Wow, what a crazy week in the NHL. Massive trade rumor drama, Evgeni Malkin getting robbed, and Connor McDavid is staring down a suspension. It almost made me forget about all the action that happened ON the ice. Almost. Sadly, I am a hockey fanatic, and I will never truly forget about the sport I love.
So, off-ice drama aside, let’s look at how all the NHL teams did across week 15 and then rank them appropriately.
Who are the top teams in the NHL power rankings after week 15?
32. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Honestly, either the Sharks or the Hawks could take this bottom spot. They both have been playing at similar levels. I put the Hawks at the bottom because they even managed to take the massive source of excitement and hope they had for their future, Connor Bedard, and dim it out. Not even Connor McDavid could save this team right now. I hope Hawks fans enjoyed the dynasty while it lasted because another one is a long way away.
31. San Jose Sharks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
I put the Sharks higher than the Hawks simply because I really enjoy what Celebrini and Toffoli have been doing on this NHL team. Obviously, it hasn’t been enough to make them take any significant strides forward, but they’ve certainly made the team more fun to watch this year. At the very least, it gives them some sort of base to build off of moving forward, and that’s actually more than what they had last season.
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previous rank: 28)
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If the Ducks had any semblance of offense they might actually have been able to put together a somewhat decent season. Sadly, they do not, and unlike teams like the Flames and Kings they don’t have an elite core to make up for it. They have had good goaltending this year, but that’s about the only thing that’s consistently given them chances to win games.
29. Buffalo Sabres (Previous rank: Unchanged)
If it wasn’t for the Bills being consistently good the last few seasons, then it’s likely the city might have rioted by now. The Sabres are a constant letdown. I didn’t know if they could be more disappointing than they were last year. I expected them to improve. They didn’t improve. They got much, much worse, and they aren’t even dealing with many injuries this season. There are no excuses. There’s no other direction to look. They’re just bad.
28. Seattle Kraken (Previous rank: 27)
Joey Daccord is back. I think that’s really the only positive thing to mention about Seattle right now. I used to call Seattle a team with two sides and that you never knew which team you were going to get. The one that fell apart and ended the season in the basement, or the team that made the NHL playoffs and upset the defending champions in the first round. I don’t think the playoff side exists anymore. This team really has no identity whatsoever.
27. Nashville Predators (Previous rank: 30)
Surprisingly enough, the Preds seem to have remembered how to win games. The issue is that even though it’s been a massive improvement, they’re still only middling around. That fact alone has brought attention to a dark cloud that has been hovering around this franchise since they last won the President’s Trophy. A cloud that they have tried desperately to escape year in and year out. Mediocrity. Unfortunately, they may not be able to escape anymore.
Also Read: NHL Power Rankings: All 32 NHL Teams Ranked From WORST To FIRST After Week 14
26. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous rank: Unchanged)
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. It’s a tale that’s as old as time. The Flyers need a goaltender if they want any hope of moving forward. A few years ago, the Flyers were bouncing between goaltenders year in and year out, trying to find one that stuck. After finally finding Carter Hart, hope seemed to be returned. Hart is gone now, and the Flyers are once again in that position. Maybe they should’ve held onto Bobrovsky all those years ago.
25. New York Islanders (Previous rank: 22)
It’s the same old story with the Islanders. They are bad for a while; do something briefly that makes you think they may make a push, and then they’re bad again. Maybe it’s just time to admit that they’re just bad. They can obviously keep themselves out of the basement, but they’re dangerously close to not even being a bubble NHL team anymore. Their Vezina trophy candidate Sorokin doesn’t look like a fraction of what he used to be, and Varlamov hasn’t played since November.
24. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The only real story with the Penguins this week happened off the ice, and that was Evgeni Malkin’s having his three Stanley Cup rings stolen. On the ice, it’s been more of the same for the Penguins. This team is good enough to keep themselves out of the basement for another year but not good enough to make the NHL playoffs or even stave off the sense of impending doom coming their way.
23. Utah Hockey Club (Previous rank: Unchanged)
You know, if it wasn’t for guys like Logan Cooley putting together really impressive seasons, I might be ready to just give up on this team altogether. That being said, they do have a decent core to build off of, and I’d be willing to say that no matter how this season turns out, they still have hope for the future if they can take the right steps. It’s walking a knife’s edge, though, because a future of mediocrity could also be waiting for them.
