Tag: NHL power rankings

NHL February power rankings: It’s time to jump on the Sabres’ playoff hype train

The Sabres have a real chance to play spoiler to a playoff hopeful this season.

Now is the perfect time to jump on the Buffalo Sabres bandwagon.

The calendar has officially flipped to February and the 2022-23 NHL season is more than halfway over at this point. The All-Star break is upon us and the trade deadline approaches at a rapid pace. It’s a busy time in the NHL season, with teams really starting to jockey for playoff position as the games begin to dwindle.

As February begins, the Sabres have forced their way into the playoff conversation for the first time in over a decade. Despite not being pegged as Stanley Cup contenders, the surging Sabres have a real chance to knock off a playoff hopeful such as the Pittsburgh Penguins or Washington Capitals. Plus, they’re a fun goal-scoring machine with one of the NHL’s biggest rising stars leading the way. What’s not to love?

Here are our NHL power rankings as February begins.

NHL January power rankings: The unstoppable Bruins are on top of the world as 2023 begins

The Bruins are a juggernaut that can’t be stopped.

If this is the Boston Bruins last season together with this core, this is one way to go out.

The calendar has officially flipped to a new year and the second half of the 2022-23 NHL season is about to begin. And so far, despite some challengers, the Bruins have been by far and away the NHL’s best team this season. Between a potent offense of veteran talent and Linus Ullmark planting his flag in the ground for a Vezina nomination, you couldn’t script a better season than this if you’re the Bruins.

Of course, we’ve still got nearly half a year left of this hockey season in full so anything can happen, but it’s hard not to look at the Bruins right now and see the Stanley Cup Final running through Boston. Sorry for the early jinx, Bruins fans.

Regardless, it’s 2023 and here are our NHL power rankings as a new month begins!

NHL December power rankings: Move over Connor McDavid. Jason Robertson is coming for your crown

Could Jason Robertson really overtake Connor McDavid as the NHL’s scoring king?

Two months into the season and the NHL point total race is already more interesting than it has been in some time.

As December begins and the 2022-23 NHL season rolls along, hockey fans are starting to see the beginnings of a scoring race to remember between Jason Robertson and Connor McDavid. McDavid, the four-time Art Ross winner for most points in a season, has been the nearly-undisputed points champion in the NHL since his sophomore season.

Now, however, it seems McDavid has some real competition. Robertson is having a real incredible year with the Dallas Stars, leading the team in goals (19) and points (36). At 23 years old, Robertson is even starting to outpace McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in goals per 60 minutes looking back to 2020. Yes, really!

Not only that, thanks to Robertson, the Stars are shining brightly as the best team in the Central Division. McDavid’s Oilers, meanwhile, are slogging it out for a wild card spot.

With the first two months of the hockey season done and dusted, here’s how we rank the Oilers, Stars, and the other 30 teams in our final NHL power rankings of 2022!

NHL November power rankings: Listless Maple Leafs are once again looking for answers

Lifeless Maple Leafs take a nosedive in our NHL power rankings as November begins.

Spooky season may be over, but it seems like it’s only beginning for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The first few weeks of the 2022-23 NHL season have passed by in a blur, but November is officially here! The real meat of the hockey season is still to come, as the opening weeks have been quite the feeling out process for the good majority of the NHL.

Of course, there are teams like the Maple Leafs that are facing real hard questions as the first full month of the season begins in earnest. Time will tell if Toronto — and others on this list — can turn things around, but that’s all part of the fun of hockey season, is it not?

So, dig on into that leftover Halloween candy and take a gander at our NHL power rankings for November 2022!

NHL power rankings heading into opening night: Can the Lightning three-peat?

Tampa Bay tops our preseason power rankings as the reigning back-to-back champs.

After a long couple of months away, hockey is officially, truly back! The 2021-22 NHL season begins today, bringing yet another offseason to a close and ushering in a blank slate for all 32 teams across the league.

Yes, 32 teams! The Seattle Kraken will make their NHL debut on opening night against the previous expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, in what is sure to be an exciting look at the league’s newest franchise.

But that’s not what you’re here for, now is it? You know the storylines by now. You know what teams are worth watching and which ones you can skip. You’re hopeful to find answers to some of the league’s most burning questions. Now, however, it’s time for everyone’s favorite online activity: power rankings.

Looking become the first three-peat champions in modern NHL history, the Tampa Bay Lightning top our preseason power rankings. However, where does the rest of the NHL fit in behind them? Take a look in our official NHL power rankings below, with updates to come at the start of every month during the season!