The Rangers re-acquisition of Sean Avery is now very much in question. Earlier this season when he was jettisoned from Dallas, many hockey fans and experts predicted that he would go back to the Rangers.

Well he has since cleared waivers and is currently playing in the AHL for the Rangers affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack. He is still property of the Dallas Stars but just about everyone is expecting the Rangers to bring him back into the fold. Even captain Chris Drury, who isn’t the biggest fan of Avery, is willing to welcome him back on the team which should tell you how desperate the Rangers are.

Well now that they have fired their coach Tom Renney and brought in former Lightning coach John Tortorella, the acquisition of Sean Avery is in doubt. Why? Well this is what Tortorella said right around the time of the Avery suspension from the NHL when he was working for TSN.

He's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed the organization, he's embarrassed the league and he's embarrassed his teammates, who have to look out for him. Send him home. He doesn't belong in the league." (National Post)

Obviously I have no inside information on this story and Avery could be acquired today which would make my statements false, but I can’t see a guy who makes comments like this about a player then welcoming him on to his team.

With only a little over 20 games to play and 9 days away from the trading deadline, it's time for another set of rankings for the NHL Top 15.

As always, it was an exciting week of hockey. The Sharks returned home and returned to their winning ways. Unless they go on another extended losing streak, they are the front runners for the President's Trophy over Boston or Detroit. I don't know how they will do in the playoffs facing off against Detroit, but that will be an entertaining series for sure (assuming they play each other). The Hurricanes are coming along and challenging for a playoff spot while Pittsburgh continues to toil around in the 10^th spot. Lucky for them some injuries are happening to other teams that could improve their chances. And the Canadiens… well I don't know what to say about them. They were already free falling and now are facing allegations of being involved with organized crime. They seemed to rally around that on Saturday but we'll see if that keeps up or if this is just too much to handle.

1. San Jose Sharks (4) – Like I said above, the Sharks went back West and got back on a roll. The President's Trophy is theirs to lose when you consider the amount of games in hand that they have on the others in the race. Upcoming games: Dallas, Detroit, Ottawa and Montreal.

2. Boston Bruins (1) – I'd like to thank the Bruins for screwing up my streak for the cash on ESPN. Anyways, when they screwed that up they also got shut out by Florida in a huge game for both teams. If Florida were to squeak into the playoffs and face Boston in the first round, they would have to like their chances. Upcoming games: Florida, Anaheim and Washington.

3. Detroit Red Wings (3) – With a week until the trade deadline, we'll see if the Wings make a move to shore up their goaltending. Since last week's rankings, they have given Chris Osgood a little rest to see if he can re-gain some momentum heading into the stretch run. I haven't seen a ton of Red Wings games this year, but I would think Ty Conklin is a solid choice in net. Upcoming games: San Jose, Los Angeles and Nashville.

4. Washington Capitals (5) – The Caps got a fairly easy win in Hype Fest yesterday when they beat Sidney Crybaby and the Pens 5-2. As if there was any doubt to my article a few weeks about whether or not Ovechkin should be the face of the NHL, someone should watch his goal against Montreal from last week. Upcoming games: Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and Florida.

5. New Jersey Devils (2) – The Devils have dropped a little in the rankings, but it could only be temporary. Martin Brodeur is expected back this week and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. The Devils have been extremely hot this season without him and it could either screw up the team chemistry or make them that much better. Upcoming games: Colorado, Florida and Philadelphia.

6. Chicago Blackhawks (6) – Chicago and Calgary continue to do battle in the Western Conference standings and in the rankings. Just like the past few weeks, the teams stay put for this week. Neither has done anything amazing, just been solid and consistent. Upcoming

games: Nashville, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

7. Calgary Flames (7) – Speaking of amazing highlights, did anyone else see the stick save by Miika Kiprusoff last week? This guy is a great goalie and I don't think he always gets the credit he deserves. He could be a deciding factor in the playoffs, assuming he isn't worn out from playing so many games. Upcoming games: Columbus, Minnesota and Tampa Bay.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (8) – The Flyers are holding on to the 4^th spot in the East, but it's far from over. They got a big win over Buffalo on Thursday, despite the goaltending of Martin Biron. They should be getting Danny Briere back soon which should bolster the team a little more. Upcoming games: Washington, Los Angeles, Montreal and New Jersey.

