NHL Power Rankings - February 3, 2015

Facing a rough patch with significant injuries, but the Blues have gone 11 straight without a regulation loss and that's good enough to hold the top spot. Can the power play maintain its efficiency without Kevin Shattenkirk?

Key Injuries: D Kevin Shattenkirk (lower body), C Jori Lehtera (upper body), C Patrik Berglund (upper body). 

Results have been inconsistent for the Blackhawks, who are 6-7 in 2015, but their underlying numbers remain strong and they're only getting more dangerous as rookie C Teuvo Teravainen (2 G, 2 A, 11 GP) gets accustomed to the NHL game.

Key Injuries: LW Kris Versteeg (hand).

Five wins in the past six games keeps the Lightning as the top team in the East. Depth is paying off, as the Lightning have nine players with at least 10 goals this season.

Key Injuries: D Matt Carle (abdomen), D Radko Gudas (lower body).  

Had a five-game winning streak snapped with a home loss to Arizona Sunday, but that was with the Habs' MVP candidate resting. G Carey Price (.933 SV%, 39 GP) has vaulted into the discussion for both Vezina and MVP, overtaking an injured Pekka Rinne with the past couple of weeks of stellar play.

Key Injuries: None.

18-5 since December 6, the Rangers have been remarkably healthy, but they've had to lean heavily on LW Rick Nash, who now leads the league with 31 goals. The last time Nash scored more than 33 in a season was 2008-2009.

Key Injuries: None.

As always, the Ducks need more from the supporting cast, but recent production from rookie C Rickard Rakell (4 G, 4 A in past 8 GP) has been a step in the right direction.

Key Injuries: None.

It's a nice luxury to be able to increase the minutes of second-year D Seth Jones when needing a top-four defenceman with Ryan Ellis injured. Jones is rocking 55.8% possession this year and has played more than 20 minutes in each of the past 10 games.

Key Injuries: G Pekka Rinne (knee), D Ryan Ellis (lower body).

Had won six of seven before back-to-back losses against Boston and Detroit, but the bigger concern is losing RW Kyle Okposo, who is second on the team with 44 points (14 G, 30 A), to a detached retina.

Key Injuries: RW Kyle Okposo (eye).

Seven wins in the past eight games for a Wings team that has taken a step forward thanks to the evolution of young forwards. Tomas Tatar, for one, has 10 goals in the past 16 games, giving him 22 goals in 50 games for the season. Not bad from a second-line forward who plays 15:33 per game. 

Key Injuries: LW Johan Franzen (upper body), G Jimmy Howard (groin).

One regulation win in the past eight games and C Sidney Crosby is looking downright mortal. His 52 points in 46 games (1.13 per game) is the lowest points-per-game rate of his career and he has six goals in his past 26 games. Before we freak out too much, though, he's averaging 3.15 shots per game in that span, slightly higher than  the rest of the season, so his game hasn't fallen off that far.

Key Injuries: RW Pascal Dupuis (blood clot), D Olli Maatta (upper body), LW Blake Comeau (upper body), D Christian Ehrhoff (concussion).

Hey, what happened to the "for real" version of the Jets we've been touting for a while now? Four straight losses, with rookie G Michael Hutchinson coming back to earth, and suddenly they could use something to get back on the right track.

Key Injuries: None.

One regulation loss in the past 10 games has the Bruins settling into playoff position, but they could use more pop. C Patrice Bergeron is their leading scorer, with 33 points in 49 games, on pace for 55 points this season.

Key Injuries: None.

One win in the past seven games puts a wrinkle in what had, to that point, been a fine season for the Capitals. Giving up at least four goals in five of those seven games does point some of the blame to the defence and goaltending side of things.

Key Injuries: None.

13-6-2 since December 9, the Stars are gaining ground and are within four points of a playoff spot. A defence that was upgraded by rookie John Klingberg and acquisition Jason Demers, is part of the improvement.

Key Injuries: RW Valeri Nichushkin (groin), LW Erik Cole (upper body).

