I would have never imagined myself typing what I just did. The Kings are the tops on my list. They’ve overtaken the Sharks as the best team in the West and have won four in a row. Anze Kopitar is already generating whispers in sentences containing the word “Hart”. If you’re going to watch a hockey game tonight catch these guys against the Canucks. Should be outstanding.

The Silver Medal this week goes to the Devils for a variety of reasons. Eight wins in their last ten, possibly the best road team I’ve ever seen, and record after record continuing to roll in for Martin Brodeur. I called for the Devils to win their division this year, but if they keep up this play they good be looking toward much bigger, shinier prizes.

This will be the only time you will ever see me place a team that’s winless in five in the top three on Monday. Mark my words. However, the Sharks are simply amazing to watch this year. However, their powerplay has been faultering, and questions about Joe Thornton tends to be like origami: folds under pressure. With only one game this week against the Ducks, the Sharks will most likely stay in my good graces.

It’s frightening to look at the young talent on the Hawks, and when Marian Hossa gets his stroke back, this team may be the best of the league’s second half. Any fears that Chicago fans had when Huet went down have been erased by the single goal allowance over three games by backup tender Antii Niemi. Which only leaves me with one question about the Blackhawks: who is Antii Niemi and how can my team get him??

Not an exceptional week for the Pens, especially with a loss to the Canes, but they are looking like the champs again. They seem to be scoring at will again and are boasting a 8-2-1 record in the last eleven. I still think these guys have a great chance to repeat, but it will be a much different final this year.

Another team that I don’t see staying this low on the rankings, my pick for the Western Conference Champs last year (ouch) dropped a crucial game to the Avs on Sunday and lost the division lead. They’ve also dropped four of six and have only scored once on their last twenty-four playoff chances. They could really use Cammalleri right about now.

The Caps look horrid against a much inferior Leafs team on Saturday, being completely outplayed and leaving few questions about the ineptness of their secondary goaltending. Getting shut out by a very worthy Ryan Miller is excusable, but a near loss to Carolina has me putting these guys at eighth; probably the lowest I’ll have them as long as they have Number eight on the roster sheet.

A lot of you might disagree with this pick but the Avs are playing damn good hockey when everyone who knows anything about hockey expected the opposite. They lead the Northwest after Sunday’s defeat of the Flames, and perhaps even more impressive was their 43 shots allowed in 2 games. Yes, that’s the best a team has done this year. Winners in four of five, these guys are the real deal.

The Coyotes continue to be the feel good story of the year. Going 6-0-1 in their last seven and only scoring more than 3 goals once in any of those games can only mean one thing; solid defence and rock-solid goaltending from Ilya Bryzgalov. This guy is a legitimate Vezina trophy contender this year, or whatever they decide to rename the trophy (which I will rant about in the near future). The only team to do this good after Gretzky left were the 1989-90 Oilers.

They lost to Nashville, and they beat the Thrashers and Wild this week. Not enough to coax me that they belong in the top ten this week, but the play of the Sedins has been spectacular. Vancouver is one of those teams that you know will make the playoffs, but will give you headaches in your playoff pool…..cause you just never know. Either way, the second best goaltender in the league will always give you a chance to win. Look for the nucks to have a tough time against the Kings tonight; my pick for game of the night.

Maybe a little low for this potential powerhouse, but It’s hard to look at these guys in the same light with the shadow of last season lingering over them. Tim Thomas is finally living down to my expectations, and Tuukka Rask is turning out to be the second best gift the Leafs gave the Bs in the last year. Marc Savard continues to be the most underestimated player in the league, racking up nine goals in his last eleven, in which Boston has been 8-1-2. Coincidence? Hardly.

I told a co-worker today to pick the Blue Jackets tonight over the Preds, and now I feel like I’ll owe him a free lunch this week. Nashville has seven more wins then losses, and Martin Erat seems to have finally found his scoring touch after only ten years as an NHL player. But seriously, the Predators are solidified in the Western playoff picture, and I don’t expect them to be moved from that position anytime soon.

There’s been no team in the league that has had to put up with more injury woes than the Wings (Dan Cleary the latest to go down), but they manage to squeeze out points. They’re 3-1-1 in their last five. Although they’re nowhere near the form that they are in the postseason, this team when full and playing under Professor Babcock will always be legitimate contenders come the spring.

Another team that has relied heavily on extra time for points, the Stars are here largely in part because of their 14-8-10 record. With no key injuries at the moment, Dallas have no excuses but to remain at the midway spot for the week. Games against Carolina and Atlanta should give them a few wins, and they have more than a good chance against the Wings on Saturday.

The hottest team in the league right now (winners of their last five on the road) can attribute that success to heroics such as their four third period goals against the Blues on Friday. Not to mention they did so without the services of their starting goalie. Pat Quinn never gives his team a night off, and Edmonton has the wheels to live up to those expectations. Dustin Penner continues to silence his critics.

