NHL Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands After the First Week

And just like that, the chase for the Stanley Cup is under way.

Each of the NHL's 32 teams played at least two games within the past week, beginning an arduous chase that'll last until the final throes of spring in June 2024.

It's hardly surprising that things are all over the board when it comes to early results, with some consensus powerhouses stumbling and would-be doormats thriving.

Nevertheless, the B/R hockey team convened for its first power rankings summit of the early season to digest what's gone on and issue its initial 32-to-1 rundown for the 2023-24 season.

It's 32 points for a first-place vote and one point for a No. 32 ballot, with point totals added up and compiled into a coherent list. Each slide contains a team's record through the end of Tuesday night's games as well as where it ranked in our final preseason poll last week.

Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought of your own in the comments.

32. San Jose Sharks

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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 14: Mackenzie Blackwood #29 of the San Jose Sharks waits for the puck in the third period against Valeri Nichushkin #13 of the Colorado Avalanche at SAP Center on October 14, 2023 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 32

Overall Record: 0-2-1

The Sharks haven't won yet, but it can't be blamed on new goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, who has made a team-record 87 saves through his initial two appearances—passing Kaapo Kahkonen's 78.

31. Arizona Coyotes

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ELMONT, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Bo Horvat #14 of the New York Islanders is defended by Clayton Keller #9 of the Arizona Coyotes during the third period at UBS Arena on October 17, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 26

Overall Record: 1-2-0

A four-game road trip is a rough way to begin, and the Coyotes are evidence, having scored just once in losses to the New York Rangers (2-1) and New York Islanders (2-0). They're averaging 1.33 goals per game, 29th in the league.

30. Nashville Predators

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Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros watches the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Previous Ranking: 21

Overall Record: 1-3-0

It's already been a tale of two halves for goalie Jusse Saros, who allowed four goals on 56 shots in his first two games but has allowed seven on 41 shots since. He was pulled in Tuesday's loss to Edmonton.

29. Seattle Kraken

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 17: Kailer Yamamoto #56 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates his goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena on October 17, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 10

Overall Record: 0-3-1

Only two teams were winless heading into Wednesday's games, and it's no surprise the Kraken were one of them given their paltry three goals in four games. Seattle finished tied for fourth in scoring last season.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets

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COLUMBUS, OHIO - OCTOBER 14: Sean Kuraly #7 of the Columbus Blue Jackets lines up prior to a face-off during the second period of a game against the New York Rangers at Nationwide Arena on October 14, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 27

Overall Record: 1-2-0

Work ethic is the topic of early rumblings around the Blue Jackets, who've been outshot in three straight games and lost two. "We didn't like our compete level, which sucks to be talking about because that should be expected but we've got to get better at that," forward Sean Kuraly said.

27. Montreal Canadiens

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MONTREAL, CANADA - OCTOBER 14: Jarred Tinordi #25 of the Chicago Blackhawks pushes Kirby Dach #77 of the Montreal Canadiens into the Blackhawks bench during the first period at the Bell Centre on October 14, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 28

Overall Record: 1-1-1

The injury news was bad concerning forward Kirby Dach, who'll miss the rest of the season after tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee on Saturday. Dach had a career-high 38 points in 2022-23.

26. Anaheim Ducks

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ANAHEIM, CA OCTOBER 15: Sam Carrick #39 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates a goal with Ilya Lyubushkin #46 and Pavel Mintyukov #34 during the first period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 15, 2023 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 31

Overall Record: 1-1-0

Break up the mighty Ducks, who defeated powerful Carolina to win their eighth consecutive home opener, which ties them with Toronto and Boston for the league's longest active streak.

25. Buffalo Sabres

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BUFFALO, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Devon Levi #27 of the Buffalo Sabres takes a break during an NHL game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 17, 2023 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 16

Overall Record: 1-2-0

It took a trip to overtime to get there, but the Sabres are finally among the winning class after defeating Tampa Bay in young goalie Devon Levi's best effort (23 shots, 21 saves) of the early season.

24. Winnipeg Jets

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WINNIPEG, CANADA - OCTOBER 14: Gabriel Vilardi #13 of the Winnipeg Jets gets set during a second period face-off against the Florida Panthers at the Canada Life Centre on October 14, 2023 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 19

Overall Record: 1-2-0

The record may be of secondary concern just now for the Jets, who saw offseason trade arrival Gabriel Vilardi leave Tuesday with a knee injury. He's expected to miss four to six weeks.

