Week 17/18 Power Rankings
- Montreal Canadians
Record: 8-33-7
Last Week: 32
The Canadians have fired their head coach Dominique Ducharme and hired former NHLer and forever short king Martin St. Louis, which is a bold move for a team in a position like that Canadians are.
- Buffalo Sabres
Record: 15-24-8
Last Week: 29
The Sabres are back to where they starting the seasons, bottom of this power rankings.
- Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 15-24-8
Last Week: 27
The Flyers have really nothing to be excited about; no scoring, defense or goaltending…actually Carter Hart has really not been that bad for how bad the rest of the team has been.
- Arizona Coyotes
Record: 12-32-4
Last Week: 31
The Coyotes’ new stadium is getting ready for them, well they’re rink with some seats..just read Stephans story on the Coyotes.
- Seattle Kraken
Record: 16-29-4
Last Week: 28
The Kraken are just getting ready for the deadline..they don’t have much else going on other than losing games. Sorry, that was mean.
- New Jersey Devils
Record: 17-27-5
Last Week: 30
The Devils scored seven goals in back-to-back games, and all of a sudden New Jersey is a fun team to watch again.
- Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 18-24-7
Last week: 25
The Blackhawks are on a 2-8-0 streak, so not good. The Blackhawks are not a very good team….at all.
- Ottawa Senators
Record: 17-24-4
Last Week: 26
The Senators are what I like to call “a fun team to watch” which means they are not going to win many games, but hey they are fun.
- Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 23-22-1
Last Week: 24
Patrik Laine has a ROCKET, and that is an understatement. He had 3 goals in three games, and one game-winner that couldn’t be stopped by the greatest goalie of all time.
- Detroit Red Wings
Record: 22-22-6
Last Week: 23
The Red Wings are a .500 team at best, but that is nothing to be down about, because of the roster. It is young, and when a young team can compete in every game, it is a good thing.
- San Jose Sharks
Record: 22-21-4
Last Week: 22
The Sharks are in a difficult citation. They need to get things going if they want to be in the playoff race.
- New York Islanders
Record: 17-19-6
Last Week: 17
The Islanders are getting no offense, and the goo stretch they had, one of which gave hope to Islanders fans, is gone.
- Vancouver Canucks
Record: 22-21-6
Last Week: 20
J.T. Miller is scorching hot for the Canucks, and that has helped Vancouver get a couple of wins.
- Winnipeg Jets
Record: 20-18-8
Last Week: 21
The Jets are going to need a couple of players to get hot and fast if they want to compete for a playoff spot.
- Edmonton Oilers
Record: 25-18-3
Last Week: 19
The Oilers fired their head coach Dave Tippet after losing back-to-back games. The Oilers have little help on defense and in goal, until that changes they should not be considered contenders.
- Los Angeles Kings
Record: 24-16-7
Last Week: 19
The Kings were thought of as a rebuilding team coming into the season, but they are currently holding a playoff spot in the West.
- Anaheim Ducks
Record 23-17-9
Last Week: 16
The Ducks’ amazing start to the season has slowed down the last two months.
- Dallas Stars
Record: 25-19-2
Last Week: 15
The Stars are having a very up and down season as well, but for now, they are playing well, and that has gotten them just three games out of a playoff spot.
- Washington Capitals
Record: 26-15-9
Last Week: 7
It has been up and down for the Capitals for quite a while now, and that is why they are so low on this Week 17/18 Power Rankings.
- Nashville Predators
Record: 28-16-4
Last Week: 11
The Predators are not enjoying the new year as they continue to fall from their top 2 spots in the standing, and this last week’s losses to the Stars and Jets did not help that.
- St. Louis Blues
Record: 27-14-5
Last Week: 12
The Blues may be looking at a starting goalie chance soon with Husso out playing Binnington lately. This is staying here because Husso has emerged as the number one, mostly because of Binningtons latest start.
- Boston Bruins
Record: 27-16-3
Last Week: 13
The Bruins are in the midst of Brad Marchand’s six-game suspension, and things have gone good and bad. They got killed by the Hurricanes, and lost to the Rangers in a shootout, but came out with a win against the Senators.
- Las Vegas Golden Knights
Record: 28-17-3
Last Week 10
The Golden Knights get Jack Eichel Wednesday night versus the Avalanche, but it came at the cost of Mark Stone as he got put on LTIR.
- Calgary Flames
Record: 26-13-6
Last Week: 14
The Flames are enjoying a six-game win streak and traded for an offensive weapon in Tyler Toffoli. That is good enough to move into the top 10 in this Week 17/18 Power Rankings! It is becoming more and more realistic that Calgary may be ready to make a run for the cup.
- New York Rangers
Record: 30-13-4
Last Week: 6
The Rangers have offensive skill, defensive skill, and good goaltending, which all adds up to a very good team. After an impressive win over the Bruins, the schedule gets easier for the Rangers and that should add up to some wins.
- Tampa Bay Lighting
Record: 31-11-6
Last Week: 5
The Lighting has not been too overly lethal in February, but they also have gotten a lot of stars back from injury, who are just getting some of their juice back.
- Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 32-11-3
Last Week: 4
The Hurricanes crushed the Bruins, then lost to the Wild in a great battle. The Canes are a very good team, I could argue they are slightly inconsistent, but a good team non less.
- Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 31-12-3
Last Week: 7
The Leafs are a team that can lose back-to-back games, then go on to crush a team, oh wait, that’s exactly what happens. The Leafs are a dangerous team, but they also need more consistency.
- Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 30-11-8
Last Week: 9
Well, I finally gave in and moved the Penguins up in the top 5. The Pens have been very good for a majority of the season, but as of late, they have been excellent. Their core of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang may be nearing the end, but right now, it is WIN NOW.
- Florida Panthers
Record: 32-10-5
Last Week 2
Well, the Panthers have not played since February 1st, so I can’t really judge their latest performance, but I do know that they have a tough couple of matchups coming up this weekend when they play the Wild and Hurricanes, both away.
- Minnesota Wild
Record: 27-10-3
Last Week: 5
The Wild had two of their stars get out to slow starts in Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala, well those slow starts are irrelevant now. They also have another possible Calder finalist in Matt Boldy who scored his first career Hattrick.
- Colorado Avalanche
Record: 34-8-4
Last Week: 1
The Avalanche have not lost a game in regulation in nearly two full months, I think that is good enough to take back the top spot on this Week 17/18 Power Rankings.
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