We’re almost a week away from Christmas time, which means the second half of the NHL season is quickly approaching.
There have been many ups and downs in the last two months of hockey action and quite a few surprises that I can safely say nobody saw coming.
Now that week ten has come and gone, let’s take a look at each NHL team and see how they performed.
Which teams got the best grades in the NHL after week 10?
Anaheim Ducks Grade: F (Previous grade: Unchanged)
The Ducks’ 4-3 OT win over the Blue Jackets at the end of the week would snap what was a five-game losing streak for them. They played three other games this week, losing 3-2 in a shootout to Montreal, losing 5-1 to Ottawa, and losing 3-2 to Toronto. The Ducks only have two wins in their last eight games, and that’s seen them drop down the rankings quite a bit.
Boston Bruins Grade: D- (Previous grade: A+)
It wasn’t a good week for you if you’re a Bruins fan. They played three games this week and only really looked good in one of them. They started off their week with a horrific 8-1 loss to the Jets. That was followed by a 5-1 loss to the Kraken. That’s 13 goals against with only two goals. They did manage to pull it back a bit at the end of the week with a 5-1 win over Vancouver, but that’s about the only bright side.
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Buffalo Sabres Grade: F (Previous grade: Unchanged)
It hasn’t been looking good for Buffalo. They lost all four of their games this week, which has brought this NHL squad to a ten-game losing streak. They lost to the Red Wings 6-5 in a shootout. Then they lost to the Rangers 3-2 and then to the Capitals 4-2. They ended their week with a 5-3 loss to Toronto. They’re 0-7-3 in their last ten and are one point away from being passed by Montreal and ending up in the bottom of their division.
Calgary Flames Grade: A- (Previous grade: D-)
Given how recent weeks have gone, this one was pretty decent for the Flames and probably a much-needed confidence booster. It started off with a 4-3 win over the Predators but then looked like they were going to continue their downhill trajectory when they lost 8-3 to the Lightning. However, they managed to bounce back in a big way, with a solid 3-0 win over the Panthers to end their week.
Carolina Hurricanes Grade: B+ (Previous grade: D-)
The Hurricanes needed a good week to get themselves back on track. They managed to get a decent one in week ten. They started off beating the Sharks 3-2. They were then shut out by the Senators 3-0, but they managed to end the week on a win when they beat the struggling Blue Jackets 4-1. Not the greatest week they could’ve had, and they’ll still certainly want better, but it wasn’t bad.
Chicago Blackhawks Grade: C (Previous grade: F)
It was a better week for the Hawks. They played four games and won two of them, and only had one game where they weren’t very competitive. They started off the week adding to the Rangers’ woes by beating them 2-1. They followed that up with a 5-4 loss to the Islanders and then a 4-1 loss to the Devils. They then ended their week with revenge, beating the Islanders 5-3.
Also Read: Grading All 32 NHL Teams’ After Week 9 Games Of The 2024 Season
Colorado Avalanche Grade: A- (Previous grade: A)
Colorado has looked fairly decent since setting up a new goalie tandem. All this NHL team really needed was a pair of netminders that could stop the puck decently enough to let Colorado’s offense win them games, and so far, they’ve gotten that. They continued their winning ways for the most part this week. They started off the week with a 6-2 win over the Penguins. That was followed up by a 4-1 loss to Utah, but then they ended the week with a 5-2 win over the Predators.
Columbus Blue Jackets Grade: F (Previous grade: D-)
The trend for the Jackets this NHL season seems to be a couple of good weeks in a row followed by a couple of bad weeks. They just had their bad weeks. They played four games this week and didn’t manage a single win. The week started with a 5-3 loss to the Flyers. They then lost 2-1 in OT to the Capitals. That was then followed up with a 4-3 OT loss to the Ducks before ending their week with a 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes.
Dallas Stars Grade: C- (Previous grade: C)
It was a short week for Dallas, and I can’t see how much they really accomplished with those two games that they played. They did beat the Blues 2-1 in OT, but they also lost to the Predators 4-1, which was a really bad look. They’ve looked mediocre more often than not these last couple of weeks, so hopefully, they can find the form that they’re so used to having in the last few years.
Detroit Red Wings Grade: B (Previous grade: F)
You won’t find anyone saying that they’ve been impressed by the Red Wings the last few weeks, but week ten was better than most for them. They started off the week with a 6-5 shootout win over the Sabres. They didn’t really look all that great, but I suppose a win is a win. They then followed that up with a 4-1 loss to the Flyers. They ended their week strongly, though, with a very solid 4-2 win over Toronto.
