NHL Power Rankings: Flyers earn spot on the nice list, Red Wings expecting coal with Christmas approaching

Golden Knights
Nice | After winning a Stanley Cup in Vegas, it’s probably only human nature to let yourself bask in the championship hangover. No one would have blamed the Golden Knights for a slow start in 2023-24, but they refocused and got right back to work on opening night. Vegas did go through a slight lull recently, but the team has returned to wagon status and the top spot in these power rankings. 3 21-7-5
2

Rangers
Nice | The Rangers have lived up to preseason expectations so far, and they have done so by overcoming middling five-on-five numbers with an elite power play and goaltending. There is nothing like consistency, and you can bank on that from the blueshirts. On top of the team’s success overall, the Rangers have also revitalized the career of veteran netminder Jonathan Quick, who has been brilliant in New York. — 22-7-1
3

Canucks
Naughty | Vancouver has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2023-24 season, and it is in contention for the Pacific Division title. Normally, that would earn them a spot on the nice list, but the Canucks have been bullying teams this year. Their plus-44 goal differential in 2023-24 leads the league, and it means they have been smoking teams on a regular basis. Show some mercy this holiday season, Vancouver. 2 22-9-2
4

Kings
Naughty | This is the season of giving, and the Kings are not feeling terribly generous this season. A combination of solid team defense and stellar goaltending from Cam Talbot has resulted in Los Angeles allowing just 68 goals in 28 games. The Kings are stingier than Ebenezer Scrooge, and while that won’t get them on the nice list, it does put them in contention for another Stanley Cup. 1 18-6-4
5

Bruins
Nice | After another offseason that consisted of key losses and limited salary cap space, the Bruins are back to contending for first place in the Atlantic Division. David Pastrnak looks like a Hart Trophy candidate, and the goaltending tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman warms cold hearts throughout New England. Santa will pay a visit to TD Garden despite Brad Marchand’s reputation. 4 19-5-6
6

Jets
Nice | Head coach Rick Bowness had some harsh criticism for his team following their first-round playoff exit last season, and it seems like the Jets took those words to heart. Winnipeg made a couple big changes in the offseason, and the team has responded with a strong start. The Jets are now just one point out of first place in the Central Division, and they look like a strong force in the West. 1 18-9-3
7

Stars
Naughty | Greed is not a good quality to have, and the Stars have it in spades. They have decided to hoard skilled forwards within their organization, and those forwards have displayed greed of their own. Right now, Dallas has nine players on pace for 20 goals. The Stars have high-end skill, and they have depth. When will it ever be enough? Save some for the rest of the league. 1 18-8-4
8

Flyers
Nice | The Flyers have been able to overcome John Tortorella’s foul mouth and short temper to get on Santa’s nice list. Philadelphia was expected by many, including me, to be one of the NHL’s worst teams this season. Instead, the Flyers remain one of the East’s best teams while also producing impressive five-on-five metrics. The Flyers are lifting spirits around Philly during trying times for the Eagles. 3 18-10-3
9

Maple Leafs
Nice | The Maple Leafs have been poorly behaved for much of the year, but they heard “All I Want For Christmas Is You” playing over the department store speakers and decided to get their act together. Toronto has earned at least one point in every game but one this month, and it is six points behind Boston in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs turned things around just in time to get a new Mats Sundin sweater under the tree. 1 16-7-6
10

Panthers
Nice | If the Panthers thought they could escape the Elf on the Shelf on this road trip to the Pacific Northwest, they were sorely mistaken. Santa is well aware that Florida has been outscored 6-12 in their four games with Christmas less than a week away. For now, the Panthers will remain on the nice list because of their strong play earlier in the season, but this week will go a long way in determining whether St. Nick visits Sunrise. 4 18-11-2
11

Avalanche
Nice | The Avalanche are kind enough to make sure they give their fans a show every night with a 12-4-0 record at home. Not only are the Avs winning those games, but they’re doing so in dominant fashion with a plus-24 goal differential at Ball Arena. That’s what happens when players like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are flying around and playing at the top of their game. Colorado looks like it’s on a mission after an early playoff exit last season. 2 19-11-2
12

