It’s my Parting Shot to offer up my “realistic Power Rankings” for the seven teams in the N-H-L as we are into the final two-and-a-half weeks of the regular-season…..
The various sports networks and publications that do “Power Rankings” base them pretty much solely on, “What have you done for me lately?” All it takes is for a few teams to either win or lose at least three straight games to throw the rankings for a loop and make for some wild swings, which aren’t all that realistic!
In my humble opinion!!
I choose to look at the entire body of work and assess what is a team’s “real” chance of winning a Stanley Cup. Since most of what we are subjected to on sports television is about the Canadian-based teams, that’s what my rankings are about, as follows!
Seventh is the Montreal Canadiens. Too many injuries and inconsistent play development of their young stars has many of their fans wondering just how long of a re-build are the Habs in for?
Sixth is the Ottawa Senators. Montreal’s Magic Number to be eliminated is four points while the Sens’ is six points. Ottawa is so done that regional broadcast rights holder T-S-N sent reporter and host Claire Hanna to cover the N-C-Double-A Women’s Basketball Sweet 16 over the weekend!
Fifth is the Calgary Flames. They’re destined for a missed post-season with a Magic Number of four points in the more-talented Western Conference. G-M Craig Conroy has an interesting off-season ahead of him!
Fourth is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Because of how the N-H-L’s divisions are configured and how the playoff format is structured, the Buds may never get past the second round when you have to play Florida, Boston or Tampa Bay all the time!
Third is the Winnipeg Jets. A late season swoon needs a turn-around fast. The Jets play a game similar to that of the W-H-L’s Saskatoon Blades – or vice-versa! Their problem is similar to that of Toronto, they have to contend with Colorado and Dallas in the Central Division!
Second is the Vancouver Canucks. Until Thatcher Demko comes back to play goal, the Canucks aren’t a lock to win a playoff round, period. But, when Demko comes back, Vancouver can play any way you want!
That leaves the Edmonton Oilers in first in my “Realistic Power Rankings!” As much as I hate to say that, but let’s be real – the Oil have, arguably, the two best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and a solid supporting cast. On offence, at least! I’m still not sold on Stuart Skinner being a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender like Patrick Roy and the defence corps is still leaky! Yet, Edmonton can out-score their warts – and will have to do so to win the Cup, something I wouldn’t bet against!!
That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!…..
