The NHL rankings are back on the D&S Sports Report and they will continue every Tuesday until the season is over. Not a whole lot has changed since the teams returned from the All-Star break. The Penguins have found more ways to lose, the Sabres just scored on Edmonton (Again!), and the battle for the top spot is being fought out between San Jose and Boston. As always, comments are welcome or feel free to send an e-mail with your thoughts. On to the rankings!

2. San Jose Sharks (1) – The Sharks haven't fallen too far, going 7-3-0 in their last ten. They still have a decent lead in the Western Conference but they have slipped up just enough to allow Boston to take over in the race for the President's Trophy (which might be a good thing).

3. Detroit Red Wings (3) – The Red Wings have been average as of late, but they still have a comfortable lead in the second spot out West. They have put plenty of pucks in the net but their goaltending has been suspect at times. It should be interesting as the trade deadline approaches and several goaltenders become available. Don't be shocked if Detroit makes a move to acquire one of them.

4. New Jersey Devils (5) – The Devils have been the hottest team in the league as of late. They are 9-1-0 in their last ten and have won their last eight games. They have quickly caught up with Washington and if Boston starts to slip, New Jersey will be right there to take away the top spot. I personally saw them steal a game against Pittsburgh where they were down 3-1 late in the third and I was very impressed with how they played when it counted.

5. Calgary Flames (7) – Calgary has been solid recently but they need to be much more consistent if they plan on catching Detroit. I caught the Calgary/Buffalo game the other night and for the first two periods, I wasn't overly impressed, but they came to play in the third and rightfully won the game 5-2.

6. Washington Capitals (4) – Washington is starting to slip up a little bit, but they don't have a whole lot to worry about right now. I guess you can chalk that up as an advantage of playing in the weakest division in the NHL.

7. Chicago Blackhawks (9) – Chicago is holding steady in the Western Conference race. I personally don't see them catching Detroit, but they shouldn't fall too much further and should definitely make some noise in the playoffs.

8. New York Rangers (8) – The Rangers have not been great lately and the standings reflect that. For a team so loaded with superstars, they really aren't as great as they would appear on paper. I could honestly see them missing the playoffs if they don't turn things around quickly.

9. Montreal Canadiens (6) – For a team that was supposed to challenge for a Cup this season, Montreal has been the opposite of dominant at times. As of late, they are 4-6-0 in their last ten games and have looked very beatable. They have several huge games, including this Friday against Buffalo, which they can't afford to lose.

10. Philadelphia Flyers (11) – The Flyers have been decent lately but nothing overly special. Much like the Rangers, I can easily see them missing the playoffs if they don't turn it around. Barring some kind of hot streak by either goaltender (like last year), I think that will be the one thing that holds Philly back this year.

11. Buffalo Sabres (10) – When you just look at the numbers, Buffalo hasn't been spectacular as of late, but they have still been pretty good. They haven't played at home in what seems like forever, and just finished a West coast swing which included stops at Edmonton, Calgary, Phoenix, and Anaheim. They went 2-2 in that stretch and now come back home to Buffalo to build on things.

12. Anaheim Ducks (13) – The Ducks have been off and on this season, but they have looked better recently. If they can get some strong goaltending, they should be able to make the post-season, but if not they will be on the outside looking in. It will be interesting to see what they do around the trade deadline, considering the amount of rumors I've read about them.

13. Carolina Hurricanes (NR) – The Hurricanes and Panthers are fighting for that last spot. The Hurricanes have looked average in games I've seen and are nothing to fear. If they were to slide into the playoffs as an 8 seed, I can see them being the first team eliminated.

14. Florida Panthers (15) – The Panthers are a dangerous team. They are fighting for their playoff lives and in my opinion, as time passes they will surpass the Hurricanes. They have several rumors flying around about trading star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, which will be fun to follow because it will tell a lot about how important the playoffs are to Florida. If they wind up trading him, I see it as a total give up by the organization.

15. Dallas Stars (NR) – The only time the Stars have been in the news this season, it was for the antics of Sean Avery, but now they are getting headlines for their solid play. They are 6-2-2 in their last ten and have won four straight games. If a team were planning to make a post-season run, this is the perfect time to do it. The Stars don't have a terrible team, but they need much better play from Marty Turco as the season winds down.