SB Nation’s NHL Power Rankings: Winds Of Change As Blackhawks Claim No. 1

The SB Nation NHL Power Rankings are back for the New Year, with a new look and a new format. Instead of ranking the Western and Eastern teams separately, we’ve voted on the overall top 16 teams in the NHL. Once again, all voting is done by our esteemed SB Nation hockey blogger panel, so please direct all criticism and snark in the comments in their direction.

This week’s rankings feature the Western Conference in favor of the Eastern, with the West locked in a brutal battle for position from the #1 spot all the way down to #10 in the standings. With New Jersey, San Jose and Calgary all enjoying some big wins over the holiday break it’s the Chicago Blackhawks who have grabbed the top spot in the first edition of our 2010 rankings..