We’re already almost halfway through November. This season is moving fast and waiting for nobody. I want to give a special thanks to the new multicast feature on ESPN that has been allowing me to watch multiple games at once. That has made these NHL power rankings a lot easier to research and put together.
That’s the professional reason, of course; the other reason is I get to watch more hockey, which makes all of us happy. Let’s get into this week’s NHL power rankings.
Who are the top teams in the NHL power rankings after week 5?
32. Montreal Canadiens (Previous rank: 29)
For the first time in who knows how long, there’s a team at the bottom of the NHL power rankings that is not named the Sharks. That’s how poorly the Habs have played so far this year. Any improvements that were seemingly spotted at the start of the season disappeared just as quickly, and now Montreal is left with a mess. Extremely disappointing for the fans who were hoping they would finally start taking steps forward.
31. San Jose Sharks (Previous rank: 32)
I know it’s not a huge boost, but at least they’re not at the bottom of the NHL power rankings anymore, right? The Sharks, to their credit, are noticeably better than they were last year. Last season, it took them forever to gather five wins. This year, it took them less than two. While they started out the season a heaping mess, they do seem to have pulled themselves together the slightest bit.
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previous rank: 27)
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John Gibson finally returned on Sunday and had a pretty decent performance against Columbus. I doubt it’s going to matter much, though. Lukas Dostal has been playing spectacularly in his absence, and the Ducks still haven’t managed to get it together and start being competitive.
29. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous rank: 31)
I liked more of what I saw from the Flyers this week. They’re showing sparks of the team that almost made the playoffs against all odds last season. That being said, they have to find a decent backup to Samuel Ersson. The man is not ready to play 60 or more games, and they’re going to ruin him before he has a chance to reach his full potential if they start forcing him to carry that massive workload.
28. Nashville Predators (Previous rank: 30)
I’m going to be brutally honest. It’ll be a miracle if Nashville manages to keep Juuse Saros past the deadline. The man has already expressed interest in leaving the team, and now he’s once again being left out to dry. Sure, there’s plenty of time for Nashville to turn things around, but it’s unlikely they will make a Cup run any time soon, and they’re just burning Saros out. Scott Wedgewood has been awful as his backup, so the workload has once again rested solely on Saros.
27. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous rank: 25)
I think I’ve been negative enough. We’ll focus on the positives of this entry. Chicago has looked noticeably better. While that’s not me saying that things will turn around for them soon, it does appear that there’s finally some light breaking through the darkness for this team. They’re slowly but surely gathering the pieces. It’s probably not going to happen this year or the next, but a brighter future is coming, at least for now.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NHL Teams After Week 4 Games
26. Buffalo Sabres (Previous rank: 28)
When Buffalo can get their feet underneath them, set up in the offensive zone, and start playing their game, they’re actually quite fun to watch. The issue is they can’t do that consistently. Their defense gets pinned in their own zone too often. It’s going to be another long, disappointing season for Buffalo. If I had to make a prediction right now, I’d say that the playoff drought most likely continues.
25. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous rank: 23)
It was a rough trip through southern California for the Jackets. It’s hard to want to be negative towards this team in the NHL weekly rankings. They’ve been through so much. I genuinely want them to succeed with all my heart, and I feel that many other fans around the league feel the same way. We’re all rooting for you, Columbus, win or lose.
24. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous rank: 26)
If you told me at the start of the season that the Penguins would send star goalie Tristan Jarry down to the minors and that despite Crosby and Malkin playing their butts off, this team is still getting worse by the minute, I’m not sure I would’ve believed you. Yet, here we are, watching it happen in real time. It’s made worse when you realize that Pittsburgh has little cap space remaining, and Jarry is signed through 2028 at 5.38 million per year.
23. Detroit Red Wings (Previous rank: 22)
I don’t really know what to say about Detroit anymore. Last season, they came so close to making the playoffs. With a few tweaks to their defense and goaltending and adding some more depth, they could’ve continued that momentum. That’s not what has happened at all, though, outside of getting some decent goaltending.
22. Ottawa Senators (Previous rank: 17)
Linus Ullmark made his return to Boston this last week and emerged victorious over his former partner in crime, Jeremy Swayman. It was a cool moment for Ottawa fans, but I would have to assume it was a bittersweet moment for Ullmark, who never wanted to leave Boston and Swayman in the first place. It’s safe to say Boston hasn’t been the same without him.
