It’s crazy how much can change in just a week. Hockey is such a fast-paced and ever-changing sport.
Blink, and all of a sudden, the standings have been all scattered around! Losing streaks turn to winning streaks, and winning streaks turn to losing streaks. It keeps us all on our toes and keeps the season exciting.
Let’s take a look at how the NHL power rankings shake up this week.
Who are the top teams in the NHL power rankings after week 3?
32. San Jose Sharks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Sharks made NHL history in the worst possible way. They became the first team to ever lose their first nine games in back-to-back seasons. You heard that right. Last year, San Jose was winless through their first nine games, and this year, they find themselves in the exact same situation. Any fans hoping for improvement from this team are most likely disappointed. They might even be worse.
31. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous rank: 30)
It’s been a tale of two seasons for Philadelphia. Last year, they started out all systems go, racing toward the top of their division and holding that spot for as long as they could. This year, they’ve sputtered out early. They hold only two wins and are struggling to maintain pace with any of the other teams outside of a surprisingly decent power play.
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30. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous rank: 29)
The Blackhawks aren’t in any better position than the Flyers, although they’re probably much more used to it given how they played last year. The depth they tried to bring in last year to help Bedard seems to be nowhere to be found and Petr Mrazek has absolutely no help in net. They were hoping to take a step forward in their rebuild this season, but so far they haven’t shown any forward progress.
29. Anaheim Ducks (Previous rank: 25)
Much like last year, any good signs Anaheim shows quickly get buried by an avalanche of red flags and sloppy play. They’re still struggling to score goals, and it’s unlikely they will climb themselves out of this hole anytime soon. Once again, any forward progress that was hoped for has yet to show itself so far this season.
28. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous rank: 21)
Outside of the three-game winning streak they had last week, the Pens have not found any success this year. Even the current revival of Evgeni Malkin hasn’t seemed to patch their bleeding at all as they continue to sink into obscurity. This team is a sinking ship, and one has to wonder if the captain truly is willing to go down with it.
27. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous rank: 26)
I wish I could say there was anything to be optimistic about Columbus, but from what has been shown so far, it’s likely they will continue middling around toward the bottom of the NHL power rankings. This is not only a heartbroken team but one that has no true identity or any semblance of a plan going forward. It’s likely time to tear it all down once again.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NHL Teams’ Defenses From WORST To FIRST For The 2024 Season
26. Nashville Predators (Previous rank: 31)
The Preds finally managed to get their first win of the season and then went on to string a couple more together after that. Maybe all this team needed was to get their footing underneath them. It could still be too early to say that; however, we still need to see more consistent play from this team to see if they can crawl themselves out of the early hole they dug for themselves.
25. Detroit Red Wings (Previous rank: 28)
The Red Wings have yet to show any level of consistent play so far this season. When they’re on, they’re definitely on and can compete with the best of them. But when they’re off it’s an avalanche of poor defense and decision making that leaves them buried. Given the current state of the Atlantic division it’s not completely hopeless for them yet, but they might want to consider finding some solid footing soon.
24. Montreal Canadiens (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Habs have definitely shown some improvements this year. The issue is they’re entirely inconsistent when it comes to showing those improvements. One minute, it looks like they’ve got incredible chemistry and teamwork, then the next, they’re scattered around the ice, struggling to find formation.
23. New York Islanders (Previous rank: 20)
The Islanders are showing their age. Their bulky, grind-it-out style is meant to slow down other teams in order to compete with them, but it just hasn’t been working so far this year. That’s a problem. This team isn’t young or fast enough to go speed for speed with the elite clubs. They needed that style to work. They’ve been able to somewhat make it work the last few years. So far, they haven’t been able to do so this year, and that’s why they’re in this position.
22. Ottawa Senators (Previous rank: 19)
I was just starting to get optimistic about Ottawa again. Thankfully, they have spared me that pain so far. That being said, it’s not like Ottawa has dug itself into a pit. This could easily end up just being a skid that they shrug off and keep moving forward. At least, we can hope that’s the case.
21. Buffalo Sabres (Previous rank: 27)
Due to the current state of the Atlantic, where a lot of teams are seemingly struggling, Buffalo has somehow managed to crawl their way into a top-three standing. Who knows how long that will last, if it lasts very long at all, but at the moment, they’re very much taking advantage of the weakened state of the division, and there’s something to be said about that, at least.
20. Edmonton Oilers (Previous rank: 23)
The Oilers have been able to string some wins together and get themselves into better standing, but I’m not comfortable putting them any higher in the NHL power rankings until they show me they’ve got this goaltending/defense issue sorted out. They can score with the best of them, but they’re not going to get anywhere until they patch that hole.
19. Boston Bruins (Previous rank: 13)
I’m not entirely sure what’s happened to Boston. I don’t think anyone really expected the start of the season to play out this way. Granted, it seems like the entire division has been plagued by something. Because of that, it’ll only take a couple of wins for Boston to turn things around and get back into top standing.
18. Seattle Kraken (Previous rank: 16)
The Kraken has been stumbling a bit for sure, but it doesn’t seem as concerning as it did last year. They could easily turn this around. Or it could turn into something worse. It’s up to the team to show us what direction they’re going to take this year, but they certainly have what it takes to be among the best.
17. St Louis Blues (Previous rank: 15)
The Blues are about where they were expected to be. Not a bottom tier team, but not quite upper tier either. Their veteran core and solid goaltending is still enough to get them to compete and hang around, but it doesn’t really seem to be enough to push them over to contender status. They’ve proven me wrong before though and I wouldn’t be surprised if they prove me wrong again.
