NHL Power Rankings: Some Change at the Top, but West Still Rules

For the first time this season, the San Jose Sharks fall from the top spot in the Predictive Power Rankings. The West is still best with the entire top six and seven of the top ten, but the Central Division has taken over. The Eastern Conference is home to 11 of the bottom 15 teams in the league -- only Dallas, Calgary, Winnnipeg and Edmonton spoil the party.

My power rankings use a model based on underlying statistics and their predictive ability. The rankings were built on points earned, special teams, even strength play and goaltending, so they were constantly in flux. I'm still playing around with the model, and I've added opponents remaining this season. I've also updated the special teams evaluation so it's shots-based, not solely conversion based. Here is my best effort at predicting the standings and playoff pairings at the end of the season.

• Buffalo is full value for 30th - they're the worst even strength team in the league and the worst special teams team in the league. No one is catching them in this tank battle.
• Even Jarmo Kekalainen's best efforts haven't saved Columbus. His Jackets rank 26th at even strength and 19th on special teams.

• Something to watch here: Winnipeg has played just 4 games against the East and Nashville just 5. Anaheim and Vancouver have played 11 games against the East, while Chicago, Minnesota, and Colorado have played 9. The Jets and Predators should make up ground on the top of the conference as they catch up in games vesus the East.
• Edmonton has played 14 games against the East and is 4-9-1, a 53 point pace for a full season.
• The rest of the West is 69-20-10 versus the East, a 123 point pace for a full season.

• There is so much mediocrity here - the only thing keeping the conference competitive is goaltending.

St. Louis in the Stanley Cup Finals would be a stunner, but it's not going to happen. They're the Blues, after all.