Happy Holidays! This week, my NHL Power Rankings will include what gifts each team received for Christmas. Some are tangible, and some are not. Some are fantastic, and some are about as effective as coal. Regardless, each team’s gift reflects how they are doing as the calendar flips to 2018.
1. Tampa Bay Lightning: 54 points
Previously 1 (50 points)
Near perfection. Losing to Vegas was high-profile, but it has also been the only loss for Tampa Bay in December. They get two more home games against teams currently outside the playoff picture before taking their talents to the north, and there might not be many possible losses on that road trip. With his 22-save shutout over Minnesota, Andrei Vasilevskiy now has an NHL-high 23 wins and is tied with Sergei Bobrovsky for the league lead in shutouts.
2. Vegas Golden Knights: 50 points
Previously 3 (46 points)
Good health and good teamwork. After surviving adversity in the form of injuries in goal, teamwork is likely the main reason why the expansion franchise is untouchable on the ice. After a surprising win over the Lightning, Vegas disposed Washington and Anaheim quite handily to win their fourth and fifth straight games and nine out of their last 10. Marc-Andre Fleury picked up his first shutout with the Golden Knights in a 3-0 win over the Capitals.
3. Nashville Predators: 49 points
Previously 2 (46 points)
Encouragement that their defense can still be trusted. The defense, and especially Pekka Rinne, had been getting knocked around, especially in the disaster that was Thursday’s loss to Carolina. A divisional win against the rival Blues certainly calmed the air in Nashville, as the Preds retained first place in the Central Division. Nashville gets a tough home-and-home with Minnesota to finish off 2017 and begin the new year in Vegas. Rinne allowed just one goal on 30 shots to keep St. Louis at bay on Wednesday.
4. Los Angeles Kings: 48 points
Previously 4 (46 points)
The biggest Christmas tree outside of New York and BWI airport. It stands just outside of Staples Center, which is where the Kings play, and it is a great way to bring in the holiday season. It would be nice if the offense could be as spectacular, as LA needed an overtime winner from Dustin Brown to get two points this week. A first ever visit from Vegas comes up on Thursday. Brown’s overtime winner happened to be in his 1,000th game, which was a week after Marian Gaborik had his milestone game. Only the Sedin twins have played more games with one team than Brown.
5. St. Louis Blues: 48 points
Previously 5 (46 points)
A Wheel of Fortune because it has to be luck for Kyle Brodziak to run the offense. St. Louis’s trip to Canada did not go as planned, but they finished it with a win in Vancouver after just three goals in the first three road games. Brodziak provided the offense in Saturday’s win, including a sharp-angle shot in the second period to finally reward Jake Allen‘s strong play on the trip. He also assisted on the Blues’ lone goal in Wednesday’s loss to Nashville.
6. Winnipeg Jets: 47 points
Previously 7 (45 points)
A one-way flight back to Winnipeg ASAP. Their trip to the northeast did not go as planned, so the Jets were happy to go home and take on Edmonton. A high-scoring affair on Wednesday turned into a tight ending with plenty of close calls from the Oilers offense, but it was not enough to stop Winnipeg from getting their only win of the week. Former Buffalo first round draft pick Joel Armia took control this week, picking up a late assist on Saturday and scoring twice in a game where Bryan Little set the franchise record for games played. Unfortunately, Winnipeg will be without Mark Scheifele until at least February.
7. Washington Capitals: 47 points
Previously 6 (45 points)
A Ravensberger toy in honor of their success at finding talent in and around Germany. The two central Europe players for Washington each have chipped in this season, with Jakub Vrana reaching double digits in goals after just 21 games in his first season in the NHL. Philipp Grubauer is not getting the wins, but he has vastly improved from earlier in the season. He topped it off by stopping all 37 shots against the Rangers on Wednesday before New York won in a shootout.
8. New Jersey Devils: 49 points
Previously 10 (43 points)
A golden trophy for the front office because of its first choice in the 2017 NHL Draft. Nico Hischier was not supposed to be an overwhelming star at 18 years old, but he is proving to the New Jersey faithful that he is here to stay. To make things even better, the Devils are still at the top of the Metropolitan Division. Hischier carried New Jersey to their fifth straight win on Wednesday with two first period goals, which was enough to hold off the Red Wings.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs: 45 points
Previously 8 (43 points)
Auston Matthews. This is perhaps the biggest and most obvious gift of the season. Matthews has seemingly made the offense automatic, and the team was starting to slide offensively. The top pick from 2016 scored in his return to the lineup, and the Leafs held off the Rangers in a thrilling match in MSG.
10. Columbus Blue Jackets: 47 points
Previously 9 (43 points)
A shootout luck wheel. They will likely need it considering how often they find themselves in shootouts. They went into a shootout in all three games this week, and two of those ended up being losses to the Penguins. Artemi Panarin led Columbus to all three shootouts with points in five of the team’s seven goals, including two slick goal on Wednesday.
