The NHL is basically at the halfway point of the season now, and the biggest storyline of the season right now might be the collapse of two storied franchises that aren’t in these power rankings. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks would both miss the postseason if it started right now. The odds makers have taken note as both teams are outside of the Top 10 in terms of the futures. It’s the first time in a long time that that’s been the case. A while they’re not far out of the picture, both need to make a big push in the second half of the season. The Penguins have started to make a move as they’ve now won three straight games.
Here’s a look at this week’s NHL power rankings in order of their NHL futures.
1. Tampa Bay Lightning
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +600
The Lightning (31-10-3) lost on the road in Ottawa and won in Detroit, but they also won in Detroit and Carolina. Now, the Lightning aren’t in action until next Thursday, January 18th, when they host Vegas. Tampa Bay has been up and down as of late, going 4-3-1 in their last eight games and they have scored just one power-play goal in their last six games; in two of those games, they didn’t even have a power-play chance.
2. Vegas Golden Knights
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1000
The Golden Knights (29-10-2) won in Chicago and at home over the New York Rangers, and they’ll host Edmonton before heading to Nashville and Tampa Bay. The Golden Knights are red-hot right now, having won 14 of their last 16, and those two losses came by a single goal, including one in a shootout. This isn’t just an expansion team that is making a great run; this is a very good team that has room to get better and could be scary by the time that the playoffs roll around.
3. Winnipeg Jets
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1100
The Jets (26-11-7) won at home over Buffalo and San Jose, and then they also won in Buffalo. The Jets will stay on the road to visit Chicago and Minnesota before they take their week off. Blake Wheeler has been on fire for the Jets, scoring four goals and adding four assists for eight points in his last five games. Wheeler has points in each of his last seven games.
4. Washington Capitals
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1100
The Capitals (27-14-3) beat St. Louis in overtime, along with a win over Vancouver and they lost to Carolina; all three games came at home. They have the back half of a home-and-home with Carolina on the road on Friday, and then they get six days off. Alex Ovchekin has three goals and five assists for eight points in his last five games, and that counts being held scoreless against Carolina.
5. Boston Bruins
Stanley Cup Odds: +1100
The Bruins (23-10-7) won at home over Carolina, and then lost in overtime in Pittsburgh. They’ll visit Montreal and the New York Islanders next, and in between those games, they’ll host Dallas and the Canadiens as well. Patrice Bergeron has six goals and two assists for eight points in his last five games, but most of those came in a 7-1 rout of Carolina, when Bergeron notched four goals and an assist for five points.
6. Nashville Predators
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1400
The Predators (25-11-6) won in Los Angeles and at home against Edmonton last week. They’ll actuall have a week between games before they host Vegas and Arizona. Pekka Rinne was in fine form as for both of the Predators’ wins as they were outshot in both games, but Rinne stopped 51 of 55 shots to lead Nashville to a pair of victories.
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1400
The Blue Jackets (25-17-3) won at home over Florida in a shootout and then in Toronto in overtime, but they lost in Buffalo. They’ll host Vancouver on Friday before getting six days off and and returning to host Dallas. Sergei Bobrovsky has been outstanding for the Blue Jackets lately, allowing nine goals in his last five games with a save percentage of .945. Bobrovsky had hit a rough patch prior to that, but when he is on, he is one of the very best goaltenders in the NHL and the Blue Jackets need him to be that good to keep up in the Eastern Conference.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1400
The Maple Leafs (25-17-3) won at home over Vancouver in a shootout, but they also lost to Columbus in overtime and to Ottawa, all at home. They’ll get six days off before they resume in action on Thursday in Philadelphia. Frederik Andersen has been hot and cold lately, allowing 13 goals in his last five games with a save percentage of .924, but he could be wearing down from all the action he is getting as Andersen continues to lead the NHL in saves with 1,261; Calgary’s Mike Smith is next with 1,157.
9. New Jersey Devils
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1500
The Devils (22-11-8) lost on the road in Dallas and to the New York Islander in a shootout. They’ll be back on Saturday after six days off to host Philadelphia, then they’ll visit the Islanders again, along with a home game against Washington. The six-day break couldn’t have come at a better time for the Devils, who had lost five in a row and four of those losses came by a single goal, including two shootout losses and an overtime loss. A couple of different bounces and they could have won four out of five, but the Devils need to get back on track this week.
10. Los Angeles Kings
NHL Stanley Cup Odds: +1700
The Kings (24-13-5) lost at home to Nashville last Saturday, and then they took a week off before returning this Saturday to host Anaheim, followed by home games with San Jose and Pittsburgh. The Kings had dropped four of their last six (including one overtime loss) and they’re another team that might have needed the break to collect themselves before moving forward. With three home games this week, it is a good chance for the Kings to get going again.
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