NHL Power Rankings: Connor McDavid and Oilers Continue Rise; Bruins Back at No. 1
It's a good time to be an Edmonton Oilers fan.
For the time being at least.
The NHL's northernmost Alberta residents have been on an historic tear for the better part of a month, stringing together 14 wins in a run that's now the best in league history by a Canada-based team and just three away from the all-time mark of 17 set by the Pittsburgh Penguins on the way to the 1992-93 Presidents' Trophy.
Those Penguins are largely recalled as underachievers, however, thanks to a surprise second-round playoff exit that followed two straight Stanley Cup titles.
The ultimate tag on the 2023-24 Oilers remains to be seen, but the recent spike has done them well when it comes to the B/R Power Rankings, where they moved up three more spots to reach the top five for the first time this season after placing as low as 31st in November.
The Boston Bruins have been streaking as well, winning five in a row to jump the line from fourth to first after taking all but one of the panel's first-place votes.
They're a spot ahead of the Vancouver Canucks, who grabbed the other first-place vote and remained in second. The Winnipeg Jets dropped two spots from first to third but remained ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, who jumped from fifth to fourth.
Scroll through to see where your favorite team wound up and drop a thought of your own in the comments.
Note: Votes were tallied before games on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
32. San Jose Sharks
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Previous Ranking: 32
Overall Record: 13-31-4
The needle is tipping up again for the back-and-forth Sharks, who've gone 3-0-1 in their past four games after winning just once in the previous 15.
San Jose was down 2-0 before scoring twice in the third period Tuesday and winning in OT against the Rangers, whom coach David Quinn used to work for.
"Couldn't be prouder of this team," he said, "and I've been proud of them on many occasions in a tough season, but no more so than I am [Tuesday]."
31. Chicago Blackhawks
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Previous Ranking: 31
Overall Record: 14-31-2
Coach Luke Richardson is looking for stable veterans to help change the culture in Chicago and the organization locked one up by signing goalie Petr Mrazek to a two-year extension worth $8.5 million that'll keep him with the Blackhawks through 2025-26.
Also signing two-year deals in the last two weeks were forwards Nick Foligno (two years, $9 million) and Jason Dickinson (two years, $8.5 million).
"Obviously the No. 1 thing is to win games and be part of a winning team and having fun in the locker room while winning," Mrazek said. "It's something we're trying to change here, the culture and everything."
30. Anaheim Ducks
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Previous Ranking: 30
Overall Record: 16-30-1
The Ducks reached four goals for the 14th time in 47 games overall—and following three losses in which they'd scored just five times—to defeat Buffalo on Tuesday.
Anaheim had lost three in a row and had gone just 1-8-1 in its last 10 at home.
"It hasn't been raining in goals as of this year, so it was nice to get two," said forward Jakob Silfverberg, who scored twice. "Obviously, big goals for the team, too, so hopefully me and the team can keep rolling on this."
29. Columbus Blue Jackets
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Previous Ranking: 29
Overall Record: 14-23-9
The Blue Jackets had the streaking Oilers on the ropes in a Tuesday visit to Edmonton and thus continued a tail spin that's yielded five losses in six games.
The Columbus power play was 0-for-4 in the loss and fell to dead-last in the league with a 14.4 power-play efficiency through Tuesday's games, just behind No. 31 Washington's 14.5.
28. Ottawa Senators
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Previous Ranking: 28
Overall Record: 18-24-1
An eight-game winning streak against any opponent is welcome news, but it's even more welcome for the Senators when the opponent is the Montreal Canadiens.
A 4-1 road win Tuesday made it eight straight for Ottawa against Montreal, its longest active streak against any team and its fourth—along with a regulation loss and an OT loss—in its last six games overall. The Senators also beat the Canadiens 6-2 in Ottawa last week.
27. Buffalo Sabres
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Previous Ranking: 25
Overall Record: 20-23-4
The Sabres will complete a three-game western swing on Saturday in San Jose before taking a week-plus off for the All-Star break and returning home to start a four-game homestand on February 6.
Center Dylan Cozens has been a signature piece in Buffalo's underachievement this season, scoring just twice in the first eight games of 2024 and eight in 44 games to remain far off the pace of the 31 he scored in 2022-23 to help earn a seven-year, $49.7 million contract extension he signed in February.