9. Florida Panthers (9) – The Panthers got a very big win against Boston on Saturday night. Since we're hitting the final days before the trade deadline, expect a TON of trade rumors involving Jay Bouwmeester, none of which should be taken seriously (if you're getting them from hockey's "best" rumor site). Upcoming games: Boston, NY Rangers, New Jersey and Washington.

10. Vancouver Canucks (NR) – The Canucks vault into the rankings going from unranked to the 10^th spot. They have been on a tear as of late and led by goalie Roberto Luongo. I look at them in a similar way to Calgary, where they are a good team but the goaltending could really push them further than expected. Upcoming games: Montreal, Tampa Bay and Columbus.

11. Buffalo Sabres (10) – Buffalo suffered a big loss against Philly and an even bigger loss Saturday night when Scott Gomez took out Ryan Miller on a very questionable play. I'm sure he'll be getting thank you cards from the other Eastern Conference teams this week. The Sabres will now have to depend on Patrick Lalime if they plan on making the playoffs. Upcoming games: Anaheim, Carolina and NY Islanders.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (15) – Carolina continues to push for that playoff spot in the East. The injury to Ryan Miller mentioned above should increase their chances. They will have a chance to face Buffalo this week which will either put them ahead or push them further behind. Look for Buffalo to bring it in that game after the embarrassment they had on home ice a week ago. Upcoming games: Ottawa, Buffalo and Atlanta.

13. Dallas Stars (13) – The Stars stay put in the West, but only by a strand. They have been one of the hotter teams since the All-Star Break but suffered an injury to Brad Richards which will hurt the team. Look for them to make at least one deal at the deadline to alleviate the loss of Richards. Upcoming games: San Jose, St Louis, Anaheim and Pittsburgh.

14. Montreal Canadiens (12) – Montreal rebounded on Saturday against Ottawa but it will take

more than one game to bring them back into the picture. They sent star Alex Kovalev home early last week and he responded well on Saturday, but now Montreal is facing the allegations of being involved in organized crime. The NHL sent officials to Montreal to investigate so we'll see how this affects the team. Upcoming games: Vancouver, Philadelphia and San Jose.

15. New York Rangers (15) – The Rangers should be embarrassed. They put together a star studded line-up and they play like a minor league team most of the time. The Sabres beat them again on Saturday to move to 3-0 this season against the Rangers. I could go on and on about what happened last Saturday night, but I'll choose my words wisely. I'd say it would be interesting to see those two teams play again this season, but chances are Buffalo won't respond the way they should've on Saturday. Upcoming games: Toronto, Florida and Colorado.

We’re just a mere two weeks away from the trade deadline, so things will definitely get interesting as we progress through this season. Usually the trade deadline exposes teams that are willing to sacrifice a little bit now for some help at a cup, and teams that are conceding although they are still mathematically in it.

I’ve said it time and time again, but Florida is the team I’m watching. They are very much in this race and can make some real noise in the playoffs, but not without Jay-Bo. From what I’ve read, he has already turned down a 6.5 million per season deal to stay with Florida, so they may opt to trade him and get anything they can in return. If they don’t get enough, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Florida slip out and Carolina snatch up that last spot.

Pittsburgh also made the decision to fire their head coach this weekend, having him take the fall for the team’s poor performance. I wasn’t the biggest fan of this guy, but he is less than one season removed from taking the Pens to the Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, since last season, they have lost a ton of key players and replaced them with the likes of slacker Miroslav Satan. Seriously? Miroslav Satan? I think the GM should’ve fired himself.

1. Boston Bruins (1) – The Bruins retain the top spot for the third straight week, but the Devils are nipping at them. The Bruins have lost four in a row and if they continue that stretch, the Devils will not only overtake them in these rankings, but also in the standings. Boston has three winnable games this week; Carolina, Florida, and Tampa Bay.

2. New Jersey Devils (4) – The Devils continue to win and play very solid hockey.

It's week three of the NHL top 15 and as the week's progress; the rankings get a little easier. The teams are hitting that tough stretch of February hockey before they have to really bring their A game in March for the playoff push. It's going to be a tight race all the way to the end and I'm looking forward to it. In addition to the playoff push, we also have the trade deadline coming up, which is now less than a month away. I've personally read quite a few rumors, but usually those don't pan out the way it's written. We'll have to wait and see what happens, but it will be a good one.

1. Boston Bruins (1) – The B's keep chugging along and retain the top spot for the second straight week. I personally have to wonder just how far they will go in the playoffs, but it will really come down to who they play. Some teams seem to match-up very nicely with them, while most of the teams don't.

