Happy Holidays everybody. As the NHL enters its holiday break and prepares for the new year, it’s a good time to sit and reflect on how this season has played out so far. Soon, the playoff race will start to heat up and teams will begin to bunker down and make their claims. Before that, let’s take a look at how the teams rank up this holiday.
32. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Chicago gets the bottom spot for the second straight week. There’s very little to be excited for with this team, even with Connor Bedard. The rebuild still has a long way to go and Chicago has yet to even go in the right direction.
31. San Jose Sharks (Previous rank: 30)
This is another team with very little hope, but at least they look competent from time to time. Another rebuild that has no real direction at this point, however this is probably the team’s rock bottom which hopefully means they have nowhere to go but up.
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previous rank: 31)
If it wasn’t for the Kings, California would be having a very rough hockey season. Anaheim gave their fans a lot of hope at the start of the year, but that hope has most likely all been squashed at this point in time.
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29. Ottawa Senators (Previous rank: 27)
This was not the season Ottawa was hoping for. What started as a season with a lot of promise and hope has now become a bleak depression that has shown that the road forward for this team may be a lot longer than originally thought.
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous rank: 29)
What is wrong with the Jackets? Is it a lack of chemistry? Is it unhappy players? Is it bad coaching? Columbus has to find out what the root of the problem is and get it patched up or their days at the bottom of the league are only just beginning.
27. Buffalo Sabres (Previous rank: 26)
This isn’t the position Buffalo was hoping to be in come Christmas time. They now have an uphill battle of epic proportions and it’s beginning to seem that they would rather lay down and accept their fate rather than attempt to make the climb. There’s a very good chance the playoff drought continues this year.
26. Seattle Kraken (Previous rank: 28)
The Kraken won games with their offense last season. This year that offense hasn’t had the same pop. It doesn’t help that outside of Jared McCann their top guys just aren’t producing the way you want them to. Playoffs seem like a long shot for this team.
25. Calgary Flames (Previous rank: Unchanged)
It was predicted earlier this season that if Jakob Markstrom had a decline in his play, this team would fall off hard. The fall hasn’t been as steep, but that’s only because they didn’t have far to fall anyways.
24. St. Louis Blues (Previous rank: 23)
The Blues appear to be a team that just didn’t have the stamina to make the push. Even the goalies appear to be declining in play and they were the bright spot of this team. Rest easy Blues fans, the season isn’t over and even if they don’t make it they may have still staved off a rebuild.
23. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous rank: 21)
The Pens are a beacon of just how much the sport has evolved. The roster that once hoisted back to back cups now struggles to keep up with the meta of this ever changing sport. Except Sidney Crosby of course, who at age 36 is still playing some excellent hockey.
22. Montreal Canadiens (Previous rank: 24)
It would be interesting to see where Montreal would be right now if they didn’t have injury problems. That being said, it’s likely they still would’ve hit a wall and still would have to find a way around it. There’s a lot of hope for this team though.
21. Minnesota Wild (Previous rank: 22)
The Wild certainly have had a resurgence but I’m not convinced it’s sustainable with the roster they have. The goaltending is still extremely shaky and they’ve yet to show anything that makes me believe they’re a playoff team.
20. Arizona Coyotes (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Coyotes haven’t moved up or down much the last couple of weeks and that’s mainly due in part to them not gaining or losing much momentum. It’s hard not to like this scrappy squad though. Whether they make a final playoff push or not, brighter days are finally on the horizon for the Desert Dogs.
19. Detroit Red Wings (Previous rank: 12)
The Red Wings have fallen on some hard times. Once one of the more consistent teams in the league, they appear to have run themselves down trying to keep up with the big dogs of the Atlantic. This is a promising squad, but can they overcome this adversity? Only time will tell, and time is starting to run short.
18. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previous rank: 19)
The Bolts run may be over but they should be proud it happened. They should also be proud of the fact that even after two cups, three straight finals runs, and multiple loss players due to cap space, they’re still able to compete on the level they are.
17. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous rank: 18)
The Canes are one of this season’s big disappointments. They were once predicted to be the best team in the league and now they find themselves struggling to cling onto a playoff spot. A Cup run is looking rather unlikely, but stranger things have happened before. This is hockey after all.
