NHL Power Rankings: Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks Get off to Hot Starts

Tom SchreierJan 27, 2013

Patrick Marleau and Wade Redden have been two pleasant surprises for hockey fans in San Jose and St. Louis, respectively.

Marleau is perhaps the most polarizing player in the Bay Area. Sharks fans either think he is an uber-talented underachiever or an over-criticized superstar.

After years of enduring the wrath of former teammate Jeremy Roenick and other disgruntled fans, Marleau has responded by scoring at least two goals in four consecutive games, a feat that has not been accomplished since Cy Denneny did it for the original Ottawa Senators in 1917-18.

As long as the 33-year-old Marleau stays healthy this year, he’s in for a special season.

Moving from the West Coast to the Gateway to the West, Wade Redden has found his game in St. Louis. In what appeared to be an unexplainable move, the Blues signed Redden, a superstar in Ottawa that spent most of his six-year, $39 million contract with the Rangers in the minor leagues.

The Blueshirts cut him loose before the season began and the Blues swooped in and nabbed him off the bargain bin on a one-year, $800,000 contract.

Fair to say, they’ve gotten their money’s worth so far.

30. Columbus Blue Jackets

1 of 30

This week: 1-3-1

The Blue Jackets began the year with a win, which surprised everyone…

Then they lost their next four games.

Different year, same ol’ Jackets.

29. Florida Panthers

2 of 30

This week: 1-4-0

Florida’s division championship last year is looking like a façade right now.

A 5-1 win over Carolina is nice, but that team also was shaken up in the offseason and didn’t have a training camp.

Then the Cats proceeded to lose their next four games by a combined score of 18-3.

28. Phoenix Coyotes

3 of 30

This week: 1-4-0

The Coyotes are looking like frauds too.

A year after winning their division and going on an out-of-nowhere playoff run, the Yotes have gotten a taste of reality.

They beat Columbus (read: took candy from a baby) and then were wiped off the face of the earth by three teams in their division—Dallas, San Jose and LA—and the Blackhawks as well.

27. Calgary Flames

4 of 30

This week: 1-2-1

The Flames began the season with three straight losses before beating rival Edmonton at home.

A win over the Oilers always excites the locals, but the preceding losses indicate it might be a long season in Calgary again.

26. Nashville Predators

5 of 30

This week: 1-1-3

Even though Shea Weber stayed in town, it’s going to be tough going for a typically resilient Nashville club after the loss of Ryan Suter.

This team lost to Columbus (that’s always bad), St. Louis twice and a surprising Anaheim club. To be fair, three of the losses came in a shootout.

And hey, at least they beat Suter in his first game as an opponent.

25. Buffalo Sabres

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This week: 2-3-0

Not really sure what to make of the Sabres.

They beat up an injured Flyers club (how often can a team say that?) and defeated the Leafs in Toronto.

They have also lost a home-and-home to an improved Hurricanes club by a combined score of 9-4 and also lost a game in Washington.

Next week they’ll face two division rivals, Toronto and Boston, which should shed more light on where Buffalo is early in the year.

24. Los Angeles Kings

7 of 30

This week: 1-2-1

It’s been a tough going for the defending champs at the beginning of the season.

A loss to Chicago is understandable, but losing to Colorado and Edmonton, even on the road, is a little tougher to justify.

At least they beat Phoenix and get two home games in a row before they have to go on a daunting road trip.

23. Washington Capitals

8 of 30

This week: 1-3-1

Washington has been tossed around early this season.

Losses to two division teams, Tampa and Winnipeg, as well as Montreal and New Jersey have to be frustrating for Caps fans.

I guess the Sabres were just what this team needed to clot the bleeding.

22. Toronto Maple Leafs

9 of 30

This week: 2-3-0

Wins in Montreal and Pittsburgh are nothing to sneeze at.

Losses to Buffalo, the Islanders and in Manhattan indicate this might be the same ol’ Leafs though.

21. New York Islanders

10 of 30

This week: 2-2-1

A win over Tampa is pretty nice and Boston and New Jersey are no scrubs.

This is not an elite team by any means, but the Islanders might be turning things around this season. Might be.

20. Colorado Avalanche

11 of 30

This week: 2-2-0

The Avalanche haven’t killed it in the beginning of the season, but their start hasn’t been too bad.

Colorado lost to Minnesota and San Jose, but both of those games were on the road, and beat Columbus 4-0, but, well, it’s the Blue Jackets.

A 3-1 win over the Kings is pretty exciting, though.

19. Edmonton Oilers

12 of 30

This week: 2-2-0

Not really sure what to make of the Oilers either.

Wins in Vancouver and over LA are impressive. A loss to San Jose is expected.

Losing in Calgary indicates trouble.

