This is the second week we’re running with the new format for the NHL Classy Power Rankings. This week saw the notable drop from the Philadelphia Flyers, reflected by the firing of coach John Stevens. Big jumps this week include the Phoenix Coyotes, Minnesota Wild and of course, the new number 1 ranked team! Scroll down below to see who knocked off the San Jose Sharks.

NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 10

30.  Carolina Hurricanes (6-17-5, 17 pts; last week: 30)
29.  Toronto Maple Leafs (8-13-7, 23 pts; last week: 29)
28.  Anaheim Ducks (10-13-6, 26 pts; last week: 25)
27.  Philadelphia Flyers (13-12-1, 27 pts; last week: 20)
26.  Florida Panthers (11-13-15, 27 pts; last week: 26)

A lowly bottom group, that’s for sure. Though the Leafs have enjoyed better hockey as of late, they are discovering its still not enough. The Philadelphia Flyers, who were ranked in the top 10 earlier this year, hope to get out of their funk with new head coach Peter Laviolette and captain Mike Richards taking a bigger stand in the dressing room. The are too talented to be this mediocre.

25.  Montreal Canadiens (13-14-2, 28 pts; last week: 23)
24.  Edmonton Oilers (12-13-4, 28 pts; last week: 28)
23.  New York Islanders (11-11-7, 29 pts; last week: 22)
22.  New York Rangers (14-14-1, 29 pts; last week: 21)
21.  Minnesota Wild (13-12-3, 29 pts; last week: 27)

The Minnesota Wild make an impressive jump with improved play as of late. It took awhile, but the team has been on fire winning 5 straight and going 13-3-3 in their last 16 games. The Oilers have picked it up a little, too, despite the loss of Ales Hemsky for the rest of the season.  It remains to be seen if it can continue. Lastly, a quick note about the Bruins-Canadiens Centennial game from Friday night; what an outstanding effort from Montreal. The Canadiens played with amazing drive and teamwork, shown perfectly in that 5 on 3 sequence. It was a pleasure to watch, for Habs fans especially. If they played like that every game, they’d be a top contender in the league.

20.  St. Louis Blues (12-10-5, 29 pts; last week: 24)
19.  Tampa Bay Lightning (11-9-8, 30 pts; last week: 18)
18.  Ottawa Senators (14-10-4, 32 pts; last week: 15)
17.  Columbus Blue Jackets (13-11-5, 31 pts; last week: 19)
16.  Vancouver Canucks (13-11-5, 31 pts; last week: 16

The Senators recent road trip didn’t go as planned losing 3 of 4 games. The St. Louis Blues had impressive wins over the Kings and Sharks which helped push them up to #20 this week. Columbus are still spinning out of control (something tells me Hitchcock’s job security has dipped a bit), while the Canucks stay put at 16.

15.  Detroit Red Wings (14-10-5, 33 pts; last week: 17)
14.  Dallas Stars (13-8-8, 34 pts; last week: 13)
13.  Atlanta Thrashers (15-8-3, 33 pts; last week: 12)
12.  Nashville Predators (16-11-2, 34 pts; last week: 7)
11.  Buffalo Sabres (16-8-2, 34 pts; last week: 10)

Of this group, I’m very impressed with the Atlanta Thrashers and Nashville Predators. The Thrashers are having a great season and are slowly catching up to the Capitals for the tops in the Southeast. Detroit are starting to put things together too – I wonder if this is a sign of things to come. The Predators are struggling a bit after having a great 7 game run in November, winning only 2 of their last 6 games.

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10.  Boston Bruins (15-9-5, 35 pts; last week: 8 )
The big news out of Boston this week was the resigning of center Marc Savard to a long term extension. Savard’s return to the Bruins line up had an immediate impact with a hat trick performance against the Leafs on Saturday. The Boston Bruins have won 3 of their last 4 games and have a few days off before playing the Leafs, Islanders, and Flyers later this week.

9.  Colorado Avalanche (16-9-6, 38 pts; last week: 11)
The Colorado Avalanche continue to struggle and ride the great start they got off to. The Avalanche are 3-4-3 in their last 10 games but have a 5 game home stand coming up after a game on Monday in St. Louis. Rookie Matt Duchene capped off a great week by being named the NHL’s 3rd star of last week, while the Avalanche continue to play without star goalie Craig Anderson.

8.  Los Angeles Kings (17-10-3, 37 pts; last week: 9)
The Los Angeles Kings are still missing Ryan Smyth, and nowhere is that more evident than with star Anze Kopitar. Kopitar has registered 2 points in his last 5 games, but the team has put together 4 wins in their last 6 games. The Kings have a tough schedule this week against the Flames, Sharks, and Coyotes.

7.  Phoenix Coyotes (17-11-1, 35 pts; last week: 14)
The Desert Dogs have been pretty solid lately, going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. The Phoenix Coyotes have a nice 4 game winning streak going and will look to continue it against the Wild, Kings, and Sharks.

6.  Calgary Flames (18-7-3, 39 pts; last week: 6)
An impressive win from the Calgary Flames on Saturday makes them one of the league’s hottest teams with 5 wins in their last 6 games. Brent Sutter has done a good job installing a solid system for the team to follow and its showing great results. This week, the Flames will face-off against the Kings, Thrashers, and Wild.

5.  Pittsburgh Penguins (20-9-1, 41 pts; last week: 5)
The Pittsburgh Penguins have won 3 of their last 4 games and look every bit as good as they did last year. Sidney Crosby sat out of Saturday’s game with a minor groin injury but is expected back in the line up any day. The Penguins have a busy stretch coming up and it starts this week against the Hurricanes, Canadiens, and Panthers.

