Power Rankings: Kids don't know Avs are in rebuild mode

Updated Oct. 20

Maybe one of these days the Colorado Avalanche will figure out that teams this young are supposed to take time to develop into winners.

Or maybe they won't. The Avs seem to have found a way to avoid taking the kind of lumps a rebuilding team usually does.

Cynics might say that Colorado is benefiting from low expectations. It was widely picked to contend again for the lottery and has a lot of kids who probably don't know any better. But the bottom line is that the Avs are winning and they are earning their wins under rookie coach Joe Sacco. In the process, the Avs find themselves leading the Northwest Division and have become the story of the season so far.

Much of the success has been the result of having a goalie who can actually stop pucks. The Avs have gone 6-1-1 to open the season, beating division champs like Boston, Vancouver and Detroit and forcing Chicago to a shootout along the way, largely because Craig Anderson has given Colorado its most reliable goaltending since Patrick Roy retired in 2003.

Anderson was actually an under-the-radar free-agent signing by Colorado last summer, but the former Florida Panthers backup had the third-best save percentage last season. He has been an NHL Star of the Week twice so far, while quite likely playing himself into contention for a Team USA Olympic roster spot.

As good as Anderson has been though, he is getting help from a mixed bag of players who have shown a lot of comfort with the defense-oriented philosophy of Sacco. Veterans Milan Hejduk and Darcy Tucker, in particular, are off to good starts, while on the blue line, Kyle Quincey, obtained in the Ryan Smyth trade, has added a much-needed offensive element from the back end.

The Avs are taking the league by storm, but that could change as the season wears on teams realize the Avs aren't the doormats everyone thought they would be, but for now at least, Colorado has to be reckoned with.

Here are this week's power rankings:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Devils · Trends	1
	Even without a goal in December, Zach Parise is tied for the lead in plus-minus.
	2	Blackhawks · Trends	6
	The league's best team at home has three shutouts in its past four games.
	3	Penguins · Trends	3
	Need proof about how skilled this team is? How about a 6-0 record in shootouts.
	4	Capitals · Trends	7
	The goaltending has been underappreciated and a big reason the Caps have reached 50 points faster than any team in franchise history.
	5	Sabres · Trends	5
	Tim Connolly has been struggling offensively with only two goals in his past 23 games.
	6	Sharks · Trends	9
	A little more offense needed from guys not named Thornton, Marleau and Heatley.
	7	Predators · Trends	17
	Becoming a dad for the first time recently has worked for David Legwand. He has 18 points in his last 19 games.
	8	Kings · Trends	2
	A well-earned break after a 7-2-1 record in December and a gift coming with Ryan Smyth's return after Christmas.
	9	Coyotes · Trends	10
	Ilya Bryzgalov should be in the mix for the MVP award as well as the Vezina this season.
	10	Avalanche · Trends	8
	Colorado's power play is effective these days, connecting in 10 of the past 13 games.
	11	Flames · Trends	11
	Third periods are hurting the Flames, who are 3-4-2 when tied heading into the final 20 minutes.
	12	Senators · Trends	19
	Doing well at home isn't exciting the masses. Ottawa has only three sellouts in 20 games at Scotiabank Place.
	13	Red Wings · Trends	12
	Sticking close to the playoff cutoff line without any offense to speak of. The Wings have been blanked four times in the past 15 games.
	14	Bruins · Trends	4
	Wonder why a team with draft picks and prospects to spare is linked to rumors about Ilya Kovalchuk? B's were second in offense last year and 26th now.
	15	Thrashers · Trends	16
	The goalies are getting bombarded, with the Thrashers giving up a league-worst 34.9 shots per game. They have been outshot 26 times in 34 games.
	16	Wild · Trends	15
	They are 10-3-1 in their past 14 -- the hottest team in the West. And they gained four points in the standings.
	17	Panthers · Trends	27
	An offensive juggernaut? Looked like it last week as Florida climbed into the playoff picture.
	18	Stars · Trends	18
	The win total is weak compared with the other contenders, but the Stars are plugging along, especially at home with a 5-0-2 mark in the past seven.
	19	Canucks · Trends	13
	Five of the worst teams in the league have beaten the Canucks a total of six times, all in regulation, too.
	20	Rangers · Trends	24
	Rangers coach John Tortorella sent a message by scratching a couple of high-paid regulars, and apparently it was received.
	21	Canadiens · Trends	21
	Some good news on the injury front and a major boost with Andrei Markov back in the lineup.
	22	Maple Leafs · Trends	20
	A reason to believe. Rookie goalie Jonas Gustavsson comes back from a 17-games absence and pitches his first career shutout.
	23	Oilers · Trends	14
	Snapped back to reality in the cold air of Edmonton after a five-game win streak on the road.
	24	Lightning · Trends	26
	Marty St. Louis isn't scoring goals, but his 31 assists are second best in the league.
	25	Islanders · Trends	22
	All of a sudden they can't win at home. Bad timing, too, with several more games coming up at Nassau Coliseum.
	26	Blues · Trends	23
	David Backes is making a late push for a Team USA Olympic roster spot with five goals in his past five games.
	27	Ducks · Trends	28
	The power play is still clicking and that's helping the Ducks pick up points but not gain much ground.
	28	Flyers · Trends	25
	Things aren't getting any better for the Flyers, who are 3-12-1 in their past 16 games and 2-6-1 under Peter Laviolette.
	29	Blue Jackets · Trends	29
	Goalie Steve Mason has been pulled five times in his first 28 starts.
	30	Hurricanes · Trends	30
	Cam Ward has been struggling since returning, allowing 17 goals in five starts.