22. Detroit Red Wings (Previous rank: 19)
That didn’t last long. The seven-game winning streak is gone, and it took its luster with it. It’s been back to business for Detroit this last week, losing three of their last four games. Their defense has turned into Swiss cheese again. However, maybe not as badly as before. This team has made a few improvements under Todd McLellan, so maybe there’s hope that something can be salvaged and that they don’t have to blow it all up again.
21. St Louis Blues (Previous rank: 20)
It feels like the league is ready to move on and forget about the Blues, but the Blues aren’t ready to let it. I always find myself checking the standings, seeing St Louis hanging around the playoff bubble, and saying, “Oh yeah! I guess they aren’t all that bad!” Yeah, maybe they aren’t a basement team. But they certainly aren’t an NHL playoff team, either. They’re a long way from a Cup contender. It’s likely to be another few years of being a bubble team.
20. Boston Bruins (Previous rank: 21)
The Bruins have a three-day break at probably the worst possible time. After finally getting some momentum in the form of a two-game winning streak, which snapped a six-game losing streak, the Bruins now have to be put on ice as they wait for their next game. It’s unfortunate, but an elite team would be able to pull it off. Is Boston still an elite team? Who knows, but I’m leaning towards the idea that their time as top dogs might very well be over.
19. New York Rangers (Previous rank: 25)
The Rangers are 6-1-3 in their last ten and have managed to pull themselves away from the basement door and are back in the playoff race, at least for now. They’re still just a couple of losses away from being knocked right back down. They’ve set up a long, hard road for themselves this year with very little margin for error. They’ll have to play dang near perfect if they want to not only make the playoffs but do anything worth noting once there.
18. Vancouver Canucks (Previous rank: 15)
Let’s put aside the atrocious play we’ve seen from Vancouver recently. Let’s put aside that this team is on the verge of squandering everything they worked so hard for last NHL season. Let’s put aside the goaltending issues. What is going on with J.T. Miller? He was involved in some pretty serious trade rumors, to the point where it almost seemed like a deal with the Rangers had been struck. Is that really the direction Vancouver wants to go? It feels like a massive mistake.
17. Calgary Flames (Previous rank: 14)
It seems that if Dustin Wolf isn’t playing at his absolute best, then Calgary’s chances of winning the game drop exponentially. The issue is that Wolf is a young goaltender. Relying on him to single-handedly make your team a playoff team without actually addressing your glaring issues, such as your team’s complete inability to score goals, is a recipe for disaster. Don’t expect much more from Calgary this year if they can’t figure out how to give Wolf some help.
16. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous rank: 18)
It is so hard not to root for the Jackets. I want them to make the playoffs so badly. I want them to do something. They deserve it. The fans deserve it. This team has been through so much heartbreak and tragedy. I was worried it was going to be another year in the basement for them on top of it all. Yet here they are, in the last wild card spot. They’re 7-2-1 in their last ten. They’re just clicking right now, and I really hope they can keep it up.
15. Montreal Canadiens (Previous rank: 17)
I’m still in so much shock that the hottest team in the league right now continues to be Montreal. I don’t even know where this came from. It looked like a foregone conclusion that they would be spending another year in the basement, and now, all of a sudden, they’re one point out of a playoff spot. Where did this come from? Is it just a flash, or has the team finally figured something out? Whatever it is, it’s made this NHL team the most entertaining they’ve been in years.
14. Ottawa Senators (Previous rank: 16)
It’s January, and the Senators are still in playoff position. Yes, you heard that right. The Senators are still in a playoff spot in January. They’ve been playing GOOD too. It seems like such a wild concept. Obviously, it would be much more comforting if they played better when Ullmark wasn’t on goal, but they’re making it work. Making the playoffs would be a massive step forward for this team that’s been struggling to find any real identity for a very long time.
13. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous rank: 11)
I don’t know what to say about Carolina right now. They really look like they’re playing without any real purpose. They’re coasting on talent alone right now, which will probably still get them into the playoffs. It’s hard to see this team making any sort of deep run right now, though. You have to wonder if they’re planning another big move at the trade deadline to try and shake things up like they did last year. It’s hard to say, but it is awfully disappointing to see this team like this.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previous rank: 13)
Andrei Vasilevsky might be my favorite goalie in the league behind Jonathan Quick. He’s just so much fun to watch play. Tampa has been one of my favorite NHL teams to watch for the last few years. Sure, they’ve slowed down quite a bit since their three straight Finals appearances, but the core is still there. The energy is still there. They can still bring a smile to your face even if they may not have another Cup in the future.