26. Montreal Canadiens
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Previous Ranking: 26
Overall Record: 19-21-7
It's not been a particular strength all season, but goaltending has been a glaring weakness during a three-game skid for the Canadiens, who've been outscored 19-7 while losing at Ottawa (6-2) and Boston (9-4) and then at home to the Senators (4-1).
Jake Allen allowed three goals on 27 shots in the home loss after Cayden Primeau and Sam Montembeault had allowed 14 on a combined 72 shots, a .805 save percentage.
25. Minnesota Wild
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Previous Ranking: 27
Overall Record: 21-21-5
A three-game road trip didn't start well with a blowout loss at Tampa Bay, but the Wild rebounded to finish with two victories and kept the streak going with a 5-3 home defeat of Washington on Tuesday.
Minnesota has scored 16 goals in the three wins, which pleases coach John Hynes.
"I really liked the mindset that we came home with coming off the road," he said, "and the style of game that we need to be able to play."
24. Seattle Kraken
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Previous Ranking: 22
Overall Record: 19-18-9
It's still early in terms of playoff tournament seeding but it's getting later, too, and that reality is evident in Seattle, where the Kraken have been inconsistent while following up on last season's 100-point regular season and second-round postseason run.
A 13-game point streak that bridged December and January has devolved into a four-game skid and an outside-looking-in spot. Nevertheless, the upcoming schedule softens considerably with games against St. Louis (21st overall entering Wednesday's games), Columbus (28th) and San Jose (31st).
23. St. Louis Blues
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Previous Ranking: 24
Overall Record: 23-20-2
The Blues won the back half of a home-and-home with Washington before beginning a three-game western road trip with a third-period rally to win at Calgary.
The two victories came after a three-game winless skid and have righted the ship in terms of mindset, according to forward Jordan Kyrou.
"I think [the Flames win] was our biggest game of the year so far," he said.
22. New York Islanders
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Previous Ranking: 23
Overall Record: 20-16-11
The Islanders were the league's biggest headline-makers for the week with their surprise hire of former goaltending great Patrick Roy, who'd not coached in the NHL since a three-year run with the Colorado Avalanche from 2013 to 2016.
New York beat Dallas in OT in the new coach's debut on Sunday before dropping a 3-2 decision to Vegas in game No. 2. The Islanders will visit Montreal, the city where Roy won two Stanley Cups as a player, on Thursday.
"It is special going there," Roy said. "The fans always have been great to me. It's a great hockey town. It's like on Long Island, great fans, great hockey town. It's cool to be part of that."
21. Calgary Flames
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Previous Ranking: 19
Overall Record: 21-21-5
Just when things looked to be turning around for the Flames, who struggled badly out of the gate, they're not. Calgary won four straight games from January 9 to 16 but has since dropped three in a row while scoring just seven goals and allowing 11.
The Flames are in the middle of the league pack with 3.1 goals per game, good for 17th among 32 teams heading into Wednesday's games.
20. Nashville Predators
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Previous Ranking: 18
Overall Record: 25-21-1
Forwards Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly are among Nashville's plus/minus leaders, but each took a minus-three in the Predators' 4-1 loss to visiting Florida on Monday, the team's second straight and third in four games.
Nashville has a minus-four goal differential through 47 games and has been outscored 13-6 in the recent skid that began with a visit to Vegas on January 15.
19. Washington Capitals
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Previous Ranking: 20
Overall Record: 22-17-6
It's only January and just less than half a season remains, but Capitals coach Spencer Carbery has declared the team's entry into "playoff mode."
Washington lost the first two games of a four-game trip at St. Louis and Minnesota and will wrap it up at Dallas on Saturday afternoon before returning home to host Montreal on February 6.
"[They know] this is our season, and how tight, and all that stuff," Carbery said. "If we are being realistic about playing into April and May, this is going to be the chunk that decides our season."
18. Pittsburgh Penguins
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Previous Ranking: 14
Overall Record: 21-17-6
One win in five games was bad enough for the skidding Penguins, but it got even worse when they dropped a 5-2 decision at Arizona on Monday—their first loss to the Coyotes in more than six years, after 11 consecutive victories.
