PLUS/MINUS
Is Evgeni Nabokov the best goalie in the league? I think so
*Tonight's edition, in honor of Christmas, will be what each team wants in it's stocking
1) San Jose Sharks {27-4-3} (EVEN)
3-1-1 week (won @ LA, OTL @ CLB, lost @ DET, won vs. NYR, won vs. VAN)
-San Jose has two wishes: For their team health to stay the way it is and for nothing else to change
2) Boston Bruins {25-5-4} (EVEN)
4-0-0 week (won vs. TOR, CAR, won @ STL, NJ)
-Their wish is for Montreal to not make any big trades. The Canadiens are the one team that can match up with them game in and game out.
3) Detroit Red Wings {23-6-4} (EVEN)
3-1-0 week (lost vs. COL, won vs. SJ, LA, STL)
-To play the way they played against San Jose against every team. Beating the hottest team in the league 6-0 made a statement to the Sharks and the rest of the league.
4) Washington Capitals {21-11-3} (EVEN)
3-1-0 week (won @ NYI, vs. STL, lost @ PHI, won @ NYR)
-A goalie...they REALLY want Santa to bring them a goalie.
5) Philadelphia Flyers {19-8-7} (+3)
3-1-1 week (won vs. COL, lost @ MON, won vs. WAS, SOL @ NJ, won vs. OTT)
-Jeff Carter to keep lighting the lamp and to finally get a full, healthy season out of Simon Gagne (Gagne deserves it after everything he's been through)
6) Chicago Blackhawks {18-6-7} (+1)
3-0-0 week (won @ EDM, @ CAL, @ VAN)
-A veteran that can contribute and be a leader. If they can get that, they are a legitimate threat to upset someone in the West.
7) New York Rangers {22-12-3} (-2)
2-1-0 week (won @ ANA, @ LA, lost @ SJ, OTL vs. WAS)
-Consistency and a power play that not only scores goals, but doesn't give up shorthanded goals
8) Montreal Canadiens {18-9-6} (+1)
2-1-1 week (lost @ CAR, won vs. PHI, BUF, OTL vs. CAR)
-Their wish is exactly what Boston is wishing against. They'd also like Alexei Kovalev to get the power play going.
9) New Jersey Devils {19-10-3) (+2)
-3-1-1 week (SOL @ TOR, won @ BUF, won vs. OTT, PHI, lost vs. BOS)
You would think the automatic answer is a speedy return. That's still the #1 wish for Devils fans, but as long as Scott Clemmensen keeps playing this way, they'll wait until Marty is gift-wrapped.
10) Calgary Flames {19-11-4} (+2)
3-0-1 week (won @ STL, MIN, OTL vs. CHI, won vs. ANA)
-Every time Calgary gets on a roll, they'll slump and drop three in a row. They'd like for those mini-slumps to stop so they can make a legitimate points run in the standings
11) Vancouver Canucks {19-13-3} (-1)
2-2-0 week (won vs. EDM, lost vs. CHI, won vs. ANA, lost @ SJ)
-Their #1 wish is Roberto Luongo's return between the pipes. Wish #1B would be for Mats Sundin to have the impact that fans are hoping for.
12) Anaheim Ducks {18-4-3} (-6)
1-3-0 week (lost vs. NYR, won @ EDM, lost @ VAN, @ CAL)
-For their current slump to end. Luckily, their next three games (@ DAL, @ STL, vs. CLB) will give them a chance for the wish to be granted.
13) Pittsburgh Penguins {18-12-4} (EVEN)
2-2-0 week (won @ ATL, lost vs. TOR, won @ BUF, lost vs. TOR)
-To win a game where they don't have to score at least four goals. Their last win when they've scored less than four came against the Thrashers on 11/20.
