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Mike Brophy's Power Rankings: October 27, 2008

TW LW Team Our Take
1 1 Patrick Marleau is settling in nicely under new coach Todd McLellan. He had nine points in nine games and was plus-5.
2 3 Not that it will happen, but Thomas Vanek was on pace for 82 goals with eight through eight games.
3 8 Marian Hossa has been a godsend…not that that should come as a surprise to anyone who saw him in last year’s playoffs.
4 4 They don’t score much, but they don’t allow goals, either. Kind of boring, but very effective.
5 2 Brandon Dubinsky and Aaron Voros continue to surprise with their scoring exploits as the Rangers win two in a row.
6 5 The Habs may be among the class of the east, but they got a dose of reality when the tough Anaheim Ducks blew through town.
7 12 Crosby and Malkin are rolling, but that wasn’t enough to help them in a shootout loss to the Rangers.
8 21 A drastic rise in the power rankings? Sure, but that’s what happens when you reel off five straight wins.
9 9 Back-to-back losses to the Flyers in which goalie Martin Brodeaur looked vulnerable.
10 7 Keith Tkachuk looks like he has found the fountain of youth with eight goals in eight games.
11 27 Three straight wins has the Flames looking more like the contender they are supposed to be.
12 11 Losing defenceman Joni Pitkanen for a month with a knee injury could have severe consequences.
13 25 Still not hitting on all cylinders, but the Ducks looked better winning in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
14 10 Still waiting for Alexander Ovechkin to check in.
15 28 Jason Blake was banished to the press box, could Tomas Kaberle be far behind?
16 13 Fan favorite Milan Lucic is already halfway to last season’s goal total of eight.
17 15 Two goals and three points in three games should keep Kyle Wellwood in the bigs.
18 16 Hovering around the .500 mark is what we should expect from this team.
19 6 Three straight losses can be tied directly to the fact the players expected to score for the Oilers are firing blanks.
20 19 All kinds of talk about Martin Havlat getting traded, though it’s hard to imagine the Hawks giving up his offence.
21 18 Cory Stillman has been an excellent free agent signing with five goals and nine points in eight games.
22 26 Mike Modano has points in six of the Stars nine games and was tied for the team scoring lead with 10 points.
23 29 It’s amazing how back-to-back wins over the Devils can boost a team’s confidence.
24 17 Patrick O’Sullivan is justifying his new deal scoring at a point-per-game pace.
25 22 Olli Jokinen has just one goal in seven games and hasn’t scored in the past six. And yet he leads the team with seven points. That is not good.
26 23 Goalie Pascal Leclaire suffers a sprained ankle and his pain is felt by the entire team.
27 20 Three straight losses have the Thrashers plummeting with still no sign of Ilya Kovalchuk riding to the rescue.
28 30 Shut out by San Jose’s backup goalie? Who would have dreamed this team would have trouble scoring?
29 14 Four straight losses and no sign of new coach Craig Hartsburg having a positive effect on this team.
30 24 Goalie Rick DiPietro is hurt – again.