Things in the NHL have seemed to quiet down a bit, at least compared to the chaos we’ve experienced through the first few months of the season. Maybe it’s because teams are finally settling in and are aware of what their future holds, so they’re bunkering down and preparing for the future.
Or maybe it’s because everyone is eagerly awaiting the Four Nations Faceoff that awaits us in February. Whatever it may be, lack of drama doesn’t mean January was without some good hockey games. Let’s take a look at the rankings after week 14.
Who are the top teams in the NHL power rankings after week 14?
32. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
There couldn’t be another team more worthy of the bottom spot. The sad thing is, you get the feeling that Chicago could be a lot better if they could figure out how to play three full periods of hockey. As it is now, they’ll have a really good first period and then just fall apart, only to somewhat put it together late in the third. That doesn’t win hockey games, though, especially not against the elite teams.
31. San Jose Sharks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
I think the grace period of positive comments I’ve given the Sharks is over. Yes, Macklin Celebrini is absolutely the future of this NHL team if they can hold onto him. That doesn’t change the fact that the team around him is still very much garbage. They still very much feel like they’re knee-deep in a rebuild with no visible end. You also get the feeling that comes deadline time, and other key pieces are going to be moved.
30. Nashville Predators (Previous rank: 29)
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Every time I look at the rankings and see the Predators struggling to pull away from the likes of the Sharks and Blackhawks, I am genuinely shocked. It would’ve been entirely understandable if they had been bad this year. They were supposed to be bad last year, but THIS bad?! It’s downright absurd, and a lot of it feels self-inflicted. I fully expect the roster to be blown up around the deadline and in the offseason.
29. Buffalo Sabres (Previous rank: 30)
As soon as the Sabres patched up one cut and managed to stop the bleeding, they sliced themselves right back open. At one point in time, it seemed like this roster was full of promise and could bring Buffalo back to the promised land. Now it becomes more and more apparent that regardless of the talented individuals Buffalo has, this roster will not bring them salvation, nor will any roster in the future until some serious changes are made.
28. Anaheim Ducks (Previous rank: 27)
The Ducks are living proof that even elite goaltending can only get you so far sometimes. You just know that Cutter Gauthier is furious right now, too, after he returned to Philadelphia, where the Ducks were absolutely stomped 6-0. At least the Ducks can take solace in the fact that their rebuild is going slightly better than their California rivals down in San Jose.
27. Seattle Kraken (Previous rank: 28)
Without Joey Daccord, this team would be as good as dead. They most likely weren’t going to make the playoffs even with Daccord carrying them, but now that he’s injured and the team has been forced to rely on Grubauer? You can count their season over. At least they may pick up some pretty good draft capital if their season continues along the route that it’s currently on.
Also Read: NHL Power Rankings: All 32 NHL Teams Ranked From WORST To FIRST After Week 13
26. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous rank: 24)
The Flyers have been forced to watch as their playoff hopes have pulled further and further away from them in the last month or so. They’re 4-5-1 in their last ten, and all of their losses have come against elite or bubble teams, with their only wins coming against teams well out of the playoff race. It’s unfortunate, but it does show that as close as the Flyers are coming, they’re still not quite there yet. Hopefully, Danny Briere will continue to make the proper moves going forward.
25. New York Rangers (Previous rank: 22)
Despite the fact that the Rangers appear to have slowed the bleeding, I had to rank them lower because they’ve fully dropped themselves out of the NHL playoff race. They have a lot of ground to make up for as well, so I don’t think just stopping the bleeding is going to be enough to get this team back on the right track. They need to make something big happen or basically kiss this season goodbye.
24. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous rank: 19)
The Pens haven’t been any worse than the last few weeks, but unfortunately, the other teams have gotten a lot better. We already knew that the Penguins’ time in the sun was over, though. This isn’t news to any of us. It’s business as usual. The only people that haven’t accepted it seem to be the Penguins themselves.
23. Utah Hockey Club (Previous rank: 17)
Man, this team is streaky. That’s not really a good thing either. They look great for a couple of weeks, and then, the next couple of weeks, they look like a bottom-of-the-league NHL team. It’s hard to get a grasp on which side of this team is their actual identity and whether or not the other side is just an illusion. Are they overperforming when they have success, or are they underperforming when they don’t? It’s really hard to tell.
