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NHL POWER RANKINGS

NHL Hockey Power Rankings

NHL Power Rankings

By A.J.  Perez

WEEK#    
Posted January 28, 2013 06:33 PM EST

Unbeaten after six games, the Chicago Blackhawks ascend to the top spot. How is the rest of the league shaking out?

+15

New Jersey Devils

-11

Edmonton Oilers

FOX SPORTS NHL POWER RANKINGS

RK Team RECORD CHANGE HIGH/LOW COMMENTS
1

6-0 -0 3 1/7
Chicago is off to the best start in franchise history and all but two of its six victories to open the season came off teams that made the playoffs a season ago. Goaltender Corey Crawford has been stellar so far, as has the ‘Hawks penalty kill that is 22 Expand Description
Chicago is off to the best start in franchise history and all but two of its six victories to open the season came off teams that made the playoffs a season ago. Goaltender Corey Crawford has been stellar so far, as has the ‘Hawks penalty kill that is 22 of 23 after a 2-1 OT win over Detroit on Sunday. Collapse Description
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
2

5-1 -0 1 1/18
The Blues finally lost (a 3-2 decision to Chicago on Jan. 22) and Vladimir Tarasenko, the early favorite for Rookie of the Year (Calder Trophy), hasn’t matched his three-point night from the second game of the season. That doesn’t mean the Blues are any lExpand Description
The Blues finally lost (a 3-2 decision to Chicago on Jan. 22) and Vladimir Tarasenko, the early favorite for Rookie of the Year (Calder Trophy), hasn’t matched his three-point night from the second game of the season. That doesn’t mean the Blues are any less formidable.Collapse Description
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
3

5-0 -0 8 2/17
Patrick Marleau is slumping. The second player to open the season with four multigoal games in a row had only one in a 4-1 win over Vancouver on Sunday. The Sharks’ biggest threats are in sync, and injured defenseman Brent Burns hasn’t even played a game.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
4

3-0 -0 1 3/6
Timmy who? It could be too early to forget about holdout/hermit Tim Thomas in net, but Tuukka Rask has been a solid No. 1 so far, minus a 4-3 OT loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 23.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
5

3-2 -0 3 1/8
If there’s need for concern with the Pens it’s goal differential. They are currently plus-1 through the first five games. Also, losses to the Maple Leafs and Jets aren’t a good look for a team expected to make another Cup run.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
6

3-0 -0 15 2/23
It’s way too early to talk about a repeat trip to the Stanley Cup Final. The Devils haven’t lost yet in regulation, but they’ve faced either non-contenders (Canadiens and Islanders) or sputtering teams (Flyers and Capitals).
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
7

2-3 -0 1 2/20
Maybe the signing of free-agent forward Jason Arnott appeared like a panic move. (Arnott reportedly didn’t pass the physical, so the deal is off.) The Rangers have only points through five games, but even in a 48-game schedule, it’s early.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
8

3-1 -0 6 7/14
Goalie Craig Anderson has yet to allow more than a single goal in regulation. (Both Anderson’s and the Sens’ lone defeat came via 2-1 OT loss to the Pens on Sunday.) The Sens have Vezina candidate in Anderson and the most goals scored in the Northeast DivExpand Description
Goalie Craig Anderson has yet to allow more than a single goal in regulation. (Both Anderson’s and the Sens’ lone defeat came via 2-1 OT loss to the Pens on Sunday.) The Sens have Vezina candidate in Anderson and the most goals scored in the Northeast Division.Collapse Description
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
9

1-2 -0 4 3/25
L.A. finally put one in the “win” column, a 4-2 decision against Phoenix on Saturday. It’s still way too early to worry, especially for a team that had to scramble late even to make the playoffs before winning it all.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
10

2-2 -0 - 5/23
Zach Parise certainly has made an impact, even as the Wild dropped three straight games. The team’s other big free-agent pickup last summer, defenseman Ryan Suter? He’s been a minus in all but one game so far.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
11

4-1 -0 2 7/29
Martin St. Louis was the third of the NHL’s “Three Stars” of the week. His eight assists tie him for second in the league to power a Lightning team with the most goals scored per game in the league (4.8).
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
12

