November 13, 2024
By Tab Bamford

CHICAGO, IL — We’ve reached the middle of November and everything hockey is starting to buzz.

We’ve had some interesting early-season trades, including Lars Eller heading back to Washington. We’ve had some significant injuries. And there are the usual surprising and underwhelming team performances and coaches already on the hot seat to keep us all captivated.

Let’s jump into a fresh batch of our Power Rankings. These will certainly make people question their fandom and argue over which jersey to burn in their backyard.

So, as always, let us know what we got right and where we’re terribly, horribly wrong.

32. Montreal Canadiens

The wheels are off, and the question is, were they ever really on? The Habs are tied for last in the league in point percentage in the middle of November. Not ideal.

31. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are near the bottom of the league, but they missed Macklin Celebrini for a few weeks already. They’re young and will have their rough patches.

30. Columbus Blue Jackets

Injuries continue to do the Blue Jackets no favours. Only three teams have a lower point percentage than Columbus entering Wednesday.

29. Pittsburgh Penguins

Is the Lars Eller trade the start of a fire sale? Things are bad in Pittsburgh and the roster isn’t getting younger any time soon.

28. Nashville Predators

What is going on in Nashville? They were the winners of the off-season, but they’re tied with Monteal for the worst point percentage in the league. One has to believe it improves, but when does that start to happen?

27. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks have a minus-12 goal differential in 14 games and remain a roster that looks really good and talented on paper but doesn’t consistently show that on the ice.

26. Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago has been within one goal, tied or ahead in every game but one this season and that’s with Connor Bedard having a relatively pedestrian start. Jason Dickinson has been fabulous defensively.

25. St. Louis Blues

Hello, draft lottery? The Blues are 3-7-0 in their last 10 and this roster does not look like one that might make things interesting in the Central Division this year.

24. Philadelphia Flyers

We’re out here debating a healthy scratch or two for Matvei Michkov as he adjusts to the NHL. Meanwhile, the Flyers have a minus-14 goal differential in 16 games.

23. Detroit Red Wings

Are the Red Wings going to wake up and become a playoff team at some point? Because there are questions about the Yzerplan swirling as they start the season under .500 again.

22. Seattle Kraken

The Kraken have won their last two games, which improves them to 3-6-1 in their last 10.

21. New York Islanders

Say what you will about roster moves and coaching changes, the Islanders are still the Islanders: a .500 team that struggles to score consistently. Having their IR loaded for the next month isn’t helping.

20. Calgary Flames

Entering Wednesday, the Flames are just 3-5-2 in their last 10 starts. We’ll see if they do something sooner than later to replace Anthony Mantha in the lineup.

19. Boston Bruins

When the coach’s name is getting brought up on talk radio in Boston, you know things aren’t going well. The Bruins have a minus-11 goal differential thru 17 games.

18. Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo is 6-4-0 in their last 10 games and appears to maybe be figuring a few things out. They’re still under .500 but have a positive goal differential (plus-two).

17. Utah Hockey Club

Injuries have plagued the *new* team in the NHL this season. Their minus-10 goal differential isn’t ideal.

16. Ottawa Senators

Five wins in their first seven home games is a really good start for the Sens. And a win in Toronto should go a long way in the room.

15. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts are still sorting a few things out with the major roster changes over the summer. And that shows in their 7-6-1 record and plus-four goal differential.

14. Edmonton Oilers

The obvious asterisk here is that Connor McDavid missed time and that impacted their record. He had four points on Tuesday night so he appears to be okay. Their defence, on the other hand...

13. Toronto Maple Leafs

Now their offence is an issue with Auston Matthews missing from the lineup. A home shutout loss to Ottawa isn’t sitting well, and they get to run it back in Washington on Wednesday night.

12. Dallas Stars

We expect the Stars to be good, and their home record is strong at 6-1-0. But four of those six wins have come against Chicago (twice), San Jose and Seattle.

11. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are 4-1-1 at home and the overtime loss came against the Blackhawks. They’re surviving without Drew Doughty right now.

10. Vegas Golden Knights

Another Mark Stone injury starts to make us ask how Vegas is going to duct tape things together to make another run. They’ve been bad on the road (1-3-2).

9. Colorado Avalanche

The Avs are 6-4-0 in their last 10 starts and have won their last two. It looks like they’re starting to turn a corner. Can they fix their goaltending to make a run up the Central Division?

8. New Jersey Devils

The Devils have a plus-16 goal differential, which is good. But they’re only 4-3-2 at The Rock to start the year.

7. New York Rangers

The Rangers have a plus-16 goal differential, which is good. But they’re only 4-3-1 at Madison Square Garden to start the year.

6. Washington Capitals

Are we more surprised by the start of Alex Ovechkin or Dylan Strome? The Caps have a plus-19 goal differential in their first 14 games and are sprinting up the standings.

5. Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks have been surprisingly pedestrian at home (2-2-3) and they aren’t winning big this season. But away from Vancouver: 6-1-0.

4. Florida Panthers

Things haven’t always been pretty for the defending champs, but... when you’re the defending champs, that happens. Florida is 8-2-0 in their last ten.

3. Minnesota Wild

Kapril Kaprizov might be the hottest player in the entire NHL right now, but he isn’t doing it alone. The Wild are off to an impressive 7-2-1 start on the road.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

If not for the team at the top of the list, the Canes’ 11-3-0 record would be amazing. Carolina has won nine of their last ten and their plus-23 goal differential ranks second in the league.

1. Winnipeg Jets

Maybe an all-time no-brainer this week at the top of the Power Rankings. Their 15-1-0 start is historic. The Jets are a wagon and a force to be reckoned with.