Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Renovation Watch: Running Wild

Minnesota Wild v Pittsburgh Penguins

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 8: Nick Schultz #55 of the Minnesota Wild and Brent Burns #8 of the Minnesota Wild congratulate goaltender Jose Theodore #60 of the Minnesota Wild after Theodore posted a shutout in a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 8, 2011 at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Jamie Sabau

Every now and then, PHT will glance at the teams who changed the most during the 2011 off-season in Renovation Watch.

A lot has changed since the first edition of Renovation Watch. For the most part, the dramatically altered teams have been smash successes, but there are a couple who have been let downs. Let’s get to it, then, in order of the best to worst records.

Minnesota sits atop the league

Record: 20-8-4 for 44 points

The Wild won their only game of the first weekend to start things off, but most of us didn’t expect the good times to roll like this. Minnesota currently leads the league with 44 points thanks to their suffocating defense, fantastic goaltending and timely offense. They’ve fought off injuries admirably, although losing Mikko Koivu looks to be their biggest test yet.

Flyers flex their muscles

Record: 20-7-3 for 43 points

The Wild have one more point, but considering the fact that Philly has two games in hand, some would argue that the Flyers are a bigger success. They lead the NHL with a staggering 110 goals, which averages out to 3.67 per game. Much like Minny, they face a serious challenge with Chris Pronger out the rest of the season (and maybe the playoffs?) and Claude Giroux in concussion limbo.

Florida flabbergasts us all

Record: 17-9-6 for 40 points

It’s likely that even the most fervent Panthers pom-pom wavers didn’t see this coming. The Rats are seven points ahead of the disappointing Washington Capitals for the Southeast Division lead. That’s not an insurmountable deficit, but the Panthers seem primed to break their playoff hex.

Sabres disappoint

Record: 16-12-3 for 35 points

Buffalo came storming out of the gate in Europe and sustained it a bit to begin, then hit a big brick wall. Now they’re up and down, although newcomers Ville Leino and Christian Ehrhoff haven’t delivered. Their scoring margin captures the mixed results: 86 goals for and 86 goals against.

Columbus collapses, then crawls

Record: 9-18-4 for 22 points

It’s strange to give the worst team in the league a little leeway, but considering how terribly things started, the Blue Jackets are at least saving face lately. A big reason why is Curtis Sanford, although Jeff Carter is gradually getting his game together. A month ago, you’d give Scott Howson an “F.” Now it’s more like a “D” with a “C-" hovering in the horizon. (Small victories.)

Florida: 17-9-6 for 40 points