NHL power rankings: Martin Necas’ hot start helps Hurricanes storm to top spot

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas.

Credit: © James Guillory

With the well-documented American Thanksgiving threshold approaching and teams’ and players’ starts to the season beginning to look a bit more legitimate, we’re also beginning to see different tiers form in the power rankings. While there’s still plenty of movement within those tiers, only a few are jumping from one tier to another in the past week, which is probably as strong of an indicator as any that teams are really starting to establish their identities.

Hunter Crowther and I continue to navigate through the results so far this season with another week of our co-op power rankings. I have my same old system in which I aggregate six stats (points %, 5-on-5 goal differential, 5-on-5 xGF/60, 5-on-5 xGA/60, power play xGF/60, and shorthanded xGA/60, all coming courtesy of Natural Stat Trick) to come up with a list that eliminates my own biases, along with a rule that no team can be above a team that’s more than five points ahead of them in the standings, regardless of where the aggregate places them. On the other hand, Hunter goes off his own intellect and pure vibes, and together we find a way to combine it and meet in the middle.

1. Carolina Hurricanes

Record: 13-4-0, +27
Last Week: 5th (+4)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 2nd

Hunter: Last week, my wonderful colleague Mr. Maxwell mentioned how the Hurricanes never get the attention they deserve because we just expect it from them. They’ve won 11 of their last 13 games and this past week was as impressive as any, with convincing wins over the Golden Knights, Senators and Blues. Much of the Hart Trophy talk is going to Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, but Martin Necas should have his name carved into the conversation, now with 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points. I’m not sure how much Rod Brind’Amour and his coaching staff re-signed for, but they’re worth every penny.

Scott: As much as I love Necas and his play right now, he’s definitely been overperforming, so I don’t know if I’d throw him in the Hart conversation with the elites like Kaprizov. That said, Necas has nearly doubled his next closest teammate, as Andrei Svechnikov “only” has 16 points in 17 games, so maybe there is a case there Hunter.

2. New Jersey Devils

Record: 12-7-2, +16
Last Week: 4th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 3th

Scott: The Devils are such a weird team to rank so far because they’ve played a few more games than the rest of the league, so they give off the illusion that they’re a top team in the league based on the standings, despite the fact that they’re 10th in points percentage. That said, they’re coming off the rare triple-game Florida road trip (because they played back-to-back games against the Panthers) where they won both games against the Panthers by a combined score of 10-3, before dropping the final game to the Lightning 4-0. At least they did better than another “contender” in Florida…

3. Winnipeg Jets

Record: 15-3-0, +31
Last Week: 1st (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 6th

Hunter: Oh you’re a real funny guy, eh Maxwell? You come in with your fancy formulas and shirts that aren’t wrinkled and try to knock down a blue-collar team like the Jets, one that started the season with an eight-game winning streak, then a seven-game winning streak, and all it took was a pair of losses in the Sunshine State for you to call them garbage? Hey everyone, this guy thinks the Jets are garbage!

But seriously, the last two games weren’t pretty – you could excuse the 4-1 loss to the Lightning as your backup in Eric Comrie having a bad night, but Saturday night against the Panthers was inexcusable. After a 5-0 beatdown like that, what do you even do? That’s it, back to Winnipeg! (the two teams play in Winnipeg on Tuesday)

Scott: I probably shouldn’t be so hard on the Jets. After all, they’ve done me the journalistic solid of going 15-1 before I published my piece about their success this season, and then proceeded to start losing after that. So thanks for not making me look foolish for once this season Winnipeg!

4. Washington Capitals

Record: 12-4-1, +24
Last Week: 6th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 1st

Scott: At the start of the season, a bunch of us at Daily Faceoff ranked the Capitals as the 23rd most-watchable team in the league this year (including my good friend Mr. Crowther who ranked them second-last). Boy were we wrong. They’ve been must watch hockey this season, between Alex Ovechkin vaulting closer to Wayne Gretzky’s record, excellent scoring depth behind him, and a stacked blueline that can always control the play no matter who’s on the ice. The scoring will slow down a bit, but they have the tools to do very well this season.

Hunter: Considering my name has the word “Crow” in it, I know when to eat it, and this is one of those times. I loved their response after losing a tough one to the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, with big-time efforts against the Avalanche and Golden Knights. We’re also inching closer and closer to Logan Thompson earning some serious consideration for the starting job for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. I mean, it’s early, but who else you got?

