After a flurry of activity over the past couple of weeks the NHL power rankings stayed the exact same for two weeks in a row for the first time in a long time. The biggest factor was the level of consistency at the top as the NHL’s best continued to find ways to win games heading in to the All-Star break this weekend. Here is a look at the NHL top five power rankings for this week.
1. Washington Capitals (33-10-6)
Last Week: 1
Stanley Cup Odds: +700
Washington had its point streak snapped at 14 in a row in a 3-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators but after a stretch in which they posted a 12-0-2 mark, they are back at the top of the NHL standings. The usual suspects like Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie have led the way up front but the contributions from Justin Williams, Evgeni Kuznetsov and Andre Burakovsky have been just as important of late. Meanwhile, the Capitals lead the NHL in goals against with an average of 2.1 allowed per game this season. Braden Holtby is a Vezina trophy contender at 23-8-4 with a 1.96 goals against average and a .929 save percentage and as long as Washington continues to roll at both ends of the ice they will remain on track for their second Presidents trophy in a row.
2. Columbus Blue Jackets (32-12-4)
Last Week: 2
Stanley Cup Odds: +800
Cam Atkinson is averaging nearly a point per game this season with 46 in 47 games and the Blue Jackets rank third in the NHL with an average of 3.3 goals per game. Columbus still owns the league’s top-ranked powerplay but it’s hard to imagine them sustaining their 25.0-percent success rate the rest of the way so they will need to be better when it comes to five-on-five scoring. Meanwhile, Sergei Bobrovsky has bounced back with a 2.04 goals against average and .930 save percentage to give the Blue Jackets a chance in almost every game. Everything is coming together for John Tortorella and his staff this season but they will need to keep it up in order to have any shot at catching Washington at the top of the NHL standings.
3. Minnesota Wild (32-11-5)
Last Week: 3
Stanley Cup Odds: +700
One team that could challenge the Capitals for the Presidents trophy is Minnesota, which has won seven of its last nine to move to the top of the Western Conference standings. It’s no surprise that the wild rank second in the NHL in goals allowed with an average of just 2.3 against per game but what is a surprise is the fact that they rank fourth in the NHL with an average of 3.3 goals per game. Eric Staal and Mikael Granlund are tied for the league lead with 40 points each while Charlie Coyle, Mikko Koivu and Nino Neiderreiter have helped maintain the balance throughout the lineup. The Wild have emerged as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender under head coach Bruce Boudreau and there is no reason to expect them to slow down anytime soon.
4. Chicago Blackhawks (30-16-5)
Last Week: 4
Stanley Cup Odds: +850
The Blackhawks had their three-game win streak snapped with a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning but they have been one of the best teams in the NHL this season and they could become even better via the trade route in the near future. Chicago is reportedly interested in adding at least two wingers to its top-nine group before the deadline and that could make the league’s 13th–ranked offense a lot better after relying heavily on Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin and Jonathan Toews to this point. The Blackhawks will be in tough with eight of their next nine games on the road so it will be interesting to see whether they can maintain their position in the standings.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins (30-12-5)
Last Week: 5
Stanley Cup Odds: +800
Pittsburgh’s win streak ended at four in a row when they suffered a rare shutout at home falling 3-0 to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday but they own one of the best records in the Eastern Conference and are in a solid position to contend for the Presidents trophy heading in to the All-Star break. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are back among the league leaders in scoring this season and that is the biggest reason why the Penguins rank first in the NHL with an average of 3.6 goals per game. Meanwhile, Matt Murray has shown flashes of his potential but needs to be better as Pittsburgh’s No. 1 netminder. The Penguins have the talent to contend for a Stanley Cup but ultimately it will come down to their goaltending the rest of the way.
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