| Another season of surprises or do the rich get | | | | these guys out. Too many lazy overpaid |
| richer and the poor get poorer? It takes two or | | | | forwards like Hecht and Kotalik. Great young |
| three seasons for NHL teams to turn it around | | | | defensemen should be turned loose. Miller and |
| and this year it seems like the same old same old | | | | Vanek keep chugging so who knows? Derek Roy |
| with a few exceptions. Now that we are at the | | | | is waking up. |
| All Star break, it's time to re-evaluate those | | | | 15. 12. Vancouver - Luongo is back. Mediocre |
| predictions as things take shape. Here we go - | | | | home record a lot like Buffalo except they don't |
| hang on for more surprises. | | | | have Vanek. Sedin brothers playing hot. Another |
| 1. 2. Detroit - The Energizer Bunnies are at it | | | | hard to figure out team. |
| again. They have so many good players that play | | | | 16. 27. Dallas - You have to love to watch Mike |
| with intensity every night. Waves of scoring | | | | Modano. He is just great. How many teams could |
| disciplined forwards, great defense, and a good | | | | use a leader like him? I left them for dead early |
| goatending tandem. Start tossing the Octopus. | | | | and now who knows? Loui Eriksson has been |
| 2. 5. Chicago - This year's big story. Patrick Sharp | | | | super. Marty Turco is one of a handful of goalies |
| gets better all the time with his young mates | | | | who can steal games on a regular basis. |
| Kane and Towes. Brian Campbell carries it up the | | | | 17. 11. Minnesota - They drop in my rankings with |
| ice better than anyone. Goaltending is above | | | | the same comments as the quarter mark. Ok, |
| average. I like them a lot. | | | | Niklas Backstrom is awesome. It would be hard |
| 3. 3. Washington -Who's the only guy that can win | | | | for anyone to fall asleep at a hockey game but |
| a game a week single handedly? Alexander | | | | the Wild could "trap" you into it. They remind me |
| Ovechkin. They have to play better on the road. | | | | of baseballs "Boring Orioles". Get some zip, will ya? |
| Jose Theodore has played better | | | | 18. 17. Columbus - Broussard looks like the real |
| 4. 6. San Jose - I did it again. I raised them two | | | | thing and Nash is in and out. Goaltending is decent |
| notches and still not near other power rankers. I | | | | but they are not deep and play like a bunch of |
| am not a believer. I was wrong about Patrick | | | | stick artists. |
| Marleau, and Ryane Clowe being flukes but | | | | 19. 28. Florida - They are young and getting |
| somehow they just don't seem right. The lack of | | | | better. David Booth is not the second coming. |
| All-Star picks will only inspire them but watch | | | | Maybe they deserve a better ranking but I think |
| what I say - they will fall. | | | | they will get worse. |
| 5. 8. Boston - Ok Who are these guys? I still can't | | | | 20. 14. St. Louis - Once my ringer team along with |
| see David Krejci and Phil Kessel carrying the Cup | | | | Toronto, the Blues have Brad Boyes and, .... Brad |
| around while Ovechkin, Kane, or Hossa watches in | | | | Boyes to score for them. They are still more fun |
| disbelief. I say the physical nature of the long | | | | to watch than is recent years. |
| schedule catches up with them by the end of | | | | 21. 16. Nashville - If you haven't guessed by now I |
| January. | | | | am from Buffalo . Jordan Tootoo is just what |
| 6. 7. Montreal - They have regained their fire. I still | | | | Buffalo needs (maybe two or three Tootoos). |
| rate them a notch below Boston but I think they | | | | How about Kotalik and Hecht for Tootoo? Team |
| are deeper. A team that plays through injuries | | | | should be renamed the Nashville Cats with a guitar |
| sometimes becomes a great finisher. They will | | | | and hockey stick crossing logo. They blind you |
| surprise if they get a little tougher. | | | | with the roller derby uniforms now. Young |
| 7. 13. Calgary - I told you they would contend. | | | | Canadian talent keeps them up at #21. |
| Cammalleri could have been had by lots of teams. | | | | 22. 20. Carolina - Do they ever look different than |
| Iginla continues his act. The Ranger's Lundquist can | | | | the old Canes. Where is that fire? Ron Francis |
| only be topped by Miikka Kiprusoff. I think they | | | | could dress. They are just not the dirty Canes of |
| will Battle Detroit and Chicago for a Cup | | | | old. Need a streak. |
| appearance. | | | | 23. 23. Colorado - Stating to resemble the Rockies |
| 8. 1. Pittsburgh - Starting to slip. Still a dangerous | | | | . No one in top 50 goal scorers. They are in |
| team, Crosby is getting injury prone. Defensively, | | | | trouble. Even the prospects look dim. |
| they are a big disappointment. They will have a | | | | 24. 24. Edmonton - good on the road, bad |
| resurgence with Crosby and Malkin. | | | | defense and can't score. Dwayne Roloson is a |
| 9.. 9. NY Rangers - Henrik Lundqvist could be the | | | | bright spot. Going nowhere fast. |
| MVP. I hope they sign Jagr the slug. Sorry, I just | | | | 25. 15. Toronto - And they were looking so good |
| don't like NY City teams. No one over 16 goals | | | | for a while. The curse of Frank Mahovlich lingers |
| yet. Drury was not a bargain. Kalinin actually plays | | | | on. Their goals against is terrible. Toskala is worn |
| for them too. | | | | out. Maybe next year. |
| 10. 18. New Jersey - Scott Clemmensen and | | | | 26. 26. Los Angeles - Don't you just wish they |
| Patrick Elias lead the resurgent Devils out of the | | | | would put on the old purple uniforms and trade |
| doldrums. The most improved team in the second | | | | for another Dionne? Good young nucleus but |
| quarter of the season. Now playoff bound and | | | | surrounding cast is just awful. |
| dangerous. | | | | 27. 22. Ottawa - I dropped them five places |
| 11. 21. Philadelphia - I can admit when I'm wrong. | | | | because I can't stand them. Sorry I just don't like |
| Another team on a big upswing. Gagne, Knuble, | | | | Murray . Heatly, Alfreddson, Spezza, Dopey, |
| and Richards have them steaming along. Marty | | | | Grumpy, Sleepy, etc. |
| Biron is stealing a game here and there too. Jeff | | | | 28. 29. Tampa Bay - You have to hand it to |
| Carter emerges as an elite player. | | | | Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis for trying |
| 12. 4. Anaheim - Ryan Getzlaf is the only bright | | | | so hard. What can you say? Barry Melrose was |
| light on a team plummeting to mediocrity. Even | | | | not the reason for the flop. |
| Giggy looks like a commoner. They play decent | | | | 29. 25. Atlanta - They can score but can't stop |
| on the road but can't seem to get that fire back. | | | | anyone from scoring on them. Would love the see |
| 13. 19. Phoenix - Fun team to watch with very | | | | the Charlestown Chiefs and Hanson brothers beat |
| cool uniforms. Ilya Bryzgalov and Shane Doan lead | | | | the hell out of them for fun. |
| the faceless howling hockey desert dogs. I think | | | | 30. 30. NY Islanders - Billy Smith and Chico Resch |
| they could go on a surprise playoff run. Great at | | | | will be getting the call next. Moving to Kansas City |
| home. | | | | ? Who would want these guys? |
| 14. 10. Buffalo - Let me know if you can figure | | | | |