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Welcome back to The Hockey News’ NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.
It’s the last edition of the NHL power rankings before the 4 Nations Face-Off. Upon the conclusion of the tournament, the trade deadline is just two weeks away.
A few teams have gotten a head start. While the Carolina Hurricanes-Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks-New York Rangers blockbusters involved star players changing addresses for contract and dressing room reasons, the Dallas Stars made the first real rental trade by acquiring Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks for draft picks.
Surely, more teams will follow in a season that’s wide open. There are at least six teams – Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and the defending champion Florida Panthers – who should be considered legitimate contenders due to their pedigree or outstanding seasons. A handful of others – Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning among them – at least have a decent chance.
1. Winnipeg Jets (38-14-3, +67. Previous: 1)
Saturday’s clash against the Caps that I teased last week for the top spot in the NHL and the power rankings did not disappoint. It was a thriller, with Josh Morrissey getting the overtime-winner to cap off – pun intended – a perfect 3-0-0 road trip for the Jets. Given all the trades lately, you wonder what the normally uber-patient and conservative Jets will do. This is their best chance, and a Cup title would go a long way in maintaining interest for a small market in a rising cap environment and a weak Canadian dollar.
Related: The Pressure Is On For A Canadian NHL Team To Win The Stanley Cup
2. Washington Capitals (35-11-7, +56. Previous: 2)
Back-to-back overtime losses, including Saturday to the Jets, keep the Caps stuck at No. 2. They bounced back nicely with a 6-3 win over the defending champions and remain first in the league in points percentage, though the Jets are closing the gap.
3. Edmonton Oilers (34-16-4, +31. Previous: 3)
Offensively, there may not be a better team than the Oilers, who outshot their opponents 172-117 over the last four games. Questions about the quality of their defense and their inconsistent goaltending remain.
Related: Oilers Need To Win Before Contracts Kick In And Big Decisions Are Required
4. Carolina Hurricanes (32-18-4, +27). Previous: 4)
Mikko Rantanen was supposed to boost the Hurricanes’ offense, but so far, that really hasn’t happened yet. They scored just five goals in three games over the past week, including a shutout loss to the Jets on Tuesday. Since Dec. 1, the Canes rank 19th with just 2.83 goals per game and are 29th (!) on the power play at 13.4 percent.
5. Dallas Stars (34-18-1, +39. Previous: 5)
One of the league’s deepest teams got even deeper after acquiring Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci, but they were dealt a big blow with Miro Heiskanen undergoing surgery. I’m not sure if the Stars were stunned by news of Heiskanen’s surgery, but they looked nothing like a contender Tuesday against the Ducks.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (32-19-2, +12. Previous: 10)
Once in a while, the Leafs will lose three straight, but never more than that. After scoring just three goals in three games during their losing streak, they bounced back with key road wins in Edmonton and Calgary with 10 goals scored. Their resiliency bodes well for whatever hardship may come in the playoffs when thoughts of another early exit inevitably creep in.
7. Colorado Avalanche (31-22-2, +9. Previous: 9)
I’m not seeing the offense click like it did with Mikko Rantanen, which was probably expected, but the Avalanche live and die with their offense, so they’re unquestionably a weaker team after the trade. The good news is Mackenzie Blackwood’s play has picked up again with consecutive shutouts before Thatcher Demko stole Tuesday’s game.
8. Florida Panthers (32-20-3, +22. Previous: 11)
The Panthers have won six of their last nine following a poor stretch from late December to early January. Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe have finally found their scoring touch. They’ve actually been dominant over that stretch, averaging the most goals per game and second-most shots per game and allowing the second-fewest goals per game.
9. Vegas Golden Knights (31-17-6, +27. Previous: 6)
The Knights have just three wins since Jan. 9. They’re 3-8-3 with the second-worst (!) points percentage in the league and lost their hold on the Pacific. They can make up a lot of ground between now and April 1 when they face the Oilers because they face divisional opponents just three times (Canucks once, Kings twice) before then. Their power play has been good, but their even-strength scoring has dried up, and their goaltending has not been sharp. They’ve been eerily quiet during all this trade talk because they’re big-game hunters.
