January 9, 2023
By Tab Bamford

CHICAGO, IL — The past week saw some big names coming back from lengthy injuries. Washington welcomed back Nik Backstrom and Tom Wilson and Carolina inserted Max Pacioretty into their lineup for the first time. How those additions to teams rolling in the right direction could be factors on some deadline decisions.

At the bottom this week we have a new team sliding behind the Blackhawks. And we expect the action in the bottom of the standings to only get more interesting in the weeks ahead because of what Connor Bedard did at the World Juniors. If anyone still had questions about him as the top pick in this summer’s NHL Draft, they were answered emphatically and with multiple exclamation points.

Let’s jump into the Power Rankings for this week. As always, let us know what we got right and where we’re off base.

32. Arizona Coyotes

If you get shut out by the Blackhawks, you get the bottom. Maybe for two weeks.

31. Columbus Blue Jackets

Rolling into the new week with a 2-8-0 stretch in their last 10, the Blue Jackets are now just two points above the Blackhawks in the standings. And sliding the wrong direction.

30. Chicago Blackhawks

They’re still dead last in the league, but Chicago has won two in a row and top prospect Lukas Reichel had a three-point game against a decent Calgary team on Sunday night. Alex Stalock has been really good in net in spite of the defense in front of him, too.

29. Anaheim Ducks

Owners of a league-worst minus-73 goal differential, they’re 4-5-1 in their last 10 and have won four of 21 road games this season.

28. San Jose Sharks

Losers of their last two and eight of their last ten, the Sharks are now half-way through their 2022-23 season. They’re on the fringe of the Connor Bedard sweepstakes now.

27. Montreal Canadiens

All the good vibes they had early in the year with their top line rolling have evaporated. The Habs are 2-7-1 in their last 10 and have a minus-43 goal differential now.

26. Detroit Red Wings

With three straight losses and just three wins in their last ten, the Wings continue to slide the wrong direction.

25. Vancouver Canucks

If they’re looking for improvement, there are signs but not frequently enough. They’re 4-6-0 in their last 10 and are 8-10-1 on home ice.

24. Philadelphia Flyers

Even with six wins in their last ten they’re at just 37 points in 40 starts. They have the same home mark as the Canucks.

23. St. Louis Blues

They injuries to Ryan O’Reilly and Vlad Tarasenko complicate their trade deadline selling plans, as does their 5-3-2 stretch in their last 10 games. But a minus-16 goal differential tells the real story. This isn’t a good team right now.

22. Florida Panthers

They’re 10-6-3 on home ice but have a minus-eight goal differential and are just 4-6-0 in their last 10. This season is half over for the Panthers and they continue to disappoint.

21. Ottawa Senators

Baby steps, right? They’re 5-4-1 in their last 10 and are up to 11-9-1 at home this season. Their goal differential of minus-four is close enough to break-even that they’re at least interesting at this point.

20. Pittsburgh Penguins

By virtue of a 3-5-2 run in their last 10 games and with mounting questions about their blueline, the Pens are sliding the wrong direction in the standings and our Power Rankings. How soon will their front office look to add to bolster this roster?

19. Calgary Flames

Everything about the Flames says they should be higher. They’re 12-7-2 at home, have a plus-three goal differential and are 6-2-2 in their last 10. But their loss in Chicago on Sunday night is why they take the hit in this week’s rankings. You can’t lose to the Blackhawks if you’re chasing a playoff berth.

18. Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers continue to be too mediocre on home ice (10-11-2) and their plus-seven goal differential is at least slowly climbing. But they’re just 4-4-2 in their last 10 and simply refuse to make a run up the division.

17. Nashville Predators

Riding a three-game win streak and with points in eight of their last ten games, the Preds are showing signs of turning a corner. But their minus-seven goal differential in 38 starts remains a concern. They’ve scored 108 goals entering the new week.

16. New York Islanders

The Isles are 5-4-1 in their last 10 and have a plus-15 goal differential, which has them in the playoff mix. But they’ve lost their last two and are 10-11-2 on the road this season. That needs to improve.

15. Colorado Avalanche

We’ve been waiting all year for them to get healthy and start rolling people, and that might happen soon. But they’re just 5-4-1 in their last 10 and have just a plus-two goal differential through 38 games.

14. Buffalo Sabres

They’ve won their last two and seven of their last ten with a robust plus-22 goal differential. Tage Thompson continues to put on a show for the Sabres, but we’d like to see a better home record than 8-8-2 moving forward.

13. New Jersey Devils

Just 4-5-1 in their last 10, the Devils had a better weekend and may be ready to turn a corner back into the win column. They still have a plus-30 goal differential, but their young players have looked young frequently over the past couple weeks.

12. Minnesota Wild

They’ve lost their last two but are still 6-3-1 in their last 10. They’re equally strong at home and on the road and could take advantage of their division being awful at the bottom.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning

They’ve lost their last two since blowing out the Blackhawks and are 6-4-0 in their last 10. The concern here is their 9-9-0 road record; they’ve been great at home (15-4-1).

10. Los Angeles Kings

The highest team on our Power Rankings with a negative goal differential (-4), the Kings have scored 142 goals in 43 games (nice), but have allowed 146 (not nice). They’re 7-2-1 in their last 10, so they’re doing alright in spite of the overall goal differential not being favorable through 43 games.

9. Seattle Kraken

Winners of four in a row to open the new week, the Kraken are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and now have a plus-17 goal differential. And, somewhat surprisingly, they’ve been great away from their gorgeous home barn (12-4-2).

8. Vegas Golden Knights

Just 5-4-1 in their last 10 and 12-10-0 on home ice, Vegas has left the door wide open for teams to chase them own in the Pacific. The return of Jack Eichel should help up front, but the goaltending needs to get back to where it was in November for them to maintain their lead out west.

7. New York Rangers

The Rangers have the right amount of cap space to make an intriguing add at the deadline, and they’re positioned well to make a bold move if the right opportunity presents itself. They’re 6-2-2- in their last 10 and 13-5-3 on the road this season.

6. Washington Capitals

Two big names returning to the lineup this weekend should help the room and the product on the ice. And the timing is great for Washington; they’re 7-1-2 in their last 10 and have been hot.

5. Dallas Stars

Their lead in the Central has almost completely disappeared even though they’re 6-3-1 in their last 10. We’re still buying their plus-34 goal differential, but they’ve got a wagon in their rearview mirror right now.

4. Winnipeg Jets

That wagon chasing Dallas is the Jets, who are 6-4-0 in their last 10 and have won five in a row. And they’re getting healthy, which is a scary proposition for the other teams at the top of the Central. They’ve allowed only 103 goals in 40 starts.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

They’ve lost their last three but are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and have Max Pacioretty in the lineup for the first time this season. They’ve been great at home (12-4-1) and on the road (13-4-6).

2. Toronto Maple Leafs

With a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 and two straight wins to enter the new week, the Leafs climb to ride shotgun in this week’s power rankings. They have a strong plus-33 goal differential (third in the NHL) and a terrific 14-3-4 home record.

1. Boston Bruins

Forget it. They might be on lock the rest of the way. Boston has an 11-point gap on the rest of the NHL in the standings and we’re now entering the second full week of January without the Bruins having a regulation home loss on their ledger. And their plus-68 goal differential is double the second-best mark in the league.