Winnipeg Jets v Tampa Bay Lightning — NHL Power Rankings 2023/24: Oilers crack top 16, Panthers win streak reaches nine games, Jets achieve franchise history and more in Week 14

NHL Power Rankings 2023/24: Oilers crack top 16, Panthers win streak reaches nine games, Jets achieve franchise history and more in Week 14

Modified Jan 12, 2024 15:14 GMT

The NHL believes in parity, but it is clear based on the standings there is quite a divide across the league. Three teams are currently on eight-game (or more) win streaks, while the San Jose Sharks just snapped a 12-game losing streak.

Outside of the races for the top spot in each division, the wild card races are must-watch TV. Outside of the four or five teams fighting to get into the last playoff spot, there's quite a drop-off after that, with the NHL draft lottery already taking shape.

Additionally, injuries continue to mount across the league, with former first-overall pick Connor Bedard out for six to eight weeks with a fractured jaw. Even though the NHL All-Star Game is right around the corner, there's still plenty of hockey to play before then, so let's get into the best and worst of the previous week.

NHL Power Rankings 2023/24 Statistics

Hottest NHL Teams

Vancouver Canucks (four wins)
Winnipeg Jets (eight wins)
Seattle Kraken (eight wins)
Florida Panthers (nine wins)
Edmonton Oilers (nine wins)

Coldest NHL Teams

Minnesota Wild (two losses)
Chicago Blackhawks (two losses)
New York Rangers (three losses)
Boston Bruins (three overtime losses)
Ottawa Senators (five losses)

Highest-scoring NHL Teams

Toronto Maple Leafs - 143 goals
Carolina Hurricanes - 143 goals
Detroit Red Wings - 146 goals
Dallas Stars - 149 goals
Colorado Avalanche - 155 goals
Vancouver Canucks - 164 goals

Worst Goal Differential in the NHL

Montreal Canadiens (-28)
Columbus Blue Jackets (-29)
Anaheim Ducks (-34)
Chicago Blackhawks (-59)
San Jose Sharks (-89)

NHL Power Rankings 2023/24: Bottom 16

32.) San Jose Sharks

31.) Chicago Blackhawks

30.) Ottawa Senators

29.) Anaheim Ducks

28.) Columbus Blue Jackets

27.) Minnesota Wild

26.) Buffalo Sabres

25.) Montreal Canadiens

24.) Arizona Coyotes

23.) Calgary Flames

22.) St. Louis Blues

21.) Washington Capitals

20.) Seattle Kraken

19.) Detroit Red Wings

18.) Pittsburgh Penguins

17.) New Jersey Devils

NHL Power Rankings 2023/24: Top 16 Teams

16.) Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators continue to hold a wild card spot in the Western Conference, despite going 4-5-1 in their previous 10 games. Furthermore, the team is just getting by despite Juuse Saro's subpar play. Still, their opponents are gaining ground and it will take an entire team effort to keep the momentum going.

15.) Edmonton Oilers

It took over three months, but the Edmonton Oilers are finally in a playoff spot and are the NHL's hottest team, tying a franchise record with a nine-game win streak. Although they are a long shot to win the Pacific Division, other teams should be worried about the Oilers sneaking up on them in the standings after the All-Star Game break.

14.) Tampa Bay Lightning

Thanks to some slightly better play recently, 6-4-0, the Tampa Bay Lightning have finally opened up a two-point cushion over other teams chasing them in the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Besides surviving many ups and downs this season, maybe the Lightning become buyers at the NHL trade deadline and find reinforcements for the upcoming playoff drive.

13.) Philadelphia Flyers

Thankfully, the Philadelphia Flyers were a good team at the start of the regular season because a recent stretch of 3-4-3 hockey has them clinging to the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. This team needs to snap out of this funk because five teams are within four points and want to occupy the place the Flyers maintain.

12.) New York Islanders

Statistically speaking, the New York Islanders have the worst goal differential of any team in a playoff spot. At minus-11, they rank 22nd in the NHL with that total, yet are only three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the second spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Even though this team isn't built to lead the league in scoring, they survive on a nightly basis without outstanding goaltender performances.

