Power Rankings - March 31
Alex Ovechkin has been at the center of everything the Capitals have done this season. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
Mike Brophy
2008-03-31 15:05:47
Give the Washington Capitals props.
While they may not make the playoffs, you have to admire their late-season push to get there.
The Caps have won eight of their past 10 games, including their past four in a row.
Were it not for an awful start that ultimately cost Glen Hanlon his coaching job, the Caps would be in the playoffs with breathing room to spare.
One thing is certain, if the Capitals fail to make it, their young players will have gained some very valuable experience that will serve them well in the future.
|
RK.
|
TEAM
|
LW
|
OVERALL
|
L10
|
THE SCOOP
|
|
1
|
 |
1
|
48-21-10
|
8-0-2
|
With eight goals in his past five games, Joe Thornton is serving notice he’s ready to rock and roll in the playoffs. |
|
2
|
 |
2
|
52-20-7
|
7-2-1
|
If you thought Detroit lives and dies on the offense of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, think again. Johan Franzen has been hot as a pistol, scoring14 goals and 18 points in his past 13 games. |
|
3
|
 |
5
|
46-26-7
|
8-2-0
|
Don’t want to sound alarm bells too early, but should the Penguins be concerned Sidney Crosby has scored in just one of his past seven games? |
|
4
|
 |
3
|
45-27-8
|
7-2-1
|
With just one goal in 12 games, Todd Bertuzzi has not been the consistent scorer the Ducks were hoping he’d be when they signed him as a free agent. |
|
5
|
 |
4
|
44-25-10
|
6-3-1
|
A 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday put a halt to the Canadiens’ four-game winning streak. That said, the Habs were without injured Saku Koivu and defenseman Mark Streit. |
|
6
|
 |
12
|
43-28-9
|
6-2-2
|
Marian Gaborik scored two goals, including the overtime winner, to lead the Wild past Colorado 3-2 Sunday. |
|
7
|
 |
6
|
43-28-7
|
4-5-1
|
With five losses in their past 10 games, the once hot Devils are suddenly having a heck of a time getting wins. Defenseman Johnny Oduya had his first two-goal game in a 5-4 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. |
|
8
|
 |
9
|
42-29-8
|
5-4-1
|
Four losses in five games have the Senators wondering if they’ll ever be able to recover the magic. This team is playing with zero passion now and looks like it will be prime for a first-round upset. |
|
9
|
 |
7
|
40-27-11
|
5-3-2
|
The Rangers looked absolutely listless in dropping a 3-1 decision to the Penguins Sunday. Only goalie Henrik Lundqvist kept it from being a slaughter. |
|
10
|
 |
11
|
43-29-7
|
2-6-2
|
Another team that looks prime to go out in the first round, the Stars have just two regulation wins in their past 10 starts. |
|
11
|
 |
8
|
42-31-6
|
7-2-1
|
Can you imagine how good these guys would be if they had their No. 2 (Ray Whitney) and No. 3 (Rod Brind’Amour) scorers in the lineup? |
|
12
|
 |
14
|
40-28-11
|
5-2-3
|
Leader Mike Richards has points in six straight games. And although he has 71 points, Daniel Briere’s minus-23 is shockingly bad. |
|
13
|
 |
17
|
40-28-11
|
4-3-3
|
If the Bruins make the playoffs, and it’s a good bet they will, much of the credit goes to monster-sized defenseman Zdeno Chara, who has been spectacular down the stretch. He’ll get plenty of Norris Trophy consideration. |
|
14
|
 |
16
|
42-31-7
|
5-4-1
|
After registering six assists in two games, Peter Forsberg missed Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Wild because of a groin injury. |
|
15
|
 |
15
|
40-31-8
|
8-2-0
|
After putting up two goals and five points in two games, rookie Nicklas Backstrom was held off the scoresheet in his past two outings. |
|
16
|
 |
10
|
40-29-10
|
4-6-0
|
A lack of discipline could be the undoing of this group of Anaheim Ducks wannabes. The Flames are talented, no question, but they undermine their ability by taking too many penalties. |
|
17
|
 |
13
|
39-30-10
|
4-6-0
|
Trevor Linden popped a pair of goals to lead the Canucks past the troubled Flames Sunday. |
|
18
|
 |
18
|
40-34-6
|
6-3-1
|
Ales Hemsky hasn’t scored a goal in seven games, but he has put up nine assists in that span, including two three-assist games. |
|
19
|
 |
22
|
37-30-12
|
5-3-2
|