16. Colorado Avalanche (Previous rank: 22)
The Avs appear to have found their footing, finding themselves in a long winning streak that’s rocketed them up the NHL power rankings. Part of the reason for that is Alexandar Georgiev taking a backseat as the starter. Justus Annunen hasn’t been lighting the stat board on fire, but he’s been solid enough to get them wins, and that’s exactly what they needed. If he can keep up that solid level of play, it should suffice to get Colorado back where they need to be.
15. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previous rank: 12)
Toronto has gone the same route as Boston, seemingly struggling to keep up this year. For the last couple of years, the Atlantic has been stacked with elite teams and extreme competition. While the competition is still technically there, the elite hockey has not been so far, and Toronto is no exception. To have sputtered out this early could potentially be a warning sign, but I don’t think it’s time to wave the white flags just yet.
14. Utah Hockey Club (Previous rank: 7)
The fire appears to have been doused a bit for Utah. They haven’t been playing absolutely dreadfully, but they certainly haven’t been playing great either, and it’s costing them wins. It could be just a skid. Many teams this week seem to be finding themselves on one. That’s the hope, at least for this club.
13. Vancouver Canucks (Previous rank: 18)
The Canucks continue to pull themselves further and further up the NHL power rankings after a slow start. They’ve won four in a row and don’t seem to have any plans to slow down any time soon. You can hear the collective sigh of relief around Vancouver as they’ve briefly been spared the wrath of Canucks fans.
12. Minnesota Wild (Previous rank: 17)
I was not expecting this from Minnesota. They look shockingly good. I’m scared to rank them any higher out of fear of this just being a flash, but at the moment, they look dang good. That being said, Marc-Andre Fleury is still a talking point. He’s not anywhere close to the goalie he once was, and if history is any proof, we don’t know how long Filip Gustafsson can carry this team on his back.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previous rank: 3)
I jumped the gun too early on this team, I think. They still look solid, but I fear I overly hyped them. They got me too excited with glimpses of their past self. Steven Stamkos will be making his return to Tampa next week, though, and that should serve as one heck of a storyline.
10. Los Angeles Kings (Previous rank: 9)
Darcy Kuemper is back, which is a good sign for LA, as I don’t think Rittich is ready for the starting role. Their play against the elite teams has still been a bit concerning, but for the most part, LA has looked fairly solid. There is one glaring issue, though, and that’s their penalty kill. They take way too many penalties, and the PK hasn’t been able to keep up.
9. Vegas Golden Knights (Previous rank: 8)
Vegas got their footing back, it seems. They did this a lot last year, where they would have long periods of playing excellent hockey, then fall into a brief slump. That cost them seeding last year and forced them to play Dallas in the first round, so maybe they want to avoid that this year.
8. Calgary Flames (Previous rank: 5)
Calgary has finally shown some mortality this season. Now, we get to see how they respond. Will they prove the doubters wrong and continue their stellar play, or will they crumble and become the team they were expected to be this year? Show us what you’re made of, Calgary. All eyes are on you.
7. Washington Capitals (Previous rank: 11)
In my defense, nobody expected this start from the Washington Capitals. They’ve completely surpassed expectations early. At least most of them have. Ovechkin is off to yet another slow start, though if last year is any indication, it’s still way too early to count him out in the slightest. However, it’s Tom Wilson who has been attracting all the attention lately.
6. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous rank: 14)
You can always count on the Canes to be dependable. They’re solid, consistent, and fundamental. I don’t know if they will take that next step this year, though. I really thought last year was their year, and they couldn’t break through that barrier. Time reveals all secrets, and we will see what Carolina can cook up this season.
5. Florida Panthers (Previous rank: 9)
Not all the blame can be put on the Panthers for their slower start. The Stanley Cup hangover can be hard to shake sometimes, especially after making the Finals in back-to-back years. Luckily for them, they seem to have been able to do it relatively early. They’re separating themselves from the pack in the Atlantic, too, with them and Tampa seemingly the only teams with any consistent play.
4. New Jersey Devils (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Devils have had the fortune of playing more games than anyone else in the league so far, with 12. That’s a big reason why they sit on top of the Metro right now. That being said, they have played quite well. This was the level of play most people were hoping to see from New Jersey last year. I’m not sure if it’s reliable or not, but for now, let’s enjoy the return to form.
3. New York Rangers (Previous rank: 6)
New York has wasted no time in solidifying itself as the force to be dealt with in the East once again. With only one loss in regulation and only two losses total, New York is every bit of the team they were last year and then some, at least so far. It helps that, once again, both Shesterkin and Quick are on their games this year.
2. Dallas Stars (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Stars continue to be one of the most consistent and deep teams in the NHL and overall rankings. They had a rather disappointing loss to the Sabres but were able to rebound well enough. After back-to-back conference finals losses, it’s understandable that Dallas wants more, and they’re showing that so far this season.
1. Winnipeg Jets (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Jets are the last remaining undefeated team in the league as of the end of this week. No matter how you spin it, an 8-0-0 start in the NHL is incredibly impressive. It’s possible the Jets heard all the doubters in the offseason and decided to prove a point. It’s possible that this is just a fast start and nothing more. And it’s possible that they were always this good and just hadn’t shown it. Time will tell us soon.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NHL Teams’ Offenses From WORST To FIRST For The 2024 Season