Islanders
Nice | Just a few weeks ago, Islanders fans were chanting for head coach Lane Lambert to lose his job. Not wanting their head coach to be out of the job right before Christmas, the Islanders have picked things up considerably. The Isles are 6-1-2 in December, and they have climbed into third place in the Metro Division. Over that stretch, Lambert’s seat has cooled down quite a bit. 7 15-8-8
13

Predators
Naughty | The Predators have played above expectations this season, and they are 13-4-0 in their last 17 games. Normally, that would be an easy admission onto the nice list, but there is just one problem. Nashville is second in the NHL in major penalties with 14. In an era where fighting has mostly been phased out of the game, the Preds still spend a lot of time in the sin bin. They, along with anyone who has ever set foot on a party tractor, will be getting coal this year. 5 18-14-0
14

Hurricanes
Naughty | The Hurricanes have committed one of the biggest missteps possible: They have made people like me look foolish. I thought Carolina was a bona fide Stanley Cup threat before the season started, but it hasn’t exactly played out that way. The Canes have encountered serious consistency and goaltending issues, leaving them fighting for a wild-card spot. For the record, this team is still a Cup contender as long as it gets the goaltending sorted out. 2 17-12-3
15

Devils
Naughty | New Jersey has not performed up to its potential this season, but that is not the only reason the team is on the naughty list this year. While the Devils have not gotten good results this season, their power play has been firing on all cylinders. They’ve converted on 31.3% of their power play opportunities, which is tied for first in the NHL. Talk about kicking someone when they’re down. Pretty inconsiderate stuff from the Devils, if you ask me. 1 16-12-2
16

Oilers
Nice | Frankly, I’m as shocked as anyone that the Oilers are on the nice list after the start to the season they had. However, the vibes around this team have completely changed over the last few weeks. Connor McDavid has gotten his groove back, and the team has gotten competent goaltending. This is like when the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes, prompting him to save the Christmas he himself ruined. 3 13-15-1
17

Lightning
Nice | For years, the Lightning have been a thorn in the side of the rest of the league. They were back-to-back Stanley Cup champions in 2020 and 2021, and they went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2022. However, Tampa Bay looks like it’s willing to give other teams a chance nowadays. It helped the Maple Leafs get the first-round monkey off their backs last spring, and it looks like the Bolts might bow out of the playoff field entirely in 2024. 2 15-13-5
18

Wild
Naughty | Minnesota had hopes of reaching the playoffs this season, but those are in jeopardy after a terrible start that got Dean Evason fired. One of the Wild’s issues is they continue to be one of the most penalized teams in the NHL despite the fact that they have the 31st-ranked penalty kill. You think that would inspire more discipline, but that hasn’t really happened yet. 2 13-13-4
19

Coyotes
Nice | The situation in the desert has been pretty bleak over the last few years, and Coyotes fans have taken it on the chin for a while. Things have changed in 2023-24, though. Arizona now has some entertaining young players on the ice, and the team has decided to add legitimate hockey players instead of simply being a dumping ground for contracts. Now, the Yotes are in a playoff spot, and they’ve given their fans real reasons to be optimistic. 2 16-13-2
20

Capitals
Naughty | Capitals owner Ted Leonsis recently announced plans to move the team across the river into Virginia in hopes of, well, making more money. I assume that move will come with a name change because, last time I checked, the U.S. capital is not Alexandria, Virginia. The team won’t be terribly far from its current location, but losing a recent Stanley Cup winner is tough for D.C. 3 15-9-4
21

Red Wings
Naughty | Detroit has been a little bit deceitful this season. The Red Wings came out of the gates hot and gave fans hope that this would be the year they ended their playoff drought. The team created even more excitement when it signed Patrick Kane earlier this month. Then, the Wings pulled the rug out from under everyone. Detroit has gone 1-5-1 since adding Kane, and it has fallen out of a playoff spot. At least the Lions are going strong. 7 15-12-4
22

