When it comes to weekly articles like this one, you expect there to be ebbs and flows in the news cycle. You may see a big trade or head coaching change happen, but you also know that most weeks, the only thing worth talking about will be the actual games played. The 2023-24 NHL season has not followed this expectation.
The drama continued on Saturday when the New York Islanders fired head coach Lane Lambert less than two seasons after they made the surprising move to fire Barry Trotz. When the Islanders fired Trotz, it was a desperate move to fix their ailing offensive game which was letting down a stellar defensive and goaltending core. While they qualified for the 2023 Postseason, so far the 2023-24 season hasn’t been great for New York. They had a big losing streak early, and with a 2-6-2 street over their last 10 games played before the firing, their playoff hopes were quickly fading.
However, that’s not where the drama ends in this story. To replace Lambert, the Islanders hired Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy to return to the NHL. There’s no doubting Roy’s talent both on and off the ice, as he served as head coach of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts for years and helped lead the storied franchise to its third Memorial Cup victory in franchise history. Needless to say, that’s a big-name addition who’s going to bring a totally new personality to Long Island
There’s a lot more to be said about this move, so I’m going to let THW’s own Mike Fink give more context in the article linked below. I really didn’t expect the Islanders to be in this position, but that’s what happens when things just aren’t working and expectations are playoffs or bust every season.
Related: Islanders Fire Lambert Midseason: Why Lamoriello Pulled the Plug
On the ice, I’m going to call 2024 the year of the streak. It felt like every team this week was either on or ending a winning/losing streak. This play has made it difficult to really judge the league, because we’re seeing a bit of pullback for those teams who won a lot to start the new year and finally competitive play turning to wins on the scoreboard for others.
That doesn’t mean that there won’t be movement this week, but I’m not expecting as much as I made last week. I think things are settling in at the lower and higher parts of the Rankings, with only the middle portion really making it had to judge.
So, with another head coach firing on our minds, let’s take at look at THW’s Week 16 Power Rankings!
32-25: Rare Wins in the NHL’s Basement
32. San Jose Sharks (Previously 32nd)
31. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously 31st)
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previously 30th)
29. Montreal Canadiens (Previously 26th)
28. Ottawa Senators (Previously 29th)
27. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously 28th)
26. Minnesota Wild (Previously 27th)
25. Buffalo Sabres (Previously 25th)
You know things aren’t going well for your team when you beat an opponent and they fire their head coach because that loss was an unacceptable outcome for a winnable game. While the Blackhawks’ 4-3 overtime victory against the Islanders certainly wasn’t the only reason why Lambert was fired, it was a last straw that reminds how the rest of the league views many of the teams at the bottom of this Rankings.
It’s not all doom and gloom down here, however. The Ducks, Wild, and Blue Jackets all won games against teams in playoff position this week. On top of that, the Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen posted back-to-back shutouts for the Sabres, which gave the struggling franchise a rare glimpse at elite goaltending. This is likely too little too late for these teams, but it’s a fun reminder that there’s still a lot of talent out there and you can’t overlook anyone at the bottom of the standings.
That being said, I still wouldn’t have too high hopes for any team listed here. Most of them are just waiting out January so they can start making deals in February leading up to the trade deadline in March.
24-12: The NHL’s Lacking Middle
24. Calgary Flames (Previously 24th)
23. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously 23rd)
22. New York Islanders (Previously 21st)
21. Washington Capitals (Previously 22nd)
20. New Jersey Devils (Previously 16th)
19. Arizona Coyotes (Previously 20th)
18. Los Angeles Kings (Previously 15th)
17. St. Louis Blues (Previously 19th)
16. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously 14th)
15. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously 17th)
14. Detroit Red Wings (Previously 18th)
13. Seattle Kraken (Previously 11th)
12. Nashville Predators (Previously 13th)
Here we are again, back trying to separate out the middle of the NHL. I’ve said for weeks that I wish I felt a bit stronger about any team listed in this section, but it’s just hard to care when they are all so… mid. The Metropolitan Division is getting a lot of representation towards the bottom of this section, as the Penguins, Islanders, Capitals, and Devils all find themselves listed between 20th and 23rd. Their combined stretch of weak play and underwhelming seasons so far has allowed the Atlantic Division to grab both Wild Card spots, which is not something I was expecting to say at the halfway point of the season.
