NHL Power Rankings: Canadiens, Oilers Rolling Early
Oct 29, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Max Domi (16) shoots during the second period against Colorado Avalanche at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Blackhawks have really picked up the pace of late, but what does it mean for our first NHL power rankings of 2016-17?
The ‘Hawks played their best all around game Sunday against the L.A. Kings, in a 3-0 shutout victory. This certainly bodes well for the Blackhawks after a slow start, but how does their recent success affect the teams’ overall ranking throughout the rest of the league?
Let’s take a look with our first NHL power rankings of the 2016-17 season.
Arizona Coyotes
2-6-0Will Arizona ever find its game? Probably not, as this season as the team owns the worst record in the NHL.29
Carolina Hurricanes
2-4-2Jeff Skinner has played brilliantly to start off the year, but the team finds itself sinking in the standings after an offseason of hopeful acquisitions.28
Vancouver Canucks
4-4-1The surprising start to the season was destined to be short-lived as they’ve now lost four straight.27
Toronto Maple Leafs
2-4-3Toronto has had a terrible time trying to defend leads, which is only a small fraction of why they have accumulated only two wins on the season. Auston Matthews and William Nylander have certainly played, well with a combined 21 points between the two.26
New York Islanders
4-5-0The Islanders picked up a dominant win over Toronto. However, questions with goaltending might result in some issues for a team looking to make its way back to Stanley Cup Playoffs.25
Nashville Predators
2-5-1After a great deal of hype before the season began, the Preds are off to a putrid start with the second worst record in the league. It looks as though Montreal may have won the Weber/Subban trade after all.24
Buffalo Sabres
3-3-2Kyle Okposo has proven to be an excellent pickup by the team in the offseason, but with Jack Eichel’s absence, the team will require a lot more help if it wishes to contend.23
Philadelphia Flyers
4-5-1The Flyers fought tooth and nail against their archrival Pittsburgh Penguins, but ultimately came up short. Philly must tighten up on defense, as it is allowing far too many goals.22
Anaheim Ducks
3-4-2The future of Anaheim’s blue line has been secured by a deal struck with young defenseman Hampus Lindholm. The season is still young, but the Ducks will need some work to catch the rest of the West.21
Dallas Stars
3-4-1Injuries have plagued the Stars to begin the season. Not a very good start on the year, and with Jamie Benn having such a tough start, things aren’t looking too bright in Dallas.Next: Nos. 20-11
Oct 28, 2016; Newark, NJ, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the third period at Prudential Center. The Blackhawks won 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Who sits in the middle of our weekly power rankings?
20
Boston Bruins
4-4-0Offensively, this team may have a few questions, but on the bright side, Tuukka Rask is back!19
Calgary Flames
4-5-1The Flames’ three-game winning streak came to an end after a loss to the Capitals. There are some glaring issues with newly acquired goaltender Brian Elliott, who has a save percentage of .898 and allows nearly 3 goals per game.18
Los Angeles Kings
4-5-0After being shut out two games in a row, there are certainly many questions with the identity of the Kings.17
Ottawa Senators
5-3-0For Craig Anderson to shut out the Oilers after news of his wife testing positive for cancer is simply amazing. The Senators are off to a decent start but have some holes on the defensive side that need addressed.16
Columbus Blue Jackets
3-3-1After a very disappointing season last year and slow 0-2-0 start to this year, the Blue Jackets have been showing some life with impressive victories over Chicago, Dallas and Anaheim.15
Winnipeg Jets
4-5-0Patrik Laine has sure been fantastic throughout his first nine games of his NHL career. He entered the league with a ton of hype and is sure living up to it all with six goals and two assists so far.14
Florida Panthers
4-4-1A victory over the Red Wings may spark some life into the Panthers as the season is certainly off to slow start. However, young forward Jonathan Marchessault has been playing wonderfully with a whopping 11 points.13
Colorado Avalanche
4-3-0Matt Duchene has begun the season with five goals, including a two-goal night in Arizona, to lead the Avs to a winning record to start the year.12
New Jersey Devils
4-2-2After an impressive home victory over Tampa Bay, New Jersey has established itself as a serious threat on any given night. Taylor Hall has looked fantastic in the early going for his new team with seven points.11
Chicago Blackhawks
5-3-1Yeah, the penalty kill isn’t the best, but it’s definitely improving. On a more positive note, the ‘Hawks’ offense has been rather stellar, with Artem Anisimov really exploding as of late. Jonathan Toews finally put one in net and has been as solid as ever in the faceoff circle. Let’s not forget, Corey Crawford has played lights out at even strength.Next: Nos. 10-1
Oct 29, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber (6) reacts with teammates after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
The top 10 is a mix of familiar faces and surprises
10
Tampa Bay Lightning
5-4-0Despite three consecutive losses to Montreal, New Jersey and the New York Rangers, the Lightning, led by Steven Stamkos, remain a formidable and deep hockey team with very high expectations9
Detroit Red Wings
6-4-0Rebuild? Detroit doesn’t have time for that! Thomas Vanek may have found his game again and all it took was a change in scenery. Jimmy Howard has proven himself early as well with a 0.67 GAA in his three games played.8
Washington Capitals
5-2-1This is definitely not the start many had anticipated for the Caps offensively, but there’s plenty of time for Alex Ovechkin and company to catch fire. For a team that simply dominated on the powerplay, this year has seen Washington’s PP percentage drop very dramatically.7
St. Louis Blues
5-2-2The Blues are in desperate need of some goals as they have managed to score three in the past three contests. Vladimir Tarasenko has continued the impressive play that earned him an eight-year, $60 million contract. The real question is Jake Allen being the No. 1 goaltender for St. Louis.6
New York Rangers
6-3-0The Rangers are a much faster team than in previous years and are proving to be very sound offensively. They lead the league in goals per game with 3.89 GPG and have yet to be shut out. They also put on an absolute clinic against the Lightning.5
Minnesota Wild
6-2-1Sitting on top of the Central Division, the Wild have been on a tear throughout the first nine games. Perhaps the most impressive stat has been Devan Dubnyk’s three straight shutout performances.4
San Jose Sharks
6-3-0After starting the season 2-3-0, the reigning Western Conference champs have seemingly found their stride as they sit just behind Edmonton in the standings. Winners of three straight home contests, captain Joe Pavelski and his Sharks are looking to build on recent success. Martin Jones has also continued to impress with five wins in the crease.3
Pittsburgh Penguins
6-2-1Will they be able to complete the repeat as Stanley Cup champs? It’s way too early to tell, but they’re definitely off to a decent start. Evgeni Malkin leads the team with 10 points through the first nine games and also scored his 300th career goal in a win over the Flyers.2
Edmonton Oilers
(7-2-0)Connor McDavid was drafted first overall to put Edmonton back on the map, and in his second year he’s done just that. Currently sitting at the top of the Western Conference, the Oilers are surprising the league with brilliant play along with some outstanding goaltending from Cam Talbot.1
Montreal Canadiens
What do you think of our first 2016-17 edition of the NHL power rankings? Let us know in the comments section.
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