NHL Power Rankings: The Detroit Red Wings Soar and the Los Angeles Kings Slide
There is not a more dangerous team than a talented, veteran squad. The Detroit Red Wings have elite players at every position, and have several guys who have won everything to win in hockey.
Detroit has won eight of their last ten games (8-1-1), and are 13-3-2 overall.
After an impressive Stanley Cup run last season, the Philadelphia Flyers are continuing their excellent all around play, but the search for a number one goalie still plagues coach Peter Laviolette's team.
Out West there are multiple teams struggling after starting the season on fire. The St. Louis Blues came out of the gates red hot, and remain the only team that has not lost at home in regulation.
The defending Stanley Champion Chicago Blackhawks are still adjusting to their roster overhaul during the off season due to salary cap limitations. Chicago is finding out how difficult it is to defend a Cup title, but 11-10-2, the Hawks still are in position to become a top three seed going into the Western conference playoffs.
Now we'll look at the top 15 teams in the NHL, and find out who's struggling, and who is heating up.
15.) New York Rangers
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A constant problem for the New York Rangers the last few seasons has been finding a suitable backup for elite goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
Martin Biron has proved so far that he is capable of lessening the burden King Henrik has had to bear each season.
For the Rangers to make the playoffs, and make a deep run to the Cup Finals, the need Lundqvist to be as healthy and fresh as possible.
Marion Gaborik is back in the blue shirts lineup, and his presence cannot be understated. He is the engine that makes the Rangers offense go, and when healthy, he is a top 5 goal scorer in the NHL.
The Rangers are playing well, but there is plenty room for improvement. Martin Biron must also continue his impressive play and net, and the offense needs to find more goals from players other than Gaborik.
14.) Chicago Blackhawks
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Life as the defending Stanley Cup champions is a challenge the Chicago Blackhawks have had trouble dealing with this season.
Chicago is getting every team's best effort each night, and the Hawks have been unable to match their opponents energy every night.
To be fair, Chicago's salary cap struggles this past offseason are showing their effect.
The Hawks were forced to part ways with several key components of their Cup winning team last season because they were over the salary cup.
Chicago still has some of the brightest young players in the NHL, and there is no doubt they will get better each night.
When you play with so many new guys for the first time, finding team chemistry is a hard thing to do quickly. Chicago will take time to improve, but they will be a force come playoff time.
13.) Pittsburgh Penguins
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After a lackluster start to the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins look like the eastern conference power we're accustomed to seeing.
Evgeni Malkin is starting to regain his all star form, and goalie Marc Andre Fleury is slowly improving after a bad start.
Captain Sidney Crosby is playing at his usual all world level, as he has scored 15 goals and dished out 20 assists so far.
Even after a mediocre start to the year, the Penguins are only two points out of second in the Atlantic division, and three points ahead of the Rangers who are in third.
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12.) Nashville Predators
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The Predators have been playing well of late, erasing a bad start to they season.
They play in one of the NHL's most competitive divisions, and even though they sit at the bottom of the Central division, they are very much in the playoff hunt.
Three shootout wins in the last week and a half were huge points for a team that is struggling to find offense.
Nashville is 28th in the NHL in goals scored, and are giving up 2.7 goals per game, while scoring an average of 2.3.
The Predators need to find offense from more guys to stay in the playoff hunt, but right now they are happy with their record (9-6-3), despite struggling to put pucks in the net.
11.) St. Louis Blues
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So far it seems the St. Louis Blues have gotten the better end of the deal in the trade that brought last season's breakout goalie Jaroslav Halak from Montreal.
Halak has played well in his first few months with the Blues, and his play has kept an injury ridden team from sliding down the standings.
After a very hot start to the year, St. Louis has been decimated by injuries, but remain the only NHL team not have lost at home in regulation.
Like last season, goals have been hard to come by, and the Blues are currently 20th in the league in goals for.
But with Halak giving the Blues a number one goalie they didn't have last season, the offensive struggles will be less noticeable.
Once St. Louis get healthier, they will be a force in the western conference.
10.) Tampa Bay Lightning
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The Tampa Bay Lightning are a team no goalie wants to face, and with forward Steven Stamkos scoring goals in record numbers, the Lightning can score five goals on any team, any night.
Stamkos became the first player since Simon Gagne in the 2005-06 season to score 21 goals in his team's first 22 games, and is on pace to become the first player since Brett Hull in the 1991-92 season to score 50 goals in 50 games.
Tampa Bay problem is they allow their opponents to score often too, and they are currently 25th in goals allowed, at about 3.1 per game.
However, with a strong penalty kill (4th best in the league at about 89%), the Lightning will be fine moving forward.
The only team they need to worry about in the Southeast division is Washington, and once they find consistent play in net, they will be a dangerous team come spring.
9.) Phoenix Coyotes
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The Coyotes have erased a bad start to the season and are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now.
After a breakout season last year, Phoenix isn't taking anyone by surprise this season.
The Coyotes have been one of the best road teams in the league, including an impressive win last Sunday in Vancouver.
At 11-5-5 overall, Phoenix is regaining the form they showed for most of last season, and head coach Dave Tippet is finding new ways to get the best out of his team.
8.) Colorado Avalanche
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The Colorado Avalanche have their number one goalie Craig Anderson back in the starting lineup, and his presence is paying immediate dividends.