Edmonton Oilers Grade: A+ (Previous grade: A)
The Oilers have been pretty hot, and they certainly haven’t slowed down at all this week. In three games, they went a perfect 3-0-0, stretching their winning streak to five games. They’ve also won eight of their last ten. They started off the week with a 2-1 win over the Lightning. That was followed up with an extremely impressive and dominant 7-1 win over the Wild. They then ended their week with another impressive win, beating the Golden Knights 6-3.
Florida Panthers Grade: D- (Previous grade: A-)
After a good week in week nine, the Panthers kinda slugged around a bit in week ten. They got their only win of the week at the start of it, beating the Kraken 2-1 in a shootout. They then lost 4-0 to the Canucks and 3-0 to the Flames. This NHL team was unable to produce much offense this week, and they really suffered because of it. They’ll have to get it together, though, because they start off week eleven by taking on the red-hot Oilers.
Los Angeles Kings Grade: A (Previous grade: A+)
The Kings started off their week by stretching their winning streak to five games by beating the Islanders 3-1. They then, unfortunately, had their winning streak snapped by losing to the Devils 3-1. They rebounded in emphatic fashion, chasing Igor Shesterkin out of a game and beating the Rangers 5-1. It’s projected that Drew Doughty will return sometime in January, so maybe this still isn’t the best we’ve seen from the Kings this NHL season.
Minnesota Wild Grade: C- (Previous grade: A-)
It certainly wasn’t the best week we’ve seen from the Wild this year, but they still found a way to get points. They started off the week with a bit of a rough 5-4 shootout win over the Utah Hockey Club. That was followed by one of their worst losses of the NHL season, losing 7-1 to the Oilers. They rebounded with a solid 4-1 win over the Flyers but would end their week with a 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights.
Montreal Canadiens Grade: D- (Previous grade: A-)
There’s a reason Montreal is ranked towards the bottom of the league. Even after a good week, they can’t capitalize on the momentum at all and have another stinker of a week. They started off fine, beating the Ducks 3-2 in a shootout. However, they would then get emphatically beaten in their next two games. They lost to the Penguins 9-2 and then lost to the Jets 4-2. They’re currently ranked last in their division, but given how the Sabres have been playing, maybe that will change.
Nashville Predators Grade: D+ (Previous grade: F)
The Predators really can’t get a good week to save their lives right now. Despite beating the Stars 4-1 this week, they were unable to save any of that momentum. They would lose to the Flames 4-3 and lose to the Avalanche 5-2 in their other two games this week. They are currently the only team left in the NHL that hasn’t hit the ten-win mark yet. How unfortunate.
New Jersey Devils Grade: A- (Previous grade: Unchanged)
Another solid week for the Devils, one that saw them get five points out of a possible six. They started off the week with a hard-fought 2-1 OT loss to the Maple Leafs. They then rebounded by snapping the Kings’ five-game winning streak by beating them 3-1. They then ended their week with an emphatic 4-1 win over the Blackhawks. They continue to produce points and wins, and that keeps them up in the NHL standings.
New York Islanders Grade: D- (Previous grade: C)
When was the last time I graded the Islanders over a C? It feels like it’s been forever. It was another pretty unimpressive week for the Islanders, as they lost to the Kings 3-1 to start it off. They followed it up with a competitive 5-4 win over the Blackhawks but would immediately receive their comeuppance as they would lose to the Blackhawks 5-3 to end their week.
New York Rangers Grade: D- (Previous grade: D)
Oh, brother. Another stinker of a week for the Rangers. They’re 3-7-0 in their last ten. Not only are they losing games, but they’re also not getting points out of their losses. They’ve sunk like a rock in the standings. They started off their week with a 2-1 loss to the Blackhawks. They seemingly rebounded with a 3-2 win over the Sabres, one of the only teams doing worse than them, but then they would go on to lose 5-1 to the Kings and then lose 3-2 to the Blues to end their week.
Ottawa Senators Grade: A+ (Previous grade: B+)
The Senators continue to look good and gather momentum. They started off their week with a 5-1 win over the Ducks. That was then followed up with a 3-0 win over the Hurricanes, and then they ended their week with a 3-2 OT win over the Penguins. They now have seven wins in their last ten games and have found themselves quickly rising towards an NHL playoff spot.
Philadelphia Flyers Grade: B (Previous grade: D-)
For all of their flaws, the Flyers sure are scrappy. For all intents and purposes, they should not be competing for a playoff berth for the second NHL season in a row. Yet, here they are, right in line for a wild card berth. Weeks like these ones certainly help them as well. They went 2-1-0 in three games, and while it could’ve been better, it also could’ve been a lot worse. They beat Columbus 5-3 and then followed that up with a 4-1 win over Detroit. They would end their week with a 4-1 loss to the Wild.