For their part, the Atlantic Division is starting to get things going again, mostly. The Lightning had a five-game winning streak before that was snapped by the Red Wings Sunday which put these franchises in dead heat for third place in the division. The Maple Leafs are also continuing their rollercoaster season, as they went 2-2 this week and have almost all hope of winning the Atlantic Division slip away over the last few weeks. If this mediocre play continues they might be fighting for their postseason lives despite incredible scoring numbers from their star players.
The Kraken also went on a bit of a losing skid after having their winning streak ended this week. That tends to happen in these situations, but losing four games in a row really put a hard stop on any momentum they gained after winning nine straight. Also, while we’re in the Pacific Division, I have to point out that the Kings finally ended their eight-game losing streak Saturday, which may have saved head coach Todd McLellan’s job as we’ve seen contending teams have no patience for bad play this season.
Now, I expect these standings to shift a lot over the next week. Few teams in the middle part of the Rankings have been able to play consistently this season, so I wouldn’t be shocked if the Kings win their next four straight games, and the Islanders experience a Fool’s Rally and win five of their next six after firing their head coach. In a league this tight, that’s all it may take to get comfortably back in the postseason hunt.
11-1: Struggling Winners in the NHL
11. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously 12th)
10. New York Rangers (Previously 8th)
9. Florida Panthers (Previously 2nd)
8. Dallas Stars (Previously 9th)
7. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously 6th)
6. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously 10th)
5. Boston Bruins (Previously 5th)
4. Edmonton Oilers (Previously 7th)
3. Colorado Avalanche (Previously 4th)
2. Vancouver Canucks (Previously 3rd)
1. Winnipeg Jets (Previously 1st)
What an absolutely brutal week for the Florida Panthers. After tearing off a nine-game winning streak, they proceeded to drop their next four games against the Devils, Ducks, Red Wings, and Wild. Yes, these things happen when you end a winning streak, but you can’t lose to those teams and expect to stay near the top of the Rankings in a league this competitive.
When it comes to winning, the Oilers just kept chugging along this week. They have now won 13 straight games (Which set a Canadian-based team record), and while these games are not always perfect, they are rarely blowing out their opponents either during this stretch of dominant play. Instead, they are winning games 4-2 and 3-1, which may be more sustainable as the season progresses.
I also want to introduce the Flyers to the top section of the Rankings. While Philadelphia’s rise this season would be easy to overlook, the franchise has slowly proven that they deserve to be in the discussion for more than just a fringe playoff appearance. If they keep up this solid play they could realistically win the Metropolitan Divisions, which would be an outcome no one expected at the start of the season, even if a rough weekend set back these dreams slightly.
I also have to call out this fluky goal scored by Egor Zamula, just because it’s one of the stranger sequences I’ve seen in an NHL game this season. Remember kids, always play to the whistle!
Dramatic 2023-24 NHL Season Continues
You can make the argument that this is the most dramatic season off the ice in some 20-plus years. While there have been historic feats happening throughout 2023-24, I can’t help but point toward all of the drama off it when I start any discussion.
Related: Top 10 Highest Scoring NHL Games of the Modern Era
I wasn’t expecting another coaching change to occur this week, yet here we are. At this rate, I wouldn’t be shocked if we see another head coach dismissed from their duties before the All-Star break. We’re quickly running out of hot-seat candidates, but all it takes is a few bad games for that to change. For now, hopefully you can just enjoy some hockey with your head coach making the right calls throughout the game.