their last five games.

Nashville will be tested next week, though, when they face Colorado twice and host Philly.

13. Pittsburgh Penguins

Last week: 7

Still a top 10 team in offense, defense and special teams, the Penguins look like a shadow of the team they once were.

Pittsburgh has lost their last four games and sit at fourth in their division.

12. Chicago Blackhawks

Last week: 3

Uh oh…

The Blackhawks have lost four of their last five, including a 4-0 stinger to Colorado at home.

Chicago has relinquished their division lead and are in trouble of heading into a tailspin.

11. Dallas Stars

Last week: 12

Winners of three of their last four, Dallas’ lone loss came against the Red Wings in regulation.

Dallas continues to chug along in a winnable division.

10. Colorado Avalanche

Last week: 8

The Avs had a four-game win streak going until they were beat soundly, 4-0, in St. Louis.

With Minnesota looking vulnerable, Colorado has an opportunity to capitalize on their momentum and move into the No. 2 spot in the division.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs

Last week: 22

The Leafs don’t need to play no stinkin’ defense.

They’ve won their last three games by a combined score of 15-6.

8. New Jersey Devils

Last week: 5

A 6-1 loss to Boston is humiliating, but New Jersey recovered by beating Florida and Pittsburgh by a combined score of 8-3.

7. Philadelphia Flyers

Last week: 6

The Flyers only got two wins on their most recent road trip, but returned home and picked up wins over Chicago and Ottawa after the Winter Classic.

Unfortunately, they hit the road again for four games.

6. San Jose Sharks

Last week: 13

The Sharks have won their last four games and created a little separation in the Pacific.

They have to play their next four games away from San Jose, however, and will only have two home games this month.

5. Detroit Red Wings

Last week: 4

In their last three games, the Wings shut out two surging clubs, St. Louis and Dallas, and almost mounted a comeback against Toronto after going down 3-0.

Detroit plays their next two games away and will return to Motown on Thursday to take on the Coyotes.

4. St. Louis Blues

Last week: 11

St. Louis has won their last three games and currently sit atop the mighty Central Division.

They’re in position to create some separation too.

The Blues have only one away game, against Montreal, before their five-game homestand.

3. Vancouver Canucks

Last week: 9

A top 10 team in offense, defense and special teams, the Canucks have no glaring deficiencies.

In their last two games, Vancouver crushed once-juggernaut Minnesota, 3-0, and picked up a regulation win in Boston.

2. New York Rangers

Last week: 2

The power play continues to be this team’s Achilles heel.

The Rangers remain atop the Atlantic Division, however, and have won their last four games against Florida (twice), Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

1. Boston Bruins

Last week: 1

For the second consecutive week, Boston leads the league in offense and defense.

The power play (13th in league) is of concern, and the team lost 4-3 in regulation to Vancouver, but there’s little else to worry about in Beantown.

The B’s started off January by beating New Jersey and Calgary by a combined score of 15-1.