4.  Chicago Blackhawks (18-7-3, 39 pts, last week: 2)
The big news surrounding the Chicago Blackhawks is the official resignings of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith to long term extensions. On the ice, the Blackhawks had an impressive overtime victory against the Penguins after a bad 4-1 loss to the Predators. For all the hockey poolies out there, Marian Hossa has 6 points in 6 games and averages around 20 minutes of ice time per game.

3.  New Jersey Devils (19-7-1, 39 pts, last week: 3)
The New Jersey Devils are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and continue to play a strong brand of hockey (especially on the road). On the injury front, the Devils are set to welcome back Johnny Oduya this week – a nice boost for their defense. The Devils play the Sabres on Monday night before starting a 5 game home stand against the Hurricanes, Panthers, and Flyers.

2.  San Jose Sharks (19-7-5, 43 pts; last week: 1)
Finally, the San Jose Sharks aren’t the top team in the Classy Rankings. The main reason is the losses to the Blues and Flames last week. I thought the Sharks lacked the desperation the Flames had on Saturday and I didn’t like the way the Sharks dropped a game to St. Louis in the dying seconds of the game and then in a shootout. The Sharks are still a terrific team, but shades of doubt are starting to creep in, but I have no thing but great things to say about Joe Thornton.

1.  Washington Capitals (18-5-6, 42 pts; last week: 4)
A new number one team in the Classy Power Rankings! And it only took 10 weeks! The biggest reason the Washington Capitals are number one is the fact they’ve been able to win without Alex Ovechkin (injuries, suspension) and Alex Semin (injuries). This week, the Capitals will play the Lightning, Sabres, Hurricanes, and Leafs.

Stay classy, NHL rankings.

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For some teams, as the season goes on so does the losing. Frankly, I don’t see that changing for teams like the Oilers and Hurricanes and that could get boring for us to talk about and you to read about. If not boring, certainly non-classy and I simply cannot have that.

Moving forward, the weekly Classy Power Rankings will place more on the Top 10 NHL teams (teams who consistently win!), while the teams outside of the Top 10 will be featured within one of four groups. Let me know what you think and if you like the new format below.

NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 9

30.  Carolina Hurricanes (5-16-5, 15 pts; last week: 29)
29.  Toronto Maple Leafs (6-11-7, 19 pts; last week: 30)
28.  Edmonton Oilers (10-13-4, 24 pts; last week: 26)
27.  Minnesota Wild (10-12-3, 23 pts; last week: 27)
26.  Florida Panthers (10-11-4, 24 pts; last week: 23)

The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs chart up this week while the Hurricanes, Wild, and Oilers continue to stumble (especially the Oilers). According to the internet rumor mill, one or all of these teams are looking to make trades to shake things up. That could include the likes of Nathan Horton, Erik Cole, Tomas Kaberle, and others. One thing is for certain, I believe the Hurricanes are about to trade/waive a few roster players in order to start rebuilding their organization and its depth.

25.  Anaheim Ducks (10-11-4, 24 pts; last week: 28)
24.  St. Louis Blues (10-9-5, 25 pts; last week: 25)
23.  Montreal Canadiens (12-12-2; last week: 20)
22.  New York Islanders (10-10-7, 27 pts; last week: 21)
21.  New York Rangers (13-12-1, 27 pts; last week: 22)

None of these teams have been able to play consistently all season yet somehow aren’t too far out of the playoffs – especially the Islanders and Rangers. Needless to say, December’s action will go a long way in determining whether these teams can make a push for the playoffs. The Rangers have really underwhelmed many after starting off so hot and having the NHL’s leading goal scorer Marian Gaborik. Not good news for John Tortorella and company.

20.  Philadelphia Flyers (13-10-1, 27 pts; last week: 16)
19.  Columbus Blue Jackets (12-9-4, 28 pts; last week: 8 )
18. Tampa Bay Lightning (10-6-8, 28 pts; last week: 19)
17.  Detroit Red Wings (12-9-4, 28 pts; last week: 9)
16.  Vancouver Canucks (14-12-0, 28 pts; last week: 17)

Any team in this group (or the one below) could easily find themselves in the Classy Top 10 if they get rolling. While many consider the Philadelphia Flyers a top contending team, they really aren’t playing like it. As far as the Columbus Blue Jackets are concerned, they are on a disastrous slide and its been reported the players are tuning out Ken Hitchcock. The Tampa Bay Lightning are playing decent hockey while the Red Wings and Canucks shouldn’t be taken lightly regardless of any injuries or slumps.

15.  Ottawa Senators (13-7-4, 30 pts; last week: 15)
14.  Phoenix Coyotes (15-11-1, 31 pts; last week: 11)
13.  Dallas Stars (12-7-7, 31 pts; last week: 13)
12.  Atlanta Thrashers (13-7-3, 29 pts; last week: 24)
11.  Colorado Avalanche (14-8-5, 33 pts; last week: 10)

The Atlanta Thrashers may look like the odd-team out in this group, but they are enjoying a solid year with strong contributions from players like Afinogenov, Peverley, Armstrong, Antropov, and others. Oh, and that Kovalchuk guy too. Right now the Thrashers and Senators are the most consistent teams in this group with the Avalanche, Stars, and Coyotes playing mediocre hockey.

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10.  Buffalo Sabres (14-7-2, 30 pts; last week: 12)
It’s hard to gauge the Buffalo Sabres this season. Defensively, they are among the best in the league and Ryan Miller is playing the best hockey of his career. Offensively, I’m still not convinced this team can score enough to win in the playoffs. But there’s still 2/3s of the season left for the Sabres to figure that out. The Sabres have a few interesting games coming up against top NHL teams like the Blackhawks, Capitals, and Devils. Before those games, the Sabres will play the Canadiens and Rangers.

