2014 NHL Power Rankings: Week 18 – Winter Olympics Break

2014 NHL Power Rankings: Week 18 – Winter Olympics Break: With the Sochi Olympics here, the NHL will be going on a break for a bit. Once the winter games get rolling, regular-season action won’t resume for almost a month. Only time will tell how the added ice time impacts the players and their teams, but in the meantime, here is a closer look at how the top teams in the NHL stack up.

1.      Anaheim Ducks (40-13-5)

The Ducks are sitting atop the Pacific Division and own the best record in the NHL. They have scored the third-most goals in the league and have allowed the seventh-fewest, giving them the second-best differential. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf are offensive stars, and emerging young players like Nick Bonino, Andrew Cogliano and Cam Fowler are providing plenty of scoring depth. In net, Jonas Hiller has been stout and Frederik Andersen has been more than capable as a backup. Throw in the fact that the Ducks have been practically unbeatable at home, and they are going to be tough if they end up securing home ice.

2.      Colorado Avalanche (36-14-5)

Colorado is surging right now, posting an 8-2 record in their last 10 games to climb within a few points of the frontrunners in the Central Division. A young roster that seems to be blossoming all at once has fueled the run, and offense that already ranks sixth in scoring is likely only going to get better. The Avalanche have nine players on their roster with more than 20 points, including four that have more than 40 points. Matt Duchene is leading the way, rookie Nathan MacKinnon is on an absolute tear, and defensemen Erik Johnson and Tyson Barrie are starting to live up to their early-round draft statuses. If Semyon Varlamov can continue to play well in net, Colorado can hoist the Stanley Cup.

3.      St. Louis Blues (37-12-5)

On paper, St. Louis is amazing, and they are just as stout on the ice. The Blues are second in goals scored, third in goals allowed, second in power play percentage and fifth in penalty kill. They also lead the NHL with a plus-60 goal differential. Alexander Steen has been a goal-scoring machine and T.J. Oshie and David Backes have been brilliant on the power play. On the blue line, St. Louis is blessed with a trio of two-way stars in Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester. In net, the duo of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott would win the Vezina Trophy if their combined numbers were rolled into one. Plain and simple, this team doesn’t have many weaknesses.

4.      Chicago Blackhawks (33-10-14)

The Blackhawks are still sitting atop the Central Division and own the second-best record in the NHL, but a recent skid has exposed some flaws. Yes, the Blackhawks’ offense is still the best in the NHL, and six players have at least 40 points. However, their defense has been lacking, and average play on the part of goalie Corey Crawford could mean the difference between back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and a simply a playoff appearance. Chicago’s firepower on offense alone makes this a dangerous team, but the Blackhawks aren’t nearly as balanced as they were last year.

5.      Pittsburgh Penguins (38-15-2)

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of Pittsburgh’s offensive stars get a lot of the attention, but the Penguins have been very balanced this season. They have distanced themselves from the rest of the Eastern Conference, ranking fourth in goals, sixth in goal allowed and first in both power play percentage and penalty kill. If there is a knock against the Penguins, it is their pedestrian play on the road. However, they are next to unstoppable at home, and home-ice advantage in the conference is looking more and more likely.

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