1
Hurricanes
The Bruins’ three-game dropping streak opened the door for a brand new group to take excessive spot, and the Hurricanes did simply that by rattling off six consecutive wins. Martin Necas continued his tear final week with a last-second objective to tie the sport and the additional time winner towards the Sharks.
2
33-9-8
2
Bruins
For the primary time all season, the Bruins have seemed considerably mortal. They’ve misplaced three straight video games, however Boston has the chance to enter the All-Star break and bye week on a excessive notice if it could possibly beat the Maple Leafs in an enormous Atlantic Division conflict on Wednesday evening.
1
38-7-5
3
Lightning
Brayden Point battled accidents all through the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and he suffered a torn quad within the ultimate towards the Avalanche. He has come again stronger than ever. Point is at the moment on tempo for 50 targets, which might be a profession excessive. His dominance is an enormous purpose why the Bolts have remained a juggernaut in a troublesome Atlantic Division.
1
32-15-1
4
Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews will miss three weeks with a knee sprain, however that’s removed from a catastrophe for the Leafs for a few causes. First of all, Toronto has an extremely mild schedule arising, so the group needs to be no worse off by the point Matthews returns. Secondly, William Nylander is on a seven-game level streak, and he’s totally able to selecting up Matthews’ slack within the meantime.
2
31-12-8
5
Devils
Over the final month, the Devils’ underlying numbers have dipped, however the group has gone 9-2-2 in that point. That’s as a result of Vitek Vanacek has been glorious over the previous couple of weeks. Since Jan. 1, Vanacek is fourth within the NHL in targets saved above common with 6.42, per Natural Stat Trick.
3
32-13-4
6
Oilers
I’ll pause my weekly Connor McDavid appreciation submit and provides some like to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who’s having the very best season of his profession. Nugent-Hopkins is on tempo for 36 targets, 62 assists and 98 factors. All of these numbers would smash his earlier profession highs. At occasions, the Oilers have struggled to get manufacturing behind McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, however Nugent-Hopkins has been carrying his weight.
1
28-18-4
7
Rangers
Filip Chytil has changed into a goal-scoring machine. In simply 41 video games, Chytil has set a brand new profession excessive with 16 targets, which doubles his whole from final season. Chytil’s capturing share is nearly eight factors increased than his profession common, however on the age of 23, he has clearly taken a step ahead in his growth.
2
27-14-8
8
Avalanche
Cale Makar is beginning to mount his protection of the Norris Trophy. Makar is on an eight-game level streak with 4 targets and 7 assists in that stretch. Beyond that manufacturing, the Avalanche are nonetheless dominating with their star defenseman on the ice. Colorado owns a five-on-five anticipated targets share of 56.06% with Makar within the recreation.
1
27-18-3
9
Sabres
Owen Power hasn’t had a lot hassle adjusting to the NHL stage. The rookie defenseman is an enormous purpose why the Sabres will probably be taking part in significant hockey video games after the All-Star break. Power has 19 factors in 46 video games, and Buffalo has managed 58.06% of the anticipated targets with him on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.
4
26-19-4
10
Kraken
It took the Kraken all of 47 video games to prime final season’s level whole. Going from atrocious goaltending to competent goaltending can try this for a group, however Dave Hakstol ought to no less than get an honorable point out for the Jack Adams Award at this level within the yr.
—
29-15-5
11
Jets
The Jets have been one of many NHL’s greatest surprises this season, however they’ve proven some cracks recently. Winnipeg is 3-5-0 during the last two weeks, and the Stars have surpassed them for first place within the Central Division. Luckily for the Jets, they do not play one other recreation till Feb. 11, in order that they have loads of time to hit the reset button earlier than the stretch run.
3
32-19-1
12
Stars
The Stars hit the All-Star break as the highest group within the Central Division, however they’ve additionally misplaced three straight video games in further time. The Stars haven’t misplaced 10 video games in additional time or a shootout, and that’s second solely to the Sharks’ 11 losses after regulation. If Dallas had simply received just a few extra of these video games, its division lead could be far more comfy.
1
28-13-10
13
Wild
The Wild scored simply 17 five-on-five targets in January, which is lifeless final within the NHL. Despite that lack of offense, Minnesota went 6-4-2 final month, and that allowed them to cling to a top-three spot within the Central Division. With the Avalanche charging, that will not final for lengthy, and GM Bill Guerin needs to be available in the market for a top-six ahead forward of the commerce deadline.
1
27-17-4
14
Kings
Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty have grow to be an extremely sturdy prime pairing for the Kings. With these two on the ice collectively at five-on-five, the Kings have managed 53.67% of the anticipated targets. No different pairing has been practically as efficient in Los Angeles.
1
28-18-7
15
Flames
Getting blown out by a Blackhawks group beginning its fourth-string goaltender is not any method to get again right into a playoff place. That’s what the Flames did final week, and it was emblematic of the inconsistency that has plagued this group since opening evening.
1
24-17-9
16
Capitals
Just eight video games after making his 2022-23 season debut, Tom Wilson suffered a lower-body damage towards the Avalanche on Jan. 24. The Capitals have had an terrible time attempting to get wholesome, and the duct tape that is been used to maintain this group afloat up up to now is beginning to deteriorate.