21. New York Islanders (Previous rank: 24)
The Islanders are stuck in a weird sense of limbo. They are not a bad team, but they’re not playing like a good team either. They’re not bad enough to get good draft capital and rebuild, but they’re not good enough to go on a Cup run, either. It’s a pretty awful fate, not knowing which direction you’re going to go.
20. Boston Bruins (Previous rank: 19)
It’s been some dark days in Boston. They’re not used to this. It’s been their worst start in years. Jeremy Swayman has a sub .900 save percentage. Jonas Korpisalo hasn’t been much better. Yet somehow, they’re still third in the Atlantic, at least at the time of this list being written. Just goes to show the current state of the Atlantic division right now.
19. Colorado Avalanche (Previous rank: 20)
The Avs aren’t in a much better position than Boston. Despite still having a near top of the league offense, and the second best power play in the league, Colorado is still losing games. You can blame defense, you can blame goaltending, and both would be valid complaints. The fact stands though, Colorado needs to do something and fast. They’re dangerously close to losing everything they’ve worked for the last few years.
18. Seattle Kraken (Previous rank: 21)
I really don’t know what to say about Seattle, especially in the NHL rankings. You never know what team you’re going to get every time they step onto the ice. That being said, it may be time for them to move on from Phillip Grubauer. Joey Daccord continues to put up impressive numbers, but Seattle clearly wants someone who can lessen the workload for them, and Grubauer hasn’t been that guy. In fact, outside of their surprise playoff run a couple of years ago, Grubauer hasn’t been good for them at all.
17. St Louis Blues (Previous rank: 18)
St Louis is in limbo. They are still a competitive team, but they’re not a Cup-caliber team. Now, they could stop clinging on and tear it all down and begin a rebuild to become that team again, or they could keep trying with this core. Their decision will probably be made depending on what direction this season tends to go. I doubt another year of missing the playoffs will go over very well.
16. Edmonton Oilers (Previous rank: 15)
While not as bad of a start as they had last year, this has been far from ideal for Edmonton. Realistically, they would only need a bit of momentum and wins to turn things around, given the standings right now, but does that really address the issues that led to these starts in the first place and continue to plague Edmonton for the last few years?
How long are we going to sit around and wait for the depth players to finally start playing consistently? How long before we move on from Stuart Skinner and realize that he’s just never going to be that guy, no matter how much you want it to be true?
15. Utah Hockey Club (Previous rank: 16)
The engines have certainly sputtered for Utah. While they desperately try to get them going again, they’re losing precious ground in the Central race. With teams like Minnesota, Winnipeg, and Dallas at the top right now, that’s going to be a lot of work to get that ground back. Granted, the bottom of the division is Chicago and Nashville, so maybe not all hope is lost right now.
14. Calgary Flames (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Calgary has managed to hold off dropping to .500 for now. Things aren’t going to get any easier for them, though. They need their top guys to step up more. There just hasn’t been enough from them. You’ve been better than advertised so far this year, but do you really have what it takes to keep it going? Do you have the stamina to fight and bite your way into a playoff spot?
13. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previous rank: 11)
I got too excited, too fast, and I learned my lesson. Hockey changes too fast to make bold predictions like I did for the previous NHL rankings. Of course, not enough can be said about Nikita Kucherov, who continues to be a scoring machine. Jake Guentzel has been a nice fit on this team, but it’s not the role he’s usually played on teams in the past. Victor Hedman does seem to have gained some spring back in his step. That being said, they’re still fighting for their life for positioning right now.
12. New Jersey Devils (Previous rank: 9)
Of course, I’ll have to defend this very well. It’s not that New Jersey hasn’t played well. They lead the Metro division right now. That being said, they’ve also played more games than anyone else in the league right now. On top of that, they just haven’t been as strong against weaker competition as some of the other teams above them have. This is a much better team than last year, but it still doesn’t feel like the powerhouse we saw a couple of years ago.
11. Vancouver Canucks (Previous rank: 12)
Vancouver’s ability to win or at least get points has been impressive. The fact that they’ve been able to do it without Thatcher Demko is even more impressive. Granted, they’re probably pretty used to playing without Demko at this point, as their star goalie does appear to get injured quite often. That’s a worrying sign for Vancouver, to say the least. History tends to show that constant injury troubles usually get worse, not better, but of course, that’s not always the case.
