PLUS/MINUS - 12/1/2008

PLUS/MINUS is my weekly Power Rankings Column. The + or – is based on the previous weeks rankings

PLUS/MINUS

Evegni Nabokov returned from injury for San Jose this week

1) San Jose Sharks {20-3-1} (EVEN)
3-0-0 week (win vs. CHI, @ DAL, @ PHO)
San Jose has played 24 games this year. They've won 20 of them. Does anybody else realize how ridiculous that is? They've won 83% of their games. Oh, and their starting goalie, who happens to be one of the best in the world, is healthy again. The big question here is if San Jose will lose more than 10 games in regulation this season.

2) Boston Bruins {16-4-4} (+1)
2-1-0 week (Lost @ BUF, win vs. NYI, DET)
Head Coach Claude Julien shouldn't touch a thing right now. Keep your lines the way they are and continue to rotatate Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas in the pipes. Right now, the recipe for success is perfect in Beantown. The Bruins record in November was 11-1-1 and they have the 4th best PP in the league at 23%. Boston will cool off at some point, but they are a team that is here to stay for the long run.

3) New York Rangers {17-7-2} (+1)
3-1-0 week (win vs. PHO, @ TB, @ FLA, lost vs. FLA)
The Rangers are the good team that's not really being discussed this year. There's a good reason for that, and it's because they can't play consistent hockey. Every time you think the Rangers are about to go on a roll, they take a bad loss (ie, being shutout by the Florida Panthers yesterday). The Rangers improving their 22nd ranked power play would help that out a bit. The Blueshirts are tied with Minnesota for the best PK in the league (89.5%)

4) Pittsburgh Penguins {14-6-3} (+1)
2-1-0 week (win @ NYI, lost @ BUF, win vs. NJ)
The Penguins had an impressive 9-2-1 November to get themselves among the top teams in the league. The Penguins have only lost 1 game this season when they score at least 3 goals in a game. The one thing missing from the team was consistent goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury until he got hurt two weeks ago. If he can settle down, they could overtake the Rangers for the top spot in the Atlantic Division very quickly.

5) Detroit Red Wings {15-4-4} (-3)
1-2-1 week (OTL @ VAN, lost vs. MON, won vs. CLB, lost @ BOS)
It was a rough week for the defending champions. A team like Detroit can afford to have a week like that and still soldier on. Their league-best PP is still clicking at an obscene 32.3%. Detroit only plays four road games in the month of December, so they'll have a chance to take advantage of some home cooking and maybe try and catch San Jose.

6) Montreal Canadiens {13-6-4} (+1)
2-1-1 week (SOL vs. NYI, won @ DET, lost @ WAS, won vs. BUF)
Montreal came out of the gates strong in October, but a 6-5-3 November made them seem like a very average team. Buffalo's skid right around the same time helped them, but Boston's surge definitely but some pressure on the Habs to do something in the trading market soon. The Canadiens only have one road game until 12/27.

7) Minnesota Wild {14-7-1} (+1)
3-1-0 week (won vs. WAS, lost vs. DAL, won vs. TB, won @ NAS)
The Wild are winning hockey games the old fashioned way. Good goaltending from Niklas Backstrom (13-6-1, 2.15 GAA, .928 save percentage), defensive hockey, a top ranked PK (89.5%) and the 2nd best PP in the league (23.8%). If only they had beaten Vancouver one of the times they met, they'd hold the division lead.

8) Anaheim Ducks {14-8-3} (+4)
3-0-0 week (won vs. COL, CHI, won @ CAR)
If San Jose wasn't playing lights-out hockey, Anaheim and San Jose would have a back and forth battle for the Pacific Division lead on a nightly basis. Anaheim has won four in a row after going through a 1-3-2 stretch. The Ducks have played very well on the road (7-2-1), but must play better at the Honda Center (7-6-2).

9) Washington Capitals {13-8-3} (+2)
2-2-0 week (lost @ MIN, won vs. ATL & MON, lost vs. CLB)

Usually a 2-2 week doesn't merit moving up 2 spots, but their two losses came from teams who are built to shut down teams like the Capitals. Their 3-0 win over Montreal was impressive as well. It looks like Jose Theodore has finally gotten the edge in the battle for the starting goalie position. Theodore has gone 4-1-1 in his last six starts while Johnson is 0-3-0 in his last chances. Washington still has yet to lose in regulation at home.

10) Calgary Flames {14-9-1} (+3)
3-0-0 week (won vs. LA, won @ VAN, won vs. VAN)
While everyone was talking about Vancouver and Minnesota battling it out for the Northwest lead, Calgary has mounted their own push towards the top of the division standings. Knowing Calgary, they'll blow this streak (they've won 5 of their past 6) and go on a losing skid. That being said, the Flames are beginning to play as a unit and can match-up against any team in the West.

