SB Nation's NHL hub has come out with their hockey rankings, and the Rangers are on the rise as the Islanders and Devils stay pat. Let's start at the bottom:
New York Islanders: The Islanders come in last place in the East yet again. Their 4-12-2 record looks bad already, but throw that on top of their franchise-worse 13 consecutive game losing streak and you have a full disaster on the Island. The Islanders are in the midst of a coaching change, Howie Rose was accidentally heard saying that he "didn't care" about the result of a game and the Islanders face a really hot Columbus Blue Jackets team tonight, as they try to avoid their 14th consecutive loss.
New Jersey Devils: If you thought it was bad on the Island, it's just as bad in New Jersey. The Devils come in right behind the Islanders in 14th place this week, their 6-13-2 record puts them only two points above the Islanders for last in the NHL. The Devils have their own problems: Zach Parise is injured, Martin Brodeur seems to be showing his age, the whole Ilya Kovalchuk thing. Plus, if this continues, we might be looking at a change at the helm here as well.
New York Rangers: The Rangers come in at a cool 7th place, with a record of 12-9-1. The Rangers are 13 points ahead of the Islanders and 11 points ahead of the Devils. After two good wins against the Minnesota Wild and the Calgary Flames, albeit without Henrik Lundqvist in goal, the Rangers are looking good.