This team is dropping like a stone. Clinging to the last playoff spot in the East, the Thrashers seem to be playing themselves out of the spot with lacklustre performances from against teams they should be beating. Also, Maxim Afhineghenov continues to be, in my opinion, the most boneheaded signing of the year. One assist and a minus nine in his last six games. This guy’s headed to the K.

Despite a brutal road trip this week, the Sens found a way to win back at home. In a very competitive Northeast, games against Toronto and Buffalo this week could prove costly if they don’t play their surpsingly efficient style. A three goal night from Alex Kovalev was promising, but increased production from Jason Spezza and continual steady goaltending from the reliable Brian Elliot are vital this week if the Senators wish to keep pace.

Their defence has been terrible, but accredit a lot of that to the absence of Eric Brewer. It was a bad week for the Blues, but steady production from their offence will most likely see these guys sitting above .500 for a while, and surely climbing out of the basement of the Central.

The ducks are playing better hockey this month and have been consistent in getting points when they count. The injury to Temu Selanne hasn’t hurt them nearly as bad as once thought, with role players such as rookie Dan Sexton filling the net. Factor in Scott Niedermyer and a firce goaltending tandem and the Ducks can start thinking about not giving away free tickets. Dates with the Canucks, Sharks and Coyotes give them the chance to show us if they’re for real this week.

Above I mentioned the play of Marc Andre Fleury and how it could earn him an Olympic roster spot, but don’t count out Carey Price. Without his work between the pipes as of late the “team of the century” avoided a few drubbings and escaped with a win on more than one occasion. A loss to Atlanta hurt them in the rankings, but their top-ten PK unit has left a division title well within reach.

The Wild are 7-2-0 in their last nine, picking up convincing wins against Calgary and Colorado in that stretch. A zero percent powerplay and heavy reliance on overtime and the shootout is the only thing keeping the wild out of the top twenty. Todd Richards is proving once again that a limited NHL resume means nothing in today’s coaching game; even though his one year of experience was with the Sharks.

The Leafs looked great on Saturday against the Caps, but a lot of that could have been to Washington’s lack of secondary goaltending. I know the members of Leafs nation won’t be happy with this placement, but really they could be lower considering they’re still the second worst team in the league. A win against Ottawa Monday could really help these guys positionally in their division, and could provide further motivation for their sudden upswing.

A lot of people will probably be fuming at me for putting six teams below the Blueshirts, but there is a lot of bad hockey teams right now that enable a team that’s one game below .500 the 24th spot. Pavol Demitra’s been great this year, but lack of secondary scoring and overspending on defence are the usual suspects. However, games against the Thrashers, Flyers and two against the Islanders doesn’t have me condemning these guys out of the top twenty next week.

Losers of eight of nine, there is absolutely no excuse for the lack of offence being demonstrated by the Bolts. Having their offence centering around a sophomore in Steven Stamkos, and Ryan Malone, one would have to wonder if this could be the year Vinny Lecavalier finds himself a new sweater. Perhaps the Rouge, Blanc et Bleu?

Although surpassing expectations by leaps and bounds this year, the Isles have won just four of their last eleven and are giving up a ton of goals. It’s also important to point out that although the win at home against Boston was huge on Saturday, it took overtime; and they allowed Philly to light the lamp six times on Tuesday.

Only one win in five games this month and who’s to blame? Ken Hitchcock? Rick Nash? What about Steve Mason? The Calder winner who’s supposed to be Canada’s wildcard goalie plays for the team with the 28th most goals scored on them. Stevie Y take note: Fleury is your third man.

The best team in the bottom five on paper, the Flyers have one just two games in their last twelve. Mix that with adjusting to a new coaching style, admissions of lacklustre play from their stars and an abdominal tear to Ray Emery, these beasts of the east as they were known at the start of the season have some serious work to do in order to show glimpses of becoming a contender again. However, I have a tough time counting a team out as long as that Pronger guy we see every June is still on the blueline.

The Atlanta Thrashers were recently named the worst team of the decade by Sports Illustrated, but the Panthers aren’t far behind in my books. Not since rats rained down from the bleachers has this team produced anything of significance on the Ice. Their captain is Bryan McCabe. Byan McCabe. The Leafs didn’t even want the guy. Mixed with the constant underacheivements of Horton and Weiss, the only thing keeping this team out of last was a win at New Jersey this week.

In a way it pains me to put these guys as my initial basement dwellers. Injuries to key players have been their cancer all year, with Joe Corvo being their latest casualty to go down with a freakish laceration to his Achilles. Granted they had a tough week playing the Penguins, Devils and Capitals, but missed a chance to pick up a W in Ottawa on Saturday. Better luck next week boys.