TSN.ca NHL Power Rankings
Updated: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 1:33 PM
The Ducks, Jets and Flames rise as the Blackhawks, Islanders and Stars fall in this week's edition of the NHL Power Rankings.
Follow Scott Cullen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen and e-mail him at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca.
Scott Cullen's Power Ranking Methodology is explained here.
This Week1Last Week2Vancouver Canucks38-15-6
13 games without a regulation loss puts the Canucks in the top spot for the first time this season. It's also helped that they've tightened up their penalty killing unit, killing off 28 of 30 (93.3%) in the last 10 games.
Key Injuries: None.
This Week2Last Week1New York Rangers38-14-5
9-2-1 in the last dozen games, the Rangers are picking up offensively, led by captain Ryan Callahan, who has six goals in the last six games.
Key Injuries: None.
This Week3Last Week4St. Louis Blues36-16-7
How great has the Blues' goaltending been this year? They haven't lost a game in which they scored at least three goals all season. Couple that with four 1-0 victories, and they're not getting shortchanged at all by the play between the pipes.
Key Injuries: LW Alex Steen (concussion).
This Week4Last Week5Detroit Red Wings41-17-2
14-2-1 in their last 17 games, the Red Wings didn't miss a beat with Jimmy Howard sidelined, though a resurgent Henrik Zetterberg (team-leading 11 points this month) and a six-game homestand helped make Joey MacDonald's transition a smooth one. Now, how will they fare without C Pavel Datsyuk?
Key Injuries: C Pavel Datsyuk (knee).
This Week5Last Week3Boston Bruins35-20-2
One regulation win in the last nine games and injuries are starting to become a factor up front, as the Bruins have only scored 13 goals in nine games this month, despite registering at least 40 shots on goal in four of those games.
Key Injuries: C Marc Savard (concussion), RW Nathan Horton (concussion), RW Rich Peverley (knee).
This Week6Last Week7Pittsburgh Penguins33-21-5
Not for nothing, but the Penguins could use stronger play from G Marc-Andre Fleury, who has allowed 33 goals in his last 11 games (3.42 GAA, .886 SV%).
Key Injuries: C Sidney Crosby (concussion).
This Week7Last Week6Nashville Predators34-19-6
A contract year is always a nice time to have a career season, and Predators D Ryan Suter is putting one together this year, scoring 35 points and registered a plus-10 rating while playing a career-high 26:41 per game in 56 games this season.
Key Injuries: RW Patric Hornqvist (upper body).
This Week8Last Week8San Jose Sharks31-19-7
Only two wins in the last eight games and still four more on the road before a return home. The good news is that the next one is in Columbus.
Key Injuries: RW Martin Havlat (hamstring), D Douglas Murray (throat).
This Week9Last Week11New Jersey Devils34-20-4
One regulation loss in the last 11 games, the Devils have received a nice contribution from third-liners Alexei Ponikarovsky and Dainius Zubrus, who have combined for 17 points in the last nine games.
Key Injuries: D Henrik Tallinder (leg), D Adam Larsson (back).
This Week10Last Week12Phoenix Coyotes29-21-9
7-0-1 in the last eight games, the Coyotes have allowed a total of eight goals against in those games, while LW Ray Whitney and RW Radim Vrbata have combined for 19 points on 21 Coyotes goals in that span.
Key Injuries: None.
This Week11Last Week9Philadelphia Flyers32-19-7
2-5-1 in their last eight games, the Flyers should probably just let Ilya Bryzgalov play and hope that his 2012 performance (2.39 GAA, .916 SV% in 14 games since January 1) continues.
Key Injuries: D Chris Pronger (concussion).
This Week12Last Week14Ottawa Senators31-22-8
4-0-1 in their last five games, the Senators have stabilized their playoff position and, with Monday's 6-0 win, have moved onto the positive side of the goal differential ledger. In a six-game scoring streak, C Jason Spezza has put up 15 points.
Key Injuries: None.
This Week13Last Week10Chicago Blackhawks32-21-7
Winners of three straight, the Blackhawks may have slightly more confidence in G Corey Crawford (who has started all three), but they still have work to do on a power play that is 0-for-27 in the last 10 games.
Key Injuries: C Jonathan Toews (upper body).
This Week14Last Week13Toronto Maple Leafs29-24-6
No regulation wins in the last six has suddenly put the Leafs' playoff position in peril, and the goaltending carousel has fallen back on Jonas Gustavsson, at least for now, after James Reimer has allowed 18 goals in his last five appearances.
Key Injuries: None.
This Week15Last Week15Los Angeles Kings27-21-11
It's no secret that the Kings can't score, but his is ridiculous: in their last nine losses, the Kings have scored zero or one goals in all nine, while allowing a total of 16 goals against.
Key Injuries: LW Simon Gagne (concussion), C Jarret Stoll (lower body).
