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2009 NHL Power Rankings – March 2

You know what they say, NHL betting fans: you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. So you can’t teach Martin Brodeur to, uh, not…stop…pucks, onto this week’s NHL power rankings…

NHL Power Rankings: Marty doesn’t miss a beat

You know what they say, NHL betting fans: you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. So you can’t teach Martin Brodeur to, uh, not…stop…pucks. OK, it’s a bad analogy. But it’s Monday, so gimme a break.The bottom line: Martin Brodeur is both a seasoned vet and a shutout machine – give him 100 for his career now – so he wasn’t going to stop stoning people just because he missed several months of action this season. Needless to say, the Devils are rock-solid sportsbook picks right now – maybe the best of all.

(Last week’s ranking in brackets)

1.(4) New Jersey Devils (41-19-3): Top line is still rolling and Marty posts two donuts in his first three games back. Scott who?

2.(2) Detroit Red Wings (41-14-8): Won the latest round of the Sharks/Wings rivalry last week. Does any online betting fan not think they’ll meet in the Western Conference final?

3.(1) San Jose Sharks (42-10-9): Losses to Detroit and Montreal last week suggest they may have a bit of tinkering to do at the trade deadline this week.
4.(7) Calgary Flames (37-19-6): Cammalleri keep sniping and now Olli Jokinen could be joining his old coach Mike Keenan. They’re determined to contend in the Stanley Cup odds this season.

5.(3) Washington Capitals (40-19-5): Sagged a bit last week but it’s forgivable considering they played five games in seven days.

6.(6) Vancouver Canucks (32-22-8): Lost to the Habs but immediately started another winning streak after that. Not even super-rookie Steve Mason could tame them.

7.(8) Boston Bruins (42-12-9): Stopped the bleeding and really pummeled Florida and Anaheim. Maybe it’s safe to pick them in NHL betting again. Will they mortgage some of their future at the trade deadline?

8.(5) Chicago Blackhawks (35-17-9): Definitely stumbled in February, but the Hawks seem locked into fourth with little chance of moving up or down. Can you blame them for coasting?

9.(9) Florida Panthers (32-23-8): Went 2-2 against Boston, New York Rangers, New Jersey and Washington? Very commendable. They’re poised to make their first Stanley Cup betting playoffs appearance in almost a decade.

10.(19) Montreal Canadiens (34-22-7): Four straight wins and a thriller over mighty San Jose. So much for team turmoil. Will Bob Gainey make some moves on Wednesday or get caught napping for the second straight year?

11. (10) Philadelphia Flyers (33-18-10): Could jump several spots if Niklas Backstrom is stopping pucks for them at this time next week.

12.(16) Pittsburgh Penguins (32-26-6): A quiet five wins in six games. Somehow, American hockey’s flagship franchise is flying under the NHL betting radar.

13.(24) Nashville Predators (31-28-4): An 11-spot jump. Am I crazy? No. You know what’s crazy? Four straight wins for the Preds, including triumphs over Detroit and Chicago. They’re a hot sportsbook pick right now.

14.(22) St. Louis Blues (28-26-8): Another team making a massive jump this week. Chris Mason looks like Steve Mason right now and the Chris Pronger rumors are intriguing.

15.(12) Columbus Blue Jackets (31-26-6): Didn’t look totally overmatched on their western-Canadian swing (1-2); I’d bet at the offshore sportsbook that the Jackets make the playoffs.

16.(18) Edmonton Oilers (31-26-5): Hanging around like the Blue Jackets, but I think they’ll be on the outside looking in come April. Still a bit too young.

17.(17) Anaheim Ducks (31-28-5)
18.(14) Carolina Hurricanes (32-27-5)
19.(28) Toronto Maple Leafs (25-26-12)
20.(13) Minnesota Wild (30-26-5)
21.(11) Dallas Stars (29-26-7)
22.(15) Buffalo Sabres (31-25-7)
23.(25) New York Rangers (32-24-8)
24.(23) Los Angeles Kings (26-27-9)
25.(26) New York Islanders (19-36-7)
26.(27) Tampa Bay Lightning (21-30-12)
27.(20) Ottawa Senators (23-28-10)
28.(30) Atlanta Thrashers (23-34-6)
29.(21) Colorado Avalanche (28-34-1)
30.(28) Phoenix Coyotes (27-31-5)

Seems every team is on a streak of some sort in NHL betting this week. Expect a correction in the trends next week once the trade hoop-la calms…

By Cappers Picks

Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"

One reply on “2009 NHL Power Rankings – March 2”

As a Flyers fan I would love to see them make another run like they did last season. I do not see much difference from them and some of the other higher ranked teams in the East and I agree if they have Niklas Backsrom in goal it makes them a much better team.

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