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Mike Brophy's Power Rankings: December 8, 2008

TW LW Team Our Take
1 1 After going pointless in two straight games, Joe Thornton chips in three helpers in a 5-4 win over the Blues.
2 2 Phil Kessel is the NHL’s most improved player and is riding a 15-game point streak during which he has 12 goals and 22 points.
3 3 Not to be too picky, but has anybody noticed while the Red Wings are winning routinely, they rank 25th in goals-against, averaging 3.1 per game?
4 13 Alexander Semin is healthy again and has three points in as many games.
5 9 The Flyers are as dangerous killing penalties (a league-leading 11 shorthanded goals) as they are playing 5-on-5.
6 12 After a horribly slow start to his season, captain Jonathan Toews has seven points in six games.
7 7 Markus Naslund, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury are a combined minus-25 and until they get into the positive category, the Rangers can’t be taken seriously.
8 8 Brendan Morrison has just four goals this year, but has two in his last three games.
9 4 Sidney Crosby scored six goals in three games and then hasn’t scored in his last seven.
10 11 No Stevens, no Niedermayer, no Rafalski and now no Brodeur. No problem.
11 5 Three straight losses have the Flames spiraling downward again. Man this team is inconsistent!
12 10 We know Henrik is the passer and Daniel is the shooter, but one goal in 19 games for Henrik Sedin is pretty lame.
13 6 Only the Columbus Blue Jackets have a worse power play than the Montreal Canadiens, the same team that finished third last season.
14 25 Wins in Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary suddenly have people taking notice of this upstart club.
15 17 Thomas Vanek is on pace for 66 goals and 14 assists this season. Might not win him the Art Ross Trophy, but he’s a lock for the Cy Young.
16 14 Nashville skunked the Dallas Stars 3-0 Saturday. A win like that would have meant so much more last season when the Stars were good.
17 16 Five straight loses has the not-so Wild slipping out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference.
18 22 With nine points in eight games, captain Shane Doan is starting to take charge of a team charging toward eighth in the West.
19 20 The Kings have been hovering around the .500 mark all year, which is fine, but they face a huge test against the Sharks Monday.
20 15 Veteran stopper Dwayne Roloson is making it really difficult to move him by playing so well.
21 19 Paul Stastny has struggled with just six goals this season, but has five assists in his last four games.
22 28 Jeremy Williams made it four straight seasons of scoring in his first game after being recalled from the minors.
23 26 Rookie Derick Brassard’s 24 points in 29 games is impressive, but his team-leading plus-12 is even better.
24 23 The Ottawa Senators are inconsistent and don’t have an established No. 1 goalie. But they are fourth in goals-against and that is definitely something to build on.
25 18 Changing coaches has not had the positive effect GM Jim Rutherford hoped for. Maybe getting Eric Staal to start scoring might work.
26 24 It’s not much, but the Stars are 5-5 in their last 10 and have played better without you-know-who.
27 21 In what is rapidly becoming a lost season, largely due to injuries, the Blues are looking very much like a lottery pick team.
28 29 Keep hearing GM Don Waddell is on thin ice.
29 27 Even six straight losses doesn’t put these guys at the bottom of the ladder.
30 30 A big win in Montreal is a high point in an otherwise dreadful year.