We’re officially past the one-month mark after Opening Night on Oct. 11 and, well, it’s been anything but what we’ve expected. This is why we play all these games, right?
For the third week in a row, the Bruins are ranked No. 1 in THN’s Power Rankings, but I will gladly take any criticism that the Devils and their 10-game winning streak should be at the top. Both teams finished the week 3-0-0 and outscored their opponents by a total of seven goals, but the Bruins are the incumbent and there’s no reason to knock them off the top. The Devils climb from No. 3 to No. 2, but we might as well rank them as 1A and 1B.
It also begs the question: can the Devils win the Cup with Vitek Vanecek and Mackenzie Blackwood in net? The Avs proved that you don’t really need an elite goalie to win, and considering how some of those “elite” goalies have fared this season, that theory couldn’t be more true right now.
Biggest climbers this week: Predators and Blues. Biggest tumblers this week: Sabres, Capitals, Flyers and Canucks.
(All fancy stats are 5v5 and courtesy naturalstattrick.com. CF% stands for Corsi For Percentage and xGF% represents Expected Goals For Percentage.)
1. Boston Bruins (14-2-0, +30. CF% league rank: 12, xGF% league rank: 9)
They could use a little more scoring depth, but there are no weak areas on their roster, and they’ve allowed more than three goals just twice (!) this season, one of which was a win.
2. New Jersey Devils (13-3-0, +21. CF%: 2, xGF%: 1)
The Devils tick off every box except a mental block saying the Devils shouldn’t be this good so quickly. The Zetterlund-Hischier-Tatar line ranks first in expected goals percentage (min. 75 TOI) on moneypuck.com.
3. Vegas Golden Knights (13-4-0, +19. CF%: 19, xGF%: 4)
A third-period collapse against the Sharks on Tuesday drops them out of the top two, but it’s a rare blemish in an otherwise outstanding season so far. Jack Eichel has returned to franchise center status.
4. Colorado Avalanche (8-5-1, +13. CF%: 10, xGF%: 23)
The Avs have remained in the top five despite so-so results because they deserve the benefit of the doubt and their schedule has been quirky, but note they’ve beaten only three good teams: the Knights, Rangers and Hurricanes. Their next 10 games, eight of which are on the road, will be a lot more revealing.
5. Carolina Hurricanes (10-5-1, +7. CF%: 1, xGF%: 2)
Pyotr Kochetkov was their third-string goalie and Jordan Martinook was waived earlier this season. Somehow, the Canes just find ways.
6. New York Islanders (11-6-0, +14. CF%: 22, xGF%: 20)
Fun fact: in the cap era, only one forward has ever finished a season with at least 50 points but scored less than five goals. That would be Henrik Sedin with three goals and 47 assists in 2017-18. There’s no panic with Mathew Barzal, but it is truly bizarre he’s at zero goals on 44 shots in 17 games.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (9-5-3, +4. CF%: 8, xGF%: 10)
Look, I’m happy for Jordie Benn, but last I checked, there’s no seniors discount to the last dance. The Leafs will make the playoffs, but their roster issues go beyond wondering which wingers pair best with Auston Matthews and John Tavares.
8. Winnipeg Jets (9-4-1, +10. CF%: 20, xGF%: 21)
For three of the first four weeks of the season, I had the Jets ranked 20th before bumping them to eighth last week. They had just two games this past week and went 1-1-0, both of which were one-goal games, but my big takeaway is how quietly they’ve snuck into the top 10. We expected a lot of distracting noise going into the season with so much uncertainty surrounding their future, but instead, they’ve galvanized and have been one of the toughest teams to beat.
9. Tampa Bay Lightning (9-6-1, +1. CF%: 14, xGF%: 13)
The Lightning have had tons of success, but they always play with a chip on their shoulder, so never count them out. I suspect that trickles down from captain Steven Stamkos, who reached 500 assists before 500 goals: “For a guy that a lot of people think is just a shooter, I’ll rub that in their face a little bit.”
10. Dallas Stars (9-5-2, +17. CF%: 15, xGF%: 15)
Jason Robertson enters Wednesday third in scoring with 25 points. I assume his ‘Robo’ nickname is a reference to how automatic he is when it comes to filling the net because the TARS robot from Interstellar has more personality than one of the league’s most underrated superstars.
11. Edmonton Oilers (9-7-0, +1. CF%: 24, xGF%: 22)
How long before we declare Stuart Skinner the No. 1 over Jack Campbell, hmm? Are they even brave enough to make that call and have a $5-million backup? Campbell’s streaky, but the Oilers aren’t exactly a young team, and the pressure won’t let up.
12. Florida Panthers (9-6-1, +5. CF%: 3, xGF%: 3)
Finally. That’s three goals in his past seven games for Aleksander Barkov and four goals in three games for Sam Bennett. Aaron Ekblad is back, and both Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight are winning games.
13. New York Rangers (8-6-3, +4. CF%: 5, xGF%: 5)
The Rangers should be better than they were last season. Their puck possession numbers are better, and even Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko look improved. What gives? For starters, it’s interesting that their PDO are .963 and .964, respectively, and they’re not going to shoot below 10 percent all season. They’re probably the only things in Manhattan you can buy low.
14. Seattle Kraken (8-5-3, +7. CF%: 11, xGF%: 12)
This is what the Kraken should’ve been last season. Solid goaltending, okay defense and scoring by committee. Despite ranking 12th in goals for per games played, the Kraken are just one of two teams (Blues) who do not have a single player who has scored more than five goals this season.
