It has only been five weeks since the hockey season started, and many teams have been climbing their way to the top while others keep tanking down. So let’s look at some of the best teams ranking down to some of the worst. (All statistics can be found on NHL.com)
NHL Top Teams
1. New Jersey Devils
The Devils have been a hot team throughout the season so far. They managed to keep their winning streak going (ten) by beating the Montreal Canadians yesterday, Nov. 15. The last time the Devils managed to get a nine-game winning streak like that was back in 2007, more than a decade ago, according to NHL.com. Different strategies continue to be used by the Devils to win games.
2. Boston Bruins
The Bruins managed to make an excellent start to the season without one of their forwards Brad Marchand, who came back on the ice on Oct. 27 after recovering from offseason hip surgery. According to the NHL, they also played without top defensemen Charlie McAvoy, who recently returned to action after shoulder surgery in June. Now with both of their top players returned, plus the many other stars they have, like David Pastrnak and goaltender Linus Ullmark, they will be in the top five for a while.
3. Vegas Golden Knights
The Knights have been stepping up this season by a lot. During their recent road trip from Nov. first to the tenth, they swept Eastern Conference opponents for the first time in their history. Center Jack Eichel has been stepping up this season with 19 points. Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore are at the top of their game. Their goaltending has also been strong, with rookie Logan Thompson having a save percentage of .925. Vegas might be one to look out for the rest of the season.
4. Winnipeg Jets
The Jets are second in the Central Division, the Dallas Stars being first. Winnipeg has been doing great so far throughout this season. Although they’re just a little inconsistent, they’ll be one of the top teams for a while. Players like Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey have been excellent on the ice.
5. Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes had a tough break during the playoffs last season when the New York Rangers beat them in round two. But things are looking different for Carolina this season. Although it’s still too soon to make inferences, they look like a pretty solid team this season. Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov are a deadly dynamic duo on the ice. Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is looking well in the net. In their most recent game against the Chicago Blackhawks, he earned a shutout 3-0.
NHL Bottom Teams
1. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks have had a rough season, to begin with. They sit last on the ranking with a total of 16 games played, and the team has only five wins and not one regulation win. That’s as bad as it gets. Ducks forward Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras have been leading the team in points. Goaltender John Gibson has been solid on ice but sometimes has some down moments. If Anaheim wants to rebuild, they will have to communicate better on ice and get more points on the board.
2. St. Louis Blues
St. Louis has been singing the Blues. They were off to a good start during the beginning of the season with three wins straight but then started to tank to the bottom. They had eight straight losses but recently started picking up things again. Forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn lead on ice with the most points. Again, the season recently started, so it’s too soon to make assumptions.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
Like the Ducks, the Blue Jackets have only five wins in 15 games. They are 31st in offense and 32nd in defense. Forward Johnny Gaudreau, who they signed during the offseason, has had the most points with 13. With an average of -22, the Blue Jackets will have to pick things up on the ice.
4. Ottowa Senators
The Senators have been struggling a little, especially when they were without their goaltender Cam Talbot who was out with an upper-body injury for a couple of games. He recently returned on Monday, Nov. 14, yet the team failed to take the win against the New York Islanders. Leading in points is Brady Tkachuk, who has 20. He has been stellar on the ice with 14 assists. Maybe Ryan Reynolds will buy the team and turn it around.
5. Vancouver Canucks
The Cancucks have played 17 games so far and only won five. Many people blame the management. According to the NHL, General manager Patrik Allvin and president Jim Rutherford replaced Coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning, who was fired after Game 25 last year. The Canucks have some key players, like Bo Horvat, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, and Quinn Hughes, who step up. But Vancouver needs time to rebuild the roster, which will take time.
TL//DR: NHL Rankings: Top five of the Best and Worst
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