11) Vancouver Canucks{11-6-3} (-5)
1-2-0 week (won vs. DET, lost vs. VAN, lost @ VAN)
They started off the week with a solid home win over the Red Wings. Vancouver really had a chance to distance themselves in the division, but blew the opportunity. If they had split with Calgary, they still would have been in a good shape. Curtis Sanford is a solid backup goalie and could start on some teams, but this team's confidence is all with Roberto Luongo between the pipes. The Canucks will be road warriors in December, as the Calgary loss opened up a 7 game road trip.

12) Carolina Hurricanes {12-10-2} (-2)
1-3-0 week (lost @ FLA, vs. PHI, won @ PHI, lost vs. ANA)

Before the OT win at Philadelphia, Carolina lost 3, won 3, lost 3. Consistency is the problem for the Hurricanes and they'll be bottom feeders amongst Eastern playoff teams all year long if they continue to play this way (their PP is 2nd worst in the league at 12.9%). They are lucky that they really only have to contend with one other team (Washington) in the division. If Cam Ward is out for awhile, Carolina could be in some real trouble.

13) Chicago Blackhawks {10-6-6} (-5)
0-2-1 week (OTL @ SJ, lost @ ANA & LA)

The Blackhawks started the road trip well, opening it at 3-0 but then closed it 0-2-1. Losing Nikolai Khabibulin hurt this team because he was there main piece of trade bait to help take the team to the next level. Their 6th ranked PP (21.6%) and 10th ranked PK (83.3%) are keeping this team afloat. Chicago will have to be road warriors again in December because 7 of their 12 games are away from the United Center.

14) New Jersey Devils {12-8-2} (EVEN)
1-1 week (won @ FLA, lost @ PIT)

Before the loss at Pittsburgh, the Devils had won 5 games in a row. It looks like the Devils have gotten back on track and should be able to hover in the top 8 in the conference until Martin Brodeur returns. That being said, they are a jekyll and hyde team and can be streaky either way. It's amazing that a defense-first team like New Jersey is ranked 26th on the penalty kill (77.3%).

15) Buffalo Sabres {11-9-3} (+3)
2-1 week (won vs. BOS & PIT, lost @ MON)

The Sabres had a big rebound week after losing 5 in a row. All three games were quality, one goal differentials against three of the best teams in the East. Buffalo has the 3rd best PK in the league (86.9%) and it seems like goalie Ryan Miller is starting to get back in the groove he was in earlier this season.

16) Philadelphia Flyers {11-7-3} (+1)
2-1-1 week (won vs. DAL, @ CAR, OTL vs CAR, lost @ TOR)

The Flyers might be one of the streakiest teams in the NHL this year. They were on a 6 game winning streak before the OTL against Carolina and have now dropped two in a row. The one thing consistent on this team is special teams, as their power play ranks 8th (21.5%) and their PK ranks 5th (86.7%). G Martin Biron seems to be getting more and more of his game back as the games go by.

17) Nashville Predators {11-10-2} (-2)
1-1-1 week (SO loss vs. STL, win @ ATL, lost vs. MIN)

A ho-hum week for the Predators. Other than games against Minnesota, Vancouver and Detroit, the rest of the December schedule is a good opportunity for Nashville to feast on some weaker opponents and rack up some points in a very competitive Western Conference. G Dan Ellis has either been completely on or completely off his game and needs to find a happy medium.

18) Los Angeles Kings {10-9-3} (+4)
2-1 week (lost @ CAL, won @ EDM, won vs. CHI)

The way the Kings have played this season is impressive. This is a team that people left for dead and they are a game over .500 as we enter December. Credit this to the stellar play of new goalie Erik Ersberg. He is 6-4-2 on the season with a 2.29 GAA and .900 save percentage. L.A. is getting timely goals from their veterans and they are killing off penalties 84% of the time (good for 7th in the league). Reality will probably set in with the Kings soon, but they won't be an easy W for anyone this season.

19) Columbus Blue Jackets {10-10-3} (-3)
1-2-0 week (lost vs. PHO and @ DET, won vs. WAS)

Shutting out the Capitals is very impressive, but the rest of the week was tough. Columbus may have that wonderful goaltending problem of who to start. Pascal Leclaire is the #1 guy in Columbus for now, but rookie Steve Mason has played very well this season. Mason is 5-2-1 with a 2.09 GAA, .919 save percentage and is riding back to back shutouts. While that is a good problem for head coach Ken Hitchcock to have, he desperately needs to solve his league worst power play woes(9.9%).

20) New York Islanders {10-12-3} (+1)
2-2-0 week (won @ MON, lost vs. PIT & @ BOS, won vs. OTT)

Head Coach Scott Gordon seems to have this team playing it's best hockey of the season. C Doug Weight is leading the team with 22 points (5G 17A) and G Joey MacDonald has provided stability in net with a 10-9-2 record (2.89 GAA, .907 save percentage). MacDonald has started 12 games in a row and doesn't seem to be showing any signs of wear and tear. 9 of their 13 games in December will be on the road.

21) Toronto Maple Leafs {8-9-6} (-1)
1-1-1 week (lost vs. ATL, SOL @ OTT, won vs. PHI)

It was an average week for the Maple Leafs on the ice, but off the ice they made some big headlines. With Brian Burke running the show in Toronto now, expect some more changes (besides the Lee Stempniak trade) to try and improve this team for the future AND for now. As of now, the Leafs are 4 points out of 8th in the Eastern Conference. Don't be shocked if Burke makes some moves (nothing that would affect the team long term) to try and sneak this team in to the playoffs this season. They have played teams close throughout the season.