2. Detroit Red Wings (3) – The Wings jump up to the number two spot, thanks to a free fall from San Jose. The Red Wings are a team that would truly scare me in the playoffs. They have enough experience to make a similar run again and they seem just as hungry. They have currently won four games in a row and are only two points behind San Jose for the top spot in the West.

3. San Jose Sharks (2) – The Sharks have lost three games in a row for the first time all season, which explains the drop in the rankings. They have a trip out East which includes a battle against the Bruins and game against the Sabres later in the week. One thing that works in their favor, they currently have a handful of games in hand compared to the other teams near them in the standings.

4. New Jersey Devils (4) – The Devils continue to roll and have made quick work of the Eastern Conference, going from 7th to 4th in a very short time span. I've never been a fan of their style of play, but I have to give credit where credit is due. As long as they keep playing this style of hockey, they should roll with it and take the division. From that point it will be a battle between themselves and Washington for the 2nd seed in the East.

5. Washington Capitals (6) – The Capitals continue to play strong hockey, but I won't be a true believer until I see them do it in the post-season. It doesn't say a lot to win the division they are in, but regardless of that, they show flashes of being a good team. If they were to match-up with a division foe in the playoffs, I wouldn't be so quick to tally up a series win for the Caps.

6. Chicago Blackhawks (7) – The Hawks have been somewhat average in the past week but they seem to have a firm grip in the West. Like I said before, they aren't catching Detroit, but they should still get home ice in the first round of the playoffs.

7. Calgary Flames (5) – The Flames had lost four games in a row until they faced off against the lifeless Canadiens last night and got back on track with a 6-2 victory. They still have a decent lead over Minnesota in the Northwest division, but they need to get back on the right track sooner rather than later.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (10) – The Flyers have won two games in a row and now only sit four points behind New Jersey for the division lead. I still think goaltending will be the downfall for Philly, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure, the race in the Eastern Conference is seriously log jammed from spots four through seven.

9. Buffalo Sabres (11) – The Sabres came back from the west coast trip in strong fashion, dismantling the junior league team posing as the Toronto Maple Leafs. They beat the Canadiens on Friday night and stole a point in Ottawa on Saturday. If the Sabres plan on making a run, they will have to have someone step up in Thomas Vanek's absence. I've read several rumors of the Sabres making a semi-major trade before the deadline, but that really isn't Buffalo's style so they might just rely on the young guys to step up.

10. New York Rangers (8) – The Rangers have lost five games in a row and if they lose a few more, they will be on the outside of the playoff picture. I personally don't see it happening, but I'm not complaining either. I've read that they may look at bringing Sean Avery back into the fold, so I'm ready to begin my hatred of the guy again. Sad to say, he might be exactly what the Rangers need.

11. Montreal Canadiens (9) – The Canadiens are truly free falling as of late. They gave up two huge points in Buffalo on Friday night and then lost to Toronto the following night. Unless they pick it up very quickly, I can see Buffalo and either Carolina/Florida catching them in the conference race. They are currently only two points ahead of Buffalo in the division and they are barely hanging on to the 5th seed.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (13) – Carolina has won two games in a row to hold on to the 8th spot, but that doesn't look like it will hold. If Florida were to make a major trade, it would essentially take them right out of the picture, so it will basically be up to Pittsburgh. Lucky for the Canes, the Penguins have been sucking pretty bad this year and they don't appear to be getting any better.

13. Dallas Stars (14) – Dallas has been a tear lately, going 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. They finally put Sean Avery on waivers so that appears to be behind them and they are focusing on playing good hockey. With such a tight race in the West, if Dallas were to miss the playoffs by a point or two, I would get a laugh knowing that Buffalo absolutely robbed them of a point earlier this season. It doesn't make up for 'No Goal', but it's still a good feeling.

13. Anaheim Ducks (12) – Anaheim is an enigma for me. They seem to have a good team put together, but they have been struggling for better parts of the season. I really don't see them doing a whole lot once the post-season rolls around, assuming they even make it. Word on the street is that they are shopping defenseman Chris Pronger. If they end up making that trade, you can officially count the Ducks out.

15. Florida Panthers (14) – Florida has been hanging around all season making teams in the East sweat. David Booth has been a real force this season and my fantasy team thanks him. They have a pretty easy game against Toronto this week before they face off against Carolina, NY Rangers, and Washington. Those three games will be HUGE for the Panthers.

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.