5. Florida Panthers

Record: 12-5-1, +10
Last Week: 2nd (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 5th

Scott: This past week might have been the most human that we’ve seen the Panthers look this season, but in their defense, all three games were against teams that we’ve ranked higher than them this week. The real struggle was that double-header against the Devils, but they at least bounced back against the Jets on Saturday with a 5-0 win. I’m definitely not concerned about that performance against the Devils, as that’s more a testament to the Devils’ scoring depth than any issues that the Panthers have.

Hunter: This team has built in so much goodwill through their winning streak and, you know, being the defending Stanley Cup champions and all that, that I didn’t think much of their two losses to the Devils. That said, what put my mind at ease was the 5-0 shellacking of the Jets on Saturday, alerting the rest of the league that all paths to glory have a few bumps in the road.

6. Minnesota Wild

Record: 11-3-3, +16
Last Week: 3rd (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 4th

Hunter: It’s funny, when I think back to last season, it felt like Connor Bedard was running away with the Calder Trophy, even though he missed more than a dozen games with a broken jaw. But at different points of the season, some in the collective hockey blogosphere made the case for Brock Faber to win the award. While the rookie of the year wound up being Bedard, there’s no doubt who the better player is in year two, and that’s Faber. The 22-year-old is being asked to play an absurd 25 minutes of ice time per game, but looks comfortable handling it every night. Oh, and Matt Boldy is taking that step from “very good forward” to someone you could argue will be one of the best players in the league in a few years.

7. Dallas Stars

Record: 11-5-0, +19
Last Week: 9th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 10th

Hunter: I tell ya, this Maxwell kid gives the Stars no respect, no respect. Three wins in three games, two of them by a combined score of 14-3, and a playoff-type 2-1 victory over the same Wild whose praises I just sang. Tyler Seguin is playing some of his best hockey in ages, and Jake Oettinger would start on any other country’s national roster, but he’ll likely be No. 2 behind Connor Hellebuyck for the U.S. The thing that somewhat worries me about Dallas are the slow starts from Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, but that’s mostly because they’re on my fantasy team and I’m self-centered. But it’s a long season, most Americans haven’t even bought their Thanksgiving turkey. Give it time.

Scott: Hey, don’t blame me, blame the Jets! They came out in seventh in the aggregate this week and dropped three spots because they weren’t within range of Winnipeg, so I rate them just as much as you do.

8. Los Angeles Kings

Record: 10-6-3, +6
Last Week: 7th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 9th
Scott’s Rank: 7th

Scott: After a hot start, the Kings have taken a slight step back and been a more mediocre 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, including losing two of their three games last week. They started off the week dropping both games on a quick road trip to Calgary and Colorado, and then went home for a bit of an easier matchup against the Red Wings, which they won by a decisive 4-1 score. Under the hood they’ve been fine, but once again, this team seems to have issues in net that are holding them back a bit.

Hunter: What worries me more than the goaltending is the lack of production out of Kevin Fiala in the last few weeks. Pointless in his last five games, there’s times where it feels like he grips the stick too hard, then times where he’s invisible. And where is Quinton Byfield? He had goals in back-to-back games earlier this month, but those were the only two he’s scored all year. The club signed Byfield to a long-term extension in July, banking on the 22-year-old to continue developing after his 20-goal, 55-point 2023-24 campaign. They need to see more out of their investment.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs

Record: 11-6-2, +8
Last Week: 10th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 11th
Scott’s Rank: 8th

Scott: The Leafs were without Matthews once again last week, and after a hiccup against the Sens, they had back-to-back OT wins against the Caps and Oilers to now give them a 5-1-0 stretch without their captain, largely due to the play of Mitch Marner at both ends of the ice. The real question now is how will they fare without an even bigger piece of their lineup in the next few games – Ryan Reaves? With the five game suspension, the Leafs will surely be in dire strai- okay, I can’t finish that sentence seriously. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Leafs play their best stretch of the season over the next five games, particularly with their underlying numbers, especially if Matthews returns.

Hunter: I swear, Reaves heard everyone on social media and sports talk radio bring up his lack of fights this season and pull an Office Space, asking “what exactly is it that you do here?” Credit to Marner for looking fantastic in the last few weeks; he’s been extremely productive at both ends of the rink through November. I know, “what about in the playoffs, talk to me in April,” all that crap. How about you root a player on through the six months of hockey you get to watch carefree and see them cultivate a type of game that works in the playoffs? Are you not entertained?

10. Edmonton Oilers

Record: 9-7-2, -7
Last Week: 12th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 12th
Scott’s Rank: 9th

Scott: Ah, the highs and lows of Edmonton Oilers hockey. They entered Saturday’s game against the Leafs with a three-game winning streak, highlighted by Connor McDavid getting his 1,000th point on Thursday, and had even taken a 2-1 lead in the game. Oh, and they even had a five-minute power play after Reaves’ dirty hit on Darnell Nurse. Game over, right? Nope, Evan Bouchard had a nightmare 59 seconds to get the Leafs back into the game, and the Oil eventually lost in overtime. They have certainly bounced back from a tough start, but they still have their inconsistencies thus far.