10. New Jersey Devils (30-19-6, +31. Previous: 12)
The Devils kind of bumble along and stay near the top of the East’s standings, but since Dec. 28, they’re 6-8-3. Not having Nico Hischier is a huge loss, but they also need more from players lower in the lineup and more consistent goaltending from Jake Allen. What looked like a potential powerhouse is looking like another first-round exit for Sheldon Keefe’s squad.
11. Detroit Red Wings (28-21-5, -8. Previous: 14)
No team is hotter than the Red Wings right now, with a seven-game winning streak. They haven’t cracked the top 10 quite yet, but a few more wins, and they’ll be right there. Todd McLellan is 15-4-1 (!) behind the bench.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (28-20-4, +35. Previous: 16)
Losses to bottom-tier teams, a talented but inconsistent offense and a thin defense prevent the Lightning from being a true contender. They’ve managed to flip the switch late in the season in the past, but it remains to be seen if they can continue to do so. They’ve racked up the mileage over the past decade without really introducing anything close to the ‘Triplets Line’ to keep their lineup fresh.
13. Ottawa Senators (29-21-4, +10. Previous: 19)
I wasn’t convinced following consecutive shutout losses to the Rangers and Bruins, but they ripped off five-straight wins in pretty convincing fashion before a tough 4-3 loss to the Lightning. A returning Linus Ullmark bodes good news for a team that’s 10-3-1 (!) since its four-game losing streak.
14. Minnesota Wild (31-19-4, even. Previous: 8)
Consecutive shutout losses show how woeful the Wild offense can be without Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild have banked a bunch of points, but they cannot afford to go on an extended slide even with a tough schedule coming up that includes the Hurricanes, the red-hot Isles and Red Wings (twice).
Related: The Minnesota Wild Definitely Did Not Need Hartman To Get Suspended 10 Games Right Now
15. Columbus Blue Jackets (26-21-7, even. Previous: 13)
Losing Kirill Marchenko to a broken jaw is a huge blow. They have enough offensive talent to stay competitive; by the way, did you see Kent Johnson’s spin-o-rama backhand shelf? That’s Evgeni Malkin’s move, and Johnson pulled it off perfectly. The Jackets have outscored their problems all season, and that will be tough without Marchenko.
16. Los Angeles Kings (28-17-6, +15. Previous: 7)
In this era of the NHL, you have serious problems if you can’t score. The Kings have lost eight of their last 12, and they have little chance if their goaltending isn’t lights out.
17. Boston Bruins (27-23-6, -24. Previous: 17)
The Bruins just grind out a few more wins than losses, and it keeps them in the race, but without an extended run or some reinforcements, it’s difficult to see how they can pull away from the crowd. They have one line that can score and remain mediocre on the road (9-15-3) a season after they were dominant on the road (23-9-9).
18. Montreal Canadiens (25-24-5, -25. Previous: 15)
The Habs see a huge fall with a five-game losing streak. All of a sudden, they don’t look so good anymore despite being five points out of a wild-card spot. Their power play has fizzled, and their goaltending isn’t saving them, which puts the onus on Martin St-Louis to find another way to spark the team.
19. Vancouver Canucks (24-18-11, -13. Previous: 21)
The Canucks aren’t out of the woods yet. Elias Pettersson needs to show every night that he can be a No. 1 center or face the prospects of a trade as the Canucks retool their core. They are no doubt a less talented team without J.T. Miller, but perhaps a more cohesive dressing room can help build positive momentum. The scary question: Did the Canucks trade the right player?
20. Calgary Flames (26-20-7, -14. Previous: 20)
The Flames are going for it, and a firm direction usually galvanizes a team. The core of this current team is still signed long-term, and the additions of Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee were low-cost moves that add offense and also add pieces to their core.
Related: Calgary Flames GM’s Decision To Bet On His Team Is Right Move Moving Forward
21. New York Rangers (26-23-4, -3. Previous: 18)
J.T. Miller is a great fit for the Rangers when he’s on his game. Defensively, however, they’re still far too inconsistent and still rely too much on Igor Shesterkin to win games. A 0-3-0 stretch where they allowed 15 goals against the Avs, Canes and Bruins was particularly worrying.