Flames
Naughty | Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The Flames have now fooled me two years in a row, but I will still choose to place the blame on them. After Calgary fired Darryl Sutter last offseason, I thought the team could make the playoffs in 2023-24. That’s not totally out of the question, but something is clearly still broken with the Flames, and they don’t have much financial flexibility after signing big deals in recent years. 1 13-14-5
23

Penguins
Nice | It has been a frustrating season on the gridiron for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Penguins have kindly done their best to take some heat off their NFL neighbors. Pittsburgh tried to extend its Stanley Cup window with the addition of star defenseman Erik Karlsson, but the team is still sitting outside the playoffs less than a week before Christmas. The Pens have done a nice job attracting some criticism from fans on the six days a week the Steelers are not playing. 1 14-13-3
24

Blues
Nice | Immediately after the firing of Craig Berube, Blues star Jordan Kyrou had some seemingly callous words about his former coach. That got him booed the following game, and Kyrou was clearly affected by the cold reception. The next time out, Kyrou played well and received a rousing ovation from the St. Louis fans. It was a heartwarming holiday tale of redemption and rebuilding bridges. 2 15-15-1
25

Canadiens
Nice | It can be easy to take advantage of someone when they have one arm tied behind their back, but the Canadiens have chosen to take it easy on the less fortunate. This season, Montreal has converted on just 18.0% of its power plays, and it has surrendered six shorthanded goals. The Habs have been incredibly giving when their opponents are a man down. 2 14-13-4
26

Sabres
Naughty | The Sabres have the longest active postseason drought in the NHL, and they did something horrible this season. They gave their fans hope and snatched it away almost immediately. Buffalo had such an encouraging 2022-23 season, and there was reason to believe that it could take another big step forward this year. Instead, the Sabres fell flat on their face right out of the gate, and their playoff chances are already minuscule. 1 13-17-3
27

Senators
Naughty | Here we have another Atlantic Division team that had its fan base fired up on opening night. The Sens have accumulated a lot of young skill players, and they made notable additions in free agency. Like the Sabres, the Senators were poised to flip the division on its head, but they are now five games below .500 and just fired their head coach. 5 11-16-0
28

Blue Jackets
Naughty | The Blue Jackets’ decision to hire Mike Babcock as their next head coach is enough to get them on the naughty list, even if he never coached a game for the franchise because he couldn’t help but revert to his old ways right after getting the job. Between that and a terrible on-ice product, it’s all coal in Columbus this Christmas. 1 11-17-5
29

Ducks
Naughty | The Ducks started this season with some encouraging performances, but they have since fallen off a cliff. Santa could forgive that, but what can’t be forgiven is the fact that Anaheim is the most penalized team in the league by a wide margin. The Ducks have taken 179 penalties, and the next closest team is the Wild at 143. That much time in the box is a good recipe for coal. 3 12-19-0
30

Sharks
Nice | In the season of giving, no team has been more generous than the Sharks. They are the opposite of the Kings. If a team is in a scoring drought or certain players want to pad their stats, San Jose is there for them. The Sharks have allowed 128 goals this season, which is the most in the NHL, and that probably won’t change anytime soon. 2 9-20-3
31

Kraken
Naughty | The Kraken have really been playing with people’s emotions in their first three years of existence. In its inaugural season, Seattle was one of the worst teams in the NHL despite the favorable expansion draft rules. Last year, the Kraken defied expectations by reaching the postseason and beating the defending champion Colorado Avalanche. Then when expectations were raised for the organization, the Kraken have taken up residence in the league’s basement again in 2023-24. 1 10-14-9
32

Blackhawks
Nice | Chicago is perhaps the worst team in the NHL once again, and the team has already dealt with an off-ice scandal. Having said that, it’s hard not to love Connor Bedard. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick has been excellent, and he might be the only reason to watch Blackhawks hockey this year. He is the saving grace in the Windy City. 1 10-20-1