Through games of Dec. 16

There is an ebb to the flow of each team's season, and it's safe to say the Red Wings are ebbing right now with only one win in their last six games. In a seven-game series against the Leafs -- losers only once in their last eight games -- right now we'd take the Leafs.

Then again, this isn't June is it?

Let us know what you think about this week's rankings and we'll post the best responses in Rank Comments.

Team	Pvs.	W-L-T-OL	The skinny
1. Maple Leafs	2	20-8-2-3	Winning 20 games in 33 tries is all well and good, but the trophy with the big punch bowl on top is the one that matters most.
2. Red Wings	1	23-7-2-1	Four goals in the last six games makes one think $64.4 million doesn't buy as much as it used to.
3. Sharks	4	16-7-5-3	San Jose and Chicago are the only Western Conference teams with four players in double digits in goals.
4. Avalanche	3	19-13-3-0	Don't forget Bob Hartley when dishing out credit for the Avs' turnaround.
5. Oilers	7	19-10-4-2	Five players combined for the Oilers' goals in their 3-2 win at Philly -- four of them are former college players.
6. Stars	6	14-9-6-3	Mike Modano has registered 8-9-17 during his current nine-game point streak.
7. Senators	5	16-11-4-0	Marian Hossa Bobblehead Night -- proof that even Canadians aren't immune to cheesy American promotional ideas. Trust us, in five years, bobbleheads will be passe.
8. Blues	13	15-9-6-2	Perfect, no. Getting better, yes.
9. Rangers	9	18-13-2-2	The Rangers are finding out how good they are without a 6-foot-4, 240-pound, MVP center.
10. Islanders	8	16-9-5-2	One win in their last nine games is a perfect example how a fast start comes in handy.
11. Flyers	11	15-10-5-1	If you can't put the bully back on Broad Street, import him from Vancouver.
12. Bruins	10	16-10-3-3	Let's face some facts, as fun as Joe Thornton is to watch, Sergei Samsonov is the most exciting player on the team.
13. Blackhawks	12	16-11-8-0	As Steve Sullivan learned in youth hockey, always keep your stick on the ice ... even if it's Eric Daze who is carrying the puck.
14. Flames	14	16-10-6-2	The Flames are finding out the hard way that a second line is a nice dimension to have.
15. Hurricanes	21	16-12-4-4	If Paul Maurice had a theme song, it would have been changed to "Wasn't Me," by Shaggy, last week.
16. Capitals	20	14-14-5-0	Just when the tough got going, Olaf Kolzig gets hurt and the going gets tougher.
17. Devils	17	14-12-3-2	Ever get the feeling the Devils are biding their time until it matters most?
18. Canadiens	18	14-12-5-1	To play hurt is one thing, to win hurt is another.
19. Wild	19	12-12-5-3	Ever wonder what would happen if Dwayne Roloson played more?
20. Canucks	23	14-18-4-0	Shutting out the Red Wings could go a long way. To where is the question.
21. Penguins	16	13-14-4-2	Dear Mario, Get well soon. Love, Johan.
22. Sabres	22	14-17-2-1	Needing to call up your minor-league goalie of the future to save the day now isn't a good thing.
23. Coyotes	15	12-12-5-3	After surrendering 18 goals in three games, play in the Coyotes' zone is now known as "Festival of Lights."
24. Predators	24	12-15-5-0	Relying on your goalie isn't cheating, but it is deceptive.
25. Kings	25	12-14-5-2	Going 3-0-1 in a week is nice ... if one of those teams were above .500 it would be better.
26. Lightning	26	12-16-3-1	Quick math lesson: If Nik Khabibulin and Kevin Weekes limit opponents to 2.12 goals per game, the Lightning need just two goals most nights -- sometimes three -- to win.
27. Panthers	28	9-17-2-3	How bad were things? Mike Keenan already has led the Panthers to their first back-to-back wins this season.
28. Blue Jackets	29	9-19-5-1	The Jackets have supplanted the Penguins as the worst power-play team at 9.2 percent.
29. Mighty Ducks	27	9-18-4-3	Definition of frustration: Losing five of your last seven games by one goal -- three in overtime.
30. Thrashers	30	6-20-4-2	After a five-game "reconditioning" stint in the minors, Patrik Stefan is much improved.