2-2 -0 5 3/17
It will be hard to trade goalie Roberto Luongo when new No. 1 Cory Schneider follows a shutout (against the Ducks on Friday) with a middling performance (four goals on 27 shots against the Sharks on Sunday).
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
13

2-2 -0 5 9/18
Guess what’s almost as tough as defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom to retirement? Playing in a much-improved Central Division that the Red Wings once dominated, in a lockout-shortened schedule.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
14

1-1 -0 2 10/27
Maybe there’s a breakaway specialist lurking around somewhere. The Preds have lost all three shootouts they’ve been involved in, which obscures the fact they are 26th in the league in scoring.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
15

3-1 -0 - 2/17
Rookie goalie Viktor Fasth, who earned a shutout in his first start on Sunday, finally gives the team an option when Jonas Hiller goes down with an injury. That is usually just a matter of time, unfortunately.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
16

2-4 -0 8 8/27
The Flyers righted themselves after an 0-3 start with two wins a row but regressed in a major way. Michael Leighton was in net for the drubbing and not starter Ilya Bryzgalov, at least.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
17

1-3 -0 5 9/27
Alex Ovechkin finally scored his first goal of the year, which came in the Caps’ first win of the season against the Sabres on Sunday. Joel Ward is clutch, but he shouldn’t be your team leader in goals (three).
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
18

2-3 -0 4 18/30
Losers of three in a row, it’s hard not to want to rush veteran forward Thomas Vanek back from injury. This does give the team a chance to see what it has in Mikhail Grigorenko, the Sabres’ first-round selection in the 2012 entry draft.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
19

1-4 -0 6 11/25
Goalie Mike Smith struggled before he was forced out last week with a lower-body injury. He remains day-to-day. Whenever he returns, the Coyotes need to see a lot more out him.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
20

2-2 -0 4 12/27
Dallas gets Jamie Benn back in the lineup this week after the forward came to terms on a five-year deal. Not a bad thing for a team tied for 19th in scoring (11 goals) this season.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
21

3-1 -0 6 12/28
A three-game winning streak would the Jets in the postseason if the season ended Sunday. Let’s not put the Jets in the “pretender” category this early with their young talent, but give it a couple weeks.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
22

2-2 -0 2 8/27
Defenseman Justin Falk begins the week sidelined with an upper-body injury. He was on the top defensive line with Tim Gleason. That’ll put more pressure on goalie Cam Ward, who has struggled.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
23

2-2 -0 - 20/29
The Avs need to fix their special teams quick. They allowed three goals on six opportunities against San Jose over the weekend, and their power play had one goal through their first 12 chances.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
24

3-1 -0 2 3/26
The Habs have fared fairly well minus defenseman PK Subban, who remains a holdout. Andrei Markov has provided enough offense from the blue line with four goals in three games, including the OT winner against the Devils on Sunday.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
25

2-3 -0 4 8/30
Toronto squandered leads in back-to-back losses and has yet to win a game at home. Looks like that’s more than enough to reignite the calls to trade forward Phil Kessel.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
26

2-2 -0 4 12/30
Center John Tavares scored his first goal since March over the weekend. His line will have to become much more productive (offensively and defensively) for the Isles to remain competitive.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
27

1-2 -0 2 21/30
Maybe getting Czechs Jiri Hudler and Roman Cervenka into the lineup will turn things around. The Flames won their first game (beating the Oilers in OT) in that duo's debut.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
28

2-2 -0 11 17/28
As veteran players Ryan Smyth and Ryan Whitney (who combined have one point and are minus-3) struggle, maybe it’s time for all that talent the Oilers have stockpiled via the draft to step up.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
29

1-3 -0 1 13/30
The Jackets enter the week on a four-game skid (the last three in regulation). A bright spot? At least one player (RJ Umberger) has a positive plus-minus.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear
30

1-4 -0 11 19/30
Florida enters the week on a four-game losing streak. The Panthers were outscored 18-3 in that stretch. Hard to believe this team won the Southeast Division last season.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy | Schedule | Gear

 

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