Seven wins in the past nine keeps the Flames in playoff position, and their goal differential (+16) is best in the Pacific Division, fourth-best in the Western Conference. Impressive for a team that ranks 28th in score-adjusted shot attempt differential.

Key Injuries: LW Curtis Glencross (lower body).

Getting D Adam Clendening from Chicago could be a good fit for a Canucks team that needs help on the back end and needs to generate more offence. While Clendening hasn't put up a lot of points in the AHL this year, his past two years (105 points in 147 games) showed promise. 

Key Injuries: D Kevin Bieksa (hand), C Brad Richardson (lower body).

Had three impressive wins (Anaheim, Los Angeles, Chicago) before losing a shootout to Edmonton. The bigger rankings concern is losing a couple of significant performers with broken hands.

Key Injuries: Raffi Torres (knee), D Justin Braun (hand), RW Tommy Wingels (hand).

Since acquiring G Devan Dubnyk, the Wild are 5-1-1, moving within five points of a playoff spot. They can't expect Dubnyk to play at this level the rest of the way, but he's given them reason to hope.

Key Injuries: None.

The Panthers had been a nice story, competitive through the first half of the season, but one win in eight games puts them eight points out of a playoff spot; tough to catch up without a consistent offence.

Key Injuries: None.

Three wins in 13 games leaves the defending champions vulnerable, to the point that the playoffs aren't a sure thing. Their possession numbers are still strong and they have gone through dry spells in previous seasons too, but they're going to have to pick it up a notch.

Key Injuries: D Slava Voynov (suspension), LW Tanner Pearson (fibula).

With three regulation losses in the past 14 games, the Avalanche are grinding out points, but they are a team in need of exceptional goaltending to succeed.

Key Injuries: LW Jamie McGinn (back), D Erik Johnson (lower body).

Getting Steve Mason back from injury adds much-needed stability in net and the Flyers have won four straight. That still leaves them nine points back of a playoff spot, though.

Key Injuries: D Kimmo Timonen (blood clots), D Braydon Coburn (lower body), LW Michael Raffl (pneumonia).

A Craig Anderson injury is an opportunity for Robin Lehner to show that he can handle the starter's workload. It's not the first time, but results have been mixed whenever Lehner is thrust into the role.

Key Injuries: G Craig Anderson (hand).

Seven goals during their current nine-game losing skid and it's made it impossible to sell the other improvement. Such is the power of shooting percentage, and 2.7% (7-for-259) is a spectacularly bad run.

Key Injuries: D Dion Phaneuf (hand).

G Anton Khudobin was on a good run before allowing two goals on three shots against St. Louis. In his previous eight appearances, he had a .950 save percentage.

Key Injuries: None.

As disappointing as the Devils have been this year, and their underlying numbers have earned their place in the standings, they have also managed to lose just twice in regulation in the past 10 games, so it's not all doom and gloom.

Key Injuries: LW Ryane Clowe (concussion), D Bryce Salvador (lower body), D Damon Severson (ankle).

The injury to G Sergei Bobrovsky ought to be the final nail in the coffin for the Blue Jackets' playoff hopes. A series of injuries earlier made any rally unlikely, but a 15-point deficit with their starting goaltender out for a month-plus? Chalk this season up to a brutal roll of the dice.

Key Injuries: RW Nathan Horton (back), C Boone Jenner (back), RW Jeremy Morin (heart), G Sergei Bobrovsky (groin).

Some signs of progress for the Oilers, who are 7-6-2 in their past 15 games. If they could keep their best player healthy, that would be great too.

Key Injuries: LW Taylor Hall (foot).

Two wins in the past 10 games for a Coyotes team that is working with a shell of a roster, between trading G Devan Dubnyk and injuries to top-line forwards.  Lottery position is likely to improve for this bunch.

Key Injuries: LW Mikkel Boedker (spleen), C Martin Hanzal (upper body).

It has been 21 games since the Sabres' last regulation win. That's a spectacular run of inept play for a professional team.

Key Injuries: LW Marcus Foligno (hand).