16. Nashville Predators (Previous rank: 17)
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t expect the Preds to fight the way they have. I expected a near bottom of the league finish yet now a playoff push doesn’t look all that unlikely for them. I suppose with Saros in goal anything is possible.
15. Edmonton Oilers (Previous rank: 14)
There’s still a lot of questions surrounding this team. Their play has improved tremendously, but goaltending is still shaky and there’s not much blue line support either. While McDavid and Draisaitl have found their groove, there’s still very little scoring happening outside of the top six.
14. New Jersey Devils (Previous rank: 16)
It’s nice to see the Devils playing at a higher level again, but it’s still disappointing to see them struggling to make a playoff push. This roster is far too stacked for them to be playing down to their competition the way they are. Hopefully come Spring they’ll have things figured out and a put together a nice run.
13. Washington Capitals (Previous rank: 15)
While it’s looking less and less likely that Ovechkin will break Gretzky’s goal record, it’s still nice to see a team that’s been competitive for so long continue to be competitive even when counted out. The lack of offense is extremely concerning, but to their credit they have been scoring a bit more. The goaltending has been outstanding as well.
12. New York Islanders (Previous rank: 11)
It’s been really entertaining to watch the Islanders defy the odds at every turn, especially after their nine game losing streak earlier this year. They’ve found themselves in a pretty good spot at the end of the year and they’re primed to make a good playoff push.
11. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous rank: 13)
The Flyers are my biggest surprise of the year. This young squad is biting and clawing their way into the playoff race. They’re also potentially the most dangerous team while short handed in the league. Let’s see if they can continue to surprise us as the season goes on.
10. Florida Panthers (Previous rank: 6)
It’s hard not to root for the Panthers as they’re always a big underdog story. They’ve flashed their teeth a few times this season, but another finals run appears unlikely due to their tendency to play down to the competition. They’ve proven us all wrong before though.
9. Winnipeg Jets (Previous rank: 10)
The Central Division has a three way battle for the top spot and Winnipeg has staked its claim. They find themselves in third place but only by one point. This is going to be a fun playoff race and Winnipeg is not going to go away easily,
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previous rank: Unchanged)
If the Leafs could find scoring outside of their top guys they really would be a force to be reckoned with. That being said, Auston Mathews is a train that can’t be stopped and he’s headlining Toronto’s charge into another playoff berth. I just don’t know if it’ll be enough to make a deep run.
7. Colorado Avalanche (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Avs are in second place in the division yet tied in points with Dallas. The playoff race for the Central is very tight and may stay that way all season, meaning every win and loss will carry a lot of weight. The Avs are a deep and young roster, but have shown some cracks this season. Can they take the Central for the third straight year?
6. Dallas Stars (Previous rank: 9)
They saw Colorado and Winnipeg start trying to run away with the division so they turned on the burners and took the first place spot. Dallas has always been one of the best teams in the league, so there wasn’t much doubt that they would find their way back into this position.
5. Boston Bruins (Previous rank: 4)
Jeremy Swayman continues to stake his claim for a Vezina this season. The Bruins may not be the powerhouse they were last year but maybe that’s not a bad thing as last year resulted in a first round exit. They’ll obviously have bigger expectations this year and they have a lot to do to prove it.
4. Vancouver Canucks (Previous rank: 5)
Vancouver has the number one spot in the league rankings. We keep expecting them to slow down and/or hit a wall and it just never happens. They’re gunning for that Pacific division title and possibly a deep playoff run too.
3. Los Angeles Kings (Previous rank: 2)
The Kings have fewer games played than the other top teams and that’s one of the reasons why they’re lower down the rankings. That doesn’t change the fact that on their best day they still might be the best team in the league. And who would’ve expected Cam Talbot to put up Vezina numbers this season?
2. Vegas Golden Knights (Previous rank: 3)
The Knights may have dropped the Pacific first place spot, but the defending champs are still gunning for that repeat. The only other goalie tandem I can claim may be better than Thompson and Hill, is Swayman and Ullmark. There may be no real superstars on the team, but they don’t need one.
1. New York Rangers (Previous rank: Unchanged)
I suppose we should thank the Rangers for giving us the resurgence of Jonathan Quick. We should also thank them for giving us amazing displays of hockey they’ve given us this season. We have yet to see if they can translate this into playoff success, but for now, sit back and enjoy the entertainment that is Rangers’ hockey.
