NHL Power Rankings: Week 6
The NHL Season is quite the scene in the standings. It feels like we’ve turned back the clock as we have the Ducks at the top of the Pacific and Montreal tops of the Atlantic. Don’t look now but the Devils are leading the Metro, granted they have one extra game over the Canes. The young lads are here and making a statement and I am all for it.
#16 Philadelphia Flyers (8-5-2; 17 Points)
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Captain has some interesting, but I think great comments about their young Matvei Michkov. Some good constructive criticism of a young player that needs to learn both sides of the game. If he can pop off, the Flyers will be fun again.
#15 Detroit Red Wings (9-7-0; 18 Points)
Previously #10
Big cool off from the Wings and their mighty goaltending tandem looked awful. Both let up 4 goals against…Are we seeing the regression to the mean again? They cannot miss playoffs this year.
#14 Winnipeg Jets (9-6-0; 18 Points)
Previously #5
Congrats on the awful Cali trip. And way to get dominated against the Sharks and the Ducks throughout most of those games. They scored just 2 goals…yikes. Connor Helly looked human too. This is the team I think the Jets are…I am the harsh one but I am the right one as well.
#13 New York Rangers (8-7-2; 18 Points)
Previously #12
The Rangers dominated and scored at will...on home ice!!! It’s a miracle! Artemi Panarin is starting to come around but we need even more.
#12 Ottawa Senators (8-5-3; 19 Points)
Previously #13
Goaltending has been an issue in Senators land but they are still able to bank points on a game by game basis. They need to improve their chance generation capabilities and you wonder how much they are missing their captain.
#11 Florida Panthers (8-7-1; 17 Points)
Previously #8
No panic in Panther land. Yes, you got beat by the Ducks and the Sharks, but injury problems are driving much of the uneven play. They still have moments where they show us just how strong they are. At times against the Ducks, James got to see the Anaconda Chokehold. But they eventually buckled under the pressure. The Cats have played so much hockey and are missing key players, no panic here.
#10 Dallas Stars (9-4-3; 21 Points)
Previously #9
Stars are winners of 3 of their last 4 after an interesting slump. Granted they beat the Oilers, who might be the worst team in the league right now. The top line is getting it done but beyond that it is looking like the playoffs last year…empty. This is not the deep team we remember from years past.
#9 Utah Mammoth (9-7-0; 18 Points)
Previously #7
Things are really slowing down for the Mammoth and now we might be getting the team we expected from the get go. They will hunt for the playoffs, no doubt, but they have things to work out to be a contender. They are looking like the better team in a lot of nights but they might need better goaltending and fast.
#8 Montreal Canadiens (10-3-2; 22 Points)
Previously #4
Montreal continues to impress, don’t let the ranking fool you. This is a point in the season where the middle ranks are so tight that 8 could be as good as 4 right now. They dominated and shelled the Mammoth on HNIC. Things are trending well in French Canada.
#7 Pittsburgh Penguins (9-5-3; 21 Points)
Previously #11
The Penguins have defensive concerns but that’s par for the course for a team that is made up of so many young players. They can generate chances for at a pretty consistent pace and that is pushing the Penguins over the edge most nights. The Penguins could very well be a playoff team folks.
#6 Tampa Bay Lightning (8-5-2; 18 Points)
Previously #15
Welcome back to the fray Bolts, you didn’t miss much. The Bolts are able to take advantage of your mistakes, even if you are dominating them. That can be very tough to play against. Since his horrid start, Vasy hasn’t given up more than 3 goals all season. Did the league just wake the beast?
#5 Anaheim Ducks (11-3-1, 23 Points)
Previously #14
Ducks are lighting up the league right now. 7 straight wins and 9 in their last 10 with an average of over 4 goals per game. They are dominating the offensive side of the puck. The young bucks are driving their play and that is a sign of what Coach Q can bring out of a squad. They are able to outscore their defensive issues and the best part is this how it goes with young teams. They will learn to defend and watch out because they won’t be stopped at the point.
#4 Vegas Golden Knights (7-3-4; 18 Points)
Previously #6
The goaltending has been an issue for the Knights and it showed with a fairly uneven week. However, the Knights roster and their ability to dominate zones continues to keep them in the rankings, plus some of the teams high up last week are getting re-ranked and adjusted accordingly.
#3 New Jersey Devils (11-4-0; 22 Points)
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Devils turn around after an awful Cali trip and win 2 straight. The rest of the lineup outside of Hughes need to step it up because they haven’t been carrying the load. Hischier and Meier have 1 goal in their last 11 games. That’s not enough. Even Jack Hughes is not scoring at a pace he needs to continue. This team needs all hands on deck if they want to continue their solid season.
#2 Carolina Hurricanes (11-4-0; 22 Points)
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Winners of 5 of 6 and they are clearly the class of the East. Possession numbers are strong as ever and they are dominating the offensive zone. They are managing without Jaccob Slavin, in fact dominant without him. That is a sign of a very good team.
#1 Colorado Avalanche (10-1-5; 25 Points)
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The Oilers have the barometer in the West given their success in the last couple playoffs and the Avs absolutely embarrassed them. They are reminding everyone just how incredible they are. They are turning in a very good season but I wonder if they are doing too much too early. Don’t burn out!