11.) Los Angeles Kings

After almost breaking an NHL record for most consecutive road wins, the Los Angeles Kings have been snakebitten recently, racking up a 2-4-2 record. Interestingly, the team has surrendered the second-fewest goals, which means their star players need to light the lamp slightly more, and these losses will soon turn into victories.

10.) Toronto Maple Leafs

This past week, the Toronto Maple Leafs stole all the headlines by extending William Nylander to one of the richest contracts in NHL history. Moreover, they just swept through California but have had a few setbacks since returning home. This team is looking ahead toward the playoffs but can't afford to get ahead of themselves because the Lightning are not too far behind them.

9.) Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes may be 7-1-2 in their last 10, but the team lost another starting goalie, Pyotr Kochetkov, to an injury on Thursday night. Although there are not many details at the moment, the team relied on him in the absence of Frederik Andersen and will now call upon Antti Raanta to carry the workload or acquire another goalie before this season falls apart any sooner.

8.) Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Boston Bruins in overtime on Thursday. This was just as well, as the reigning Stanley Cup champions have been in a heap of trouble over the last month, compiling a 4-8-0 record.

Of course, every team will experience slumps, and the Golden Knights just played a ton of extra hockey in 2023, meaning they could just be tired and waiting for the All-Star Game break to recharge their batteries.

7.) Dallas Stars

Usually, when an NHL club loses its top goalie, it slumps. However, the Dallas Stars are 8-3-2 in the 13 games since All-Star Jake Oettinger went on the IR with a lower-body injury.

Even though they have played in several overtime contests, they have destroyed many other teams, collecting victories by 7-2 and 8-2. Surprisingly, this team could get better, enhancing their chances of winning the Western Conference crown.

6.) New York Rangers

The sky is falling in New York as the Rangers suffered through their first three-game losing streak. After the best start in franchise history, the team has suffered through some clunkers lately and could use an upcoming trip through the Western Conference to bond together and right the ship.

The season is only half over, but these losses are piling up in the Big Apple, and it is slowly turning to doom and gloom for fans.

5.) Florida Panthers

Last year, many hockey fans thought the Florida Panthers advancing to the Stanley Cup Final was a fluke, just powered by Matthew Tkachuk's heroics. But the team is playing better this season and is on a nine-game win streak.

Realistically, if the Bruins were not so good out of the gate, the Panthers would be atop the Atlantic Divison, sitting a single point behind their northern rivals. This divisional race between rivals may be among the most interesting in the second half.

4.) Colorado Avalanche

There is nothing else the Colorado Avalanche could do besides produce an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 games, only to watch the Winnipeg Jets swoop in and steal the top spot in the Central Division. Even though they remain a favorite to win the Stanley Cup, they are getting by with questionable goaltending since Alexandar Georgiev currently has a sub-.900 save percentage.

3.) Boston Bruins

The Bruins have faced plenty of adversity this season, but times are about to get more interesting with Linus Ullmark on the shelf with a lower-body injury. Of course, Jeremy Swayman can handle the workload, but the alternating schedule just got tossed out the window, and playing one goalie every night will make everyone else step up.

Ultimately, Boston should be fine and continue to weather the storm, but some reinforcements at the trade deadline will help avoid a repeat of last year.

2.) Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have been one of the best teams throughout the NHL regular season, before and after a mini-slump in November that had people wondering if the hot start was a fluke. On top of that, they have three players ranked amongst the top 15 scorers in the league and remain the team with the most scored goals.

Realistically, this franchise's direction changed when they hired Rick Tocchet, a front-runner for the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year.

1.) Winnipeg Jets

For the first time in franchise history, the Winnipeg Jets are the top team in the NHL. No one saw this milestone coming, but realistically, it's been building up for a long time with Connor Hellebuyck, one of the game's best netminders, for half a decade.

After slight alterations to the lineup over the summer and the team showing great chemistry together, people across the league need to believe this team is real and capable of going to the Stanley Cup Final.