This week on the NHL power rankings, we’re entering the unofficial playoff cutoff as American Thanksgiving approaches.
Historically, NHL teams that are well out of the playoff race at the end of November have a very minimal chance of making the playoffs, so if any team is looking to bank points before the races heat up again in March, now’s the time to do it. (Looking at you, Bruins).
But what a difference a week can make. The standings have been tight – 17 teams are within two points of each other! – and we’re starting to see some winning and losing streaks emerge. We thought the Bruins were done after losing six in a row, but they now have won seven in a row. The Mammoth looked like they were going to take a huge leap with six straight wins, only to lose five of their next six.
Injuries have been a big story this season, and it continues. Auston Matthews left last night after taking a hit from Nikita Zadorov, and Thatcher Demko didn’t finish the game against the Jets.Boone Jenner and Thomas Chabot also didn’t finish their games, and Frederik Andersen was pulled by a concussion spotter, though he’s not expected to miss any time at this moment. No doubt their absences can negatively affect their respective teams.
As for the NHL power rankings, the No. 1 team has started to pull away.
1. Colorado Avalanche (11-1-5, +25. PR: 1)
There’s little doubt the Avs are the best team in the league. They held the Ducks, who have the second-best offense, to just one goal in Tuesday’s big showdown, and they’re pulling ahead of the pack. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are early-season front-runners for the Hart and Norris, respectively.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (11-5-0, +14. PR: 4)
Three goalies? No problem. The Canes have been in this situation before, and it hasn’t really disrupted their rhythm at all this season. They’ve lost consecutive games just once this season.
3. Anaheim Ducks (11-4-1, +14. PR: 9)
The hype is totally real. Though they scored just one goal, they hung with the Avs for most of the game, and they might have the NHL’s most underrated elite goalie in Lukas Dostal. The Ducks are playing some freestyle offense under Joel Quenneville, which really suits them given the amount of scoring talent they have.
4. New Jersey Devils (11-4-1, +7. PR: 7)
All three of their games over the past week went into extra time, but they pulled off wins against the Habs and Pens, maintaining the advantage against two upstart East teams. Interesting development is the Devils rotating Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom, one of the growing number of teams doing so.
5. Winnipeg Jets (10-6-0, +10. PR: 2)
The three-game losing streak was slightly concerning, but their offense picked up again, and Cole Perfetti will bolster their non-existent depth scoring. The lack of overtimes and loser points is hurting the Jets; they have three one-goal losses, all suffered in the third period. Had they at least forced extra time in those games, they would be tied for second in points in the standings.
6. Dallas Stars (10-4-3, -1. PR: 8)
It hasn’t been easy – the minus-1 goal differential is a little eyebrow-raising – but the Stars are 7-1-2 in their last 10 after a pretty slow start. The play of Miro Heiskanen this season, by the way, isn’t getting enough attention, and he has a chance to win his first Norris this season after being completely left off the ballot last season.
Who's Hot And Cold In The NHL: MacKinnon's On Fire, Marchessault SlumpsWho's hot – and who's not – in the NHL over the past week? An Avalanche superstar, the cornerstone of the Blackhawks and Red Wings goalies are among those on the list.7. Los Angeles Kings (8-5-4, -2. PR: 15)
There was a little concern early in the season, but they’ve gone 7-2-2 since. The Kings had a comeback win against the Pens and continue to dominate the Habs, winning their ninth (!) straight against them since 2021.
8. Montreal Canadiens (10-4-2, +6. PR: 5)
I’m a little curious why the Habs have played Sam Montembeault four times in their last five games when a red-hot Jakub Dobes is an option. The Habs remain impressive, but two losses to conference opponents and then suffering their worst loss of the season Tuesday against the Kings bumps them down a few spots.
9. Pittsburgh Penguins (9-5-3, +9. PR: 13)
It’s Arturs Silovs’ show now with Tristan Jarry hurt, and there’s a lot of pressure to stay near the top of the standings. The Pens have lost six of their last nine but should have a good chance to sweep the Global Series against the Preds in Stockholm later this week. Cracks are showing, but the bottom has not fallen out yet.
