November 27, 2024
By Tab Bamford

CHICAGO, IL — It’s Thanksgiving Week in the United States, which means we’re just into the second quarter of the NHL season and teams are starting to take real stock of where they are in the standings.

For some, it’s a good time to reflect on success. For others, not so much.

We’ve already had one head coach get fired – and re-hired – and there are rumors that there could be more soon. Seats are getting warm behind benches all over the NHL. And trade winds are blowing a little stronger than usual for this time of year.

So, let’s update our NHL Power Rankings before turkey is served. As always, let us know what we got right and where we’re terribly, horribly wrong.

32. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks host the Stars on Wednesday night in their 22nd game of the season. Chicago has the worst point percentage in the league, but they’ve been within one goal or tied in the third period in 20 of their first 21 games.

31. Nashville Predators

My preseason pick to win the Central Division here at TFP has not lived up to the excitement or expectations thus far. The question now is when to big changes start in Nashville because it’s bad right now.

30. Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby continues to do wonderful things on a roster that hasn’t done much of anything around him.

29. San Jose Sharks

Based on points percentage, the Sharks aren’t the worst team in the league. Which is nice. But they’re tied for the fewest regulation wins in the league with only four in their first 24 games.

28. Montreal Canadiens

We’re officially on coaching change watch with the Habs. They were looking for a step forward this season and it hasn’t materialized.

27. Ottawa Senators

They’ve changed owners, and general managers, and head coaches. And the results have remained underwhelming. Maybe it’s time to change the mix on the ice?

26. St. Louis Blues

We’ll see if the Jim Montgomery bump (and the return of Robert Thomas) gives them some momentum heading into December.

25. Anaheim Ducks

one of few teams remaining that have only played 20 games entering Wednesday’s action, the Ducks are still searching for consistency. They’re only 4-6-1 at home.

24. Detroit Red Wings

The fact that the Red Wings are still essentially a .500 team isn’t what the Yzerplan prescribed. They do have eight regulation wins in 21 starts, but they’re still chasing uphill for a playoff berth.

23. Utah Hockey Club

A heavy road schedule to start the season hasn’t done them any favors. The injury bug hasn’t, either. Only five of their nine wins have come in regulation.

22. New York Islanders

The Islanders are the Islanders. They’ve been banged up, but their offense is underwhelming and a 3-4-2 record on home ice isn’t inspiring playoff aspirations.

21. Philadelphia Flyers

We knew this season was going to be a learning curve for Matvei Michkov and his head coach, but that’s gone fairly well. They have only four regulation wins in 22 starts, however.

20. Boston Bruins

The big coaching change might have been impacted by their minus-21 goal differential, but this isn’t the first head coach who’s lost his job with this group.

19. Columbus Blue Jackets

Full marks to Columbus for being a .500 team through 20 games with the awful, emotional offseason they had. They’re 7-3-0 at home, which is terrific.

18. Seattle Kraken

The Kraken are 7-4-1 in Seattle and have been solid all around, which has helped them to have a positive goal differential through 22 starts.

17. Colorado Avalanche

The Avs are 7-3-0 in their last 10 starts but have a negative goal differential through 22 games. They have to do something about their goaltending situation soon.

16. Edmonton Oilers

They survived while Connor McDavid was out, but their 5-6-1 record on home ice needs to improve. They might join the Avs in the market for an upgrade in net, and the Oilers also need to address their blue line.

15. Buffalo Sabres

Quietly, the Sabres are 7-3-0 in their last 10 starts and are hanging around the playoff picture. Some asked which of Buffalo, Ottawa and/or Detroit would make a move up this year and it’s been the Sabres thus far.

14. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are 6-2-1 at home and all 11 of their wins have come in regulation. They aren’t a finished product, but they’re winning games.

13. Florida Panthers

The defending champs have 10 regulation wins already in 22 starts and are over .500 at home and on the road.

12. Tampa Bay Lightning

It seems the Lightning are either the best offensive team in the league or a defensive gong show, depending on the night. They have a plus-15 goal differential and are 7-2-1 at home but are just 4-4-2 in their last 10 games.

11. Calgary Flames

A strong 9-3-0 start on home ice has helped the Flames jump squarely into the playoff conversation in the Western Conference. But only 7 of their 12 wins have come in regulation.

10. New York Rangers

The Rangers raised plenty of eyebrows when the names Trouba and Kreider were floated as trade candidates over the weekend. And yet, they still have 12 regulation wins in only 20 starts to open the season.

9. Vancouver Canucks

Maybe they need to just stay on the road? The Canucks are 8-1-0 away from home and just 3-5-3 in Vancouver.

8. Dallas Stars

With a game in Chicago on Wednesday night, the Stars will look to add a 13 regulation win total in only 21 starts. They’ve been what we expected heading into the season: really good.

7. New Jersey Devils

The Devils are 8-2-0 in their last 10 starts and their 14 regulation wins rank second in the entire league entering Wednesday.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs

Even without Auston Matthews, the Leafs keep winning games. They’re 7-2-1 in their last 10 and have a phenomenal 10-3-0 record on home ice.

5. Vegas Golden Knights

They’re just a good all-around hockey team that doesn’t take many nights off. Which is why they’re on top of the Pacific Division again.

4. Washington Capitals

They’ll try to stay hot while Alex Ovechkin is out of the lineup. They have 13 regulation wins in 21 starts and a gaudy plus-29 goal differential.

3. Minnesota Wild

Hopefully they’ll avoid a scare with Karill Kaprizov, who is squarely in the Hart conversation already. The Wild have only played eight home games, but have a stunning 9-1-3 road record thus far.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

The Canes have only lost one of nine home games to date and 13 of their 15 wins have come in regulation. Martin Necas continues to be a revelation while driving their offense.

1. Winnipeg Jets

The Jets have 15 regulation wins, best in the NHL. They have a plus-37 goal differential, best in the NHL. They’re 9-1-0 at home and 9-3-0 away from home. They are clearly the best team in the NHL right now.