11. Vegas Golden Knights

Record: 11-5-2, +15
Last Week: 13th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 10th
Scott’s Rank: 12th

Hunter: I still don’t know how this team acquired Tomas Hertl. But like when I watch a magician, I don’t know how they perform a trick, and I still enjoy the show. Hertl scored three times this week and is on pace for his third 30-goal season (knock on wood for his health). Speaking of which, Mark Stone hasn’t played since Nov. 6. At this point, just let him get a few games in a month to avoid rust and be ready for April. Did you or any of your friends know Jack Eichel is second in the league in assists? Or that Alex Pietrangelo is 35, leads the time in ice time and has 13 points? Damn it, they’re good again.

12. New York Rangers

Record: 11-4-1, +19
Last Week: 8th (-4)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 15th

Scott: Here’s a fun fact about the Rangers: the last time they beat a team that is top 15 in the standings was Oct. 19 when they beat the Maple Leafs 4-1. Actually, that’s the Rangers’ only win against teams in the top 15 this season. So yes, they’re 11-4-1 this year, but that’s also with one of the easier schedules this season, so they’ve mostly just been beating up on non-playoff teams. I’ve been so focussed on exposing the Jets as frauds that I’ve let the Rangers slip under the cracks. No longer!

13. Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 9-6-1, +11
Last Week: 11th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 13th
Scott’s Rank: 11th

Hunter: Sometimes unrestricted free agents join a team and they struggle to get acclimated, starting cold and unable to generate chances with their new lineups. Sometimes they fit like a glove and are on pace to pass their career high in points. Jake Guentzel is the latter, someone who’s scoring at a point-per-game pace, near the top of the club in possession and can comfortably play with anyone, whether it’s with Nick Paul on the second line or with Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel on the power play. The NHL oddly scheduled them to wait a full week between games, but it may have been perfect timing to snap a four-game losing skid. Two road games against the struggling Penguins and Blue Jackets give them a chance to earn more points next week.

14. Colorado Avalanche

Record: 9-9-0, -7
Last Week: 17th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 14th
Scott’s Rank: 13th

Hunter: This week had a lot of positives in Denver: Jonathan Drouin, Miles Wood and Valeri Nichushkin made their return to the lineup in various capacities. Nichushkin made his debut Friday after being added to the Avalanche’s active roster, and it was a long offseason for the 29-year-old Nichushkin, who last played during the second round of last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. The club looked good in their three wins this week, but the long-term effect of key players returning to the lineup means more than a trio of victories in November.

15. Vancouver Canucks

Record: 9-5-3, -1
Last Week: 14th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 15th
Scott’s Rank: 14th

Hunter: This league is a pendulum, and momentum and hot streaks and cold weeks come and go, but it’s nice to see Elias Pettersson producing again. Yes, he’s scoring even-strength goals and power-play goals, with two of each in his last six games, but he’s looking more engaged each night. Little battles for the puck, making the smart pass and not being afraid to take a hit. There were moments in October where you wondered if he had Jonathan Huberdeau’d himself. Glad to see we were all wrong. Also, the last we heard about Thatcher Demko, it was that he might be back by the end of the month. Until we see him back in the crease, I can’t put my finger on what this team really is.

Scott: This is the biggest “no duh” analysis, but I think a fully healthy and zoned-in Demko will make a huge difference for this team. Their underlying numbers have actually been better than last season’s, so I’m really curious to see what this team can do with Demko back.

16. Boston Bruins

Record: 8-8-3, -17
Last Week: 16th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 17th
Scott’s Rank: 16th

Scott: Again, I never want to start digging the grave of a team as consistent over the years as the Bruins, but with each passing week, it really looks like these are the new Bruins. They had two games against the Blues this week and split them, but the bigger concern was the 7-2 blowout loss at the hands of the Stars. And while I have full faith in Jeremy Swayman to bounce back, he hasn’t exactly backed up his holdout with great play in his first season as the true starter of the team either.

17. New York Islanders

Record: 7-7-4, -6
Last Week: 15th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 19th
Scott’s Rank: 17th

Scott: I’ll give credit where it’s due, the Islanders have done an excellent job of hanging around in the playoff race despite all of their injuries. A 7-7-4 record overall with a 4-4-2 record in their last 10 is exactly what I’d expect from a strong defensive team that struggles to score and is without its best offensive player. The longer this keeps up, more likely they’ll be in a solid spot to sneak into the playoffs when they get healthy.

