Silver Nuggets: Ottawa Senators in the power rankings

I haven't got much time to write a blog post this morning, unfortunately, so I present to you a compendium of where the Ottawa Senators sit in NHL Power Rankings from across the league. Most of these rankings came out early this week, so they certainly don't consider last night's game against the Washington Capitals.

You will notice that, with the exception of CBC and SI, every outlet has the Senators ranked lower than the Sens are within the NHL standings. Obviously, power rankings take other factors into consideration beyond standings, but it's a rather odd trend, don't you think? The 'average' spot for the Sens based on these rankings is 21st (as are the median and mode), and the Sens currently tied for 16th in the NHL with 29 points.

• CBC (15 this week, 23 last week): Still one of the most exciting teams to watch, especially in the third period. We didn't think they would be a factor this season, but kudos to rookie head coach Paul MacLean.
• TSN (21 this week, 22 last week): "Two regulation losses in the last nine games is some progress, especially when eight of those nine games have been on the road."
• The Hockey News (21 this week, 23 last week): "Plucky Sens have league's worst goals-against average (3.38)"
• ESPN (21 this week, 19 last week): "You have to give credit to this rebuilding club for hanging in there amid the dire preseason predictions."
• FOX (24 this week, 22 last week): "With 16 goals in 26 games, Milan Michalek is well on his way to surpassing his previous career high of 26, set in 2006-07."
• CBS (24 this week, 23 last week): "Other than Milan Michalek, who is having one of the best goal-scoring seasons of his career, the bright spot on the team this season has to be defenseman Erik Karlsson, who currently leads NHL defensemen with 23 points."
• Sports Illustrated (18 this week, 23 last week): "Daniel Alfredsson still has some game at age 38 (he'll be 39 next week). Good ol' Alfie ripped one past Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson, an old-school slapper down the wall on the right side, while helping the Sens in their 4-2 win. The fact that they're in a playoff spot today is one of the season's minor miracles."

More links after the jump.

Senators headlines:

• Recaps of last night: Silver Seven | Japers' Rink | Ottawa Sun | Ottawa Citizen | National Post
• Here's the now-infamous Alexander Ovechkin spear. It looked pretty blatant to me, while at the game. Here's what I think happened: Chris Neil hit Ovechkin with a pretty big and definitely clean hit, and chirped Ovie up the ice--until Ovechkin jabbed him with the stick quite uglily, and Neil embellished it (although you know that had to hurt).

• Bob McKenzie thought the spear should have been penalized with a double-minor or major, but would be surprised to see any supplemental discipline. (Twitter)
• Neil said the play was "like a pitchfork right in the gut." Also, classic Zenon Konopka: "How is it Shanahan has not fined or suspended (Dion) Phaneuf for that fauxhawk?" (Sun)
• Paul MacLean called it a "deliberate attempt to injure." (Sens TV)
• Daniel Alfredsson feels the Senators have a "team identity," but it's markedly different from past Sens squads. (Citizen)
• The Binghamton Senators were shut out 1-0 last night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in a game presented by Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company. Robin Lehner stopped 34 of 35 shots. (Press & Sun Bulletin)
• Sportsnet polls the masses to find out what they'd do if they replaced Bryan Murray. I'm sure most responses can be summed up with one sentence: Run the team into the ground. (Sportsnet)

General NHL headlines:

• If you haven't yet read the incredible New York Times feature on the life, career, and untimely death of former NHLer Derek Boogaard, you should probably do it now: Part 1: Learning to Brawl, Part 2: Blood on the Ice, Part 3: A Brain 'Going Bad'. It is, bar none, the best hockey writing I've ever read in a daily.
• Looks like Sidney Crosby's back on the shelf. He collided with teammate Chris Kunitz last game, so he's sitting out a couple as a precaution. (Pensburgh)
• Kirk Muller got his first win as an NHL head coach in Carolina's 5-3 win over Edmonton. (Canes Country)
• Former Sen Andy Sutton was a physical force for the Oilers in that game against the Hurricanes, but he also launched this rather ugly hit against Alexei Ponikarovsky. (Puck Daddy)