Another week of hockey is in the books, which means that it’s time for the next round of power rankings for the 2022-2023 NHL season.
This list is a combination of my rankings and rankings done by Jim Lynch, and stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Eastern Conference still owns the top spot.
Where does each team stand at this point in the NHL season?
There were a few big movers this week, especially at the top of the list, but overall, teams are beginning to settle into their positions.
The Christmas break is nearly upon us, and as teams get ready to flip the calendar to 2023, here is where they stand this week.
32. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous Rank: 32)
For the second week in a row, the Blackhawks have won zero games. To add insult to injury, they’re officially the bottom team in the NHL standings. It’s not a great time to be cheering for Chicago.
31. Anaheim Ducks (31)
This past week started terribly for the Ducks, as they lost their first two games by a combined score of 10-0. If it weren’t for a pair of wins at the end of the week, and a horrendous stretch by the Blackhawks, this team would be number 32.
30. Columbus Blue Jackets (26)
The Blue Jackets are the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They’ve been slowly losing more and more ground, and outside of a solid first year in Columbus from Johnny Gaudreau, the Jackets don’t have much going for them.
29. Arizona Coyotes (29)
Arizona won half of its games last week, and the team has pulled out a few gritty wins in the last couple of weeks. Still, it’s hard to trust the Coyotes. If they can capitalize on some games coming up at home, perhaps they’ll be worthy of a bump up the list.