NHL Power Rankings: B/R Experts' Week 9 Poll
No matter what's happening in your life, the power rankings are always here for you. Reliable. Strong. Informative. They are everything you could want in a power ranking.
These power rankings are the opposite of a show that claims you will see a man eaten alive by a snake, because the headline says these are power rankings and that's exactly what you get: power rankings.
Now, to the power rankings.
The Chicago Blackhawks were No. 1 last week but there were plenty of contenders for the throne this week. The Detroit Red Wings are on fire, the Anaheim Ducks have won four straight, and the New York Islanders are red-hot.
Did anyone unseat the Blackhawks in the eyes of our voters?
Who are the voters? Glad you asked. These rankings are the result of polling of our experts: Jonathan Willis, Steve Macfarlane, Allan Mitchell, Lyle Richardson, Carol Schram and myself.
Now that the drama has been properly built, let us unveil the latest power rankings.
(All statistics via NHL.com or stats.hockeyanalysis.com)
30-26: Edmonton Oilers-Arizona Coyotes
1 of 14
30. Edmonton Oilers (Last week: 30): Sure, David Perron’s shot was going 20 feet wide when it caromed off a skate and into the net for the winning goal against the Sharks on Sunday night, but it ended the Oilers’ 11-game losing streak. The win moves the Oilers to within 14 points of a playoff spot.
29. Buffalo Sabres (Last week: 27): Well, it was fun while it lasted. The Sabres had won three straight and six of seven despite being severely outplayed in almost every game, but now they’ve lost two straight. They had just 13 shots in Thursday’s 5-0 loss to the Lightning.
28. Carolina Hurricanes (Last week: 25): The good news is Jordan Staal skated last week for the first time since breaking his leg in a preseason game. The bad news is by the time he comes back, it will be too late. The Hurricanes are 2-3 in their past five and nowhere near the mess they were in October, but they need to string wins together ASAP.
27. Philadelphia Flyers (Last week: 28): A 1-1-1 trip through California isn’t all that impressive, but the Flyers played much better in those three contests than they had in recent weeks. It’s probably not a coincidence that the Flyers have been a much more formidable opponent with Vinny Lecavalier sitting as a healthy scratch in those three games.
26. Arizona Coyotes (Last week: 26): It’s almost time to say farewell to the Coyotes. They have lost three straight, six of seven and eight of 10. Mike Smith couldn’t stop a sentence with a period. The have 18 goals in those 10 games, five of which were scored against the Oilers, so they barely count.
25-21: Columbus Blue Jackets-Ottawa Senators
2 of 14
25. Columbus Blue Jackets (Last week: 29): All hail Sergei Bobrovsky. The Jackets won three straight last week, albeit in less-than-impressive fashion. They were outshot by an average of 38-21, including a 55-20 onslaught in Florida on Thursday. But Bobrovsky was lights out and must continue to be if the Jackets are to salvage this season.
24. New Jersey Devils (Last week: 24): Cory Schneider has played all but one game this season; the Devils are 10-13-3 in those games. In Scott Clemmensen’s one start, the Devils lost in a shootout. Technically, the Devils are earning more points per game when the backup starts. Maybe that’s something coach Pete DeBoer should consider as he drives Schneider into the ground.
23. Colorado Avalanche (Last week: 21): The Avs appeared to be turning a corner, winning four of five, but they’ve followed that by losing four of five. The luck that followed the Avs throughout last season is only showing up sporadically this season.
22. Dallas Stars (Last week: 22): After losing four straight, the Stars secured a convincing 4-1 win against the Habs on Saturday. The Stars held Montreal to 17 shots in the win; they have allowed at least that many shots in a period four times this season.
21. Ottawa Senators (Last week: 23): The Senators erased a 3-0 deficit Sunday to beat the Canucks 4-3 in overtime. That’s the first bit of good news for the Sens in a while, as they had lost five straight. Since a 7-3-2 start, the Senators are 4-8-3.
20-16: Washington Capitals-Minnesota Wild
3 of 14
20. Washington Capitals (Last week: 19): The Caps put together consecutive road wins in Carolina and New Jersey after dropping four of five. Weird stat: The Caps have had two power-play opportunities or fewer in 13 games.
19. New York Rangers (Last week: 17): The Rangers are finally healthy after spending a lot of time without Derek Stepan, Dan Boyle and Ryan McDonagh. Still, their inconsistency plagues them. The Rangers are 4-8-3 against teams in playoff position right now and 7-2-2 against everyone else.