15. Calgary Flames (7-6-2, -3. CF%: 4, xGF%: 8)
The Flames are above .500 and are just barely sitting in a playoff position, but it’s been ugly getting there. With the way Darryl Sutter spreads out his ice time, everyone has to pull their weight, and Jonathan Huberdeau hasn’t gelled with the rest of the group.
16. Los Angeles Kings (10-7-1, -2. CF%: 7, xGF%: 6)
The Kings have played a lot of Eastern Conference opponents, but it’s weird that against arguably the worst division in the league, the Kings are 0-3 against the Pacific. Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick are getting little help from the rest of their defense.
17. Montreal Canadiens (8-7-1, -5. CF%: 21, xGF%: 24)
The question that no one really wants to ask is what happens when that top line stops working, and it’s going to happen because Nick Suzuki can’t keep shooting out the lights forever. I also can’t believe Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault cost a combined $3.875 million because that might be the best bargain in the league.
18. Detroit Red Wings (7-5-4, -7. CF%: 30, xGF%: 28)
That’s four straight losses, and I think the return of Tyler Bertuzzi will help them, but the one player I implore people to watch is rookie Jonatan Berggren. The Swedish winger was the leading scorer for Skelleftea as a 20-year-old, led AHL Grand Rapids in scoring last season and just scored his first NHL goal Tuesday night.
19. Nashville Predators (7-8-1, -10. CF%: 16, xGF%: 17)
Juuso Parssinen, drafted with the eighth-last pick in 2019 and having just played 10 games in the AHL before getting called up, is their new top center. Not to take anything away from the 21-year-old, who had become a really good player for TPS in the Liiga, but this smells like a desperate move for an older team whose best players are all around 30.
20. Minnesota Wild (7-7-2, -4. CF%: 17, xGF%: 14)
I would say the Wild can’t always rely on Kirill Kaprizov, but what other recourse do they have? Going back to the Marian Gaborik days, I think it might be a franchise mandate to see how far one elite player can drag this team.
21. St. Louis Blues (6-8-0, -16. CF%: 27, xGF%: 19)
The only thing more concerning than Jordan Binnington taking a fake swing at the opposition is their current three-game winning streak. The last time this happened, they proceeded to lose eight in a row. The Blues visit Chicago on Wednesday, and if I’m looking for that extra edge to push the winning streak to four, I’m playing this Scott Darling review of St. Louis on repeat.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins (6-7-3, -1. CF%: 13, xGF%: 7)
The Last Dance or the last dud? The Pens have lost nine of their past 11, and some of those games weren’t even close. When you’re counting on Casey DeSmith to right the ship, you might as well be the Titanic.
23. Buffalo Sabres (7-9-0, +2. CF%: 6, xGF%: 18)
Fun to watch but really ugly at times, and they’ve now lost six in a row after a terrific start. Neither Craig Anderson nor Eric Comrie can stop pucks, which is a pretty vital skill if you’re a goaltender, no?
24. Washington Capitals (7-9-2, -7. CF%: 18, xGF%: 26)
The Caps are 0-for-21 on the power play in their past four games. Their lineup is super thin – Sonny Milano is on their top line now – they don’t defend particularly well, and their possession numbers are terrible. Losses to Florida, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Carolina – teams the Caps used to be mentioned with in the same breath – show how far they’ve fallen.
25. San Jose Sharks (6-9-3, -10. 1. CF%: 23, xGF%: 16)
Quite an impressive three-game winning streak for the Sharks, but that’s the opposite of what they should be doing. They’re open to trading Erik Karlsson? You don’t say!
26. Philadelphia Flyers (7-6-3, -7. CF%: 29, xGF%: 29)
Easiest team to write about because John Tortorella usually sums it up pretty good: “We suck.”
27. Arizona Coyotes (6-8-1, -14. CF%: 31, xGF%: 32)
Most interesting development in the desert: Jakob Chychrun is returning soon, so heat up those trade talks because it’s only a matter of time. Question: do the Coyotes play Chychrun ahead of Shayne Gostisbehere and J.J. Moser to pump his trade value?
28. Chicago Blackhawks (6-6-3, -8. CF%: 32, xGF%: 30)
With Patrick Kane in a bit of a scoring drought, they’ve been shut out twice in their past four games, and since their four-game winning streak was snapped have scored over three goals just once. It was, of course, a loss.
29. Ottawa Senators (5-9-1, -2. CF%: 9, xGF%: 11)
The Sens, like a lot of teams in the league, face a similar problem: a ton of good forwards but an absolute pile of pylons on defense. Of the bottom-ranked teams, the Sens boast the best possession numbers, but it’s all moot when you’re playing Nick Holden and Travis Hamonic regular minutes.
30. Vancouver Canucks (5-9-3, -12. CF%: 25, xGF%: 25)
Bruce, there he goes! The consensus seems to be that Bruce Boudreau will not last the season. From management to the coaches and players, there is no team more dysfunctional than the Canucks. The Bluths would be proud.
31. Columbus Blue Jackets (5-9-1, -22. CF%: 28, xGF%: 27)
The thing about teams that have been decimated by injuries is that they tend to bear down and playing much better in the short-term before the lack of talent catches up to them. That’s happening now, though it should be noted that both of their wins have come against the Flyers, who suck. (Tortorella’s words, not mine!)
32. Anaheim Ducks (5-10-1, -25. CF%: 26, xGF%: 31)
If you walked into Dallas Eakins’ office right now, you’ll notice his desk is piled to the ceiling with Connor Bedard clips.
