December 20, 2023
By Tab Bamford
POWER RANKINGS
CHICAGO, IL — We’ve officially reached the holiday roster freeze, hockey fans. The league will take three days away from the ice in the coming week to celebrate Christmas and then we’ll collectively turn our attentions to the World Juniors and a potentially volatile trade market that could pick up early.
The top teams continue rolling, the bottom of the league keeps struggling and the middle. Twenty teams keep searching for consistency. The parity on the league is peaking as we near the end of the calendar year. And that makes for some fun – or frustrating – viewing for fans.
Let’s jump into our final Power Rankings before the holiday break.
As always, please feel free to let us know what we got right and if you’d fire us like your team did their coach already this season.
32. Ottawa Senators
Sure, they’ve played the fewest games in the NHL (27 entering Wednesday) but they’ve lost five straight and made a coaching change. The ship needs to turn quickly because they’re headed right back to the lottery.
31. San Jose Sharks
Losers of three straight and owners of the league’s worst goal differential (minis-61), the Sharks are only 3-13-1 on the road. Their nine wins is the lowest in the league still.
30. Buffalo Sabres
Tuesday night’s loss was ugly, and it was their sixth in regulation in their last ten games. They have a minus-20 goal differential in 33 starts.
29. Chicago Blackhawks
They gave Vancouver all they could handle on Sunday and beat Colorado on Tuesday in spite of a lengthy IR list that includes some key veterans. Connor Bedard remains worth the price of admission in any barn in the league.
28. Anaheim Ducks
Their two straight wins gives them a 3-7-0 record in their last 10 games. Their 5-10-0 record on home ice is a disturbing number.
27. Seattle Kraken
Winners of only two in their last ten, the Kraken are still searching for anything to go right consistently this year. They have a minus-19 goal differential and have concerns all over their roster.
26. Columbus Blue Jackets
Even with the nine-spot they put on Buffalo on Tuesday night, the Jackets are still sitting with a minus-16 goal differential and have injury and effort concerns.
25. Edmonton Oilers
That bounce they got from the coaching change appears to have faded, as the Oilers have dropped three straight. They’re still just 4-9-0 away from home.
24. Pittsburgh Penguins
It can’t be all Sid all the time, but the Penguins are struggling to make that their reality this year. He’s transcendent – still. But they’re 4-3-3 in their last 10 games.
23. St. Louis Blues
The coaching change has happened here, too. But their minus-16 goal differential shows how much of a mess they are defensively from top to bottom because Jordan Binnington hasn’t been the issue as much this year.
22. Montreal Canadiens
With a minus-19 goal differential, the Habs continue to be a middle-of-the-road team floating around .500 in every 10-game stretch this season.
21. Calgary Flames
With two straight wins, they have improved to 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. The biggest questions now in Calgary center around when the next trade(s) happen. And how many come to fruition.
20. Detroit Red Wings
Losers of three straight and just 4-5-1 in their last 10, the Wings are struggling to stay healthy right now. They do have a plus-11 goal differential in 31 games, but finishing has been their problem lately.
19. Washington Capitals
We continue to wait for Ovi to get on track. The Caps have only played 28 games entering Wednesday, but have only scored 70 goals. Their minus-10 goal differential is a concern still.
18. Minnesota Wild
Their up arrow has Brock Faber’s imprint on it. He’s emerging as a bona fide top defenseman in the league, and has been a big part of their resurgence. They’re 7-3-0 in their last 10 and look more like the team we expected before the season began.
17. Carolina Hurricanes
At just 4-4-2 in their last 10, their coaches have been understandably frustrated with their inconsistent play. They’re still sorting out their goaltending situation, but they need to figure out their offense as well.
16. New Jersey Devils
They’ve lost their last two and seem to do that every time it looks like they’re turning a corner. They’ll be in the market for a goaltender as soon as one becomes available at the right price.
15. Tampa Bay Lightning
Just 5-5-0 in their last ten and still looking at a negative goal differential (minus-four) in 33 games, the Bolts are just 6-10-2 away from their home barn.
14. Arizona Coyotes
Winners of three straight, the Yotes are 11-5-0 at home but just 5-8-2 on the road. This roster is taking a step forward this season and could battle for a playoff spot in the Central.
13. Florida Panthers
At just 5-4-1 in their last 10, the Panthers have scored a surprisingly-low 91 goals in 31 games thus far. They’ve only allowed 81, however.
12. Colorado Avalanche
There appear to be some internal issues to deal with based on the comments from Devon Toews after Tuesday night’s loss in Chicago. They’re 4-5-1 in their last 10 and just 7-7-2 away from home.
11. Dallas Stars
Without their No.1 goaltender for some time moving forward, the Stars will need to bring the offense every night. They’re 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and have only played 30 games thus far. They’ll host the Blackhawks twice in three nights after Christmas.
10. Nashville Predators
Now 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and 11-7-0 at home, the Preds have firmly cemented themselves in the conversation for a playoff berth in the Central while the top teams deal with their issues.
9. Boston Bruins
Boston is only 5-2-3 in their last 10 games and have lost two straight. Defensively, they’re still terrific; they’ve allowed only 77 goals in 30 games. But the offense hasn’t been consistent lately.
8. Winnipeg Jets
Suddenly, the Jets have a plus-20 goal differential and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. They’ve allowed 79 goals in 30 games, nearly equal to Boston’s mark. The Jets are 9-4-1 on the road.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
Winning games in regulation continues to be their issue; they’re 6-1-3 in their last 10 games and still have only nine wins in 60 minutes.
6. Philadelphia Flyers
How about a 7-1-2 run in their last 10 and a 10-4-2 record away from Philly? The Flyers were supposedly rebuilding this year but it appears they made the right additions – and subtractions – before the start of this year.
5. New York Islanders
How does a team with a minus-four goal differential through 31 starts end up in our top-five overall? How about a 7-1-2 run in their last 10. It isn’t pretty, but they’re finding ways to put a point in the standings most nights than not – and they’re winning games now.
4. Los Angeles Kings
If the Kings could figure out how to win more frequently at home they might be the top team on our list. They’re only 5-5-3 at home and a ridiculous 13-1-1 on the road. LA is 6-3-1 in their last 10.
3. New York Rangers
Right now, the Rangers are the best team in the Eastern Conference. They’re 7-3-0 in their last 10, 12-4-1 on the road and have a plus-19 goal differential. The Rangers have won their last three games.
2. Vancouver Canucks
They got a bit of a scare from the undermanned Blackhawks on Sunday, but they’re the best offense in the league right now. With an NHL-best plus-44 goal differential in 33 games, they’re a wagon; they’ve only allowed 81 goals in those 33 games.
1. Vegas Golden Knights
Still the defending champs, they’re clinging to a one-point lead in the Pacific over Vancouver. Vegas has a plus-29 goal differential and are 12-3-2 at home. The top of the Pacific might determine who wins it all this year.