23. Washington Capitals

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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 16: Matthew Phillips #45 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammate Sonny Milano #15 after scoring his first career NHL goal against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Capital One Arena on October 16, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 24

Overall Record: 1-1-0

It was a big Monday for Spencer Carbery and Matthew Phillips. Carbery earned his first coaching win in a 3-2 defeat of Calgary, and Phillips scored his first NHL goal against the team that drafted him in 2016.

22. Florida Panthers

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NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 16: Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers warms up prior to the game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on October 16, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 13

Overall Record: 1-2-0

Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves and his teammates blocked 20 shots in a Monday win at New Jersey that moved him into a tie for second on the franchise's wins list (106), trailing only Roberto Luongo (230).

21. St. Louis Blues

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 14: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) blocks a shot on goal in the first period during a NHL game between the Seattle Kraken and the St. Louis Blues on October 14, 2023, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 25

Overall Record: 1-0-1

It's certainly too early for conclusions, but Jordan Binnington at least resembles the goalie that St. Louis fans grew to love during their 2019 Cup run. Now 30, he's stopped 63 of 65 shots in two starts.

20. Tampa Bay Lightning

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning watches the action from the bench against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period of the home opener at Little Caesars Arena on October 14, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 12

Overall Record: 1-2-1

It's the flip side of excellence for the Lightning, who've lost three straight since a first-night win. "This league can humble you and you've got to have that mental fortitude to fight your way through it," coach Jon Cooper said.

19. Chicago Blackhawks

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TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 16: Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates the win with Arvid Soderblom #40 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on October 16, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 29

Overall Record: 2-2-0

Uh oh, is that a Connor Bedard slump? The 18-year-old franchise saver had a goal and two assists in his first three NHL games but was held off the scoresheet in Chicago's 4-1 win in Toronto.

18. Edmonton Oilers

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 17: Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl #29 celebrates his goal with teammates against the Nashville Predators during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on October 17, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 6

Overall Record: 1-2-0

Four points from Leon Draisaitl and 43 saves from Jack Campbell in Nashville were just what the doctor ordered for a shaky Edmonton fanbase after two straight losses to begin the season.

17. Calgary Flames

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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 16: Jonathan Huberdeau #10 of the Calgary Flames checks Evgeny Kuznetsov #92 of the Washington Capitals during the first period at Capital One Arena on October 16, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 17

Overall Record: 1-1-1

A five-goal outburst in a winning season opener has devolved to just four goals in a pair of losses for the Flames, who've managed 76 shots but converted on only 5.2 percent of them.

16. Philadelphia Flyers

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 17: Scott Laughton #21 of the Philadelphia Flyers reacts while celebrating the first period penalty-shot goal scored by teammate Sean Couturier #14 against the Vancouver Canucks at the Wells Fargo Center on October 17, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 30

Overall Record: 2-1-0

Welcome back to the scoresheet, Sean Couturier. The 30-year-old forward hadn't recorded a goal since December 2021, a tally followed soon after by injuries that required two surgeries before his return.

15. Los Angeles Kings

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WINNIPEG, CANADA - OCTOBER 17: Goaltender Cam Talbot #39 and Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrate following a 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre on October 17, 2023 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 9

Overall Record: 1-1-1

Tuesday was a nice bounce back for the Kings and Cam Talbot, who stopped 26 of 27 shots to defeat Winnipeg after allowing four goals in his season debut against Colorado.

14. Ottawa Senators

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SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA - OCTOBER 01: Claude Giroux #28 and Josh Norris #9 of the Ottawa Senators participate in morning practice at Centre 200 on October 01, 2023 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The Florida Panthers and the Ottawa Senators will play in the 2022 Kraft Hockeyville pre-season game, which was postponed due to the COVID lockdown. (Photo by Steve Wadden/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 18

Overall Record: 2-1-0

It had been a long time since Josh Norris was in the Ottawa lineup, but the 24-year-old center returned Wednesday. Shoulder injuries and a January surgery cost him 90 games over the last two seasons.

13. Toronto Maple Leafs

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TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 14: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 14, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 5

Overall Record: 2-1-0

This just in: Auston Matthews is good at scoring goals. He became the second player in NHL history to record hat tricks in the first two games of the season and just the fifth to do it in back-to-back games.

