Updated: October 1, 2013, 12:21 PM ET

Power Rankings: It's a brand new day

Week:

By Pierre LeBrun (posted Sept. 30, 2013)

Thank goodness the powers that be have allowed me and not Scott Burnside the honor of writing the season's first Power Rankings. Its always so much work to undo his mess every second week. Because, you know, nobody ever complains about mine! On that note, here we go, the first rankings for 2013-14 season:

• Have your say: Rank all 30 teams!

2013-2014 Power Rankings: Preseason 2
RANK	TEAM / RECORD	TRENDING	COMMENTS
1	Chicago 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	For the first time in my career, I've picked a Cup champion to repeat. Won't be easy, hasn't been done since 1997-98 (Detroit), but if any team in the cap era has the goods, it's Chicago.
2	Boston 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	They've changed three right wingers, so perhaps there's an adjustment period, but these guys are still the Beasts of the East.
3	St. Louis 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Loaded up front and on the blue line, the question remains in goal. If they get goaltending, they're Chicago's biggest obstacle.
4	Los Angeles 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Just got that feeling Jeff Carter is going to have a career season. Kings are over the Cup hangover, so watch out.
5	San Jose 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	If Martin Havlat can provide production this season -- meaning he's healthy enough to do so for most of the season -- it's such a big wild card to what the Sharks can do with their top nine up front.
6	Pittsburgh 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Between Marc-Andre Fleury's confidence and Tomas Vokoun's health situation, all the questions are about the goaltending. GM Ray Shero will give it a month or so before he decides whether or not he needs to act.
7	Detroit 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Key to the season for me is a productive second line (Alfredsson-Weiss-Franzen). I think they'll get it.
8	New York 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Best coaching hire of the offseason in the entire league: Alain Vigneault. Given time, AV will get it right there.
9	Ottawa 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	My surprise pick to win the Atlantic. The real key for them this season is the health of top players and getting more secondary scoring.
10	Anaheim 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	If Corey Perry and Jonas Hiller rebound with bounce-back seasons, the Ducks have a shot at another division title.
11	Washington 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	The perennial Southeast winners play in a big-boy division now. Does Braden Holtby prove this season his Team Canada camp invite was justified? I say yes.
12	Vancouver 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Oh, man, is there a more delicious storyline than in Vancouver this season? The owner is on edge, the new coach is trying to be a new man, the new starting goalie is the old starting goalie who wanted out ... hold on to your seats.
13	Montreal 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	A new line I already really like: Max Pacioretty with David Desharnais and Daniel Briere.
14	Toronto 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	And the battle in net begins: Jonathan Bernier or James Reimer?
15	Philadelphia 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Battle in net, part deux: Steve Mason or Ray Emery?
16	Phoenix 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Dave Tippett's men are going back to the playoffs. Book it.
17	Nashville 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	I really liked David Poile's offseason moves, Pekka Rinne is healthy and Shea Weber is going to have a monster season.
18	Edmonton 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	This is it, the Oil finally makes it back into the playoffs this season. Believe it!
19	Minnesota 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	If the kids can step up to fill the void left by Matt Cullen, P.M. Bouchard and Devin Setoguchi, they'll be all right.
20	New York 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Mark Streit's departure hurts on so many levels and the goaltending isn't great, but it's hard to bet against future Hart Trophy winner John Tavares.
21	Columbus 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Is Sergei Bobrovsky for real? Lots of doubters out there. Would be great for him to show them all wrong.
22	Dallas 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Remember the name Valeri Nichushkin, folks. People will look back in 10 years and wonder how the Stars got him 10th overall.
23	Colorado 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	So loaded up front, so thin on the back. If they can get any semblance of blue-line play this season, they're in.
24	New Jersey 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Just a hunch but got a feeling these guys will prove everyone wrong yet again. Don't write off the Devils.
25	Carolina 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Jordan Staal is going to have his best-ever season.
26	Winnipeg 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	If Mark Scheifele can do the No. 2 center job, I like this team a lot more this season. They need a second line.
27	Buffalo 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Do Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek finish the season in Buffalo? Don't bet on it.
28	Tampa Bay 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	It's a totally different story if either Ben Bishop or Anders Lindback becomes the true No. 1 goalie. It could happen. Don't give up on Lindback yet.
29	Florida 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Can Tim Thomas be the story of the season? Stranger things have happened.
30	Calgary 0-0-0	-- Last Week: NR	Rebuild, rebuild, rebuild, rebuild. It's all about the draft picks now.

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Power Rankings: It's a brand new day

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