9.  Los Angeles Kings (15-10-2, 32 pts; last week: 7)
The Los Angeles Kings are 5-5 in their last 10 games and no one knows it more than Anze Kopitar. Since Ryan Smyth’s injury, the Kings top line has scored one goal in five games. Smyth is still a few weeks weeks away from returning to action, but the Kings should should be able to get rolling this week with games against the Ducks, Senators, and Blues.

8.  Boston Bruins (13-8-5, 31 pts; last week: 18)
The Boston Bruins have quietly turned things around in November, winning five of their last six games. They are one point up on the Senators for the Northeast division lead and Michael Ryder is starting to get hot at a convenient time. Patrice Bergeron doesn’t appear to be injured after blocking a shot with his knee on Saturday. The Bruins will play the Lightning, Canadiens, and Leafs this week.

7.  Nashville Predators (15-9-1, 31 pts; last week: 14)
The Nashville Predators are hot! They’ve won eight of their last 10 games and have a light schedule this week playing the Blackhawks once and the Wild twice. Pekka Rinne is back to the great form he showed last year while the Preds have done a nice job making due with a few key injuries recently.

6.  Calgary Flames (16-6-3, 35 pts; last week: 6)
The Calgary Flames have won three games in a row and sit 3rd in the Western Conference. Jarome Iginla could potentially finish the month of November as the best single month of his career while the Flames are 9-1-3 when playing away from Calgary this season. That’s good news for the Flames as they are on the road this week against the Coyotes, Sharks, and Kings.

5.  Pittsburgh Penguins (18-9-0, 36 pts; last week: 5)
The Pittsburgh Penguins have won four of their last five games including an 8-3 blowout over the New York Rangers on Saturday (Matt Cooke was suspended for two games for a hit in game, too). This week, the Penguins faceoff against the Rangers, Avalanche, and Blackhawks (Crosby/Malkin vs Kane/Toews with Hossa! That should be a great game!).

4.  Washington Capitals (15-5-6, 36 pts; last week: 3)
The Washington Capitals snapped their two game losing streak by posting two straight wins over the Sabres and Canadiens last week. The Capitals are currently first in the Eastern Conference and have a very healthy lead on the Southeast division. Alex Semin is still out of the line up with a wrist injury, but the depth of the Capitals is filling in just fine. This week the Capitals play the Hurricanes, Panthers, and Flyers.

3.  New Jersey Devils (17-6-1, 35 pts; last week: 4)
The New Jersey Devils have won their last three games and really look like a top contending team in the NHL. Patrick Elias’ return has played a big role in the Devils great play. Since Elias’ return, the Devils are 7-2-1 with Elias recording eight points in his last five games. This week, the Devils host the Canucks, Lightning, and Red Wings.

2.  Chicago Blackhawks (16-6-3, 35 pts; last week: 2)
What a week it was for the Chicago Blackhawks. They blow out the Sharks 7-2, Marian Hossa makes an immediate impact and then the team loses two straight to the Ducks and Kings – two teams they can and should beat. Chicago are still the cream of the crop in the Western Conference with San Jose and will look to make an impact this week against the Blue Jackets, Predators, and Penguins.

1.  San Jose Sharks (18-6-4, 40 pts; last week: 1)
As always, the San Jose Sharks are still number one in the Classy Power Rankings thanks to wins over the Oilers and Canucks (and a humbling loss to the Blackhawks) last week. While I don’t believe the Sharks are as deep a team as they were last season, it seems every time Dany Heatley doesn’t score Patrick Marleau does. I’m not suggesting Heatley’s in a funk, but he hasn’t scored a goal in his last three games. The Sharks will play the Blues and Flames after hosting Heatley’s former team, the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night – the week’s hottest game in the NHL.

Stay classy, NHL rankings.

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This week’s Class Power Rankings are interesting. We’re at the quarter mark of the NHL season with some teams struggling, some picking up momentum and others flat out dominating. This week, we see slides from the Atlanta Thrashers, New York Rangers and Colorado Avalanche. Big jumps include the red hot Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators.

NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 8

30.  Toronto Maple Leafs (4-11-6, 14 pts, last week: 29)
It was a pretty rough week for the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite a shootout win against the Capitals on Saturday. A loss against the Ottawa Senators and brutal 3-0 blown lead against the Hurricanes in a “basement battle” won’t sit well with Brian Burke and the rest of the MLSE management team. Simply put, the Maple Leafs don’t have the talent to compete with other teams in 5-on-5 play. This week, the Leafs play the Islanders, Lightning, and Panthers… as always, the results will be interesting.

29.  Carolina Hurricanes (5-12-5, 15 pts, last week: 30)
Believe it or not the Carolina Hurricanes have won 3 or their last 4 games. They’ve grabbed 7 of 8 points and are a point up on the lowly Maple Leafs. It’s worth noting the Hurricanes have won all their games at home and are still winless on the road (0-7-3). This week, the Hurricanes play the Stars and Ducks at home before hitting the road to play the Thrashers and Sabres.

28.  Anaheim Ducks (7-11-3, 17 pts, last week: 28)
The Anaheim Ducks are a bad team.  For as much press as the Toronto Maple Leafs get for their terrible start, the Ducks have just 3 more points and play just as inconsistently. Not only do the Ducks have a bit of a goaltending issue ($6 Million+ is a lot for a backup goalie – Giguere), apparently they are having trouble resigning star Bobby Ryan (2nd overall pick after Sidney Crosby in 2005). At any rate, the Ducks are in the middle of a long home-stand that has them playing the Flames, Hurricanes, and Blackhawks this week.