14) Buffalo Sabres {16-14-5} (EVEN)
1-0-2 week (lost vs. NK, won vs. LA, OTL @ MON, OTL vs. PIT)
-To not get robbed by the refs against the Pittsburgh Penguins again
15) Phoenix Coyotes {16-14-5} (+2)
2-1-2 week (OTL @ DAL, won vs. NAS, vs. CLB, lost @ EDM, OTL @ COL)
-To snag at least 6 points in their next four games (home and home w/ LA, vs. COL & NYI)
16) Carolina Hurricanes {16-14-5} (+3)
3-2-0 week (won vs. MON, vs. FLA, lost @ BOS, won @ MON, lost @ MIN)
-Eric Staal's improved play of late to keep improving
17) Minnesota Wild {17-14-2} (-1)
2-1-1 week (OTL vs. CAL, won vs. NYI, lost @ STL, won vs. CAR)
-No more 6 game losing streaks and to survive a brutal stretch of 8 games (vs. CHI, @ CAL, vs. SJ, vs. DET, @ COL, @ BOS, @ PHI, @ CLB)
18) Nashville Predators {16-14-3} (-3)
1-2-0 week (lost @ PHO, won vs. NYI, lost @ FLA)
-For Dan Ellis to get back in to his 2008 playoff form.
19) Florida Panthers {16-13-4} (+2)
2-0-1 week (OTL @ CAR, won vs. COL, vs. NAS)
-To figure out if Tomas Vokoun or Craig Anderson is the starting goalie. Once they do that, then they want to be able to deal one of those guys to get a quality D to replace Jay Bouwmeester when they deal him.
20) Los Angeles Kings {14-14-6} (EVEN)
1-2-2 week (SOL vs. SJ, OTL vs. NYR, lost @ BUF, @ DET, won @ CLB)
-For nothing to change. Even at .500, Los Angeles has exceeded expectations. If they can keep this up, this season will be a good building block for next year and beyond.
21) Colorado Avalanche {17-16-1) (+2)
3-2-0 week (won @ DET, lost @ PHI, won @ TB, lost @ FLA, won vs. PHO)
-For the team to be within striking distance of the playoffs when Peter Forsberg makes his decision on where he wants to play.
22) Toronto Maple Leafs {14-14-6} (+2)
3-2-0 week (won vs. NJ, lost @ BOS, won @ PIT, @ ATL, lost vs. DAL)
-To continue to be the spoiler team in the Eastern Conference. The Leafs players know that this entire season is an evaluation period for GM Brian Burke to see what he has.
23) Edmonton Oilers {15-14-3} (-5)
1-2-1 week (lost vs. CHI, @ VAN, SOL vs. ANA, won vs. PHO)
-For one of their three goalies to take the starting position by the horns.
24) Dallas Stars (14-14-5) (+3)
3-0-1 week (won vs. PHO, CLB, lost @ OTT, won @ TOR)
-They already got their Christmas wish with Sean Avery being banished from the team
25) Columbus Blue Jackets {14-16-4} (-3)
1-2-1 week (won @ SJ, SOL @ DAL, lost @ PHO, lost vs. LA)
-A better power play and to find a team that needs a good starting goalie. Steve Mason has shown he can play at this level and Pascal Leclaire is too good to sit on the bench. The Capitals should be working out potential deals if they aren't already.
26) Ottawa Senators {12-15-5} (-1)
1-3-0 week (lost vs. ATL, @ NJ, won vs. DAL, lost @ PHI)
-To stop being an enigmatic team and play to the level we all know they are capable of. That and to get the best possible deal for Jason Spezza.
27) Atlanta Thrashers {12-18-4} (+1)
3-2-0 week (won @ OTT, lost vs. PIT, won vs. TB, lost vs. TOR, won @ NYI)
-To play the Islanders for 82 games a season. They've won the 3 meetings by a combined score of 13-6
28) St. Louis Blues {13-18-3} (-2)
1-4-0 week (lost vs. CAL, @ WAS, won vs. MIN, lost vs. BOS, @ DET)
-For everything to improve. This team is slightly better than their record indicates.
29) Tampa Bay Lightning {8-16-9} (+1)
1-1-1 week (SOL vs. COL, lost @ ATL, won @ PIT)
-They've lost nine games after regulation. If four of those are wins, they aren't that far out of 8th in the East.
30) New York Islanders {10-21-3} (-1)
0-3-1 week (OTL vs. WAS, lost @ MIN, NAS, lost vs. ATL)
-When you've lost ten in a row, haven't won a game in December (and with TOR, @ BUF, @ NYR, FLA on the schedule, they could lose every game in the month), and have only earned one point, their only wish is to finally win a game.
BIGGEST GAINER = Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars (+3)
BIGGEST LOSER = Anaheim Ducks (-6)
-13 Teams Moved Up
-10 Teams Moved Down
-7 Teams Remained Even
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