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NHL Power Rankings: Highs and Lows, and the Maple Leafs’ Victory Road

By Jeremy Tuch|
Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images
Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images

In this week’s NHL power rankings and week in review, Louis Domingue rides a motorcycle, Carolina introduces a new drink, and Los Angeles stays classy.

Happy Monday, everyone. It’s time for the weekly NHL power rankings and week in review. A long time ago, I was given the task of coming up with highlights and lowlights for each week to really put things into perspective of how everyone’s week is different, and every week to each person is different. So we’re taking that to the NHL.

Here’s how the past week looked like for each team.

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Highs And Lows

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (3-1-0, +6 Goal Differential)
Last week: 1

Highlight: In celebration of winning the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference, and President’s Trophy, Louis Domingue rode around the hallways on a tiny motorcycle.

Lowlight: Brayden Schenn popping a weak rebound in between his legs in St. Louis’ 4-3 win over Tampa.

2. Calgary Flames (3-0-0, +8 GD)
Last week: 2

Highlight: The team announced that they’ll be wearing their gorgeous retro alternate jerseys for home games during the playoffs, which is the correct thing to do. Also, they supposedly will be switching to these full time after next season. Finally.

Lowlight: I guess this shot by Oliver Bjorkstrand in the third period of Calgary’s win over Columbus. It was a good week in Calgary.

3. Boston Bruins (3-0-0, +13 GD)
Last week: 5

Highlight: They ran the Islanders out of the Coliseum on Tuesday, winning 5-0 and outshooting the Isles by a 3 to 1 rate.

Lowlight: Nothing went wrong for Boston this week. Props to Zdeno Chara for continuing his long illustrious career, which isn’t a lowlight but I thought I’d mention it.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs (1-1-1, -2 GD)
Last week: 3

Highlight: John Tavares haunting the Rangers still by this no-look pass to Zach Hyman, who slammed it home into an open net.

Lowlight: Getting shut out by a struggling Nashville team.

5. Winnipeg Jets (3-1-0, +4 GD)
Last week: 6

Highlight: Kyle Connor’s highlight reel goal to start a hat trick against division rival Nashville.

Lowlight: Joe Morrow turning the puck over to Reilly Smith, who then walked right by him in the same sequence to score a goal as Morrow fell to the ice. Embarrassing.

6. San Jose Sharks (0-2-1, -7 GD)
Last week: 4

Highlight: It’s always nice to see Joe Thornton’s beardy smile after he scores a goal.

Lowlight: Dropping a late lead to the lowly Kings, losing in regulation. They also followed up that effort by losing to the Ducks. Not a good week.

7.  Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-1, +1 GD)
Last week: 8

Highlight: Jared McCann pressing the Circle button and performing a gorgeous spin-o-rama to score the game-winner against Dallas.

Lowlight: If you’re Matt Murray, and you’re three minutes from a 1-0 road shutout, it should take something more than this odd angle attempt by Ryan Ellis to beat you.

8. New York Islanders (2-2-0, -5 GD)
Last week: 7

Highlight: Josh Bailey’s pair of goals in the third period against Philadelphia to stop a lousy losing skid.

Lowlight: Has anyone ever learned not to mess with Zdeno Chara? That pretty much summed the night up for the Isles against Boston.

9. Washington Capitals (2-1-1, +3 GD)
Last week: 9

Highlight: The second period in New Jersey saw some pretty goals for the Caps and putting away an easy 4-1 road win.

Lowlight: The very next night, the Lightning power play absolutely shredded the Caps, as exemplified by this doozy of a goal complimentary of unnecessary passing for style points.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (2-0-1, +8 GD)
Last week: 12

Highlight: This give and go between Reilly Smith and Wild Bill Karlsson in Monday’s rout in San Jose.

Lowlight: They surrendered a point to (checks notes) Detroit? Weird.

11. Carolina Hurricanes (3-1-0, +2 GD)
Last week: 11

Highlight: Releasing a new beer in the PNC Arena concession stands called “The Surge”, brewed with sour cherries, and yes the pun was intended.

Lowlight: Giving up a four goal third period to the Lightning, because these things just happen to everyone.

12. St. Louis Blues (3-0-0, +9 GD)
Last week: 14

Highlight: Jaden Schwartz netting a hat trick against Edmonton.

Lowlight: Thomas Vanek scoring twice against them? The Blues didn’t have much to complain about this week.

