NHL Power Rankings: Bruins Dethrone Rangers for Top Spot
If there's a way for the Boston Bruins to develop a new revenue stream, it would be to get a dollar for every person who thinks it's about time for them to fall apart.
It's not like the Bruins were so far back in our power rankings a week ago, but we're kicking off 2024 with them taking back the top spot unanimously among our voters.
Last week's No. 1 team, the New York Rangers, didn't fall from grace here, though. They were merely usurped by Boston and a couple of steady high-fliers in Vancouver and Winnipeg.
Scroll through to see where your favorite team is and drop a thought of your own in the comments.
Note: Votes were tallied before games on Wednesday, January 3.
32. San Jose Sharks
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Previous Ranking: 32
Overall Record: 9-26-3
The San Jose Sharks have been going nowhere fast now that they've cooled off in recent weeks, and they're holding down last place here again.
At the very least, though, the imminent IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden will provide them with looks at some of the best players they'll be able to take at the top of the NHL draft in June.
31. Chicago Blackhawks
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Previous Ranking: 31
Overall Record: 11-24-2
Chicago is 2-7-1 in its last 10 games and has lost two in a row, but at least Connor Bedard is a highlight machine and fans are getting a great look at the player who's going to be The Man for the foreseeable future.
Just be sure to remember all of his teammates this year for the quizzes to be taken when he hits megastardom.
30. Anaheim Ducks
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Previous Ranking: 30
Overall Record: 13-23-0
On the downside, the Ducks will miss rookie Leo Carlsson for 4-6 weeks with a sprained MCL, which is bad news because he's been a lot of fun to watch this season.
On the upside, Trevor Zegras is still doing some cool stuff. So, they have at least got that going for them.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets
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Previous Ranking: 29
Overall Record: 12-19-8
It's been a truly haunted season for Columbus, and 2024 hasn't gotten much better with Zach Werenski set to be out of action 4-6 weeks due to an ankle injury he suffered against New Jersey last week.
They're 3-4-3 in their last 10 games, and that's been a good stretch for them this season.
28. Buffalo Sabres
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Previous Ranking: 27
Overall Record: 15-19-4
Like Columbus, Buffalo also hasn't had great injury luck, but that's not an excuse anyone in the fanbase wants to hear.
The Sabres have been inconsistent to an incredible degree. They've won back-to-back games just once this season, and that was at the end of October/start of November.
Chasing the elusive multiple-game win streak is not where this group figured to be this year.
27. Ottawa Senators
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Previous Ranking: 28
Overall Record: 14-19-0
The Senators are another team in the "disappointing" camp this season.
They've at least got their front-office situation settled down after confirming Steve Staios as their new general manager, but he hasn't been set up for success exactly following the departure of predecessor Pierre Dorion.
The Senators are 3-7-0 in their past 10 games, and despite having a lot of games in hand compared to other teams in the East, they've dug themselves a big hole to climb out of.
26. Montréal Canadiens
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Previous Ranking: 22
Overall Record: 16-16-5
Who had the Canadiens as a .500 team this deep into the season?
While the Habs aren't exactly burning it up with the stats, their effort level is never lacking. And while they were expected to struggle a bit this season, they've been able to overcome a lot of that thanks to their younger players making their mark.
If the Canadiens can improve their 7-9-2 record at Bell Centre, they might have more surprises to come this season.
25. Minnesota Wild
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Previous Ranking: 19
Overall Record: 16-16-4
For all the positive steps the Wild made when John Hynes took over as head coach in November, some of the bad old ways have crept in.
Even though they're 6-4-0 in their past 10 games, they've lost three in a row and Kirill Kaprizov is out through injury.
24. St. Louis Blues
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Previous Ranking: 21
Overall Record: 18-17-1
The Blues are kind of a weird team.
We didn't think they would struggle as much as the likes of San Jose, Anaheim or Chicago, but we didn't think they'd be hovering near the playoff picture either.
Yet, here they are above .500 and three points out of the second wild-card spot.
Funny what happens when goaltending isn't terrible.
23. Calgary Flames
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Previous Ranking: 25
Overall Record: 16-16-5
How weird are the Flames? They're 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and have won two straight. They're in the playoff race and have some good players.
However, all the attention around them is about when and where they're going to move soon-to-be UFAs Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Elias Lindholm.
It will be fascinating to see what kind of return packages they'll get because it'll tell us if they're retooling or rebuilding.
You can't rebuild with the playoffs within reach. Or can you?
22. Seattle Kraken
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Previous Ranking: 26
Overall Record: 15-14-9
Time to look out for the Kraken?
Seeing them take down Vegas in the Winter Classic offered some spectacular scenes on New Year's Day, but Seattle is on a heater of late. It is 7-1-2 in its last 10 games and has won five straight.
With continued play like the Kraken have shown recently, they'll be a big factor in the second half of the season.
Now that they're getting some consistency, we're seeing some of what made them so good last season once again.
