January 17, 2024
By Tab Bamford
POWER RANKINGS
CHICAGO, IL — Embrace the chaos, hockey fans! We’re a couple weeks away from the All-Star Game in Toronto and the league is as predictable as lottery numbers. We’ve seen some significant injuries taking stars away from their teams and other teams able to play through their leaders being away. And there’s drama in half of the Canadian markets.
As a number of teams start planning their parties for the draft lottery already, others are trying to figure out if they’re playoff teams. And some are trying to determine if they need to add anything to make a run.
It’s going to be a wild few weeks before the trade deadline.
Let’s jump into this week’s Power Rankings. I’m sure there will be plenty of fans who will want to tell us where we got it wrong, and a few might be nice and agree. Here’s our updated list for the middle of January.
32. San Jose Sharks
Hey, they got a point for pushing the Blackhawks to a shootout!
31. Chicago Blackhawks
They allowed the Sharks to earn a point in the standings last night. On their home ice. Without Connor Bedard it’s been nearly impossible to score, but they were able to get extensions done with Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson as they look to the future.
30. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks are going to be in the middle of trade rumors for the next seven weeks, whether their players are healthy or not. They’re 2-7-1 in their last 10.
29. Minnesota Wild
Similarly, just 2-7-1 in their last 10, at least they can celebrate Flower’s milestone? This has been a lost season in Minnesota.
28. Ottawa Senators
Why their assistant GM was in Chicago last night to watch the Blackhawks and Sharks is a head scratcher. They’re 3-7-0 in their last 10 and headed right back to the lottery – again.
27. Columbus Blue Jackets
They’ve only won five of 19 road games this season. There’s been too much turmoil around this organization since before training camp.
26. Montreal Canadiens
The Habs are 3-5-2 in their last 10 and have only won 9 of 23 at home. They have a minus-28 goal differential.
25. New York Islanders
All the good vibes have evaporated in the last couple weeks. The Isles are 3-6-1 and now have a minus-20 goal differential.
24. Los Angeles Kings
What? A team with 50 points is all the way down here? Well, when you’re 1-4-5 in your last 10 games, you slide down the Power Rankings like you’re headed into a pool. The Kings need to turn things around.
23. Buffalo Sabres
The hockey gods are smiling on you when you get consecutive home games against San Jose and Chicago. Now if they can just get to the arena to play the games...
22. Arizona Coyotes
The Yotes are 4-5-1 but have a winning record at home and a positive goal differential (plus-2). In the Central Division, even a team with the issues Arizona had could make a playoff push. Maybe?
21. Washington Capitals
Suddenly the Caps have a minus-24 goal differential and are 9-8-2 on the road. They’re 4-5-1 in their last 10.
20. Toronto Maple Leafs
Losers of four straight and with a 4-4-2 record in their last 10, the buzz around the Leafs isn’t good right now. Will they have to make a move to change the feel in the room?
19. St. Louis Blues
Losers of their last two and five of their last ten, the Blues continue to meander thru the season as a .500 team. They have a minus-15 goal differential.
18. Calgary Flames
The Flames are heating up. Winners of seven of their last ten and four in a row, are they going to make it hard on their front office to do what appears to be necessary before the deadline?
17. Nashville Predators
The Preds have a plus-one goal differential and are over .500 at home and on the road. In the Central Division, that’s living the high life!
16. Pittsburgh Penguins
Winners of six of their last ten, the Pens have a plus-16 goal differential but continue to be a team that seems to go on modest streaks in both directions. They’re consistently inconsistent.
15. Seattle Kraken
Seattle has lost their last two, dropping them to 8-2-0 in their last 10. Joey Daccord has been a revelation in net, even if they have a minus-six goal differential still.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning
Nikita Kucherov is having one of the best seasons of his remarkable career, yet the Lightning are still 8-12-2 on the road and have a minus-three goal differential. They have won their last three, however.
13. Detroit Red Wings
The Wings have won their last two and are 6-3-1 in their last 10. With a plus-11 goal differential, they’re still trying to find a groove since the addition of Patrick Kane.
12. New Jersey Devils
Once again, the Devils are without Jack Hughes and trying to stay afloat in the playoff race. They’re 6-3-1 in their last 10 and 13-7-1 on the road this season.
11. Philadelphia Flyers
They’ve won their last four, which improve them to just 5-3-2 in their last 10. Even with all of the noise in the background with a prospect not wanting to be there, they’re 14-6-4 on the road.
10. New York Rangers
They continue to bring back members of their last championship team to be at games at MSG, where they’re 15-6-0 this season. They’ve won their last two but are just 4-5-1 in their last 10.
9. Vegas Golden Knights
Winners of four of their last ten games and with a goal differential of plus-20, the Knights are now looking forward to weeks without Jack Eichel. We’ll see if they do something to help sustain their play while he’s out.
8. Dallas Stars
A plus-30 goal differential and well over .500 at home and on the road, the Stars look like a team that’s comfortably planning for a postseason run. They just need to stay healthy.
7. Florida Panthers
Even with losses in their last two, the Panthers are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and now have a plus-25 goal differential.
6. Carolina Hurricanes
The Rangers might want to keep an eye on their rearview mirror because the Canes are coming on fast. They’re 7-2-1 in their last 10 and now have a plus-16 goal differential. They’re 12-4-4 at home.
5. Colorado Avalanche
Another skater entered the Players Assistance Program this week for the Avs, but they keep rolling. They’re 8-2-0 in their last 10 and have a plus-29 goal differential. It looks like the Central will come down to the Stars, Jets and Avs.
4. Boston Bruins
Nothing against the Bruins, who have a plus-30 goal differential, a 13-3-3 home record and have won six of their last 10. Our top three are just playing that well.
3. Vancouver Canucks
Their 62 points are tied with the Jets for the top mark in the league and Vancouver is 7-2-1 in their last 10. They have an NHL-best plus-54 goal differential.
2. Winnipeg Jets
The Jets have one game in-hand on the Canucks and are 9-1-0 in their last 10... and just got Kyle Connor back. With a plus-44 goal differential, the Jets are in the discussion for the Presidents’ Trophy and the top seed in the Western Conference.
1. Edmonton Oilers
When you’ve won your last 11 straight games – the greatest heater in franchise history (the history of the Edmonton Oilers) – you get to be No. 1 on our list this week. Nobody wants the Oilers right now.