Coach Mike Sullivan had been 13-0-1 in his career against Arizona. Still, Pittsburgh did get a goal from Sidney Crosby, his 13th in 24 career meetings.
17. Arizona Coyotes
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Previous Ranking: 21
Overall Record: 23-19-3
The Coyotes will continue a three-game pre-All-Star road trip at Tampa Bay on Thursday and Carolina on Saturday, but the chatter so far has been about the unique NHL occurrence in Monday's home with against Pittsburgh.
Arizona scored a power-play goal without a shot on goal when defenseman Kris Letang's drop pass for Evgeni Malkin went off Malkin's stick and into a net that had been vacated by Tristan Jarry after a delayed penalty call on the Coyotes.
It's the first time a team has scored a power-play goal without a power-play shot in the game.
16. New Jersey Devils
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Previous Ranking: 16
Overall Record: 24-18-3
A visit from the reigning champs was just what the slumping Devils needed to escape a funk, which they did Monday with a come-from-behind 6-5 win in OT against Vegas.
It was their 16th rally victory of the season, tops in the league.
"We definitely needed to bounce back," forward Tyler Toffoli said. "We knew that they were one of the top teams in the West, so it was a chance for us to bounce back and find a way and dig deep."
15. Detroit Red Wings
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Previous Ranking: 15
Overall Record: 24-18-5
It's hard to argue with a 10-game stretch in which the Red Wings went 7-2-1 and vaulted into a (current) playoff position, even though it ended with an unseemly home loss to Dallas in which goalie Alex Lyon was pulled after surrendering five goals.
On the good side, Detroit scored three power-play goals against the Stars and is 10th in the league with a 23 percent scoring clip with the man advantage.
14. Philadelphia Flyers
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Previous Ranking: 11
Overall Record: 25-17-6
Goalie Samuel Ersson has been a pleasant surprise for the Flyers playing alongside Carter Hart this season, but he inherited the full-time starter's role for the time being on Tuesday when the team announced Hart would be away on an indefinite leave of absence.
Ersson's first action after the news didn't go so well, with four goals allowed on 19 shots (.789 save percentage) in a 6-3 home loss to Tampa Bay.
13. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Previous Ranking: 17
Overall Record: 25-18-5
It's getting to be that time of year again on Florida's western coast and the Lightning are responding in kind, with a 6-3 win at Philadelphia on Tuesday giving them six in their last seven games.
Forward Nikita Kucherov's 25th career four-point game made him the first player in the 2023-24 season to reach 80 points.
12. Toronto Maple Leafs
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Previous Ranking: 13
Overall Record: 23-14-8
Will the real Toronto defense please stand up? The Maple Leafs recently suffered through a 1-4-1 stretch in which they were touched for 26 goals against before tightening down for a 3-1 win against Seattle in which they allowed just 17 shots on goal.
Ilya Samsonov was the winner in goal against Seattle and ended a skid in which he'd gone 0-2-3 since last winning on December 9.
11. Los Angeles Kings
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Previous Ranking: 12
Overall Record: 22-13-9
The struggle remains real for the Kings, whose prolonged skid since December 28 has cost them in the Western playoff race.
Los Angeles was 20-7-4 through its first 31 games and seemed comfortably in position to head toward the postseason before a 2-6-5 stretch through Tuesday in which it scored just 2.23 goals per game (tied for 29th in the league) and fell to seventh in the conference.
"I wouldn't say the season's slipping away, but I would say that there is concern and that there is frustration, definitely frustration," coach Todd McLellan said.
10. Carolina Hurricanes
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Previous Ranking: 10
Overall Record: 25-15-5
If you're looking for a player responsible for righting the ship in Carolina after an uneven start, look no further than Sebastian Aho, whose 96-point pace would easily surpass the career-high 83 he produced in 2018-19.
Aho will represent the Hurricanes in his third All-Star Game and had eight goals and 29 points in the team's 11-3-4 run from December 9 through Tuesday. Only Nikita Kucherov (33) and Nathan MacKinnon (38) had more points in that span.
9. New York Rangers
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Previous Ranking: 7
Overall Record: 29-15-3
A four-game western road trip wasn't at all kind to the Rangers, who blew a third-period lead to fall in OT at San Jose on Tuesday and end the run at just 1-2-1.
