New York Rangers goalies Henrik Lundqvist (30) and Martin Biron (43) have combined to lead the league in the goals allowed category so far this season. (Ray Stubblebine/Reuters)
Even though New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella doesn't agree with his owner, James Dolan, that the NHL team is closing in on a Stanley Cup title, we still like the Rangers atop our power rankings this week.
"Thanks a lot, Mr. Dolan," Tortorella said. "We just have to go about our business. I have my owner up here talking about a Stanley Cup. That's a bunch of [b.s.]. We need to take one day at a time."
Find out where your team fits in this week's power rankings and chat it up @wharnscbcsports
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1. NEW YORK RANGERS (29-11-4) The league-leaders in goals against were stingy in the last week with a Martin Biron shutout in Toronto and Henrik Lundqvist against Nashville. (Last Week: 1) |
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2. DETROIT RED WINGS (30-15-1) It has been hard to ignore the Red Wings success at home with a franchise record 15 in a row at Joe Louis Arena. (Last Week: 7) |
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3. SAN JOSE SHARKS (26-16-6) If the Sharks were to win their games in hand on Detroit they would vault past the Red Wings and into top spot in the West. (Last Week: 9) |
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4. ST. LOUIS BLUES (27-12-6) They're tied with the Rangers in defence allowed at an economical 1.98 goals per game and they have allow a league-low 26.3 shots per game. (Last Week: 2) |
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5. BOSTON BRUINS (29-13-1) Losses in Carolina and Tampa Bay have temporarily derailed the Stanley Cup champs. Do they miss the suspended Brad Marchand that much? (Last Week: 4) |
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6. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (27-13-6) In the days leading up to his 26th birthday on Tuesday, Viktor Stalberg went on a goal-scoring tear with five goals in four games.(Last Week: 5) |
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7. VANCOUVER CANUCKS (28-15-4) Back-to-back losses to Anaheim and Los Angeles have slowed the Canucks progress after their big overtime win over St. Louis last Thursday. (Last Week: 3) |
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8. OTTAWA SENATORS (26-16-4) The unexpected Senators keep surprising their opponents and chugging up the standings. They are on an impressive 12-2-2 run. (Last Week: 8) |
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9. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (27-13-4) All of sudden rookie Sean Couturier has found his goal-scoring mojo. He has scored five times in as many games. (Last Week: 6) |
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10. NASHVILLE PREDATORS (26-16-4)): The Predators have climbed up the West standings with a solid four-week run of 14-5-0 despite a loss to the Rangers on Tuesday. (Last Week: 10) |
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11. LOS ANGELES KINGS (23-15-9) They have scored only 33 times in the 14 games under Darryl Sutter, but the Kings have gone 8-1-5 for their new coach. (Last Week: 12) |
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12. NEW JERSEY DEVILS (21-14-9) The news that Travis Zajac has suffered a setback in his bid to return from his Achilles problems was not welcome. (Last Week: 14) |
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13. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (24-17-4) The Penguins appear back on track with three consecutive wins and defenceman Kris Letang is close to a return. (Last Week: 15) |
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14. FLORIDA PANTHERS (21-14-9) A 1-2-2 slippage has not been good for the Panthers hopes of ending a 10-season long playoff drought. (Last Week: 11) |
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15. WASHINGTON CAPITALS (24-18-2) The Capitals are back among the top-eight in the East, but their first shutout loss of the season to the Islanders on Tuesday did not help matters. (Last Week: 18) |
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16. MINNESOTA (22-17-6) With Mikko Koivu, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse on the sidelines with injuries, the offence has stumbled. (Last Week: 16) |
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17. DALLAS STARS (24-19-2) The Stars also have suffered key injuries to Mike Ribeiro and Jamie Benn, but have managed to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot in the West.(Last Week: 19) |
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18.COLORADO AVALANCHE (24-21-1) Stanley Cup-winning goalie J.S. Giguere was brought in as a backup for Semyon Varlamov, but the veteran has grabbed the No. 1 role. (Last Week: 20) |
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19. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (22-18-5) They erased the good vibrations of a four-game win streak with a three-game losing string and now find themselves in 9th in the East. (Last Week: 13) |
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20. WINNIPEG JETS (21-20-5) The solid 10-3-1 month of December seems like a distant memory for the struggling Jets. (Last Week: 17) |
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21. PHOENIX COYOTES (21-18-7) They ended a three-game losing streak with a decisive 6-1 victory over Varlamov and the Avalanche earlier this week. (Last Week: 22) |
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22. CALGARY FLAMES (21-20-6) The Flames engineered the big Mike Cammalleri trade, but have yet to cash in with win since the sniper joined the team two games ago. (Last Week: 21) |
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23. NEW YORK ISLANDERS (17-21-6) Winners of three of their past five outings, John Tavares has extended his scoring streak to 10 games, the longest by an Islander in a decade. (Last Week: 26) |
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24. MONTREAL CANADIENS (17-20-8) Jaroslav Halak returned to Montreal to stop the Canadiens mini two-game win streak with a 19-save shutout. (Last Week: 24) |
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25. ANAHEIM DUCKS (15-22-7) It took awhile, but head coach Bruce Boudreau has made an impact with the Ducks. They have gone 5-0-1 in their past six outings. (Last Week: 29) |
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26. CAROLINA HURRICANES (16-24-8) They have picked up five out of a possible eight points in the past week and Eric Staal has played much better lately. (Last Week: 28) |
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27. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (13-27-5) We had to pull the Blue Jackets out of the power-rankings basement after they scored a come-from-behind win over the Oilers. (Last Week: 30) |
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28. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (18-23-4) They ended a horrific seven-game losing streak with a win over the Bruins on Tuesday, but the damage may already have been done. ((Last Week: 25) |
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29. BUFFALO SABRES (19-21-5) They can't score and the team's best player, Ryan Miller, has struggled. As a result they have gone 2-6-2 in their past 10. (Last Week: 23) |
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30. EDMONTON OILERS (17-24-4) With two wins in 10 games, rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle injured, the early season success seems like a distant memory. (Last Week: 27) |
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
