NHL Power Rankings: Coyotes leap 10 spots, Rangers the No. 1 contender
Eleven teams - seven in the Eastern Conference - have between 15 and 18 points. There's a logjam in the middle of the pack, but we try to make sense of it all below. There's also some movement in the top 10.
1. Montreal Canadiens
(Last Week: 1)
Montreal has six players with 14 points, Tomas Plekanec and David Desharnais are two of the most underrated centers in the league, and "Dutch Gretzky" may be the NHL's best nickname. The Canadiens are first until they're not.
2. New York Rangers ▲
(Last Week: 3)
#NYR @HLundqvist30's .949 SV% is the best any NYR goaltender has posted in his first 12 games of a season since NHL began tracking (75-76)
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 11, 2015
3. St. Louis Blues ▲
(Last Week: 5)
Jake Allen's stopped 204 of the last 210 shots he's faced. That's good for a .971 save percentage. He's stopped 96 straight. He's in a zone.
4. Dallas Stars ▼
(Last Week: 2)
The Stars are the West's best team, have the conference's best goal differential (plus-14), and two of their four losses have come against the Maple Leafs. Life is weird.
5. Washington Capitals ▲
(Last Week: 8)
In an era dominated by goalies, Alex Ovechkin stands alone.
"The truth is that we are witnessing one of the most amazing players in NHL history, even if not all of us understand that yet." (Kevin Allen, USA Today Sports)
More required Caps reading: "The Renaissance of the Washington Capitals."
6. Nashville Predators ▲
(Last Week: 10)
The Predators scored seven goals in a game. Never forget.
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
(Last Week: 7)
Sidney Crosby is 168th in the league in scoring.
8. Minnesota Wild ▲
(Last Week: 9)
Minnesota is fourth in the league in goals per game (3.10), 18th in goals against (2.70), and 23rd on the penalty kill (76.7 percent). These aren't your parents' Wild.
9. Los Angeles Kings ▼
(Last Week: 4)
I can’t think of anything more I want than Patrick Marleau winning the Stanley Cup as a member of the LA Kings.
— The Royal Half (@theroyalhalf) November 11, 2015
10. Vancouver Canucks ▼
(Last Week: 6)
Ryan Miller's October seems to have caught up to him in November, making Jacob Markstrom's health ultra important moving forward.
11. New York Islanders
(Last Week: 11)
There's reason to be concerned about John Tavares's play. He has the lowest ceremonial faceoff win percentage (.000) in the NHL right now.
— Daniel Friedman (@DFriedmanOnNYI) November 11, 2015
12. Arizona Coyotes ▲
(Last Week: 22)
Led by Max Domi, the Coyotes are the best story in the league through five weeks.
Max Domi got a special blessing as a baby. #Coyotes pic.twitter.com/dXkfiCIZ1Y
— Jen (@NHLhistorygirl) November 10, 2015
13. Detroit Red Wings ▲
(Last Week: 17)
Datsyuk comin'.
14. New Jersey Devils ▲
(Last Week: 19)
Travis Zajac has 11 points in 14 games. He had 25 in 74 last season.
15. Chicago Blackhawks ▼
(Last Week: 14)
Patrick Kane has 211 points in his last 192 regular-season games.
16. Winnipeg Jets ▼
(Last Week: 12)
It's time to ride Michael Hutchinson.
17. Anaheim Ducks ▲
(Last Week: 25)
You still have as many goals as Ryan Getzlaf.
18. Boston Bruins ▼
(Last Week: 13)
Boston has a positive goal differential (plus-2) despite its .887 team save percentage. That's a miracle.
19. Ottawa Senators ▼
(Last Week: 16)
Craig Anderson's down to .907, and Andrew Hammond never loses, so ...
20. Buffalo Sabres ▲
(Last Week: 23)
The Sabres are a game below .500 and three points out of a playoff spot. Dan Bylsma is the mayor of Buffalo, as far as we're concerned.
21. Tampa Bay Lightning ▼
(Last Week: 18)
This is essentially the same team that led the NHL in scoring last season, and they're 24th in 2015-16. It'll come.
22. Florida Panthers ▼
(Last Week: 15)
Jaromir Jagr, age 43, on pace for 43 goals. All hail the ageless wonder.
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzESPN) November 11, 2015
Jaromir Jagr as life coach:
"It's up to you. It's not about the age. It's about the willingness to do it. Age has nothing to do with it. It's just attitude. ... I believe as long as you're healthy, you can do anything you want." (ESPN)
Jagr wants to play until he's 50, which means he will.
23. San Jose Sharks ▼
(Last Week: 20)
Fun Patrick Marleau fact: Even though the narrative around him is opposite, no player has more playoff goals than him since he entered NHL.
— Adam Gretz (@AGretz) November 11, 2015
24. Carolina Hurricanes
(Last Week: 24)
Second-best Corsi For rating in the league, though ...
25. Edmonton Oilers ▼
(Last Week: 21)
The more things change in the Oilers' crease ...
ICE COLD: @EdmontonOilers G-Cam Talbot is 1-4-0 in his last 5 starts with a 3.86 GAA and a .865 sv pct. #Oilers #NHL #Strugglin'
— NHL Live (@NHL_Live_Tweets) November 11, 2015
26. Toronto Maple Leafs ▲
(Last Week: 27)
Jonathan Bernier has a .915 save percentage in 165 starts and 182 games. James Reimer has a .913 save percentage in 167 starts and 184 games. Bernier played for the Kings. Reimer's only played for the Maple Leafs. So, you tell me, who's the better goalie?
27. Colorado Avalanche ▼
(Last Week: 26)
Reto Berra has the NHL's best save percentage. Yep.
28. Calgary Flames ▲
(Last Week: 30)
Imagine where this team would be without Johnny Gaudreau.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets
(Last Week: 29)
John Tortorella's Blue Jackets are 4-5. There's life, at least.
30. Philadelphia Flyers ▼
(Last Week: 28)
You still have as many goals as Jakub Voracek, too.