For hockey fans, New Year’s Day is one of the best days in the sport thanks to the Winter Classic. Since the Winter Classic began back in 2008, it has gone from a fun outdoor gimmick to a legitimate bucket-list sporting event that everyone should attend once just to soak in a truly unique atmosphere.
This year, the NHL did something that I really appreciate. Normally, the teams involved are the largest brands the sport has to offer so the league can create a draw that those outside the sport can’t ignore. For 2024, however, the league selected its two newest franchises, the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights, to represent them at its largest show of the year. I love this idea, as it has the potential to create a once-in-a-lifetime memory that will stick with every fan who attends in a market where hockey memories aren’t deep (even if they are plentiful).
However, if you’re reading this article the day that it releases (Happy New Year everyone!) then the Winter Classic is still in the future. This Power Rankings focuses on what happened in the past, so let’s look back at a week where the NHL world finally took a breather after running hot with news for what felt like the better part of a month. There was the holiday break which stretched into Tuesday, and when we returned no one got fired, no one was traded, and the games felt a bit sloppy at times but were mostly normal.
That makes this week’s Rankings a bit dull by recent standards. We get to just look at what happened on the ice, and not have to think about anything off it. So, as we look forward to the New Year, let’s take a look at THW’s Power Rankings for week 13!
32-22: Fixing My Red Wings Holiday Mistake
32. San Jose Sharks (Previously 32nd)
31. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously 30th)
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previously 31st)
29. Ottawa Senators (Previously 29th)
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously 28th)
27. Montreal Canadiens (Previously 24th)
26. Detroit Red Wings (Previously 17th)
25. Buffalo Sabres (Previously 26th)
24. St. Louis Blues (Previously 25th)
23. Calgary Flames (Previously 19th)
22. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously 27th)
So, I’m not going to lie, I made a mistake in my Rankings last week. When the Red Wings lost to the Anaheim Ducks, and proceeded to go 1-3-0 against opponents of varying quality, I knew that it was time to move them into the bottom section. I believed in this franchise to start the season, but it just feels like everything has gone wrong for them since that strong start. However, I completely forgot to move them down in my final article, which left them, somewhat perplexingly, still ranked 17th. I blame the holiday haze.
This week, I’m not making that same mistake. I don’t think Detroit is a terrible team this season, but man are they playing like one. All of the pieces are there for a playoff push, but between injuries, underperformance, and some free-agent swings not panning out over the last two seasons, they find themselves back in the NHL’s cellar. Steve Yzerman may be beloved by the Red Wings, but even his time may be running out if this storied franchise doesn’t get back into the playoff hunt soon.
Elsewhere at the bottom of the Rankings, it’s time to talk about the Sharks again. For a moment, they were a fun good bad team that could steal games away from unsuspecting opponents. After losing eight straight games, they are back to being a bad-bad team. It was fun while it lasted, but all eyes are on the 2024 NHL Draft again in San Jose.
It’s also time for me to officially call it quits on the Flames. I kept thinking they would go on a bit of a run and make it back into the playoff conversation, but that just hasn’t happened. This franchise is primed for a selloff at the 2024 Trade Deadline, and I expect more moves to be made sooner than later in that regard. I don’t see them fighting their way out of the bottom of the Rankings for the rest of the season.
Oh, and big shoutouts to Kris Letang, who became the first NHL defenseman to score five points in a single period this week en route to a 7-0 blowout win against the New York Islanders. Letang and the Penguins reminded everyone in the NHL that they can’t be left for dead yet, and even though they have a lot of work to do, they still have an opportunity to go on one more run.
21-10: Maple Leafs Show Their Mediocre Colors
21. Seattle Kraken (Previously 23rd)
20. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously 16th)
19. Washington Capitals (Previously 15th)
18. Minnesota Wild (Previously 21st)
17. New Jersey Devils (Previously 20th)
16. New York Islanders (Previously 13th)
15. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously 22nd)
14. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously 14th)
13. Nashville Predators (Previously 11th)
12. Edmonton Oilers (Previously 18th)
11. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously 7th)
10. Arizona Coyotes (Previously 12th)
The previous eight games for the Maple Leafs have been one of the weirdest stretches I can remember for any team in recent memory. The team made a historic comeback only to lose, dominated an opponent 7-0, surrendered nine goals, and most importantly lost three straight games since returning from the holiday break.
To put it simply, panic is setting in for Toronto. Their goaltending is an issue again, and while the team is scoring, they aren’t hitting the back of the net often enough to hide their problems. Due to all this, moving them into the middle of the Rankings felt right. This is a great team when things are working properly, but this season, they have mostly shown that they are mediocre on the ice.
As for teams climbing out of their early season misery, both the Kraken and Oilers are trying to make up for lost time. Both teams won four and five straight games this week, respectively, and are looking like the franchises that made it to the second round of the 2023 playoffs. However, Seattle has played more games than Edmonton, so that could hold them back from making a full turnaround. Don’t be surprised if both franchises are back in the hunt by the time the trade deadline rolls around, however.
I’m starting to find it difficult to not move teams in this part of the Rankings, because I want to drop them either ten spots or one each week. Due to this, I’m trying to take a more measured approach this week, even though I’m running out of patience with teams like the Lightning and Capitals and starting to think that the Coyotes and Flyers will be Stanley Cup contenders with their fantastic structure and strong starters in the net.
9-1: Panthers and Rangers Making Big Moves
9. Boston Bruins (Previously 10th)
8. Los Angeles Kings (Previously 4th)
7. Colorado Avalanche (Previously 8th)
6. Dallas Stars (Previously 6th)
5. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously 5th)
4. Florida Panthers (Previously 9th)
3. Winnipeg Jets (Previously 2nd)
2. Vancouver Canucks (Previously 1st)
1. New York Rangers (Previously 3rd)
I was ready to call the Panthers frauds last week after they lost their scoring touch for weeks, but a strong showing against the Golden Knights kept me from doing so last Rankings. Well, my patience paid off, as Florida proceeded to win their three games following the break, and they now have four big wins against some quality opponents. We all understand how scary this team can be, and it looks like they are rounding back into form after a few down weeks.
A team that the Panthers beat this week, the Rangers, I also moved up the Rankings, as I put them back into first overall. Despite that tough loss, they beat up the Capitals and Lightning, which reminded me just how good they are. This isn’t to speak ill of the Canucks, either, but just to say the top of the standings are really tight right now.
I wish I could differentiate these teams more, but it’s hard to separate a lot of franchises that are just playing great hockey. The Stars, Jets, and Avalanche are firing on all cylinders, whereas the Bruins and Golden Knights are working their way back from down weeks by their lofty standards.
Really, it’s just the Kings I’m a little bit shaky on in this top section. I’ve been a big supporter of L.A. this season, but they haven’t looked right in recent games. I don’t expect this stretch of play to last for long, but it’s something to keep an eye on, just in case they have a bit of a market correction after a dominant start to the season.
New Year Brings Excitement to the NHL
With the Winter Classic mere hours away, there’s a lot to be excited about across the NHL world as we look forward to the rest of the 2024 season. The first few months have been tumultuous, to be sure, but all of this change is in pursuit of the Stanley Cup. The field feels wide open, as I really don’t think there is a favorite amongst this strong crowd.
Related: Oilers Insider Calls Jack Campbell Signing “Unmitigated Disaster”
So, I just want to say let’s all sit back and enjoy what I’m certain will be a great show throughout 2024. There’s so much to look forward to in the coming months, and I will do my best to cover it each week here in the Rankings. As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read this article, and I hope you enjoy many more in the coming weeks and months as we look towards 2024.