If you bucketheads could see me crying myself to sleep every night because you haven't posted the rank comments, you'd stop with all the slacking. And how DARE you knock my Devils off of their perch after one stinking loss...wait...gotta go...here come the waterworks again. -- Kevin Lee, Morristown, N.J.

Dear Kevin, Please accept our sincerest apologies. Here, have a hanky.

This week's comments:

You guys need to quit smoking that secret formula of yours -- the Devils lose one game and slip below the gritless, gutless, perennial playoff chumps from Ottawa? At least you put the Avalanche in the right spot. As for your questions about their goaltending should Roy become hurt, you are missing the obvious solution: Marty McSorley. (Hey, I have a secret formula of my own.)

Jonathan Hagn
Concord, N.H.

Go ahead and rank the Devils 30th for all I care. The true Devil's fan knows how good we really are and your biased rankings don't make a difference. As a true hockey fan, nobody in the west scares me at all. The only team I fear in the East is Buffalo. They seem to have the Devils number and a hot "Dominator" is better than anyone out west including Roy. So go ahead ESPN with your western love affair, the true fan knows who the team to beat is.

Russell Allaman
Belton, S.C.

You idiots. Have you ever watched another team besides the Avs and the Red Wings? I remind you that the Devils embarrassed the high-flying Avalanche by a combined score of 12-4 in two games this year and made the old Red Wings look just that, old. A 13-game winning streak against some good teams (Ottawa, at Philly, at Colorado, at Phoenix, at Edmonton) should be enough to remain number one. That is okay, we will see come June what happens. Isn't there a Penguins game on ESPN2 you are missing?

Mike Onorato
Paramus, N.J.

I actually agree with your Flyers ranking, but I'm gonna do something insane as ask this question...How can the Devils not be in first? I hate the Devils as much as any Flyers fan, but to move them down because their 13-game winning streak ends is beyond stupid....when will you ever get things straight? LETS GO FLYERS!

Adam D.
Philadelphia

I want to vomit every time I read your rankings. The Devs lose once in fourteen games, and you decide to drop them two spots. You either did this for one of three reasons. One, you are trying to come up with possible contenders to dethrone the champs. Two, it is a little boring putting the best team in hockey on top and you wanted to give other teams a chance. Or three, you are in serious need of some major therapy. If the latter, maybe I can help you out, I have pretty good medical coverage. I hear ESPN.com doesn't pay all that well.

Andy
Hatboro, Pa.

Messier promised the Rangers will make the playoffs, and he'll keep it??? The only way Jurassic Mark keeps this promise is if the Rangers and Islanders are tied after 18 holes. That's the only playoff they'll be in for a long time.

Eric
Kearny, N.J.

Do standings and stats play any role in your rankings and comments? If I'd been away all season and checked your rankings I'd be led to think that the Canucks are headed for another non-playoff season, given their 17th ranking. But lo and behold the Oilers, Kings, Leafs, Coyotes and Sharks are all behind the Canucks, and yet ranked higher. Okay, the Kings and Oilers are playing well, but the Sharks! the Leafs! the Coyotes! They are all playing poorly. The Canucks have not played great but got through a 7 game road trip where they lost Markus Naslund for the season and got home in 5th place in the Conference. Isn't that worth any consideration? Finally, in answer to question "What ever happened to the Sedin twins?" Well, Daniel leads all rookies in goals with 20. Standings and Stats boys, just take a look next time, they might give you something you seem to be lacking...a clue.

Kevin Bruyneel
Brooklyn, N.Y.

In response to the poorly thought out rhetorical question "What ever happened to the Sedin twins?", Daniel Sedin is first among rookie goal scorers. Here's another rhetorical question: What the heck do you want from a 20-year old?

Adam
Vancouver, British Columbia

Hey guys...lighten up on Aebischer. Who is going to back up Belfour...Marty Turco? Aebischer has good numbers and has been solid when he has played, like the St. Louis game. Any team suffers that loses its top goalie...You guys just realize that the Avs have no weaknesses.

