ESPN.com recently posted its NHL Power Rankings for Week 20. Some teams shot up the rankings like the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings , and Columbus Blue Jackets. While some faltered like the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. (Pants and Dawn are extremely sad pandas. Like really really sad.)
As a Bruins fan, I’m glad to see that the B’s are holding steady in the top 10. They’ve been playing well, despite their back to back losses to the #3 Red Wings. The line of Patrice Bergeron, Mark “Wrecking Ball” Recchi, and Brad Marchand is arguably one of the top lines in all of the NHL. They hit, they produce major points, and they work hard each and every shift. Marchand’s nickname should be “Motoscooter”! He is wonderfully aggressive on the fore-check and is having a breakout season for the B’s. Chuck likes.
All out. All the time.
Glad to see that Rick Nash and the Columbus Blue Jackets moving up the rankings (from 26th to 19th). They’ve been winning. Nasher been getting points (5 points in last 5 games). Rick gets named a Foxy Friday and his team’s starts playing better? A coincidence? I think not.
Look at Patrice Bergeron. Before being a Foxy Friday Honoree? Having an okay season. After FF? Hot like fire.
WUYS is more powerful than we thought.
So, where does your favorite team rank? Do you agree or disagree with Burnside’s list? Do you think the Flyers can overtake the Canucks with the acquisition of forward Kris Versteeg?
Discuss.
2010-2011 Power Rankings: Week 20
| 2010-2011 Power Rankings: Week 20 | ||||
| RK (LW) | TEAM | REC | COMMENT | |
 |
1 (1) | Canucks | 36-11-9 | No truth to the rumor that Harold Snepsts is coming out of retirement to patrol the Canucks’ blue line. Ho-hum. The NHL’s first-place team responded to its latest blue-line injuries by beating rival Calgary on Saturday night. |
 |
2 (2) | Flyers | 36-14-5 | We’re told the Flyers are looking for a veteran forward before the Feb. 28 trade deadline. In the meantime, is revenge in the cards Tuesday night in Tampa Bay after a 4-0 loss to the Lightning two weeks ago? |
 |
3 (6) | Red Wings | 34-16-6 | I’m here to restore Hockeytown’s finest after Scott Burnside’s demotion. A home-and-home dismantling of the Big, Bad Bruins was mighty impressive this past weekend. |
 |
4 (3) | Lightning | 34-17-5 | Looking forward to my visit to Tampa Bay on Tuesday to catch the Flyers-Bolts clash. This week also brings a mighty test against GM Steve Yzerman’s former team, the Detroit Red Wings. |
 |
5 (12) | Ducks | 32-21-4 | I’m sorry, but any team that wins in Vancouver and Calgary on the same road trip these days automatically jumps in the rankings. Seriously, how about these Ducks?! |
 |
6 (13) | Kings | 31-22-3 | Wins in Washington and Philadelphia this past weekend cement what is reality: The Kings are back, baby. They haven’t lost in regulation since Jan. 20 (7-0-2). |
 |
7 (8) | Sharks | 30-21-6 | A couple of unlucky losses this past weekend, but the Sharks (like the Kings) are back in the hunt, where we all thought they would be. |
 |
8 (7) | Bruins | 31-18-7 | A dominating and emotional win over rival Montreal followed by home-and-home losses to the Red Wings. Ouch. |
 |
9 (5) | Capitals | 29-17-10 | We can’t figure this team out. Back-to-back losses, and now comes a five-game road trip. Will the real Washington Capitals please stand up? |
 |
10 (9) | Canadiens | 31-20-6 | The Canadiens posted an important bounce-back win over the rival Maple Leafs on Saturday night after an emotional week. |
 |
11 (10) | Predators | 30-19-7 | All the Carrie Underwood jokes aside, Mike Fisher is a perfect add-on by the Preds from a hockey perspective. |
 |
12 (17) | Wild | 30-20-5 | The Wild’s recently improved play will get tested against the league’s best (Vancouver) on Tuesday night. |
 |
13 (11) | Stars | 31-19-6 | The first-half wonders have dropped seven of nine games, including Sunday’s 2-1 stinker against Columbus. |
 |
14 (16) | Coyotes | 29-19-9 | Four wins in a row, including a big one Saturday over the Blackhawks. Now will folks buy some tickets in Phoenix? Anyone? |
 |
15 (14) | Blackhawks | 28-22-6 | You just keep thinking that there’s no way the Cup champs will miss the playoffs, but one day the regular season will end and … |
 |
16 (15) | Flames | 28-22-8 | The Heritage Classic hosts finally cool off with back-to-back losses to Anaheim and Vancouver. The big outdoor game is Sunday versus the Habs. |
 |
17 (4) | Penguins | 35-19-4 | This drop is a little harsh, I know, but with the way they’re playing right now and with all their injuries (Evgeni Malkin is out for the season, and Sidney Crosby is still sidelined), the Penguins are just not very good. |
 |
18 (22) | Sabres | 26-22-6 | Sunday’s overtime loss to the Islanders aside, the boys from Buffalo are on the rise. |
 |
19 (26) | Blue Jackets | 28-23-5 | We’re moving the Jackets up seven spots … winners of five of six games! |
 |
20 (18) | Rangers | 30-24-4 | The Rangers beat up the depleted Penguins on Sunday, but one wonders whether this team is going in the right direction. |
 |
21 (19) | Hurricanes | 27-22-8 | Can you spell H-U-G-E? Sunday’s late victory over Atlanta was indeed that. |
 |
22 (23) | Devils | 22-30-4 | With their current play, the Devils should be ranked within the top 10, but the rankings can’t ignore New Jersey’s first half of the season. |
 |
23 (21) | Thrashers | 25-23-10 | The Thrashers are going in the wrong direction. It’s too bad, because we love what president Don Waddell, GM Rick Dudley and coach Craig Ramsay have tried to do there this season. |
 |
24 (25) | Panthers | 24-24-7 | We’ve got to give the Panthers credit. Just when you want to write them off, they come back with some big wins. |
 |
25 (24) | Blues | 24-21-9 | They are running out of time. |
 |
26 (20) | Avalanche | 25-25-6 | The Peter Forsberg comeback lasted all of two games, as the forward is expected to announce his retirement Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Avs have lost nine of 10 games. |
 |
27 (28) | Islanders | 20-29-7 | Just when you think there’s no way the NHL’s doormat franchise could find a new low, it goons it up like the Hanson Brothers last week against Pittsburgh. Brutal. |
 |
28 (27) | Maple Leafs | 23-27-6 | GM Brian Burke is just getting started heading into the Feb. 28 trade deadline. |
 |
29 (29) | Senators | 18-30-8 | A win! A win! A win! The Senators’ 11-game slide ends in Edmonton! |
 |
30 (30) | Oilers | 16-32-8 | Well, Saturday’s matinee ironed out any doubt about the No. 29/No. 30 debate. |
I feel like ESPN punched me right in the Tanger. The next 8 weeks could be amazing or it could be so painful I have to scream “Kelly Clarkson!”
The road for the Pens might not be a smooth one.
Perhaps they’ll be buoyed by our presence in March? We could be their good luck charms!!
I’m loving the Bruins form right now – and I’m not talking about their bodies (Pants knows which Looch pic I’m talking about)
um you forgot to mention that Drew Doughty was ALSO a Foxy Friday …. POW!