The Ducks are WWWWWWWWWWinning a lot these days. They continue to raise eyebrows as they climb up the NHL Power Rankings. Their winning streak has hit a staggering eight games and they are now tied with the Los Angeles Kings for first place in the Pacific Division. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets (two of the three teams I consistently cover…ugh) get closer and closer to the bottom of the list.
1. Washington Capitals (98 points)
Last week: 1 (94 points)
The Capitals have had a great season, especially against the Rangers. If they beat them on Friday, then they will have 100 points…already! How disappointing will it be for the fans if they do not win the Cup this year? Ouch. Matt Niskanen scored the game-winning goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
2. Chicago Blackhawks (85 points)
Last week: 2 (81 points)
This week was like making a perfect cake and dropping it all over the floor because of one dang banana peel. The Blackhawks were looking at a perfect (PERFECT) week after beating the Capitals and the Red Wings, but became a surprising victim against Boston in the building where they clinched the 2013 Stanley Cup. Brent Seabrook was a factor for Blackhawks all night against Detroit. He gave national television crowd a buzz with a sprawling goal and two assists, including one as he was hit, within the first two periods.
3. Dallas Stars (83 points)
Last week: 3 (82 points)
My have the Stars fallen? They have just one win in their last eight games, and they are in danger of playing Game 1 of the first round playoffs on the road. They need to find a way to get their defense in check. Valeri Nichushkin had his shot going against the Rangers. He had a glaring slap shot that went past Henrik Lundqvist to tie the game up in the third period. He almost did it again in the waning seconds of the game.
4. St. Louis Blues (83 points)
Last week: 4 (79 points)
The Blues continue to creep their way towards the top of the Central Division and Western Conference standings, but their playoff questions will continue to haunt them until it is fixed. They had a light week, with just two Eastern Conference road games (Wins against Carolina and Ottawa). Their schedule gets beefier, with Minnesota, Chicago, Anaheim, and Dallas waiting for an attack. Rookie Colton Parayko has had a decent debut in the NHL, but he has not made many splashes on the scoresheet lately. He got his 20th assist of the season (but his only point in five games) on a breakaway goal by Robby Fabbri.
5. Anaheim Ducks (80 points)
Last week: 10 (74 points)
The double digit winning streak is crazy enough, but this is not just a simple spurt. The Ducks have been so good that they have not lost consecutive games since December 21-22. Their record since then is 24-4-2. They really want to get that Stanley Cup after starting the season 1-9-0. A lot of the credit should be given to (S)Corey Perry. Since the beginning of the winning streak, he has tallied seven goals, including a big hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings. Right…that next-door neighbor that the Duckies have been chasing all year long!
6. Los Angeles Kings (80 points)
Last week: 5 (78 points)
The Pacific Division is no longer a lock, but the playoffs likely are. They have spent the past week in the City of Angels, and they took a hard fall to Perry and their SoCal rivals. However, they get another chance with a home match against Anaheim on Sunday as they try to regain the top spot in the Pacific. Despite the heavy number of proven players coming to LA (ie Vincent LeCavalier, Kris Versteeg), Tanner Pearson to making a name for himself. With a goal against the Canadiens, he now has four goals in three games and has reached double figures in goals this season.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (80 points)
Last week: 8 (74 points)
Things are heating up in Florida, and I do not just means temperatures or spring training for the MLB. The Lightning are making a push for the Atlantic Division crown that they did not even get last season, but the Panthers, Bruins, and Red Wings are not making that feat easy. The Lightning have, however, ripped off eight straight wins. Ondrej Palat nabbed a rebound from Andrew Hammond and found the net for just his seventh goal of the season as Tampa Bay got their eighth straight win with a 4-1 score over Ottawa on Thursday.
8. New York Rangers (80 points)
Last week: 6 (78 points)
When you are flying high and then you hit a ceiling. That was the Rangers after the disaster against the Penguins. Henrik Lundqvist had about as bad of a second period as humanly possible. First, his temper tantrum with the goalie net resulted in a penalty. Then, he surrendered three goals in 1:41, getting pulled as the end of the second period. Kevin Hayes has not scored a goal in a Rangers win since February 10 against the same Pittsburgh club.
9. Florida Panthers (80 points)
Last week: 7 (78 points)
You know a player is getting serious about being an all-time great when he touches one of GORDIE HOWE’s stats. Jaromir Jagr picked up an assist against Colorado, and that moved him up to a tie for third with Howe for most points of all time. The scariest part of this feat? He is just 37 points behind second place, which belongs to Mark Messier. The Panthers, of course, could use more wins after just one this week (against the Jets).
