NHL Power Rankings: B/R Experts' Week 8 Poll

Beware the Los Angeles Kings.

After a difficult start to the year, one that saw the Kings robbed of cornerstone netminder Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles appears to be back. With five straight wins, the team is the hottest in the NHL and finds itself just a single point back of the division lead in the Pacific. This despite running a third-string goalie in the starter's job and the recent absence of top-line pivot Anze Kopitar.

How high can the Kings climb in these rankings? Which other clubs are feasting and faltering as we move into the second quarter of the 2016-17 NHL season? Those questions, and others, will be answered in this week's power rankings.

Our panel, as always, gathered this week to break down what's happening in the hockey world. Adrian Dater, Steve Macfarlane, Allan Mitchell, Lyle Richardson, Carol Schram and yours truly all registered our votes for a composite view of the risers and fallers around the league. 

Read on for all the details.

30-26: New York Islanders-Winnipeg Jets

Mark Lennihan/Associated Press

30. New York Islanders (last week: 26)

This seems like a good time to talk about what an absolute disaster the New York Islanders are. The team won one of its three games this week, and given that the Isles beat the Anaheim Ducks (rather than the woeful Vancouver Canucks) that makes this week arguably the club’s most successful in the month of November. New York has had three- and four-game losing streaks during the month and recorded just two wins overall. It is on a two-game winless run. One wonders how much longer head coach Jack Capuano will be allowed to helm the league’s most disappointing club.

29. Arizona Coyotes (last week: 30)

The Arizona Coyotes showed signs of life this week, knocking off the divisional rival Edmonton Oilers in both halves of a home-and-home set. Goaltender Mike Smith—who will be asked to shoulder a heavy load now that partner Louis Domingue is on the shelf—made 73 saves on 76 shots and has performed well in four of five starts since returning from injury. Radim Vrbata scored his team-leading seventh goal on Sunday and is already halfway to his total from all of last season.

28. Buffalo Sabres (last week: 28)

When will the rebuild end? Not this week. The Buffalo Sabres once again dropped two of three, which sounds bad but looks worse once one realizes that's the club’s average performance—the team has two losses for every win it has managed this season. Buffalo has no offensive presence to speak of; over the last 10 games, Kyle Okposo’s five points lead the team. The goaltending has been solid, but with such underwhelming scoring, it doesn’t matter how good the goalies are.

27. Colorado Avalanche (last week: 25)

The Colorado Avalanche are only two games under .500; as of Monday, the club had won as many games as it had lost. That may be a misleading way of framing the season, though, given that Colorado’s minus-14 goal differential is one of the worst totals in the league. The team is 7-2-1 in games decided by a single goal but just 2-8 in affairs with a wider margin. In other words, the Avs have to be a lot better to improve their record, but any slip at all is likely to see those one-goal games turned into losses.

26. Winnipeg Jets (last week: 17)

The Winnipeg Jets finished off a five-game road trip with a perfectly consistent 0-5 record. They snapped that ugly streak with a win at home on Sunday, but even so, they’re on pace to finish dead last in the Central Division. The good news is that the Jets' next two games are at home, where the team has a 7-4-0 record.

25-21: Vancouver Canucks-Detroit Red Wings

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

25. Vancouver Canucks (last week: 27)

Ever so slowly, it appears that the Vancouver Canucks are making some headway. The team has alternated wins and losses over its last nine games, putting together a respectable 5-3-1 record in the process. For the first time this season, the team appears to have reliable secondary scoring, with Bo Horvat putting up 11 points in his last 10 games and Alex Burrows recording eight in his last nine.

24. Carolina Hurricanes (last week: 24)

A five-game winning streak was interrupted by a pair of one-goal losses to the red-hot Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, but the Carolina Hurricanes bounced back with a win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Carolina had been leaning hard on in-form goaltender Cam Ward, but third-stringer Michael Leighton made 31 saves in the team’s most recent win.

23. Calgary Flames (last week: 29)

After a brutal start, the Calgary Flames appear to be coming around, with surprising wins over teams well above them in the standings. After ending a four-game losing streak, the club is 5-3-0 in its last eight games despite having lost leading offensive light Johnny Gaudreau to injury. Chad Johnson deserves much of the credit, with five wins in his last six starts; he’s clearly taken over the starting goalie job.