22. New York Islanders (Previous rank: 26)
Someway somehow, the Islanders have pulled themselves back into the NHL playoff race. They’re at the very bottom of it, and they have one loss away from getting bounced back out, but they take the victories where they can. The issue is, this team’s elite defense isn’t as elite as it used to be, and that’s pretty much completely sank the boat. They don’t have the offensive firepower to make up for it in the slightest, and while they may not be a bottom-feeder, another few years as a bubble team might just kill them.
21. Boston Bruins (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The fact that the Bruins have a winning record and are in NHL playoff position is more of a testament to how bad their division has been than any sort of indication of their own play. The Bruins have not been great this season, and it’s been a long time coming. Every year, we thought the Bruins would fall off, but they didn’t. Now they have it, and I doubt it’s going to get much better for them anytime soon. Even if they manage to squeak into the playoffs this season, there are a lot more issues to come for them.
20. St Louis Blues (Previous rank: 16)
The luster of Jim Montgomery joining the team has worn off, and the Blues are back to business as usual. They haven’t been bad; they still have a winning record in their last ten, but they haven’t been great either. They’re not going to blow your socks off, but they’re going to be a decent out for any team. They’re definitely not a team you see on your favorite’s schedule and think it’s going to be an easy day at the office.
19. Detroit Red Wings (Previous rank: 25)
The Red Wings got fed up with people making fun of them and decided to rattle off seven wins in a row. This long winning streak has pulled them into the NHL playoff race despite not really being a part of it all year. The lingering question is, of course, whether or not this recent success is sustainable. Is it just a flash, or are the Wings actually turning a corner and planning to push for the postseason?
18. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous rank: 23)
Don’t look now, but the Jackets have pulled themselves into a playoff spot. With a 20-17-6 record and 7-2-1 in their last ten, the Jackets currently sit in the final wild-card spot. They’re one point behind the Bruins for the top wild card and nine points behind the Hurricanes for a top-three spot. They’re also only one point ahead of Ottawa, who is currently on the outside looking in. It’s going to be an uphill battle for Columbus from here on out, and it’s going to test their medal.
17. Montreal Canadiens (Previous rank: 20)
The Habs have quietly become one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now, and not nearly enough people are talking about it. Never mind the fact that they’ve managed to crawl their way out of the bottom of the league and are now currently in the playoff race. We need to talk about Jakub Dobes. This rookie came out of nowhere to replace the struggling Cayden Primeau, and he has just BURST on the scene. He’s been nothing short of outstanding, and this team has had a massive boost of confidence.
16. Ottawa Senators (Previous rank: 14)
Unlike last year, the Sens have managed to be in the playoff race for the majority of this season. A lot of that can be chalked up to some solid defensive play backed by even more solid goaltending. However, I fear that nothing short of a playoff berth will be a victory for this team. They need it if they want to prove that they’re actually taking steps forward. If they miss out on the postseason again, it’s going to be massively disappointing.
15. Vancouver Canucks (Previous rank: 13)
I thought that when Thatcher Demko returned, it would spark Vancouver to new heights. That hasn’t been the case. As it stands right now, Vancouver has lost seven of their last ten games and is currently barely clinging onto the last wild card spot. While they struggle to keep Calgary off their heels, Edmonton, LA, and Vegas continue to pull further and further away. Top that off with the fact that Demko has only won two of the eight games he’s played, and you’re starting to see the chinks in Vancouver’s armor.
14. Calgary Flames (Previous rank: 15)
The Flames are nipping at Vancouver’s heels for that last wild card spot and have been playing better hockey as of recently. The issue is, most of the time, better hockey only happens when Dustin Wolf is in net. When he’s not in Calgary, his chances of losing become exponentially higher. It’s great that Calgary has seemingly found a goalie to replace Markstrom as their number one, but it seems they’ve cycled, getting carried by one goalie for another.
13. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previous rank: 18)
Every time I think the Bolts have hit their ceiling and are going to regress, they go right back to proving me wrong. I would be more willing to put faith in this NHL team if I thought this success was going to be permanent. The issue is we already know they’re going to have another down period. I’m also inclined to say that if it wasn’t for Andrei Vasilevskiy playing as well as he usually does, this team might have fallen down the hole a long time ago.
12. Colorado Avalanche (Previous rank: Unchanged)
It’s been business as usual for the Avs since they acquired their new goalie tandem. No drama, no wondering if they’re going to fall apart. The Avalanche is doing what the Avalanche does best, which is winning hockey games. With a goalie who can actually make the saves they need, their top players can go to work, and they’ve become the powerhouse they were always meant to be.
11. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Paired with subpar goaltending, the Hurricanes have also had some trouble scoring as of late. It has led to a rather mediocre run this last month. Luckily, they built up enough points that they’re in a pretty secure position for now, but with the teams around them starting to get hot, that could change very quickly. I don’t expect this hard time to last, though. I expect Carolina to turn on the jets towards the latter half of the year.
10. Florida Panthers (Previous rank: 9)
I think it’s safe to say that the Panthers don’t look like the same team that won the Cup last year. That’s not really out of the ordinary, though. How often do Cup champions enter the next year looking the exact same? Winning the NHL Cup is exhausting work, and it takes its toll. Florida is doing pretty well, given the circumstances, although Bobvrosky’s play has been rather concerning.
9. New Jersey Devils (Previous rank: 8)
The Devils are most likely going to make the playoffs this year unless something catastrophic happens. They’ve been one of the most consistent teams all year long, and I’m not sure that’s going to change. The real question is whether they can bump it up once the playoffs do roll around. They’ve been playing well; no one can take that from them, but I haven’t really seen anything that tells me they’re a true Cup contender. Not yet, anyway.
8. Minnesota Wild (Previous rank: 5)
The Wild have come back to Earth, but what’s impressive is they haven’t fallen apart. They finally faced real adversity and they handled it pretty dang well. They managed to pull themselves together and are back to winning games at a fairly consistent rate. They did allow Colorado and Dallas to catch up to them, but they haven’t at all jeopardized their NHL playoff standing, at least not yet, anyway.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previous rank: 3)
It looks like the Leafs are going to win the Atlantic, and that’s all well and good, but something just feels off. It feels like they’re just going through the motions. Winning games, they should be winning for the most part. But they haven’t been showing anything special lately. Maybe it’s just that we expect too much from this team at this point. Or maybe we don’t expect enough.
6. Winnipeg Jets (Previous rank: 7)
The Jets have been playing really good hockey once again. The Jets could be used to teach a seminar on how to play defense, although I hesitate to call them the best defensive team in the league at the moment. I don’t hesitate to call Connor Hellebuyck the best goalie in the league. He could very well win the Vezina trophy again this year.
5. Dallas Stars (Previous rank: 10)
Jake Oettinger has not lost a game since December 27. The Stars are 8-1-1 in their last ten. Matt Duchene continues to produce at an insane rate. The Stars finally seem to be coming back into their own, at least for now. If this season has taught us anything, it’s that hockey is a fickle sport, and things can change rather fast. I doubt the Stars are the exception to that rule.
4. Edmonton Oilers (Previous rank: 5)
I say the same thing about the Oilers every week. They’re good, but their depth and goaltending are concerning! Yet, no matter how many times I say that, the Oilers continue to win games. They’re a team built to dominate the regular season, and they’re very good at it. It means nothing unless they can finally turn it into a Cup victory, though. You may call me a cynic, but I think last season was their best chance.
3. Los Angeles Kings (Previous rank: 4)
Earlier, I said I was hesitant to call the Jets the best defense in the league. Well, that’s because I think the title should go to LA. When the Kings ditched the 1-3-1 and then lost Doughty to injury, I feared that it would be a rough year of adjusting for them. I feared they might not even make the NHL playoffs. While they did go through an adjustment period, it didn’t last long. Now they’re playing like a well-oiled machine, and I don’t think there’s a single player on this team that’s playing poorly or not fulfilling their role right now.
2. Washington Capitals (Previous rank: Unchanged)
While the Caps have faltered recently, you still have to call them one of the best teams in the league right now. They pretty much have the Metro division on lock and key and I cannot stress enough just how surprising that is. Especially when you factor in how they’ve played the last two seasons, and they don’t even have Backstrom or Oshie! What happened in the offseason, guys?!
1. Vegas Golden Knights (Previous rank: Unchanged)
A somewhat surprising stat is that despite Vegas’ continued dominance since their inception, they’ve never actually won the President’s Trophy. Well, they’re certainly in the running to do so this season, be that good or bad, if you believe in the curse (I’m sure the Rangers do). It’s another dominant season for Vegas as they continue to win and put up points week in and week out. One can only wonder if they are truly mortal.