This Week16Last Week16Florida Panthers27-20-11
Three straight losses hasn't cost the Panthers their spot at the top of the Southeast Division, but it's getting tightly packed, as last-place Carolina is only eight points back.
Key Injuries: D Dmitry Kulikov (knee), D Ed Jovanovski (hand), D Jason Garrison (lower body).
This Week17Last Week21Montreal Canadiens24-26-10
A 5-2-1 record in the last eight games keeps the Canadiens on the fringe of the playoff race (six points out), but they could use a big week to close the gap further if they're going to avoid selling off parts at the deadline.
Key Injuries: D Andrei Markov (knee), RW Brian Gionta (bieps).
This Week18Last Week20Anaheim Ducks25-24-10
5-0-3 in their last eight games, the Ducks have climbed within five points of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and now that G Jonas Hiller is in top form (1.94 GAA, .923 SV% in 11 GP since the All-Star break), they're finally playing up to expectations.
Key Injuries: None.
This Week19Last Week22Calgary Flames28-22-9
5-0-3 in the last eight, the Flames have climbed into a playoff spot and their top quartet of forwards (Olli Jokinen, Jarome Iginla, Alex Tanguay and Mike Cammalleri) have accounted for 16 of the team's 20 goals this month.
Key Injuries:: LW Curtis Glencross (knee), RW Lee Stempniak (ankle), C Mikael Backlund (arm).
This Week20Last Week23Winnipeg Jets29-26-6
5-2 in their last seven, with six more games to go on their current homestand, the Jets are surprisingly in the playoff hunt, led by RW Blake Wheeler, who has 13 points in 10 games this month.
Key Injuries: D Zach Bogosian (upper body, foot).
This Week21Last Week17New York Islanders25-26-8
The Isles have alternated wins and losses this month, yet have been outscored 28-18, allowing 14 goals in three games since G Evgeni Nabokov has been out with flu-like symptoms.
Key Injuries: D Travis Hamonic (nose).
This Week22Last Week19Colorado Avalanche29-27-4
Two regulation wins in the last 11 games, yet the Avalanche are still within three points of a playoff spot. Trouble is, they can't seem to keep their top six forwards healthy at the same time and there isn't enough depth to pick of the offensive slack.
Key Injuries: LW Peter Mueller (upper body).
This Week23Last Week18Dallas Stars29-26-4
One regulation win in the last 10 and their best player is on the sidelines after he had his leg cut by a skate.
Key Injuries: LW Brenden Morrow (neck), D Sheldon Souray (foot), LW Jamie Benn (leg).
This Week24Last Week24Washington Capitals29-25-5
5-8-3 in their last 16 games, the Capitals are one point out of a playoff spot and they did get D Mike Green back in the lineup, which can't hurt a team that has scored a total of 10 goals in the last six games.
Key Injuries: C Nicklas Backstrom (concussion).
This Week25Last Week27Buffalo Sabres25-27-7
Snapped a four-game slide with Sunday's 6-2 win over Pittsburgh, but those offensive explosions are few and far between for a team that is 1-for-31 (3.2%) on the power play in the last 11 games.
Key Injuries: C Jochen Hecht (concussion).
This Week26Last Week26Minnesota Wild26-24-9
Snapped a seven-game losing streak when G Niklas Backstrom stopped 48 Bruins shots for the shutout Sunday. A great win, but not exactly a performance that can be replicated night after night either.
Key Injuries: RW Guillaume Latendrese (concussion), LW Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion), C Mikko Koivu (undisclosed).
This Week27Last Week28Carolina Hurricanes23-26-11
9-3-4 in their last 16 games, the Hurricanes have been getting some solid 'tending from Justin Peters, who has stopped 52 of 54 shots in his last two starts.
Key Injuries: D Joni Pitkanen (knee), G Cam Ward (lower body), G Brian Boucher (lower body), LW Tuomo Ruutu (upper body).
This Week28Last Week29Tampa Bay Lightning26-26-6
With all that has gone wrong for the Lightning this season, it's remarkable that they are within six points of a playoff berth; close enough to stay competitive, not close enough to keep D Pavel Kubina, who was playing nearly 20 minutes per game.
Key Injuries: C Vincent Lecavalier (upper body), D Marc-Andre Bergeron (back).
This Week29Last Week25Edmonton Oilers22-30-6
No regulation wins in the last seven games, as they find that it takes more than three young scorers to win consistently. On the plus side, LW Magnus Paajarvi has performed better since his recall from the AHL, contributing four points in five games this month.
Key Injuries: C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (shoulder), G Nikolai Khabibulin (groin), D Corey Potter (groin).
This Week30Last Week30Columbus Blue Jackets17-35-7
A respectable 4-3-1 in their last eight games, the Blue Jackets have been more competitive, yet remain a compelling team to watch as the deadline approaches, with Rick Nash and Jeff Carter two of the biggest names available.
Key Injuries: LW Kristian Huselius (groin), D James Wisniewski (groin), G Curtis Sanford (back), D Marc Methot (jaw).