18. Winnipeg Jets (Last week: 16): The Jets are quietly playing decent hockey and haven’t lost in regulation in their past six games (4-0-2). They are 10th in Fenwick close (52.4 percent) and receiving great goaltending from Michael Hutchinson (.943 save percentage) and Ondrej Pavelec (.919).
17. Florida Panthers (Last week: 20): The Panthers are 4-1-1 in their past six games, and Aaron Ekblad is launching himself into the Calder Trophy discussion. The top pick in the 2014 draft has two goals and six points in his past four games and 17 points in 25 games this season.
16. Minnesota Wild (Last Week: 11): The Wild have alternated wins and losses over their past eight games. The absence of Ryan Suter (mumps) hasn’t mattered so far, as the Wild have allowed a total of 40 shots in two games. Considering their talent, it’s hard to understand why the Wild aren’t better than 14-10-1.
.png?w=256 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=256 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=256)
15-11: Toronto Maple Leafs-Calgary Flames
4 of 14
15. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last week: 15): Remember when the Leafs lost 9-2 to the Predators and the world was ending? Sure, they were 9-8-2 at that moment, but there was crisis talk in Toronto. They are 6-1-1 since and have won three of four.
14. Boston Bruins (Last week: 14): The Bruins ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win in Arizona on Saturday. They’ve done a nice job of treading water since Zdeno Chara went down with a knee injury in mid-October, posting a 10-7-1 mark in his absence.
13. San Jose Sharks (Last week: 18): The Sharks had their four-game winning streak snapped in Edmonton on Sunday. It was the second half of a road back-to-back set, so it's understandable, even if the loss was to the Oilers.
12. Montreal Canadiens (Last week: 9): The Canadiens are 1-5-1 in their past seven games, a stretch that includes two losses to the Sabres. They have scored 13 goals in those seven games and a mere nine in the six losses.
11. Calgary Flames (Last week: 13): The Flames had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Sharks on Saturday. Karri Ramo, who deferred to Jonas Hiller early in the season, has made five straight starts. Ramo has a .946 save percentage and two shutouts over that time.
10. Los Angeles Kings
5 of 14
Last Week: 10
Recent Trend: The Kings went 2-1-0 last week and are 3-3-1 in their past seven games. In their three most recent games, the Kings have allowed two goals.
Big Picture: The Kings' plus-13 goal differential probably says more about the quality of the team than their ho-hum 14-8-5 record. Still, the Kings have all the characteristics of a team that knows it doesn't have to flip a switch until much later in the season.
By the Numbers: Backup goaltender Martin Jones has a .947 save percentage in seven games this season and has shutouts in his past two starts. He currently has a shutout streak of 146 minutes and 32 seconds.
9. Vancouver Canucks
6 of 14
Last Week: 8
Recent Trend: The Canucks dropped two of three last week, including a 4-3 overtime to loss to the Senators on Sunday in which the Canucks squandered a 3-0 lead.
Big Picture: Only three teams have more points than the Canucks (38) this season. The Canucks finish a road trip in Montreal on Tuesday and open a four-game homestand against four teams (Rangers, Calgary, Dallas, Arizona) outside of a playoff spot. Things are looking really good in Vancouver despite Sunday's collapse.
By the Numbers: The Canucks lately have been weirdly winning in spite of goaltender Ryan Miller, who was a rock in October. Since Nov. 8, Miller has a 6-4-0 record and a .900 save percentage. The Canucks are averaging three goals per game over that stretch.
8. St. Louis Blues
7 of 14
Last Week: 5
Recent Trend: The Blues went 1-2-0 last week, which is sort of a good thing since their one win was the result of rallying from a three-goal deficit. Since goaltender Brian Elliott suffered a knee injury five games ago, the Blues are 3-2-0 despite allowing 17 goals.
Big Picture: With Martin Brodeur and their goaltending in tatters, this stretch without Elliott is going to be monumental for the Blues. In the super-tough West, the Blues aren't exactly a lock for a playoff spot right now (no one is, really), but if they continue to allow three-plus goals per game, trouble could be on the horizon.
By the Numbers: Vladimir Tarasenko has 17 goals in 27 games, which puts the 22-year-old on pace for 52 goals in 82 games. The best goal-scoring seasons since 2005-06 for a player aged 22 or younger are Alex Ovechkin (62 in 2007-08) and Steven Stamkos (60 in 2011-12).
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
8 of 14
Last Week: 6
Recent Trend: Once again, the Penguins are dealing with a slew of injuries to their forwards. But they have won three of four despite playing all or some of those games without Pascal Dupuis, Patric Hornqvist, Chris Kunitz and Beau Bennett.
