Photo: Boston.com
With the NHL set to resume the 2022-23 regular-season on Monday after the All-Star festivities in Sunrise, Florida, it is the perfect time to refresh where all teams stand as some get back to work while others get their bye-week. NoVa Caps releases their fifth power rankings of the season:
Columbus lost three straight and is 5-17-2 in their last 24 before the All-Star break. ⬇️2
31. Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim won three straight and four of their last five entering the break but has just seven regulation wins all season. ➡️
30. Arizona Coyotes
Arizona is a league-worst 3-12-1 since New Year’s Eve. Will we finally see defenseman Jakob Chychrun dealt soon? ⬇️3
29. San Jose Sharks
San Jose picked up points in three straight games (1-0-2) before their break after opening their stretch of eight in a row on the road with back-to-back regulation losses. Will defenseman Erik Karlsson be moved in the midst of a stellar renaissance season? ➡️
28. Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver won two of head coach Rick Tocchet’s first three games behind the bench but dealt captain Bo Horvat last week. That could be the first of many dominoes to fall before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 3 with goaltender Thatcher Demko, right-wing Brock Boeser, and defenseman Luke Schenn reportedly at the front of the line. ⬇️4
27. Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago won six of their previous seven before dropping three of four last week. Left-wing Patrick Kane and center Jonathan Toews’ time in the Windy City could be nearing its end but it also may not. ⬆️5
26. Montreal Canadiens
Back-to-back losses to the Ottawa Senators marked Montreal’s four straight loss (0-3-1) heading into their bye week. Rookie left-wing Rafael Harvey-Pinard has five goals and six points through his first seven NHL games. ➡️
25. St. Louis Blues
St. Louis has lost five in a row, which included a 5-0 loss in Arizona, and seven of their last nine in regulation. Center Ryan O’Reilly and right-wing Vladimir Tarasenko could be on the move before March 3. ⬇️5
24. Detroit Red Wings
Detroit has been ordinary lately, going 5-4-1 in their last 10, and are still seven points back of a wild-card spot in the East (though, has games in hand). Center Dylan Larkin could have a new home soon. ⬇️2
23. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa won four in a row before their bye week to climb over .500 (24-23-3). ➡️
22. Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia had points in four of their last five (2-1-2) before the break and is 10-4-2 since Christmas. ⬆️6
21. Florida Panthers
Florida lost three straight (0-2-1) before entering the bye week with a 4-3 win over the league-leading Boston Bruins. ⬆️4
20. New York Islanders
New York was 2-8-3 in their previous 13 before going into vacation on the heels of back-to-back home wins over Detroit and the Vegas Golden Knights. During their bye week, they got reinforcements up front with the acquisition of Horvat. ⬇️2
19. Calgary Flames
Calgary won three of their last four before their bye-week but their lone loss was a 5-1 decision at home to Chicago. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom and left-wing Jonathan Huberdeau have been among the NHL’s biggest disappointments this season. ⬇️2
18. Nashville Predators
Nashville has gone 10-4-1 in their last 15 but is still three points outside of a wild-card spot. ⬆️3
17. Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh is 6-8-5 in their last 19 and lost three of their last four (1-1-2) before their bye week including a 6-4 loss on home ice to San Jose, who blew a two-goal lead in the final minute to lose in Carolina the night before. ⬇️11
16. Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas has lost eight of their last 10 (2-6-2) and will be missing right-wing Mark Stone (back) indefinitely. They have fallen to third place in the Pacific Division. ⬇️9
Washington has gone 5-6-0 since getting center Nicklas Backstrom and right-wing Tom Wilson back. ⬇️6
14. Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo saw a seven-game point-streak (5-0-2) end with a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday but they are still 19-9-4 since November 21. ⬆️2
13. Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles went 3-2-1 on their road trip, which tied a season-long outing, and is 13-6-2 since a 6-0 loss to Buffalo on December 13. However, they may need a goalie ahead of March 3 as none of their goaltenders have a save percentage of at least .900. ⬆️2
12. Minnesota Wild
Minnesota bounced back from three straight regulation losses with back-to-back wins on home ice before their bye-week. Acquiring a center has to be high priority before March 3. ⬆️1
11. Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton has finally arrived this season as they have points in eight straight (7-0-1) and 10 of their last 11 (8-1-2). Center Connor McDavid leads the NHL with 41 goals and 92 points in 50 games. ⬆️8
10. Colorado Avalanche
The defending Stanley Cup Champions have won seven of their last eight to get one point within the Minnesota Wild for third place in the Central Division. ⬇️3
9. Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over St. Louis before their bye week but is 6-6-0 since starting the calendar year off with three straight wins. Defenseman Josh Morrissey has 43 assists and 53 points in 52 games during a breakout campaign. ⬆️3
8. New York Rangers
New York is 16-4-3 since a 5-2 loss to Chicago on home ice on December 3 but miles away from the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division race. ⬆️2
7. Dallas Stars
Dallas has points in five straight but the last three have all been overtime losses. They had three 4-0 victories in their previous four. Left-wing Jason Robertson has 33 goals (tied for fifth) and 66 points (tied for sixth) in 51 games while goaltender Jake Oettinger has earned a .923 save percentage and 2.26 goals-against average (both are tied for second) in 38 games. ⬇️3
6. Seattle Kraken
Seattle is 11-3-1 in their last 15 to take over first in the Pacific. However, they could use help up the middle, on defense, and in goal if they want to be successful in the postseason. Right-wing Eeli Tolvanen has eight goals and 10 points in 15 games since Seattle claimed him on waivers. ⬆️8
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto is 5-2-1 in their last eight but will be without center Auston Matthews (knee sprain) for at least two more weeks. Right-wings William Nylander (28 goals, 59 points) and Mitch Marner (41 assists, 60 points) are both enjoying spectacular seasons. ⬇️2
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay has won three in a row, including a 3-2 win over Boston, after dropping back-to-back games in Alberta. Center Steven Stamkos seven goals and 15 points over an 11-game point-streak. ⬆️1
3. New Jersey Devils
New Jersey is 8-1-1 in their last 10 while center Jack Hughes has 32 goals and 61 points in his last 43. Goaltender Vitek Vanecek has won nine in a row, posting a .932 save percentage and 2.06 goals-against average over that stretch. ⬆️8
2. Boston Bruins
Boston is starting to slip a little as they lost three straight (0-2-1) before a 5-2 win in Toronto on Wednesday. Right-wing David Pastrnak ranks second in the NHL with 38 goals and is tied for third with 72 points in 51 games while goaltender Linus Ullmark leads the way in wins (26), save percentage (.937), and goals-against average (1.90). Their cushion has dwindled but Boston still has a seven-point lead for first in the NHL. ⬇️1
1. Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina has won seven in a row, including a 4-1 win over Boston on Sunday, and points in 10 straight (9-0-1). Defenseman Brent Burns has four goals and eight points over a seven-game scoring streak while center Sebastian Aho has nine goals over a six-game goal-scoring streak. Will they acquire a pure goal scorer at the trade deadline with left-wing Max Pacioretty (Achilles) done for the season? ⬆️1
Previous 2022-23 Power Rankings
By Harrison Brown
My power rankings….
Capitals: we suck
I continue to believe that you are ranking the Lightning too high.
Vasy this year has been human. You could see this at the All Stars.
Tampa has been awful on the road and I believe they have more road than home games left.
Tampa cannot find consistency. They have played a ton of games over the past three years and have lost key people. Their play this year has been very uneven.