By: Justin Gincauskas
As 2023 comes to a close, now is a great time to look at the best NHL teams heading into the new year.
Coming out of the Christmas break, not much separates the best teams in the league. The top 12 teams in the NHL standings currently are all within nine points of each other. There is no clear number one team, which could mean we will see many upsets when the playoffs roll around.
Here are five teams that have impressed the most this season and have best positioned themselves to make a Stanley Cup run heading into 2024.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are not suffering from any sort of Stanley Cup hangover.
Vegas has a strong core of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, William Karlsson, and Jonathan Marchessault. All four of them have already surpassed the 25-point mark this season. The Golden Knights look just as good as last year and have the playoff experience that could help them get to another Stanley Cup final.
New York Rangers
One of the best NHL teams in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers will hope their regular season play will lead to a long playoff run.
The Rangers are 23-8-1 this season, which has them sitting comfortably atop the Metropolitan Division. Artemi Panarin has been incredible for New York thus far, collecting 44 points in 32 games. The Rangers also have two good goaltenders, Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, who will certainly help New York’s chances in the postseason.
Vancouver Canucks
In a surprise to almost everyone, the Vancouver Canucks look like the best team in the league right now.
The Canucks are in first place in the NHL with 49 points. They lead the league in goal differential at +46 and have scored the most goals of any team with 135. Vancouver has four players currently averaging over a point per game, with J.T. Miller leading the team with 48 points.
Boston Bruins
After having the best record in the league last season, the Boston Bruins remain one of the best NHL teams.
The Bruins are in first place in the Atlantic Division with 44 points. They have a winning record at home and on the road this season. Boston is led by David Pastrnak, who has 20 goals and 44 points. The team does not allow many goals due to the play of goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are the best road team in the NHL. They set the record for most road wins to start a season earlier in the year and currently have an away record of 13-1-1.
The Kings are the best defensive team in the league, allowing just 73 goals in 30 games. Cam Talbot has been excellent for Los Angeles, as his 2.06 goals-against average is the second-best in the NHL.
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