Not going to make this too complicated but based on record, Points For, roster potential, and in some cases 2011-12 performance.
Great to see formerly neglected franchises spring back to life this season with active owners!
Here are your TOP 16 teams of FNHL after 4 wks into the 2012-13 season.
1. Dallas Stars :DAL-NHL:
* 4-0 record
* 1st in Points For 482.3
* Starts Corey Crawford + the Leafs' goaltending tandem of Ben Scrivens + James Reimer
* 2011-12 Western Conference Finalist
2. Minnesota Wild :MIN-NHL:
* 2-2 record (would be 4-0 without 2wk line-up penalty)
* potentially 1st in Points For if not for 2wk penalty
* boasts Craig Anderson, Jonas Hiller and Scott Clemmensen in net
* 2011-12 Stanley Cup Champion roster
3. Florida Panthers :FLO:
* 4-0 record
* 2nd in Pts For 470.1
* 2011-12 Stanley Cup Finalist
4. Phoenix Coyotes :PHO:
* 4-0 record
* 3rd in Pts For 437.4
* Features strong Goalie tandem in Tomas Vokoun + Jose Theodore
* 2011-12 Western Conf. Semi-Finalist
5. Tampa Bay Lightning :TBL:
* 4-0 record
* 7th in Pts For 405.0
* Owns 2 prime starting Goalies in Mike Smith + Antti Niemi
* 2011-12 Eastern Conference Finalist
6. Edmonton Oilers :EDM:
* 3-1 record
* Leads the Northwest Division
* 6th in Pts For 407.1
7. Los Angeles Kings :LA:
* 3-1 record
* Plays in the tough Pacific Division with :DAL-NHL: + :PHO:
8. Buffalo Sabres :BUF-NHL:
* 3-1 record
* Leads Northeast Division
* Faces challenge to hold lead with :MON-NHL: :TOR-NHL: :OTT: on their heels
9. Detroit Red Wings :DET-NHL:
* 2-2 record
* Potentially could've been at least 3-1 if previous owner set line-up first 2 wks
* Has potential to climb higher in rankings
* Plenty of scoring up front with Datsyuk, Couture, Lecavalier + Ladd
10. Winnipeg Jets :WIN:
* 2-2 record
* 5th in Pts For 423.1
* Plays in the tough Southeast Division with :TBL: + :FLO:
* Starts two NHL first stringers in Ilya Bryzgalov + Ondrej Pavelec
11. Pittsburgh Penguins :PIT-NHL:
* 3-1 record shares Atlantic Division lead with :NJD:
* Needs to Crosby, Parise + Kunitz to continue carrying his team
12. Chicago Blackhawks :CHI-NHL:
* 3-1 record
* Currently leads the Central Division staying ahead of :DET-NHL: + :STL-NHL:
* Could slip in ranking after losing top scorer Brendan Gallagher + Goalie Carey Price
13. New Jersey Devils :NJD:
* 3-1 record shares Atlantic Division lead with :PIT-NHL:
* Remains in the Top 16 as long as Brodeur stays healthy + plays
14. Toronto Maple Leafs :TOR-NHL:
* 2-2 record
* 4th in Pts For 425.4
* 2011-12 Eastern Conf. Semi-Finalist
15. Ottawa Senators :OTT:
* 2-2 record
* 8th in Pts For 395.6
* Could see a boost in ranking if Braden Holtby plays more consistently
16. Montreal Canadiens :MON-NHL:
* 2-2 record
* Strong ability to climb into the middle of the pack
* Features two solid goalies in Devan Dubnyk + potential #1 Viktor Fasth
SLEEPING GIANTS
Teams that have fire power + the bodies on the roster to crack the top 16 but don't currently have a winning record due to a difficult schedule or just flat outta luck:
A. Washington Capitals :WAS-NHL:
* 0-4 record
* 11th in Pts For
* 6th highest Pts Against
* Future hinges on how long Kari Lehtonen stays out with groin injury
B. Boston Bruins :BOS-NHL:
* 0-4 record
* 11th in Pts For
* 11th highest Pts Against
* 2011-12 Eastern Conf. Semi-Finalist
C. Calgary Flames :CLG:
* 1-3 record
* 2011-12 Western Conf. Semi-Finalist
D. Colorado Avalanche :COL-NHL:
* 1-3 record (1-wk win streak)
* Roster was benched by previous owner for 2-3wks to start season?!?
* Line-up shows lots of scoring potential
E. Philadelphia Flyers :PHI-NHL:
* 2-2 record
* Owns Lundqvist, Bobrovsky along with Kelser, Malkin, Hall + Giroux!
F. St.Louis Blues :STL-NHL:
* 2-2 record
* Poised to challenge for :CHI-NHL: for the lead in the Central Division
* Lost Jaroslav Halak for 2 of 4 wks but getting him back in WK5
G. Vancouver Canucks :VAN:
* 2-2 record
* Actively rebuilding team and could crack the Top 16 in the near future
* Plays in the tough Northwest Division with :MIN-NHL: + :EDM:
H. Carolina Hurricanes :CAR-NHL:
* 2-2 record
* 3rd highest Pts Against @ 414.95
* 21st in Pts For = might not be able to fend off challengers long-run
* Plays in the challenging Southeast Division with :TBL: :FLO: :WIN:
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