NHL Power Rankings: A for all 32 teams this holiday season
This is the fifth in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.
In this edition, we've invited Santa Claus to drop off a gift for each team in celebration of the holiday season.
1. Vegas Golden Knights (21-6-5)Previous rank: 3
A new itinerary for their second parade. Look, this is Vegas. There's no question the city will want to outdo last summer's celebration on the Strip with the Golden Knights in prime position to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Better start planning now.
2. New York Rangers (21-7-1)Previous rank: 1
A state-of-the-art shaver for Artemi Panarin. When the Rangers' Russian pulled up with a clean, bald head to begin the season, many mourned the loss of his curly locks. However, shaved-head Panarin is a beast and on pace to hit the 100-point mark for the first time. Go ahead and keep a close cut, Panarin, Rangers fans won't mind.
3. Los Angeles Kings (17-6-4)Previous rank: 4
Another lengthy road winning streak. The Kings set a new NHL record by going 11-0 away from home to start the campaign, but that run was snapped by the Islanders on Dec. 9. Los Angeles just beat the Kraken in Seattle on Saturday to, perhaps, begin a new streak. The Kings will need to win 11 more to match the record for longest road winning streak at any point in a season.
4. Boston Bruins (19-5-5)Previous rank: 2
Patrice Bergeron. We know, he retired and won't lace 'em up again, but can't we wish for a Christmas miracle? The return of the Selke Trophy king would be the best gift of them all. The Bruins are already a wagon (again), but come on, everyone misses Bergeron.
5. Vancouver Canucks (21-9-2)
Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 6
Everything on Brock Boeser's wish list. The Canucks forward has had to contend with more than his fair share of hardships over the past few seasons, but he's come out the other side with a renewed love of hockey. Armed with a new mindset, Boeser has erupted for 23 goals in 32 games. You love to see it.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (16-6-6)Previous rank: 10
A vacation for their defensemen. The Maple Leafs have strung together victories with a blue line held together mostly by duct tape and willpower. Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Jake McCabe, Conor Timmins, Simon Benoit, and William Lagesson should all be sipping Mai Tais on a beach somewhere.
7. Florida Panthers (18-10-2)Previous rank: 9
Some luck. The Panthers rank third in the NHL in shots per game (33.9), but they own the seventh-lowest shooting percentage (8.9) and are tied for 20th in goals for per contest (3.00). The puck's gotta start going in at some point, right?
8. Winnipeg Jets (18-9-2)Previous rank: 12
A speedy recovery for Kyle Connor. He's expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with a knee injury, interrupting what has been an incredible season for the Jets sniper. As Winnipeg's leading scorer with 17 goals in 26 games, Connor's absence will make it harder for the Jets to hold on to the top spot in the Central Division.
9. Dallas Stars (17-8-4)Previous rank: 5
Good news on Jake Oettinger. The Stars goaltender exited Friday's win against the Senators after an awkward save and didn't travel to St. Louis. Any positive update on Oettinger's status will make the holidays slightly less stressful for Dallas and their fans.
10. New York Islanders (14-8-8)
Steven Ryan / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 18
Friendship bracelets for Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. The Islanders' top-line duo has been as good as Lou Lamoriello expected when he made the splash to acquire Horvat before last year's trade deadline. Barzal's back to averaging over a point per game and Horvat's tallied a point in 10 straight contests.
11. Edmonton Oilers (13-14-1)Previous rank: 23
A giant bottle of Kris Knoblauch's favorite beverage. The Oilers have gone 10-5-0 under their new head coach's direction (including an eight-game winning streak) while improving in virtually every category. Edmonton is now only five points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference thanks to its miraculous turnaround under Knoblauch. He's earned a drink.
12. Colorado Avalanche (19-10-2)Previous rank: 7
Last season's Alexandar Georgiev. His first season in Denver couldn't have gone much better, posting a .919 save percentage as the team's workhorse starter. That hasn't been the case this time around, with Georgiev struggling to an .884 SV% in his last 20 games since a hot start.
13. New Jersey Devils (16-12-1)Previous rank: 14
More recognition for Jesper Bratt. Someone give him his flowers, already! The 25-year-old Swede ranks second on the Devils with 36 points in 29 games but remains criminally underrated. If Santa gifts Bratt a brighter spotlight, maybe more people outside of New Jersey will notice.
14. Philadelphia Flyers (17-10-3)Previous rank: 19
A gift basket for Torey Krug. The Flyers' minute-munching Travis Sanheim would be enjoying his resurgent campaign in St. Louis if not for Krug's no-trade clause.
15. Carolina Hurricanes (16-12-3)
Grant Halverson / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 8
A competent goaltender. It's been a rough season in the crease for the Hurricanes given Frederik Andersen's health issues combined with Pyotr Kochetkov's and Antti Raanta's struggles. Whether the solution is Kochetkov - who has back-to-back quality starts - or someone else, Carolina needs a useable netminder, and soon.
16. Nashville Predators (18-13-0)Previous rank: 22
A day off for Juuse Saros. The Predators netminder has appeared in a league-high 24 contests and has faced the third-most shots (690) out of all goaltenders. He also led the NHL in games played in each of the past two seasons. He must be tired. Saros, turn off your phone and tuck into a nice book for a hot minute.
