Power Rankings: Can one man make a difference? Ask the Wild

Updated March 27

Talk about a key player.

In the Minnesota Wild's case it's Marian Gaborik. He has played only 43 of the 77 games for the team this season because of injury, but far more often than not, his presence has resulted in wins. Gaborik has 28 goals -- including seven game winners -- and 50 points, and the Wild are 30-7-6 when he is in lineup and 18-1-2 when he scores.

Marian Gaborik has scored 28 goals in 43 games played this season. (Getty Images)

What's really important is that Gaborik is there now, and with 13 points in his last nine games, picking it up even more steam as the playoffs approach.

Minnesota has been all about defense under coach Jacques Lemaire since its 2000 NHL debut, and was counting on Gaborik to trigger a new offensive direction this season after adding skilled players like Pavol Demitra, Mark Parrish and Kim Johnsson to support him. But they didn't really get to strut their stuff until after New Year's because Gaborik, who has spent significant time on the shelf since Minnesota made him their first-ever draft pick in 1999, was out most of the time with a groin injury.

Gaborik returned Jan. 6 and since then everyone has switched into high gear. Minnesota has gone 24-6-6, keeping pace with an equally hot Vancouver team to turn the Northwest title race into one of the most compelling in the league.

The Wild have been getting some great goaltending from Niklas Backstrom, the 29-year-old rookie they signed from Finland last June, and lately from another freshman, Josh Harding. Their scoring is coming from several places in the lineup -- and they can still play defense, of course.

Minnesota is nearly unbeatable at home and much improved on the road in the last few months, and has flown under the radar most of this season. If the Wild keep playing like they have, they'll be hard to miss in the playoffs. Here are this week's rankings:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Sharks · Trends	2
	The Sharks started putting things together on their recent road trip and are firing on all cylinders right now. Not coincidentally, Evgeni Nabokov is much sharper in goal, too.
	2	Penguins · Trends	1
	Any more questions about a hangover? The Pens finished October with Malkin and Gonchar on the shelf, and a league record-tying 11 wins.
	3	Sabres · Trends	5
	The Sabres are looking for more from Derek Roy, but in the meantime, goalie Ryan Miller is sizzling with only one regulation loss in his 10 starts.
	4	Avalanche · Trends	3
	Craig Anderson gets the NHL's October star of the month for leading the Avs to first place in the West and tying a league record for wins in a month.
	5	Blackhawks · Trends	4
	The shots-per-game stat usually tells the story about which team controls games and Chicago is firing an average of 11 more than it is allowing.
	6	Capitals · Trends	6
	Enough of an early division cushion for the league's best offense to withstand the absence of the league's most dangerous scorer for a while.
	7	Rangers · Trends	8
	When you start thinking about MVPs, remember how the Rangers looked last week without Marian Gaborik in the lineup.
	8	Kings · Trends	9
	Defenseman Drew Doughty is doing the job in his own end and on the scoreboard with a goal and seven assists in his last six games.
	9	Canucks · Trends	10
	Lots of key injuries, little offense from the third and fourth lines and still Vancouver is keeping its head above water.
	10	Flyers · Trends	11
	The Flyers are producing big offense these days, especially Scott Hartnell with seven points in his last three games.
	11	Red Wings · Trends	17
	Only Tomas Holmstrom is scoring regularly, but Detroit is hanging tough after getting six of 10 possible points on its road trip.
	12	Devils · Trends	14
	Happy trails so far this season for the Devils, one of only two unbeaten teams on the road.
	13	Coyotes · Trends	20
	Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov continues to keep Phoenix in the playoff picture. He has allowed two or less goals in eight of his 11 starts.
	14	Flames · Trends	7
	Still waiting for Olli Jokinen to break loose and to provide Jarome Iginla the kind of center he needs.
	15	Bruins · Trends	13
	The Bruins aren't getting much offense because the power play isn't working. Boston has scored once with the man advantage in the last seven games.
	16	Senators · Trends	15
	The Senators have a chance to put up some points in November with nine of the team's 12 games being at home.
	17	Canadiens · Trends	12
	Interpret this any way you want: The Habs were .500 in October at 7-7, but six of the wins came in OT or shootouts.
	18	Stars · Trends	16
	Rookie Jamie Benn is off to a strong start for the Stars, who have been a lot more effective on the road than at home so far.
	19	Blue Jackets · Trends	18
	R.J. Umberger has started putting up points for the Jackets, who are actually scoring more per game than anyone in the Central Division.
	20	Oilers · Trends	19
	The flu bug has slowed down a lot of the Oilers, just not Dustin Penner, who is among the league scoring leaders with 19 points.
	21	Lightning · Trends	23
	Bolts coach Rick Tocchet is looking for something to shake Vincent Lecavalier out of his funk. Meanwhile, the Bolts have yet to lose at home in regulation.
	22	Thrashers · Trends	22
	Still waiting for Nik Antropov to score his first goal, although his 10 assists have helped the Kovalchuk-less Thrashers.
	23	Ducks · Trends	25
	A better effort defensively in the last couple of games, while Bobby Ryan's offense is starting to come around.
	24	Islanders · Trends	30
	The Isles are giving their fans something to cheer about with a four-game winning streak and a winning record at home.
	25	Panthers · Trends	26
	A couple of desperately-needed road wins were overshadowed only by the offensive exploits of Steven Reinprecht.
	26	Predators · Trends	27
	Pekka Rinne is looking to regain his No. 1 job in goal, winning a player of the week honor to help make his case.
	27	Blues · Trends	21
	The Blues are singing them at home, with a 1-5 record and only seven goals in their last six games at Scottrade Center.
	28	Wild · Trends	28
	They've been the Wild at home and Minny on the road so far, but more telling about the problems is the minus-23 combined rating for the top four defensemen.
	29	Hurricanes · Trends	24
	The way things are going, the 'Canes season will be done by the time Eric Staal gets back, regardless of how long it is.
	30	Maple Leafs · Trends	29
	Weeks like this -- the season's first win and 12 points from Tomas Kaberle -- need to be remembered by the Leafs.