NHL Power Rankings: Week 22
We are back! Congratulations to Team USA Men’s and Women’s hockey team for taking home the Gold Medals! Sweeping the hockey events was quite the noise stateside. More importantly, the NHL is back and we are literally 2 days away from the Trade Deadline and its shaping up to be an interesting one. The noise around town is that it’s a “buyers market.” I think we might see some fun this week!
#16 Edmonton Oilers (30-24-8; 68 Points)
Previously #12
Oilers are a disaster right now. They can’t defend and goaltending has been less than average…They are giving the entire division a chance to send them to the beach for a long summer. I don’t know what needs to change but it better be something. They have the capabilities of winning the division given the weak play by Vegas and they’ve squandered it completely. Worry has definitely set in. Brining in Connor Murphy hopefully will stabilize the front of the net, but the entire team needs to bear down. It’s disgusting how bad this team is playing defensively. They barely made the list at all, to be honest.
#15 Ottawa Senators (29-22-9; 67 Points)
Previously Unranked
Ottawa lost to the Oilers after giving up too many in a short amount of time, but they are finding the back of the net at a nice clip. +8 goal differential is solid and they beat the crap out of Toronto, pushing their provincial rival to the brink of collapse.
#14 Utah Mammoth (32-25-4, 68 Points)
Previously Unranked
Utah has made a name for itself this season and is enjoying the rough seasons that the entire Pacific Division is having. They could very well take a playoff spot and I love their solid +24 goal differential. Their ability to score is a question mark but they defend well and goaltending is very solid. I wonder if the Mammoth is active this week.
#13 Washington Capitals (31-25-7; 69 Points)
Previously Unranked
They need to figure their game out quickly but I think this team can do something big at the deadline. They will need to if they plan to grab that last spot in the playoffs.
#12 New York Islanders(35-21-5, 70 Points)
Previously #14
The Islanders are looking solid. Matthew Schaefer is looking elite. He is the first rookie, at just 18, to reach the 20 goal mark as a defenseman. This kid is going places and the Islanders fans ought to be ecstatic. This is what it means to pick a franchise changing guy 1st overall.
#11 Vegas Golden Knights (28-19-14; 70 Points)
Previously #8
The Golden Knights are not a good team. I am going to say that right now, I don’t think they are as good as their record suggests. Thank God they play in the Pacific. However, their string of bad luck or bad karma is continuing as Mark Stone is out for awhile and if he’s out long term, they won’t be able to do their LTIR BS given the new rules. This is what you get for signing Carter Hart.
#10 Anaheim Ducks (33-24-3; 69 Points)
Previously #11
Ducks, as of right now, are my pick to win the awful crappy Pacific Division. They are the only team with a true winning record, despite their negative goal differential. 19 regulation wins is less than good by any means but they still win more than they lose and will likely be the lead of the Pacific Division if things continue.
#9 Montreal Canadiens (33-18-9; 75 Points)
Previously #10
Things are getting hairy for the Habs. 5-3-2 and the field is getting tight in the East yet again. I like the fact they have a positive goal differential but track meets like they had against the Sharks are showing that they are vulnerable.
#8 Detroit Red Wings (35-20-6; 76 Points)
Previously #6
I am getting concerned about the Wings. They do sit in a playoff spot and they have some room for error, but it is quickly shrinking. They have a negative goal differential. I think they are going to make it but I also think Yzerman needs to have a very good week on the phones.
#7 Pittsburgh Penguins (31-16-13; 75 Points)
Unchanged
Losing Crosby for 4 weeks is going to hurt this team but the fact that Kyle Dubas is making me a believer as a GM is insane. He continues to win the Tristan Jarry trade and I wonder what he will do next here over the next few days. Pens have a good shot to make the playoffs if they can tread water without Sid.
#6 Buffalo Sabres (36-19-6; 78 Points)
Previously #9
The Sabers, yes those same Buffalo Sabres, are two points away from top spot in the Atlantic Division. The same team that hasn’t made the playoffs in seemingly forever, holding the record for God’s sake. They are third in regulation wins league wide. I know I need to see them punch their ticket for it to be real but things look really really good for the Sabres.
#5 Minnesota Wild (36-16-10; 82 Points)
Unchanged
Minnesota has won 7 of their last 10 games and they look like a force in the Central. They will play the Stars likely in the 1st round and I think that’s such a shame. But objectively, watching strong teams go at it when they are their healthiest makes for amazing hockey.
#4 Tampa Bay Lightning (38-17-4; 80 Points)
Previously #2
Tampa is going through a rough patch with losses to Canes and to the Sabres in large fashion. I think the Bolts are just reintegrating with the NHL again as they had many players head over to Milan. I am not overly concerned about this team yet as I think their firepower could put them in a position to be the team to beat in the East.
#3 Carolina Hurricanes (38-16-6; 82 Points)
Unchanged
Carolina is on a hot streak right now, with a strong 7-1-2 record in their last 10. They looked very strong against the Bolts this week, hence the movement in the rankings accordingly. The question will remain, can the Hurricanes outscore any opponents in the playoffs.
#2 Dallas Stars (38-14-9; 85 Points)
Previously #4
10 straight for the Dallas Stars despite their last couple against middling teams. They took care of business, and I want to show some flowers. Dallas is losing Tyler Seguin for the year, and they opened up some space to do some work this week. They already added Tyler Myers to add some size on the back end, and it might be what pushes this team over the top.
#1 Colorado Avalanche (41-10-9; 91 Points)
Unchanged
Winners of their last 3. I have to be honest I almost pushed them down the rankings as it seems like the Avs are beatable at times. They still have a strong regulation win record, and they seemingly are the team to beat and will continue to be.