21. Detroit Red Wings
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Previous Ranking: 24
Overall Record: 18-16-4
Was signing Patrick Kane akin to making a wish with a monkey's paw situation?
On the one hand, the Red Wings added an all-time great player who has been producing well for them with 13 points in 14 games.
Unfortunately, Detroit is 4-9-1 in those games and 3-7-0 in its past 10. Maybe that's just a terrible coincidence. That's what the Wings are hoping at least.
20. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Previous Ranking: 16
Overall Record: 18-16-5
Is it safe to call the Lightning streaky? They're a streaky but dangerous team.
They've gone 5-5-0 over their last 10 games, but it's not uncommon to see them win two, lose two or win three and then lose four.
When they're on, they're as dangerous as any team in the NHL because Nikita Kucherov is playing like an MVP and they're teeming with talent. When they're off, though, it sticks around for a bit.
Yet, the Lightning are laying in the weeds in the playoff race, and who really wants to deal with them in the postseason?
19. Pittsburgh Penguins
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Previous Ranking: 20
Overall Record: 18-14-4
If the Penguins end up outside of the playoffs this season, it'll be criminal given how well Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel and Tristan Jarry have performed.
Crosby and Malkin have looked rejuvenated, and Guentzel has shown that an offseason injury couldn't slow him down. Jarry has four shutouts this year and has been rock-solid for a team that desperately needed him to return to his old form.
The Pens are 7-2-1 in their past 10 games and also have Bryan Rust back from injury. It's time for these flightless birds to take off.
18. Arizona Coyotes
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Previous Ranking: 18
Overall Record: 19-15-2
Are we firing up a national bandwagon for the Coyotes yet?
They are in a wild-card spot and have been playing good, steady hockey almost all season. After seemingly alternating wins and losses for the first month or so, they're now a team that wins and loses games in big chunks.
Over the past 10 games, they're 6-4-0. And Mullett Arena is a tiny fortress for a Coyotes team that is 12-6-0 at home.
17. New Jersey Devils
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Previous Ranking: 14
Overall Record: 19-14-2
It's been a frustrating season for the Devils when you consider they entered it as one of the Stanley Cup favorites.
On the plus side, they score a ton of goals (121), but they give up even more (125). They've fallen into the group of teams that leaves you wondering what they'd be doing if only they had better goaltending. That's an uncomfortable spot for any supposed contender to be in.
Still, Wednesday night's win against the Capitals has got them pointed in the right direction.
16. Nashville Predators
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Previous Ranking: 15
Overall Record: 21-16-1
Is it time to start buying in on the Preds?
They're in the first wild-card spot in the West, have gone 6-3-1 in their past 10 games and Juuse Saros is back.
Since the start of December, the Predators' No. 1 goalie is 8-3-1 with a .916 save percentage and a shutout. Before then, he was 8-10-0 with an .895 save percentage and a shutout.
A lot of what they did in the offseason was good but not necessarily with the playoffs in mind. Yet, they are in the thick of it.
15. Washington Capitals
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Previous Ranking: 10
Overall Record: 18-11-6
I don't know how the heck the Capitals are winning games.
Their advanced stats aren't great, and they're not scoring goals consistently. And while Charlie Lindgren has been superb in goal, Darcy Kuemper hasn't.
It all feels like smoke and mirrors for the Capitals, and they're not even getting a ton of goals from Alex Ovechkin to make it more fun and exciting. But they're winning and that's all that counts.
14. New York Islanders
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Previous Ranking: 11
Overall Record: 17-10-10
The Islanders are another confusing team. I don't know if they are good, bad or have found a way to make sure they're in playoff contention while trying to figure things out.
They've gone to overtime in 14 of their 37 games this season and lost eight of them in overtime and two others in a shootout.
It's impressive to pull points out of so many games, and it makes you wonder if that's just the aim in the first place.
13. Philadelphia Flyers
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Previous Ranking: 12
Overall Record: 19-13-5
The Flyers are going to make the playoffs, aren't they? I don't say that to raise Philadelphia fans' hopes, though; I say it because they're playing the way a team that goes to the postseason should play.
Although they're currently on a three-game losing streak, that's only the second time that's happened this season and they haven't had any streaks longer than that yet.
That said, the Flyers won one of their past six games, going 1-3-2 in the process, and that cannot be making head coach John Tortorella happy despite them being close contests.
12. Edmonton Oilers
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Previous Ranking: 23
Overall Record: 19-15-1
It's safe to say the Oilers are back by now...maybe? They've won 14 of their past 17 games and are in the middle of a six-game win streak.
If there's reason for concern, it's that over those 17 games, they won eight in a row, then lost three in a row and have now won six straight.
That kind of run will raise a team 11 spots in our rankings. They're going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch in the second half of the season.
11. Toronto Maple Leafs
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Previous Ranking: 9
Overall Record: 18-10-7
It's amazing to see such an overall talented team be so dramatic so consistently. Yet, the Leafs are 4-4-2 over their last 10 games and despite losing to Ottawa, Buffalo and Columbus since last week, they've gone out to California and beaten the Kings and Ducks on back-to-back nights.
