NHL Power Rankings: Kings push into top 3; Coyotes have hit a wall

No saturation here. The NHL's division leaders rank one through four on our latest team rankings.

1. Dallas Stars ▲
(Last Week: 2)

There are 6.29 goals a game when the Stars are involved. The league's best team is also its most exciting.

2. Washington Capitals ▲
(Last Week: 3)

It's important to remember that Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and T.J. Oshie aren't truly humming yet.

3. Los Angeles Kings ▲
(Last Week: 5)

The Kings are back being bullies, and asserting that grind-you-into-oblivion brand of heavy hockey. It's a style that better suits their current position as runaway leaders of the Pacific Division.

4. Montreal Canadiens ▼
(Last Week: 1)

Wonder if the Habs thought about going wheels up at the Carolina airport without Alex Semin. At least he'd have a friend to crash with. Maybe.

5. New York Rangers ▼
(Last Week: 4)

The college kids are fraternizing in Alain Vigneault's doghouse. Ten goals between Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider just isn't enough.

6. New York Islanders ▲
(Last Week: 8)

The shootout isn't dead. And that's a wonderful thing for the Islanders, who won three skills competitions this week and in the process now have the most shootout wins as a franchise - all time.

7. St. Louis Blues ▼
(Last Week: 6)

If the Blues do indeed use the goalie pull as nothing more than a timeout, Jake Allen and Brian Elliott sure do know how to "act" mad.

8. Minnesota Wild ▲
(Last Week: 12)

Minnesota has clamped things down after a little bit of a leaky start to the season, at least on the defensive front. The Wild have conceded two goals in four games in the month of December.

9. Detroit Red Wings ▲
(Last Week: 15)

Though he only has two goals and four assists, the Red Wings have points in 11 of 13 games with Pavel Datsyuk in the lineup. Magic.

10. Chicago Blackhawks ▲
(Last Week: 13)

Artemi Panarin's enjoying the hell out of Patrick Kane's 23-game point streak.

"ASSIST!"

11. Ottawa Senators ▲
(Last Week: 14)

Benching Mike Hoffman won't prevent him from scoring goals of the game-winning variety. Just don't expect him to happy while he does it.

12. Nashville Predators ▼
(Last Week: 10)

Pekka Rinne has been painfully average for Nashville, but borderline brutal of late. He has an .867 save percentage in four starts this month.

13. Boston Bruins ▼
(Last Week: 7)

Boston has four forwards streaking toward career-best seasons, but are still sorta treading water in the Atlantic. It's difficult to envision anything but a downward stroke.

14. San Jose Sharks ▼
(Last Week: 9)

Did Logan Couture signal his return with a hug and kiss?

How nice.

15. Pittsburgh Penguins ▼
(Last Week: 11)

Phil Kessel is on pace for 53 points. His fewest in a season with the Maple Leafs was 52. That was during the 48-game, lockout-shortened season.

16. Tampa Bay Lightning ▲
(Last Week: 18)

Jon Cooper got his extension this week. Steven Stamkos did not.

17. New Jersey Devils
(Last Week: 17)

Lee Stempniak's on pace for 64 points. If he finishes there - a total that would represent a career high - the Devils will have paid about $13,000 for each point. Show us better money puck.

18. Florida Panthers ▼
(Last Week: 16)

Two wins, two losses, but a whole whack of taxpayers' money. Not a bad week. Not a bad week at all.

19. Anaheim Ducks ▲
(Last Week: 21)

Jakob Silfverberg had more points in the Western Conference final last spring than he has in 28 games this season.

20. Winnipeg Jets ▲
(Last Week: 23)

The Manitoba Moose are an on-ice abomination. Which is strange considering the supposed strength of the team's prospect system.

21. Vancouver Canucks ▼
(Last Week: 20)

Western Canadian counterparts closing in, and quick.

22. Toronto Maple Leafs
(Last Week: 22)

Until next time, Garret Sparks.

23. Colorado Avalanche ▲
(Last Week: 27)

The Avs have scored more goals than any other team seeded outside the postseason bracket. They've been watchable, which, is about as flattering as we'll get here.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets
(Last Week: 24)

Benching your leading scorer is just another week in the life of Torts.

25. Philadelphia Flyers ▲
(Last Week: 26)

Oh, Vinny's got a sore back?

26. Arizona Coyotes ▼
(Last Week: 19)

The Yotes were outscored 24-10 and failed to pick up a single point during their five-game road trip. It's important to note that potential All Star John Scott played in just two of those games.

27. Buffalo Sabres ▼
(Last Week: 25)

Tim Murray might get that No. 1 overall pick after all.

28. Calgary Flames ▲
(Last Week: 29)

The Flames are re-creating a little bit of the magic from yesteryear, having won seven straight games at home and earning their seventh extra-time win this week.

29. Carolina Hurricanes ▼
(Last Week: 28)

Because shots aren't everything.

30. Edmonton Oilers
(Last Week: 30)

With a win Wednesday, the Oilers will be two points out of a playoff spot. If Connor McDavid returns to that, it's kinda hard to hate those odds.