We’re about halfway through the NHL season now, as the All-Star break looms large. Teams are starting to feel the endurance being tested as they battle to maintain or gain playoff positioning. Some teams at this point are just giving up and preparing for next season while other teams are in a weird gray area. Let’s take a look at how each team ranks 14 weeks through the season.
32. San Jose Sharks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
It’s no surprise to anyone the Sharks are still at the bottom of the list. They’ve only gathered ten wins halfway through the year and they currently hold the longest losing streak so far this season, when they lost twelve straight games.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Chicago is barely in better position than San Jose and with Bedard out with injury they’ve lost what was quite literally the only thing they had going for them. At this point they’re probably just banking on winning the draft lottery again so they can add another first round pick to the roster.
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Speaking of banking on the draft lottery, we have the Ducks. Early on in the year it looked like they may be something more, but the last few weeks have been nothing but pain and misery for the former Disney franchise. Let’s hope Chicago doesn’t take that pick from you this year guys.
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29. Ottawa Senators (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Sometimes no matter how hard you try you just can’t quite succeed and that’s the story of this season’s Senators. All the promise coming in has quickly been washed away by the reality that this team just isn’t anywhere close to where they need to be. Another couple long years of rebuilding ahead.
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Columbus is a hard one to figure out. On paper they have a good roster, with guys like Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, and Zach Werenski. But then you watch them play and lose these competitive games over and over again and you’re left wondering what could possibly fix this team.
27. Minnesota Wild (Previous rank: 18)
This one might come as a bit of a shock. I was holding out to see if they could find their footing. But at this point, the Wild have one win in their last nine games, have gone back to a losing record, and are plummeting down the rankings. They’re not fighting for a playoff spot anymore, they’re fighting to stay away from the bottom of the league.
26. Montreal Canadiens (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Despite the fact that Sam Montembeault has been playing like the second coming of Carey Price, this team is still not winning games. Injuries have crippled this roster, but they’ve really only exaggerated flaws that were still there. With some more talent up front and a bit more depth this team could really be something.
25. Calgary Flames (Previous rank: 27)
If you can take any positives away from this season for Calgary, it’s that the Yegor Sharangovich trade is at least paying off. The young man scored almost a third of Calgary’s total goals last week, including netting his second career hat trick.
24. Buffalo Sabres (Previous rank: 25)
This was supposed to be Buffalo’s year. Instead, star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin appears to have forgotten how to play defense, Tage Thompson cannot stay healthy, the goaltending is incapable of making the big save when they need it, and it’s all totaled down to Buffalo being unable to gather any momentum and make a playoff push.
23. St. Louis Blues (Previous rank: 24)
Despite the fact that St. Louis isn’t all that far out of a playoff spot, and the fact that they still manage to compete with better teams, this is not a playoff caliber team at least not this year. They’re very clearly on the decline and a couple steps behind those teams in front of them. They won’t have the stamina to make a push.
22. Washington Capitals (Previous rank: 20)
It’s been a very weird season for the Caps. The offense, the one thing they’ve been known for, for over a decade, is nonexistent. The power play is just as MIA as the rest of the offense. Top stars like Ovechkin, Kuznetzov, and Oshie are producing at career low rates. Yet the defense has been rock solid, though a lot of those stats are being boosted by the incredible play of goalie Charlie Lindgren.
21. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous rank: 22)
The Pens are still finding ways to get points and stay in the playoff race, but it’ll all be for moot if they can’t find some depth to back up the big guns. Crosby and company are carrying this team as far as they possibly can, but it doesn’t seem like it’ll be enough.
20. Detroit Red Wings (Previous rank: 23)
The Red Wings have finally appeared to pull themselves out of the hole they dug and gotten back on track to finding a playoff spot. They rank fourth in the division with some decent momentum on their side, so they’re primed to make that push as we had into the latter half of the season.
19. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previous rank: 21)
The Bolts appear to be attempting to gather momentum of their own. It’s going to be a tall task ahead of them, but playoffs are far from out of the picture for this team, though it’s hard to see them making another Cup run anytime soon.
18. New York Islanders (Previous rank: 15)
The Islanders are falling more and more each week. As we get closer and closer to playoffs it does appear to be becoming more and more apparent that the Islanders can’t keep up with the younger, faster teams. Some big moves might be needed at the deadline to turn this team into a playoff team.
17. Arizona Coyotes (Previous rank: 19)
The Desert Dogs are an interesting team. On paper they shouldn’t be that much to brag home about, but then they go out and go blow for blow with the Bruins and other power houses as they fight for a playoff spot. Then they do a full 360 and lose to a team like the Flames. At least they keep you on your toes.