New York scored four goals in the three losses outside of a five-goal barrage at Anaheim and will return home to host Vegas on Friday.
8. Vegas Golden Knights
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Previous Ranking: 9
Overall Record: 28-14-6
It was a successful welcome back for goalie Adin Hill, star of last spring's playoffs, on Tuesday after he'd missed 15 games and 22 of 23 with a lower-body injury.
Hill stopped 40 shots in a defeat of the New York Islanders a day after the Golden Knights had allowed six goals in an OT loss at New Jersey.
"I always like facing a lot of shots," Hill said. "I just feel the puck more and get a little more confidence as each shot goes on."
7. Florida Panthers
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Previous Ranking: 5
Overall Record: 28-14-4
Aleksander Barkov's return to the lineup is certainly good news for a team that's been missing him since he left in the third period of an OT loss to Anaheim last week, but it's not as if Sam Reinhart hasn't been doing his best to fill the gaps.
Reinhart scored in the loss to the Ducks and added two goals in the subsequent three games to reach a career-high 34 in just 46 games and continue a torrid month in which he scored in 12 of 14 games (16 goals overall) between December 23 and January 22.
6. Dallas Stars
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Previous Ranking: 6
Overall Record: 28-13-6
Good teams win consistently on the road, and there's no mistaking the Stars' street cred as a good team, with a a 5-4 win in Detroit ending a four-game trip at 2-1-1.
Dallas is 14-5-4 through 23 road games in 2023-24, which is good for the league's third-best road points percentage (.696).
"It meant we could finish off our road trip on a positive note," forward Wyatt Johnston said. "We played some really good teams on this trip, so 2-1-1 is a pretty good job."
5. Edmonton Oilers
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Previous Ranking: 8
Overall Record: 27-15-1
It should surprise no one that Connor McDavid has been producing big numbers (six goals, 19 points) during Edmonton's remarkable run. But what might be a shock is that the Oilers have allowed just 23 goals in the 14 games while scoring 54.
Starter Stuart Skinner has won a franchise-record 11 straight starts, erasing a mark set by Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr in 1986.
4. Colorado Avalanche
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Previous Ranking: 3
Overall Record: 30-14-3
Finnish-born forward Artturi Lehkonen was welcomed back into the fold for the Avalanche after missing 35 games with a neck injury suffered against Seattle in early November.
The 28-year-old had three goals and eight points in 12 games before the injury.
"I thought I was going to be fine, but I wasn't. It is what it is," he said. "It's for sure a scary injury, but it's just at high speed and basically an accident. Excited to be back. It's going to be fun."
3. Winnipeg Jets
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Previous Ranking: 1
Overall Record: 30-11-4
One of the league's most impressive streaks finally ended on Monday when the Jets dropped a 4-1 decision at Boston.
Winnipeg had gone 34 straight games allowing three goals or fewer, one off the modern NHL record set by the Minnesota Wild in 2015, and was tops in the league with a 2.29 goals-against average heading into Wednesday's games.
2. Vancouver Canucks
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Previous Ranking: 2
Overall Record: 32-11-4
The Canucks were on a three-game winning streak and had gone 8-0-1 in nine games heading into Wednesday night but the popular "Lotto Line" of Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller may nevertheless be on its last legs, for now.
The line has been outshot by a significant margin during five-on-five play in its last three games, which has coach Rick Tocchet considering his options.
"When lines struggle," he said, "[sometimes] they don't do anything. At least they're coming up with some big [goals]. They're playing average [but] they've raised the bar. So we'll see if we keep it together."
1. Boston Bruins
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Previous Ranking: 4
Overall Record: 29-8-9
The Bruins had the best home record in the Eastern Conference through Tuesday's games and they're in the midst of a stretch that could help stretch their advantage in the Atlantic Division.
A January 15 defeat of New Jersey was the start of a stretch of 12 of 14 games for Boston at TD Garden, where it was 16-3-3 through 22 games. The Bruins entered Wednesday with a seven-point lead on Florida in the division and six over the New York Rangers for first in the conference.
"Playing in front of the best fans in the world is always a pleasure for us," defenseman Hampus Lindholm said. "If we could play at home every game of the year we would."
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