MuleFHL Power Rankings!!!

 

The early favorites to win the MuleFHL Cup are the New Jersey Devils, once again.  However, they have been in this position at the start of each of the two previous seasons, and it hasn’t even amounted to them reaching the Cup Finals…maybe this top spot is a curse.  Just trailing them, the Colorado Avalanche and the Philadelphia Flyers boast tremendous teams as well and are once again true cup contenders.  However, there are only seven or eight teams we feel are almost guaranteed a playoff spot, so it seems there will be an absolutely insane playoff race near the end of Season 3.  We honestly feel that there will be almost twenty teams in the hunt for the final seven or so playoff spots, even when there is only a week or two left in the regular season…this could very well be one crazy crazy season.

 

  1. New Jersey Devils (82.22):

-         #2 Offence, #1 Defence, #3 Goaltending

-         Top 21 & Under:  Mike Komisarek(20,80), Marc Popovic(19,79)Adrian Foster (20,79), Jiri Novotny(19,77), Duncan Milroy(19,76)

-         Led by the best defence in hockey, and top-end players at every other position, the New Jersey Devils are the early favorite to win the MuleFHL Cup.  However, this doesn’t say much, considering they were in this position for the last two years, not yet making the finals.  They have an excellent combination of youth and experience and will likely be a contender for a very long time.

  1. Colorado Avalanche (81.83):

-         #1 Offence, #4 Defence, #2 Goaltending

-         Radim Vrbata(20,81), Andy Hilbert(21,81), Blair Betts(21,74), Sergei Kliazamine(20,73), Nathan Smith(20,69)

-         With the offseason acquisitions of Sergei Samsonov and Andy Hilbert, the Colorado Avalanche no doubt got better this offseason.  These deals gave the Avs the most powerful offence on paper in the MuleFHL, and those guys are tremendously young.  Like the Devils, the Avs will be one of the favorites to win the cup for many years to come.

  1. Philadelphia Flyers (81.36):

-         #3 Offence, #9 Defence, #5 Goaltending

-         Colin Shields(20,80), Jeff Woywitka(19,77), Todd Fedoruk(21,73), Bruno St.Jacques(21,71), Thierry Douville(19,70)

-         The Philadelphia Flyers are right up there as one of the top cup contenders once again, boasting what may be the grittiest team in the East.  Hopefully, guys like Brendan Shanahan, Mike Ricci and Doug Gilmour will be able to mask Pavel Bure’s cherry-picking this season.  Expect nothing less than a top 3 finish in the East from the Philadelphia Flyers once again this season.

  1. Ottawa Senators (80.89) –

-         #4 Offence, #5 Defence, #8 Goaltending

-         Jason Beckett(21,79), Mike Fisher(21,79), Derek Byfuglien(21,77), Alexander Giroux(21,75), Antoinne Vermette(19,74)

-         The recent acquisition of Nikolai Khabibulin really elevates this team to an elite level.  With a very powerful, experienced core in Sakic, Lemieux, and Blake, the Senators have been able to develop excellent depth which gives them the ability to compete with each and every team in this league on any night. 

  1. Detroit Red Wings (80.64) –

-         #13 Offence, #8 Defence, #1 Goaltending

-         Jordan Krestanovich(21,76), Fedor Fedorov(21,73), Brian Finley(21,72), Tim Jackman(19,71), Luca Cereda(20,71)

-         The Detroit Red Wings won the cup last season with their grit, and they will try to do the same this year.  New additions Theo Fleury and Bobby Holik are an excellent example of the type of players Galen Murray likes on his team.  Also, with the best goaltending in the league, the sky is the limit once again for the Detroit Red Wings.

  1. Vancouver Canucks (80.50) –

-         #5 Offence, #10 Defence, #9 Goaltending

-         Daniel Sedin(21,78), Henrik Sedin(21,78), Rene Vydareny(21,77), Thatcher Bell(20,75), Vaclav Nedorost(20,74)

-         The Canucks barely squeaked into the playoffs last year, but they are definite cup contenders this time around.  The emergences of Todd Bertuzzi, Markus Naslund and Teppo Numminen as true stars in this league have elevated the Canucks to this elite level.  This is a great situation for twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin to develop their skills.

  1. Pittsburgh Penguins (80.28) –

-         #6 Offence, #2 Defence, #20 Goaltending

-         Martin Havlat(21,81), Milan Kraft(21,79), Paul Martin(21,78), Eric Chouinard(21,78), Colby Armstrong(19,76)

-         Pittsburgh’s rebuilding stage is over!  Ryan Smyth, Chris Pronger, Pavol Demitra…all this team needs now is proven goaltending and they could very well be considered one of the top three teams in the MuleFHL.