27.  Minnesota Wild (8-12-2, 18 pts, last week: 25)
The Minnesota Wild will continue to be among the league’s worst teams until they can find a way to play consistent hockey and beat better teams. The Wild beat the Islanders this week but lost to the Coyotes. This week the Wild host the Bruins at home and then have a back to back/home and home series with the slumping Avalanche.

26.  Edmonton Oilers (9-11-3, 21 pts, last week: 24)
I can’t figure out the Edmonton Oilers. I feel like I say that all the time, but it’s true. What is the real identity of this team? At one point, half the team was injured or sick. Most of the Oilers are healthy, yet the team still isn’t producing. There are rumours that the Oilers have interest in the Kostytin brothers and various other stars, but it doesn’t change the fact they won 1 of 4 games last week. Coming up for the Oilers, they’ll play the Coyotes, Kings, and Sharks at home before playing the Canucks in Vancouver.

25.  St. Louis Blues (8-8-4, 20 pts, last week: 26)
For the sake of the St. Louis Blues, I hope they’ve found their game with a current 2 game win streak. As with many of the bottom NHL teams, the Blues cannot play consistent hockey to the best of their abilities. They have 5 more games this month and it starts with games against the Bruins, Stars, Predators, and Red Wings this week.

24.  Atlanta Thrashers (10-7-3, 23 pts, last week: 15)
While concerns over Ilya Kovalchuk’s future with the Atlanta Thrashers continue to dominate most team news, walk-on free agent Maxime Afinogenov is enjoying a solid year (20 points in 20 games). Since his return, Kovalchuk has put up Alex Ovechkin-goal per game averages yet the team hasn’t strung together multiple wins. In fact, the Thrashers are on a 3 game losing streak. They’ll hope to change that this week in games against the Red Wings, Hurricanes, and Flyers.

23.  Florida Panthers (10-9-2, 22 pts, last week: 27)
The Florida Panthers enjoyed last week winning all 3 games against the Rangers, Red Wings and Sabres (all 3 games on the road, too). Although they aren’t in a playoff position, they are a win away from 8th and will look towards moving up in the standings when playing the Penguins, Rangers, Leafs, and Predators this week.

22.  New York Rangers (11-10-1, 23 pts, last week: 11)
It’s very surprising to see the New York Rangers out of a playoff spot in late November considering the start they had this season. I suppose it’s to be expected – they did the same thing last year too. The Rangers are in a major tailspin having gone 3-7 in their last 10 games. Yes, several key injuries haven’t helped (Chris Drury stands out), but that doesn’t change the results the team has had. John Tortorella will try to get his team going this week in important games against the Blue Jackets, Panthers, Lightning, and Penguins.

21.  New York Islanders (8-8-7, 23 pts, last week: 18)
After the first 10 games this season, who thought the New York Islanders would have the same number of points as the Rangers? They aren’t there yet, but I predict the Islanders to be a very exciting team to watch in a year or two. John Tavares and Matt Moulson continue to lead this team with timely scoring and great play, but Marty Biron’s 2-6-2 record is somewhat alarming. Dwayne Roloson has played significantly better so far. This week, the Islanders have games against the Leafs, Flyers, Penguins, and Devils. I’m curious to see how they do against these teams. I’m guessing 2-2.

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20.  Montreal Canadiens (11-11-1, 23 pts, last week: 23)
I really like how Carey Price has been playing for the Montreal Canadiens recently. He’s lost 1 of his last 4 starts and made more than 30 saves in each game. That shootout save he made against Carolina was amazing! That aside, injuries continue to be the story in Montreal. Word has it George Laraque will be suspended for 4-6 games for his hit on Nik Kronwall on Saturday night. Tomas Plekanec continues to have a great year for the Canadiens (even if I can’t pronounce his name)… one has to wonder if he’ll be traded or resigned. And of course, looking ahead this week, the Canadiens face off against the Blue Jackets, Penguins, and Capitals.

19.  Tampa Bay Lightning (9-5-7, 25 pts, last week: 20)
The Tampa Bay Lightning just finished up a 4 game road trip that produced a 2-1-1 record… and probably the goal of the year, courtesy of Steve Stamkos. Tampa’s 25 points have them sitting in 7th place in the East (or tied for 5th), something many didn’t think would be the case. I do wonder if they can continue this all season, but the Rick Tocchet appears to have this team playing pretty well. They play the Leafs, Rangers, and Stars this week.

18.   Boston Bruins (10-8-4, 27 pts, last week: 21)
The Boston Bruins got a nice boost last week with the return of Milan Lucic. As well, Tim Thomas has played significantly better as of late. I’m still not sold on their weak defensive play (especially for a Claude Julien coached team), so I look for that to be the next step for the Bruins. They’ve won their last 2 games and have the Blues, Wild, Devils, and Senators coming up this week.

17.  Vancouver Canucks (12-10-0, 24 pts, last week: 16)
The Vancouver Canucks have been very regular in their last 10 games. The return of Daniel Sedin should give a nice boost to the Canucks who are probably at their peak of healthiness this season. Following a 1-0 loss to the Blackhawks last night, the Canucks will look to get back on track against the Kings, Oilers, and Sharks all at home on GM Place ice over the next week.

16.  Philadelphia Flyers (12-7-1, 25 pts, last week: 13)
Not a great start for the Philadelphia Flyers on their Western Conference road trip. They are 1-2, but were blown out badly against Dany Heatley and the San Jose Sharks. The Flyers continue their road trip this week with games against the Avalanche and Islanders before playing the Sabres and Thrashers. An interesting note from Bill Meltzer last week “Mike Richards has been held without a goal in 14 of his last 17 games. Richards needs to get going in order for the Flyers to get back to their winning ways.