18. Buffalo Sabres

Record: 8-9-1, 0
Last Week: 19th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 18th
Scott’s Rank: 18th

Scott: So after Hunter got super excited about the Sabres’ three-game win streak and felt confident in saying that they might be legit, they lost two of their three games last week and almost fulfilled the prophecy I gave them of cooling off and looking mid again. I’m excited for them to sweep their California road trip this week and be back again next week!

Hunter: Did you see that win for the Bills over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday? What a game. You have to think Josh Allen is at or near the top in the MVP conversation, especially if Buffalo continues to ride this momentum into the second half of the season.

Also, if you’re a betting man, pick the Sabres to beat the higher-ranked Kings and lose to both the lower-ranked Ducks and Sharks, because, why not?

Scott: As a Miami Dolphins fan clinging onto our one notable achievement (the only undefeated season in NFL history) who has Allen on his fantasy team, it was a solid game from my end seeing our history persevere and see Allen carry me to another likely win, Monday game pending.

19. Calgary Flames

Record: 9-6-3, -2
Last Week: 18th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 16th
Scott’s Rank: 21st

Scott: Dustin Wolf just doesn’t know how to be a bad goalie no matter what level he plays at. A quick look at his Hockey DB page, and the only time he’s played at least five games and finished with a save percentage below .920 was his 17-game stint with the Flames last season. In fact, his .921 so far this season is his lowest rate after that. As the play in front of him has dropped off a bit, Wolf remains the biggest reason why the Flames are still in the playoff hunt right now. They have a keeper in this one (no pun intended).

20. Utah Hockey Club

Record: 7-7-3, -9
Last Week: 20th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 20th
Scott’s Rank: 19th

Hunter: The novelty of a new franchise in the league (at least, one that relocated) has worn off for me, and Utah is nothing more than a middle-of-the-pack club with some interesting pieces who isn’t going to make the playoffs. Dylan Guenther has two goals in his last 14 games, and Clayton Keller has none in his last seven contests. They also happen to be No. 1 and 2 on the team in goals, respectively.

21. Ottawa Senators

Record: 8-8-1, +2
Last Week: 21st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 21st
Scott’s Rank: 22nd

Hunter: I thought we were getting somewhere with that 3-0 win over the Leafs, that the Battle of Ontario was back and we were going to see Ottawa carve out their first real winning streak of the season. Of course they choke a two-goal lead to the Flyers then get blanked by the Hurricanes. But they’re getting good production from their top guys and staying competitive. Also, big shoutout to 37-year-old Claude Giroux for getting on the scoresheet and posting some fantastic possession numbers with a 57 percent even-strength Corsi.

22. Pittsburgh Penguins

Record: 7-10-3, -25
Last Week: 24th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 23rd
Scott’s Rank: 20th

Hunter: I find myself watching them more than I should, only for the same reason I force myself to watch the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James, or that last year of Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: I have to see whatever’s left of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Kyle Dubas has made it known that everyone – except Crosby – is available, but I have a hard time believing Dubas moves on him, or Malkin, or Kris Letang. They’ve all decided they’re going down with the ship, and gentlemen, it’s been a privilege watching you every night.

23. Nashville Predators

Record: 6-10-3, -15
Last Week: 23rd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 26th
Scott’s Rank: 23rd

Scott: When is it time to sound the alarms on this Preds’ team? They still struggle to put wins together, and they’re already five points out of a playoff spot despite playing the second-most games in the league. Barry Trotz teased that he’d start the rebuild if he needed to, but it’s already getting dangerously close to the point where he’ll need to back up those words.

24. Philadelphia Flyers

Record: 8-8-2, -10
Last Week: 32nd (+8)
Hunter’s Rank: 24th
Scott’s Rank: 26th

Hunter: You could see the three-game winning streak and mutter to yourself, “We are so back,” but no, dear reader, we are not back. While they may be better than the 32-ranked spot we placed them last week, they’re still bad and they likely won’t change that anytime soon. After Matvei Michkov sat two games, he’s got two goals and three assists in his last three games, and it drives me nuts that John Tortorella doesn’t play him more. Maybe the next bench boss will.

Scott: I think it’s been more impressive to see how Michkov has responded to Torts’ usage. While Tortorella can usually be stubborn, this seems more like a case of doing it for the long-term growth of the player, and it’s paid off so far.

Hunter: Completely agree, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a 19-year-old who’s never played in North America to take a night or two off. But I know Tortorella is the same type of personality to see results after a healthy scratch and use that as proof of success, but pretend not to see it if nothing changes. That being said, I like how they’re handling Michkov.

