Power Rankings: Week 5

Power Rankings: Week 5

It’s Friday and that means it’s time for our weekly Power Rankings. Using multiple variables we score teams out of 100 and rank them accordingly so you know who the contenders are, who the pretenders are and which way teams are trending. Forget polling a bunch of people, our scientific approach will have you impressing your friends when you tell them who’s moving up and who’s destined to fall.

#1. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Score: 85

Last week Power Rankings: 1st

This week NHL Standings: 2nd

Last week NHL Standings: 1st

2nd in the standings, 1st on our list. It’s not Nashville’s fault it only played 2 games last week, however with wins over Boston and Colorado, the Preds remain in top spot in our rankings. Nashville is a great place to go for a roadie, Tootsie’s patio, anyone?. The Preds, they seem to like roadies themselves as Nashville is a perfect 7-0-0 away from home.

#2. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Score: 84

Last week Power Rankings: 2nd

This week NHL Standings: 1st

Last week NHL Standings: 2nd

The Lightning won all 4 games they played in the last 7 days and are 1st overall in the NHL. However, the Preds have them on points percentage, goal differential and a few other metrics we keep a close eye on and until Nashville starts slipping, the Bolts will be stuck in 2nd spot.

#3. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Score: 83

Last week Power Rankings: 8th

This week NHL Standings: 5th

Last week NHL Standings: 8th

A perfect 2-0 in the last 7 days for the Maple Leafs, who now sit top 5 in the standings. Freddy Andersen has been terrific in goal and despite missing Auston Matthews, the Leafs keep moving up the standings and are now top 3 in our Power Rankings.

#4. SAN JOSE SHARKS

Score: 78

Last week Power Rankings: 6th

This week NHL Standings: 6th

Last week NHL Standings: 14th

The supercomputer knows all. We had the Sharks 6th in our Power Rankings last week despite their 14th place spot in the standings and guess where they are this week. 6th in the standings. San Jose won 2 of 3 games last week and we’ve got them 4th in our Power Rankings so expect them to move up in the standings as well.

#5. NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Score: 70

Last week Power Rankings: 13th

This week NHL Standings: 12th

Last week NHL Standings: 13th

Welcome to the top 5…..New York Islanders. We didn’t think we’d be saying that after week 5 but, here we are. There are a lot of underlying numbers that suggest the good times may not last too long but this team is getting terrific goaltending and they’re taking advantage of a Metropolitan division that hasn’t been very strong so far this season. For now, the Isles are in the top 5.

#6. CALGARY FLAMES

Score: 69

Last week Power Rankings: 11th

This week NHL Standings: 8th

Last week NHL Standings: 4th

The Flames dropped a few spots in the standings from a week ago but they moved up in our Power Rankings. The top line of Gaudreau, Lindholm, and Monahan has been buzzing and if this team can get adequate goaltending, they’ll be tough to handle in the Pacific division.

#7. MONTREAL CANADIENS

Score: 69

Last week Power Rankings: 3rd

This week NHL Standings: 9th

Last week NHL Standings: 7th

The Canadiens are not playing their best hockey right now. One win in four games this past week has the Habs dropping in our rankings. Goaltending, team defense and the powerplay are all issues right now and until the team gets back on track, they’ll keep sliding on our list. The Canadiens are still top 10 in the standings and in our rankings – they play a solid game when they’re dialed in. Also, Max Domi, what a stud.

#8. ARIZONA COYOTES

Score: 69

Last week Power Rankings: 10th

This week NHL Standings: 22nd

Last week NHL Standings: 21st

The Coyotes threw a point out the window last night, blowing a 3rd period lead against the Flyers. Arizona is still a top defensive team in the league in terms of team defense and goaltending and even though stud goalie Antti Raanta is on the shelf, we think the ‘Yotes are real contenders in the Pacific division.

#9. BOSTON BRUINS

Score: 65

Last week Power Rankings: 7th

This week NHL Standings: 11th

Last week NHL Standings: 5th

The Bruins drop a couple spots in our rankings after dropping 6 spots in the standings in the last week. Boston won 1 of its 3 games this past week and got smoked at home against the Canucks. Vancouver scored 8 goals, the same amount it scored in the 2011 Cup Final against Boston, which lasted 7 games! We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, average goaltending will continue to limit this team, though last night it was a lot more than goaltending that sank the Bruins. On that note, it will be up to Jaroslav Halak to shut the door for the next little while as the team announced today Tuukka Rask has been granted a leave of absence for a personal matter.

#10. WINNIPEG JETS

Score: 64

Last week Power Rankings: 12th

This week NHL Standings: 13th

Last week NHL Standings: 3rd

The Jets only played one game in the past week, a loss to the Panthers in Finland, and dropped 10 spots in the standings as a result. We still think the Jets are a top team in the NHL but they have to get things going at 5-on-5 if they want to remain in the top 10 in our Power Rankings.

