January 21, 2022
By Tab Bamford
POWER RANKINGS
CHICAGO, IL — We’re now more than half-way through the month of January and some teams have approached/passed the mid-point of their 2021-22 schedule. We’re starting to hear more significant trade considerations and front office phones are staying charged and busy.
Things are pretty bad for the bottom third of the league. But the top of the league is a crowded, impressive group of teams from which any of a dozen could win a championship this year. With players no longer heading to the Olympics in February, it will be interesting to see if trades start coming a month before this year’s deadline.
As always, let us know what we got right or wrong. But let’s get this week’s Rower Rankings started where they have too frequently this year – in the Original Six.
32. Montreal Canadiens
Two wins in their last ten, a minus-57 goal differential (the league’s worst) and five wins in 16 home games are the strongest indicators that the ship has sunk in Montreal. But a new leadership group is now in place to do whatever they can to turn the fortunes of the Habs.
31. Seattle Kraken
Like Montreal, the Kraken have won just two of their last ten. Seattle picked up a win on home ice against the Blackhawks earlier this week but are still 8-12-2 on their new barn.
30. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres round out our bottom three with two wins in their last ten, a characteristic they don’t want to share, but do. Buffalo has 40 games under their belts, 21 of which have come at home with six wins to show for it. Only nine regulation wins in 40 contests is great if you’re chasing the lottery.
29. Philadelphia Flyers
If we’re truly ranking based on relative strength at the time, Philly is dead last. They’re winless in their last ten; only three overtime/shootout losses keep that number from being wholly depressing. The trade winds are blowing full strength for the Flyers.
28. Arizona Coyotes
Look at you, Coyotes! Climbing all the way to 28 this week – good for you! Winners of five of their last ten and with points in seven of those games, the Yotes biggest blemish remains an ugly minus-55 goal differential.
27. Ottawa Senators
The Sens are tied with Arizona for the second-worst point total (24) in the league, but Ottawa has played only 33 games to Arizona’s 38. They’re 4-5-1 in their last ten but are winning only one-third of their home games this year.
26. Edmonton Oilers
We’re back to a team with two wins in their last ten. At least we can say the press conferences in Edmonton have been good for content, right? What a mess!
25. New Jersey Devils
The Devils are 4-6-0 in their last ten and have won nine of 20 home games this year (9-8-3). This is a young team learning how to win in the NHL. Watch the growth curve here closely as they get healthy.
24. Chicago Blackhawks
So, you lose in Arizona and Seattle to bookend a four-game win streak that begins with a road win in Vegas? The good news: Kirby Dach celebrates his 21st birthday on Friday with removal from COVID protocol.
23. Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus is 11-6-1 on home ice, which is a nice number. But they have a minus-14 goal differential and are five games under .500 on the road. Eleven of their 18 wins have come in regulation.
22. Anaheim Ducks
Big slide for the Ducks this week thanks to a 2-7-1 run in their last 10. They’ve been able to play 42 games already and have been good in extra time (seven OF/SO wins). But a 7-9-3 record on the road isn’t ideal for a team hoping to chase a playoff berth.
21. New York Islanders
The Islanders have quietly turned their ship around. They’re 7-2-1 in their last 10 and, thanks to COVID postponements, have plenty of games to make-up ground in the playoff race; they’ve only played 32 games entering Friday.
20. Detroit Red Wings
A minus-22 goal differential isn’t good, but their 13-6-2 record in Detroit is a nice total for a young team. They need to work on the defensive side of the ice, but we like the future they’re building in the Motor City.
19. Vancouver Canucks
The improvement since the coaching change continues to be evident, but the Canucks are still a work in progress with some critical decisions coming in the next two months before the trade deadline. They have played seven more road games than home games to date.
18. Winnipeg Jets
Injuries remain a concern, and the Jets continue to be the definition of a break-even hockey club. They have a minus-one goal differential, are 4-4-2 in their last 10 and 14 regulation wins entering Friday.
17. Dallas Stars
The John Klingberg saga will continue to be a pain point in Dallas, where they’ve been great at home (14-4-1) but the complete opposite on the road (5-12-2).
16. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks are exactly half-way through their 2021-22 schedule with 14 of their 21 wins coming in regulation. They’re 10-10-0 on the road, which is a solid mark. But their minus-10 goal differential hurts.
15. Calgary Flames
The Flames have a plus-22 goal differential right now, but they’ve won only three of their last 10. Calgary has won 13 of 22 road games, which is impressive; they’ve won five of 13 at home.
14. Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas’ home loss to the Blackhawks hurts, but we’re more concerned with four wins in their last 10 contests. They also have big financial decisions coming before Jack Eichel is ready to join the NHL roster. They need to be better than 13-10-2 in Vegas.
13. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings have broken into positive goal differential territory and have six wins in their last 10. They have played nine more home games than road games, so the balance will come in the season’s second half.
12. Minnesota Wild
The Wild get a weekend home-and-home against the Blackhawks on Friday and Saturday, two games they need to win to start climbing in the right direction in the division. They have a good plus-23 goal differential but are only 4-4-2 in their last 10.
11. Washington Capitals
Washington at 11? C’mon! But when we dig into their plus-21 goal differential and 4-4-2 record in their last 10, we see some issues in Washington. Ovi continues to defy logic, but he needs some help to get the Caps a division title this year.
10. Boston Bruins
Boston finally retired Willie O’Ree’s number earlier this week and have streaked up the standings with eight wins in their last 10. They need to get and stay healthy in front of Tuukka Rask, however. And they’ll be without Brad Marchand on Friday.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto has been solid all year. They’re 14-4-1 at home and have a plus-27 goal differential. With 51 points in only 37 games, they’re in good position to challenge for a division crown, even if they do it in front of limited crowds for a while.
8. Nashville Predators
The Preds are 6-3-1 in their last 10, one win (one point) less than the Blues have picked up in their last ten. But with 42 games played, the Preds have some teams around them with games in-hand that are streaking in the right direction for them – and the wrong direction for Nashville.
7. St. Louis Blues
The Blues are two points back of the Preds in the standings but have three games in-hand. They’ve won seven of their last ten and have a plus-30 goal differential. St. Louis is heading in the right direction and could be a dangerous proposition in the playoffs.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
Winners of eight of their last ten, the Pens have 20 regulation wins in 39 starts. Their 13-5-3 road record is strong.
5. New York Rangers
The Rangers have won seven of their last ten and have won 11 of 16 home games thus far. Adam Fox might win another Norris this year and the Rangers have the cap space to bolster a run at a championship if/when they choose to do so.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa has played 41 games, the most in our top five. And they’re 6-3-1 in their last 10, the fewest wins over the last ten games of any team in our top five. This is not a negative commentary on the Bolts, but rather pointing at how hot our top three are right now.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina has a plus-45 goal differential, is 12-4-1 on home ice and 14-4-1 away from home and has won seven of their last ten. Things are good for the Canes right now, and they have played only 36 games. This is a scary team.
2. Florida Panthers
A league-best plus-49 goal differential in 40 games is impressive. They’re 8-1-1 in their last ten, which is great. They’re 21-3-0 at home, which is ridiculous. But they’ve been 6-5-5 on the road and have to make up some away games down the stretch.
1. Colorado Avalanche
The Avs have ascended to the top of our Power Rankings mountain this week. They have a point in each of their last ten (9-0-1) and suddenly have a plus-46 goal differential in 38 games. They’re two points behind the Bolts and Panthers for the top point mark in the league but have games in-hand on both. Will they make a big deal for a goaltender to bolster their championship hopes?