NHL 2022-23 Season Weekly Power Rankings: Monday 10/17

The 2022-23 NHL season is here, which means it is time to start our weekly power rankings! While we did have a power ranking ahead of the season, this is the first one in which we have games to discuss.

Let me first explain the rules to how the power rankings will work. Each Monday, Matt McGinnis and I will come together to form the power rankings for the week. Each one of us will get a say in the rankings, but only one of us will write the article each week.

I am writing things out this week, but we each had a say in the picks. Matt and I each rank the 32 teams. Then we add up the two rankings and put the list together.

So if I rank a team sixth and Matt ranks the same team ninth the total score for that team would be 15. Each team gets a combined score and are ranked from lowest to highest. So without further ado, let’s dive in with the bottom four.

NHL 2022-23 Season Weekly Power Rankings: Monday 10/17

32. Arizona Coyotes

This team is going to own the 32 spot for the majority of this season. The Coyotes lost the first two of a six-game road streak to start the season in the east, with neither game for the Yotes being that close.

31. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are bad, like really bad. The team is winless in their first four games, and none of the games have been that great for the team. They could have had at least a point if Sebastian Aho had not scored with under 2 minutes to go in the game against the Hurricanes.

30. Chicago Blackhawks

The worst thing for the Blackhawks is the fact that they are not the bottom team on this rankings. They lost games against the Avalanche and Golden Knights, not playing very well to say the least. Then managed to have a great showing against the Sharks. The good news in Chicago, Toews seems to be back playing well.

29. New Jersey Devils

The Devils are the only team in the bottom four that does not want to be here. They started the year 0-2-0 and did not look great in either of their games this season. While starting the year 0-2-0 will not kill their playoff chances, it doesn’t help.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets

Losing Patrik Laine to injured reserve definitely did not help the Blue Jackets to start the season. Entering the year, this team was supposed to be better than years past, yet here we are with them winless through their first three games.

27. Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres started the year on a good note beating the Ottawa Senators in 4-1 stomping in the Senators’ home opener. The issue is they then lost against the Panthers on Saturday.

26. Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks have started both of their games great. They led the Oilers 3-0 at one point, and they led the Flyers 2-0 as well. Yet both games ended in losses with 5 unanswered goals for the Oilers and 3 unanswered goals for the Flyers. That is not going to cut it for this team.

25. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens probably could be lower on this list if it was not for their 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs to start the season. Those two teams always play a great game.

24. Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators are going to figure it out eventually. After a rough first game against the Sabres, they played a closer game against the Maple Leafs with Claude Giroux getting two points on the night. This team has potential with some fun additions like Giroux and DeBrincat.

23. New York Islanders

The Islanders, a team that has been rather good defensively the past few seasons without the ability to score, beat the Anaheim Ducks 7-1 a few days ago.

22. Philadelphia Flyers

While the Flyers are supposed to be one of the worst teams in the league, John Tortorella’s boys are undefeated through the first two games of the year.

21. Washington Capitals

The Capitals are 1-2-0 and while that is not great the more pressing issue is that Alex Ovechkin has not scored a goal yet this season.

20. Winnipeg Jets

The Winnipeg Jets have only played one game this season but it was a great matchup against the New York Rangers. Getting the win 4-1 with Mark Scheifele scoring twice gives them a pretty high up spot on this list.

19. Seattle Kraken

If the Stanley Cup Playoffs started today, the Seattle Kraken would be in the postseason. What could be better than that? Seattle is the only team in the league right now with an OT loss.

18. Los Angeles Kings

While the Kings have not had the best start to their season, losing games against the Kraken and Golden Knights. They should be alright in the grand scheme of things.

17. Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars won their first two games of the season pretty decisively against the Nashville Predators. Getting those two points from a division rival is definitely going to help them down the line this season.

16. Nashville Predators

Nashville might have lost those two games against the Stars, but they did win the NHL Global Series in Prague against the San Jose Sharks. Considering last Monday they were the only team in the league with points, we have to give them a top 16 spot.

15. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks are 1-1-0 and while they lost bad against the Islanders Troy Terry has been impressive scoring three goals in two games. Trevor Zegras also has two points in the first two games. So far the big guys are still performing.

14. Minnesota Wild

Minnesota is going to figure it out. While they have not been great in their first two games giving up seven goals both times, this team is better than what they are showing.

13. Boston Bruins

They were two games that they should have won, but they did get it done which is all that matters. Boston is 2-0-0 to start the season and the veterans are all showing up to play.

12. Detroit Red Wings

Detroit has been competitive and fun to watch so far this season. I think this really could be the year that they jump back into the playoffs if they can sustain this level of play.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins brought the old crew back together and it has worked out so far with the team undefeated through two games. One game was an easy win against the Coyotes but the other was a match against the Tampa Bay Lightning, so that has to carry some weight.

10. Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers could have rolled over after giving up three goals to the Vancouver Canucks, yet they didn’t and they won the game 5-3 thanks to a Connor McDavid hat trick. McDavid and Draisaitl each have five points in the first two games.

9. Vegas Golden Knights

Phil Kessel looks good with the Vegas Golden Knights. He has been looking productive on the ice, and his speed and shot have been fun. Only a matter of time before he finds the back of the net.

4. Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers need to get back into the playoffs to get rid of the taste of that sweep at the hands of the Lightning. They started the year strong to accomplish that goal by beating the Sabres and Islanders, two teams they should beat. New Panther Matthew Tkachuk leads the team with two goals and three points on the year thus far.

3. Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames were my number one team-rated team today. They looked great in their first two games beating two tough opponents in Edmonton and Colorado. I think their moves this offseason have looked like big wins so far this year and I can’t wait to watch them rule the Pacific Division.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

This team is good. Svechnikov, Necas, Aho, Skjei and Jarvis have scored the goals so far for the Hurricanes. I can’t wait to watch this team play more games.

1. Colorado Avalanche

During a week where the Colorado Avalanche raised a banner to the rafters, there was no doubt they would be the top team in our rankings.

Tune in next week as we have more games to discuss and help change the rankings! Who do you think will be number one next week?