12. Detroit Red Wings

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COLUMBUS, OHIO - OCTOBER 16: Goaltender James Reimer #47 of the Detroit Red Wings celebrates with teammate Andrew Copp #18 of the Detroit Red Wings after shutting out the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 in a game at Nationwide Arena on October 16, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 22

Overall Record: 2-1-0

Welcome to the team, James Reimer. The veteran goalie became the third in franchise history to record a shutout in his first game with Detroit, stopping 23 shots to blank Columbus on Monday.

11. Minnesota Wild

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MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 17: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic (26) celebrates his goal with Minnesota Wild defenseman Jon Merrill (4) during the Minnesota Wild versus the Montreal Canadiens game on October 17, 2023, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 14

Overall Record: 2-1-0

The Wild pulled off an NHL rarity and tied a franchise record in a Tuesday defeat of Montreal, scoring each of their five goals on special teams—three with the power play and two while short-handed.

10. New Jersey Devils

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NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 16: New Jersey Devils defenseman Kevin Bahl (88) skates with the puck while being chased by Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) during a game between the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils on October 16, 2023 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 2

Overall Record: 1-1-1

Three games have yielded an uneven start for the much-ballyhooed Devils, who've earned a win, a loss and a shootout loss, all by 4-3 scores. They've scored 10 goals and allowed 10 goals as well.

9. Vancouver Canucks

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - OCTOBER 11: Zach Hyman #18 of the Edmonton Oilers checks Filip Hronek #17 of the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of their NHL game at Rogers Arena October 11, 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 23

Overall Record: 2-1-0

Vancouver's fortunes will hinge largely on whether goalie Thatcher Demko can be consistently elite. He's been there through two games, for sure, allowing only three goals on 64 shots.

8. New York Rangers

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 16: Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers celebrates his first period goal against the Arizona Coyotes at Madison Square Garden on October 16, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 8

Overall Record: 2-1-0

Make it four goals in three games for quick-starting winger Chris Kreider, whose two best goal totals—52 and 36—have come in the last two seasons. He entered Wednesday tied for second in the league.

7. Dallas Stars

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 17: The puck bounces off the crossbar as Adin Hill #33 of the Vegas Golden Knights defends a shot by Jason Robertson #21 of the Dallas Stars during a shootout in their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 17, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Stars 3-2 in a shootout. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 3

Overall Record: 1-0-1

The Stars grabbed three of a possible four points through their first two games, but a slight concern off the bat is offense, which has seen them manage just three goals in 130 minutes.

6. New York Islanders

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ELMONT, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders tends net against the Arizona Coyotes during the second period at UBS Arena on October 17, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 20

Overall Record: 2-0-0

The Islanders started 2-0-0 for the first time in nine seasons and, no surprise, it's got a bit to do with Ilya Sorokin, whose shutout in his second start ticked his save percentage up to .952.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins

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PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 14: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his third period goal against the Calgary Flames at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 14, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 15

Overall Record: 2-1-0

The Pittsburgh engine has fired on all cylinders thus far, yielding a 3.67-goals-per-game rate that's seventh in the league. Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang have combined for 13 points.

4. Boston Bruins

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 14: James van Riemsdyk #21 of the Boston Bruins scores against Juuse Saros #74 of the Nashville Predators during the first period at the TD Garden on October 14, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 11

Overall Record: 2-0-0

Maybe it's not over after all. James van Riemsdyk's first two goals since arriving as a summertime free agent helped the Bruins win a 10th straight regular-season game dating back to March.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 11: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes looks on prior to their game against the Ottawa Senators at PNC Arena on October 11, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 1

Overall Record: 3-1-0

The team looks fine after three wins in four games, but injuries are arriving early. Sebastian Aho was a late scratch from Tuesday's game and goalie Frederik Andersen left early after a shot to the head.

2. Colorado Avalanche

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 17: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates his goal during the third period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on October 17, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 7

Overall Record: 3-0-0

A 4-1 win at Seattle on Tuesday was a historic one for the surging Avalanche, who've taken 14 straight on the road across two seasons to match a 17-year-old league record set by Buffalo in 2006.

1. Vegas Golden Knights

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 17: Adin Hill #33 of the Vegas Golden Knights makes a save during the third period against the Dallas Stars at T-Mobile Arena on October 17, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)

Previous Ranking: 4

Overall Record: 4-0-0

The champs look like, well…the champs. It's been a terrific start to a repeat quest for the Golden Knights, who've outscored foes 14-5 and shown no early signs of a Cup-hoist hangover.