22. Philadelphia Flyers (last week: 18)

The Philadelphia Flyers had an uneven week, but they also played four games in six days, with three of them coming against high-caliber opponents. Given the schedule, a 2-2 record isn’t so bad. Rookie goaltender Anthony Stolarz got one of the wins, turning aside 29 shots in his first NHL contest. The victory moved Philadelphia to within two points of the final wild-card slot in the East.

21. Detroit Red Wings (last week: 23)

The Detroit Red Wings snapped a four-game losing streak with a shootout win over Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday and promptly followed it up by collecting three of a possible four points in a set of back-to-back games against the New Jersey Devils and Montreal. Prospect Anthony Mantha, a 2013 first-rounder of whom much is expected, played heavy minutes in all of those games,and picked up a goal and an assist against the Devils. After an uneven development path, the winger has had a great start to the season and is confirming his place in the team’s long-term plans.

20-16: Toronto Maple Leafs-Anaheim Ducks

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

20. Toronto Maple Leafs (last week: 21)

Head coach Mike Babcock has a reputation as one of the NHL’s most dedicated line-matching coaches, and that reputation is an interesting fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs' record. On Saturday, the Leafs beat the formidable Washington Capitals in Toronto, improving to 8-3-0 on the season at home. The team has just a single in win 10 games on the road, where the opposition has much more control over the matchups. With a better road record, the Leafs would be in a playoff spot.

19. Dallas Stars (last week: 20)

The injury-ravaged Dallas Stars just can’t seem to get on a roll. The club has been alternating wins and losses for two weeks, and its longest winning streak this season was two games earlier in November. Steadier goaltending would go a long way toward allowing the team to string together some victories, and Antti Niemi looks like he may just be able to provide it. He’s allowed just six goals in his last four games and posted at least a .930 save percentage in each outing.

18. Boston Bruins (last week: 7)

The Boston Bruins matched their longest losing streak of the season this week, dropping three straight games and earning a steep fall from last week’s top-10 position in these rankings. The good news for the team is that the unfortunate run ended on Sunday with a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. David Pastrnak scored his 13th goal of the year in the win and now has goals in nine of his last 11 games. He’s already within two of his total for all of last season.

17. Florida Panthers (last week: 22)

The Florida Panthers stunned the hockey world on Sunday, firing head coach Gerard Gallant shortly after a loss to Carolina on Sunday. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that philosophical differences between Gallant and the team’s management were the true driving force behind the decision. The club is in reasonably good shape, with a .500 record and just two points between it and the postseason. The Panthers will make a fascinating study the rest of the way.

16. Anaheim Ducks (last week: 8)

The Ducks ended a three-game losing skid with a win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, and they couldn’t have picked a better time for the win. The victory kept them within a single point of their divisional rivals from San Jose, as well as within a four-team grouping at the top of the Pacific separated by just four points. Nominal backup goalie Jonathan Bernier collected the win, improving to 7-4-1 on the year with a .933 save percentage. As Anaheim is in such a tight race, the team has little choice but to play its hottest goalie, and Bernier has outperformed starter John Gibson this season.

15-11: New Jersey Devils-Edmonton Oilers

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

15. New Jersey Devils (last week: 12)

The Devils are still picking up much-needed points by keeping games alive past regulation, but their season has taken a turn for the worse lately. Taylor Hall last played on November 12, and New Jersey has lost five of the seven games since he exited the lineup with injury. Mike Cammalleri, who has eight points in his last three games, is doing his best to pick up the slack.

14. Nashville Predators (last week: 19)

The Nashville Predators' second three-game winning streak in November came to a halt on Sunday, but nevertheless, things are looking up for a club that started the year with uncharacteristically poor play. A lot of different factors have gone into the turnaround, and a lot of the credit has to go to the much-maligned Pekka Rinne. Rinne is 8-1-2 in November with a stellar .952 save percentage over that run.

13. Minnesota Wild (last week: 13)

The Minnesota Wild continued to tread water this week (2-1-1), as the team has for much of November. After a 6-2-1 start to the year, Minnesota is 5-5-2 over its last 12 games and holds a playoff spot by just two points. That mediocre record comes despite the fact Devan Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper have combined to stop 358 of 380 shots over those dozen contests (.942 save percentage). If not for strong goaltending, the Wild would be outside the postseason picture.

