Week 16 Power Rankings

TSN.ca
Rank: 12 (-2)
It's been a storybook season for rookie G Steve Mason, but the story could be taking a nasty turn as he tries to play through mononucleosis.

CBSSports.com
Rank: 15 (+1)
Get the Calder over to the inscriber and etch in Steve Mason's name right now.

Yahoo.com
Rank: 18 (unchanged)
For as much excitement as rookie goalie Steve Mason has stirred in Columbus, the Blue Jackets are still trying to break into the playoffs for the first time with a big hole at center ice. Manny Malhotra is being asked to play on the top line on most nights, and that’s not going to get the Blue Jackets into the postseason.

ESPN.com
Rank: 19 (unchanged)
Wade Dubielewicz's return to the NHL? Not so pleasant.

ColumbusDisptach.com
Rank: 14 (+2)
Fredrik Norrena played his way out of North America. Pascal Leclaire had ankle surgery. Steve Mason has mono. Is Wade Dubielewicz nervous yet?

CBC.ca
Rank: 16 (+1)
Better hope Mason can keep playing through the mono.

CNNSI.com
Rank: 10 (+1)
If you don't already have a man-crush on Steve Mason, prepare to get all dewy-eyed: Reports out of Columbus suggest the rookie played through mononucleosis for the past three to four weeks. Most kids with mono are too wiped out to bother changing the channel when E.J. Hradek comes on.

FoxSports.com
Rank: 16 (-2)
Steven Mason wasn't his solid self in goal last week, losing both of his Week 16 starts. First, the Columbus netminder gave up four goals on only 22 shots against Edmonton and then he gave up the lead four times against Calgary before yielding the game-decider to Todd Bertuzzi in the shootout.

Sportsnet.ca
Rank: 20 (unchanged)
Although he has been diagnosed with mono, the Blue Jackets expect super rookie goalie Steve Mason to continue playing. They think he is through the worst of the illness.

META-SCORE: 15.5

I missed last week's so I don't have a score to compare to. They could really tumble if they don't take care of business Friday and Saturday.

I give CNNSI's Muir the "zing of the week" with this comment:

Most kids with mono are too wiped out to bother changing the channel when E.J. Hradek comes on.

-LTL