Senators getting votes for their all-around play

Sporting News, The, March 8, 1999 by Larry Wigge

"Speed still kills in the NHL," Devils defenseman Scott Stevens says. "And the vibrancy the Senators show each night is no fluke."

TSN's Power Poll

Rk.   Team             W-L-T      Comment

 1.   Dallas           37-11-9    With Hull sidelined for third
                                  time this season, depth covers
                                  up.

 2.   Ottawa           33-18-8    18-5-5 record since January 1 is
                                  the best in the NHL.

 3.   Philadelphia     30-16-13   Flyer's fear: facing Murray's
                                  Panthers in the first round.

 4.   New Jersey       32-20-8    Defensemen and forwards are
                                  arguing over who is to blame in
                                  slump.

 5.   Pittsburgh       32-19-7    Constantine preaches defense, but
                                  Pens have plenty of goals.

 6.   Toronto          34-21-5    Sundin, Thomas bounce back in a
                                  big way.

 7.   Phoenix          30-19-10   Team reaches 30th victory more
                                  than a month earlier than last
                                  year.

 8.   Colorado         30-22-8    Must turn more of those ties into
                                  victories.

 9.   Detroit          31-25-6    Losing leads makes team look lost
                                  at times.

10.   Buffalo          27-20-12   Lots of defensemen, but no clear
                                  No. 1 or No. 2.

11.   Carolina         27-23-12   Franchise poised for first
                                  postseason play since 1991-92.

12.   Anaheim          27-25-93   In 10-3 stretch, Selanne has
                                  contributed 12 goals.

13.   Florida          22-22-16   Rocket science: Team is 6-1-1
                                  with Bure playing, 2-3-3 without
                                  him.

14    Boston           25-24-10   Recently recalled Mann is showing
                                  his gift for garbage goals.

15.   St. Louis        24-24-10   Losing against sub-.500 teams
                                  isn't the way to the playoffs.

16.   Montreal         24-29-8    Damphousse's 11 goals in final
                                  year of contract don't help
                                  anyone.

17.   Washington       24-30-5    Team keeps playing down to level
                                  of its opponents.

18.   N.Y. Rangers     24-28-7    Gretzky's message: Rebuild, and I
                                  will come back.

19.   Edmonton         23-28-9    Weight isn't 100 percent, but
                                  he's close to a point a game.

20.   San Jose         20-27-14   Defense first: Team is sixth in
                                  goals-against average.

21.   Calgary          21-29-10   With Fleury gone, so are team's
                                  playoff hopes.

22.   Los Angeles      23-32-5    Robinson's wakeup calls seem to
                                  work--for a while.

23.   Nashville        21-33-6    Tough on the road, but rolling
                                  over at home.

24.   Vancouver        19-32-9    Snow steps up as soon as Weekes
                                  is brought in.

25.   N.Y. Islanders   19-35-7    Potvin's attempt to rush his
                                  return sidelines him longer.

26.   Chicago          17-36-8    Will team react well to coaching
                                  upheaval?

27.   Tampa Bay        13-41-5    Williams is waffling on whether
                                  to sell.