Wanna know what the “puck” is going on in the hockey world? There were a couple of big movers up and down the list this week, as well as coaching changes. Here are this weeks NHL Power Rankings!
1. Winnipeg Jets
DALLAS, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 29: Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the Winnipeg Jets warms up before the game against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on February 29, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
3 of their 4 losses this year have come in the past 5 games. They’ve lost some momentum but are still flying high.
2. Dallas Stars
DALLAS, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 26: Logan Stankoven #11 of the Dallas Stars warms up before the game against the New York Islanders at American Airlines Center on February 26, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Won 2 of their last 3 games. They have allowed the least amount of goals per game in the NHL.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
TORONTO, CANADA – MARCH 16: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates with the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 16, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Hurricanes defeated the Maple Leafs 5-4 in a shootout. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Lost 2 of their last 3 games. Their next 3 games will be illuminating, as they are all against teams that are top 5 on this list.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, CANADA – JANUARY 13: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates with the puck against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 13, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Avalanche defeated the Maple Leafs 5-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Up 3 spots! Won 4 of their last 5 games. Matthews will be back soon, so their arrow is pointing definitively upwards.
5. Colorado Avalanche
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – FEBRUARY 08: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates during the first period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on February 08, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Up a spot. They are on a 3 game-winning streak and have won 6 of their last 7. They’re cruising now!
6. New York Rangers
Down a spot. Lost 2 of their last 3 games, but this move downward in rank is more a reflection of how well the Leafs and Avalanche have been playing.
7. Florida Panthers
SUNRISE, FL – MARCH 16: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers skates prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Amerant Bank Arena on March 16, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Down 4 spots! On a 3 game losing streak and have lost 5 of their last 6 games. Their defense is proving to be a serious liability.
8. Minnesota Wild
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 07: Kirill Kaprizov #97 of the Minnesota Wild looks on during the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on February 07, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
They are up a spot and have won 2 of their last 3. Thankfully Kaprizov’s recent injury doesn’t seem to be serious.
9. Vegas Golden Knights
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 27: Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his second-period short-handed goal against the Dallas Stars in Game Three of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on April 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Up 2 spots and have won 2 of their last 3. They are scoring the 4th most goals per game, just behind the Hurricanes.
10. Washington Capitals
VANCOUVER, CANADA – MARCH 16: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates during the first period of their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on March 16, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)
They are down 2 spots and have lost 2 of their last 3. This offense has revolved around Ovechkin, and losing him for 4-6 weeks hurts a lot. Hopefully the rest of the team can step it up.
11. New Jersey Devils
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 13: General view of the New Jersey Devils jersey logo during the second period of the game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on April 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Up 2 spots. Won both of their games this past week against opponents ranked higher than them.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 19: Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates his third-period empty-net goal against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on March 19, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Down 3 spots and have lost 2 of their last 3 games. Their defense is currently lagging behind their offense.
13. Edmonton Oilers
EDMONTON, AB – MAY 14: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on May 14, 2022 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
Down a spot. Won 2 of their last 4 games. Lost to the Canadiens but beat the Rangers this past week. Go figure.
14. Vancouver Canucks
MONTREAL, CANADA – NOVEMBER 12: A detailed view of the Vancouver Canucks logo during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on November 12, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Won 1 and lost 1 this past week, both close games.
15. Los Angeles Kings
MONTREAL, CANADA – OCTOBER 17: A closeup view of the Los Angeles Kings crest during the first period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 17, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Won 1 and lost 1 this past week, both low-scoring games against opponents ranked lower than them on this list.
16. Calgary Flames
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – FEBRUARY 6: Nazem Kadri #91 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Boston Bruins during the second period at the TD Garden on February 6, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
Up 7 spots! Easily the biggest mover, the Flames are scorching hot and on a 4 game-win streak. Notably, 2 of those games were against top 10 teams.
17. Boston Bruins
MONTREAL, QC – MARCH 21: A detailed view of the Boston Bruins’ logo is seen during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on March 21, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Down a spot. Won 2 of their last 3 games, but both were soft matchups. They are still dead last in goals per game. Joe Sacco is the new head coach after the firing of Jim Montgomery, and it remains to be seen how the loss of Montgomery will impact the players.