10. Tampa Bay Lightning (8-5-2, +5. PR: 18)
I noted a couple weeks ago that we shouldn’t count out the Lightning because, well, it’s the Lightning. They’re now arguably the league’s hottest team and are 7-1-0 since their four-game losing streak, though injuries to Victor Hedman and Anthony Cirelli are slightly concerning. They’ve faced some tough opponents during that stretch with the only loss coming against the Avs, currently the best team in the league.
11. Vegas Golden Knights (7-4-4, +3. PR: 3)
It’s as if goaltending matters in this league. Clearly, the Knights either don’t feel confident with Akira Schmid in net or expect big things from Carl Lindbom down the road, otherwise they wouldn’t be rotating goalies like this. Their play in front of their goalies has been worrisome, too, and they’ve lost six of their last eight.
12. Utah Mammoth (9-7-0, +1. PR: 6)
I think fatigue is a factor here; the Mammoth have played eight of their last nine games on the road and lost five of their last six. What is more curious, however, is the lack of scoring on a team whose greatest strength is scoring. Clayton Keller has three points and Dylan Guenther has two goals in their last eight games.
13. Philadelphia Flyers (8-5-2, +4. PR: 14)
Is there a bigger dichotomy out there between how the Flyers are playing and the discourse surrounding Rick Tocchet? The Flyers are in playoff position, albeit tied with four other teams, but so far have exceeded expectations. This time last season, they already had a six-game losing streak.
14. Chicago Blackhawks (8-5-3, +12. PR: 22)
The Hawks had a tough start but since then have really lost one game where they probably should’ve won (Nov. 3 against the Kraken) and another that could’ve gone either way (Oct. 17 shootout against the Canucks). The standings are super tight, so do not be shocked if the Hawks make some big jumps over the next few weeks. They have the fourth-best goal differential in the league, which can be a better barometer of a team’s ability than its record.
Five NHL Favorites For Fewest Regular-Season PointsWhich NHL team will finish the regular season with the fewest points? Here are five favorites.15. Detroit Red Wings (9-7-0, -5. PR: 10)
The Red Wings had a great start, but it’s starting to be undone with three straight losses and only two goals scored. Neither Cam Talbot nor John Gibson can win with that kind of goal support. Another long losing streak, and I swear we’re going back to doubting the Yzerplan again.
16. Boston Bruins (11-7-0, +3. PR: 25)
Ranked too low in the previous two weeks or just taking advantage of a soft part of their schedule? A little tough to say, but grinding out a 2-1 win against the Canes and then beating the Leafs in consecutive games – maybe this one’s not surprising – are definitely commendable feats. And they’re doing this with Morgan Geekie leading the team in goals.
17. Ottawa Senators (8-5-4, -2. PR: 28)
The Sens finally managed to win a game in regulation, and nearly half their games have gone to extra time. It’s hard to gauge a team when so many results have been decided by 3-on-3 and shootout gimmickry, but so far their depth has been very good.
18. San Jose Sharks (8-6-3, -2. PR: 30)
Ever since Ryan Warsofsky made that comment about trading his kid for a win, the Sharks have gone 8-3-1, so perhaps the apology wasn’t fully warranted. (Kidding). It’s worth noting for all the Macklin Celebrini highlights, the Sharks have held their opponents to just four goals in four games.
19. Washington Capitals (8-7-1, +7. PR: 16)
I think losing Pierre-Luc Dubois for most of the season is going to be a huge loss, and it highlights the Caps’ lack of depth at center. It’s a bad time, too, having lost six of their last eight.
20. Florida Panthers (8-7-1, -5. PR: 19)
It’s still not great, but it’s better. After losing four straight, the Panthers have alternated wins and losses. I think what’s most concerning, however, is that no one has really stepped up in Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk’s absence other than Brad Marchand.