13. Nashville Predators (1-1-1, +8 GD)
Last week: 10

Highlight: Ten bells to Pekka Rinne in preserving the shutout against Toronto with this third period save.

Lowlight: Later in the week, Rinne deserves no bells for this bank shot goal by Winnipeg’s Andrew Copp.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets (1-2-0, Even GD)
Last week: 13

Highlight: Meeting the challenge of a crucial must-win game in Vancouver by winning 5-0.

Lowlight: At least their competition kept winning the whole week, leaving Columbus on the outside looking in. Speaking of which…

15. Montreal Canadiens (3-0-1, +8 GD)
Last week: 16

Highlight: Jonathan Drouin finally broke his scoring drought with this goal vs the Islanders, his first since February 7.

Lowlight: Carey Price losing his shutout to a re-direct goal with just five minutes left in Carolina, and then getting beat five-hole by Andrei Svechnikov to lose the game in OT.

16. Colorado Avalanche (3-0-1, +5 GD)
Last week: 17

Highlight: Tyson Jost scoring on a breakaway to give the Avalanche a lead they wouldn’t surrender against Minnesota.

Lowlight: They would continue to lead games all the way until Sunday night when Duncan Keith won the game for Chicago in overtime.

17. Dallas Stars (1-2-0, -1 GD)
Last week: 15

Highlight: The top line continues to buzz with this Alex Radulov goal to give the Stars a late lead vs Florida.

Lowlight: When the other team has the puck and moves into your zone is not a good time for a line change. Tyson Barrie made sure the Stars learn that.

18. Florida Panthers (1-2-0, -4 GD)
Last week: 19

Highlight: Here’s your weekly Sasha Barkov highlight.

Lowlight: It’s not cool to throw your stick, no matter what. Here’s Mike Hoffman doing that in frustration. Not cool.

19. Arizona Coyotes (0-3-1, -7 GD)
Last week: 18

Highlight: Here is Clayton Keller finishing off a good passing play vs Tampa.

Lowlight: Here is Clayton Keller hitting the post on a wide open net in overtime vs New Jersey, in a game they’d eventually lose.

20. Minnesota Wild (1-2-0, -5 GD)
Last week: 20

Highlight: Jordan Greenway scoring what might be the nicest goal the Wild have had all year.

Lowlight: This goal by Teuvo Teravainen summed up an awful night for the Wild in Carolina.

21. Philadelphia Flyers (1-3-0, -4 GD)
Last week: 21

Highlight: Carter Hart stopping 40 Chicago shots en route to a 3-1 victory.

Lowlight: Brendan Gallagher getting to a rebound to open the scoring for Montreal in a 3-1 loss.

22. Chicago Blackhawks (1-2-1, -4 GD)
Last week: 22

Highlight: Patrick Kane has reached 100 points, becoming the third player this year to do so.

Lowlight: Corban Knight’s goal for Philadelphia was almost enough for the Flyers to win against Chicago.

23. Vancouver Canucks (2-2-0, -3 GD)
Last week: 23

Highlight: Bo Horvat ending overtime in Chicago just 16 seconds after it began.

Lowlight: The Canucks were victims of a perfect passing play ending in a Mark Giordano goal.

24. Edmonton Oilers (1-1-1, -3 GD)
Last week: 24

Highlight: If only there were more players on this team than just Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who once again combined for magic, this time against Columbus.

Lowlight: Mikko Koskinen and Anthony Stolarz got bombarded by the Blues, proving there really isn’t anyone on the team besides McDavid and Draisaitl.

25. Buffalo Sabres (0-2-0, -5 GD)
Last week: 25

Highlight: Carter Hutton made 37 saves against Montreal.

Lowlight: Carter Hutton gave up six goals against Montreal.

26. New York Rangers (1-1-0, Even GD)
Last week: 26

Highlight: Ryan Strome cleaning up a game-winning OT goal in Toronto.

Lowlight: Not matching the speed of Andreas Athanasiou, resulting in a goal for the Wings. To be fair, no one is catching up to him.

27. Anaheim Ducks (1-1-1, -2 GD)
Last week: 28

Highlight: Rikard Rakell showing off impressive hand-eye with this buzzer beater goal in Los Angeles.

Lowlight: What did we say earlier about sharp angle shots? They should be stopped. Like this one from Nikolaj Ehlers.

28. New Jersey Devils (1-2-0, -7 GD)
Last week: 27

Lowlight: Kyle Palmieri leaving the game against Washington due to injury, adding yet another to the long list.

