The Detroit Red Wings retain the No. 1 position in the first post-all-star-weekend THN.com NHL Power Rankings. Making a smaller push toward the top 10 are the up-and-down Los Angeles Kings, who lost just twice in regulation (out of 11 games) in January and are aiming to dethrone the San Jose Sharks for top spot in the Pacific Division.
The Kings have the weakest offense (111 goals) of any team currently in a playoff position in the Western Conference, but their ability to take games to overtime or a shootout – their 10 OT losses are second only to the Florida Panthers’ 11 – is one of the reasons they sit in seventh place. Another is the outstanding play of goalie Jonathan Quick (1.93 goals-against average, .934 save percentage); and another is the timely scoring of captain Dustin Brown, who leads the team in game-winners (five).
If the Kings are able to weather the storm in February – when they play just four times at home – they'll continue to challenge the steady Sharks for first in the Pacific and home-ice advantage in the playoffs. Expect GM Dean Lombardi to be active on the trade market to make that happen. And expect a new Power Ranking list every Monday afternoon on THN.com.
The Hockey News ranks the teams 1-30 each Monday based on a combination of last week’s play and a squad’s overall outlook.
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