NHL Power Rankings For Week 19 of the 2014-15 Season
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Nearly five months into the NHL season and mere weeks away from the trade deadline, the landscape of the league is shifting as contenders are loading up and bad teams are selling off assets in hopes of building a brighter future. Here are the power rankings through 19 weeks of the 2014-15 season based on the standings and my eye test of every team.
30. Buffalo Sabres
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30. Buffalo Sabres
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Trading for Evander Kane is a great move for next season, but this season has been a lost cause since the beginning. The season can’t end fast enough, as fans are looking forward to a brighter future.
29. Edmonton Oilers
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29. Edmonton Oilers
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Jeff Petry, among other Edmonton Oilers players, will be moved via the team’s looming firesale as yet another rebuild gets underway. Much like Buffalo, fans are surely counting down the days until the end of the season, as not one thing went right for this Edmonton team.
28. Carolina Hurricanes
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28. Carolina Hurricanes
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The Carolina Hurricanes had a decent stretch for a while, but they’re right back to being an abysmal hockey team. Tuesday’s home game against the New York Islanders could be a nice reminder of how a bad team can turn it around quickly.
27. Toronto Maple Leafs
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27. Toronto Maple Leafs
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Trading away Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli signals the beginning of a massive overhaul that could see a plethora of players, including star Phil Kessel, get moved.
26. Arizona Coyotes
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26. Arizona Coyotes
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Getting blown out by the New York Rangers shows how far the Arizona Coyotes have to go to get back on track organizationally. Moving some expiring contracts, such as Antoine Vermette, will lead to better days ahead in the Desert.
25. New Jersey Devils
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25. New Jersey Devils
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Jaromir Jagr just turned 43 and will likely be moved by the trading deadline. Trading Jagr now will help lead to better days in Newark and give one of the all-time greats a chance to win once again.
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
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24. Columbus Blue Jackets
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The Columbus Blue Jackets’ limp to the finish line stops in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh this week. This team is playing for pride and will surely give the Pittsburgh Penguins everything they can handle, like they did in last year’s playoffs.
23. Ottawa Senators
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23. Ottawa Senators
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Re-signing Marc Methot shows the Ottawa Senators want to keep this nucleus together and contend with their current pieces rather than blow it all up. Management must think highly of this core, particularly Methot, as he’d fetch a great deal of assets to help in the future.
22. Colorado Avalanche
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22. Colorado Avalanche
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It looked like the Colorado Avalanche had turned it around, but then fell apart once again. They’ll play the role of spoiler down the stretch, as Patrick Roy demands the best from his player every night.
21. Dallas Stars
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21. Dallas Stars
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Losing Tyler Seguin as a result of a cheap shot is the final nail in the Dallas Stars’ coffin. It really is a shame, because the Stars really stepped things up after an awful start, and Seguin was playing like a legitimate contender.
20. Philadelphia Flyers
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20. Philadelphia Flyers
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Despite being a banged up squad, the Philadelphia Flyers look like their somehow, someway turning it around. Games against bad Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets teams this week should help them climb in the standings. Getting Kimmo Timmonen back for the first time all year surely doesn’t hurt either.
19. Florida Panthers
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19. Florida Panthers
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The Florida Panthers showed a lot of heart coming back to earn a point against the high powered St. Louis Blues, but will need to do more to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Youthful enthusiasm and veteran resiliency should bode well for the team's playoff chances.
18. Boston Bruins
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18. Boston Bruins
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The Boston Bruins are struggling mightily and will need to turn it around on their Western Canada road trip if they want to stay in the playoff picture. With fans in Boston suddenly starting to ponder trading team captain Zdeno Char, it really is desperation time.
17. Los Angeles Kings
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17. Los Angeles Kings
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Right when it looked like the reigning champions were dead in the water, they seemingly turned their season around on a dime. Look for more of the same from this L.A. squad down the stretch as they play desperate hockey in hopes of returning to the playoffs to defend their crown.
16. Calgary Flames
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16. Calgary Flames
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I love what the Calgary Flames are doing and the amazing level of play their youngsters are bringing every night. The wide-open style is entertaining to watch and is really frustrating to play against.