  1. Edmonton Oilers (79.80) –

-         #9 Offence, #23 Defence, #4 Goaltending

-         Simon Gagne(21,81), Tomas Mozjis(20,76), Michael Henrich(21,73), Alexei Mikhnov(19,71), Matthew Lombardi(19,78)

-         The Oilers’ defence is questionable, but their stellar goaltending tandem and explosive offense will likely make them a top 4 team in the West regardless.  Newcomers Miroslav Satan and Eric Lindros provide this team with that scoring touch that was missing last season. 

  1. Buffalo Sabres (79.75) –

-         #7 Offence, #24 Defence, #11 Goaltending

-         Jaroslav Kristek(21,81), Taylor Pyatt(21,80), Ilya Kovalchuk(19,79), Dany Heatley(21,79), Alexei Semenov(21,77)

-         The Buffalo Sabres are another team who’s rebuilding process has been an absolute success.  Duane Larre has skilled, talented players falling out of his pocket; the Buffalo Sabres may very well be the most exciting team to watch in the MuleFHL this season.   However, the question is whether or not this team has enough leadership to go all the way come playoffs. 

  1. St. Louis Blues (79.67) –

-         #12 Offence, #6 Defence, #14 Goaltending

-         Troy Riddle(20,78), Igor Valeev(20,75), Justin Papineau(21,72), Dave Morisset(21,71)

-         The St. Louis blues are by no means a flashy team.  They win their games through hard work and determination, playing a true crash-and bang game, often scoring ugly goals from very close to the front of the net.  The acquisition of Steve Kariya will help add a bit of flash-and-dash to the Blues’ line-up, but guys like Jamal Mayers, Reed Low, and Keith Tkachuk will continue to make sure opposing goaltenders don’t see any of Al MacInnis’ shots from the point.

  1. Tampa Bay Lightning (79.61) –

-         #11 Offence, #19 Defence, #7 Goaltending

-         Maxime Ouellet(21,84), Alexander Svitov(19,82), Brad Richards(21,82), Justin Williams(20,80), Vincent Lecavalier(21,80)

-         Isn’t it amazing how a team can go from the league’s basement to boasting one of the league’s most intimidating line-ups in just two seasons?  Maxime Ouellet has seen enough rubber that he is now considered one of the league’s best goaltenders at the young age of 21.  The Lightning’s top line is also considered one of the better ones in the league, and it consists of an 19 year old, a 20 year old, and a 21 year old.  The Lightning have the backbone to be one of the best teams in the league, once they get some more depth and grit to fill out the remainder of their line-up.

  1. Montreal Canadiens (79.36) –

-         #20 Offence, #18 Defence, #6 Goaltending

-         Jiri Fischer(21,79), Marcel Hossa(20,77), Derek Mackenzie(20,77), Johan Eneqvist(20,75), Jan Bohac(20,74)

-         With Jose Theodore between the pipes, Montreal is almost guaranteed a playoff spot.  However, where they finish will likely be decided by how well the likes of Mike Peca, Martin Straka, and Norris Trophy Winner, Janne Niinimaa perform this season.  Youngster, Jiri Fischer is also expected to play a major role this season.

  1. San Jose Sharks (79.31) –

-         #10 Offence, #11 Defence, #16 Goaltending

-         Alexander Drozdetzky(20,79), Lars Jonsson(20,77), Brent Krahn(20,70)

-         The San Jose Sharks have a very diverse group of players, who will likely play very fast-paced, exciting hockey this season.  They are your stereotypical Western Conference team.  With Ozolinsh being their top defencemen, expect the Sharks to focus mostly on offense this season, allowing young John Nabokov to show off by using his quick reflexes to the max.

  1. Dallas Stars (79.17) –

-         #16 Offence, #16 Defence, #12 Goaltending

-         Steve Ott(19,76), Jason Bacashihua(19,69)

-         The Dallas Stars are a very experienced team who will have to play very disciplined hockey if they are going to make the playoffs this year.  They’ve definitly got the talent, but there’s always the possibility that they will that their age will catch up to them and hold them back.  Dallas needs to acquire some younger players if they want to avoid having an all-out rebuilding stage in the future.

