NHL Power Rankings: Ducks surface in top 5 with division in sight

As it turns out, the Anaheim Ducks are who we thought they were.

The Ducks have vaulted into the top five, taking the biggest leap in this week's edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings.

1. Washington Capitals
(Last Week: 1)

The unflinching Caps passed only one of their two tests against Stanley Cup contenders from the West this week, but remain on pace to finish with the most points in a season since the 1995-96 Red Wings.

2. Dallas Stars ▲
(Last Week: 6)

Taking seven of eight possible points against the Blackhawks, Capitals, Predators, and Blues this week shouldn't give Jim Nill pause - Dallas needs a defenseman.

3. Chicago Blackhawks
(Last Week: 3)

Now 18 points clear in the NHL scoring race, Patrick Kane has recorded at least a point in 50 of 60 starts.

4. St. Louis Blues ▲
(Last Week: 4)

Two points from the Panthers, Lightning, and Stars, plus the return of Jaden Schwartz. Decent week.

5. Anaheim Ducks ▲
(Last Week: 12)

With 36 points from 22 games since the holiday break and a critical matchup with the Kings to close out the month of February, Anaheim could scale the entire division in two months' time.

6. Florida Panthers ▼
(Last Week: 2)

Suddenly susceptible, the Panthers have allowed 18 goals in four games without Aleksander Barkov patrolling through center.

7. Los Angeles Kings ▼
(Last Week: 4)

No thanks to Jeff Carter, the Kings surprisingly remain a top 10 team in per-game scoring. He's got just three over his last 24 games.

8. San Jose Sharks ▲
(Last Week: 9)

They might have points in nine straight home games, but the Sharks must be licking their chops after a successful start to a five-game road trip Wednesday in Tampa Bay. They can ensure a winning record on the road this season - in February - with one more win on the trip.

9. New York Rangers ▲
(Last Week: 10)

The Rangers have shown some resilience over the last month or so, improving to 6-2-1 without Rick Nash, and are 3-0-1 since captain Ryan McDonagh joined the volume scorer on the shelf.

10. Boston Bruins ▲
(Last Week: 15)

How good have the Bruins been on the road? They're just a bonus point shy of the Capitals for the league's best traveling record.

11. New York Islanders ▲
(Last Week: 13)

Aside from John Tavares' name being served up to the Toronto media this week, it's been a banner stretch for the Islanders, who have scored 22 goals in their last five games.

12. Pittsburgh Penguins ▼
(Last Week: 7)

With just two goals over the last three games, the Penguins' offense has dried up in the absence of Evgeni Malkin, who has provided no indication he's nearing a return.

13. Detroit Red Wings ▼
(Last Week: 11)

We jinxed Petr Mrazek. Our bad.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning ▼
(Last Week: 5)

Steven Stamkos isn't going anywhere, but there's no guarantee the Lightning are either. Four losses in five games sees them outside the postseason bracket.

15. Nashville Predators ▲
(Last Week: 16)

Ryan Johansen has counted 16 points in 17 games for Nashville for a 0.94 point-per-game rate that would rank in the top 15 of the NHL.

16. Colorado Avalanche ▼
(Last Week: 14)

Just curious, what could Jarome Iginla fetch on the open market over the next two weeks?

17. Carolina Hurricanes ▲
(Last Week: 19)

Justin Faulk's teammates are not helping his Norris Trophy case. The Canes have collected five points in three games, scoring three times on the power play and allowing just five goals in the workhorse's absence.

18. New Jersey Devils ▼
Last Week: 19)

Sent out for sacrifice in the second half of a back-to-back versus the Kings, Keith Kinkaid recorded his first career shutout, providing an underscore for the Devils' unexpected success.

19. Philadelphia Flyers ▲
(Last Week: 22)

Shayne Gostisbehere is doing more for his team than any other rookie.

20. Arizona Coyotes ▲
(Last Week: 16)

It took one night on the bench for Nathan Schoenfeld, the beer-leaguer who backed up Louis Domingue in a win over the Canadiens this week, to grab hold of NHL vernacular. He sounded like a 10-year vet in an interview with a Toronto radio station the morning after fulfilling every middle-aged hockey fan's dream.

21. Ottawa Senators ▼
(Last Week: 20)

Bad timing is a common theme in Dion Phaneuf's career. One win in four games since his arrival in Ottawa is no different.

22. Buffalo Sabres ▲
(Last Week: 27)

This Twitter user wins.

23. Columbus Blue Jackets ▲
(Last Week: 28)

Not an afterthought, but a never-thought-of coming into the season, Joonas Korpisalo has given the Blue Jackets an unbelievable lift. He's 9-6-4 with a .923 save percentage for what was the worst team in the league before his arrival.

24. Calgary Flames
(Last Week: 24)

Now 12 points out in the division, with 10 free agents that need to be paid or will depart for new homes, the Flames must be one of the more active teams in the lead-up to the Feb. 29 deadline.

25. Minnesota Wild ▼
(Last Week: 23)

The "struggling team's first game under a new head coach" wager cashes, naturally, as John Torchetti earns a win versus the Canucks in his first game behind the Wild bench.

26. Montreal Canadiens ▼
(Last Week: 18)

Infallible strategy to land in the lottery: Pledge protection to a coach whose players have stopped playing for him.

27. Winnipeg Jets ▼
(Last Week: 25)

Ondrej Pavelec has a 94 percent save clip since returning from injury, indicating he might be able to do just enough to prevent the Jets from earning a top five pick.

28. Vancouver Canucks ▼
(Last Week: 26)

Is it time to perhaps rethink things after a 10-4 combined defeat at the hands of the Maple Leafs and Wild?

29. Edmonton Oilers
(Last Week: 29)

Benoit Pouliot better wise up. A dumb penalty saw him dropped from Connor McDavid's line and onto the fourth unit. It may have stayed that way if Nail Yakupov wasn't Nail Yakupov.

30. Toronto Maple Leafs
(Last Week: 30)

Good news is it can't get uglier than it was in Chicago, can it?