It’s Christmas time on the ice, next week is the Winter Classic and really where the NHL season gets into full gear!!! Onto the rankings . . .
#31 Chicago Blackhawks (13-20-6, -34, LW: 31)
#30 Ottawa Senators (15-18-4, -26, LW: 23)
#29 New Jersey Devils (12-16-7, -23, LW: 29)
#28 Detroit Red Wings (15-17-6, -17, LW: 28)
#27 Arizona Coyotes (16-18-2, -8, LW: 27)
#26 New York Rangers (15-14-6, -13, LW: 25)
#25 Los Angeles Kings (14-20-3, -26, LW: 30)
#24 Philadelphia Flyers (15-16-4, -21, LW: 26)
#23 Minnesota Wild (17-15-3, +4, LW: 18)
#22 Carolina Hurricanes (15-15-5, -13, LW: 24)
#21 Dallas Stars (18-16-3, -3, LW: 20)
#20 St. Louis Blues (14-16-4, -18, LW: 21)
#19 Edmonton Oilers (18-15-3, -9, LW: 13)
#18 Anaheim Ducks (19-14-5, -14, LW: 8)
#17 Florida Panthers (15-14-6, -10, LW: 22)
#16 Colorado Avalanche (19-12-6, +14, LW: 16)
#15 Nashville Predators (22-13-2, +16, LW: 7)
#14 Vancouver Canucks (17-18-4, -8, LW: 17)
#13 Vegas Golden Knights (20-15-4, +5, LW: 9)
#12 Buffalo Sabres (21-11-5, +6, LW: 15)
This is what we were hoping for when Jack Eichel entered the league. The Sabres ran off a 10-game winning streak in November, then struggled a little bit but look to be righting the ship at just the right time. Currently it looks like both wild cards will be coming out of the Atlantic – all five teams in the Atlantic have a better point total than the third place Penguins in the Metropolitan Division – and Buffalo could be playing hockey in May for the first time since 2007.
#11 Montreal Canadiens (19-13-5, -2, LW: 10)
#10 New York Islanders (18-13-4, +3, LW: 11)
#9 Boston Bruins (20-13-4, +9, LW: 14)
#8 San Jose Sharks (19-12-7, +9, LW: 4)
#7 Pittsburgh Penguins (18-12-6, +9, LW: 19)
#6 Calgary Flames (22-12-3, +24, LW: 3)
#5 Columbus Blue Jackets (21-12-3, +8, LW: 12)
#4 Washington Capitals (22-10-3, +26, LW: 5)
#3 Winnipeg Jets (24-10-2, +27, LW: 2)
One of the two most exciting teams in the league right now. A strong run of quality drafts have netted the Jets the type of team that could possibly end their country’s drought without a Stanley Cup champion. In fact, them and the #2 team in this week’s rankings have the very serious possibility of making it an all-Canada final for the first time since 1993. Absolutely fantastic time to be a hockey fan in North America.
#2 Toronto Maple Leafs (25-10-2, +37, LW: 6)
#1 Tampa Bay Lightning (28-7-2, +48, LW: 1)
This is the other of the two most exciting teams in the NHL. Sitting atop the loaded Atlantic Division with 58 points, not one of their top dozen scorers is 30. This team can score quickly and come at you from all angles, and are just as physical and quick on defense. Combining their youth with the organization’s well run operations the Lightning will remain a force in the league for many years to come.