11. New York Rangers: 44 points
Previously 11 (41 points)
Another Russian star. Not all stars belong on Christmas trees, and Alex Ovechkin, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Evgeni Malkin are not the only stars from the nation of Red. Pavel Buchnevich is starting to become one of the most consistent point producers in the Big Apple, and he added an assist in each of the team’s last two games before Christmas. Only Mats Zuccarello has more points than Buchnevich through 27 games.
12. New York Islanders: 44 points
Previously 12 (39 points)
One super-sized BLT. WITH EXTRA BACON! Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, and John Tavares are locks for at least two goals a game, it seems, but Mathew Barzal is by far and away the most impressive rookie in December. The 20-year-old rookie probably will not slow down until he picks up a shiny Calder Trophy. He smothered the improved Winnipeg defense with his first career hat trick, and the Islanders ran away with some much-needed goaltending from Jaroslav Halak. To put the cherry on top, Barzal scored the overtime winner on Wednesday after New York barely forced overtime.
13. San Jose Sharks: 42 points
Previously 13 (38 points)
A brick wall and a potential (roster) renovation. After falling off in their Western Canada road trip, the Sharks took two in a row in their return home against division rivals. They finish their 2017 home schedule against Calgary on Thursday before a predominantly Canadian road trip. Kevin Labanc has reemerged as a top offensive threat just before the holiday break with six points in a two-game span, including three assists and the overtime winner against Vancouver on Thursday. Martin Jones continued the streaky defense by shutting out the Kings following five straight starts of allowing four goals.
14. Boston Bruins: 45 points
Previously 18 (39 points)
A significantly larger well of young talent. The same names from last week’s edition have become some of the more exciting rookie cores in the NHL, but they are not the only players to come up big. Thanks to some strong performances from Tuukka Rask and two goals from the rejuvenated Patrice Bergeron against the rival Red Wings, the Bruins are on the verge of passing Toronto in the Atlantic Division standings. Perhaps the Stanley Cup is not as far away from Boston as once perceived.
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15. Dallas Stars: 43 points
15. Dallas Stars: 43 pointsPreviously 16 (39 points)
Some Cool Whip after their old-fashioned butt-whipping of Chicago. Something had to give on Thursday, as the Stars were both awful against the Central Division and excellent at home. They had no problems in their 4-0 win over the Blackhawks. Will the Stars start playing like their win over Nashville or come up short like they did in Sota on Wednesday? Ben Bishop has dealt with consistency issues for most of the season, but he stopped all 24 Chicago shots for his third shutout of the season on Thursday.
16. Pittsburgh Penguins: 41 points
Previously 14 (37 points)
A baseball bat for them to beat a dead horse. If the Pens claw their way back into the playoffs, they would probably be thrilled to see Columbus as their first round opponent again. After needing just five games to eliminate them last year, Pittsburgh won two shootouts to knock off the Jackets this week. Another round of divisional opponents are up next this week. Evgeni Malkin had a goal, two assists, and a shootout score in Wednesday’s victory, and he has points in 10 of Pittsburgh’s 12 December games.
17. Minnesota Wild: 41 points
Previously 17 (39 points)
Some nice, warm “Welcome Home” greeting cards. The Wild looked lost in the Sunshine State, so they returned to the frigid northern frontier and took care of Dallas on home ice. Sweeping the Predators in the home-and-home would certainly help them get back into the division race. Mikael Granlund has stabilized the offense all season long, and he scored the go-ahead goal against the Stars on Wednesday.
18. Calgary Flames: 39 points
Previously 19 (39 points)
Friends and family. Yes, that sounds cliché, but the Flames were the only team to not play on Saturday. Combine that with no game on Wednesday, and the Flames are more rested than anyone else. That will be crucial with two road visits in California coming up. Then the Flames need to figure their home woes out with the turn of 2018. Micheal Ferland broke the ice early the third period of Calgary’s loss to Montreal, and he is now second on the team in goals.
19. Chicago Blackhawks: 39 points
Previously 15 (39 points)
A milestone for the team’s MVP. Patrick Kane picked up his 300th goal in Saturday’s loss to New Jersey, but the team continued its trend of being either good or gross. They were outscored 8-1 to losses in Dallas and New Jersey. That five-game winning streak against weak opponents is starting to look fluky.
20. Anaheim Ducks: 40 points
Previously 20 (36 points)
A Vezina candidate. His stats do not stick out, but John Gibson is looking like the flashiest goaltender in the NHL. Even if it takes another year, expect Gibson to be in the running for the Vezina Trophy soon. He picked up his first shutout of the season in an easy win in Pittsburgh to finish off the road trip. Another defensive genius came up big on Thursday, as Hampus Lindholm picked up the hat trick and the overtime winner to dispose the Islanders.
21. Carolina Hurricanes: 41 points
Previously 22 (35 points)
Cam Ward from 2006. Is it crazy that the Hurricanes are relying on a familiar source to get them back into the postseason? Ward may be reemerging as at least a platoon option in between the pipes. Following a four-goal outburst on Pekka Rinne, the longtime Cane kept the Predators at bay on 29 shots, and he now has nine wins in 13 appearances this season after another one-goal night against Montreal.
