For most, sports are a break from day-to-day reality. Win or lose, watching a game, discussing it with friends, listening to podcasts, or obsessing over a fantasy team is a fun distraction. Sure, it hurts when your team loses, but that makes the victories feel all the better.
While revamping this weekly NHL Power Rankings article, I tried to embrace the fun nature of sports. Yes, there are real-world negative implications of a coach being fired or an injury occurring, but those actions happen within the realm of hockey.
However, it’s important to remember that those who participate in sports are still real people, and they can make choices that have real-world implications for other players, fans, legally, and even in global politics. When allegations were made against the 2018 Canadian World Juniors hockey team of sexual assault back in 2022, this prompted a massive investigation of Hockey Canada that went far beyond sports.
This week we saw the potential start of the end of this year-plus-long investigation. If I’m being honest, I don’t feel properly equipped to discuss this topic in detail, so I’m going to link to Jim Parson’s THW article below where the events of the week were given further detail.
Please Read: Five 2018 Canadian World Juniors Players Told to Surrender
Now, I don’t believe this article is the place to have a deep conversation about this investigation, especially since we simply don’t have the full story yet. It is important to remember that official word has not been given about the players who stepped away from their teams this week, and it’s not the time to speculate on the topic as this isn’t trade chatter or a contract negotiation playing out in the public light. This is a serious criminal investigation that needs to be treated with respect, so it’s important to let the situation play out instead of joining in on speculation.
However, I felt the need to address this topic at the top of this article, because ignoring it is also not the right choice in this situation. Be an educated consumer of media when it comes to this topic, and always make sure to understand what’s an official source.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to transition from a topic that serious back to hockey, but I just have to talk about an incredible week between two of the NHL’s best players. In case you missed it, Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon are running away with the 2024 scoring race, but find themselves in a near-tie at the top of the standings. This week encapsulated how insane their scoring prowess has been.
On Tuesday, Kucherov posted a four-point night which included a hat trick to take the league lead in scoring. On Wednesday, MacKinnon returned the favor with a four-goal, five-point night. On Thursday, Kucherov ‘slowed down’ with a three-point game. On Friday Mackinnon scored two more points which Kucherov matched on Saturday with two more assists.
So, after a 16-point week between the two superstars and 49 games played each this season, Kucherov is at the top of the standings with 85 points, but MacKinnon is close behind at 84. These are video game numbers rarely seen from one player in a season, let alone two, and should be watched closely for the rest of the season. Now, with that bit of fun to keep an eye on, let’s turn our attention to Week 17 of THW’s Power Rankings.
32-25: Rare Wins in the NHL’s Basement
32. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously 31st)
31. San Jose Sharks (Previously 32nd)
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previously 30th)
29. Montreal Canadiens (Previously 29th)
28. Ottawa Senators (Previously 28th)
27. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously 27th)
26. Minnesota Wild (Previously 26th)
25. Buffalo Sabres (Previously 25th)
I don’t need to tell you that the teams at the bottom of this Rankings aren’t playing the best hockey, but even by that standard, the Blackhawks had a big oof of a week. As a team ravaged by injuries, it just feels like there’s no one left to actually score, let alone win. They were shut out in three of their previous four games, and somehow have fallen behind the Sharks for last place in the league despite San Jose having two 10-game plus losing streaks this season. Sure an extension for Petr Mrazek will at least give them an NHL goaltender for the next few seasons, but it’s going to be a long few weeks until the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline brings something for fans to look forward to.
I don’t really have a lot else to say about the teams at the bottom of the Rankings this week, other than there may be more joining them shortly. Separation is occurring in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race, which means it would take a five-plus game winning streak to pull themselves back into the playoff hunt. If this doesn’t happen soon, those near the bottom of the league might decide to become sellers earlier than expected in order to jump the line on the trade market.