Pittsburgh Penguins Grade: D+ (Previous grade: A)
It was a rougher week for the Pens than their last two, but not all of them could be good. They started off the week with a 6-2 loss to the Avalanche. However, they would follow that up with a dominant 9-2 win over the Canadiens. They then ended their week with a 3-2 OT loss to the Senators. Three points out of a possible six isn’t terrible. Their defense still very much needs work, but their offense has certainly been playing a lot better.
San Jose Sharks Grade: D (Previous grade: Unchanged)
Despite all the losses, the Sharks still manage to be a pretty fun team so far this year. It was another rough week, but it saw some fun games. They started off the week with a 3-2 loss to Carolina. That was followed up with a fun and competitive 4-3 win over the Blues. They would end their week on a loss; however, they lost 4-3 to Utah in a fairly competitive game. The Sharks are obviously not going to make the NHL playoffs, but at least their entertainment value is way up.
Seattle Kraken Grade: D (Previous grade: A)
If the Kraken want to be a playoff team, they either need to find a way to win with Phillip Grubauer on the net or find someone better than him. He is dragging this team down. They started off the week with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Panthers. They rebounded in a big way with a 5-1 win over the Bruins. However, they would end their week with a 5-1 loss to the Lightning, which would see Gruabuer post an .867 save percentage.
St Louis Blues Grade: C (Previous grade: A-)
I mentioned that the Blues are making improvements under Jim Montgomery, but I’ve also mentioned I’m hesitant to sing their praises as they still seem to be short of elite. This week kind of backs up my thinking. They started off the week with a 4-3 OT win over the Canucks. They would then drop a competitive game against the Sharks by a score of 4-3. They would then lose 2-1 in OT against the Stars but end their week with a 3-2 win over the Rangers.
Tampa Bay Lightning Grade: A- (Previous grade: A)
It was another pretty solid week for the Lightning as they continue to try and compete for a top-three spot in their division. They started off their week with a competitive 2-1 loss to the Oilers, where their defense and goaltending did well to slow down the Oilers’ offense. They would follow that game up with an 8-3 win over the Flames before ending their week with an emphatic 5-1 win over the Kraken.
Toronto Maple Leafs Grade: A (Previous grade: C)
The Leafs had a fairly solid week, going 3-1-0 in four games played. They started off the week with a 2-1 OT win over the Devils. That was followed up by a 3-2 win over the Ducks. They would then lose 4-2 to the Red Wings, which was really their only black eye this week. This NHL squad would then end their week with a 5-3 win over the Sabres. Their 19-10-2 record sees them sitting in first place in the Atlantic.
Utah Hockey Club Grade: A (Previous grade: B)
It was another really good week for Utah. They played three games, and they secured 5 points out of a possible six. They started off the week with a competitive 5-4 shootout loss to the Wild. They would then follow that up with an impressive 4-1 win over the Avalanche. They would then end their week with a competitive 4-3 win over the Sharks. They’ve quickly pulled themselves back into the playoff race with a few good weeks in a row.
Vancouver Canucks Grade: D (Previous grade: D+)
The Canucks banked another subpar week. They’re quickly falling behind in Edmonton, LA, and Vegas, and they need to do something to catch up. They started the week with a 4-3 OT loss to the Blues. That was followed by an impressive 4-0 win over the Panthers; however, they would end their week with a 5-1 loss to the Bruins. These kinds of weeks are just not going to cut it if they want to improve off of the last season in the NHL.
Vegas Golden Knights Grade: A- (Previous grade: A+)
It was another fairly decent week for the Knights, which saw them maintain their first-place spot in the Pacific. They started off the week with a 3-2 OT win over the Jets. They then dropped a fairly important game to the Oilers by a score of 6-3. They did manage to end their week on a win, though, beating the Wild 3-2 to end week ten for themselves. They still sit four points ahead of LA and five points ahead of Edmonton.
Washington Capitals Grade: A+ (Previous grade: A-)
It was only a two-game week for the Caps, but they looked pretty good in those two weeks. They started it off with a 2-1 OT win over the Jackets, then ended their week with a 4-2 win over the Sabres. They currently have 44 points and sit comfortably atop the Metropolitan division while only being one point behind Winnipeg for number one in the entire league.
Winnipeg Jets Grade: A (Previous grade: C)
After some fairly mediocre weeks, it was nice to see the Jets reestablish that they are still one of the best teams in the league. They started off the week in emphatic fashion, crushing the Bruins by a score of 8-1. They then dropped a competitive game against the Knights in OT by a score of 3-2. They would end their week with a win over the Habs by a score of 4-2. They’re currently number one in the league, but they only have one point on Washington, and the Caps have three games in hand.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NHL Teams After Week 9 Games