Offensively, the Avs have been on fire, and currently rank second in the NHL scoring 3.5 goals per game.
Rookie defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk has been a great addition to the Colorado lineup, and his offensive talents have been most impressive.
With Anderson back in net, and the offense providing plenty of goals, the Colorado Avalanche are in position to strengthen their lead in the Northwest division, they currently have a two point lead over the Vancouver Canucks.
7.) Los Angeles Kings
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The Los Angeles Kings were one of the hottest teams to start the season, and were once atop the Western conference.
After a 1-3 stretch this past week, the Kings have looked a bit sluggish, but a big shootout win in Boston last Saturday after giving up a lead was a huge two points.
Los Angeles has been finding an adequate number of goals, including a great start to the season from center Anze Kopitar, one of the most underrated players in the NHL.
The Kings have been great at home, and lost for only the first time at the Staples center this past week.
The defense for Los Angeles has been strong, and the goalie duo of Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier will give the Kings a great chance to win even when the offense struggles.
6.) Columbus Blue Jackets
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Rick Nash is not a household superstar on the national scene, but every NHL player knows he is an elite player.
After a great 2008-09 season in which the Blue Jackets made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the 2009-10 season was very disappointing.
Last season the Blue Jackets were one of the league's worst teams, but they have found their 2009 form once more.
Goaltenders Steve Mason and Mathieu Garon have been unbelievable, helping the Blue Jackets be the third best team in goals allowed, allowing a mere 2.3 per game.
Columbus is playing solid defense and getting great goaltending, while having their best players play well. Sounds like a nice recipe for a playoff berth.
5.) Montreal Canadiens
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Montreal is showing their run to the eastern conference finals last season was no fluke, and currently lead the Northeast division.
The much maligned Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is finally showing his true potential, and is becoming a legitimate contender for the Vezina and Hart trophies.
Last Saturday, Price recorded his fourth shutout of the season, and currently has an impressive 2.05 GAA.
The Canadiens are helping their great goaltending play with the leagues best penalty kill (90.8%).
Montreal is getting solid play in all areas, and will be a eastern conference power the entire season. Their battle with Boston for the Northeast division crown will be an exciting race to watch as the season progresses.
4.) Washington Capitals
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Alexander Ovechkin is on fire right now, and that's bad news for the rest of the NHL.
The Capitals are 15-6-2 so far, with their offense finally starting to fire on all cylinders. Helping Ovechkin lead the offensive attack is Alexander Semin, who leads the Caps with 14 goals scored.
Washington's weakness is the same as it was last season, consistent goaltending and defense.
The Caps are 17th in goals allowed, but as the 4th best scoring team in the league, they are able to make up for their defensive inabilities on most nights.
Washington will be a top team all season, but their defense must improve if they are to finally reach the Stanley Cup finals with Alexander Ovechkin.
3.) Boston Bruins
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The Boston Bruins have the best goaltending duo in the NHL, led by 2009 Vezina trophy winner Tim Thomas, and last season's rookie surprise Tuukka Rask.
Thomas has regained his stellar form of two seasons ago, and after offseason surgery, it is clear his movement and athleticism is greatly improved.
Boston ranked number one in goals allowed, giving up just 1.9 goals per game.
New acquisition Nathan Horton has been a great offensive boost for a Bruins team who struggled mightily to score goals last year.
Milan Lucic has picked up where he left off in the 2010 playoffs and is finding the back of the net frequently.
Boston is a complete team, and even with star playmaker Marc Savard still missing time due to post concussion syndrome, the Bruins are keeping pace with league's best.
2.) Philadelphia Flyers
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Although the Flyers have a six point advantage on the Bruins in the standings, they have played three more games than Boston.
But I'm willing to give Philly the benefit of the doubt. The Flyers have the league's best goal differential at plus 22, and have gotten good play from their goaltenders.
Rookie goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been a pleasant surprise for a team who was decimated by goalie injuries last season.
Bobrovsky is 11-3-1 so far, with a 2.29 GAA and a .925 save percentage.
Loaded with offensive talent, and a solid goalie, the Flyers are ready to make a serious run toward another Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
1.) Detroit Red Wings
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Every spring, NHL fans know that no matter where the Red Wings are in the standings, no one wants their team to meet Detroit in the playoffs.
The Red Wings are the "vetty" team that everyone fears. They are loaded with veterans who have won everything there is to win as a professional hockey player.
Through 19 games, the Wings are 13-4-2, and find themselves atop the Central division.
Joe Louis arena is once again a very difficult place to win, and coach Mike Babcock has proven his place among the elite NHL coaches with his ability to continually motivate players who have little left to prove.
The ageless wonder and all time defenseman Niklas Lidstrom leads the Red Wings with 17 assists, helping Detroit to the ninth best goals against record in the league.
With their stellar defense winning games, the Red Wings are also the highest scoring team per game in the NHL.
Detroit is again the team to beat in the NHL, and if they are fully healthy in come playoff time, they are almost certain to reach another Stanley Cup finals.
Review
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The NHL is enjoying an exciting season so far, with a lot of goals scored, and many exciting overtime games.
More importantly for the league is the amount of teams in major markets having great success.
Teams in Boston, Montreal, New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh are all contenders in their respective conferences.
Each division is very competitive, and there are so many teams who still have a great chance to play in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs.
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