10. Vegas Golden Knights (Previous rank: 8)
Mark Stone is seemingly injured again, and fans are in an uproar about it. Every time he goes on LTIR, Vegas makes a big move, bringing in a temporary big-term contract. Then suddenly, Stone recovers and rejoins the team. Are they taking advantage of the LTIR rules? Yes, most definitely. Are they cheating? No, not technically. They’re abusing the rule for sure, but it’s perfectly legal. That doesn’t stop fans from getting mad at this team, but maybe it’s time to direct that anger to the rule makers.
9. Los Angeles Kings (Previous rank: 10)
There’s something about the Kings this year. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve got a good feeling about them. Maybe I’m just happy they finally ditched the 1-3-1, as I’m sure most fans around the league are, as well. That being said, they just look faster. They’re getting scoring from all across the roster. I mean, Warren Foegle and Alex Laferriere have been on fire. Kopitar is still being Kopitar, and we’ve seen a seemingly revitalized Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala. Brandt Clarke has been outstanding to start the year, too, and despite the outrage at the signing, Joel Edmundson has fit this blue line like a glove.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previous rank: 13)
My guilty pleasure is that I really like watching Toronto play. They have such an incredible and fun offense to watch. That being said, they also have a really bad tendency to play down to their competition. They are without Captain Auston Matthews either, which is unfortunate as it appeared that he was finally starting to find his feet.
7. Dallas Stars (Previous rank: 3)
Dallas has slipped a bit. That’s only part of the reason for their drop, though. The other reason is that the teams ahead of them have played so well. Dallas holds a 9-5-0 record at the time of this list and still holds the number three spot in the division. That being said, with the increased competition early in the Central, they suddenly don’t look like the juggernaut they did last year.
6. Washington Capitals (Previous rank: Unchanged)
I wanted to put Washington higher, but I just couldn’t find the room, given how well the other teams ahead of them are playing. That said, the talk of the town is obviously whether or not Ovechkin is going to break Wayne Gretzky’s goal record this year. My honest opinion? I think he does. He’s well on pace for a 30-40 goal season which would be enough to get him that record. And good for him.
5. New York Rangers (Previous rank: 2)
The Rangers had the misfortune of not playing many games this week, but their 6-1 loss against the Sabres certainly didn’t help their case either when it comes to the NHL rankings. Once again, this team has looked incredible this year, but the teams ahead of them have managed to look even more incredible. That’s saying a lot, too, given how good the Rangers have looked early, too.
4. Minnesota Wild (Previous rank: 7)
The change in the Wild from last year to now needs to be studied. I need answers. I need an explanation. What happened? Last year, this team couldn’t kill a penalty to save their lives and was constantly getting outpaced by other teams. They’ve completely flipped the script this year. I don’t know what happened to them in the offseason or what they went through in training camp, but whatever it was, it worked.
3. Florida Panthers (Previous rank: 5)
The Panthers have found their stride. At the time of this list, they’ve won seven in a row. With Carolina recently losing, they currently hold the longest active winning streak in the league. With Toronto being the only real competition so far, they seemingly have a stranglehold over the Atlantic, given the drop-off between the second and third-place teams.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous rank: 4)
Their 8 game-winning streak may be over, but that doesn’t erase how good Carolina has looked. They look like the team I thought they were going to be last season. The fact that they’re still number two, given how good they have played the last couple of seasons, is a testament to how good number one has looked. We’ll see if Carolina gets right back on the horse or not after losing to Colorado.
1. Winnipeg Jets (Previous rank: Unchanged)
You can’t start 14-1-0 and not have the top spot in the NHL Power rankings. That’s not only far and away the best start in franchise history, but it’s the best start any team has ever had in the history of the NHL. It’s been a product of an insane 43.8 percent powerplay, a league-leading defense that’s also producing goals and scoring up and down the roster. Oh, and, of course, who can forget the absolutely insane numbers being put up by Connor Hellebuyck right now? Granted, this will all be for nothing unless they can finally make something happen in the playoffs.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NHL Teams’ Defenses From WORST To FIRST For The 2024 Season