16. Nashville Predators (Previous rank: 13)
The Predators have been biting, fighting, and clawing in order to keep their hold over their wild card spot. This is a team that barely missed the playoffs last season and they desperately want to rectify that mistake. Do they have what it takes to cling onto that playoff positioning?
15. New Jersey Devils (Previous rank: 16)
The Devils have had a rough year. All the expectations in the world coming in, and they woefully underperformed to start. Now that they finally found some footing, they’ve been stricken by injuries. The fact that they’re still competing for a playoff spot at all is a testament to the talent that covers this team’s roster.
14. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previous rank: 10)
Man, it is hard to have any faith in this team. Any time you think they’re on their way to finding something they shoot themselves in the foot. They keep losing to other playoff caliber teams as well which doesn’t do much to bolster confidence as they head into the post season.
13. Seattle Kraken (Previous rank: 14)
That’s nine straight wins and 13 straight games with a point for Seattle now. They’ve done a 180 from last season, where they were bolstered by offense. This season it’s been ironclad defense and spectacular goaltending that’s propelling them up the rankings. Joey Daccord needs to be studied, because he truly came out of nowhere to save this team.
12. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous rank: Unchanged)
For a minute there it looked like the Flyers were going to succumb to their lack of experience and fall out of a playoff spot, but they once again managed to turn things around. This is a hungry team that wants to be in the postseason, and that makes them dangerous.
11. Los Angeles Kings (Previous rank:7)
What happened to the Kings? They’ve lost eight games in a row now and are in a free fall right out of the top three of the Pacific division. Cam Talbot and the defense are doing all they can, but this team just can’t hold onto a lead to save their lives and they keep finding ways to lose close games.
10. Vegas Golden Knights (Previous rank: 6)
Vegas looked like world beaters to start the season, but the reigning champs have looked more mortal since then. They’ve shown they can still beat teams like Boston, but they’re losing more often than they’re winning and they’re losing ground in the division.
9. Edmonton Oilers (Previous rank: 11)
Despite an atrocious start to the year that saw them make a whole coaching change, the Oilers find themselves just one point out of the top three on the back of a ten game winning streak. Their playoff spot is far from locked up, but they’re certainly giving a very good account of themselves thus far.
8. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous rank: 17)
The biggest jump of the week goes to the Canes and that’s because at long last they are finally playing like the team we knew they could be. 2024 is off to a hot start for this team as they climb their way back up the Metro and announce that they’re here to stay. Hopefully they don’t make me regret saying this.
7. Dallas Stars (Previous rank: 9)
The Stars are one of three teams that have been battling it out for the Central Division all year. Right now they find themselves on the back end of that battle. Nothing to despair about however, they’re still a solid team with talent up and down the roster that has all the potential to make another deep playoff run.
6. Colorado Avalanche (Previous rank: 8)
The Avalanche have won the Central division the last two years. Right now they find themselves playing catchup with the Jets in order to try and win it again. This team is loaded with talent, but they look more and more mortal every year. Is it possible for this team to have another Cup run, or is that just a pipe dream?
5. New York Rangers (Previous rank: 1)
After losing five of their last six, the Rangers have sadly been bounced from their top spot in the rankings. They looked prime to easily take the Metro division and the Eastern Conference on top of it, but now they find themselves struggling to hold on as other teams quickly close in around them.
4. Vancouver Canucks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
If you told me the Canucks might win the Pacific division at the start of the year I might not have believed you. Yet here we are halfway through the season and it is in fact Vancouver that holds a decent lead on said division. The talent on this team is such a spectacle to watch as well.
3. Florida Panthers (Previous rank: 5)
The Panthers have come with a point to prove and boy are they proving it. Bobvrosky is putting up a terrific year, coming up with big stops when they need it. The depth scoring is there and the defense has been one of the best in the league the last few weeks. They’re not all that far behind Boston either so keep an eye on them.
2. Winnipeg Jets (Previous rank: Unchanged)
At the start of the year it was heavily debated if the Jets would even be able to grab a playoff spot this year, as they barely did last season. We’re halfway through the season now and this team has boldly announced its arrival. As they hold the number one spot in the Central, and stand only one point from number one in the West, this team continues to prove doubters wrong.
1. Boston Bruins (Previous rank: 3)
Of all the power houses that started this season hot, Boston has remained the most consistent. That’s what’s earned them this number one spot in the power rankings, as well as the number one spot in the Atlantic and the Eastern Conference. It’ll be interesting to see if this team makes any moves at the deadline to strengthen an already solid roster.
