Power Rankings: Three-headed monster leads halfway charge

Updated Jan. 12

The NHL has crossed that great divide known as the mid-way point in its schedule, and several things have become clear. Among them: the Boston Bruins are not a fluke; the Red Wings don't understand the concept of Stanley Cup hangover and the San Jose Sharks really are built to win in the playoffs.

Not coincidently these three teams share a few things in common like getting it done at both ends of the ice and standing out from the pack during the first half of the season. In fact, each has taken a turn as the NHL's best at different moments through their first 41 games.

The Sharks were the fastest out of the gate and have run away with the Pacific Division, but what once seemed like an insurmountable lead for them in the overall league standings is almost gone. Boston took a couple of weeks to get cranked up and has been nearly unbeatable since, while Detroit has found a way to expend just enough energy to control the Central Division and fine tune its game for the postseason, and both are now nearly tied with San Jose in points.

But while all three are obviously serious Stanley Cup contenders, they are not the only ones in a league that now has more parity than ever before.

From the East, the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers have all demonstrated championship qualities and the ability to get into a winning run at various times through the first half, while in the West, it seems imprudent to overlook the veteran Anaheim Ducks or the Calgary Flames, who have been building momentum with key men Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff leading the way.

Any of those teams could be lifting the Cup this spring, but under the right circumstances, so could dark horses like the Rangers, Devils, Blackhawks or Vancouver Canucks, who all have goalies capable of carrying a team through a long playoff run.

Now the fun begins.

This week's rankings: