Power Rankings - Dec. 29

Andrei Kostitsyn of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates his third goal of the game with the bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 27, 2008. Montreal won the game 3-2. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty

Ryan Dixon
2008-12-29 11:53:00

Remember when the Montreal Canadiens were going to win the Stanley Cup?

That was back in the summer of 2008, before a single hockey game had been played this season. The Habs, on the strength of finishing first in the Eastern Conference last year, were pre-season pretty boys, pegged by many to represent their conference in the coming Cup final.

While the season has by no means been a disaster, it's fair to say there's disappointment in Montreal. Canadiens fans who had Cup visions in the team's 100th season are cheering for a club that's not even a lock to make the playoffs right now.

The overall theme in Montreal has been a lack of offensive production, particularly on the power play. A man advantage that terrorized teams for two years is now 25th in the league. The squad has been somewhat slowed by injuries, but more than anything, players who were supposed to step up have stumbled.

If there's a reason to keep an eye on the Habs in 2009, it's goalie Carey Price. He has had some ups and downs, but is ready to join the league's elite puckstoppers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS POWER RANKINGS

RK.	TEAM		THE SCOOP
1			David Krejci has points in 17 of his last 18 games for a total of 30 points over that stretch
2			Have set a franchise record with nine straight wins
3			Patrick Marleau has grabbed the team goal-scoring lead and could post his first 40-goal campaign
4			Ty Conklin hoping to push his outdoor record to 2-1
5			Ovie had just two goals at the end of October and still may hit 60 this season
6			With three more goals, Rene Bourque passes his previous career high of 16
7			Have overtaken Wings for NHL's best power play and are also deadly while shorthanded
8			Travis Zajac showing signs of becoming the center New Jersey needs him to be
9			Nobody is on pace for more than 65 points on this team
10			After a hot start, Dubinsky will be lucky to hit 40 points this year
11			Eighteen points in 19 games for 21-year-old Bobby Ryan
12			Sidney Crosby has one power play goal in 28 games; Malkin doesn't have one in 19 contests
13			Patrick Eaves finally got his first goal of the year; what the heck happened to this guy after his 20-goal rookie campaign in 2005-06 with Ottawa?
14			Cats need Stephen Weiss to keep putting the points up; he's got 11 in his past 15 games
15			Vanek could win the Rocket Richard Trophy and still not be a point-per-game player
16			After a year-and-a-half on the sidelines, shifty Steve Sullivan could be back in January
17			My lines with Mats in the lineup: Wellwood with the Sedins, Sundin at center between Demitra and Raymond
18			Modano showing he's still got some jump in those 38-year-old legs
19			Need to get one of the NHL's worst power plays going to make the playoffs
20			There's been an Erik Cole sighting in Edmonton; he had his first multi-point game as an Oiler in Sunday's win over Nashville
21			Stastny joins Sakic on the shelf, gone for up to two months with a broken arm
22			Getting prospect Justin Pogge some more starts in net just makes sense
23			Steve Mason's league-leading 1.87 goals-against average makes him the No. 1 contender for the Calder Trophy
24			Jon Quick surrendered just two goals in three starts last week
25			Just three road wins in 16 tries this year
26			As Tom Cochrane would say, Minny is sinkin' like a sunset
27			Ryan Malone may have found a home on the top line with Vinny and Marty
28			Here's hoping Rick DiPietro is the Isles' starter the rest of the way
29			Play of rookie Patrik Berglund a bright spot in this dreary season
30			Slava Kozlov might well be the most anonymous point-producer in the NHL

The Hockey News ranks the teams 1-30 each Monday based on a combination of last week’s play and a squad’s overall outlook.

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