10. Boston Bruins (80 points)
Last week: 9
The Top 10 is so crowded with deserving teams that the Bruins have now been bumped back to double digits. Considering the preseason expectations, this has been an incredible season. It is not over yet, though. After a huge win over Chicago, the Bruins now have to face the Capitals at home. They acquired Lee Stempniak and John-Michael Liles, who assisted on Loui Eriksson’s goal against Chicago, just before the deadline.
11. New York Islanders (77 points)
Last week: 11 (73 points)
I went on a tangent about the Barclays Center last week, but the Islanders hit the road this week. Phew. They, too, got two points against the Jets, but they had trouble in the Rexall Place and lost to the suddenly surging Oilers. They still have a grasp on the third and final guaranteed playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. Calvin de Haan has become a solid piece for an Islanders defense that has not always thrived in that category. His +/- is at +9, and he got his second goal of the season on a mighty wrist shot against Winnipeg.
12. Detroit Red Wings (75 points)
Last week: 12 (73 points)
Sometime the wheels have to stop because of a red light. The Wings were cruising down the highway before the Blackhawks came to town and, with the help of Artemi Panarin, shut them down on national television. Ouch. Andreas Athanasiou has been one of many prized prospects for Detroit, and he showed why against Dallas. He had two goals on Monday’s slugfest, including a highlight-reel goal that will have Michiganders drooling for a long time coming.
13. San Jose Sharks (76 points)
Last week: 13 (70 points)
Grit. That is how a team stays ahead of Nashville in the NHL Power Rankings. None of the other Pacific Division teams have a prayer anymore, meaning the Sharks can either coast to the postseason or go for blood and steal the division crown. Their choice. Tomas Hertl must be hunting for Canucks. After a controversial high-stick goal, Hertl got a goal in each of San Jose’s two wins against Vancouver.
14. Nashville Predators (76 points)
Last week: 14 (73 points)
Getting out of the wild card spot will be a challenge, but there is still plenty of hockey to play. Unfortunately, they need to wins game like the one they gave away to New Jersey if they have any chance of catching the Stars/Blues/Blackhawks. Mike Ribeiro has had a quietly remarkable week. The 15-year veteran has a goal and five assists, including three against St. Louis, in his last three games.
15. Pittsburgh Penguins (74 points)
Last week: 15 (70 points)
Solid week considering their only loss was to Washington. Good thing they won 6-0 to the awful Coyotes, too. Patric Hornqvist had an awesome week, tallying the hat trick against Arizona. He then got a goal each in a split between Washington and the Rangers.
16. Colorado Avalanche (70 points)
Last week: 16 (68 points)
Losing to Minnesota resulted in a change in the second wild card spot. Not an emergency…yet. The Wild and Avs are tied for that spot, which should result in an interesting finish between these two teams. Calvin Pickard was not perfect, but allowed just one goal after Semyon Varlamov was pulled against Minnesota. He then held the potent Florida Panthers’ offense to just two goals for a big Colorado win. That dagger for Varlamov is now getting twisted.
17. Minnesota Wild (70 points)
Last week: 22 (64 points)
The State of Hockey was in a state of horror in 2016. Now a three-game winning streak has pushed the Wild back into the playoff picture. Let the playoff race heat up down the stretch! Erik Haula got some recognition for his dazzling performance in the outdoor game, but he has not stopped there! His breakaway goal against Florida was the game winner, and he made a duplicate version in the win over Colorado. Stay hot, Erik!
18. New Jersey Devils (69 points)
Last week: 17 (67 points)
That dip in the Power Rankings would have been more severe had it not been for a late thriller in Tennessee. The Devils had been falling out of the playoff picture after winning just once in their last seven games. With Lee Stempniak out of town, Adam Henrique could be on the fast track towards the face of the franchise. He clearly wants it now after a goal against Carolina and two goals, including the overtime winner, against Nashville.
19. Philadelphia Flyers (69 points)
Last week: 18 (67 points)
DO YOU WANT TO GAIN RESPECT IN THE NHL???? BEAT CALGARY AND EDMONTON AT HOME WHEN THEY SHOW UP CONSECUTIVELY IN YOUR BUILDING!!!!! EDMONTON BEAT THE BEJESUS OUT OF YOU! Brayden Schenn can at least feel good knowing that he got the hat trick against the Flames.
