The Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up their annual circus road trip with a 5-1 record as they continued their climb towards the top of the Western Conference standings. Any concerns based off of a slow start have been put to rest. The Blackhawks are scoring goals in bunches and rank among the best teams in the league in goals-against average despite the fact that No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford has missed time due to injury. It’s no surprise they are back atop the NHL power rankings once again this weekend.
1. Chicago Blackhawks
This Week: +750 odds to win the Stanley Cup
Crawford is dealing with a lower body injury and is expected to miss some time but Antti Raanta and Scott Darling have posted identical .933 save percentages in six games between the two of them and Chicago ranks second in the NHL with an average of just two goals per game allowed this season. Offseason signing Brad Richards has found a home on the second line next to Patrick Kane and Kris Versteeg and that line has provided the spark that has ignited an offense that struggled early on in the year. The Blackhawks are set to welcome back Patrick Sharp to the lineup any day now and that will only make them more dangerous as the top team in the NHL power rankings for the second week in a row.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
This Week: +750 odds
The loss of Pascal Dupuis hurt and now the Penguins will have to deal with Chris Kunitz being sidelined for the next couple of weeks. Whether or not that pushes them to acquire a top-six forward remains to be seen but there were already rumors that Pittsburgh was exploring the trade market before Kunitz’s injury. This could encourage them to shake things up before Christmas. Ultimately, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are healthy and there are enough quality pieces around them that they are among the most dangerous teams in the NHL. Kunitz will eventually return and it’s scary to think how offensively gifted this team has the potential to be if they add another top-six scorer.
3. Anaheim Ducks
This Week: +900 odds
Anaheim added veteran Eric Brewer to a defense that has been hit by about every punch of bad luck it could be to this point. From injuries to the mumps, the Ducks have overcome a ton of adversity to remain among the league’s best teams. And then Brewer got hurt and will now miss six weeks.
Anaheim allowed three goals or more nine times in November but they still found ways to win games and they will only get better defensively as they continue to get players back and acclimated in the line up. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry lead the Ducks up front but the arrival of Ryan Kesler and a number of talented young players has made their offense a lot deeper.
T-4. Boston Bruins
This Week: +1100 odds
The Bruins put together a 4-1-1 record after a couple of tough losses in November and, while the current west coast road trip has pushed them, there is plenty of reason for optimism. Captain Zdeno Chara is skating again and he could return before the end of the year. It’s hard to overstate his importance on the blue line and Boston will also benefit from David Krejci getting healthy again. Tuukka Rask has been good but not great and, while that may be a byproduct of Chara’s absence, the Bruins simply need him to be better. Boston’s depth has shined with so many key players missing time and things will only get better as they get healthy.
T-4. Los Angeles Kings
This Week: +1100 odds
A lack of consistent scoring touch and Slava Voynov’s indefinite suspension are two concerns for Los Angeles but it might not matter how inconsistent this team performs throughout the year given their recent history in the postseason. A lack of cap space could facilitate a trade if the Kings don’t start scoring goals but at the same time, it might be hard to move a key piece from a roster that has won two Stanley Cups over the last three years. Marian Gaborik’s return should provide a spark but, as long as Los Angeles continues to find ways to grind out wins, it’s hard to move them too far down this list based on their recent track record for playoff success.
6. Tampa Bay Lightning
This Week: +1200 odds
Winning three in a row and eight of 10 games somehow wasn’t enough for Tampa Bay to move ahead of Boston and Los Angeles, but they did move up to No. 6 on this list. Steven Stamkos leads the league’s highest scoring offense but he hasn’t had to do it alone with Tyler Johnson, Ryan Callahan, and a number of rising young stars providing depth up front. Victor Hedman is set to return to the lineup and that will only boost the Lightning’s already impressive depth on the back end. Meanwhile, Ben Bishop remains the best goaltender that experts and fans don’t seem to talk about enough. Tampa Bay has the best record in the East right now and their play to this point is much more than just a hot start to the season.
7. Montreal Canadiens
This Week: +1400 odds
Losing back-to-back games to the Buffalo Sabres was easily the low point in what has been an otherwise impressive season for Montreal. They bounced back with a big 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche to start a western road trip. Max Pacioretty has emerged as a legitimate star in this league and, while the Canadiens have plenty of young stars that have stepped up in their lineup, there has to be concern about how David Desharnais, Tomas Plekanec, and Lars Eller match up against the centers for the other top teams in the Eastern Conference. Management and the coaching staff has complete confidence in this group but their recent struggles against the Sabres might have exposed their biggest weakness, which is down the middle.
T-8. Vancouver Canucks
This Week: +1600 odds
Vancouver climbed to the top of the Pacific division standings with back-to-back shutout wins over the New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets, and the play of Ryan Miller has been key to their success. The Canucks defense has been very inconsistent and, while the offense has put up excellent numbers all year, it seems as though time and again Miller has been able to bail them out with a big save to help secure a win. The Sedin twins have established an excellent chemistry with offseason addition Radim Vrbata while Nick Bonino and Alex Burrows have done a much better job providing scoring on the second line. Vancouver committed to keeping rookie Bo Horvat with the big club and it will be interesting to see how he progresses throughout his first year in the NHL.
T-8. New York Islanders
This Week: +1600 odds
The Islanders have been the fastest climbing team over the past couple of weeks with 11 wins in their past 13 games and it’s time they start getting the respect they deserve. Captain John Tavares leads one of the most dangerous forward cores in the Eastern Conference and it’s impossible to overlook what this team did in back-to-back wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jaroslav Halak has been excellent in net while trade acquisitions Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy have done a very good job of shoring up the defense in front of him.
T-8. Minnesota Wild
This Week: +1600 odds
Terrible power play numbers and a lack of consistent five-on-five scoring are the biggest issues for a Minnesota team that has dominated possession but struggled to turn it in to goals. The offseason addition of Thomas Vanek hasn’t worked out to this point and the Wild will need him to regain his scoring touch to have any chance in a very deep Western Conference.
11. San Jose Sharks (+2000 odds)
T-12. Detroit Red Wings (+2200 odds)
T-12. Nashville Predators (+2200 odds)
T-12. New York Rangers (+2200 odds)
T-15. Calgary Flames (+3300 odds)
T-15. Washington Capitals (+3300 odds)