17. Detroit Red Wings (15-11-4)Previous rank: 11
A do-over on Patrick Kane. Look, reuniting Kane with Alex DeBrincat wasn't a bad idea on paper. But it just looks like Kane isn't a difference-maker at the NHL level anymore. He's been outchanced at five-on-five and has yet to contribute to a goal at even strength. The Red Wings are 1-4-1 with him in the lineup. Yikes.
18. Minnesota Wild (12-12-4)Previous rank: 24
Whatever Brock Faber wants. The rookie defenseman has been a dream for the Wild and has come up particularly clutch as Minnesota deals with injuries to both Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin. Faber has seen more than 30 minutes of ice time in each of the last two games. His wish should be the Wild's command.
19. Arizona Coyotes (15-13-2)Previous rank: 17
More minutes for Michael Carcone. The Coyotes winger is tied for the NHL lead in five-on-five goals with 12, and he's done it while playing just 11:09 per game. If there's any depth player who's earned more opportunity this season, it's Carcone.
20. Tampa Bay Lightning (14-13-5)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 15
A breather for Andrei Vasilevskiy. It's no secret that the Lightning goaltender is a workhorse, but he's started all but two games since his return from back surgery Nov. 24. He's posted an .897 save percentage across 10 games while facing the second-most shots (282) in that span. Vasilevskiy was thrown right into the fire, and it's been a lot to ask.
21. Washington Capitals (15-9-4)Previous rank: 13
More goals for Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals icon's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky has hit a snag with just five goals in 28 games. That puts Ovechkin on pace for fewer than 20 tallies for the first time. A bounce-back in the back half is necessary to get him back on track to reach 894.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins (13-13-3)Previous rank: 16
A therapy session for the Big Three. Once again, the Penguins are mid. Once again, it isn't Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Kris Letang's fault. The three legends are probably in need of a good venting session. Actually, sign up general manager Kyle Dubas for this one, too.
23. St. Louis Blues (15-14-1)Previous rank: 20
More cheers for Jordan Kyrou. It's been quite a roller-coaster week for Kyrou. After being booed by Blues fans for his comments (or lack thereof) about ex-coach Craig Berube, he received a much warmer reception after enjoying a three-point night Saturday against the Stars. If Kyrou is garnering more cheers, it'll translate into good things for St. Louis.
24. Montreal Canadiens (13-13-4)Previous rank: 27
A Jake Allen trade. The three-man rotation of Sam Montembeault, Cayden Primeau, and Allen can only last so long. Montembeault signed a deserving extension and Primeau is starting to make good on his potential. Freeing up more starts for both younger goaltenders would benefit everyone involved.
25. Calgary Flames (12-14-5)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 21
A haul for their rentals. The Flames are expected to be among the league's most active teams leading up to the trade deadline given their abundance of pending free agents. After the underwhelming returns for Tyler Toffoli and Nikita Zadorov, adding significant picks and/or prospects in the next crop of trades would be a massive boost for the team's future.
26. San Jose Sharks (9-19-3)Previous rank: 32
A ridiculously expensive steak dinner for MacKenzie Blackwood. Since the Sharks won their first game of the season on Nov. 7, the goaltender owns a remarkable .907 save percentage and modest 4-6-1 record. His teammates owe him a nice meal. Blackwood should be allowed to order two appetizers and a dessert, too.
27. Buffalo Sabres (13-16-3)Previous rank: 26
A trip to Dave & Buster's. The Sabres aren't having any fun. Buffalo was one of the league's most exciting teams to watch last season because they were having fun. Maybe the Sabres just need to blow off some steam on some arcade games to shake themselves out of their miserable funk. We recommend Whac-A-Mole.
28. Ottawa Senators (11-15-0)Previous rank: 25
A new head coach. Simply put, it's time for the D.J. Smith era to end. Once again, the Senators are toiling through a lackluster campaign. Young players are performing, but the team has failed to take a step toward legitimate playoff contention.
29. Seattle Kraken (10-14-8)Previous rank: 28
A time machine. The Kraken are in sore need of a do-over, man. After making the playoffs for the first time, Seattle mostly kept its team intact in the offseason. That hasn't translated into a similar level of success this year. We're getting flashbacks to the Kraken's nightmarish inaugural campaign. Someone please let them start this season over.
30. Columbus Blue Jackets (10-17-5)
Jason Mowry / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 31
A stress ball for Patrik Laine. To sum up Laine's 2023-24 season so far in one word: Oof. The Finn was made a healthy scratch (which he didn't enjoy) and finally started to catch fire with three goals in his last five games, but now he's out six weeks with a clavicle fracture. Maybe he needs a pillow to scream into instead.
31. Anaheim Ducks (11-19-0)Previous rank: 29
A healthy Jamie Drysdale. The Ducks' 2020 sixth overall pick has played just 10 games since October 2022. Drysdale's talent is evident - there's no denying his electrifying offensive skills and skating. Anaheim needs him to stay available and get his development back on track.
32. Chicago Blackhawks (9-20-1)Previous rank: 31
A spa day for Connor Bedard. The 2023 first overall pick leads all rookies in goals (12) and points (26) while pacing all Blackhawks forwards in average ice time (19:28). On top of all that, Bedard has to face a daily media circus and tune out some ridiculous off-ice drama. Go get a massage, kid.
(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)
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