20. Carolina Hurricanes (68 points)
Last week: 19 (66 points)
What a disaster for the Hurricanes. They are so close to being a playoff team, something that they have not been since 2009, and they trade away Eric Staal and Kris Versteeg. Please let us not have another small-market team go Oilers on us. Rookie Jaccob Slavin had two assists in Carolina’s win over the Devils.
21. Ottawa Senators (67 points)
Last week: 21 (66 points)
What makes Ottawa one of the most interesting teams in the NHL, besides the fact that they are pretty much an unknown in the NHL, is the fact that they have the power to make another late run for a playoff spot or tank and potentially get the #1 pick, which could make them even more dangerous than they already are. Like the Sharks, this is their choice. One of their dangerous prospects is Nick Paul, who had two goals on the Western Canada road trip.
22. Montreal Canadiens (66 points)
Last week: 21 (65 points)
While they are certainly not the worst team in the NHL, they should go down as the biggest disappointment considering the sizzling start to the season. They only got one point against the California teams, proving that they are not where they used to be. With a goal in San Jose, Brendan Gallagher had three goals in a four-game span and six goals in February, his season high by month. Unfortunately, his return in January has not dug Montreal out of the hole.
23. Columbus Blue Jackets (60 points)
Last week: 25 (60 points)
Just because they had zero points does not mean they should be punished. They had one measly game this week (a 2-1 loss to the Rangers), and they held their ground. With Vancouver and Arizona becoming a joke, the former laughingstocks have been rewarded with the 23 spot in the NHL Power Rankings for their inspiring play. Friday’s battle against Edmonton, who just played yesterday, gives Joonas Korpisalo the opportunity to flex his muscles.
24. Vancouver Canucks (60 points)
Last week: 23 (60 points)
I really had to restrain myself from putting Edmonton above the Canucks. It is so frustrating to cover three teams (Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver) and have the Canucks be the “best team” at #24. Always next year. Another unimpressive third period against the Sharks, but a beautiful night for Jake Virtanen, who had a goal and assist in that game.
25. Edmonton Oilers (57 points)
Last week: 30 (51 points)
Sorry, Zona. You get to fall under the gosh darn Oilers. Granted, the Oilers ripped off three straight wins against the Eastern Conference. Maybe they are trying to avoid the embarrassment of getting ANOTHER #1 pick (Who are they really fooling?). Taylor Hall took a nasty spill after scoring against the Flyers. Hall, who was recently demoted to third line, could ill-afford to get hurt for an Oilers team that is looking for a way to the top.
26. Arizona Coyotes (60 points)
Last week: 24 (60 points)
If getting Auston Matthews is Arizona’s objective, they are getting the job done. The offense is fair, but the defense is miserable. Louis Domingue is getting overused too early (Please help him), and Dave Tippett thought it would be a clever idea to start Niklas Treutle, who I have seen several times in AHL Springfield, against the blazing Ducks. There is a giant white flag in what is now a very temporary home in Glendale.
27. Buffalo Sabres (60 points)
Last week: 28 (57 points)
I feel awful putting the Sabres in the same category as the Western Conference’s (mostly Pacific Division) embarrassments because Buffalo actually has a sense of direction. Unfortunately, growing pains happen. The Sabres got a nice win in Calgary, but the first duel between Jack Eichel and Conor McDavid did not go Buffalo’s way. McDavid single-handedly lit them up, and I will probably say that about the #1 pick plenty of times in the years to come.
28. Calgary Flames (56 points)
Last week: 26 (56 points)
Dead. Last. In the Pacific Division. Not the way the Flames wanted their season to go, and it has only gotten worse since that embarrassment against Ottawa. Karri Ramo is out for the year with a torn ACL, and since he is a free agent in the offseason, he might have played his final game in a Flames uniform. Did Calgary’s trade with Minnesota, in which they got Niklas Backstrom, help them find their goalie? Time will tell.
29. Winnipeg Jets (57 points)
Last week: 27 (56 points)
The Jets were so desperate for a point that they might have lost Nikolaj Ehlers after he took a puck to the face on Kyle Okposo’s overtime goal. Priorities, Winnipeg.
30. Toronto Maple Leafs (52 points)
Last week: 29 (52 points)
Hopefully Edmonton apologizes for making everyone think they were the worst team in hockey. We all know who really is the worst. I mean, I looked at their roster against Minnesota and barely know a good chunk of the players. I was also surprised to find out that Brooks Laich is in Toronto now. Interesting. Nikita Soshnikov made his NHL debut this week and got his first NHL goal in Toronto’s loss to Washington. I should probably mention that the Leafs were uncomfortably close to pulling off a massive upset.