#11. DALLAS STARS

Score: 62

Last week Power Rankings: 14th

This week NHL Standings: 7th

Last week NHL Standings: 16th

The Stars move up in the standings and they move up in our Power Rankings. The Stars powerplay has been good this season but we’re still a little bit concerned with their even-strength scoring. They don’t shoot the puck often, though when they do they hit the net at a high rate. Dallas has been up and down all year and until they find consistency in their game, they remain outside the top 10 in our rankings. The loss of silky, smooth skating Swede John Klingberg for a few weeks is a huge blow to a team already missing Alexander Radulov.

#12. MINNESOTA WILD

Score: 61

Last week Power Rankings: 15th

This week NHL Standings: 4th

Last week NHL Standings: 6th

2 wins in 3 games in the last week for the Wild who are making some noise in the Central division. Special teams look good, they are averaging over 3 goals per game and are a top 10 team at 5-on-5 thanks to a stingy defense. The Wild are close to a top 10 team in our Power Rankings but we’re a little concerned that the goals may not continue to go in at the current rate we’re seeing. It’s a busy week ahead so we’ll have a better idea of where this team is at in 7 days.

 

#13. COLORADO AVALANCHE

Score: 60

Last week Power Rankings: 9th

This week NHL Standings: 17th

Last week NHL Standings: 9th

2 games, 0 wins for the Avs in the last week. With games against Winnipeg, Edmonton, Boston, and Washington on the horizon, we’re going to find out shortly how the Avs stack up against a couple of tough teams in both conferences

#14. WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Score: 57

Last week Power Rankings: 20th

This week NHL Standings: 18th

Last week NHL Standings: 22nd

Speaking of the Capitals, how about a 2-0-1 week including a win over rival Pittsburgh. The Caps jump 6 spots in our rankings and move up 4 in the standings. This team still gives up a lot of Grade A chances, like they did for most of last season. While it’s a concern, the Caps have the firepower and goaltending to cover for the defensive lapses and right now, that’s good enough for a top 15 spot on our list.

#15. EDMONTON OILERS

Score: 54

Last week Power Rankings: 5th

This week NHL Standings: 16th

Last week NHL Standings: 12th

A pretty big drop for the Oilers who lost 3 of 4 games this past week and slide to 15th in our Power Rankings. The PK continues to struggle and their play at 5-on-5 leaves room for improvement but Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are capable of winning games for this team and we still have them in the top half of the league in our rankings.

#16. NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Score: 53

Last week Power Rankings: 16th

This week NHL Standings: 28th

Last week NHL Standings: 25th

The Devils remain middle of the pack in our rankings despite being a bottom 5 team in the standings. Keep in mind, New Jersey has only played 13 games, though 1 win in 3 games last week has dropped them a few spots in the standings. The supercomputer still has faith in the Devils – expect them to be closer to middle of the pack in the standings a week from now.

#17. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Score: 51

Last week Power Rankings: 18th

This week NHL Standings: 14th

Last week NHL Standings: 17th

A pretty average 1-1-1 week from a Columbus team that has been pretty average all season. The Jackets have 8 wins in 15 games and would likely have a few more if they could get some production out of their powerplay. The supercomputer’s score of 51 and Power Ranking of 17 says the Blue Jackets are just about the most average team in the NHL

#18. BUFFALO SABRES

Score: 51

Last week Power Rankings: 24th

This week NHL Standings: 10th

Last week NHL Standings: 18th

The Sabres have cracked the top 10 in the standings but we aren’t close to saying this is a top 10 team. The Sabres first line of Skinner, Eichel, and Pominville has been ripping it up. However, the special teams are outperforming their expected numbers by a lot. Let’s check back in a week and see where the 18.6% powerplay and 80% penalty kill are at. All in all, a good week for the Sabres who won 2 out of 3 games and move up 6 spots in our rankings

#19. VANCOUVER CANCUKS

Score: 50

Last week Power Rankings: 22nd

This week NHL Standings: 3rd

Last week NHL Standings: 10th

The Vancouver Canucks are 3rd place in the NHL standings, five weeks into the season. Who saw this one coming? It’s great what the Canucks have accomplished and Elias Pettersson is must-see TV at this point. Read about his terrific shot, here. However, the Canucks are not an elite team and the supercomputer doesn’t think they’re an above average team. Only one team in the top 10 in the standings has a negative goal differential – Vancouver. The Canucks are bottom 5 in expected goals for and against at even-strength and are bottom 10 in scoring chances for and against, as well. A market correction is coming sooner than later and for that reason, we have Vancouver 19th in our Power Rankings

#20. CAROLINA HURRICANES

Score: 48

Last week Power Rankings: 17th

This week NHL Standings: 20th

Last week NHL Standings: 19th

The Hurricanes snapped their five-game losing streak with a win over the Blackhawks last night. Despite putting up out of this world shot differentials, the Canes still struggle to win games. We talked about why you shouldn’t be fooled by ‘impressive underlying numbers’ when it comes to this team when they were in 1st place in their division, here. Carolina is a good team and they play the right way – however, they lack difference makers and for that reason, they sit 20th in our rankings.

