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Power Rankings - Desert Dogs?

Daniel Carcillo of the Phoenix Coyotes gives teammate Kyle Turris a face wash in celebration after his game-winning shootout goal against the Dallas Stars Saturday. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

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Daniel Carcillo of the Phoenix Coyotes gives teammate Kyle Turris a face wash in celebration after his game-winning shootout goal against the Dallas Stars Saturday. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

Ryan Dixon

Ryan Dixon
2009-01-12 14:30:00

There’s an increasingly pronounced paradox in Phoenix with respect to the franchise’s off-ice direction and it’s on-ice product.

While more and more reports indicating the Coyotes are bleeding bucks surface, the young team has bound together and have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Captain Shane Doan is having a terrific year, while an assortment of high draft picks are gaining valuable experience and making noticeable contributions.

A key factor down the home stretch will be the play of Olli Jokinen. The big center missed six games with an upper-body injury earlier this season and hasn’t produced to his point-per-game potential while in the lineup.

A spike in his output and improved results on the power play would go a long way in helping Phoenix nail down a post-season berth.

THE HOCKEY NEWS POWER RANKINGS
RK.
 TEAM
LW
OVERALL
L10
THE SCOOP
1
 Detroit Red Wings
2
29-7-5
8-1-1
 Have won six in a row to reclaim top spot in the power rankings
2
 Boston Bruins
1
31-7-4
8-2-0
 Reports indicate Patrice Bergeron's concussion isn't nearly as serious as the one he sustained last year
3
 San Jose Sharks
3
31-5-5
6-2-2
 With a 1.87 GAA, .927 save percentage and a 9-1-1 record, Brian Boucher has to be the best goalie who's clearly No. 2 on his team
4
 Calgary Flames
6
25-12-4
8-1-1
 Daymond Langkow has picked up his play of late, notching 14 points in his past 10 games
5
 Montreal Canadiens
8
25-10-6
8-1-1
 Line of Maxim Lapierre, Guillaume Latendresse and Tom Kostopoulos has really stepped up with injured bodies out of the lineup
6
 Chicago Blackhawks
5
23-10-7
6-4-0
 After signing Cristobal Huet away from Washington, do you think the Hawks could peddle Nikolai Khabibulin to the goalie-starved Caps? The veteran Russian has been awesome this year
7
 Philadelphia Flyers
9
23-10-9
5-2-3
 Philly is getting a nice year from Scott Hartnell, who is on pace for a career-high 58 points
8
 Washington Capitals
4
27-13-3
7-3-0
 It's just hard to believe Brent Johnson and Jose Theodore can carry this team in the playoffs
9
 Anaheim Ducks
11
22-17-5
4-4-2
 Anaheim, along with Colorado, hasn't lost a game it led after two periods this season
10
 New York Rangers
10
25-15-4
4-4-2
 Have to be excited by a potential 20-goal campaign from 23-year-old Ryan Callahan
11
 New Jersey Devils
7
24-15-3
5-5-0
 Brendan Shanahan will be 40 before month's end, but his shot can still help a power play
12
 Phoenix Coyotes
13
21-17-5
5-4-1
 Both Ilya Bryzgalov (.916) and Mikael Tellqvist (.913) have healthy save percentages
13
 Columbus Blue Jackets
17
20-18-4
6-4-0
 Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle, who'll be on the move at some point, would be a nice addition to the league's worst power play
14
 Florida Panthers
20
20-16-6
5-3-2
 Racking up some wins against soft teams, but need to prove they can beat the big boys, too
15
 Buffalo Sabres
14
21-16-5
5-3-2
 Ryan Miller has won four of his past five starts despite seeing an average of almost 37 shots per game over that span
16
 Carolina Hurricanes
12
21-17-5
6-4-0
 Right now, Ray Whitney is the only Cane on pace to hit 70 points this season
17
 Vancouver Canucks
15
22-14-5
3-5-2
 Mats Sundin has watched two game-winners scored against the Canucks from the penalty box
18
 Pittsburgh Penguins
16
20-19-4
2-8-0
 It seemed Marc-Andre Fleury really turned a corner last spring, but he's fighting the puck once again
19
 Colorado Avalanche
24
22-19-1
6-4-0
 Andrew Raycroft's seven-game winning streak has Avs back in the playoff hunt
20
 Minnesota Wild
19
20-18-3
4-5-1
 Special teams continue to be a strength, but Wild are being outscored in 5-on-5 situations
21
 Edmonton Oilers
21
20-18-3
6-4-0
 In his first game as an Oiler, Ryan Potulny picks up two assists in a 2-1 win over St. Louis
22
 Dallas Stars
18
17-17-6
5-3-2
 Team has improved, no doubt, but still hasn't fully clicked into gear
23
 Tampa Bay Lightning
26
12-19-10
5-4-1
 If Vincent Lecavalier goes on the block, the Bolts have to hit a home run on the deal
24
 Los Angeles Kings
23
17-18-6
4-6-0
 The Kings' winning percentage when falling behind after one period is .105
25
 Nashville Predators
25
19-20-3
3-7-0
 Great to see little Stevie Sullivan back playing after nearly two full years on the sidelines
26
 St. Louis Blues
28
16-22-3
4-6-0
 Coach Andy Murray knows his team is short on talent, but isn't happy with inconsistent efforts
27
 Toronto Maple Leafs
22
16-20-6
3-7-0
 If the bottom is indeed falling out, it's the best thing that could happen to Toronto
28
 Atlanta Thrashers
29
14-24-5
3-6-1
 Thrashers still don't know what to expect from Kari Lehtonen on a nightly basis
29
 Ottawa Senators
27
13-21-6
2-7-1
 This season has left the coach looking like Craig 'Broken' Hartsburg
30
 New York Islanders
30
12-26-4
2-7-1
 Rick DiPietro has missed three straight games with swelling in his knee; in other news, the sun is expected to rise tomorrow