22. New York Islanders (25-21-7, -6. Previous: 24)
The Islanders were on a roll before their 6-3 loss to the Panthers, but the bigger hit is the injury to Mathew Barzal. The winning streak put the Isles back in the race, but might they be too stubborn to think about selling pieces, such as Brock Nelson, with an eye toward the future? Credit where credit’s due, the acquisitions of Tony DeAngelo, Scott Perunovich and Adam Boqvist in low-risk moves have paid off so far.
23. Anaheim Ducks (23-24-6, -29. Previous: 27)
They’ve won five of their last six with a surge in scoring and are looking like a team that could take a big step as soon as next season. The Ducks should be sellers at the deadline, giving them more cache in an already robust prospect pipeline. It’s actually not inconceivable that the Ducks make the playoffs – they’re only seven points behind now.
24. St. Louis Blues (24-25-5, -17. Previous: 23)
The Blues can’t score, and Jordan Binnington hasn’t been good enough to steal games. (That could be the biggest storyline for Canada heading into the 4 Nations, where every team has elite offensive players). The Blues can get back on track with a six-game homestand coming up, but they’ve been mediocre at home (11-13-2).
25. Seattle Kraken (23-28-4, -13. Previous: 28)
Except for that one playoff run, the Kraken are so… average. The Hurricanes made an aggressive trade for Mikko Rantanen, something that Ron Francis never would’ve done had he been the GM. Perhaps the same could be said for the Kraken – without sustained success, a team can get apathetic. The good news is they’ve unearthed a franchise goalie in Joey Daccord.
26. Utah Hockey Club (22-22-9, -10. Previous: 22)
Losing Logan Cooley might’ve just killed Utah’s season. They’ve lost five straight, and they don’t have a reliable playmaker in the middle of the ice. What we can look forward to, however, is shedding the ‘Hockey Club’ moniker.
Related: Ranking NHL Utah’s Logos For Three Potential Names: ‘They Look Like EA NHL Logo Options’
27. Philadelphia Flyers (23-25-7, -30. Previous: 25)
Unless Andrei Kuzmenko can unlock something in Matvei Michkov, the already offensively challenged Flyers will have even more trouble scoring after trading Farabee and Frost. As underwhelming as they’ve been, they had offensive talent and potential. The Flyers were shut out in three-straight games and managed just two goals against Utah. No goalie can win without some goal support.
28. Buffalo Sabres (22-26-5, -12. Previous: 29)
One of the telltale signs of an incohesive team is to see its reaction when its star player or goalie gets hurt. The lack of response to a hit to the head of Tage Thompson should raise eyebrows, even if Alex Tuch came out with some damage control. This is a team that has not looked good for large stretches of the season, and remember, they were in the same group as the Senators and Red Wings as teams that could really battle for a playoff spot this season.
29. Pittsburgh Penguins (22-24-9, -37. Previous: 31)
They’re going to be even worse defensively without Marcus Pettersson, though Alex Nedeljkovic has been really good lately, and they might as well wave the white flag now if Sidney Crosby misses time. With a difficult schedule coming up – Devils, Capitals, Bruins, Leafs, Rangers twice, Flyers thrice – the Pens should really think about their future.
Related: Penguins’ Latest Trade Keeps An Urgent Turnaround In Mind, But It Seems Unlikely
30. Nashville Predators (18-27-7, -33. Previous: 26)
Just when it seemed like they figured out their offense, they went quiet again with five-straight losses and eight goals scored. If we’re looking for a big improvement from the Preds, it’ll likely come next season. The Preds might pick in a lottery slot again for the first time since 2013, when they took Seth Jones fourth overall.
31. San Jose Sharks (15-34-6, -62. Previous: 30)
It’s all about the kids. Granlund’s trade opened up an opportunity for Will Smith to slot into the second-line center spot behind Macklin Celebrini. This is a preview of what the next decade will look like for the Sharks, and there are plenty of reasons to get excited.
32. Chicago Blackhawks (16-31-5, -45. Previous: 32)
It still might be some time before the Blackhawks are competitive. Of the eight first-round picks they’ve made in the last three seasons, only Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski and Frank Nazar have played NHL games, and only Bedard is an established NHL player.
Related: How Will Bedard And Other Budding NHL Stars Navigate The Rocketing Salary Caps?
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