2
27-20-6
17
Golden Knights
Very few groups are colder than the Golden Knights. They shot 7.69% in January, which ranked thirtieth within the NHL, and Jack Eichel is within the midst of a serious stoop. Eichel hasn’t recorded some extent in his final 5 video games, and he hasn’t scored since Jan. 12. That has resulted in Vegas slipping to second place within the Pacific Division.
—
29-18-4
18
Predators
After getting dominated by the Blues on Jan. 19, the Predators held a group assembly that was described as “uncomfortable” by Roman Josi. Since then, the Preds have received three straight video games over the Kings, Jets, and Devils. We’ll see whether or not the consequences of that assembly are nonetheless felt after an 11-day layoff.
2
24-18-6
19
Panthers
The Panthers have been staring down the barrel of their fourth straight loss on Saturday when David Pastrnak gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead with underneath a minute remaining in regulation. However, Aleksander Barkov tied the sport with just a few ticks left on the clock, and Sam Reinhart received it in additional time. That might’ve been a season-saving sequence, however the Panthers have a number of work forward of them.
—
24-22-6
20
Penguins
Earlier this month, the Penguins bought some excellent news when Tristan Jarry returned from damage. However, these good vibes solely lasted just a few video games. Jarry missed the group’s final three video games earlier than the All-Star break with an upper-body damage, and the group has to hope he is able to go when play resumes. Casey DeSmith has struggled badly when requested to fill in for Jarry, and that has contributed to the Pens’ slide.
2
24-16-9
21
Islanders
To his credit score, Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello addressed one in every of his group’s greatest wants by buying Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks. The difficulty is that it could be too little too late. The Isles are chasing plenty of groups within the playoff race, and there’s a first rate probability they miss the playoffs and lose their first-round choose within the upcoming draft.
5
25-22-5
22
Senators
After checking the superior analytics, I can conclude that the vibes are on the rise in Ottawa. The Senators have received 4 in a row heading into the All-Star break, and three of these have come towards Atlantic Division rivals Toronto and Montreal. Van Wilder needs to be loving what he is seeing nowadays.
3
24-23-3
23
Flyers
Travis Konecny is having an incredible season general, however he has hit a tough patch not too long ago. Konecny hasn’t recorded some extent in 4 video games, and he hasn’t scored in his final 9 video games performed. When Konecny goes the Flyers are borderline watchable, however that hasn’t been the case not too long ago.
1
21-21-9
24
Red Wings
Jake Walman has all of a sudden emerged as a dependable possibility on the Red Wings’ blue line. He has been paired with Moritz Seider so much not too long ago, and that duo has been very profitable. With these two on the ice at five-on-five, the Red Wings have managed 55.48% of the anticipated targets. That is a substantial enchancment over the outcomes when Seider was paired with Ben Chiarot.
1
21-19-8
25
Canadiens
Former seventh-round choose Rafael Harvey-Pinard has performed simply seven video games for the Canadiens, however his 5 targets are tied for eighth on the group. Since being known as up from the AHL’s Laval Rocket, Harvey-Pinard has made the NHL appear like a beer league. I’m undecided he’ll have the ability to sustain his 42.9% capturing share, however who am I to rain on the Pinard parade?
1
20-27-4
26
Blues
Go forward and slap an ‘Everything Must Go’ signal on entrance of the Enterprise Center. After a brutal collapse towards the Jets, the Blues have now misplaced 5 straight video games in regulation, and they are going to be in vendor mode forward of the NHL commerce deadline.
5
23-25-3
27
Blackhawks
Defenseman Jake McCabe is already a sizzling title on the NHL commerce market, and he could very properly be an inexpensive depth possibility for a contender seeking to solidify its blue line. McCabe has an on-ice objective differential of minus-3, which appears pedestrian on the floor, but it surely’s superb relative to the remainder of the group. It’ll be fascinating to see what the market is like for McCabe over the following few weeks.
2
15-29-4
28
Ducks
The Ducks have developed a behavior of profitable video games during the last two weeks, together with a comeback win over the Avalanche, and that has damage their probabilities of touchdown the No. 1 general choose. To make issues worse, two of these wins towards their primary draft lottery competitors, the Coyotes.
1
16-29-5
29
Sharks
While Erik Karlsson and Timo Meier are within the midst of wonderful seasons, Tomas Hertl has had some hassle lighting the lamp this season. At the second, Hertl is on tempo for 23 targets, which might be a step again from his 30-goal season in 2021-22. To compensate for that, Hertl’s taken his playmaking up a notch as he’s monitoring to set a brand new profession excessive for assists.
1
15-25-11
30
Canucks
The Canucks have lastly determined to tear off the band-aid by buying and selling captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders. Vancouver now has the flexibility to start its rebuild, so long as it could possibly follow a cohesive plan for as soon as.
1
20-26-3
31
Blue Jackets
If Blue Jackets followers are trying towards the long run, because the needs to be, the thought of Kent Johnson taking part in on a line with Johnny Gaudreau for years to return is an thrilling prospect. As a rookie, Johnson is fifth on the group in targets (10) and fourth on the group in assists (14).
1
15-32-4
32
Coyotes
Arizona has picked up convincing wins over the Golden Knights and Blues within the final 10 days, however they’ve misplaced when it mattered. The Coyotes dropped two video games to the Ducks in a span of 5 days.
—
16-28-6