22. Philadelphia Flyers: 38 points
Previously 21 (37 points)
The good side of Brian Elliott. He has historically been known as a Jekyll and Hyde with St. Louis and Calgary, but he is starting to look like the savior in getting Philly back into the playoff race. Despite losing in both games, Elliott managed to hold the Sabres and Jackets to three goals on 73 shots, including keeping the Jackets in check after an early goal to force a shootout.
23. Montreal Canadiens: 36 points
Previously 24 (34 points)
$2 to buy a new road map. Montreal’s road trip has become pedestrian at best, and they have one more gave in Sunrise before taking on an equally difficult home schedule. They are in danger of falling out of the playoff picture very early. Montreal’s lone win of the week was Thursday’s 3-2 victory over Calgary, and they almost lost the lead late in that one. The fourth line took charge once again, and Byron Froese scored for the first time in nearly two years in a two-point night in the win.
24. Vancouver Canucks: 35 points
Previously 23 (34 points)
Reality. The worst present ever. Vancouver has lost eight of their last nine game and the Oilers have passed them in the Pacific Division standings. The “maybe next year” strategy might be in effect with the recent slew of injuries and recent fallout entering January. Jake Virtanen added to the recent youth movement with a gorgeous breakaway goal to beat Aaron Dell in the third period on Thursday.
25. Colorado Avalanche: 37 points
Previously 25 (34 points)
Some fireworks to counter-attack the ones that Zac Rinaldo brought to Glendale. RInaldo got punished, and Colorado won the first game, but they probably could have used some more toughness in the second half of the home-and-home series. Losing to Arizona will certainly not help Colorado’s chances at the playoffs. Carl Soderberg scored twice in Saturday’s win, and it was the first multi-goal game of his career.
26. Edmonton Oilers: 36 points
Previously 27 (32 points)
A second chance. The Oilers were horrible, but they have climbed back into the playoff race with four straight victories. Two games with Winnipeg should give Edmonton a clearer picture of where they stand. Cam Talbot is undefeated since his return, and he had 34 saves on St. Louis before Drake Caggiula potted the game-winner on Thursday. Leon Draisaitl has also been hot of late, tallying seven assists during the winning streak.
27. Florida Panthers: 35 points
Previously 29 (31 points)
A Hooby-Dooby-Doo. Jonathan Huberdeau has taken over for the Florida offense as of late. Despite the team’s continued struggles to contend despite all the top picks, Huberdeau looks to be putting together his most complete season, and he is on pace to fly past his career high for points in a season. He scored twice in Thursday’s win over Minnesota and scored the only goal in Saturday’s win over Ottawa. James Reimer displayed some acrobatics in the third period in his first shutout of the season, and he had to turn away 18 Senators shots in that final frame.
28. Detroit Red Wings: 33 points
Previously 26 (33 points)
Plenty of luck on the penalty kill. Despite their recent fallout, the Red Wings can brag about having the most shorthanded goals in the NHL with seven. Frans Nielsen picked up shorty number seven on Saturday, and only five active NHL players have more shorthanded goals in their career than Nielsen.
29. Ottawa Senators: 30 points
Previously 28 (29 points)
A catapult for them to use on Eugene Melnyk. The Ottawa owner cannot keep his mouth shut when needed, and now it is unclear what he could do with the franchise. Of course, most fans would love for him to sell the team immediately and move on. On the ice, the Senators looked very competitive against the Lightning, but the team went back to being listless.
30. Buffalo Sabres: 25 points
Previously 30 (23 points)
An outdoor game out of thin air. Despite doing very little since their last outdoor game, the Sabres got themselves a Winter Classic game that is nowhere near their arena. Jack Eichel can feel good knowing that the entire continent will get to see his talents in case his tenure with the sorry roster cannot be saved. He has eight points in his last four games, including two empty net goals in which four of the six total goals between Buffalo and Philadelphia were within the final 2:10.
31. Arizona Coyotes: 23 points
Previously 31 (19 points)
A random regular who probably should be on a contender. Oh look! Arizona pulled off a stunner against the Capitals before falling back to earth against Colorado. While Clayton Keller provided the heroics in that win, Derek Stepan may be playing his way out of the desert after scoring twice to give Arizona a fighting chance on Saturday. Which team will give him a look in February?
BOLD PREDICTIONS:
Last week:
Florida doubles up Minnesota on at least four goals (ie 4-2, 6-3, etc. Scores like 4-1 or 6-1 WILL NOT COUNT on this one). I thought I was being too specific, but an empty-netter from Jonathan Huberdeau gave me the win! First one involving a USA team!
Six Atlantic Division teams win on Saturday. Leave it to Montreal and Buffalo to kick the bucket once more.
Blake Comeau scores another shorthanded goal on Wednesday against Arizona. Not so much.
This week:
Dallas scores two power play goals on Friday.
Connor Hellebuyck holds the Islanders to zero or one goal.
Mats Zuccarello has at least three points against the Blackhawks on Wednesday.
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