25. Seattle Kraken

Record: 9-9-1, 0
Last Week: 27th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 22nd
Scott’s Rank: 29th

Hunter: The Kraken may be inconsistently consistent – four straight losses, four straight wins – but I must say, I rather enjoyed watching them play this week. Three convincing wins and a valiant effort against the Rangers on Sunday. I couldn’t tell you where I see them in the second half of the season, and Jared McCann is doing most of the work. But clear your afternoon next Saturday, because I think that game against the Kings could be a doozy.

26. Detroit Red Wings

Record: 7-9-1, -13
Last Week: 26th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 25th
Scott’s Rank: 27th

Scott: After starting off the week with a 3-2 win over the Penguins, the Wings went out to California and dropped the first two games against the Ducks and the Kings by a combined score of 10-5. You’d hope they can get a win out of one of the worst teams in the league in the Sharks, but it’s hard to maintain any sort of faith in this team so far.

Hunter: I’ll take a bet with you now that Derek Lalonde is fired before Christmas. There’s a few names out there that Steve Yzerman could replace him with, some more controversial than others, but there’s no way they can keep going like this. Look at Lalonde’s reaction after their 6-4 loss to the Ducks. Clock’s ticking.

Scott: You see though, the point of a bet is that I have to disagree with you, and I don’t here.

27. Columbus Blue Jackets

Record: 6-9-2, -8
Last Week: 25th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 29th
Scott’s Rank: 24th

Hunter: For a team that started a somber season with a few positives and uplifting wins, November has been a month of struggling for the Blue Jackets, losing seven of their last eight and giving up a sizable chunk of goals against every night. Their one win was against the Penguins, which, again, what the hell, Pittsburgh? Update on Dante Fabbro’s Columbus debut: a goal and assist through three games, including a 22-minute night against the Canadiens on Saturday.

28. Chicago Blackhawks

Record: 6-11-1, -13
Last Week: 22nd (-6)
Hunter’s Rank: 28th
Scott’s Rank: 25th

Hunter: Luke Richardson made the point of healthy scratching Taylor Hall this week, but Tyler Bertuzzi and his lack of … well, anything … continues to perplex me when I watch Chicago. In his last three games, not only is he pointless, but he hasn’t even thrown a hit or tried to make something happen. One has to think that if it weren’t for the ink still being wet on his four-year, $22 million deal, he would be joining Hall in the press box. I mentioned Bedard earlier, and you can see the frustration in his game when he comes back to the bench after a shift or when he’s on the ice for a goal against. The kid is pissed, and he should be.

29. St. Louis Blues

Record: 8-10-1, -18
Last Week: 28th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 27th
Scott’s Rank: 31st

Scott: I feel like Wile E. Coyote finally catching the Road Runner right now. For two plus years now, the Blues have always been playing like a bottom feeder, but getting enough points to boost them up several spots in my power rankings and elude a really low ranking, but after losing five of their last six games, there’s nowhere for them to hide. Fiiiiiiiinally!!!!

30. Anaheim Ducks

Record: 6-8-2, -11
Last Week: 29th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 30th
Scott’s Rank: 28th

Hunter: When a team is clearly rebuilding, I look at it this way: if they’re entertaining, I’m fine with it. For God’s sake, why else do we watch the games if not to enjoy the highlights and marvel at the freakish level of talent these super athletes possess? So when I see a game like Friday’s against the Red Wings, where both teams just fire as many shots as they can on net and see what goes in … sure, I’ll watch that. Glove tap to Cutter Gauthier for scoring his first-career NHL goal. Hopefully he never has to go through another 15-game goalless drought.

31. Montreal Canadiens

Record: 6-10-2, -20
Last Week: 30th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 32nd
Scott’s Rank: 30th

Scott: The Habs won two of their three games this week, and I’d say they got the results in the games that you would have expected. Their games against the Sabres and Blue Jackets were toss-ups and they won both, and then they also had a matchup against the Wild that they got blanked in. They’ve also managed to improve their defensive metrics from being historically bad to only 30th in the league. Yay to progress!

32. San Jose Sharks

Record: 5-10-4, -22
Last Week: 31st (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 31st
Scott’s Rank: 32nd

Scott: After that insane goaltending performance from Mackenzie Blackwood last Sunday to give the Sharks a 1-0 win over the Devils, they’re back to the same old Sharks by dropping three straight games to continue this road trip through the Metropolitan Division. After a hot start, Macklin Celebrini has gone pointless in four straight games, and it really reminds you how bad this team is when he isn’t performing.

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