11. Colorado Avalanche (Previous rank: 13)
Now that the Avs have decent goaltending again, I’m starting to see another deep playoff run in their future. However, I would be more definitive in that statement if they could find some depth in it. Obviously, Mackinnon and Rantanen are killing it, and so is Makar. But they need their other guys to start stepping up. Casey Middlestadt is a pretty good example. He was brought over for the sole purpose of providing depth scoring for this team, and he just hasn’t done it.
10. Florida Panthers (Previous rank: Unchanged)
It’s the same old same old for the defending champions. They’re doing more than enough to keep their heads above water and will probably coast right into a playoff spot. Every now and then, they show us flashes of the brilliant team that made the NHL Finals in the last two years. It’s pretty safe to say they’ve lost a step this year, though, but that’s to be expected. Back-to-back final runs will take it out of anybody.
9. Minnesota Wild (Previous rank: 8)
The reason the Wild didn’t fall apart when things started going wrong is that they had a solid backbone to rely on this year. Their goalie tandem is playing well and has been all year long. They can actually kill penalties this year. Even when they lose a step and stop faltering, they have a lifeline that keeps them from plummeting towards the bottom of the league. That’s good to see from a team we all thought was dead in the water not all that long ago.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previous rank: 7)
I need to see more from Toronto. Yeah, it’s cool that Auston Matthews has turned it back on. But they need more. They’re not playing with enough spark. This team is coasting into the NHL playoffs off their talent once again, and once again, it’ll likely cost them another first-round exit. They need their depth guys to start producing more, and they need to find something to spark them to life. They can’t just go through the motions this late in the year.
7. New Jersey Devils (Previous rank: 9)
The Devils have gotten good goaltending. Their defense has been outstanding. Their offense, however, could have used some work. Their top guys, like Jack Hughes, are producing like they should. But the rest of the core seems to have disappeared. Maybe it’s a side effect of them taking a more defensive approach to their system this year. Maybe it’s just a temporary slide. Who knows? I’m not too worried about this team overall, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t point these things out.
6. Winnipeg Jets (Previous rank: Unchanged)
So maybe this team wasn’t as good as their 15-1-0 start suggested, but the one thing they have proven to us is that they are good. I’d like to talk about Gabriel Villardi. He has absolutely flourished under this Winnipeg team. I always thought it was a mistake for LA to give him up, but he will do better in Winnipeg anyway. He has the teammates and the system that will truly help him reach his potential. The only thing in his way right now is his ability to stay healthy.
5. Los Angeles Kings (Previous rank: 3)
The Kings have faltered a bit this last week, but I don’t think it’s anything to be too concerned about. Obviously, the offense is still a hot-button issue for this NHL team, but they seem to score when they need to. Drew Doughty’s return is looming, and that might just be the spark they end up needing offensively. If they can get Trevor Moore firing again, as well as keep Kempe and Kopitar producing the way they have been, I think this team will be in a pretty good position. They may end up facing the Oilers in the first round again, though.
4. Dallas Stars (Previous rank: 5)
The Stars are back inside the top five. I have been so impressed by Jake Oettinger this season. After last year, there was some talk that maybe he didn’t have what it takes to hang out with the top goalies of the era. He’ll still have to prove himself in the playoffs, but so far this year, he has been making a statement. Jamie Benn has also seemingly turned back the clock this year, if he keeps on the pace he’s going anyway.
3. Edmonton Oilers (Previous rank: 4)
You already know the story. The Oilers need depth, blah, blah. The real story is Connor McDavid about to be suspended. Well, that and the fact that Stuart Skinner has been lights out once again. That being said, it’s so hard to trust that. He’s always so up and down every single year. Will this good form remain, or will he once again fall apart? Will the blue line continue to play well? There are so many questions.
2. Vegas Golden Knights (Previous rank: 1)
Yes, Vegas has lost three in a row. No, I am not worried. They will be fine. They’re going to bounce back and continue to dominate as they always do. There’s just no way that they don’t. Even in those three losses, they looked like the better NHL team through most of the game. Come deadline time, they’ll put Mark Stone on the LTIR and make a big move to help bolster their roster. They will also have Stone return in the playoffs so they can make a big run and repeat the process next season.
1. Washington Capitals (Previous rank: 2)
If you thought Washington was on their way out, you were dead wrong. Ovechkin has seen to that. Well, he and the goalie tandem. Man, Charlie Lindgren, and Logan Thompson have been scarily good this year. Thompson himself has Vezina-level stats so far this year. A .925 save percentage is absolutely incredible. It’s hard to completely fall apart with goaltending like that.
Also Read: All 32 NHL Teams’ Mount Rushmore: Which 4 Players Made It For Your Team?