22) St. Louis Blues {10-10-2} (+1)
2-2-0 week (won @ NAS, lost @ COL & vs. EDM, won @ ATL)

A ho-hum week for St. Louis was highlighted by a goalie duel in Nasvhille that Chris Mason won against his former team. The Blues are a mediocre team at-best this season and will probably continue to hover around the .500 mark throughout. If they can keep their PP and PK around where they are now (PP = 22.6%-4th in the league, PK at 86.1%-6th in the league), they might have some meaningful games to play in late March.

23) Phoenix Coyotes {10-11-2} (+2)
2-2-0 week (lost @ NYR, won @ CLB & vs. COL, lost vs. SJ)

Other than the loss @ MSG to the Rangers, Phoenix had a very nice week. They took care of business against teams they should and played San Jose very close. It will be interesting to see what happens in the crease for Phoenix. Starting goalie Ilya Bryzgalov has struggled a bit this season while backup Mikael Tellqvist has played well in every chance he's gotten this season. Head coach Wayne Gretzky insists that Bryzgalov is still the #1, but that can certainly change.

24) Edmonton Oilers {10-11-2} (-5)
1-2-0 week (lost vs. LA, won @ STL, lost @ DAL)

Consistency starts with your goalie, and the Oilers have the most inconsistent goaltending situation in the league. Three different goalies have started in the past four games for Edmonton. Dwayne Roloson will most likely be traded (hopefully to help their PK, which ranks 3rd worst in the league at
75.2%) and Mathieu Garon has been horrid this season. That leaves rookie Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers, who has looked solid in each of his starts. With the exception of games against San Jose and Anaheim, Edmonton has a pretty balanced schedule in the month of December to see what type of team they will be for the remainder of the season.

25) Colorado Avalanche {11-12-0} (-1)
2-2-0 week (lost @ ANA, won vs. STL, lost @ PHO, won vs. TB)

This has been a tough luck year for Colorado. Joe Sakic is battling a back injury, Peter Budaj has been inconsistent in net, and they seem to alternate wins and losses. This is a team that, short of a major change or spark happening, will miss the playoffs this season. I've said it in past P/M columns, but this team is a good goalie away from making the Northwest extremely competitive.

26) Florida Panthers {9-11-3} (+1)
2-0-2 week (won vs. CAR, OTL vs NJ, SOL vs. NYR, win @ NYR)

The Panthers record may not be impressive, but Florida has really clamped down and improved their play since their 5 game road trip to start November. Craig Anderson is doing all he can to push Tomas Vokoun out of the starting goalie spot. LW David Booth continues to be their offensive star with 12 goals and 2 assists on the season. It will be interesting to see if Florida goes for a mix of prospects or tries to get guys who can help them now when they deal D Jay Bouwmeester (it's not a matter of "if" they trade him, it's a matter of "when")

27) Dallas Stars {8-11-4} (+4)
2-2-0 week (lost @ PHI, won @ MIN, lost vs SJ, won vs. EDM)

Despite an incredibly rocky and injury-riddled start to the season, Dallas is slowly beginning to improve. Their losses are closer in margin and they have won two of their past three. Other than games against Detroit and San Jose on the schedule, December provides Dallas with a good opportunity to gain some points back in the standings.

28) Ottawa Senators {8-10-4} (+1)
1-1-0 week (won vs. TOR, lost @ NYI)

It looks like that the Senators are simply a team of what you see is what you get. There are nights where there offense will dominate, and there are nights where their offense is MIA. G Alex Auld has been doing alright, but he needs more goal support. Their 4th ranked penalty kill (86.8%) has kept teams close, but not close enough (5 of their regulation losses have been by 1 goal)

29) Atlanta Thrashers {8-12-3} (-1)
0-2-1 week (lost @ WAS, vs. NAS, vs. STL)

It looks like Atlanta is beginning to move on past the Kari Lehtonen era. They know what they have in Johan Hedberg, but have been giving rookie Ondrej Pavelec more starts recently. He hasn't played great, but he hasn't played badly either. Slava Kozlov is carrying the load offensively for Atlanta, racking up 12 goals and 9 assists. Atlanta currently has the worst PK in the league at 73.8%.

30) Tampa Bay Lightning {6-10-7} (-4)
0-2-1 week (SOL vs. NYR, lost @ MIN & @ COL)

It looks more and more like this becoming a lost season for the Lightning. They have lost four in a row and have only won once in their past 10 games (3 of the losses have come in the shootout).
Head coach Rick Tocchet has his work cut out for him to get this team back to where it should be playing. They have too much talent to stay this bad for the rest of the season.

BIGGEST GAINER = Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars (+4)
BIGGEST LOSER = Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers (-5)
-17 Teams Moved Up
-11 Teams Moved Down
-2 Teams Remained Even