24-11: NHL All-Star Break to Decide Your Future
24. New York Islanders (Previously 22nd)
23. Washington Capitals (Previously 21st)
22. New Jersey Devils (Previously 20th)
21. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously 23rd)
20. Arizona Coyotes (Previously 19th)
19. Calgary Flames (Previously 24th)
18. Seattle Kraken (Previously 13th)
17. Los Angeles Kings (Previously 18th)
16. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously 11th)
15. St. Louis Blues (Previously 17th)
14. Nashville Predators (Previously 12th)
13. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously 16th)
12. Detroit Red Wings (Previously 14th)
11. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously 15th)
While I already mentioned Kucherov, I’d be remiss to not discuss the Lightning in general right now. While they started the season slowly, they have now gone 8-2-0 in their last ten and look great as a unit. Victor Hedman sits fourth in defenseman scoring with 50 points in 48 games played after experiencing a letdown last season, which is a return to form. Oh, and Andrei Vasilevskiy has won eight of his last 10 games despite not looking 100 percent normal after returning from injury in December. So, Tampa Bay still has room to improve, which is slightly worrying for anyone else in the league.
Also, the Atlantic Division is killing it right now. The Red Wings and Maple Leafs have a five-plus point buffer on their Metropolitan Division counterparts for the two Wild Card positions, which means they are quickly taking control of their future. Detroit in particular could be big buyers at the deadline, as they have a wealth of valuable assets to bring in the right players for a postseason push.
In order for this separation to occur, it means others must be struggling. Well, the Devils, Capitals, Penguins, and Islanders have done little to bring themselves back into the postseason hunt. All four teams have records below .500 in their last 10 games played, and they are just giving up ground in the standings each night. Somehow the Flyers have lost five straight games yet still are comfortably holding onto third place in the division, which shows how bad things have been in the Metropolitan.
Out West, the Coyotes, Kings, and Kraken are all struggling with consistency again. This has allowed the Blues and Flames to sneak back into the playoff hunt despite being very mediocre throughout 2023-24. Once again, this race is still wide open but no team seems ready to grab their playoff spot just yet. Perhaps that will change in the weeks after the All-Star break.
10-1: Pure Lunacy From the Oilers
10. New York Rangers (Previously 10th)
9. Florida Panthers (Previously 9th)
8. Dallas Stars (Previously 8th)
7. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously 7th)
6. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously 6th)
5. Boston Bruins (Previously 5th)
4. Winnipeg Jets (Previously 1st)
3. Colorado Avalanche (Previously 3rd)
2. Vancouver Canucks (Previously 2nd)
1. Edmonton Oilers (Previously 4th)
So, the Oilers are on the verge of history after winning 16 straight games heading into the All-Star Break. After having a disastrous start to the season, they’ve erased all signs of their previous struggles and are just one win away from tying the all-time NHL record for longest winning streak which was set in 1992-93 by the Penguins. There’s nothing more I need to say about this run other than to appreciate history as it’s happening because this is truly a special moment in time for hockey.
When it comes to the other top-ten teams, I’m really only concerned about the Rangers right now. While they did beat the Senators on Saturday, a loss to the Sharks this week just doesn’t look good given their recent spotty record. I still think this is a Stanley Cup contender, but they have to find a bit of consistency in their game or they could see the Hurricanes take the Metropolitan Division back soon.
Enjoy the 2024 NHL All-Star Break
With games concluding on Sunday, most of the NHL now enters a week-long break for the All-Star Game taking place in Toronto. Since there are only six games throughout the week, there’s no real reason for the Power Rankings article next Monday, so we will be pressing pause until February 12th.
Related: Canucks: 5 Worst Jim Benning Trades
While there won’t be a lot of regular hockey in this time frame, I hope everyone has a great All-Star weekend and gets to enjoy some time with friends and/or family during this break. I know I’m looking forward to paying my Floridian tax by acting as a tour guide for some of my frozen Northern friends, and I will be ready to get back to the Power Rankings once the regular schedule picks back up!