Fansided

NHL Power Rankings: Predators, Blackhawks vie for No. 1 spot at midseason point

By Patrick Schmidt

Jan 6, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators players celebrate after a win against the Carolina Hurricanes at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 6, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators players celebrate after a win against the Carolina Hurricanes at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 16
Next
Jan 8, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (88) shoots during the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (88) shoots during the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

The midseason edition of the NHL power rankings sees the Chicago Blackhawks fall out of the top spot for the first time in six weeks as one of their Central division rivals moved ahead with a dominant week on the ice.

We’re halfway through the NHL 2014-2015 season with every team but the New York Rangers playing at least 39 games. The first half was full of surprises (both pleasant and otherwise) and an unfortunate outbreak of the mumps, but as the second half begins it is clear who the haves and the have-nots are.

The Chicago Blackhawks owned the NHL power rankings since the beginning of December with the Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings occupying the top spot for at least one week this year.

At the midseason point a new team has staked their claim to the No. 1 spot in the power rankings with a perfect week as the Nashville Predators are tied with the Ducks for the most points in the league. Nashville has been lurking in the top five but now are the hunted with the usual suspects remaining in hot pursuit.

The bottom of the rankings offer a lot of intrigue as opposed to most years with uber-prospects Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel who added to their growing legacies at the recently completed World Juniors. The Canadian and the American will be the top two picks in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft so the teams at the bottom hope to win the lottery and get one of these once-in-a-decade prospects on their roster.

Without further ado, here are the midseason NHL power rankings.

Next: Buffalo-Edmonton

Home/Anaheim Ducks