NHL Power Rankings: Week 8
Happy Thanksgiving to our American fans! We are a few days away from our best holiday in the year and I hope you all have a safe and fun holiday with your family and friends. The 1st quarter quell has come and gone and most teams are at least 20 games into the season. Let’s see how they rank!
#16 Vancouver Canucks (10-6-3; 23 Points)
Previously #15
JT Miller has taken a leave of absence, and we all hope he is okay and everything will lead him back to the game ASAP. Vancouver is in a tough spot with injuries and such. This team just might not be nearly as good as they were last year.
#15 Calgary Flames (12-6-3; 27 Points)
Previously Unranked
4 wins a row and all of sudden the magic is back in Calgary! Is this group a playoff team? If that’s the case, that throws a massive wrench in the west and the Pacific in particular.
#14 Tampa Bay Lightning (10-7-2; 22 Points)
Previously #13
Tampa has the Avs this evening and will be a huge test for both clubs. The Bolts aren’t the most consistent, but the East/Atlantic would be pressed to keep them out of playoffs…
#13 Edmonton Oilers (11-9-2; 24 Points)
Previously #12
Oh Oilers. The consistency, or lack thereof, is becoming concerning. I fully expect a move on this roster to occur. The game against the Rangers was fun but can you back it up?
#12 New York Rangers (12-6-1; 25 Points)
Previously #7
Things don’t look right for the Rags right now. Their bad loss to the Oilers has prompted management to look at making a big move. We should start to be concerned about this team because things look tight in the East and poor play will not be rewarded in kind.
#11 Colorado Avalanche (12-9-0; 24 Points)
Previously #16
Won their last 3 games and are really starting to show who they are. They are adding back healthy bodies. Gorgiev isn’t bad every night and things are trending up for the Avs.
#10 Los Angeles Kings (11-7-3; 25 Points)
Previously #1 1
Kings are outplaying their opponents so far, even if they don’t always get the wins. Gavrikov has done well and stepped up to try and manage through this Doughtyless portion of the season. The Kings really need him back if they look to make it past round 1.
#9 Florida Panthers (12-8-1; 25 Points)
Previously #5
Florida has lost their last 3 games and have lost 5 of their last 6 games. These moments happens and I think we see this with the Panthers at times. They will be fine.
#8 Vegas Golden Knights (13-6-2; 28 Points)
Previously #9
Vegas continues to find wins without their captain…par for the course. Team is pretty used to playing without him…
#7 Washington Capitals (13-6-1; 27 Points)
Previously #4
Ovechkin going down was just heartbreaking following the incredible start he’s had. His path to the record might be in jeopardy for this season, but we will see how he heals up. The team plays pretty well without him, though their scoring has taken a noticeable dip so far.
#6 Toronto Maple Leafs (13-6-2; 28 Points)
Previously #10
The Leafs have shown remarkable resiliency, winning games on a consistent basis while dealing with injuries at nauseum. Mitch Marner has been so amazing without Matthews, which I find so fascinating.
#5 Dallas Stars (13-6-0; 26 Points)
Previously #8
Won their last 2 games and the Dallas Stars are seeing nice performances start to blossom from players who really needed it. Jake Oettinger wins 6 of his last 7 starts and Jason Robertson has 4 points in 2 games. This team is just so deep man and always a threat on any given night. Their path to #1 spot might be already out of reach given the Jets start, but there’s a lot of hockey left.
#4 Minnesota Wild (13-3-4; 30 Points)
Previously #6
The Wild looked so good against the high-octane Edmonton Oilers. They stifle their opponents and know how to score. Kiril is on his MVP pace and thankfully not injured from that aforementioned game. Gustavsson is tied with Hellybuyck for best SV%...let that sink in. Remember the most important mantra of hockey…if my goaler is better than your goaler, I win; if you goaler is better than my goaler, you win. Tried and true.
#3 New Jersey Devils (14-7-2; 30 Points)
Unchanged
I pray to the hockey Gods that they allow Sheldon Keefe to win the Jack Adams after losing his job in Toronto. I have been hard on him, but it seems like it’s the way it goes, players and coaches who leave that toxicity tend to flourish, looking at you 2024 Zach Hyman. This team is nasty.
#2 Winnipeg Jets (17-4-0; 34 Points)
Unchanged
Mark Scheifele hat trick to lead to a win over the Panthers this week. This team has been the highlight of the year so far and they are easily number 1 for most people. The difference between 1 and 2 is so close, never forget that. This team has been amazing so far.
#1 Carolina Hurricanes (14-5-1; 29 Points)
Unchanged
Canes had a very flat week, but this rating is a function of how this team is constructed. They have depth all down the lineup both up front and on the back end. Goaltending is solid, hopefully Kochetkov is only minorly injured. That’s par for the course, right? What if I told you they are ranked 4th in Goals For and 7th ranked in both PP and PK? What’s been this team’s kryptonite? Scoring goals, and they are scoring goals now. This team is legit.
In-Season Cup
Cup is held by Alex and he will take the lead from Tyler regardless of the Avalanche winning or losing to the Bolts. It is still very tight out there for us, which has made it very fun so far.