21. Toronto Maple Leafs (8-8-1, -3. PR: 12)
Never mind the three-game losing streak, what might hurt most is losing Auston Matthews for an extended period of time. The Leafs have looked good at time this season, but nowhere near as good as they were last season or what people expected this season. Silver lining: Joseph Woll is returning soon.
22. Minnesota Wild (7-7-4, -8. PR: 23)
After a stretch of eight losses in nine games, the Wild have managed to get back on track, and getting better goaltending is no coincidence. They took advantage of the Preds, Flames, Isles and Canucks because some big tests against the Ducks, Knights, Canes and Jets loom in the coming weeks.
23. New York Islanders (8-6-2, even. PR: 26)
Big wins against the Rangers and Devils, so does that mean the Isles are the best team in the tri-state area? By the way, Ilya Sorokin’s line in October – 3-4-1, .877 SP, 3.40 GAA – versus his line in November – 2-0-1, .947 SP, 1.61 GAA. He’s back.
24. New York Rangers (8-7-2, -2. PR: 20)
No doubt having Vincent Trocheck helps a lot. After an embarrassing dearth of goals on home ice, the Rangers broke through in a big way against the Preds. I noted in previous weeks that the Rangers’ expected goals aren’t that poor, and the pucks should start going in soon. Even if you’re a pessimist, note the Rangers play at home only three times for the rest of the month.
25. Edmonton Oilers (7-6-4, -9. PR: 17)
What stuck out the most was an embarrassing 9-1 loss against the Avs. When Cale Makar scored from the same spot off the same play twice, it was a microcosm of the Oilers’ inability (stubbornness?) to adjust and change. You reap what you sow; the Oilers watched the same Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard we did and decided their best option was to run it back for a third time.
26. Columbus Blue Jackets (8-7-1, -1. PR: 11)
The Jackets at least ended their five-game road trip on a good note with a shootout win against the Kraken, allowing just one goal after allowing 17 in their previous four games. Consistency remains elusive, too, and they were just as streaky last season.
27. Seattle Kraken (7-4-5, -6. PR: 21)
The Kraken haven’t gone on any extended losing streaks like they did last season, which is positive, but they’ve also lost consecutive games four separate times already this season. They look a little more like the version that made the playoffs, but the story’s still the same – they can’t score.
28. Vancouver Canucks (8-9-1, -10. PR: 24)
Quinn Hughes looks like he might be playing hurt, and Thatcher Demko is definitely hurt. The Canucks are battling through injuries and managing to stay in games, but there continues to be an underlying current of frustration with the front office and management by the fan base. It’s not exactly toxic, but it’s not definitely helping, especially with what transpired last season.
Hall Of Fame D-Man Says Canucks' Quinn Hughes Is His Favorite To Watch, Paying Back ComplimentDuncan Keith has only been retired for three years, but the two-time Norris Trophy winner says so much has changed with the defense position: "Each generation does things that nobody has seen before."29. St. Louis Blues (6-8-3, -18. PR: 27)
The Blues nearly blew a 3-0 lead against the Flames, and given the way their season has gone, it’s actually a minor miracle they’ve somehow managed to win six games already. It certainly helps that Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer are playing better.
30. Buffalo Sabres (5-6-4, -8. PR: 29)
Losing Rasmus Dahlin is a huge blow, and we’ll see what Bowen Byram and Owen Power are really made of in the coming weeks. They’ve lost six of their last seven, including four in overtime, and have not won in regulation in two weeks. The Sabres have a logjam in the crease, which makes the panic signing of Alexandar Georgiev all the funnier.
31. Nashville Predators (5-9-4, -18. PR: 31)
If there’s a team that has the bleakest outlook, it’s certainly the Preds. Ryan O’Reilly was unnecessarily harsh on himself – perhaps he was deflecting – but there is some underlying truth to what he was saying. For many of the Preds’ vets, their best seasons are well behind them. They’re saddled with big contracts that will be tough to move.
32. Calgary Flames (4-12-2, -20. PR: 32)
The Flames have lost three straight and scored just two goals, quickly overtaking the Rangers as the league’s most offensively inept team. With dates against Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard coming up, they have zero chance if they can’t score goals.
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