SBN Preseason Power Rankings

by J.J. from Kansas on Sep 14, 2010 3:04 PM CDT in Analysis/Reaction

We're ranked where? ...and the Blackhawks are where?!

Heading over to the main page today, you'll find that our wonderful overlords have posted the SB Nation Hockey preseason power rankings. These rankings were compiled by a vote of SB Nation hockey writers from each conference (East voted for East, and West for West). Needless to say, I disagree with many of the fellows as to where Detroit belongs on this list. Here's where I had them ranked (although Casey's the one who did the voting):

15. Edmonton
14. Columbus
13. Dallas
12. Minnesota
11. Anaheim
10. Colorado
9. St. Louis
8. Calgary
7. Phoenix
6. Nashville
5. Los Angeles
4. Chicago
3. San Jose
2. Vancouver
1. Detroit

My rankings don't differ too drastically, but here are the basics:

Detroit is obviously the best team in the league. This is fact, and it's irrefutable. Trying to convince me that Detroit isn't #1 is like trying to tell me gravity isn't a thing.. I have Vancouver in front of San Jose because despite how much crap I give Luongo and how much I'm still not convinced Vancouver has a true top-pairing among their two dozen 2nd-pair caliber defensemen, they're still better everywhere on the ice than San Jose. Chicago rides high on the "well they won the cup last year, so give them some credit" bandwagon, which is fitting for them, but I feel like I'm being generous even giving them fourth. Phoenix and St. Louis drop for basically the same reason, I'm just not convinced yet. Don't get me wrong, I'm more worried about the Blues now than I have been in a few seasons, but I need to see that all of their parts can work together before I start shaking in my boots. Colorado got a big boost from Craig Anderson last year, but I'm expecting a drop-off in his performance and not enough of an increase in their many, many young guys' production to cover that. Nashville will always be a criminally underrated team. I'm not sure how well they'll do now that they have more than two forwards who can score goals, but if Barry Trotz's missing neck has anything to say about it, it will say that Nashville will be a better team. At least we can all agree that Edmonton, Columbus, and Dallas all suck.

So there's my thoughts; let me know what you think. We're opening up the voting to you, the Winging It In Motown crowd to tell us who your Western Conference #1-15 squads are. Check after the jump for the voting form. We'll tally the votes and let them know what you, the fans think.

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Nowhere to go but down for Chicago.

by Elfuego51 on Sep 14, 2010 3:21 PM CDT reply actions

Its obvious the Wings are number 1...

But I truly think that you could go either way with SJ or Vancouver. Though as a Wings fan, I think SJ is gonna give us a lot more trouble if we meet them in the playoffs then Vancouver would, personally.

by DetroitSports on Sep 14, 2010 4:21 PM CDT reply actions

I don’t think the difference between San Jose and Vancouver are enormous, but I think the Sharks are going to miss Rob Blake and Evgeni Nabokov in the regular season more than they let on. The Canucks only really noticeable loss from last season was Willie Mitchell, who is going to be feast or famine in Los Angeles and was more-than-replaced by the guys Vancouver brought in. Either way, I hope those two teams meet in the playoffs before either of them sees the Wings.

by J.J. from Kansas on Sep 14, 2010 4:38 PM CDT reply actions

my mind is full of fuck

when I read their explanation about why chicago was #1, I began to froth at the mouth.

Look, I’m not saying Chicago was a bad team, or that they are a bad team. But when you get down to business they swept an opponent in the WCF that had basically won a series on penalties (San Jose), and at this point (unless you’re playing the Pens or maybe the Caps) I just can’t really be all that impressed with beating $eastern_conference_team in the Final unless it’s a sweep of the aforementioned two. Philly in 6 isn’t quite the same.

But sbanation was basically like “hurr durr they won the cup so clearly they’re still the best team,” in happy ignorance of the fact that no one has repeated as champions in 13 years and with the changes the Hawks had to make, it isn’t looking like that will change this year either. I have no doubt that the Wings would have beaten the Hawks in the WCF if our refs for the San Jose series weren’t incompetent or corrupt.

In terms of regular season play I might put San Jose at the top still, depending on how their new goalie (who’s surname I’m too lazy to look up and spell correctly) performs, but come playoff time there’s no team I’d rather be with than Detroit.

No Limits.

by arkanfel on Sep 14, 2010 9:55 PM CDT reply actions