Highlight: Five of those players would return from injury Saturday, including Palmieri (also Nico Hischier, Sami Vatanen, Miles Wood, and Mirco Mueller).

29. Detroit Red Wings (2-1-0, -1 GD)
Last week: 30

Highlight: Frans Nielsen scoring a goal against the Rangers using impressive puck protection skills.

Lowlight: A pair of Ivan Barbashev goals sunk the Wings against the Blues.

30. Ottawa Senators (1-2-0, -6 GD)
Last week: 29

Highlight: It’s times like these we remember how young some of these players are, with Brady Tkachuk doing the floss dance during warmups.

Lowlight: Eugene Melnyk opening his mouth and further improving his already stellar relationship with Sens fans. Will it ever end?

31. Los Angeles Kings (2-1-0, +1 GD)
Last week: 31

Lowlight: Goals like these show what kind of season the Kings are having. Bad.

Highlight: Ron Burgundy in all his glory calling a period of Kings hockey is always good. 60% of the time, it works every time.

Schmooze of the Week: Toronto Maple Leafs

It can be tough to be a Leafs fan sometimes. Even when things are destined to go right, something comes up to prevent progress.

This year’s edition of the Maple Leafs is perhaps one of the best built Leafs rosters since 1967. Young talent oozing out of everywhere in the forward group, and reinforced with signing John Tavares over the summer to make the Leafs instant contenders for the Stanley Cup. In fact, coming into this season, according to those Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Leafs had the best odds to win the Cup this year. Yes, better than the Lightning.

Despite all that, the Leafs have potentially the toughest road to the Cup in the entire NHL. Due to the playoff format, which many are not cool with for these type of reasons, Toronto has almost assured a first-round matchup with Boston.

This is a gut punch to a Leafs team who had such high aspirations for this year. If they should find a way to get by the Bruins, they find themselves faced with one of the best teams in the post-lockout era, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Yikes.

On top of that, this year’s team cooled down significantly since the return of William Nylander, and aren’t close to playing the elite form of hockey that was expected of them this year. They fell way behind the Lightning, and are now locked into that playoff matchup with Boston, where they may not even get home ice in the series.

What is even worse than that, is that this year may have been their best shot at competing with their current roster build. Mitch Marner’s contract expires after this season, and he will demand an eight-figure AAV on his next contract, because he deserves it. It serves as a piano hanging on a string over the team, because that means that moves will have to be made to make room for that Marner contract. Add in the fact that Tavares and Auston Matthews having eight-figure cap hits, and the fact that they have the rest of the roster to fill out with not a ton of money, it’ll take some jumping through hoops.

This inevitably means that the Leafs may have to move out money and futures just to stay under the cap, and those kind of deals usually don’t improve a team on the ice.

Throw on top of that the endless parity that the NHL boasts, and it shows that even if the Leafs are still really good beyond this year (which they should be), other teams can enter domination cycles like what the Lightning have now, and it’d make it more difficult for the Toronto to finally hoist a Cup.

So what now? The Leafs are stuck with a first round playoff matchup with a team that has a recent history of beating them, and likely will have a historically good juggernaut waiting for them in round two should they make it there. This is happening while you have the Metropolitan division being way more wide open, and a team like Washington would have to get by two of Carolina, Columbus, New York, and Pittsburgh to advance as far as the Leafs would if they get by two of the best teams in the league. That’s not exactly fair.

Option one for Leafs fans – complain about the playoff system. The divisional playoff format was meant to foster in-division rivalries, and this means money for the league. However, it also creates situations like this year, where the best teams can get eliminated in the first round, simply by virtue of a tough matchup due to the playoff format.

Let’s go back to the previous format, forgetting the realignment to four divisions instead of six, for a moment. Tampa and Washington are your division winners, so they get seeds one and two. Boston is now at three, Toronto at four. Toronto would face the Islanders in the first round as the four/five matchup, while Boston would get Pittsburgh or Carolina. Not exactly prime time matchups, but the better teams would get better matchups for them, and then potentially get fed to the Lightning as the playoffs continue.

However, this is only hypothetical. The only other option for Leafs fans is: Hope they can pull off the miracle. This is the NHL, anything can happen. Look at Vegas last year, after all. It may look bad now for the Leafs, but rest assured, the Cup isn’t an impossibility this year. Just highly improbable *dodges a well thrown jersey*.

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