15. Vancouver Canucks
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15. Vancouver Canucks
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Ryan Miller has come up big this season, and Vancouver Canucks will need more of the same as the team heads east for showdowns with the New York Rangers and New York Islanders this week. The Canucks are a sneaky good team, and will look to prove that in the New York metropolitan area.
14. Minnesota Wild
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14. Minnesota Wild
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With Devan Dubnyk having a historically great run and the team's stars starting to play like their supposed to, the Minnesota has vaulted back into contention. Look for the Dubnyk and the team to keep it up as they embark on a Western Canadian road trip with stops in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary this week.
13. Winnipeg Jets
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13. Winnipeg Jets
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Trading away enigmatic winger Evander Kane allowed the Winnipeg Jets to land Drew Stafford and Tyler Myers, both of whom will help in their playoff push. I expect Myers and Stafford to be at their best when the Jets take on the Washington Capitals in D.C. on Thursday.
12. San Jose Sharks
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12. San Jose Sharks
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I'm being a little generous here, but when clicking, this San Jose Sharks team is an amazing squad and shouldn't be written off. Joe Pavelski is playing some of the best hockey of his career, and they'll need the former Wisconsin Badger to be at his best when the team takes on the Nashville Predators in Tennessee on Tuesday.
11. Washington Capitals
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11. Washington Capitals
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The Washington Capitals' win in Anaheim shows they're for real, and Alexander Ovechkin is not getting his due, as he's having a truly remarkable year. More of the same from Ovechkin should make the Caps a dark horse threat in the Eastern Conference.
10. New York Rangers
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10. New York Rangers
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Kevin Hayes is quietly having a great rookie season for the New York Rangers, and will need to be at his best as the Rangers take on the New York Islanders in a cross-town showdown this week.
9. Detroit Red Wings
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9. Detroit Red Wings
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Mike Babcock will become the highest paid coach in NHL history this summer, and he has earned every penny. Babcock’s guidance is a huge reason why the Detroit Red Wings are playing at such a high level, and why they epitomize consistency better than any team in the league.
8. Pittsburgh Penguins
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8. Pittsburgh Penguins
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Despite losing a thrilling game to the Chicago Blackhawks, this Pittsburgh Penguins team is its usual contending self. With David Perron acquired a few weeks ago, I expect the Pens will be quiet at the deadline, but with their track record, anything could happen.
7. Chicago Blackhawks
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7. Chicago Blackhawks
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Marian Hossa is absolutely on fire, and Patrick Kane is on pace to become the first American to ever lead the NHL in scoring, as the Chicago Blackhawks have been truly remarkable all year. While the Blackhawks have been great during the regular season, I really can't wait to see how this team performs in the playoffs.
6. New York Islanders
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6. New York Islanders
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Anders Lee has been great since joining the team’s first line, and the New York Islanders are looking more and more like Cup contenders. While Monday night’s game in Manhattan against the New York Rangers is huge, I’m really looking forward to the team’s showdown in Nashville against a fellow surprise contender on Thursday night.
5. Anaheim Ducks
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5. Anaheim Ducks
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Freddie Andersen’s injury is troubling, as the team hasn’t looked the same without the Danish goalie. The Anaheim Ducks better hope John Gibson steps his game up, as they’ll need the rookie to be in peak form for the near future.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
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4. Tampa Bay Lightning
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The Tampa Bay Lightning had a run of bad play, highlighted by a home loss to the St. Louis Blues before hitting the road and getting back to their best. Games in Los Angeles and Anaheim will be tests of the Lightning’s resolve this week.
3. Montreal Canadiens
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3. Montreal Canadiens
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An upcoming road trip featuring a stop in Detroit will be a good measuring stick for the Montreal Canadiens, who have played some excellent hockey all year. This year’s team could just be better than last year’s team that went to the Conference Finals.
2. St. Louis Blues
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2. St. Louis Blues
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After a brief run of less than stellar play, the St. Louis Blues have turned things around and are again looking like world beaters. Look for Friday night’s game against the Boston Bruins to be a must-watch game, as the two squads match up well against each other.
1. Nashville Predators
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1. Nashville Predators
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The owners of the league’s best record, the Nashville Predators further solidified themselves as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders when the team landed Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli. Look for Nashville to remain in the driver’s set as the season goes on, as the team got even better with the big trade.
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