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.

For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, Subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.

COMMENTS (23)

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JetsFan Posted
(2009-04-30 07:40:28)



Jets made the playoffs their last year of existence too. History repeats...
    0



go sabres Posted
(2009-04-30 07:40:03)



buffalo deserves to be at least 13. lets go buffalo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    0



James Finney Posted
(2009-04-30 07:40:02)



dkindc: I am actually from Culpeper, Va but am in Texas going to college. I have been a Bruins fan from the get-go, but am also a big Caps fan (the only time I root against the Caps is when they play the Bruins). I give the Caps a lot of credit for being able to handle all the injuries they have had. I thought for sure when it was at their worst they would give up the division lead for a little while because they weren't far ahead of Carolina at the time but they pulled through amazingly - much of which I think is due to Boudreau's coaching. However, their system is very offensive and they have a lot of good defensive forwards to help out and I personally have not been all that impressed with the play of the callups. Better than expected, but not that great - and I really like Sloan, I thought he did a good job. I don't think Poti - though a solid, consistent d-man - would be a top 2 d-man on many other teams. Yes there are a couple, like Tampa, but they all also have glaring weakness on the back end. Jurcina and Erskine are dominating players when they are on their game, but they do not play a tough, physical game every night and if they did, it'd be like the Caps have two Brendan Witts (who would be awesome back in DC). They still have a lot of youth that can improve and become much better - and probably will in the next year or two - but as it stands right now, their defense is fairly weak compared to the other contenders.
    0



Jack Harper Posted
(2009-04-30 07:40:01)



Vinny, you're right, Buffalo should be 13th, that's where they sit in the overall standings
    0



Darren Posted
(2009-04-30 07:39:58)



I don't see how a team as soft roster like the Canadiens' can even find a place in something called "Power Rankings".
    0



vinny Posted
(2009-04-30 07:39:58)



I would like to know how anyone with a brain could rank the buffalo sabres 15? someone explain this to me
    0



Darren Posted
(2009-04-30 07:39:58)



I don't care that Bergeron is coming back to the Bruins. I have him in a hockey pool. He was a non-factor before his concussion and he'll be a non-factor upon his return. I believe they had dropped him to the 3rd line before his injury with P.J. Axelsson. Looking at their play while he's been out, it appears the Bruins don't need him.
    0



Jason "RINGETTE" Spezza Posted
(2009-04-30 07:39:58)



Ottawa Senators General Manager Bryan Murray is looking like a "snake oil salesman" trying his best to trade Spezza! While he's making $95,500 a game ($8 million / 82 games).
    0



dkindc Posted
(2009-04-30 07:39:56)



Finney, you're obviously from Boston and congrats on the Bs success so fah. However, I disagree with your analysis of the Caps D. Don't forget that that 4 or their opening night defensemen have been out with injuries at the same time. They have been winning with AHL callups in both front and back. Karl Alzner is fast becoming a decent Dman, although he does make some rookie mistakes. And you are forgetting about Tom Poti who is a top line Dman, and who is practicing again, John Erskine, the most physical D on the team is returning to the lineup tonight. There is a chance we get Pothier back again before the season ends, he was hoping to be cleared to play this week and was disappointed that he wasn't. The Caps are deeper than you give them credit for.
    0



Ryan Posted
(2009-04-30 07:39:52)



You watch Theodore play and the thing that sets him aside from other 'elite' status goaltenders is his lack of consistency when making those big plays. I find some nights when I watch the caps play he's aggressive and makes those 2nd efforts. Other nights he steps in makes 1 save with a huge rebound and instead of making that dive behind him to stop that wide open shot, he sorta half stands up, sticks his stick out like its an inconvenience and you watch as the puck slides in without much resistance. My view may be something I have just noticed, but it what I see from him, constant see sawing between great nights, and visions of him being a mediocre back-up. This problem isn't just reserved to him, I see a lot of it in Toronto too, with Toskala making great saves 1 night and the other he comes out dragging his a$$. A lot of these goalies could be playing well they just don't have that passion some do everynight (Mason obviously cause he wants a spot as a starter).
    0



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