NHL Power Rankings For Week 17 of the 2014-15 Season
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With the All-Star break behind us and the trade deadline looming, the NHL standings will look be shaken up a lot in the coming weeks. Struggling teams will look to sell assets to build for a brighter future, dropping them in the standings, while teams that think they can make a run will load up. As of week 17 of the 2014-15 NHL season here are the power rankings based on a combination of the league standings and my personal eye-test on each team.
30. Buffalo Sabres
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30. Buffalo Sabres
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The Sabres have done the seemingly impossible and sank below the Oilers via a 14-game losing streak. Buffalo’s goal was to rebuild this season, and the team’s struggles will lead to a high pick in a great draft, helping to speed along that rebuild.
29. Edmonton Oilers
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29. Edmonton Oilers
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The team is playing better of late, which isn’t saying much at all and will likely cost them the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. With former Oiler David Perron and the Pittsburgh Penguins coming to town on Wednesday, look for the Oilers to be back at their losing ways and show Perron he isn’t missing anything.
28. Arizona Coyotes
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28. Arizona Coyotes
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Antoine Vermette, Zbynek Michalek and Keith Yandle will all likely be moved between now the trade deadline meaning the team will likely sink even lower. With a rebuild in full swing, the struggling now could lead to much brighter days in the future.
27. Carolina Hurricanes
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27. Carolina Hurricanes
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Despite a recent uptick in play, the Canes are still an awful team that has a rebuild ahead of it. Having Alexander Semin’s erroneous contract for the next three years won’t speed up the process.
26. Toronto Maple Leafs
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26. Toronto Maple Leafs
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The Leafs collapsing has become an annual tradition and with each passing year they do it in a more embarrassing fashion. Look for major changes to be on the horizon in Toronto, as players such as Dion Phaneuf, Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel hear their names in trade rumors as the deadline inches closer.
25. New Jersey Devils
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25. New Jersey Devils
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The Devils' recent hot streak is too little, too late as the season is a lost cause. Look for Jaromir Jagr and Marek Zdilicky to be among the veterans the Devils move as they look to get more youth in the lineup.
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
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24. Columbus Blue Jackets
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Injuries have derailed what was supposed to be a special season in Columbus as the team has never been fully healthy, with Sergei Bobrovsky being the latest Jacket to go down. It looks like the All-Star Game will be the biggest event in Columbus this season, as they surely participate in playoff hockey.
23. Ottawa Senators
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23. Ottawa Senators
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The Sens looked great against the Coyotes, which isn’t saying much. Being stuck in mediocrity is doing this franchise no good, as they aren’t playoff bound and are playing too well for a good chance at a high draft pick.
22. Philadelphia Flyers
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22. Philadelphia Flyers
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The Flyers are playing like a playoff team as they've won four straight and are playing great hockey, but their hole is too deep to dig out of at this point in the season. It would take a miracle at this point for Philly to make the playoffs
21. Colorado Avalanche
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21. Colorado Avalanche
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After an awful start, the Avs are streaking and are a dark horse team in the Western Conference in the second half. Injuries on defense, trade rumors and the team's slow start might make a miracle playoff run improbable.
20. Minnesota Wild
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20. Minnesota Wild
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Another team that had a stretch of awful play has turned things around and is playing some great hockey. Much like the others though, Minnesota's hole may be just too deep to dig out from at this point in the season.
19. Dallas Stars
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19. Dallas Stars
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After getting themselves back in the playoff picture, look for the Stars to be up to the challenge as they face off against the Avalanche and Lightning this week. Getting wins against the two 2014 playoff teams would bode well for the Stars down the stretch.
18. Florida Panthers
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18. Florida Panthers
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The Panthers have hit a bit of a rough patch after a run of stellar play and are fading in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. How well the team responds to this latest adversity will say a lot about the youthful squad's makeup.
17. Los Angeles Kings
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17. Los Angeles Kings
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With Mike Richards demoted to the minors, the team is showing that excuses will not be tolerated. The Kings' current East Coast swing could make the difference in whether they will get a chance to defend their title in the playoffs this season.
