Power rankings: Predators, their players move up

The Nashville Predators never have been one of the NHL's top national attention-drawing teams.

No division titles. Two trips to the second round. No winners for the top individual awards. A defensive-oriented style. And most recently, two non-playoff performances.

But they're getting plenty of recognition now.

The Predators have ridden a new coach and a new offensive bent to the top of the NHL standings. They also grabbed the No. 1 spot in the latest vote by the 12-member Paste BN Sports NHL power rankings panel.

With eight first-place votes, they moved past the most recent leader, the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Predators will also get attention in less than two weeks at the NHL All-Star Game.

Peter Laviolette, who replaced Barry Trotz during the summer, will coach one of the teams.

Goalie Pekka Rinne and defenseman Shea Weber have been named to play in the main game on Jan. 25, and rookie Filip Forsberg will take part in the skills competition the night before.

All three players fared well in the power rankings player vote.

Rinne, who came back from hip woes last season, received a unanimous vote as top goalie.

He also moved into a tie for second place (with Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf) in the MVP vote, two points behind the Dallas Stars' Tyler Seguin.

Forsberg continued his lead in the rookie vote, gathering all but one first-place vote.

Weber also cut into the lead of Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames) for top defenseman. Weber, who has never won a Norris Trophy, received five first-place votes to Giordano's four.

PHOTOS: NHL player power rankings