15.  Ottawa Senators (11-6-3, 25 pts, last week: 22)
Despite losing Pascal Leclaire to injury on Saturday night, the Ottawa Senators are riding a 3 game winning streak in recent games against the Sabres, Penguins and Leafs. Daniel Alfredsson is putting together another great season while Milan Michalek is fitting in very well with the Senators (wish I could say the same about Cheechoo). This week, the Senators line up against Capitals, Devils, Blue Jackets, and Bruins.

14.  Nashville Predators (12-8-1, 25 pts, last week: 19)
Did you know the Nashville Predators have won 5 straight games against the Blue Jackets, Sharks, Devils, Canadiens, and Blues? That win streak (and going 8-2 in their last 10 games) have helped turn around a poor start to the season. The Predators are 1 point back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Other Preds news, the team recently sent down former 1st round pick Colin Wilson to the AHL. This week, the Predators put their win streak on the line against the Red Wings, Avalanche, Blues, and Panthers.

13.  Dallas Stars (10-6-6, 26 pts, last week: 17)
I find the Dallas Stars very up and down as of late. I suppose it won’t help them that young star James Neal was recently suspended for 2 games, but still, the Stars need a good effort against the Hurricanes and Blues (both at home) before playing the Coyotes and Lightning. The Stars currently sit 9th in the Western Conference and tied with the Red Wings for the 8th and final playoff spot at the 1/4 mark of the season (DET wins the tiebreaker though). I’m not sure if this is above or below most people’s expectations or right on par. I expect the Stars to have a strong 2nd half of the season.

12.  Buffalo Sabres (12-6-2, 26 pts, last week: 9)
Following a surprisingly hot start to the season, the Buffalo Sabres have been cold as of late going 4-5-1 in their last 10 including a not-so-good effort against the Senators on Saturday night. Sabres fans are fed up with back-up goaltending efforts from Patty Lalime while Ryan Miller continues to give reason to be the US Olympic team’s number 1 goalie. As always, Tyler Myers seems to get better and better (my rookie of the year at this point of the season). The Sabres look to regroup this week in games against the Capitals, Flyers, and Hurricanes.

11.  Phoenix Coyotes (13-9-1, 27 pts, last week: 14)
The Phoenix Coyotes are still hanging around in playoff contention in the West. I say hanging around because their play recently has slipped… kind of like their financials (oooooh! Buuuurn. I’m kidding…). Right now, the Coyotes have a few injuries and HNIC reported rumours of Peter Muller potentially being traded as a result of not ‘jiving’ with coach Dave Tippett.  The ‘Yotes need to regroup and get back to their winning ways or they could risk sliding out of the playoff picture. Their good start is the only thing keeping them in it at the moment.

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10.  Colorado Avalanche (13-7-3, 29 pts, last week: 5)
I know many are saying it and even more are thinking it, “Is the cinderella story over for the Colorado Avalanche?”. Or “Have the Avs come down to earth?”. I don’t have the answers but going 3-6-1 in their last 10 certainly points to a slump. The Avalanche are in tough this week with games against the Flyers and hot Predators, then following up with a home-and-home series with the Wild – 2 games they should win. I expect a better effort from the team and would look for 2-3 wins and no less than 6 points in their 4 games this week.

9.  Detroit Red Wings (11-6-4, 26 pts, last week: 10)
Another costly injury for the Detroit Red Wings came on Saturday with Nik Kronwall going down as a result of a George Laraque hit. Early reports have Kronwall out for 4-8 weeks. Meanwhile, a nice bright spot for the Red Wings is the recently play of Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk who’ve really turned it up a notch. They’ll need to be on this week for tough games against Predators, Thrashers, Flames, and Blues. It’s a big week for the Wings… let’s see how they react.

8.  Columbus Blue Jackets (12-6-3, 27 pts, last week: 12)
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 7 of a possible 8 points in their last 4 games (since being blown out by the Red Wings). Recent news of the Jackets lending top pick Nikita Filatov to the KHL made headlines last week, as well as (what are said to be erroneous) rumours of interest in the Canadiens Scott Gomez.  The Blue Jackets are on the road this week against the Rangers, Canadiens, and Senators before returning home to play the Flames.

7.  Los Angeles Kings (13-9-2, 28 pts, last week: 7)
It’s going to be interesting to see how the Kings play with a fairly serious injury to forward Ryan Smyth. To me, this is the first test for the young Kings this season who’ve lost 2 straight games. Time to regroup for the Kings, who are said to be fatigued as of late. This week the Kings face the Oilers, Canucks, and Blackhawks. The Kings have won 2 of their last 5 games.

6.  Calgary Flames (13-6-2, 28 pts, last week: 4)
While Jarome Iginla has found another gear in the last 2-3 weeks, it seems Dion Phaneuf hasn’t with reports of a screaming match between him and coach Brent Sutter following a loss to the Avalanche. Despite this, the Calgary Flames are playing very well going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Miikka Kiprusoff has played a big part in that with stellar play, as well as Iginla. Jay Bouwemeester has been very solid too. The Flames play the Ducks, Coyotes, Red Wings and Blue Jackets this week.