18. Carolina Hurricanes

13 of 30

This week: 2-2-0

A lot is expected of the revamped Canes and dual losses to their Floridian division rivals by a combined score of 9-2 has to be concerning.

A set of wins against Buffalo, however, righted the ship in a hurry.

17. Dallas Stars

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This week: 2-2-1

A win in Detroit is always hard to come by, but losses to Minnesota, Chicago and St. Louis indicate that the Stars aren’t ready to hang with the big boys just yet.

16. Vancouver Canucks

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This week: 2-2-1

The Canucks got humiliated by Anaheim and lost to Edmonton at home, which can’t be good, but they got a gimme against Calgary and vengeance in Anaheim soon after.

Then they were humiliated again in San Jose…

Ahh, Vancouver, you never cease to torture your fans.

15. Minnesota Wild

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This week: 2-2-1

The Wild got off to a hot start, but lost the Suter-revenge game and were beaten by the Red Wings and Blues on the road.

If Minnesota wants to be a threat in the Western Conference, they have to start winning those games.

14. Detroit Red Wings

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This week: 2-2-1

It’s already been an up-and-down year for the Elderly Men of the Winged Wheel.

They got rolled up and smoked in St. Louis to begin the season, almost lost in Columbus (whoops…) and lost to Dallas before defeating an improved Wild club at home.

They came close to upsetting Chicago’s brilliant start in the Madhouse, but didn’t quite get the job done.

13. Winnipeg Jets

18 of 30

This week: 3-1-1

Gotta tip your hat to the Jets for beating the Capitals and Penguins and there’s no shame in losing to Boston.

Not a bad start for an overlooked team this season.

12. Ottawa Senators

19 of 30

This week: 3-1-1

The Senators got off to a hot start to begin the year, but they also got to start with a game in Winnipeg and a home-and-home against Florida.

Losses in Tampa and against Pittsburgh served as a reality check for this club.

11. Philadelphia Flyers

20 of 30

This week: 2-4-0

Injuries have done their toll on the Broad Street Bullies. They resulted in three straight losses to begin the season.

A win over the Rangers is always welcome in Philly and they got a victory lap in Sunrise afterwards…then were steamrolled by the Lightning.

Looks like it could be a wacky season for the Flyers.

10. New York Rangers

21 of 30

This week: 2-3-0

Things haven’t started the way people were expecting they would for the Rangers this year.

They lost in Boston and against Pittsburgh to begin the year. They also lost to an injured Flyers club in Philly after getting revenge on Boston at home.

And then they beat Toronto, which is kind of expected.

To be fair to the Blueshirts, nobody wants to begin the year against the Bruins and Penguins, but if they want to be the best team in the league this year, they’ve got to win those games…or at least make them close.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins

22 of 30

This week: 3-2-0

The Penguins might be overlooking teams early in the season.

They beat up the Flyers and Rangers away from The House That Crosby Built, but then lost to Toronto and Winnipeg…which is pretty embarrassing.

A win in Ottawa indicates that Dan Bylsma gave them a little wake-up call.

8. Montreal Canadiens

23 of 30

This week: 3-1-0

Hey, how about the Canadiens?

A loss to Toronto is always going to be tough to take for the French speakers up there, but three straight wins, including one in Washington, is a nice bounce back for sure.

7. Anaheim Ducks

24 of 30

Overall: 3-1-0

The Ducks have started off the season with an impressive win in Vancouver and also have wins in Calgary and against Nashville.

A 5-0 blanking by Vancouver in SoCal makes it difficult to judge exactly how good this team will be, however.

6. New Jersey Devils

25 of 30

This week: 3-0-1

New Jersey is out to prove that they can win without Zach Parise.

Three straight wins, even if two of them came against the Islanders and an injured Flyers club, has to have Devils fans believing that this team is going to be a threat once again this year.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning

26 of 30

This week: 4-1-0

Wins over Washington and in Carolina, along with victories over Ottawa and Philly, indicate that the Lightning want to take the Southeast this year.

A loss on the Island tells us that this team needs to play better on the road, however.

4. Boston Bruins

27 of 30

This week: 3-0-1

Boston has started off the year the right way.

Considered to be a Stanley Cup contender before the season began, Boston beat up the Rangers in their first game and capitalized on two gimmes against the Jets and Islanders at home.

An overtime loss in Manhattan isn’t going to blemish this team’s great start. This team looks like the real deal so far.

3. St. Louis Blues

28 of 30

This week: 5-1-0

The Baby Blues are growing up and everyone in the league better watch out.

They’ve got to beat Chicago, however, if they want to take their division.

2. San Jose Sharks

29 of 30

This week: 5-0-0

Patrick Marleau and the Sharkies are on a roll. Sharks fans should hold an unofficial “Burn your Roenick sweater” day in No. 12’s honor if they keep this up.