<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Biggest Climb:&lt;/b&gt; Carolina Hurricanes (24 to 16)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Biggest Fall:&lt;/b&gt; Nashville Predators (13 to 18)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;A reminder:&lt;/b&gt; these rankings are based mainly on quality of play (with an emphasis on recent games), overall record and my gut instinct. Heck, if I went strictly off record, these would be no different than the standings. Also: stats and records are through Sunday's games.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Note:&lt;/b&gt; Want to send me a comment about the rankings? Scroll to the bottom of this page for my Mailbag. I read 'em all and if you're halfway civil -- or at least clever in your skewering of my decisions -- I'll try to get back to you.\t\t\tNHL Power Rankings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1Last Week: 2\t\t\tBoston Bruins (24-5-4)They swept a trio of bottomfeeders to run their home win streak to 13, but lost a pair of top-six forwards (&lt;b&gt;Patrice Bergeron&lt;/b&gt;, &lt;b&gt;Marco Sturm&lt;/b&gt;) indefinitely. Bergeron's concussion was the more disturbing, but the easiest to overcome thanks to &lt;b&gt;David Krejci&lt;/b&gt;'s emergence. The sophomore center sees the game in Matrix bullet time. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 3-0\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t2Last Week: 5\t\t\tDetroit Red Wings (22-6-4)Scoring six goals in back-to-back games demonstrates that all's well with the offense, but the specter of that 24th-ranked defense is impossible to ignore. Their smackdown of the Sharks proves they can ramp it up, but their nonchalance against lesser teams is troubling. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t3Last Week: 1\t\t\tSan Jose Sharks (26-4-3)Surprise! The guys wearing teal have a soft underbelly after all. The Jackets exposed it with a 3-2 OT win and the Wings sliced it open with surgical precision in a 6-0 shellacking. Write it off for now as the result of playing three games in four nights . . . but circle Jan, 17 on the calendar. That's when those two teams meet again in San Jose. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t4Last Week: 6\t\t\tChicago Blackhawks (18-6-7)The secret to a successful Western Canada road swing? Apparently, it's spending the off day at the curling club. The Hawks also got strong efforts from &lt;b&gt;Cristobal Huet&lt;/b&gt; and &lt;b&gt;Nikolai Khabibulin&lt;/b&gt;, and it's looking more likely that they'll keep the duo all season. They'll need both after Christmas when they get the Flyers, Wild and Wings (twice) in a six-day span. when they get the Flyers, Wild and Wings (twice) in a six-day span. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 3-0\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t5Last Week: 7\t\t\tNew Jersey Devils (19-9-3)They're rolling two scoring lines, but the most imposing unit may be the recently constructed third line of &lt;b&gt;Bobby Holik&lt;/b&gt;, &lt;b&gt;Brian Rolston&lt;/b&gt; and &lt;b&gt;David Clarkson&lt;/b&gt;. The trio's speed and aggression have been instrumental in shutting down the opposition's top line, and they're starting to contribute some offense. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 3-0-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t6Last Week: 4\t\t\tPhiladelphia Flyers (18-8-7)Not often do you talk about the play of the winning goalie in a 7-1 blowout, but &lt;b&gt;Antero Niittymaki&lt;/b&gt; offered up a record-setting performance in the win over the Caps, stopping 25 in the first period alone and 47 of 48 on the game. A heartening sign for a netminder who's had his share of doubters. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t7Last Week: 3\t\t\tWashington Capitals (20-11-3)Like the Sharks, they came up small in a measuring-stick game. The 7-1 loss to the Flyers not only snapped a five-game win streak, it reignited concerns about their goaltending. Be honest, Caps fans: wouldn't you prefer to see &lt;b&gt;Jose Theodore&lt;/b&gt; tweak that groin so &lt;b&gt;Simeon Varlamov&lt;/b&gt; can return for the stretch run? &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t8Last Week: 7\t\t\tMontreal Canadiens (18-9-6)Dropping a pair to Carolina was a lousy way to head into the break, but the week offered hints that a reprise of last season's second-half surge is possible. The sputtering power play finally started to click, &lt;b&gt;Alex Kovalev&lt;/b&gt;'s 19-game scoring slump is over, and &lt;b&gt;Mike Komisarek&lt;/b&gt; returned with a massive chip on his shoulder. Joyeux Noel! &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t9Last Week: 10\t\t\tNew York Rangers (22-12-2)Losers in the &lt;b&gt;Mats Sundin&lt;/b&gt; drama? Not the Rangers. Sure, their offense is in the toilet, but clearing cap space for hockey's answer to Guffman might have created more holes than it filled. With the Swede's anticipated arrival no longer hanging over their heads, this group can focus on finding solutions in the room. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t10Last Week: 11\t\t\tAnaheim Ducks (18-12-3)Already dangerous five-on-five (third overall), the Ducks will need to be even better with &lt;b&gt;Teemu Selanne&lt;/b&gt; and his league-leading 13 power play goals shelved for up to six weeks. If &lt;b&gt;Bobby Ryan&lt;/b&gt; fills in as well as &lt;b&gt;Jonas Hiller&lt;/b&gt; did for &lt;b&gt;J-S Giguere&lt;/b&gt; (77 saves on 81 shots), they'll be alright. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t\t\t11Last Week: 9\t\t\tPittsburgh Penguins (17-11-4)After playing like minor leaguers in a humbling 7-3 loss to the Leafs, the Pens were reminded of the joys of the AHL lifestyle when they took a bus to Buffalo for Monday's game. The four-hour journey in the iron lung was blamed on lake-effect snow, but the message was clear: time to get hungry, boys. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t12Last Week: 12\t\t\tCalgary Flames (18-11-4)Flames fans might want to keep an eye on Team Sweden at the World Juniors. Top prospect &lt;b&gt;Mikael Backlund&lt;/b&gt; is rumored to be ready to bolt from the Elitserien and stay in North America after the tournament. The crafty center, who reminds some of a young &lt;b&gt;Marc Savard&lt;/b&gt;, could be assigned to Kelowna (WHL). &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-0-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t13Last Week: 15\t\t\tVancouver Canucks (18-12-3)Interesting week off the ice in Vancouver, where &lt;b&gt;Trevor Linden&lt;/b&gt;'s number was retired, &lt;b&gt;Roberto Luongo&lt;/b&gt; announced he still has no timetable for his return, and the team committed millions to a half-geriatric Swede in hopes of getting over the playoff hump. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-1 \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t14Last Week: 14\t\t\tFlorida Panthers (15-13-4)&lt;b&gt;Pete DeBoer&lt;/b&gt; names &lt;b&gt;Craig Anderson&lt;/b&gt; as his No. 1 goalie and all of a sudden &lt;b&gt;Tomas Vokoun&lt;/b&gt; remembers he's Tomas Freakin' Vokoun. Over his last three starts, Vokoun has allowed just four goals on 93 shots to raise his trade value considerably. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-0-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t15Last Week: 16\t\t\tBuffalo Sabres (16-13-4)After a slow start to the season, top center &lt;b&gt;Derek Roy&lt;/b&gt; is living up to his billing with a nine-game scoring streak (five goals, 13 points) and 18 points in his last 14. Roy might want to lend one of those hot sticks to &lt;b&gt;Jason Pominville&lt;/b&gt;, who has just one goal in his last 15. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t16Last Week: 24\t\t\tCarolina Hurricanes (16-13-5)Facing the toughest schedule of the week, the Canes beat the Habs twice and outlasted divisional rival Florida in OT. They've now picked up points in seven of their last eight. &lt;b&gt;Cam Ward&lt;/b&gt; has been spectacular since returning from a groin injury (3-1-1) and is on pace to record some career-best numbers. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 3-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t17Last Week: 21\t\t\tPhoenix Coyotes (16-13-4)They completed a four-game season sweep of the Jackets with Saturday's 2-0 shutout and are now a surprising 6-2-2 in December. Credit &lt;b&gt;Grant Fuhr&lt;/b&gt; for helping &lt;b&gt;Ilya Bryzgalov&lt;/b&gt; (.952 save percentage) rediscover last season's top form. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-0-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t18Last Week: 13\t\t\tNashville Predators (16-13-3)So &lt;b&gt;Pekka Rinne&lt;/b&gt; has three shutouts in his last five starts? The way the offense is sputtering, he needs to maintain that pace for the Preds to have a shot at the playoffs. They've been held to just one goal in four of their last five. Might be time for &lt;b&gt;David Poile&lt;/b&gt; to relinquish the death grip he has on his prospects to bring in some immediate help. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t19Last Week: 20\t\t\tColorado Avalanche (16-16-1)Remember when &lt;b&gt;Andrew Raycroft&lt;/b&gt; won the Calder Trophy back in 2004? Apparently the vagabond netminder finally recalled it, too, offering up impressive efforts to beat the Wings and Bolts. And what does &lt;b&gt;Tony Granato&lt;/b&gt; do? Inexplicably gives follow-up starts to the struggling &lt;b&gt;Peter Budaj&lt;/b&gt;. That's just plain bad coaching, folks. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-2 \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t20Last Week: 17\t\t\tMinnesota Wild (16-14-2)They snapped a six-game losing streak by whipping up on the beaten-down Isles -- reserve your Cup finals tickets now! -- then reverted to form by losing to the Peoria Blues. &lt;b&gt;Marian Gaborik&lt;/b&gt; trade rumors heated up, but his value sank further on the news that he expects a long-term battle with the aftereffects of his injury. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-1-1 \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t21Last Week: 18\t\t\tLos Angeles Kings (13-14-6)&lt;b&gt;Drew Doughty&lt;/b&gt;'s been a minus player in 11 of his last 14 games. Burnout from overuse? Worn out by opposing checkers? Too many late nights spent searching for a girl &lt;b&gt;Sean Avery&lt;/b&gt; didn't date? No, poor Doughty's numbers have been slandered by the porous play of his netminders, particularly &lt;b&gt;Jason LaBarbera&lt;/b&gt;. Have mercy, Calder voters. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 0-2-2 \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t22Last Week: 19\t\t\tEdmonton Oilers (14-14-3)How desperate is embattled coach &lt;b&gt;Craig MacTavish&lt;/b&gt;? The decision to promote &lt;b&gt;Liam Reddox&lt;/b&gt;, a player with just one assist in his last 11 games, to the second line says it all. MacT is looking for more effort from his top forwards, but the message isn't getting through. Their underachievement falls on his shoulders. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 0-2-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t23Last Week: 25\t\t\tToronto Maple Leafs (13-13-6)They put together their best game of the year in Saturday's 7-3 dismantling of the Pens and also got a big basket of goodies from the health fairy. &lt;b&gt;Nik Hagman&lt;/b&gt; and &lt;b&gt;Jonas Frogren&lt;/b&gt; returned and disappointing &lt;b&gt;Vesa Toskala&lt;/b&gt; went out with a groin strain, setting the stage for &lt;b&gt;Justin Pogge&lt;/b&gt;'s NHL debut on Monday. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t24Last Week: 22\t\t\tColumbus Blue Jackets (14-15-4)Playoff worthy? Doesn't look like it. They upset the Sharks on Wednesday, but followed that with ugly losses to the Stars and Coyotes. They can't keep giving points away to teams they're battling for a postseason berth. The loss of &lt;b&gt;Derick Brassard&lt;/b&gt; for the season doesn't help the cause. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-1-1 \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t25Last Week: 27\t\t\tDallas Stars (13-14-5)Wins over Phoenix and Columbus -- two teams they need to leapfrog in the race for eighth -- were huge, but any parade plans were tempered by the Junior B goaltending of &lt;b&gt;Marty Turco&lt;/b&gt; (five goals-against in his last two starts) and the news that defenseman &lt;b&gt;Sergei Zubov&lt;/b&gt; likely is lost for the rest of the season. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-0-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t26 Last Week: 26\t\t\tSt. Louis Blues (13-17-3)Goalie controversy? It appears so as Blues fans -- and coach &lt;b&gt;Andy Murray&lt;/b&gt; -- are torn over whether &lt;b&gt;Manny Legace&lt;/b&gt; or &lt;b&gt;Chris Mason&lt;/b&gt; is the bigger sieve. Legace gave up six on 29 shots to the Bruins on Sunday, while Mason has three wins in 14 appearances. The Blues now have lost six of their last seven games. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-3\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t27Last Week: 23\t\t\tOttawa Senators (12-14-5)With the World Juniors setting up camp at Scotiabank Place for the next two weeks, the Sens are embarking on an eight-game road trip. The question is, how many will return? With a 3-8-2 record away from home and their season on the line, changes could be imminent. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 1-2\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t28Last Week: 28\t\t\tAtlanta Thrashers (11-17-4)Saturday's 4-3 win over Tampa broke a seven-game home losing streak and &lt;b&gt;Kari Lehtonen&lt;/b&gt; made 36 saves in his first game since Oct. 30. If he stays healthy for the next month or so, expect trade talk to heat up around the impending RFA. &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 2-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t29Last Week: 29\t\t\tTampa Bay Lightning (7-16-9)The weather may be swell but the atmosphere is poisonous. &lt;b&gt;Martin St. Louis&lt;/b&gt; called out his teammates as clock-killers who don't care about winning (sound familiar, Melrose fans?) after they dropped their 15th one-goal game of the season. &lt;b&gt;Mike Smith&lt;/b&gt; wondered how everyone can sleep at night. And through it all, captain &lt;b&gt;Vincent Lecavalier&lt;/b&gt; was silent . . . &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 0-1-1\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t30Last Week: 30\t\t\tNew York Islanders (10-20-3)Forget the sideshow. They're employing all three rings. The losing streak is up to nine games. Assistant captain &lt;b&gt;Brendan Witt&lt;/b&gt; is questioning coach &lt;b&gt;Scott Gordon&lt;/b&gt;'s system in the press. Now they've lost &lt;b&gt;Andy Sutton&lt;/b&gt; and leading scorer &lt;b&gt;Doug Weight&lt;/b&gt; indefinitely. If self-preservation is in &lt;b&gt;Rick DiPietro&lt;/b&gt;'s DNA, he might want to suffer a slight \"setback.\" &lt;b&gt;Last Week:&lt;/b&gt; 0-3-1\t\t\t\t\t&lt;P&gt;&lt;/P&gt;Allan Muir's MailbagSubmit a comment or question for Allan.\t\t\t\tName:\t\tEmail:\t\tHometown:\t\tQuestion:\t\tSEND&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/more-sports/2013/12/13/power-rankings-79>