5.  Pittsburgh Penguins (15-8-0, 30 pts, last week: 6)
Is it fair to say the Pittsburgh Penguins are struggling? Key injuries have been well documents (especially on Defense), however, Evgeni Malkin and Max Talbot have since returned to the line up. Sidney Crosby has struggled a bit lately while Marc-Andre Fleury looks a bit tired (as noted in the Senators game on Thursday). A busy week lies ahead for the Penguins as they play the Panthers, Canadiens, Islanders, and Rangers… frankly, all games they can and should win.

4.  New Jersey Devils (14-6-1, 29 pts, last week: 2)
The New Jersey Devils have slowed down a bit from their crazy hot streak dropping their last 3 games. Recently, the Devils lost forward Dainius Zubrus 4-6 weeks due to injury. The Devils have a few days off before playing the Senators, Bruins, and Islanders later this week. Will this finally be the week Marty Brodeur gets the historic shutout?

3.  Washington Capitals (13-5-5, 31 pts, last week: 3)
The Washington Capitals were on a bit of a roll with Alex Ovechkin out of the line up. It’ll be interesting to see how they play with his return, especially after a disappointing loss to the Leafs on Saturday. Some rumours have spiked up about the resignings of Nick Backstrom and Alex Semin lately. Just a bold prediction here, I think we’re going to see Nick Backstrom explode at the Olympics in a really dominant way. Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and Co. play the Senators, Sabres, and Canadiens this week.

2.  Chicago Blackhawks (15-5-2, 32 pts, last week: 8 )
The only team hotter than the Predators right now are the Chicago Blackhawks. They’ve reeled off 7 straight wins and are showing no signs of slowing down. What’s even scarier for this team is Jonathan Toews – who is playing as well as he ever has – could be united with Marian Hossa very soon. Word has it Hossa is on the Blackhawks road trip and expects to play in the next week or so. Off ice news from the Hawks continues to swirl with the anticipated resignings of Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith to be announced any day now.

1.  San Jose Sharks (16-5-4, 36 pts, last week: 1)
Dany Heatley!! Yes, he’s scored 18 goals this season and leads the NHL. The San Jose Sharks still haven’t lost at home and have only lost 1 game in their last 10. This all sounds very regular for the NHL’s top team. The combination of Thornton and Heatley has been just as good as everyone thought. I really like how Dan Boyle has been playing this season, too. The Sharks play the Oilers and Blackhawks this week.

Stay classy, NHL rankings.

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As with any rankings, there’s ups and downs. This week, the Atlanta Thrashers, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings enjoy strong reviews while the Penguins and Avalanche drop in rankings as a result of minor slumps.

Without further delay, here are week 7′s rankings…

NHL Classy Power Rankings – Week 7

30.  Carolina Hurricanes (3-12-4, 10 pts, last week: 30)
The Carolina Hurricanes 14 game losing streak is over after beating the Wild on Sunday afternoon. Finally. But seriously, who are we kidding? The Hurricanes are essentially out of the playoff race… unless they win approximately 43 of their remaining 63 games. The bigger problems for the Hurricanes is their roster and coaching. Can they fire Paul Maurice (again) after just resigning him to a 3 year contract in the summer? They are still paying for Peter Laviolette’s contract. Who do they think they are, the Ottawa Senators??? On top of that, the Hurricanes don’t hold many players that are of interest to other NHL clubs. The ‘Canes are close against the salary cap and I don’t see what kind of moves the Hurricanes can make any time soon.

29.  Toronto Maple Leafs (3-10-5, 11 pts, last week: 28)
Not a good week for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They followed up a surprising 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings two weekends ago with three straight losses to the Wild, Blackhawks and Flames. It’s worth noting scapegoat Vesa Toskala played very well in the loss to the Blackhawks and Phil Kessel has met every expectation in his six games with the Leafs. Other than that, the Leafs need to start every game with the same intensity they end them with. Ron Wilson has to find a way to transpose his 2nd intermission speech into his pre-game speech. This week the Leafs face off against the Senators, Hurricanes and Capitals.

28.  Anaheim Ducks (6-9-3, 15 pts, last week: 23)
Speaking of three game losing streaks, the Ducks and Leafs must be drinking the same kool-aid. The Ducks dropped games to the Devils, Blue Jackets and Red Wings last week. This week, the Ducks play the Penguins on Monday night (Ryan Whitney’s return to Pittsburgh) and return to Anaheim for one of two season long seven game home stands. The biggest concern for Anaheim at the moment has to be goaltending. Neither Jonas Hiller or J.S. Giguere is playing very well and Hiller’s most recent performance in Detroit was alarming. Even more troubling, the Ducks need to make a decision between the two goalies sooner than later. Beyond the Penguins, the Ducks host the Lightning and Sharks this week.

27.  Florida Panthers (7-9-1, 15 pts, last week: 29)
The Florida Panthers won both games last week in a light schedule against the Bruins and Islanders. Hopefully for Panthers fans the team got their rest as they play the Kings, Sabres, Red Wings and Rangers this week. On top of rest, Panthers fans are hoping players like Michael Frolik, Nathan Horton and everyone except Steven Reinprecht regain their scoring touch.

26.  St. Louis Blues (6-8-4, 16 pts, last week: 27)
I don’t get it, what’s up with the St. Louis Blues this season? They hold the second least amount of wins (six) this season behind the Leafs and Hurricanes (three each). The Blues also rank second last in the NHL for goals scored. The following forwards have scored two goals or less: David Backes, TJ Oshie, Patrik Berglund and Brad Winchester. Simply put, the Blues need more goals. Chris Mason has played some great hockey lately despite this. The Blues look to turn around their two game losing streak this week against the Coyotes and Islanders as part of six straight games at home.