18. Buffalo Sabres
BUFFALO, NY – JANUARY 14: A general view of the Buffalo Sabres logo on a jersey during the game against the Washington Capitals at KeyBank Center on January 14 , 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
On a 3 game winning streak, though, 2 of those matchups were against very weak teams.
19. Ottawa Senators
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 04: Ottawa Senators logo prior to the second period the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on April 04, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)***
Down 2 spots and on a 5 game losing streak due to defensive woes. On the bright side, their power play unit is top 5 in the league, and they are taking the 3rd most shots per game.
20. Utah Hockey Club
KEARNS, UTAH – OCTOBER 07: A close-up of the Utah Hockey Club logo on practice jersey at Utah’s Olympic Oval on October 07, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Down a spot and have lost 3 of their last 4 games.
21. Nashville Predators
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MAY 03: Juuse Saros #74 of the Nashville Predators tends goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on May 03, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
Down a spot. Beat the Jets but lost to the Kraken this past week. They continue to be an enigma.
22. Philadelphia Flyers
MONTREAL, QC – DECEMBER 16: A detailed view of the Philadelphia Flyers’ logo seen on a jersey during overtime against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 16, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Down a spot. Lost 2 of their last 3 games but against top 5 teams. Though their penalty kill percentage is top 3 in the league, they are still allowing the 6th most goals per game.
23. Seattle Kraken
OTTAWA, CANADA – DECEMBER 02: Detailed view of the Seattle Kraken logo on Joey Daccord #35 of the Seattle Kraken jersey during the second period against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on December 02, 2023 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Up a spot. Won 1 and lost 1 this past week. Their defense has been top 10 but their offense is lackluster.
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 07: A general view of the Columbus Blue Jackets jersey logo worn by Elvis Merzlikins #90 during the second period of the NHL preseason game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on October 7, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Up 4 spots and on a 3 game win streak! Additionally, 2 of these games were very difficult matchups. The Monahan/Marchenko connection is back in action and 22 year old Kent Johnson has been an important addition, particularly on the power play. All in all, they have a great offense but an even worse defense that is preventing them from ascending further.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 15: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at the United Center on February 15, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
On a 3 game losing streak but against some tough opponents. They are allowing the most goals per game in the NHL.
26. New York Islanders
MONTREAL, CANADA – FEBRUARY 11: A closeup view of the New York Islanders’ logo during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on February 11, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Down 4 spots. Despite the team having the highest face-off win percentage in the NHL, their offense hasn’t been up to snuff. Lost 2 of their last 3 games.
27. St. Louis Blues
Down a spot. Jim Montgomery just signed a 5-year contract with the Blues, replacing Drew Bannister as their new head coach. This could prove to be just what the doctor ordered for St. Louis, as Montgomery has a very positive demeanor backed by an extremely impressive coaching record.
28. Anaheim Ducks
ANAHEIM, CA – JUNE 22: The new logo of the Anahaim Ducks is presented at the unveiling of the new Anaheim Ducks logo and jersey at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim on June 22, 2006 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
Up 3 spots and have won 2 of their last 3 games, but don’t get too excited. The Ducks are still allowing the most shots against per game in the NHL and are dead last in face-off win percentage.
29. Montreal Canadiens
MONTREAL, CANADA – OCTOBER 14: A close-up view of the Montreal Canadiens logo on a jersey during the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre on October 14, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Up a spot due to the downward spiral of the Sharks. Won 1 and lost 1 this past week. They are allowing the 2nd most goals per game.
30. Detroit Red Wings
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – FEBRUARY 27: Patrick Kane #88 of the Detroit Red Wings controls the puck in front of Nicolas Aube-Kubel #96 of the Washington Capitals during the first period at Little Caesars Arena on February 27, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Down 3 spots and lost 2 of their last 3 games. They are 6th worst in goals per game despite having the 6th best power play percentage, and their penalty kill percentage is the worst in the league.
31. Chicago Blackhawks
NEWARK, NJ – JANUARY 05: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) skates during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils on January 05, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)
Up a spot. Lost 2 of their last 3 games. Their offense is holding them back, as they have the second least amount of goals per game.
32. San Jose Sharks
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 04: The logo on the San Jose Sharks on a jersey during their game against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center on October 04, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Down 3 spots and on a 3 game losing streak. With a bottom 5 offense and defense, the Sharks will likey be at or near the bottom all year.