  1. Toronto Maple Leafs (79.00) –

-         #8 Offence, #25 Defence, #18 Goaltending

-         Mike Comrie(21,80), Alexsander Suglobov(20,78), Jeff Taffe(21,78), Matthieu Biron(21,77), Markus Seikola(20,76)

-         Phill Matchett’s major transformation last season saw the Toronto Maple Leafs become a much younger team.  However, this comes at the expense of them going from a contender to simply contending for a playoff spot.  If they want to make the playoffs this year, some of the Leafs’ young defencemen are going to have to prove that they are MuleFHL quality.

  1. Boston Bruins (78.72) –

-         #14 Offence, #27 Defence, #13 Goaltending

-         Jonathan Girard(21,77), Maxim Rybin(21,74), Konstantin Koltsov(20,72), Marc-Andre Thinel(21,71), Donald Choukalos(20,67)

-         The deciding factor as to whether or not the Boston Bruins contend for a playoff spot this year will be how well young J-S. Giguere performs between the pipes behind Boston’s questionable defence.  A shaky Giguere could spell disaster for this team, but if he’s on his game, Giguere could very well lead the Bruins to a playoff spot.

  1. Florida Panthers (78.64) –

-         #26 Offence, #22 Defence, #11 Goaltending

-         Stephen Weiss(19,74), Serge Payer(21,72)

-         Though they only have two players 21 and under, the Panthers still have a very young team, with a lot of players just beginning to establish themselves in the league.  Like the Bruins, their goaltending will be key in whether or not the Panthers make the playoffs, as Luongo is still very young and a bit inconsistent…can he carry this team on his shoulders like he did at the beginning of last season?

  1. Washington Capitals (78.64) –

-         #18 Offence, #21 Defence, #15 Goaltending

-         Ross Lupaschuk(21,70), Jakub Cutta(20,66), Nolan Yonkman(21,65), Jomar Cruz(21,61), Krys Barch(21,61)

-         Washington’s major problem is depth…who is their back-up goaltender…who are some of those defencemen?  However, despite this, Washington has some legitimate top line players who will allow this team to compete for a playoff spot.  With some good prospect development, the Capitals could be very good in a few years, but they’re going to need to get going on that soon, as youngsters Matt Pettinger and Marian Cisar won’t be able to carry the load by themselves.

  1. Los Angeles Kings (78.53) –

-         #25 Offence, #3 Defence, #24 Goaltending

-          Jason Spezza(19,80), Ron Hainsey(21,79), Jay McClement(19,78), Yannik Lehoux(20,78), Barret Jackman(21,78)

-         Has the year finally come where the Los Angeles Kings will make the playoffs again?  We’re not sure, but they will definitly find themselves in the hunt this season, as Jason Spezza looks like he’s finally ready to take control.  Los Angeles boasts one of the MuleFHL’s elite defence cores, but their offense is unproven and Felix Potvin is a very streaky goaltender. 

  1. Calgary Flames (78.50) –

-         #14 Offence, #15 Defence, #23 Goaltending

-         Jarret Stoll(20,76), Alexander Taratukhuin(19,73), Robyn Regher(21,71), Andrei Medveydev(19,79), Tommi Maki(19,66)

-         The Calgary Flames are your standard competitive team.  They have an average offense, an average defence, and average goaltending…there are no major weaknesses, but at the same time, there is nothing that really stands out.  The Flames will likely be one of those teams that isn’t noticed much this season until the very end, where it looks like there will be an unbelieveably large battle for playoff spots.

  1. Chicago Blackhawks (78.39) –

-         #21 Offence, #20 Defence, #19 Goaltending

-         Carlo Coliacovo(20,79), Dan Blackburn(19,78), Steve McCarthy(20,78), Anton Volchenkov(20,77), Phil Cole(19,75)

-         Chicago seems to be in the bottom half of the league when you look at each position individually, but they are a team filled with young players who are destined to break-out at some point.  The Blackhawks are right in the middle of their re-building process, as it appears they will have a star goaltender and a strong defence within a couple of years which they will be able to build around.

  1. Phoenix Coyotes (78.28) –

-         #23 Offence, #17 Defence, #21 Goaltending

-         Krys Kolanos(20,78), Ossi Vaananen(21,78), Vitaly Vishnevsky(21,77), Jeff Heerema(21,76), Jan Toulsa(21,73)

-         The Phoenix Coyotes have a franchise player, Jason Allison, a #1 defencemen in Danny Markov, and a legitimate starting goaltender in Dafoe.  However, behind those players, the Coyotes are developing young players and filling the holes with a wide variety of players.  The Coyotes will make the playoffs if some of their youngsters can step up this season, but otherwise, this will likely be a bit of a rebuilding season.