Big Picture: The Penguins are sitting near the top of the East and, even with these injuries (Kris Letang is also out), are still one of the conference's toughest teams. As long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the lineup, the Penguins will be fine.
By the Numbers: How have the Penguins fared since Pascal Dupuis announced he'd be out for six months because of blood clots? They are just 5-4-1 with 20 goals.
6. Nashville Predators
9 of 14
Last Week: 3
Recent Trend: The Predators went 1-2-0 last week, hitting a bump in the road after winning four straight. Their 3-1 loss to the Blackhawks, who played the night before, was a close game, but it revealed the depth and quality of Chicago.
Big Picture: Nothing wrong with a loss to the Blackhawks and a blip against the Hurricanes, but the tightness of the Western Conference has the Predators in a precarious position. They are five points shy of leading the conference and four points away from falling out of a playoff spot.
By the Numbers: James Neal can be streaky, and he's currently missing in action for the Predators. He had five goals in his first seven games but hasn't scored in his past nine games. He has one assist in his past nine games. Neal is on pace for 28 goals.
5. Detroit Red Wings
10 of 14
Last Week: 7
Recent Trend: The Red Wings are one of the league's hottest teams, having won three straight and seven of eight. They are averaging four goals per game over that span and have scored fewer than three goals once in their past 12 games.
Big Picture: Some may have thought this would be the year the Red Wings would miss the playoffs and end their streak of 23 consecutive seasons with a postseason trip, but that seems unlikely now. They will likely be in a dogfight with the Lightning for Atlantic supremacy over the rest of the season.
By the Numbers: Welcome back, Stephen Weiss. After missing most of the past two seasons with groin and wrist injuries, Weiss has four goals and 10 points in nine games in 2014-15. It's probably not a coincidence the Red Wings are 7-2-0 since Weiss returned.
4. Anaheim Ducks
11 of 14
Last Week: 12
Recent Trend: Anaheim has ripped off four straight wins, all by one-goal margins. They are 7-2-0 in their past nine games and seem to be getting better as they get healthier.
Big Picture: The Ducks are atop the Pacific Division and, more importantly, the NHL, which is why they've risen four spots this week. Just like last season, the Pacific will likely have a brutal 2-3 matchup in the postseason, so winning the division will be huge.
By the Numbers: Ryan Getzlaf had a stretch at the end of November when he had zero points in five of six games. But he has found his groove recently, posting two goals and eight assists in his past five games.
3. New York Islanders
12 of 14
Last Week: 2
Recent Trend: A three-game winning streak seemed destined to reach four when the Islanders had a 3-0 lead at home against the Blues on Saturday, but that contest ended in a 6-4 loss for the Islanders.
Big Picture: It stands to reason that the Islanders will hit a lull at some point this season, just like every team does, but they've climbed to the upper echelon of the conference with nearly unrivaled consistency. They have lost at least two games in a row in regulation twice but haven't suffered that indignity since Nov. 1, a span of 16 games.
By the Numbers: The Islanders have had all this success without Michael Grabner, who made his 2014-15 debut two games ago after recovering from a sports hernia. He was a 34-goal scorer in 2010-11, but his numbers have dwindled in each successive season. But he's a quality player and it says a lot about the Islanders' depth that they played so well without him.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
13 of 14
Last Week: 4
Recent Trend: It was not a great week for the Lightning. They handled the Rangers with relative ease, 6-3, on Monday, then lost a shootout to the Sabres before dismantling them 5-0 two nights later. But with a home date against lowly Columbus, the Lightning lost 3-0. This is where the shrug emoticon goes.
Big Picture: The Lightning are still the best and deepest team in the East. Their 39 points are tops in the conference, and they have a good chance to pull away from everyone if they can stay healthy.
By the Numbers: A testament to the Lightning's depth is their ability to healthy scratch preseason Calder Trophy favorite Jonathan Drouin at times. In their 20 games with Drouin in the lineup, the Lightning are 13-6-1; without him, they are 5-1-2.
1. Chicago Blackhawks
14 of 14
Last Week: 1
Recent Trend: The Blackhawks are our hockey overlords, leaving mayhem and destruction in their wake. They have won nine of 10 and six in a row, winning those most recent six games by a combined 22-10.
Big Picture: They are the best team in the league and they won't maintain this elite pace all season, but this is how they want to be playing once the playoffs begin.
By the Numbers: One of the better ways to determine the quality of a team is to look at their five-on-five scoring. The Blackhawks are plus-16 (55-39), the third-best margin in the league behind Nashville (plus-20) and Tampa Bay (plus-19).
.png?w=480 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=480 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=480)
.png?w=600 "B/R NHL Staff Second-Round Predictions 🏒")
