NHL Power Rankings

By E. Spencer Kyte
Love of Sports Correspondent

This week in the Power Rankings, we’re going to try something a little different.

Instead of delivering the usual analysis of what each team’s done in the past seven days, or why they’re failing to live up to expectations, we’re going to take a look at players from each squad who’ve been pleasant surprises so far this season.

These are the guys these franchises will be counting on

NHL Power Rankings

1. San Jose Sharks – (18-3-1)

Brian Boucher: There was a time a couple seasons ago when any team in the league could have had Boucher for the price of a used bag of pucks. Now, he’s held down the fort amidst an injury to Evgeni Nabakov and shown there’s no drop off when he’s between the pipes in San Jose.

2. Boston Bruins – (15-4-4)

Milan Lucic: Already a fan favorite heading into the season, the impact of the big kid from Vancouver cannot be denied. While the Cam Neely comparisons might be a little early, Lucic contributes in every which way on every night.

3. Detroit Red Wings – (15-3-4)

Mikael Samuelsson: When you get 18 points in 21 games out of a guy you’re not counting on for point production, that counts as a pleasant surprise.

4. Montreal Canadiens – (12-6-4)

Alex Tanguay: Not that a lot wasn’t expected out of Tanguay heading into the year, but ask the people in Calgary what it’s like to expect big things from him. The fact he’s coming through under the scrutiny in La Belle Province is impressive.

5. Vancouver Canucks – (14-7-2)

Alexandre Burrows: The impact Burrows has made with the Canucks this season can’t solely be measured in stats. He gives the team a third line presence who out works, out hustles and out grinds everyone he’s matched up against, and that attitude’s rubbed off on his linemates too.

6. Pittsburgh Penguins – (13-6-3)

Dany Sabourin: When Marc-Andre Fleury went down last season, Pittsburgh turned to the minors and brought in Ty Conklin. This year, with Conklin gone and Fleury once again injured, Sabourin’s been given the opportunity to prove himself and a GAA under 2.00 through eight games shows he’s more than capable.

7. Washington Capitals – (13-7-3)

Alexander Semin: Everyone knew he was talented. No one expected him to be leading the league in scoring before he got injured.

8. New York Rangers – (17-7-2)

Aaron Voros: The big left winger’s two points shy of matching his output from all of last season in Minnesota and has already equalled his career high in goals. While no longer skating alongside Zherdev and Dubinsky, Voros still takes a regular shift and is proving to be a Sean Avery-type player without the distractions.

9. Philadelphia Flyers – (11-6-5)

Simon Gagne: At one point last season, it was questionable whether he’d ever play again. Now he’s second in the league in scoring.

10. Anaheim Ducks – (13-8-3)

George Parros: He’s got two goals this year!

The Rest

11. Chicago Blackhawks – (10-5-6)

Martin Havlat: Simply because he hasn’t missed any extended periods of time so far this season.

12. New Jersey Devils – (12-7-2)

Kevin Weekes / Scott Clemmensen: Be honest, you thought the Devils would plummet as soon as Marty Brodeur went down too. The tandem of Weekes and Clemmensen have kept the Devils afloat and in the hunt in the Eastern Conference.

13. Minnesota Wild – (13-7-1)

Mikko Koivu: There’s no way anyone expected a point per game from the younger Koivu. Not even the Wild.

14. Calgary Flames – (13-9-1)

Curtis Glencross: He’s scored in three straight, including netting the winner over Vancouver on Thursday night.

15. Carolina Hurricanes – (12-10-2)

Tuomo Ruutu: Seven goals are great, but the most important number so far is zero. That’s the number of games Ruutu’s missed this season.

16. Nashville Predators – (11-9-2)

Shea Weber: Ten goals and 21 points in 21 games – I would say that’s a pleasant surprise.

17. Buffalo Sabres – (11-8-3)

None: There have only been disappointments in Buffalo this season. A lot more was expected of this team and everyone is underperforming to this point.

18. Los Angeles Kings – (9-9-3)

Drew Doughty: Everyone expected him to quarterback the power play for years to come in L.A. I don’t know if anyone expected it to happen so quickly.

19. St. Louis Blues – (9-9-2)

Chris Mason: As of late, he looks nothing like the guy who lost his starting job in Nashville last season, or even the goalie who struggled to start the year in the Show Me State.

20. Columbus Blue Jackets – (9-10-3)

Derick Brassard: At the start of the season, no one would have had Brassard in their Top 5 picks for Rookie of the Year. Now he’s gotta be the favorite heading into December.

21. Phoenix Coyotes – (10-10-2)

Mikkel Boedker: 18-year-olds aren’t supposed to be this developed on both ends of the rink. When the greatest player in the history of the game raves about how quickly you’ve adjusted to life in the NHL, and how complete your game is, you’re definitely a pleasant surprise.

22. Colorado Avalanche – (10-12-0)

Everyone: How this team is even .500 is a surprise to me. The goaltending’s average at best, Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth are clearly on their last legs and they have no scoring outside of Paul Stastney and Milan Hejduk. Yet here they are.

23. Edmonton Oilers – (9-10-2)

Jeff Deslauriers: The young pup of the goaltending trio in Edmonton, Deslauriers is forcing the Oilers to make keep him with the big club by outplaying the veterans in front of him. You’d have to think either Dwayne Roloson or Mathieu Garon will be moved at some point to ensure Deslauriers sees regular playing time.

24. Toronto Maple Leafs – (7-9-6)

Mikhail Grabovski: Fifteen points in 22 games for the 24-year-old is more than could have been expected considering his lack of NHL experience heading into this season. Grabovski’s one of only a few Maple Leafs’ forwards new GM Brian Burke should consider keeping around for the future.

25. New York Islanders – (9-12-2)

Joey McDonald: The pride of Pictou, Nova Scotia’s been holding down the fort in the absence of lifetime contract holder Rick DiPietro, and he’s been doing a damn fine job too!

26. Atlanta Thrashers – (8-11-3)

Bryan Little: I watched this kid play in Barrie for a couple years and always thought he was going to be a quality NHLer one day. Did I think it would be in his second season and to the tune of just a tick shy of a point per game? Uh, no.

27. Tampa Bay Lightning – (6-9-7)

None: There’s nothing surprising about the struggles of the Lightning this year.

28. Ottawa Senators – (8-9-4)

Filip Kuba: He’s stepped in and filled the void on the blueline left by the loses of Wade Redden and Andrej Meszaros.

29. Florida Panthers – (8-11-3)

David Booth: Anyone have Booth to be sitting 12th in the league with 11 goals scored at this point? I didn’t think so.

30. Dallas Stars – (7-10-4)

None: The only thing surprising in Dallas this season is that there hasn’t been a full scale internal Battle Royal with this team.

(Kyte’s Power Rankings can be read in this same spot each and every week.)