NHL 2022-23 Season Weekly Power Rankings: Monday 10/31
The 2022-23 NHL Power Rankings have hit another week! Welcome to week three of the rankings. This time around we have a new top team, and a new team takes the bottom spot for the first time this season.
NHL 2022-23 Season Weekly Power Rankings: Monday, 10/31
32. Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks take the bottom spot this week. They started 15th overall in week one, then dropped to 24th and are now sitting at 32. While the Ducks did get a big win against the Maple Leafs last night, they are still struggling. Which might not be the worst thing in the world to net another top prospect.
31. Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes opened up their new rink this past week and man is it an interesting environment. While the team has not won in their new rink, they did pick up a point in their first matchup against the Winnipeg Jets.
30. San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are another team in the bottom four that beat the Toronto Maple Leafs this past week. San Jose has struggled out the gate but as a rebuilding team, they are on pace to get a top pick in the draft.
29. Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks finally got a win and are now on a two-game win streak. I also liked the Ethan Bear trade from this week. The Canucks might be in a bad spot after their start, but they are rising in the power rankings!
28. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are no longer on the bottom page of the power rankings! The team has made pretty much every game close since losing their first game against the Avalanche 5-2. What will be interesting to see is whether or not the team can keep rising in the rankings!
27. Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus is at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings and currently are riding a three-game losing streak. At 3-7-0 they have one of the worst records in the league and have not been playing well despite their big addition of Johnny Gaudreau this past offseason.
26. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings have not been playing very consistent but they have potential to keep rising in the rankings. Getting wins more consistently and playing better in their own end are how they will continue to rise.
25. Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens drafted first overall in 2022, and now they are struggling at losing this season. The team is 5-4-0 and are on a two-game win streak at the moment. While winning is important, when you are rebuilding, this record might not be the best situation for Montreal.
24. Seattle Kraken
Shane Wright was scratched again for the third straight time this past week. Despite the Kraken being fourth in the division, I am ranking them here because of their inability to give Wright opportunities or send him to the OHL.
23. Nashville Predators
The Predators have just one win in their past seven games. Their lack of success has to do with not scoring goals so far this season. So far, they rank 30th in the league with just 22 goals on the year. The team needs to start finding ways to score more goals.
22. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have been hot to start the season with a record of 5-3-0. They have been led by the great play of young defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin leads the team in points with ten and he has five goals on the season.
21. Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are tied for first in the Central Division, yet they find themselves a bit low in our power rankings. This might be due to the team’s losses coming against good teams like Vegas, Toronto and Dallas. The Jets are beating the right teams like Arizona, but the good teams have beaten them most times.
20. Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals could very well miss the playoffs. Despite being 5-4-0 with a strong record, they do not find themselves in a playoff spot at the moment. The team has a lot of injury issues and if they can keep winning maybe they will be back in the top 16 next week.
19. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are 5-2-1 but in their last five games they are just 2-2-1, it seems like this team is starting to fall down to earth after their great start going 3-0-0 beating teams like New Jersey, Vancouver and Tampa Bay.
18. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are losing games they need to win. They are currently winless in their last four matchups and Auston Matthews has not picked up where he left off with his scoring terror. Things need to change in Toronto.
17. St. Louis Blues
The Blues have lost four straight games after starting the year 3-0-0. This team needs to find a way back into the win column and has a chance tonight against the Kings.
16. New York Islanders
The Islanders are off to a strong start of the season with a record of 5-4-0. They have won their last three games against good teams like the Avalanche, the New York Rangers and the Hurricanes.
15. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa might have lost their last two games, but they are starting to find their groove with Brady Tkachuk putting up 11 points and Alex DeBrincat having six assists. When DeBrincat and Claude Giroux start scoring more, this team will be dangerous.
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins probably should be further back on this list. In their previous four games, they are winless facing teams like the Kraken, Canucks, Flames and Oilers. With a game on Tuesday against the Bruins, Pittsburgh is desperate for a win after losing big to four teams they probably should have beat.
13. New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are playing great hockey right now. With wins in their past three games against good teams like Colorado and Detroit. Their wins have been big too beating the Blue Jackets 7-1, shutting out the Avalanche and beating the Red Wings 6-2.
12. Minnesota Wild
The Wild are 4-4-1 this season but have been playing great hockey as of late beating teams like Montreal, Ottawa and Chicago. Their goaltending seems to be under control with Fleury giving up less goals as of late.
11. New York Rangers
After four straight losses, the New York Rangers have won their last two games to improve to 5-3-2 on the season. Things move quickly in the NHL and after a bad showing, the Rangers have dropped from seventh to ninth and now down to 11 within the rankings. However with some big games this week against teams like Philadelphia Detroit and Boston, hopefully they can climb their way back up into the top ten.
10. Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa bay has won two of their last three games form this past week. Despite starting the year 1-3-0, the Lightning are going in the right direction with four wins in their last five games. Things are starting to click again in Tampa Bay with Kucherov leading the charge with 12 points and Stamkos having seven goals in the team’s first nine games.
9. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings are going in the right direction. For the first time this season, the Wings are in the top ten, ranked ninth in the NHL. They are here for many reasons like the great play of Dominik Kubalik on his new team in Detroit. As well as another newcomer like David Perron who has four goals in the team’s first eight games. While this team has lost two of their past three games, they have been great overall to start the year and I cannot wait to see what they do in November.
8. Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars cannot be ignored anymore. After starting the year with three wins, they cannot be ignored as one of the better teams in the league. They shut out the Washington Capitals this past week and played a close game against the Rangers this past week until three third-period goals were scored on Oettinger.
7. Florida Panthers
Florida has dropped out of the top five, mainly due to a loss against the Chicago Blackhawks this past week. The Panthers are a fun team that just played an incredibly fun game against the Ottawa Senators in the first battle of the Tkachuks in the same division.
6. Colorado Avalanche
Colorado is another team that has now dropped out of the top five. During our first week of rankings, the Avs were the top team in the league, fitting for the defending champs. With losses mounting the Avalanche had to drop out of the top five. The Avalanche are on a two-game losing streak having lost to the Islanders and Devils in their last two games.
5. Edmonton Oilers
There is little doubt that the Edmonton Oilers might have some holes in their lineup. They allowed the Chicago Blackhawks to score five goals this past week. However, the important thing with this team is that when they give up five goals, they can score six. The Oilers are on a four game win streak and are second in the Pacific Division in points, a spot they will be battling with Calgary for most of the year.
4. Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas looks unstoppable after missing the playoffs last season. Losing Robin Lehner has not been in the issue in net with their goaltending stepping up to the plate in his absence. This team looks great and their record reflects that as they are the top team in the West.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are starting to get production from every position. Brent Burns recently scored an OT goal to help lead the Hurricanes past the Flyers, Andrei Svechnikov has scored seven goals and Seth Jarvis has two goals in the team’s first eight games. This team is getting good, and if they fly under the radar they could be a great pick to win the Stanley Cup this spring.
2. Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are 5-2-0 this season, including a 2-1-0 record in their past three games. This team has been electric to start the year, and their last loss came against a good team in the Oilers. Edmonton and Calgary are going to go back and fourth for home ice advantage in the playoffs all year, but I think that Calgary could be the better pick as the wins they have this season are against tough opponents.
1. Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are good. Despite not having Charlie McAvoy for the foreseeable future, and despite the aging core and other injuries in the lineup, this team is the top team in the league. The Boston Bruins are a fun team to watch with the best record around at this time. With their October schedule closed, Bruins fans should be happy about the team’s near-perfect record during the month of October. Now things get more difficult as the season progresses.