25.  Minnesota Wild (7-11-2, 16 pts, last week: 25)
The Minnesota Wild picked up five of eight points last week, going 1-1-2 against the Hurricanes, Capitals, Lightning and Leafs. Players like Mikko Koivu, Eric Belanger and Andrew Brunette are scoring for the Wild, but Martin Havlat isn’t. Havlat’s two goals and six assists ranks 6th on the team, his -13 is a team worst and his shooting percentage (4.4%) is well below his career average. If the Wild want to beat the Coyotes and Islanders this week, Havlat needs to step it up.  Especially since the Wild lost to the Hurricanes on Sunday. I had to mention that.

24.  Edmonton Oilers (8-10-2, 18 pts, last week: 24)
Do we really know who the Edmonton Oilers are this NHL season? After a strong start (6-3-1), the flu hit the Oilers and they haven’t recovered winning only two of their last 10 games. The Oilers look to finish their four game road trip on a positive note against the Blue Jackets on Monday after losing the first three games to the Senators, Sabres and Thrashers. Looking past Monday’s game against Columbus, the Oilers will start five straight home games against the Avalanche and Blackhawks.  The Oilers are 2-7-1 at home this season.

23.  Montreal Canadiens (9-11-0, 18 pts, last week: 20)
A great quote from HabsInside/Out.com about the 2009-2010 Montreal Canadiens,  ”Before the season began, everyone agreed the team would need that many games to gel after all the changes in the offseason. Well, after 20 games, there are more questions than answers.” I couldn’t agree more. The good news for the Canadiens is that they are only three points out of a playoff spot and the Northeast division is very weak (Leafs and Senators especially). The Habs will play the Hurricanes, Capitals and Red Wings this week and look to improve on winning one of their last four games.

22.  Ottawa Senators (8-6-3, 19 pts, last week: 21)
Another rough week for the Ottawa Senators. Particularly goalie Pascal Leclaire who let in goals against the Oilers and Flyers that were Martin Gerber-esque. The Senators squeaked by the Oilers, then lost badly to Ray Emery and his Flyers before dropping another shootout game against the Rangers on Saturday. The Senators defense simply doesn’t look good enough right now and might cause Bryan Murray to look into trading partners. The Senators are on a five game home stand and will host the Leafs, Penguins and Sabres this week.

21.  Boston Bruins (8-7-4, 20 pts, last week: 19)
The Boston Bruins have not been consistent this season. Tim Thomas is starting to get back to form in the last week or two, but I still want to see more from Michael Ryder, David Krejci and Blake Wheeler. The Boston Bruins have been shutout four times in November and need these guys to step up in the absence of Milan Lucic and Marc Savard. The Bruins play the Islanders, Thrashers and Sabres this week.

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20.  Tampa Bay Lightning (7-4-6, 20 pts, last week: 17)
The Tampa Bay Lightning are quietly putting things together this season in the NHL. The Lightning are 5-1-4 in their last 10 games, are undefeated at home (5-0-4) and only one point back of 8th in the Eastern Conference. The one thing that does concern me about the Lightning is their secondary scoring. Steven Stamkos has 13 goals and Ryan Malone has  12 goals… but after that, the third highest Lightning goal scorers are Alex Tanguay and Marty St. Louis with three goals each. On deck for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season are Coyotes, Ducks and Hurricanes.

19.  Nashville Predators (9-8-1, 19 pts, last week: 22)
Despite two straight wins, the Nashville Predators are still struggling to score goals and have the leagues lowest goals for total. There’s some grumblings the Predators are interested in Fabien Brunnstrom who may or may not be available from the Stars. The Predators have started a five game home stand that will see them play the Sharks, Devils, Blue Jackets and Red Wings.

18.  New York Islanders (7-6-7, 21 pts, last week: 16)
I have to admit I’m rooting for the New York Islanders. Finally they aren’t dead last in the NHL and things can only get better for a team with stars like John Tavares… and Matt Moulson (I know, still feels weird to say). If the NHL season ended today, the New York Islanders would make the playoffs, largely because of a much improved 6-2-2 record over their last 10 games. The Islanders are in the middle of a seven game road trip that will have them play the Bruins, Wild and Blues this week.

17.  Dallas Stars (8-5-6, 22 pts, last week: 12)
The Dallas Stars have dropped off a bit lately and find themselves 9th in the Western Conference thanks to a 4-3-3 record in their last 10 games. For every win the Stars generate, they seem to lose the next game after that. They are having trouble stringing together consecutive wins. The Stars will face off against against the Red Wings, Blue Jackets and Devils this week.

16.  Vancouver Canucks (11-10-0, 22 pts, last week: 13)
The Vancouver Canucks are plugging away playing .500 hockey. Right now, they don’t appear to be playing consistent hockey. Some games are big wins (Saturday night against the Avalanche) and some are bad losses (last week against the Blues). The Canucks have a few days off this week and will only play one game… a rematch against the Avalanche.

15.  Atlanta Thrashers (10-6-1, 21 pts, last week: 26)
Ilya Kovalchuk’s return has made a big difference for the Atlanta Thrashers who’ve put together a nice four game winning streak. Rich Peverley continues to be another great story for the Thrashers who has recorded – get this – 56 points in 55 games since being claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators last year. The Thrashers are sitting in 7th place in the Eastern Conference and will look to move up this week when playing the Bruins and Penguins.

14.  Phoenix Coyotes (11-8-0, 22 pts, last week: 11)
The Phoenix Coyotes are holding on to that final playoff spot in the Western Conference having played sub .500 hockey in November. I look for the Coyotes to have a nice turn around playing the likes of the Lightning, Wild and Blues this week.

