– Last Updated on November 21, 2022 4:51 pm
NHL Power Rankings December 5th
Looking for our updated NHL Power Rankings?Two weeks have passed since my last edition of the Power Rankings – those weeks seem like an eternity with what we have seen take place. The top 4 teams in the Overall standing have been playing .500 hockey the last two weeks causing a bit of a shakeup throughout.
Columbus and St. Louis have been surging, the Caps and the Lightning have been slumping and the previous #1 Hawks have experienced some mid-season injuries.
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So where does your favorite team sit as we roll into the dog days of NHL Regular Season? Let’s take a look in Dave B’s bi-weekly NHL Power Rankings.
1. New York Rangers (17-8-1)
– Two Weeks Ago: 3
The Rangers take over top spot in the Rankings this week, mostly because the other top dogs have struggled. New York is just 5-4-1 in their last 10 games but you just can’t ignore the offense here – they have scored a league-leading 95 goals on the year and they have 14 players with 10 or more points – impressive. When Henrik Lundqvist finds his All-Star form New York becomes a very, very tough team.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins (15-7-3)
– Two Weeks Ago: 5
The Penguins are just 5-4-1 in their last 10 games as well but they do enter this week on a two game win streak. Sidney Crosby continues to lead the league in goals despite missing the first few and the team as a whole is playing well in both ends of the rink.
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With leadership galore and talent up and down the lineup there is no reason to think the Pens don’t stay top 5.
3. Montreal Canadiens (17-6-2)
– Two Weeks Ago: 2
The Habs still lead the Overall Standings but the team has gone just 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and there seems to be something amiss with Max Pacioretty who could be on the trade block shockingly. But with Alex Radulov more than doing his share and with the team allowing just 56 goals in their 25 games, Montreal still looks like a power in the East.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets (14-5-4)
– Two Weeks Ago: 7
Shocker – the Jackets are the hottest team in the NHL heading into this week – 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and enter the week on a three game win streak. They have allowed just 52 goals in 23 games (second best in the NHL). They have the league’s best power play – 23.8% and Sergei Bobrovsky has been sensational between the pipes. I don’t know how long it lasts but for now Columbus is top 5.
5. St. Louis Blues (14-7-4)
– Two Weeks Ago: 8
The Blues have also been hot the last couple of weeks 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Somehow the team has a negative goal differential however – they have allowed more goals than they have scored so far. They are 9-0-3 in their last 12 on home ice and with Vladimir Tarasenko playing the way he is there is little reason to think a dropoff is imminent.
6. Chicago Blackhawks (16-8-3)
– Two Weeks Ago: 1
The Blackhawks are banged up – Jonathan Toews and Corey Crawford are both on the sidelines right now with injury but this is the Blackhawks we are talking about. Sure they have lost two straight heading into the week but no team has more depth up front than this squad. Chicago has earned the benefit of the doubt.
7. Ottawa Senators (15-8-2)
– Two Weeks Ago: 12
Ottawa sits in seventh place in the Overall Standings despite having let in as many goals as it has scored! The team is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games overall – pretty good considering they have been relying on Mike Condon between the pipes. Starter Craig Anderson is still on leave to be with his wife – the Sens look like they are playing for him!
8. San Jose Sharks (15-9-1)
– Two Weeks Ago: 20
The San Jose Sharks take the biggest jump in the Rankings thanks to a 6-0-3 stretch. They enter the week on a three game win streak and in eighth in the Overall standings mostly thanks to goaltender Martin Jones who is 8-2-1 in his last 11 starts and Brent Burns who has firmly established himself as one of the top defensemen in the NHL.
9. Boston Bruins (14-10-1)
– Two Weeks Ago: 9
The Bruins head into this week on a two game win streak and are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. The team has scored just 59 goals on the season – somewhat of a concern but with Tuukka Rask back to form Boston is a dangerous team going forward.
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The impending return of Zdeno Chara after a six game absence makes this team a whole lot better!
10. Edmonton Oilers (14-10-2)
– Two Weeks Ago: 15
The Oilers seem to be over their mini-slump – they have gone 5-3-2 in their last 10 games. Conor McDavid still leads the league in points, Cam Talbot is still playing inspired hockey in the Oilers net and the team is 8-4-1 on the road. Somehow Edmonton is a .500 team at home – something that will have to change for them to advance this year.
11. Washington Capitals (13-7-3)
– Two Weeks Ago: 4
The Caps have been underwhelming to say the least – just 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and they enter this week on a three game losing streak. The team is still playing well defensively – just 53 goals allowed but they have scored just 58 so far – something that is going to have to change going forward.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (14-11-2)
– Two Weeks Ago: 6
The Lightning are finally starting to feel the Steven Stamkos injury! The team has gone just 4-5-1 in their last 10 games overall. They made a run without Steve last year – time to pull up their socks again and establish themselves as a contender!
13. Philadelphia (14-10-3) – Two Weeks Ago: 18
14. Anaheim (12-9-5) – Two Weeks Ago: 11
15. Los Angeles (13-10-2) – Two Weeks Ago: 21
16. New Jersey (11-7-6) – Two Weeks Ago: 10
17. Minnesota (11-8-4) – Two Weeks Ago: 14
18. Nashville (11-9-4) – Two Weeks Ago: 23
19. Florida (12-11-2) – Two Weeks Ago: 13
20. Calgary (13-13-2) – Two Weeks Ago: 28
21. Winnipeg (13-13-2) – Two Weeks Ago: 17
22. Detroit (12-11-3) – Two Weeks Ago: 24
23. Dallas (10-10-6) – Two Weeks Ago: 19
24. Vancouver (11-12-2) – Two Weeks Ago: 27
25. Toronto (10-9-5) – Two Weeks Ago: 16
26. New York Islanders (9-10-5) – Two Weeks Ago: 30
27. Buffalo (9-10-5) – Two Weeks Ago: 26
28. Carolina (10-10-5) – Two Weeks Ago: 22
29. Arizona (8-11-4) – Two Weeks Ago: 29
30. Colorado (9-13-1) – Two Weeks Ago: 25
What do you think about our NHL power rankings this week? Leave us a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.
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