NHL Power Poll: Surprising Stars Move Up
Craig Custance - SportingNews.com
Dec 22, 2010
Glancing at the Western Conference standings is like being stuck in a time warp. The Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are fighting for the top spot and only the Vancouver Canucks provide a reminder that we're not still in the mid-to-late 1990s.
The Red Wings and Avalanche were supposed to be there. But the Stars? They're among the league's biggest surprises and now that the halfway point is approaching, it's clear this is no fluke. "We came to the start of the season with no big expectations. We were relaxed, we had changes -- just a fresh group," Stars forward James Neal told Sporting News.
GM Joe Nieuwendyk's imprint is all over this team: From the subtractions of Mike Modano and Marty Turco to the addition of Kari Lehtonen. Just another reminder that this is a different Stars team than the one that used to consistently challenge the league's best.
"Without Mike and Marty, it was a huge change. They were the faces of our franchise," Neal said. "It was a different atmosphere. At the same time, we still had the key guys to be a great team. They've shown that this year."
(Through Monday's games; last week's ranking in parentheses)
1. Philadelphia Flyers (1) -- Words we never thought we'd say this year: The Flyers have too much quality goaltending.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins (2) -- It's impossible to watch Penguins games and not wonder which highlight will be in the next episode of 24/7.
3. Vancouver Canucks (4) -- The Canucks are 11-0 when Ryan Kesler scores a goal.
4. Detroit Red Wings (3) -- Mike Babcock says it often. There are going to be lows during a season; it's key to make sure they don't stretch too long. That's the challenge now for Detroit.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning (10) -- 100 career goals already for Steven Stamkos. And he's only 20.
6. Atlanta Thrashers (12) -- Tobias Enstrom isn't getting enough credit for the success of Dustin Byfuglien.
7. Colorado Avalanche (11) -- In his first nine games with the Avs, Tomas Fleischmann has 11 points.
8. Dallas Stars (9) -- More James Neal on the Stars' success: "It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth when you don't make the playoffs for a couple years. We were refreshed and ready to go and we came out strong this year."
9. New York Rangers (5) -- Marian Gaborik has two hat tricks -- and three total goals in his other games.
10. Nashville Predators (8) -- Pekka Rinne returns as the Predators' No. 1 goalie. For now.
11. Washington Capitals (6) -- Better the Capitals struggle now in the transition to a more defensively sound team than in April.
12. Montreal Canadiens (7) -- Jeff Halpern has been one of the more solid offseason signings.
13. Chicago Blackhawks (15) -- Give the Blackhawks' power play credit. Even without Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa for long stretches, it has climbed to second in the league.
14. Los Angeles Kings (17) -- It'll be interesting to see how Marco Sturm fits in.
15. Boston Bruins (13) -- The Bruins have been shut out in three of Tim Thomas' four regulation losses.
16. Anaheim Ducks (14) -- Jonas Hiller in December: 6-3-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.
17. San Jose Sharks (19) -- Devin Setoguchi has more goals (three) in the three games since returning from his upper body injury than he did in the 21 games before it.
18. Phoenix Coyotes (16) -- Absolutely love stories like Tom Fenton being signed off the streets as an emergency backup goalie.
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (18) -- Sounds like we'd better get ready for a steady diet of Mathieu Garon.
20. St. Louis Blues (20) -- After playing in Atlanta, the Blues open a crucial five-game home stretch. Unlike last season, that's a positive.
21. Minnesota Wild (23) -- Martin Havlat's average ice time increased by more than a minute from October to November and it looks like it will happen again from November to December.
22. Carolina Hurricanes (21) -- If the Hurricanes want to keep pace in an improving Southeast Division, the power play must get better.
23. Florida Panthers (28) -- The powerhouse Panthers have chased Cam Ward, Ryan Miller and Sergei Bobrovsky in consecutive games.
24. Buffalo Sabres (22) -- It's never good when a team captain spends as much time in the press box as Buffalo's Craig Rivet.
25. Edmonton Oilers (25) -- Ryan Whitney leads the Oilers in points (24) and is plus-12 on a team that has been outscored by 24 goals.
26. Ottawa Senators (26) -- As disappointing as Sergei Gonchar has been, he still leads the Senators with 12 power-play points.
27. Calgary Flames (27) -- Ales Kotalik is the latest Flames regular to see press box time as a healthy scratch.
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (24) -- GQ's feature on Brian and Brendan Burke might be the best hockey story written this year. Only Michael Farber's story on the same topic compares.
29. New Jersey Devils (29) -- After finishing last season as a plus player for the first time, Ilya Kovalchuk now is tied with a league-worst minus-21.
30. New York Islanders (30) - The Islanders (0-15) haven't won a game this season when the opponent scores first.
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