NHL Power Rankings: Lightning lead the way - but Vegas isn't far behind
theScore's NHL Power Rankings are published every other Monday. Our seventh installment is put together by National Sports Editor James Bisson.
1. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-12-3)With apologies to the Golden Knights (who are without a doubt the greatest story in the NHL this decade), the Tampa Bay Lightning have earned this spot. They've been dominant both at home and on the road, and they lead the league in goal differential. If they can get their penalty kill in order, they should remain favorites for the Presidents' Trophy.
2. Vegas Golden Knights (32-12-4)Well, that was a fun first half! Not only do questions about Vegas' playoff chances seem ridiculous, they're overwhelming -300 favorites to win the division, according to Bet365. Yet, like the Lightning, they have their own special-teams issue to work on - specifically, that 21st-ranked power play. If they get that going, there's nothing stopping them from reaching the final.
3. Boston Bruins (29-10-8)It isn't that Brad Marchand overshadowed his team's incredible 18-game points streak by picking up a five-game ban for elbowing in last week's win over New Jersey. It's that, despite becoming one of the most gifted offensive players in the league, he still can't control his limbs. Boston is a great team, but needs Marchand in the lineup - not in street clothes.
4. Winnipeg Jets (29-13-8)
You can't blame Jets fans for believing their team should be higher on this list - and in two weeks, it almost certainly will be. Winnipeg has played more road games (29) than any team in the league - that's about to change in a big way, with a 10-game homestand(!) after the break. The pride of Portage Avenue could very well be No. 1 by the next set of rankings.
5. Nashville Predators (29-11-7)With Vegas the league darling and Winnipeg generating plenty of attention, the Predators have taken a backseat in the Hype-mobile - and that's probably just fine with them. Nashville and Boston are the only teams in the league to rank in the top 10 in goals for, goals against, power-play conversion, and penalty killing success rate. And the Predators haven't even hit their offensive stride.
6. St. Louis Blues (30-18-3)The Blues have put their December swoon behind them, going into the break with four wins in five games thanks largely to sensational goaltending from Carter Hutton. And, with Jaden Schwartz back in the fold, look for them to remain on the periphery of the top five; they're 17-3-1 so far this season in games in which the talented winger records a point.
7. Washington Capitals (29-15-5)On one hand, the Capitals have been one of the busier teams in the NHL, going to extra time in nine of their previous 16 games. But with three separate breaks of three or more days off in January alone - not counting its six-day All-Star stoppage - Washington shouldn't suffer any ill effects. That said, the Caps don't get another three-day break until the end of February.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (28-18-5)
Are the Maple Leafs turning a corner? It would certainly appear so, as they took seven out of eight points over their final four road games ahead of the break - and looked good doing so. Squeaky wheel Frederik Andersen certainly helped the cause with solid goaltending, and the Toronto power play has creaked back to life with goals in three of its past four games.
9. Calgary Flames (25-16-8)Seeing Calgary limp into the break with four straight Ls can't feel good for fans - but with each of those losses generating a point, the Flames enter the second half with points in 11 straight games (7-0-4). They can only hope that momentum isn't wiped out by the time off, with home games against league leaders Vegas and Tampa Bay to kick off the second half of the season.
10. Dallas Stars (28-18-4)While the Stars have absolutely feasted on the East - going 12-5-4 to date - they're running out of games against that conference. And of particular concern moving forward is a dismal 7-10-0 showing against Central Division rivals. The good news: they'll play four of their next five divisional matchups at home, where they are an impressive 17-7-1 so far.
11. San Jose Sharks (26-15-7)If it feels like the Sharks have been on the road a lot, you're right - they played nine of their final 13 pre-break games away from San Jose, going 4-3-2 in those contests. And in a strange scheduling quirk, they'll travel for 10 of their next 15 games, as well. If they can survive that brutal spate, they should be in great shape for a home-heavy final stretch.
12. Pittsburgh Penguins (27-21-3)
In a development that should scare the Dickens out of the rest of the Eastern Conference, the Penguins are starting to look a lot like a team that has captured back-to-back titles, winning eight of 11 so far this month while humbling teams with their league-best power play. And they're getting great goaltending from unheralded Casey DeSmith (3-2-0, 2.08 GAA, .927 SV%).
13. Minnesota Wild (26-18-5)The Wild have quietly crept out of the Central Division cellar on the strength of an 8-3-2 stretch since the end of December. The key to Minnesota's surge? Consistentscoring, potting four or more goals in six of eight victories over that stretch. They also have a nice schedule coming out of the break, with six of their first nine games at Xcel Energy Center.
14. Colorado Avalanche (27-18-3)That 10-game winning streak will show up on plenty of end-of-season highlight lists - but the sobering reality for the Avalanche is things are about to get a whole lot tougher. In addition to killing the buzz with back-to-back losses going into All-Star weekend, Colorado will play 10 of its next 13 games on the road, where it has gone a dismal 9-11-2 this season.
15. Philadelphia Flyers (24-17-8)Flyers fans desperately want to believe their team's January showing - 8-3-0 with three overtime wins and a 3-1-0 road mark - is a sign of things to come. But it's Philadelphia's form in those three defeats - all 5-1 drubbings, two of them at home - that forces people to check expectations. The Flyers are, however, trending in the right direction.
