In the past few days, Chicago has taken care of business against St. Louis, still leaving us scratching our heads about their focus. The Rangers suffered a huge loss that can’t quite be calculated just yet numerically. And a rough-up in Winnipeg could start a flurry of moves across the NHL.
As usual, the rankings are reflective purely on a head-to-head goal differential formula designed to help predict a Stanley Cup champion. If you’re looking for a simple ranking of the hottest teams, looks elsewhere because we have the big picture on our minds. The Cup is the only thing that matters.
Hapless, but Not Hopeless
30. Buffalo Sabres (nERD -1.47, Last Week: 30)
29. Edmonton Oilers (nERD -1.00, Last Week: 29)
28. Arizona Coyotes (nERD -0.90, Last Week: 28)
Buffalo actually won two games since this column was last published, including a big win over the Canadiens. Unfortunately for the Sabres’ players, last place is still theirs, as Edmonton has also shown a little more aptitude for winning over recent weeks.
Something tells me that the Oilers are going to give serious consideration to shutting down the reinjured in a track suit as opposed to the mandated suit and tie.
In the short term, Winnipeg now finds itself clinging to the number seven seed for the playoffs without one of its better wingers. Long term, remember all those teams looking to sell at the trade deadline? What better way to make sure you keep trending down than to acquire a very talented 23-year old who won’t be playing the rest of the year and appears on his way out of town anyway?
Kane will peak more than a few teams willing to take a chance on this headstrong talent, and the Jets may benefit twice by both dumping their headache and gaining an asset that can help them maintain a playoff spot.
Still No Love for the Islanders?
12. Boston Bruins (nERD 0.21, Last Week: 11)
11. New York Islanders (nERD 0.26, Last Week: 8)
10. Detroit Red Wings (nERD 0.28, Last Week: 12)
9. Washington Capitals (nERD 0.30, Last Week: 10)
Boston, Detroit, and Washington all look likely to make the big dance but are seeded eighth, fourth, and sixth, respectively. The Islanders would be able to open up play in Brooklyn next year by at least raising a Metropolitan Division Champion banner if the season ended today, but they still struggle in our power rankings and dropped three spots this week.
Just when it looked like the Islanders were finally getting the nERD love they deserved, the algorithm flipped a switch. A closer look tells the story.
Last week, the Isles played four games and split them at two and two (one was a shootout victory over the Flyers and the other win was a squeaker over an atrocious Buffalo outfit in full tank mode). Also during this stretch, the Islanders dropped a second game to the Bruins since the All-Star Break and were beat by a talented Panthers team.
While Uniondale won’t exactly be in crisis mode yet, the Islanders aren’t quite playing up to the full potential of what could be the holder of the number two seed in the playoffs.
Potential Division Winners
8. Anaheim Ducks (nERD 0.30, Last Week: 9)
7. Pittsburgh Penguins (nERD 0.36, Last Week: 7)
6. Montreal Canadiens (nERD 0.39, Last Week: 6)
5. Tampa Bay Lightning (nERD 0.47, Last Week: 5)
Granted, it is not much of an argument for Anaheim given how mediocre the rest of the Pacific has been, but for Pittsburgh, Montreal, and Tampa Bay, expect a dogfight to the finish line.
The Pens and Isles keep trading the top spot in the Metropolitan back and forth, and we know which one nERD prefers. For Pittsburgh, it mainly comes down to focusing their occasionally anemic attack. David Perron was a good pickup (although I think any pond hockey player could put up decent stats skating alongside Sidney Crosby).
The gap from Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to the rest of their forwards in terms of points is alarming. Thankfully, Marc-Andre Fleury has played well in the Steel City or things could be worse.
As for the Atlantic Division we should see an interesting race to the end. Detroit, Montreal, and Tampa Bay are all separated by two points, and nERD likes the Lightning significantly more to hang onto that spot.
Wait, What?
4. New York Rangers (nERD 0.51, Last Week: 4)
The Rangers are the one strange aberration on this week’s list. They would comfortably have the seventh seed if the playoffs started today, but what about that merits the fourth overall ranking, especially since they are now gearing up for a playoff push without Henrik Lundqvist?
Over the past week, the Rangers beat the Bruins and narrowly lost to the Predators and Stars, so all-in-all, it wasn't a bad enough week for them to plummet in the standings. However, a four-game road trip capped off with a game in Uniondale against the Islanders awaits in this brave, new, Lundqvist-less world for the New York Rangers.
The Usual Suspects
3. Nashville Predators (nERD 0.55, Last Week: 3)
2. St. Louis Blues (nERD 0.67, Last Week: 2)
1. Chicago Blackhawks (nERD 0.76, Last Week: 1)
Well, that was a letdown. I was really anticipating writing this week about how the surging Blues had finally knocked the coasting Blackhawks off the top perch. Not so fast.
Chicago continues to show that they can turn it on and off with a statement win in St. Louis on Sunday followed by a loss Monday night to Arizona. St. Louis added an equally frustrating 7-1 defeat to Columbus to go with the loss to Chicago.
Maybe resurgent Nashville will have more to give these two next time out with Pekka Rinne manning the crease again. A statement win for the Preds against Tampa Bay tonight could start their nERD on an upward tick to match their point total.