16. Calgary Flames
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16. Calgary Flames
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I liked the resolve the team showed after falling behind against the Oilers and think the upstart Flames will be in the playoff picture all year long. Three home games in five nights against the Jets, Sharks and Penguins -- all teams in playoff position -- will be a tough test for this Calgary squad.
15. Vancouver Canucks
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15. Vancouver Canucks
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I'm not impressed with the Canucks the way I was earlier in the season, but they've got enough veterans to turn it around and still make the playoffs. Tuesday's game at home against Winnipeg will be a tough test for both squads.
14. Winnipeg Jets
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14. Winnipeg Jets
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Michael Hutchinson has been a revelation and the Jets just keep on winning games. A two-game swing in Western Canada against the Flames and Canucks -- two teams chasing the Jets -- could help distance them from the pack.
13. San Jose Sharks
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13. San Jose Sharks
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Every time I want to write off the Sharks they go ahead put together dominating performances like they did against the Ducks and Blackhawks. I don't like the inconsistency, but when the Sharks are clicking they're an amazing squad.
12. Washington Capitals
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12. Washington Capitals
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For all his of offensive exploits -- 10 straight 30-goal seasons -- I'm really impressed with what Alexander Ovechkin is doing this year for the first time seemingly ever giving an honest defensive effort. With Ovechkin clicking on all cylinders and buying into Barry Trotz's system, this is a dangerous team down the stretch.
11. Boston Bruins
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11. Boston Bruins
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After being written off the Bruins are rolling and are looking like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Look for the Bruins to keep this up as they look to bring yet another championship to Boston this year.
10. New York Rangers
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10. New York Rangers
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The reigning conference champs have been one of the best teams since the calendar flipped to 2015 and show no signs of slowing down. Wednesday night's game in Boston against a great Bruins team will surely be a great test for both teams.
9. Chicago Blackhawks
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9. Chicago Blackhawks
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The Hawks have hit a bid of a rough stretch, but it would be foolish to count out this team as they truly have a championship mentality and will rally through this adversity. For this Chicago team the only games that matter are after the regular season, and they've proven they know how to win in those circumstances.
8. Pittsburgh Penguins
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8. Pittsburgh Penguins
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Much like the Blackhawks, the Penguins have hit a rough patch of late and are struggling mightily. However, like the Hawks these Penguins have been through it all and will surely have the ship righted soon. An upcoming western road trip with a game against a lousy Edmonton Oilers team could be the perfect cure for their struggles.
7. Detroit Red Wings
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7. Detroit Red Wings
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I was impressed with this team's win over the up-and-coming Islanders as they showed how a mix of veteran "know how" and youthful energy can get results. With Jimmy Howard on the mend, look for this Wings team to keep reeling off win after win.
6. New York Islanders
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6. New York Islanders
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Despite losing a tough one in Detroit, the Islanders are continuing to prove themselves as they've been one of the biggest surprises of the season. Look for the team to keep up the stellar play as they add a piece or two closer to the deadline.
5. Montreal Canadiens
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5. Montreal Canadiens
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Few goalies have played as well as Carey Price, and he's a big reason why the Canadiens appear to be for real. I fully expect them to put the tough loss to Arizona behind them as they face struggling Sabres and Devils teams this week.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
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4. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Steven Stamkos gets the headlines, but this supporting cast is great too with players like Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson coming up aces time after time. The blue line has some injuries, but if the team is 100 percent when the playoffs roll around it'd be foolish to count them out as a contender.
3. St. Louis Blues
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3. St. Louis Blues
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The Blues have won five straight and are looking like the contenders we thought they'd be. I'm really looking forward to their game Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, as both squads are playing excellent hockey and will be trying to measure themselves against the other.
2. Anaheim Ducks
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2. Anaheim Ducks
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Despite a few recent setbacks, the Ducks are for real and are playing some truly amazing hockey. Look for Thursday night's showdown in Nashville to be one of the games of the year and a possible Western Conference Finals preview.
1. Nashville Predators
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1. Nashville Predators
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Peter Laviolette's group is playing the best hockey in franchise history and will be a force to be reckoned with down the stretch. If youngsters such as Filip Forsberg and Seth Jones keep playing as well as they are, there's no telling how far this squad could go.
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