12. Los Angeles Kings (last week: 15)

Somewhat surprisingly, our panel has taken a conservative approach to the Kings. This despite the fact that Los Angeles has collected five straight wins and is within a point of the Pacific Division lead. Even more impressively, the team appears to have seamlessly moved on from injured starter Quick, with former third-string goalie Peter Budaj owning a 12-6-1 record and .917 save percentage.

11. Edmonton Oilers (last week: 11)

The Edmonton Oilers are playing with fire. After an impressive 5-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, Edmonton entered a relatively soft portion of its schedule. A win over Colorado on Wednesday went according to plan, but back-to-back losses to woeful Arizona has opened up a window for their opponents. San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim are all within two points of the Oilers, meaning Edmonton could quickly go from leading the division to outside the playoffs.

10. San Jose Sharks

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Record: 12-9-1, 25 points

Last week: 16

Big Picture

Despite an erratic first quarter, which has seen the Sharks alternate between winning and losing streaks, the team is in a pretty decent position. A loss to Anaheim on Saturday kept San Jose from taking over the lead in the Pacific Division, but even so, the club is just one point behind the first-place Oilers and has the advantage of a game in hand.

By the Numbers

After a two-point night against Washington on November 8, veteran centre Joe Thornton has gone cold. He has no goals and just two assists over a nine-game span. Still, the Sharks have gone a respectable 5-3-1 in that period, even with their most talented playmaker struggling to find points.

9. Tampa Bay Lightning

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Record: 13-9-1, 27 points

Last week: 4

Big Picture

Life without Steven Stamkos has not been pretty so far, with the Bolts winning just three of six games since the captain was injured. Perhaps more importantly, none of the wins came against teams in playoff positions. Sunday’s loss to Boston allowed the Bruins to climb within three points of Tampa Bay for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Atlantic. There isn’t a lot of room for error here.

By the Numbers

One bit of good news: Ondrej Palat finally seems to be coming around. The 25-year-old left wing started the season with just six points in his first 18 games. He’s matched that total in his last five contests. The coach seems to be gaining confidence in him too; Palat topped 20 minutes of ice time for just the second contest this season in Wednesday’s win over Philadelphia. He had two assists in the game. 

8. Columbus Blue Jackets

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Record: 11-5-4, 26 points

Last week: 9

Big Picture

A four-game winning streak came to an end this week, with the Columbus Blue Jackets going 1-1-2. Despite a surprisingly strong first quarter, Columbus finds itself in fourth place in the Metropolitan and with New Jersey, Philadelphia and Carolina nipping at its heels. On a more positive note, though, the team is within two points of Washington and three of the Pittsburgh Penguins and has games in hand. The question is whether the Jackets can keep up with those opponents.

By the Numbers

It’s difficult for a defenceman to win the Calder Trophy, with only four in the last 25 seasons claiming the award given to the league's best rookie. Zach Werenski is off to a good start, though, with his 16 points just two back of rookie leader Patrik Laine. His average ice time (22:15 per game) leads all first-year players.

7. St. Louis Blues

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

Record: 12-7-3, 27 points

Last week: 10

Big Picture

A difficult start to November is in the rearview mirror, with the St. Louis Blues winning five of their last six games. The only loss in that span was the definition of a “schedule loss”—a game in Washington in which the Capitals were rested and the Blues had played a tough Boston team the night before. Four points separate St. Louis from both first and fifth in the Central Division, so a hot or cold streak could have major ramifications on their position in the standings.

By the Numbers

All offensive players tend to be streaky, and David Perron is on a tear. With the exception of a four-point night against Calgary in October, he had just a lone point through his first 15 games. He’s picked up at least one point in each of his last seven contests, though, collecting 10 in all. St. Louis won five of those games.

6. Ottawa Senators

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Record: 14-7-1, 29 points

Last week: 14

Big Picture

At the start of the week, the Ottawa Senators were two games over .500. Four wins later, they’re tied for fourth place in the entire league. Those weren’t easy games, either, particularly since winning required beating the Canadiens and Rangers in their home rinks. Ottawa’s goal differential (even) suggests a playoff bubble team, but wins and losses would argue the club is a legitimate contender.

