Photo: LA Times
With the NHL holiday break taking place over the first half of this week, NoVa Caps does their second power rankings of all 32 teams for the 2023-24 season. (⬆️Up, ⬇️Down, ➡️No Change represent spaces moved since our power rankings at the quarter pole).
LOTTERY CONTENDERS
32. Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago lost six of their final seven before the break and has the second-worst points percentage in the NHL (.318). Connor Bedard should be the runaway Calder Trophy favorite. ⬇️2
31. San Jose Sharks
San Jose has dropped five straight in regulation by a combined score of 23-9 following a 5-2-2 run. ⬆️1
30. Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim has lost 15 of their last 18 in regulation but avoided the worst-case scenario when it came to Leo Carlsson’s injury. ⬇️9
29. Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus has the worst points percentage in the Eastern Conference (.400) and Johnny Gaudreau has just six goals in 35 games. ⬆️2
28. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa has at least two games in hand on everyone else in the East but that will not matter if they do not capitalize on them. Their 5-4 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday ended a six-game regulation slide, where they allowed at least four games in each contest. They replaced head coach D.J. Smith with interim Jacque Martin on December 18. ⬇️11
27. Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo beat the Boston Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers since Thanksgiving but is 5-8-2 (.400) over that time. All of their three goaltenders have save percentages below .895 and Tage Thompson has been disappointing to date when healthy with only nine goals and 19 points in 26 games. ⬇️3
26. Seattle Kraken
Seattle has started to turn their season around with a six-game point-streak (4-0-2) heading into the break as has Matty Beniers, who has four assists and five points in his last three. Joey Daccord appears to have taken over the pipes in the Emerald City with a .912 save percentage and 2.53 goals-against average in 21 games. ⬇️3
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN BUT NOT GOD AWFUL
25. Calgary Flames
Calgary’s three-game winning streak and five-game point streak (3-0-2) ended with a 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in their final game prior to the break. Neither Jacob Markstrom nor Dan Vladar is getting the job done in goal and Jonathan Huberdeau has yet to figured it out. ➡️
24. St. Louis Blues
St. Louis has won four of their first five games in the Drew Banister era, which followed four straight regulation losses. They are just a point behind the Arizona Coyotes for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Robert Thomas has at least nine more points than any other Blue. ⬇️8
23. Montreal Canadiens
Montreal has gone 3-0-2 over a five-game point-streak and is just four points back with two games in hand on the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final wild-card spot in the East. Nick Suzuki has had a nice campaign with 10 goals and 30 points in 33 contests. ⬆️3
22. Minnesota Wild
Minnesota has six wins over their last seven, including three straight. Kirill Kaprizov has gotten going with four goals over a three-game goal-scoring streak and seven points over a four-game point-streak. ⬆️7
21. Edmonton Oilers
Since an eight-game winning-streak lifted Edmonton into a wild-card spot, they dropped three straight but won their last two before the break. Connor McDavid has arose as he has jumped into a tie for fifth in the NHL with 44 points and that spot to himself with 32 helpers. ⬆️7
BUBBLE TEAMS
20. Detroit Red Wings
Detroit is 2-7-1 in their last 10 to fall out of the race in the Atlantic Division. Patrick Kane has five goals and 10 points over that span. ⬇️2
19. Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh has points in five of their last six (4-1-1) since a four-game losing streak at the beginning of the month. Sidney Crosby’s 19 goals are tied for fifth. ⬇️1
18. Arizona Coyotes
Arizona has been trading lengthy winning and losing streaks for the last few weeks and had their four-game winning-streak snapped before the break. Connor Ingram has enjoyed a breakout campaign. ⬆️2
17. Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina has been one of the most disappointing teams this season as they sit outside of a wild-card spot. They are 3-5-3 in their last 11. ⬇️5
16. Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa entered the break as winners of three straight of seven of their last 10. Nikita Kucherov leads the league with 57 points. ⬇️2
15. New Jersey Devils
New Jersey won eight of 10 to climb into the top-eight in the East (in points percentage) but lost three straight before a 3-2 win over Detroit in their finale the break. Jack Hughes ranks fifth with a 1.44 points-per-game average but the team has the third-worst five-on-five save percentage (.8962). ⬆️4
