This is our weekly installment of NHL Power Rankings.
Editors @BellyUpYake @BellyUp_KJ and @BellyUpZachMac will offer their separate rankings, and now that the new pod is up and rolling, they might just offer some insight. We are currently working on episode 3 of our new Puck Puck Pass Podcast. Episode 1 will be released THIS WEEK so stay tuned! Without further ado, let’s look at this week’s NHL power rankings.
@BellyUpYake
1. Tampa Bay
2. Nashville
3. Calgary
Calgary continues to look good this year. This team continues to score at a high rate this season. Sitting currently in the top 5 for goals scored and goal differential currently has this team at the top of my list. As long as the injury bug does not bite this team it appears they will be good all season long.
4. Toronto
5. Vancouver
6. Minnesota
7. Boston
8. NY Islanders
9. Montréal
The Habs are a team that for some reason are driving me crazy this year. It seems like they are a different team every single time I watch them. One game they look like they may have a chance to prove people wrong this year, then the next makes me think “oh yea, they are not good.” The one thing I can consistently say about the Habs…THEY ARE FAST! Montréal will likely continue this streak until they find themselves against the teams that can streak together a few groups of wins. I do not see them staying in my top 15 but until I’m proven correct I will sit them in the top half of the list.
10. Colorado
11. Winnipeg
12. San Jose
13. Columbus
14. Dallas
15. Edmonton
16. Buffalo
17. Philadelphia
After a successful western road trip for the Flyers they have jumped on my list and up to a tie for 2nd in the division. They say that road trips like the one the Flyers just faced are good for team bonding and it looked like it. This team is played like everyone thought they could at the beginning of the year. Call is the team bonding or call it Hakstol’s Gritty inspired socks, but whatever it is it seems to be working right now.
18. Washington
19. NY Rangers
20. Pittsburgh
My hatred for this team might be why they fell so far, but they are definitely deserving of falling on everyone’s list this week. The team looked as out of sync as they looked in sync the week before. As I’m sure this will be a brief drought look for them to be back up on everyone’s list next week.
21. Ottawa
22. Arizona
23. Anaheim
24. Carolina
25. Chicago
As I predicted in my article last week, it was just the beginning. Now with an early season coaching change an aging Chicago team will have to try to ban together without their commander in chief. This 5 game skid is going to just be the start of a slide that could leave the Blackhawks on the outside looking in.
26. New Jersey
27. Detroit
28. Vegas
29. St Louis
30. Florida
31. Los Angeles
@BellyUp_KJ
1. Nashville
Nashville continues to impress and continues to dominate. They’re winning games 1-0 but give you the feeling they won 6-0. They’re getting contribution from all over the lineup, and Rinne is back to Vezina form. Not only that, he signed a contract, and got a shutout on his birthday. He has now done that TWICE. Now known as the goalie hat-trick, Rinne and the Preds have the staying power to keep themselves at the top of our rankings.
2. Tampa Bay
3. Calgary
4. Toronto
5. Vancouver
6. Minnesota
The biggest jump this week belongs to the biggest surprise of the last week. Supplemental scoring and the usual brilliance from net minder Devan Dubnyk has completely turned this game around. They’ve won seven of their last eight after a 1-2-2 start, they’ve shown no signs of slowing down. Expect Minnesota to be a contender in the stacked Central this year.
7. NY Islanders
8. Edmonton
9. Winnipeg
10. Dallas
11. Colorado
Arguably the best team in the league, the Avalanche have looked sketchy at times recently. Unable to close games out late, they lost a marathon against Calgary and haven’t found their footing since. The best line in hockey (Rantanen/MacKinnon/Landeskog) will continue to keep them in games. They just need more depth scoring and some accountability on the blue line.
12. San Jose
13. Boston
14. Montreal
15. Pittsburgh
16. Arizona
17. Columbus
18. Buffalo
19. Chicago
A five game skid and remarkably mediocre play should have the Blackhawks even lower. Call it bias, or optimism but I don’t believe the Hawks are truly as bad as they’ve looked. Now, with new coach Jeremy Colliton, we’ll see if they have enough to recover the points lost on this losing streak.
20. Carolina
21. Philadelphia
22. Washington
23. Vegas
24. Ottawa
25. Anaheim
26. NY Rangers
27. New Jersey
28. Detroit
29. St. Louis
30. Florida
31. LA Kings
Even before Quick went down, there was something seriously wrong with the Kings. They’re slow, can’t score, and if it weren’t for Kopitar and Doughty they could be win-less. Hopefully the return of perennial sniper Jeff Carter will help cure their offensive woes.
@BellyUpZachMac
1. NSH Predators (+1)
2. TB Lightning (+3)
3. MIN Wild (+4)
4. TOR Maple Leafs (-3)
5. CGY Flames (+14)
Flames? Hot? Ya don’t say! A modest four game winning streak saw the boys from Calgary make this highest jump on my list this week. The Flames are getting results from everywhere, with 5 guys currently sitting between 6 and 9 goals. Very nice 😉
6. VAN Canucks (+12)
7. COL Avalanche (-4)
8. WPG Jets (-2)
9. EDM Oilers (+8)
10. DAL Stars (+10)
11. NY Islanders (+11)
I love this team this year. I don’t really know why, but I am riding the Islanders train hard. These boys have played 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, including a tough OT loss on Monday to MTL. A win there might have them much higher on this list. A big test coming up Thursday in TB. Don’t be surprised if these boys steal 2 points in that one.
12. SJ Sharks (+4)
13. PIT Penguins (-9)
14. BOS Bruins (-5)
15. BUF Sabres (–)
16. WSH Capitals (-4)
Slowly losing hope. I think tonight’s game, hosting PIT, is going to tell us a lot. Two teams who are relatively under-performing when compared to their expectations. I predicted PIT to win on the road tonight, and that’s why WSH sits lower on this list. Stay tuned for that one. Gonna be good.
17. MTL Canadiens (-9)
18. CHI Blackhawks (-8)
19. ARI Coyotes (+4)
20. CAR Hurricanes (-9)
21. CBJ Blue Jackets (-8)
22. PHI Flyers (+5)
23. ANA Ducks (-2)
24. OTT Senators (–)
I love the Sens. Always have. For some twisted reason that I cannot fathom. Boy, are they tough to watch so far this season. I can’t put my finger down on any sort of consistency from this squad. I want to pull for them every game, especially in my #PuckPicks, but they are going to need to start playing better. Two straight weeks at 24 can’t feel good.
25. NJ Devils (-11)
26. VGK Golden Knights (–)
27. NY Rangers (+1)
28. STL Blues (-3)
29. FLA Panthers (–)
30. DET Red Wings (+1)
THEY CLIMBED A SPOT! OMG! This isn’t so much due to the Wings’ play as it has had to do with the King’s play. BUT… they sit at 30 for now and thanks to VGK, that’s no longer last place. These young guns have a chance to get on a roll. A chance, no matter how small, is still a chance.
31. LA Kings (-1)
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