October 25, 2023
By Tab Bamford
POWER RANKINGS
CHICAGO, IL — How about that Tuesday night with all 32 teams in action? What a fun night for folks at home watching on television and in the stands experience some great action first hand. Well, except in Columbus where they had to wait a little longer than expected to get the party started.
We’ve got a bigger sample size now than we did with our previous edition, so there’s a little more to work with when considering just how good or bad some teams have been in the early going. Who’s looking like a Stanley Cup contender already? And who’s got Jim Harbaugh’s scouts watching Macklin Celebrini at Boston University?
In our final rankings for October, we still have three undefeated teams and a fourth that hasn’t lost in regulation. While there are some teams that have been massive disappointments thus far, there are others who have been pleasant surprises.
Let’s jump into this week’s updated Power Rankings. As always, feel free to chime in and let us know what’s right and where we’re so, so wrong.
32. San Jose Sharks
This isn’t a good team to start with, and their schedule has been tough. But when you’re winless in six starts, you get to ride in the front of this bus.
31. Washington Capitals
The bottom appears to have fallen out on Washington. Seven goals in five games is atrocious. They’re the only thing in D.C. getting less done than the GOP.
30. Edmonton Oilers
Hot seat time in Edmonton? Lose three straight and now look at a couple weeks without Connor McDavid? They have a minus-10 goal differential, third worst in the NHL.
29. Anaheim Ducks
It continues to be interesting to see how they’re slow-boating the process with No. 2 pick Leo Carlsson. This is going to be a lottery team, and they’re going to burn the first year of his ELC but aren’t rushing him into too much ice time early.
28. St. Louis Blues
The Blues haven’t been awful, but scoring just 11 goals in five games isn’t enough for a team that’s defense isn’t great. This looks like another long year for St. Louis is coming.
27. New York Islanders
The Isles have dropped three straight and are looking like the team some called “old” last year. Struggling with a home-heavy early slate isn’t good.
26. Calgary Flames
Losers of their last three, the Flames continue to have issues on the ice, and they can’t blame Darryl Sutter anymore. They have a minus-nine goal differential thus far.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins
Losers of three straight, the Pens are supposed to be going for it this year. What gives? The defense is a problem; they’ve allowed 20 goals in six starts.
24. Chicago Blackhawks
The offense has disappeared for Connor Bedard with the rest of the team, but when you look at their schedule that makes sense. Their last three games have been against the three remaining undefeated teams in the league; they’re in Vegas on Friday.
23. Seattle Kraken
With a minus-nine goal differential, this hasn’t been the start Seattle hoped for after making the playoffs last year. They need more than 16 goals in seven games to win more frequently.
22. Carolina Hurricanes
Losers of three in a row, a team that was supposed to be built around its defense has allowed 33 goals in seven games. Six of their first seven games have been on the road, but their issues have been confounding.
21. Winnipeg Jets
The Jets have won their last two and are heading in the right direction... maybe? They’re scoring (20 goals in six games) so at least their goal differential isn’t awful.
20. Ottawa Senators
With Josh Norris back in the lineup (for now) they can hope to see more offensive output. But they still have to figure something out with Shane Pinto. Offense hasn’t been a problem in Ottawa; they’ve scored 25 in six games.
19. Arizona Coyotes
Five of their six games have been away from home, and their defense has been really good to date (15 goals against in six games). The problem: they only have 16 goals in those six games.
18. Minnesota Wild
Injuries are going to impact them for the next couple weeks, which makes things hard for a team with absolutely no cap flexibility at all.
17. Florida Panthers
They played Tuesday night without Sasha Barkov because of an illness but got the win anyway. They’ve only scored 17 goals in six games, which is surprisingly low.
16. Nashville Predators
The Barry Trotz restructure continues. They’re 3-4-0, which is about what we expected with the lineup changes.
15. Columbus Blue Jackets
All jokes about the power going out aside, the Blue Jackets have taken advantage of a home-heavy schedule to get off to a good start. Adam Fantilli appears to be the real deal, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who watched him at Michigan last year.
14. Buffalo Sabres
Their offensive issues continue, but it appears the ship is righting itself slowly. They picked up a much-needed win on Tuesday night to inch closer to being back at .500 for the season.
13. Philadelphia Flyers
Losers of two straight, the Flyers have been really good defensively thus far. It appears Carter Hart found it; they’ve allowed only 16 goals in six games.
12. Montreal Canadiens
The Habs have a minus-three goal differential and will have to deal without Kirby Dach for the rest of the year. We’ll see how they put the offense together to remain out of the cellar.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning
They’re surviving without their future Hall of Famer between the pipes, because that’s what the Bolts do. They have a negative goal differential and are 0-2-1 on the road.
10. Los Angeles Kings
Still without a blemish on the road, the Kings have scored 27 goals in six games. That’s helped cover for their remaining questions in net. They’re only 1-2-1 at home.
9. New Jersey Devils
The slow start may be in the rearview mirror now. Jack Hughes is making a Hart push already this season with back-to-back four-point efforts. They’ve only allowed 17 goals in five games and haven’t lost on the road yet.
8. Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have the second-best goal differential (plus-eight) of the teams that have a loss thus far. Five of their six games have been on the road but that hasn’t mattered; they’ve allowed only 15 goals.
7. New York Rangers
The Blue Shirts are 3-1-0 on the road already and have allowed only 13 goals in six starts. With the whispers about Patrick Kane having interest in running it back at MSG beginning, they might consider adding to the offense.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have identical 2-1-0 records at home and on the road thus far and just a plus-three goal differential in six games. The home loss to Chicago still stings.
5. Detroit Red Wings
How about a plus-14 goal differential in seven games for Detroit! Alex DeBrincat found whatever he lost in Ottawa and the offense has been explosive, scoring 34 times in seven games.
4. Dallas Stars
When you allow only 11 goals in five games and haven’t suffered a regulation loss yet, one might think they would be higher on the list. But we’ve got three powerhouses rolling right now, so Dallas will have to settle for fourth.
3. Colorado Avalanche
It’s hard to put the best goal differential (plus-16) in the league in third, but there’s good reason for the top two to be there. The Avs have allowed 12 goals in six games and are 4-0-0 on the road.
2. Boston Bruins
No Bergeron, no Krejci, no problem apparently. Yeah, they’ve taken advantage of two of their first six games being against the Blackhawks, but they’ve only allowed seven goals in six games. The defense is still championship-caliber.
1. Vegas Golden Knights
You’ve gotta knock the champs off the top, and nobody has yet. They’re undefeated in seven starts and have allowed only 13 goals (under two per game). They’re 4-0-0 at home and 3-0-0 on the road. This team remains a wagon and the standard in the league.