After a week off, the Power Rankings are back!

The NHL rang in the New Year last week with an outdoor hockey game at Wrigley Field between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. Simply awesome. The Red Wings ended up winning the game 6-4, overcoming a 3-1 deficit after the first period. If you missed the game or want to relive it, click here for a recap, highlights and some sweet pictures.

Headlines from around the league:
Alexei Cherepanov was blood doping. [ESPN]

Paul Kariya to have hip surgery. [TSN]

NHL looking to hold awards show in Vegas. [TSN]

More goalie problems in Vancouver, Sanford to the IR. [TSN]

Blackhawks and Panthers to Prague to open 2009-10 Season. [NHL]

Not that this is news, but Gaborik is out 10 weeks. [CBC Sports]

Sidney Crosby sucks. And he’s a dirty player. [FanIQ]

The starting lineups for the All Star Game are set. [NHL]

Doug Weight reaches the 1000-point mark. [Newsday]

Canada and Sweden to play for the World Junior Hockey Championship. [NHL]

Here’s an update on your NHL scoring leaders:
Points:
60- Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
53- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH)
50- Sidney Crosby (PIT)
49- Marc Savard (BOS)
46- Joe Thornton (SJ)
46- Zach Parise (NJ)

Goals:
27- Alexander Ovechkin (WSH)
27- Jeff Carter (PHI)
26- Thomas Vanek (BUF)
24- Phil Kessel (BOS)
22- Zach Parise (NJ)

Assists:
45- Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
37- Joe Thornton (SJ)
36- Marc Savard (BOS)
35- Sidney Crosby (PIT)
33- Nicklas Backstrom (WSH)

Key Injuries:
Bret Hedican (ANA): Day-to-Day (Back)
Kent Huskins (ANA): 2-3 Weeks (Broken Foot)
Ales Hemsky (EDM): Day-to-Day (Broken Nose)
Marian Gaborik (MIN): 10 Weeks (Hip Surgery)
Alex Tanguay (MON): 6 Weeks (Shoulder)
Mike Sillinger (NYI): IR (Hip) Suspensions
Corey Perry (ANA): 4 Games (Elbowing)

Key Trades:
VAN gets Jason LaBarbera, LA gets 7th Round Draft Pick

Key Signings:
Claude Lemieux (SJ): 1 year, Two-way contract

And now for the rankings…

Since there were none last week, there are no indications how far a team has moved up or down.

30. New York Islanders 12-24-3, (1-2-1): NYI hasn’t won a game against a playoff team since November 24.

29. Atlanta Thrashers 13-22-5, (1-2-1): The Thrashers now have the second worst GF to GA ration in the league.

28. St. Louis Blues 15-21-3, (1-2-0): STL has won on the last three consecutive Saturdays, and no time else during the week.

27. Tampa Bay Lightning 11-18-10, (1-2-1): The Lightning are 4-2-1 in their past seven games and finally learning to score.

26. Ottawa Senators 13-18-6, (1-1-1): Ottawa has fallen to be the lowest scoring team in the league.

25. Toronto Maple Leafs 16-17-6, (2-1-0): Toronto is horrible defensively, allowing the third most goals in the league.

24. Florida Panthers 17-16-6, (1-3-0): While FLA just finished cleaning up Pittsburgh, three of their past five losses have come to TB and NYI…

23. Dallas Stars 17-16-5, (2-2-0):  Ever since Sean Avery was kicked off the team, the Stars have been playing much better hockey.

22. Los Angeles Kings 16-16-6, (1-1-0): LaBarbera is gone! Jonathan Quick is only 3-3 as a starter, but has two shutouts and has held the opponent to two or fewer goals in five of six games.

21.   Nashville Predators 17-18-3, (0-3-0): NSH has won only three of their past twelve games, scoring just four power play goals during that span.

20. Colorado Avalanche 19-19-1, (1-3-0): The Avalanche hadn’t been playing bad until their last three game: just two goals for and eleven against.

19. Edmonton Oilers 18-16-3, (1-2-0): Two of the top four scorers on the team are defensemen, it time some of the forwards step up.

18. Phoenix Coyotes 19-16-5, (2-1-0): The Coyotes are just 3 for 40 in their past ten games on the power play.

17. Columbus Blue Jackets 18-17-4, (3-1-0): Steve Mason posted back-to-back-to-back shutouts a week back. This guy is good.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins 19-16-4, (0-3-0): Even with two of the top three scorers in the NHL, PIT has lost four straight games and five of six overall.

15. Carolina Hurricanes 20-15-5, (3-0-0): They have a knack for beating bad teams and Montreal, but that’s it.

14. Minnesota Wild 19-16-3, (2-1-1): The Wild’s ability to hold teams like SJ, CAL, and DET to just seven goals combined is a great showing of their defense.

13. Buffalo Sabres 19-15-5, (2-1-0): Undefeated in 2009, the Sabres look good with a win over Boston on their resume.

12. Vancouver Canucks 21-15-5, (1-1-2):  The Canucks desperately need Roberto Luongo to return now that Curtis Sanford is out.

11. Anaheim Ducks 20-15-5, (1-1-1): Giguere was apparently out to prove that he does belong on the All Star team as he posted a shutout in his next game.

10. Calgary Flames 23-12-4, (3-1-0): The Flames are 7-1-1 in their past nine games and Bertuzzi is finally scoring again.

9. New York Rangers 23-14-3, (1-1-0): If NYR hadn’t scored four, third period goals to comeback against NYI, they’d be on a five game losing streak.

8. Philadelphia Flyers 21-10-8, (2-0-1): Out of the current sixteen playoff teams, PHI has allowed the most goals.

7. Montreal Canadiens 22-10-6, (3-1-0): MTL picked up their 3000th win last week against Florida. Price picked up that win; he’s the goalie to go with right now.

6. Chicago Blackhawks 21-8-7, (1-2-0): Chicago still has a little way to go as their nine game win streak was blown up against Detroit. Good rebound game against Calgary.

5. New Jersey Devils 23-12-3, (3-1-0): Zach Parise continues to quietly climb the NHL scoring ladder and is on pace to break the NJ single season goal mark.

4. Washington Capitals 26-11-3, (3-0-0): Sometimes beat downs are good. Since losing 7-1 to PHI, WSH has run off six straight wins. The rematch is Tuesday.

3. Detroit Red Wings 26-7-5, (3-0-0): DET seems to still only play when they want, which is only against good teams.

2. San Jose Sharks 29-4-5, (2-0-1): Are the Sharks struggling a bit defensively? They’ve been outshot in five of their past seven games.

1. Boston Bruins 29-6-4, (2-1-0): Their 10-game winning streak is now over, but with the variety of scoring their getting, they remain the best overall team.