Derek Roy is on a tear with four goals and 16 points in his past nine games. This guy should be made the permanent captain of the Sabres. |
|
20
|
 |
21
|
39-31-9
|
4-5-1
|
After back-to-back shutout wins over the Blue Jackets, the Predators got a little taste of their own medicine, losing 1-0 to the Red Wings. |
|
21
|
 |
19
|
36-34-9
|
6-3-1
|
Losses to Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Washington put Florida’s slim playoff hopes on the backburner. |
|
22
|
 |
20
|
36-33-10
|
6-4-0
|
Jiri Tlusty has given the Maple Leafs hope for the future. He scored twice in a 4-2 win over Montreal Saturday, as did rookie defenseman Anton Stralman. |
|
23
|
 |
23
|
38-33-8
|
5-4-1
|
Rookies Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews get a lot of press for the upstart Hawks, but Jason Williams with 13 goals and 34 points in 40 games has been pretty good, too. |
|
24
|
 |
24
|
37-36-6
|
3-6-1
|
The Coyotes were outscored 7-1 in back-to-back losses to Los Angeles and San Jose. |
|
25
|
 |
25
|
34-33-12
|
4-5-1
|
Five losses in six games have the Blue Jackets once again hoping next season will be a better one. |
|
26
|
 |
26
|
34-37-8
|
2-7-1
|
Rookie Kyle Okposo has looked very good in his first six NHL games, scoring a goal and adding three assists. |
|
27
|
 |
28
|
31-38-9
|
5-4-1
|
Jeff Halpern is making Lightning GM Jay Feaster look like a genius with nine goals and 17 points in 15 games since joining Tampa Bay after a trade with Dallas. |
|
28
|
 |
27
|
31-35-12
|
2-6-2
|
Three goals in his past two games give Brad Boyes a whopping 41 on the season. This could earn him Lady Byng consideration. |
|
29
|
 |
30
|
32-39-8
|
2-7-1
|
This team, with the exception of Ilya Kovalchuk, stopped being interesting two months ago. |
|
30
|
 |
29
|
31-41-7
|
4-4-2
|
Erik Ersberg earned his second shutout in his 11th big-league start, beating Phoenix 4-0 March 27. |
The Hockey News ranks the teams 1-30 on Mondays. Changes in rankings reflect each team’s play from the previous seven days.
For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, Subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.
Mark Yaros (Posted 2008-04-03 06:52:17)
Ask Hartnell and the Flyers if we need to pull the alarm about Crosbys "scoring slump"!! How about scoring at will.
drishy (Posted 2008-04-03 00:05:55)
ya.. im in agreement with ray s. ottawa stinks.. they look like a compltely different team then the one that came stomping out the gates in october.. cant wait to see them drop out in the first round..
Ray S (Posted 2008-04-02 18:23:55)
are you guys kidding with this ranking......ottawa couldnt beat an ahl team right now and they move UP one spot........whomever came up with this ranking needs a timeout
John Mc. (Posted 2008-04-02 07:29:46)
I can see the Rangers dropping down in the rankings this week, but to say that they were "...absolutely listless..." against the Pens on Sunday! I don't know if you were watching the same game but the Pens only had 20 shots on goal, Rangers killed 7 of 8 penalties, and again kept their opponents to less than 12 shots through the first two periods. Yes, their offense needs to put some more biskuits in the basket, but let's call a spade a spade. They were far from being "listless"!
Josiah Hunter (Posted 2008-04-01 09:10:03)
Yeah Joe, great job by Halpern. But it's sad that top line players in Tampa would be 3rd and 4th line players in Dallas (other than Lecavalier and St. Louis, but they are pretty cold right now too)
spencer (Posted 2008-04-01 00:11:01)
I like how there worried about Crosby scoring only 1 in his last 7 haha he's a playmaker. It's like saying jeez Ovechkin hasn't got an assist in 7 games.
Joe (Posted 2008-03-31 20:12:21)
I agree with the leadership thing. The lightning can of coarse thank Dallas for giving them their only good players right now.
jack (Posted 2008-03-31 16:42:44)
you dont give someone the captaincy if they get a lot of points u give it to them if the are a leader. jason smith in philly should be the captain
Advertisement
Where do you think Mats Sundin will end up?
Our Partners
The Hockey News Corporation. All Rights Reserved © 2007 Transcontinental
Standards: XHTML 1.0 STRICT + CSS 2. V 1.1 04.03.2008