Yes, they've got issues in goal, but they're a team that can outscore their problems most nights. They just haven't pushed that button as much as you'd like to see.
10. Carolina Hurricanes
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Previous Ranking: 17
Overall Record: 21-13-4
Well, well, well...look who's back in the top 10.
Carolina is 6-1-3 in its past 10 games and has won four in a row. A big reason for its resurgence is the reawakening of Andrei Svechnikov, who has 14 points in his past 10 games including seven goals.
Seeing him and Sebastian Aho rekindle the offensive magic has helped many forget about the goaltending woes that had plagued the team. Those issues remain, but they're blasting opponents with goals regularly now.
9. Vegas Golden Knights
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Previous Ranking: 7
Overall Record: 22-11-5
The Golden Knights are a very good team, but they've hit a bit of a lull recently. They've lost six of their past eight games, including the Winter Classic to Seattle, and it's their goaltending that has taken the brunt of the damage.
Adin Hill is banged up, Logan Thompson has borne the brunt of the action, and Jiri Patera has been pressed into action more often of late.
Vegas has allowed 25 goals in its past six games and that's not going to get the job done.
8. Florida Panthers
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Previous Ranking: 13
Overall Record: 23-12-2
Here come the Panthers. They've won five in a row, including victories over Vegas, Tampa Bay and the Rangers.
Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz are shutting teams down in goal, and Sam Reinhart has already cracked the 20-goal barrier this season.
Aleksander Barkov has been a beast at both ends of the ice, lighting it up and shutting down opponents.
If the Panthers are picking up a head of steam now, the Bruins are in for a fight for first place in the Atlantic.
7. Los Angeles Kings
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Previous Ranking: 3
Overall Record: 20-9-5
The Kings have lost three straight and are 4-5-1 in their past 10 games. While that record won't reflect poorly on any team that posts it, the biggest issue L.A. is having is scoring goals.
In those 10 games, the Kings have scored 24 goals and allowed 26. The trouble with toss-ups is sometimes you lose them, but scoring less than 2.5 goals per game isn't going to win a lot of games no matter how well the goalies perform.
6. Dallas Stars
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Previous Ranking: 4
Overall Record: 22-10-4
Over the past 10 games, the Stars are 7-2-1, and perhaps the only reason they slipped back a bit this week is because two of those defeats happened in the past week in which they went 2-1-1.
If that's a bad week, virtually every other NHL team would sign up for it. The Stars are nasty and they're going to be locked into the most exciting divisional race in the league in the second half as they deal with Colorado and Winnipeg.
5. Colorado Avalanche
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Previous Ranking: 8
Overall Record: 24-11-3
The Avs are hot again after winning five of their last six games, and they are riding a three-game winning streak.
That kind of run has pushed them to the top of the Central Division, strengthening Nathan MacKinnon's case in the MVP race to come.
What's worth watching is how goalie Alexandar Georgiev plays in the second half. When he's good, he's great; but when he's having an off night, it can be bad one.
His .898 save percentage is well below what he had last season (.918) when he was one of the best goalies in the league.
4. New York Rangers
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Previous Ranking: 1
Overall Record: 25-10-1
For how good the Rangers have been this season, seeing them take a tough 4-3 loss at Florida and a 6-1 pasting at home against Carolina are good ways to stick out in the voters' mind.
They're 6-4-0 in their last 10 games, but there aren't many reasons to worry about the Blueshirts. They've avoided losing streaks and found ways to rebound well from any losses.
If Carolina has awakened for real, though, things might be about to get interesting atop the Metropolitan.
3. Winnipeg Jets
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Previous Ranking: t-5
Overall Record: 23-9-4
Even though there's a lot of season still to come, the story of the Jets' year was founded in the offseason when they re-signed Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele.
This was a team that would have been in the middle of a rebuilding debate had the two not signed extensions, and now the rest of the group has rallied and they are battling Dallas and Colorado for the lead in the Central.
The Jets are 7-1-2 in their last 10 and have won three in a row.
2. Vancouver Canucks
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Previous Ranking: 2
Overall Record: 24-10-3
Even though the Canucks have finished second in our rankings for the second straight week, they've moved atop the Pacific Division thanks to their continued great play (going 7-1-2 in their past 10 games), while Vegas and Los Angeles have cooled off.
The Canucks are fun to watch, and their high-powered offense is great to see in action. What a difference a year makes.
1. Boston Bruins
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Previous Ranking: t-5
Overall Record: 23-7-6
After dealing with a four-game losing streak before Christmas, the Bruins are back and looking dangerous once again.
They've won four in a row (admittedly against teams they should beat in Buffalo, New Jersey, Detroit and Columbus) but they're not edging out wins, they're dumping goals on their heads and winning going away. And that's without Matt Poitras who is with Canada at World Juniors.
They have some real tests ahead against the Penguins and Lightning before heading out on the road to face the Avalanche to lead off a four-game road trip.
For now, though, the Bruins are back on top of the heap.
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