#21. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Score: 46

Last week Power Rankings: 21st

This week NHL Standings: 21st

Last week NHL Standings: 27th

We had the Golden Knights 21st in our Power Rankings last week and here they are, 21st in the standings. This week, they stay put on our list. Looks like 21 is a magic number in Vegas! From a process standpoint, Vegas is doing everything right but in stark contrast to last year, where everything went their way, the hockey God’s are evening things out this season. Missing Max Pacioretty for some time and still without Paul Stastny and Nate Schmidt, Vegas has struggled out of the gate however, we think this team will be on track before long as a contender in the Pacific.

#22. ST. LOUIS BLUES

Score: 45

Last week Power Rankings: 19th

This week NHL Standings: 27th

Last week NHL Standings: 26th

From a points percentage standpoint, the Blues are close to where we rank them on our list, 22nd overall. The powerplay in St. Louis has been great this season but, the team is getting killed at 5-on-5. Goaltending has to be better but we are still believers that this team can make a push in the Central. Robby Fabbri adds another gifted player to a team that has underperformed so far this season. Expect the Blues to move up our list and in the standings.

#23. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Score: 44

Last week Power Rankings: 4th

This week NHL Standings: 25th

Last week NHL Standings: 11th

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Pens lost all 3 games they played in the last week by a combined 12-2 score and fell off a cliff, 19 spots in our rankings. Calling the Penguins defense leaky would be an understatement. There’s a full-blown flood of opposing players being gifted scoring chances in prime areas and until the Pens clean things up in their own end, the losses will continue to mount. A look at their coverage of the slot shows that team defense is a bigger problem than goaltending or anything else right now.

#24. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Score: 41

Last week Power Rankings: 23rd

This week NHL Standings: 19th

Last week NHL Standings: 24th

Ya, we’d call last night’s win over Arizona……Gritty! The Flyers closed out the past 7 days with an impressive 2-0-1 record. This team still has some major flaws, terrible special teams and leaky goaltending, but the Metro has been pretty average all season so there’s hope for the Flyers if they can work out some of their kinks.

#25. FLORIDA PANTHERS

Score: 36

Last week Power Rankings: 25th

This week NHL Standings: 31st

Last week NHL Standings: 30th

The last place Panthers are 25th in our Power Rankings because we don’t feel they are a last-place team. They haven’t been a very good team so far this season but they’re not a last-place team. The Cats went 2-0 in the last week and have Roberto Luongo back in net. This is a team on the rise and we’re willing to bet that in a week, they’ll be a lot closer to our ranking than 31st overall.

#26. ANAHEIM DUCKS

Score: 35

Last week Power Rankings: 29th

This week NHL Standings: 15th

Last week NHL Standings: 20th

The Ducks won 2 of 3 games in the last week and sit 15th overall in the standings. Again, this team gives up a ton of chances and has leaned heavily on the goaltending of Ryan Miller and John Gibson. We need to see more in every facet of the game from this team, other than goaltending before we can label them a contender in the West.

#27. NEW YORK RANGERS

Score: 31

Last week Power Rankings: 27th

This week NHL Standings: 26th

Last week NHL Standings: 28th

Full credit to the Rangers, who have won 4 games in a row but all the numbers our supercomputer looks at tells us this is still a below average team. 26th in the standings, 27th in the Power Rankings.

#28. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

Score: 20

Last week Power Rankings: 26th

This week NHL Standings: 23rd

Last week NHL Standings: 15th

Well, we saw this one coming. Quite a week for the Hawks. They fired Joel Quenneville and lost both games they played. Overall, Chicago has lost 6 straight games and even when the team was in 15th place overall a week ago, we ranked them 26th. Guess where they are now? 23rd. Pretty close. It seems our supercomputer knows something that Blackhawks management doesn’t. This teams’ issues have far more to do with the talent level of its players than the ability of its coaching staff. We don’t see things improving which is why the Hawks rank 28th on our list.

#29. OTTAWA SENATORS

Score: 13

Last week Power Rankings: 28th

This week NHL Standings: 24th

Last week NHL Standings: 23rd

The Senators won 2 of 4 games in the last week and have shown there is some reason for optimism in Ottawa – though not in the immediate future. This team gives up a ton of goals and chances, and will not be competitive in the playoff race this season but Brady Tkachuk, Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, and Thomas Chabot are all fun to watch. Speaking of Chabot, this kid is tied for 3rd in points by the way. Not among defensemen, in the league! Erik, who? Chabot is on fire this year – find out more about his hot start, here.

#30. DETROIT RED WINGS

Score: 11

Last week Power Rankings: 30th

This week NHL Standings: 29th

Last week NHL Standings: 29th

Special teams have been pretty good in Detroit this year. 5-on-5, they are the worst team in the league.

#31. LOS ANGELES KINGS

Score: 11

Last week Power Rankings: 31st

This week NHL Standings: 30th

Last week NHL Standings: 31st

The Kings still struggle to score, though Ilya Kovalchuk has performed well so far this season. No Jonathan Quick hurts this team which, once again, ranks last in our Power Rankings.