NHL power rankings: Bruins, Canucks back on top

Tarik El-Bashir assesses the top teams in the National Hockey League this week (Jan. 13). Records are through Thursday’s games.

5 Seconds

00:00

1 (1 last week): Boston Bruins; 28-11-1

Despite Saturday's 4-3 home loss to Vancouver, the defending champions remain the league's best team. Overall, they've won 11 of their past 13 games behind All-Star Game starter Tim Thomas, who sports a 1.95 goals against average and .939 save percentage.

Elsa / GETTY IMAGES

2 (3 last week): Vancouver Canucks; 28-14-3

Last season's runners up have won four of their past five games, are 10-3-1 since mid-December, and sit atop the league standings. League leading scorers Henrik and Daniel Sedin - 52 and 49 points, respectively - and the Canucks own the top power play (23.6 percent) and fourth ranked penalty kill (87.1).

SARAH CONARD / REUTERS

3 (2 last week): New York Rangers; 27-10-4

After winning 10 of 11 to seize control of the Atlantic Division, the Rangers suffered a rare defeat Thursday, falling to surging Ottawa 3-0 at home. The power play has only three goals in its last 33 chances, dropping to 22nd in the league (14.8-percent).

RAY STUBBLEBINE / REUTERS

4 (4 last week): Detroit Red Wings; 27-15-1

Inconsistency has crept into the Red Wings' game as they beat the Blackhawks but lost to the woeful Islanders minus all-Star center Pavel Datsyuk, who was sidelined with lower body injury. Datsyuk, though, returned for Thursday's 3-2 win over the Coyotes. Overall, the Wings are 6-4-0 in their last 10.

Gregory Shamus / GETTY IMAGES

5 (7 last week): Philadelphia Flyers; 26-12-4

Winners of four of their past five, they've closed to within two points of the Atlantic-leading Rangers. Backup goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has won two in a row, potentially igniting another netminder controversy on Broad Street.

Paul Bereswell / AP

6 (5 last week): Chicago Blackhawks; 26-13-5

After dropping their first four games of 2012 and losing 20-goal scorer Patrick Sharp for a month with an injury, the 'Hawks have steadied themselves, scoring a combined 10 goals in wins over Columbus and Minnesota. Slumping center Dave Bolland has four goals in the past three contests.

Jonathan Daniel / GETTY IMAGES

7 (6 last week): St. Louis Blues; 25-12-6

After closing 2011 with three straight losses, the Blues are back, winning four of five (4-0-1) to open 2012 and pull to within a point of the Blackhawks in the Central Division. Goalie Jaroslav Halak is 7-0-3 in his last 10 starts after a rocky start to the season.

Paul Chiasson / AP

8 (8 last week): San Jose Sharks; 24-11-5

All-Star Game coach Todd McLellan and the Pacific Division-leading Sharks have opened 2012 by winning five of six (5-0-1). They've allowed 1.6 goals per game during that stretch and rank fifth overall in that category with a season average of 2.3.

FRED GREENSLADE / REUTERS

9 (not ranked last week): Ottawa Senators; 24-15-6

A season after finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference, a resurgent Jason Spezza has the Senators on a roll. The All-Star Game hosts are 10-1-2 in their last 13 after Thursday's 3-0 romp over the East-leading Rangers. Spezza, 28, is on pace for 81 points, which would be his highest total in five seasons.

Frank Franklin II / AP

10 (not ranked): Nashville Predators

Despite the lowest payroll in the league, they've won 12 of 16 games dating to Dec. 8 and own the 10th highest point total in the NHL, an effort led by All-Star defense Shea Weber and Ryan Sutter. Goalie Pekka Rinne has yielded 14 goals in his last seven starts (6-0-1).

Mark Humphrey / AP

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 18: Jockey Gary Stevens rides Oxbow out to the front of the pack on the first straight away during the 138th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Oxbow wins and infield fun at Preakness Stakes in Baltimore

Oxbow put D. Wayne Lukas in the record books again with an upset of Orb in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, giving the Hall of Fame trainer...

New York Yankees' Travis Hafner bats during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, May 12, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MLB power rankings

Barry Svrluga assesses the best teams in Major League Baseball through Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Many seminary graduates are choosing not to become pastors. Rebecca J. Cole received her Master of Divinity and is becoming a community organizer on Capitol Hill. She hugs another graduate after the ceremony. The 2013 Commencement ceremony for Wesley Theological Seminary was held on May 13 at the Washington National Cathedral. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Eager to minister, but not from the pulpit

An increasing number of divinity students who don’t plan to become pastors envision using their degrees to “minister” in a...

epa03704474 A Muslim woman at the ThetKalPyin temporary relief camp near Sittwe in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar, 17 May 2013. A total of 13 people were confirmed dead in neighboring Bangladesh as people began to return home from shelters, a day after Cyclone Mahasen hit the coast, officials said 17 May. EPA/NYEIN CHAN NAING

Photos of the day

Cyclone Mahasen, Texas tornadoes, puffin census, melting Swiss glacier and more.

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 16: American Idol Season 12 Winner Candice Glover (C) is seen onstage during Fox's 'American Idol 2013' Finale Results Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 16, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Candice Glover wins 12th season of ‘American Idol’

The 23-year-old vocal powerhouse from St. Helena Island, S.C., tops competition in her third try.

US actress Claire Julien smiles on May 16, 2013 while posing during a photocall for the film 'The Bling Ring' at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Claire Julien, David Hasselhoff, Freida Pinto, Candice Glover, Martin Short and more.

**LOC IMAGE** Geo. Hamilton, Assistant Superintendent, Cambria Iron Mills house, Johnstown Flood, May 31st, 1889. (Photo by Ernest Walter Histed / Library of Congress)

The Johnstown Flood of 1889

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam that held Lake Conemaugh failed, and 20 million tons of water descended upon Johnstown, Pa. The flood claimed the lives of 2,209 people and spurred...

HACIPASA, TURKEY - MAY 5: Syrian refugee Hala ponders her life on the run on Sunday, May 5, 2013, in Hacipasa, Turkey. Three times this morning, the sounds of aircrafts were followed by explosions that shook the ground. Hacipasa, which sits just across the river border from Syria, is home of several hundred Syrian refugees who have been displaced by their home country's conflict. For a year, Hala and her family have been displaced from their home village in Syria because of violent conflict. After bouncing from village to village, fleeing bombings that seemed to follow them, the family crossed into Turkey six weeks ago. Initially, the family was deported back into Syria, where they lived in camps for internally displaced Syrians. But when the camps were bombed, the family was allowed to cross into Turkey. Hala said, 'The blood of the people who died in Syria, the martyrs, is our sad song, but nobody is listening.' (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Turkey faces a refugee crisis

More than 400,000 Syrians have crossed into Turkey seeking refuge from the conflict at home. Finding its resources stretched, Turkey is urgently appealing for international aid and...

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.