January 3, 2024
By Tab Bamford
POWER RANKINGS
CHICAGO, IL — Welcome to 2024, hockey fans! As the World Juniors near its climax and we get ready to learn each team’s representative in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game on Thursday, it’s a good time to take stock of how teams are performing to start the new calendar year.
The beasts are eating, and the losers are losing, most of which we expect. But the middle of the NHL is a hot mess right now with teams fighting for playoff position already in early January. Three and four-game losing skids are feeling more significant now as teams get hot and start passing others.
As always, let us know what we got right and where we’re terribly, horribly wrong.
32. San Jose Sharks
Losers of nine straight and boasting a minus-80 (eighty!) goal differential in 38 games, the Sharks are sinking quickly.
31. Chicago Blackhawks
The injuries, like their losses, keep piling up. They’re 2-7-1 in their last 10 and have a minus-53 goal differential. Chicago is 4-15-1 on the road.
30. Anaheim Ducks
Their home record (6-14-0) is troubling. Anaheim is 3-7-0 in their last 10 and have lost their last two.
29. Ottawa Senators
They have a new… everything above the roster in the organization now. The players have a decent goal differential of only minus-four but they’re only 3-7-0 in their last 10 games.
28. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets are 3-4-3 in their last 10 and have won only four of 17 games on the road. They have a minus-24 goal differential.
27. Minnesota Wild
Their last ten games have been decent (6-4-0) but they’ve lost their last three and are trending in the wrong direction. They’re 6-10-2 away from home.
26. Buffalo Sabres
Owners of a minus-21 goal differential, the Sabres are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and continue to struggle getting past .500 at home.
25. Detroit Red Wings
It appears Patrick Kane didn’t improve their situation. Owners of only three wins in their last ten games, the Wings are sliding in the wrong direction. They do have a plus-six goal differential, however.
24. Montreal Canadiens
The Habs have a minus-22 goal differential and are 7-9-2 at home. At just 4-4-2 in their last 10, their holes are being exploited on the ice too frequently.
23. St. Louis Blues
The bump they got from the coaching change has faded. St. Louis has a minus-13 goal differential and have lost their last two games. Their home record of 11-6-0 is impressive; their 7-11-1 road record is not.
22. Calgary Flames
The trade winds keep blowing around the Flames, but they’ve quietly improved. They’ve won their last two games entering Wednesday and have a minus-11 goal differential.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Losers of their last three games and just 4-3-3 in their last 10, the Flyers are moving the wrong direction in the standings. They have a plus-seven goal differential.
20. Washington Capitals
The Caps are 4-3-3 in their last 10 and have a minus-17 goal differential. At least Ovi has started finding the back of the net again.
19. New Jersey Devils
The Devils will get a chance to improve their 8-8-2 home record with the Blackhawks visiting on Friday evening. They’re 5-4-1 in their last 10 and have a minus-four goal differential.
18. Toronto Maple Leafs
At just 4-4-2 in their last 10, the Leafs’ offense is still alright but their goal differential being a plus-nine through 35 games isn’t as big as they would like after 35 games.
17. Tampa Bay Lightning
A .500 team over their last ten games, the Bolts have a minus-eight goal differential and are only 7-11-2 on the road.
16. New York Islanders
Their heater feels like a distant memory as we begin the new calendar year. The Isles are just 4-3-3 in their last 10 and have lost their last two.
15. Arizona Coyotes
Staying afloat in the mediocre Central Division, the Yotes are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games and have a plus-eight goal differential. They’re 7-9-2 away from Mullett Arena.
14. Vegas Golden Knights
Yeah, we’re dropping the defending champs significantly this week. Vegas got shut out in the Winter Classic and have won only four of their last ten starts.
13. Seattle Kraken
Winners of five straight, the Kraken are slowly climbing from the depths to be a playoff contender again in the Pacific. They have a minus-12 goal differential but are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games.
12. Edmonton Oilers
Winners of six straight, the longest win streak in the NHL entering Wednesday, the Oilers still have work to do in the Pacific. They’re still 9-9-0 away from home.
11. Pittsburgh Penguins
With a 7-2-1 run over their last 10, the Pens are climbing. They’re still 8-7-3 away from home but have a plus-13 goal differential now.
10. Los Angeles Kings
Winners of only four in their last ten games, the Kings have left the door open in the Pacific for the hot Oilers and Kraken to creep closer in their rear-view mirror.
9. Nashville Predators
They handled the depleted Blackhawks on Tuesday night, but the Preds are now 6-3-1 in their last 10 and are taking advantage of a bad division to look like a viable playoff contender.
8. Dallas Stars
The Stars benefitted from two games against the Blackhawks to end 2023 and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. They have a plus-20 goal differential.
7. Carolina Hurricanes
Winners of four straight and 6-1-3 in their last 10, the Canes have seemingly found what they were lacking earlier in the season. They’re 10-3-3 at home.
6. Florida Panthers
Winners of five in-a-row and six of their last 10, the Panthers are 12-5-0 at home and have a plus-17 goal differential. They’re a physical team that’s going to be a tough out again.
5. Winnipeg Jets
Winners of three straight and with points in nine of their last ten games, the Jets have jumped the Stars into second place in the Central and look like a safe bet to make the postseason.
4. New York Rangers
With six wins in their last ten, the Rangers host the Blackhawks on Thursday night. They’re 12-5-0 at Madison Square Garden and have a plus-21 goal differential.
3. Boston Bruins
The Bruins have a league-best 52 points in 36 games but are only 5-2-3 in their last 10 games. They’ve won their last four to improve to that mark and have a plus-26 goal differential.
2. Vancouver Canucks
Their plus-46 goal differential is the best in the league and they’re 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. The Canucks are 14-4-1 at home.
1. Colorado Avalanche
The Avs roll to the top spot in our Power Rankings this week on a three-game win streak and winners of seven of their last ten. They’re 16-4-0 at home.