By the Numbers

Scoring has not been a particular strength of the Guy Boucher-coached Sens, so the revival of Mark Stone’s offensive game has to be considered encouraging news. Stone had just one goal over his first 12 games of the year but has five goals and eight points over his last nine, during which time Ottawa is 6-2-1. He scored in the wins over both Montreal and New York.

5. Washington Capitals

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Record: 13-6-2, 28 points

Last week: 5

Big Picture

The Capitals are in the thick of things in the uber-competitive Metropolitan Division, trailing Pittsburgh by one point and the Rangers by three but owning one and two games in hand on those respective opponents. The challenge is going to be converting those extra games to wins. Once December hits, the Caps’ schedule compacts, and head coach Barry Trotz will need to guard against fatigue.

By the Numbers

Those wins will be easier to come by if Washington starts getting more out of Evgeny Kuznetsov. After a breakthrough 77-point campaign last season, Kuznetsov’s numbers are down this season. He’s presently mired in a slump, during which time he has just three points in a dozen contests.

4. Chicago Blackhawks

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Record: 14-6-3, 31 points

Last week: 3

Big Picture

Chicago is still holding strong at the top of the Central Division, but the gap between the team and its nearest rivals has shrunk considerably. The season effectively breaks down into three segments, and the nature of those segments is somewhat worrisome:

• First seven games: 3-3-1
• Next seven games: 7-0-0
• Last nine games: 4-3-2

Outside of that wicked seven-game run, the Blackhawks are a sub-.500 team. That’s a patently unfair way of looking at it given Chicago has only played 20-odd games and any club would look bad with its best stretch taken out of consideration. Nevertheless, those are two long runs of mediocre play, and they can’t be sitting comfortably with the general manager and head coach.

By the Numbers

One wonders whether Chicago is going to decide to send 2014 first-rounder (and rookie pro) Nick Schmaltz to the minor leagues for some seasoning in the near future. Schmaltz was a tremendous scorer at the University of North Dakota last season but has just one goal in 23 games with the Blackhawks. He’s also losing more than two-thirds of his faceoffs and has ugly shot metrics despite being carefully sheltered by coach Joel Quenneville.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Record: 13-6-3, 29 points

Last week: 6

Big Picture

The Pens have a mediocre record over their last 10 games, losing as many as they’ve won. Fortunately, for Pittsburgh, this unremarkable stretch has coincided with similar runs by the Capitals and Rangers, meaning the Penguins are still in the middle of a tight race at the top of the Met. Last year’s Stanley Cup champions should be able to shake off the doldrums soon.

By the Numbers

Rookie forward Jake Guentzel played his first four NHL games this week, and he was put in a position to succeed immediately: on a line with Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin. The 22-year-old—who had 17 points in 16 minor league games before being recalled—has made the most of the opportunity, scoring three times and adding an assist.

2. New York Rangers

Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

Record: 15-7-1, 31 points

Last week: 2

Big Picture

The Rangers are still in second place in the NHL, but a recent 2-3-1 stretch didn’t do the team any favours. The Metropolitan looks like a toss-up between New York, Pittsburgh and Washington, but the Rangers are going to have to contend with a tough schedule in December that sees them play 15 games in 31 days. Compounding matters is the fact nine of those tilts will take place on the road.

By the Numbers

New York’s shooters have been eerily accurate this season. The Rangers have seven forwards with at least five goals and a 13.0 shooting percentage or better; the average NHL team has just three. Kevin Hayes and Michael Grabner in particular stand out; both players are converting shots to goals at nearly double their previous career averages.

1. Montreal Canadiens

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Record: 16-4-2, 34 points

Last week: 1

Big Picture

The Canadiens have rebounded nicely from the season’s only multi-game losing streak, a 0-2-1 run last week. Since those three outings, Montreal has won three of four contests. The team leads the league with 34 points and has a three-point cushion and game in hand on its nearest rival. In a league where 23 of 30 franchises are within four games of .500, the Habs already have 10 more wins than losses.

By the Numbers

One item to keep an eye on going forward is schedule. The Canadiens are 12-1-1 at home this season but a much more pedestrian 4-3-1 on the road. The team’s next four contests are all away games, but the real test will come around Christmas, when Montreal plays seven straight in opposition buildings.

Statistics used here courtesy of Hockey Reference, Puck on Net and the NHL.