NHL 2021-22 Power Rankings: Week 12

Welcome to the 11th edition of my weekly NHL Power Rankings for The Hockey Writers, where the league’s top half is evaluated. These rankings will focus on how the teams have performed in the past week of play and will significantly factor in their overall strength and where they are at the time in the standings. With that said, let’s take a look at the top 16 teams in the league at this moment.

16. L.A. Kings (17-13-5)

Last Week’s Rank: 16

After losing Thursday night’s game to the Nashville Predators, the Kings bounced back in a big way on Saturday by defeating the Detroit Red Wings 4-0. They have now surpassed the Edmonton Oilers for sole possession of the final wild card position in the Western Conference.

Evgeni Malkin, who is nearing a return, was unable to suit up this past week but is expected to make his season debut in the very near future. That will be a massive boost for the Penguins, who have been playing their best hockey of 2021-22 over the past month.

8. Nashville Predators (23-11-2)

Last Week’s Rank: 13

Though they still aren’t getting much talk, the Predators are for real. They currently find themselves on a four-game winning streak after defeating the Golden Knights, Kings, and Arizona Coyotes this past week. They will look to make it five when they host the Colorado Avalanche next Tuesday.

Several players have been getting it done offensively for the Predators this season, but none have been better than Roman Josi. The 31-year-old has 34 points in 34 games and could be in line for his second Norris Trophy if he keeps his play up.

7. Washington Capitals (20-7-9)

Last Week’s Rank: 5

There haven’t been many down points for the Capitals this season, but after losing to both the Blues and Wild this past week they now find themselves on a three game skid. It is a frustrating brief stretch of play, but a justified one given that both T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom are on the NHL’s COVID protocol list.

There aren’t many things to be worried about with the Capitals, but if there is one area they could improve, it is their goaltending. Both Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek have been far too inconsistent to rely on this season. It is an area that management could and likely should try to improve before the trade deadline to give this team as much help as they can to compete for their second Stanley Cup.

6. St. Louis Blues (21-10-5)

Last Week’s Rank: 6

Though they kicked off their week with a loss to the Penguins, the Blues recovered with wins over the Capitals and the Wild. This roster won’t be fun for any team to match up against in the playoffs, as they are deeper than many fans realize.

Up front, they have several forwards playing at or near a point per-game pace, while on the back end, they have players like Torey Krug, Colton Parayko, and Justin Faulk, who can also help contribute offensively. The one concern at this point seems to be goaltending, as Jordan Binnington has been rather average this season with a 2.90 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .910 save percentage (SV%).

5. Tampa Bay Lightning (23-9-5)

Last Week’s Rank: 4

The Lightning were able to welcome back not only their best player but one of the best players in the league in Nikita Kucherov this past Thursday. Despite being out of the lineup for roughly six weeks, he looked no worse for the wear in his return against the Flames, registering two assists in a 4-1 victory.

Taking a look at the Bolts roster with Kucherov back would make them seem nearly unbeatable, but that wasn’t the case on Saturday as they fell 5-2 to the Bruins on Saturday. Though their play has been a little inconsistent since returning from the NHL stoppage, there is little to worry about if you are a Lightning fan.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs (22-8-3)

Last Week’s Rank: 3

If there is one concern regarding the Maple Leafs right now, they haven’t played much hockey at all as of late. In fact, they have played in just three games since Dec. 14, making them a hard team to rank on this list.

The good news is that they have looked quite strong when they have played. With players like John Tavares and William Nylander looking very good to this point, perhaps this is finally the year they will be able to get past the first round. However, we still have a ways to go before that opportunity arises.

3. Colorado Avalanche (21-8-2)

Last Week’s Rank: 9

After a slow start to the season, the Avalanche have turned things around as of late and are now just four points shy of first place in the Central Division. They were once again fantastic this past week, winning all three of their games while scoring 16 goals in the process.

After yet another big week, Nathan MacKinnon now finds himself on a 13 game point streak and is playing like the best player in the world right now. He is a very scary forward to go up against for any team who will come across their path in the postseason.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (24-7-2)

Last Week’s Rank: 1

After defeating the Flames 6-3 on Friday, the Hurricanes had a huge test just a day later as they faced off against one of the league’s best teams in the Panthers. Though they ended up falling 4-3 in overtime, it was a commendable effort on the second half of a back-to-back.

In defense of this Hurricanes squad, it is also worth noting that in Saturday’s game versus the Panthers, they were forced to rely on third-string goaltender Alex Lyon due to an injury to Antti Raanta. The good news is that Raanta isn’t expected to miss much time, though given his injury history throughout his career the Canes may choose to be very cautious with him.

1. Florida Panthers (23-7-5)

Last Week’s Rank: 2

An excellent week for the Panthers has them back on top of not only this list, but the entire league standings. The one concern in their game has been their poor play on the road this season, but after defeating the Hurricanes in Raleigh on Saturday, they may be getting on the right track in that regard.

Their next scheduled game is on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks, which could be a harder test than some would think. Not only are the Canucks red hot since the hiring of Bruce Boudreau, but the Panthers currently have four players in Mason Marchment, Sam Reinhart, Spencer Knight, and Patrick Hornqvist on the league’s COVID protocol list. Luckily, they have plenty of depth if none of the listed players can go, but it could impact them in the short term.

Changes to Come

These rankings will continue to change each week throughout the season, as all teams go through highs and lows. Of course, the true contenders will like always remain on the list, but where they are ranked could change each and every week. Tune in at this time next week to see the changes.