13.  Philadelphia Flyers (10-5-1, 21 pts, last week: 10)
Part of the reason for the Philadelphia Flyers slip in the Classy Power Rankings is a result of weird scheduling with only two games played last week. And one shouldn’t count as a game considering how badly the Senators played against Ray Emery and the Flyers. The schedule evens out (sort of) this week with four tough games against Devils, Kings, Sharks and Coyotes.

12.  Columbus Blue Jackets (10-6-2, 22 pts, last week: 8 )
I’m still a bit frustrated with the Columbus Blue Jackets. That 9-1 loss to the Red Wings isn’t sitting right and I still don’t understand why Ken Hitchcock insisted on having Steve Mason play through the full game (and lit up badly) in front of Mike Babcock and Steve Yzerman. I feel the Blue Jackets are playing a bit too loose for a Hitchcock coached team. That said, Rick Nash is still among the league leaders in points and the team is well positioned to make the playoffs with three wins in their last four games. The Blue Jackets are up against the Oilers, Stars and Predators this week.

11.  New York Rangers (11-8-1, 23 pts, last week: 9)
The New York Rangers are playing .500 hockey in November – partly due to inconsistent play and significant injuries. Henrik Lundqvist continues to play well for the Rangers including a stellar performance in a shootout win over the Senators on Saturday.  The Rangers have a light week at home hosting the Capitals and Panthers before heading out on the road next week.

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10.  Detroit Red Wings (10-5-3, 23 pts, last week: 18)
The Detroit Red Wings are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games having won three straight against the Ducks, Canucks and Blue Jackets. A big reason for the Red Wings big wins last week resides with star Henrik Zetterberg who’s scored nine points over the three games including five against the Ducks on Saturday night. The Red Wings play the Stars, Panthers and Canadiens this week.

9.  Buffalo Sabres (12-4-1, 25 pts, last week: 14)
Winners of three straight games, the Buffalo Sabres have allowed the least amount of goals against in the entire NHL. To be exact, only 37 goals in 17 games. In their last 10 games, the Sabres are 7-3-0 and have beaten strong teams like the Flyers and Flames in the process. Ryan Miller continues to play unbelievably well and Tyler Myers is showing no signs of slowing down either. Up next for the Sabres are the Panthers, Bruins and Senators.

8.  Chicago Blackhawks (12-5-2, 26 pts, last week: 15)
The Chicago Blackhawks have won four straight games and have captain Jonathan Toews back in the line up (who’s been great since returning!). Unfortunately during Friday night’s win over the leafs, Kris Versteeg was injured off a hit from Jeff Finger. That said, the Hawks are on a roll and will look to continue their strong play this week as they start a six game road trip against the Flames, Oilers and Canucks.

7.  Los Angeles Kings (12-7-2, 26 pts, last week: 7)
I was disappointed with the Los Angeles Kings road trip this past week. Bad losses to the Blackhawks (bad third period) and Thrashers (bad game; 7-0 loss) and wins over the Hurricanes and Lightning isn’t good enough for this young Kings team.  The Kings schedule gets tougher this week as they’ll finish their road trip against the Panthers, then return home to host the Flyers and Flames.

6.  Pittsburgh Penguins (13-7-0, 26 pts, last week: 3)
The Pittsburgh Penguins are glad star Evgeni Malkin is back in the line up. The Penguins recent road trip didn’t go so well – they’ve lost four of their last five games and Sidney Crosby went five games without registering a point. Right now, the following Penguins have day-to-day injuries: Kris Letang, Brooks Orpik and Tyler Kennedy. On the Penguins schedule this week is the Ducks, Senators and Thrashers.

5.  Colorado Avalanche (12-5-3, 27 pts, last week: 2)
This young Colorado Avalanche team is going through some adversity and it will be interesting to see how the rookies deal with it. By adversity I mean not winning every game. The Avalanche have cooled off a bit lately going 5-4-1 in their last 10 games with a schedule that includes games against the Flames, Oilers and Canucks this week.

4.  Calgary Flames (12-4-2, 26 pts, last week: 6)
The Calgary Flames have won five of their last six games and have kept their goals against to two or less in each of those games. Jarome Iginla is officially back after a slow start and Rene Bourque continues his strong play. It should be noted 13 of Calgary’s 19 games have been played at home and the Flames have won 10 of them. Up this week for the Flames is the Avalanche, Blackhawks and Kings.

3.  Washington Capitals (12-5-3, 27 pts, last week: 5)
Losing Alex Ovechkin for six games has been a good thing for the Washington Capitals. In those six games, the Capitals have scored 23 goals and won four. The return of Tomas Fleischmann has been a big lift to the Caps secondary scoring (seven goals in 10 games). Although Ovechkin was a game time decision on Saturday night (he didn’t play), it looks like he’ll return to the line up this week when the Capitals play the Rangers, Canadiens and Leafs.

2.  New Jersey Devils (14-4-0, 28 pts, last week: 4)
The New Jersey Devils are the toast of the Eastern Conference along with the Capitals. The Devils are on an eight game winning streak, are still undefeated on the road (9-0-0) and are the NHL’s hottest team going 9-1-0 in their last 10 games. Potential Devils victims this week include the Flyers, Predators and Stars… all of which are Devils road games.

1.  San Jose Sharks (14-3-5, 32 pts, last week: 1)
Despite losing Sunday night’s game to the Blackhawks with a 3-1 lead, the San Jose Sharks have recorded points in all but one game in November. To add to that, the Sharks are 7-0-3 in their last 10 games and 6-0-2 at home this season. The Sharks are the strongest team in the NHL and have been the most consistent so far this season – as expected. Up this week for the Sharks are the Predators, Flyers and Ducks.

Stay classy, NHL rankings.

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