Nick Sirabella
Boston

You're right about the Avs one weakness but you don't even need to look at David Aebischer. Look at Patrick. Soft goals have plagued him his whole career and this year, especially as of late, is no exception. The league is too competitive to give away goals as he does too often. He has something to prove after his "St. Sieve" performance in last years Western Conference Finals.

Paul
Denver

The Stars were just killing people, then they beat the lowly Isles by just one and tied a slumping Blues team. Still, you have to imagine they are happy with these kind of results going into the post season, and if that game against the Sens was any indication of what can happen when this team gels then watch out! I'll agree with you on No. 5 ranking for now, seeing as how we still have some "inconsistency" skeletons in the closet apparently.

Sean Hicks
Dallas

Gee....the Blues slump, and you guys just go FLYING off the bandwagon. Just wait and watch.....with a nice first-round bye.....er, wait, a series against Vancouver only SEEMS like a bye....the Blues will already surpass last season, and a healthy Chris Pronger (knock on wood) makes any goalie put up spectacular numbers (see: Jamie McClennan, 1999-2000). Don't count out the guys with the notes on their sweaters just yet baby!!!!

Dave O.
Maryland Heights, Mo.

Just a small point...great placement of the Sens... although the loss to Dallas scared even me and I am a Sens winter-glove-wearing, jersey-wearing, cap-wearing, 8-month-old-son-has-two-jerseys-home-and-away-one-of-them-signed-by-the-team, wife-has-an-away-jersey homer. The only comment I do have is: What is this about lack of playoff experience... Lalime is a valid question, but the team? This will be the fifth-straight playoff appearance. Lots of experience, just bad experiences so far!

Jim Hennessy
Ottawa

Your right about the Blues' goaltending. Turek is all about letting up the bad goals. Those kind of goals can really set a team off course. But there was a good sign vs Dallas, when Turek let up a bad goal early in the game. Then shut out the Stars for the rest. A real good sign.

Kevin
Naperville, Ill.

So, the Blues don't stand a chance winning the Cup this year, even with Tkachuk (comment next to the Coyotes)? Nice slam. Hope you and the NHL had your fun with the Blues this past month, because the injured players are returning and will be on the rampage again. They'll be able to win even with your fat ass in goal.

Mike Wedemeier
St. Louis

"Coyotes fans should lighten up about losing Keith Tkachuk. It's not like he's going to win a Cup in St. Louis this year." HAHAHAHAHA DAMN STRAIGHT!! LETS GO WINGS!

Tim Sullivan
Marshfield, Mass.

Boy, I remember when San Jose fans would be dancing in the street to get ranked 15th. After one win in the last 13, we're starting to think you've gone soft on us. Message to Owen: 5 of 8 at home. No one's going to argue that it isn't YOUR rink, so play like it. You provide the hockey, we'll provide the noise. Deal?

Richard Putney
San Jose, Calif.

As a Sharks fan, I would like to congratulate Gary Bettman and the NHL disciplinary committee. The ridiculously long suspension of Owen Nolan has thrown the Sharks into a tailspin. Curious suspensions of Brad Stuart and Brian Marchment while Marcus Ragnarsson and Gary Suter were injured, has left the defense without continuity. All this coupled with the injury to Vincent Damphousse and the lack of consideration of Selanne's superstar stature in a Shark's uniform, has allowed the Dallas Stars to breeze to a Pacific Division Championship. Congrats again NHL, keep up the "good" work!

Matt Straub
San Jose, Calif.

Is it legal to say "paramount" on a Disney-owned site?

Jason Wuthrich
Kalamazoo, Mich.

Earlier in the year I said the Hawks will make the playoffs. I give ESPN permission cut of my..... wait a minute, shouldn't Wirtz, Pulford and Mike Smith's heads be on the chopping block? I'm just a fan for God's sakes.

David Budimir
Chicago