14. Nashville Predators
Nashville has the second-best points percentage since November 17 (.737), which followed a 5-10-0 start. Filip Forsberg has 16 goals and 38 points in 34 games. ⬆️13
13. Florida Panthers
Florida lost four of their previous five before defeating the Vegas Golden Knights prior to the break. Matthew Tkachuk has been one of top disappointments this season with only five goals and 24 points through 33 games. ⬇️6
LOOKING GOOD
12. Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia dropped their final two games before Christmas, which followed a 7-0-2 run. Travis Konecny’s 16 goals are tied for 14th. They co-lead the NHL with a .725 points percentage since November 9. ⬆️1
11. New York Islanders
New York has collected points in 17 of their last 19 (11-2-6) and have more overtime losses (nine) than regulation ones (eight). Noah Dobson is having a breakout season with 29 assists and 34 points in 33 games. Dobson, Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, and Brock Nelson all have at least 30 points. ⬆️11
10. Washington Capitals
Washington has gone 5-1-3 over their last nine and has the fourth-best record in the East despite Alex Ovechkin scoring just six goals, Evgeny Kuznetsov tallying five, T.J. Oshie putting up two, and John Carlson notching one this season. Charlie Lindgren, Anthony Mantha, Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, and Dylan Strome have all had strong years and Max Pacioretty is close to making his season debut. ⬇️2
9. Colorado Avalanche
Colorado won five of their final seven games before the break and is involved in a tight race at the top of the Central with the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets. Nathan MacKinnon leads the league with 36 assists and ranks second with 54 points in 34 games. ➡️
8. Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto went 6-0-3 over a nine-game point-streak before losing two of their last three before the pause. Auston Matthews has 12 goals over a seven-game goal-scoring streak. ⬆️2
CONTENDERS
7. Dallas Stars
Dallas entered the break on a six-game point-streak (5-0-1) and with the Central Division lead. They have six forwards with at least 10 goals and nine skaters with at least 20 points. Unfortunately, Jake Oettinger has been disappointing with a .901 save percentage and 2.93 goals-against average in 21 contests. ⬇️3
6. Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg is 8-1-1 over their last 10, including two victories over Colorado in addition to one each against the Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins by a combined score of 20-7. Though, losing Kyle Connor until February hurt. Mark Schiefele leads the way with 24 assists and 36 points in 32 games while Connor Hellebuyck has been as tough as a rock with a .918 save percentage and 2.37 goals-against average in 24 games. ⬆️5
THE CREAM OF THE CROP
5. Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas dropped all of their contests on a three-game Southeastern road trip before the holiday and has lost four of their last five since a nine-game point-streak (6-0-3) ended. Jack Eichel leads the team with 24 assists and 39 points but both NHL goaltenders on their roster went into the break injured. ➡️
4. Boston Bruins
Boston has slowed down over the last month as they are 5-6-3 (.464 points percentage) since Thanksgiving, including 2-3-3 (.438) over their last eight. David Pastrnak is in the top five league-wide in goals (20) and points (48) in 32 games. ⬇️3
3. Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver’s 7-0-2 run has vaulted them to the top of the NHL in actual points. J.T. Miller’s 48 points are third, Brock Boeser’s 24 goals are second, and Quinn Hughes’ 34 assists are tied for second. The team also ranks first with an average of 3.86 goals-per-game in addition to a +46 goal-differential and second with a 2.51 goals-against per game average. ⬆️3
2. Los Angeles Kings
Trevor Moore is already one short of his career-high in goals with 16 in 30 games and Quinton Byfield is having a breakout season with 10 goals and 25 points. Cam Talbot’s 2.06 goals-against average ranks second and .925 save percentage is fourth. The lights may be shining bright in Los Angeles but Pierre-Luc Dubois has come up way short of expectations with just six goals and 13 points. ⬆️1
1. New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin’s 18 goals and 44 points in 32 games are both among the league’s best as are Jonathan Quick’s .920 save percentage and 2.27 goals-against average. New York has won five of their last seven and is the only team in the East with at least 20 wins (23), a .690 points percentage (.734), and +16 goal-differential (+19). ⬆️1
Previous 2023-24 NHL Power Rankings
By Harrison Brown