  1. Carolina Hurricanes (78.25) –

-         #19 Offence, #13 Defence, #25 Goaltending

-         Jonathan Cheechoo(21,81), Jozef Vasicek(21,80), Robb Zepp(20,76), David Tanabe(21,76), Jaroslav Svoboda(21,74)

-         Carolina will rely heavily on their young top-line talent in Cheechoo and Vasicek.  They have a very respectable line-up all around, though it is questionable as to whether Arturs Irbe can carry the load or not.  If he can be steady throughout the year, the Canes will surprise and find themselves at the top of this logjam and in the playoffs.

  1. Nashville Predators (78.14) –

-         #22 Offence, #12 Defence, #28 Goaltending

-         Scott Hartnell(20,81), Greg Watson(19,80), Brian Sutherby(20,79), Pavel Brendl(20,79), Jurjaj Kolnik(21,77)

-         It’s only a matter of time before the Nashville Predators are true competitors…their defence is admirable, their top line is finally developing into one which can compete on a daily basis, and there is no question that Ryan Miller has the potential to be a superstar…but he’s still very much unproven and will likely need a couple years’ seasoning before he can lead his team very far.

  1. New York Islanders (77.70) –

-         #29 Offence, #14 Defence, #27 Goaltending

-         Brendan Bell(19,79), Bryan Allen(21,79), Branislav Mezei(21,78), Rick DiPietro(20,78), Raffi Torres(21,77), Justin Mapletoft(21,77)

-          Since Marc Porcina took over the New York Islanders, the team’s defence has become one of the best young groups in the MuleFHL.  They’ll develop along with the team’s future goaltender, Rick DiPietro, and will likely be the envy of many teams in the league.  However, the Isles’ offence must still make huge strides before this team can truly contend for a playoff spot.

  1. Anaheim Mighty Ducks (77.58)

-         #17 Offence, #28 Defence, #26 Goaltending

-         David Hale(20,70), Scott Kelman(21,70), Alexei Smirnov(21,66), Sebastien Centomo(21,63)

-         Ahh, the Mighty Ducks…Niko Bruno’s dream team…but now left for James Lee to clean up the mess.  He has already gone out and acquired a bit of youth, a group Niko Bruno purged like any good dictator.  The Mighty Ducks are still somewhat of a disorganized team, but they have now been turned in the right direction and will slowly move back into contention for a playoff spot.

  1. New York Rangers (77.55) –

-         #30 Offence, #7 Defence, #17 Goaltending

-          Jaroslav Sklenar(19,74), Filip Novak(20,69), Craig Anderson(21,65)

-         Another mess that is currently in the process of being cleaned up by the new GM, the New York Rangers are starting to look a bit more…normal?  They are in good condition in goal, with Lalime and Weekes, and they do have one of the top defences in the league.  However, they have, without a doubt, the worst offense in the MuleFHL.  Todd White has been brought in, improving the situation a bit, but the Richard Halvorson still has his work cut out for him these next few years.

  1. Columbus Blue Jackets (77.14) –

-         #28 Offence, #29 Defence, #22 Goaltending

-         Shane Bendera(20,67)

-         The Columbus Blue Jackets are still an expansion team on paper, but they have character.  Jason Price has taken a unique approach with this expansion team and it was a success in both previous seasons.  Once again, the Blue Jackets are considered major under-dogs, but with the character that this team has, they could still end up with a very comfortable playoff spot. 

  1. Atlanta Thrashers (77.11) –

-         #24 Offence, #26 Defence, #29 Goaltending

-          Tim Connolly(20,81), Milan Bartovic(20,79), Patrik Stefan(21,78), Frederik Sjostrom(19,77), Kiel McLeod(19,76)

-         Atlanta’s taken the more traditional approach with an expansion team, as they are building a team through youth.  They have an immense amount of young players who have star potential and it’s only a matter of time before the team begins to intimidate the rest of the league with its talent.

  1. Minnesota Wild (76.31) –

-         #27 Offence, #30 Defence, #30 Goaltending

-         Marian Gaborik(20,81), Dan Cavanagh(21,80), Mikko Koivu(19,79), Nick Schultz(19,74), Eric Reitz(19,68)

-         The Minnesota Wild are following in Atlanta’s footsteps, trying to form a team through developing home-grown talent.  So far, they have three potential franchise players in Gaborik, Cavanagh and Koivu.  However, seeing as they’ve still had only a couple seasons, they don’t exactly have tremendous depth yet.  Regardless, the Minnesota Wild are moving in the right direction and will be out of the basement soon enough.