16. Columbus Blue Jackets (27-19-3)
Things were a bit tense in the Ohio capital after Brandon Dubinsky left the team for reasons unknown at the time. But after Dubinsky's agent explained the veteran forward was simply getting medical advice for an eye injury, the focus returned to an on-ice product that continues to tread water, having not produced a three-game win streak since late November.
17. Anaheim Ducks (24-17-9)One of the reasons for the Ducks' modest first-half success has been points in 16 of 24 games played outside Anaheim (10-8-6). That road proficiency will be put to the test after the break, as the Ducks travel for nine of their next 11 games. On the to-do list: Sharpening a wonky penalty-killing unit that has yielded six power-play goals over the past six games.
18. Los Angeles Kings (26-18-5)Wedged in a group of other teams at 57 points, the Kings deservedly bring up the rear after dropping seven of their final nine games before the break. And as The Hockey News' Jared Clinton astutely points out, things aren't going to get any better if the Kings can't get Anze Kopitar some scoring help. Look for L.A. to acquire some forward depth ahead of the trade deadline.
19. New York Islanders (25-20-5)While that Golden Knights encounter - aka "The Game With The Over/Under of 7" - ended up fizzling out from an offensive standpoint, the Islanders don't much care. They escaped Sin City with a win, showing rare defensive awareness in the process. This team can score with anyone - and any improvement in defense and goaltending makes it super scary.
20. New Jersey Devils (24-16-8)
It didn't take much to remind the Devils how much they rely on skilled forward Taylor Hall, losing all three games in his absence while scoring just twice. That makes losses in 10 of New Jersey's last 12 games, ensuring it's increasingly likely the Devils will be aggressive in shoring up their scoring situation come trade deadline time.
21. New York Rangers (25-20-5)The Rangers went into the break on a positive note - ending a three-game skid with a wild 6-5 win in San Jose - but will be put to the test coming out of All-Star weekend. They'll embark on a seven-game stretch (vs. Toronto, at Nashville, at Dallas, vs. Boston, vs. Calgary, at Winnipeg, at Minnesota) that could determine whether they're buying or selling at the deadline.
22. Chicago Blackhawks (23-19-7)The news is positive regarding injured netminder Corey Crawford, who might travel with the team to Vancouver and Calgary coming out of the break. Crawford hasn't played since a Dec. 23 loss to New Jersey - and Chicago desperately needs him back in the fold, having gone 6-6-1 without him while surrendering four or more goals five times over that stretch.
23. Carolina Hurricanes (22-19-8)After a promising late-December stretch that made you think the Hurricanes might have the goaltending to make a playoff run, Carolina's goal prevention has gone right into the tank this month. The Hurricanes have surrendered 3.64 goals per game in January, fifth-most in the league - and when you have just two 15-goal-scorers on your roster through 49 games, that won't cut it.
24. Detroit Red Wings (19-21-8)
You can put the odds of Mike Green being in a Red Wings jersey after the trade deadline at somewhere around zero percent. Green should be an attractive rental option for teams seeking a puck-moving defenseman - and while he enters the break having gone minus-six over his last two games, he should still fetch a decent haul for the still-rebuilding Wings.
25. Montreal Canadiens (20-23-6)Expect the Canadiens to be active sellers at the deadline, with the offense still stumbling and the goaltending never really coming around after a slow start. And aside from Carey Price, is there anyone you can really rule out for a change of address? GM Marc Bergevin has been one of the busiest trade-deadline dealers, and that should continue this year.
26. Vancouver Canucks (19-24-6)The Canucks have assets to sell ahead of the deadline, but it appears they're in a holding pattern until the franchise's most famous lookalikes decide on their 2018-19 fate. Daniel and Henrik Sedin reportedly might consider making their plans known prior to the deadline, rather than wait until the end of the season as they originally intended.
27. Florida Panthers (19-22-6)With a promising young forward corps, the Panthers are well-positioned to make opposing goaltenders miserable for a while. But a wafer-thin blue line behind Aaron Ekblad and dreadful goaltending - exacerbated by injuries to Roberto Luongo and James Reimer - will prevent Florida from making waves in 2017-18. The back end has to be a priority come draft time.
28. Edmonton Oilers (22-24-3)
When a team loses by five goals at home to an opponent 12 points lower in the standings, there's zero benefit of the doubt. And while bringing Paul Coffey on board is a feel-good story for the City of Champions, that isn't going to move the needle this season. The Oilers need help, and lots of it. Look for changes to come after the All-Star break - both on and off the ice.
29. Ottawa Senators (15-23-9)Senators general manager Pierre Dorion insists star defenseman Erik Karlsson won't be moved this season - and you have to wonder if any of the players that are on the block will bring back enough of a return to get fans excited. The on-ice product certainly isn't doing the trick, as Ottawa continues to play its way into a top-3 pick this spring.
30. Buffalo Sabres (14-26-9)The Sabres have to be happy with their performance out West, where they outscored Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton 11-1. Granted, they're still miles away from playoff contention, but more efforts like this - combined with whatever assets they acquire heading into the trade deadline - should provide a glimmer of optimism for a city getting tired of a never-ending rebuild.
31. Arizona Coyotes (12-29-9)The Coyotes are still at the bottom of the rankings thanks to the league's second-worst scoring offense (2.3 goals per game) and third-worst defense (3.4 goals against). But with points in eight of 10 games this month - including three out of four earned in two meetings with the Predators - things are getting better. And that's all Arizona fans can really ask for, at this point.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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