On the positive side of things, the St. Louis Blues and Phoenix Coyotes are surging during the dog days of the calendar. The Blues have won four straight and five of six, beating upper-echelon teams the Devils and Sharks this week. The Coyotes were thought to be potential sellers at the trade deadline, but they have won five straight to move into eighth place in the Western Conference standings, the ones that matter.
On the flip side, the Blackhawks and Flyers are in the midst of rough patches. The Blackhawks are 0-7-1 in their last eight games and have two tough road games against the Predators and Rangers this week. The Flyers have survived -- heck, flourished -- despite their defensive shortcomings this season caused largely by the loss of Chris Pronger, but they have foundered of late.
How does the rest of the Super 16 look this week? Let's have a gander:
| RANK | TEAM (RECORD) | LAST WEEK | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N.Y. Rangers (36-13-5) | 1 | Since 2009-10, the Rangers are 28-9-3 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 14-3-1 mark at home. They have posted a record of 14-1-3 combined in back-to-back games this season. |
| 2 | Detroit (38-17-2) | 2 | Since Jimmy Howard went down with a broken finger, the Red Wings are 3-1-1. Joey MacDonald has a .926 save percentage in five games -- four starts -- so does that make him the reliable backup GM Ken Holland can count on? |
| 3 | St. Louis (34-14-7) | 8 |
David Perron had 4 goals in 26 games in a return from a 13-month absence from a concussion. In his last four games, he has 6 goals. It takes a while for players to find themselves after a concussion, so perhaps he's finally back.
|
| 4 | Vancouver (34-15-6) | 4 | Seven of the Canucks' last nine games have gone beyond regulation. They're not dominating like they did last season, but wins are wins and points are points. They are 6-0-3 in those games. |
| 5 | Nashville (32-18-6) | 3 | It's a tough week to grade. They lost in Ottawa in regulation and loss twice in shootouts to Boston and Vancouver. A bounce here or there and they're 3-0 last week. Still, losses are losses. |
| 6 | Pittsburgh (32-19-5) |
6 |
Evgeni Malkin has to be the MVP favorite. He leads the NHL with 69 points despite playing in at least three fewer games than everyone chasing him. He's made the loss of Sidney Crosby almost bearable.
|
| 7 | Boston (34-17-2) | 5 |
They rebounded nicely from their thrashing at the hands of the Sabres by winning in a shootout over the Preds, but the Bruins are nowhere near the dominant force they were in November-December.
|
| 8 | San Jose (30-17-6) | 7 |
There was a time this year when the Sharks' couldn't buy a power-play goal with a fist full of 100s and a gold brick. They are now 7-of-20 in their last five games with the extra man.
|
| 9 | New Jersey (31-20-4) | 9 | The Devils' loss to Florida on Saturday afternoon was their first regulation setback since Jan. 21. Adam Henrique is now tied with the injured Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for the League lead in points among rookies with 45. |
| 10 | Phoenix (27-21-8) | NR | The Coyotes have won five straight without a layup among them -- San Jose, Detroit, Calgary, Chicago and Dallas. Contenders hoping they Coyotes would be sellers at the deadline are disappointed. |
| 11 | Philadelphia (31-17-7) | 10 | The Flyers have allowed 23 goals in their last 6 games, and are 1-4-1 in that stretch. The glaring weakness on the club is defense, but what can they do improve with the trade deadline two weeks away? |
| 12 | Los Angeles (27-19-11) | 11 | In the Kings' 4-2 victory against the Stars on Sunday, two players -- Dwight King and Jordan Nolan -- scored their first NHL goals. Goals are welcome from all places for the League's 30th-ranked offensive team. |
| 13 | Florida (27-17-11) | 16 |
Everyone is waiting for the Panthers to fold, but they now hold a four-point lead in the Southeast and are getting healthier by the day. They aren't going anywhere in that division.
|
| 14 | Chicago (29-20-7) | 11 | The Blackhawks have dropped eight straight, seven in regulation. It won't get easier this week, as they pay a visit to the Predators and Rangers. They need something to good to happen to them in the worst way. |
| 15 | Washington (28-22-5) | 15 |
Following a home tilt with the Sharks, the Caps embark on a four-game road swing with stops in Florida and Ottawa. They need to win those games to stay in the playoff chase.
|
| 16 | Ottawa (28-22-8) | NR | It feels like they are hanging on by a thread. Every team chasing the Senators has at least a game in hand. In the East, they can be a playoff team, but they need to turn it around sooner than later. |
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.