Four teams remain undefeated after the first two weeks of the season. The Blues and Oilers continue to climb the ranks, while the Hurricanes and Panthers remain firmly entrenched at the top.
While other aspiring contenders, including Lightning and Avalanche, are still finding their balance, the Sabers and Flames have kept their beginnings surprisingly strong, though their sustainability remains uncertain. This is where each team is located.
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
32. Arizona Coyotes
Last week: 32
Record: 0-5-1
One of only two winless teams left in the NHL, the Coyotes have just one player who has scored multiple goals so far this season: 23-year-old center Clayton Keller, who has three. And as bad as his offense has been, his defense has been even worse, allowing 4.83 goals per game, the league’s highest.
31. Chicago Blackhawks
Last week: 27
Record: 0-5-1
The Blackhawks haven’t held the lead once in their first six games. That adds up to 360 minutes and 57 seconds of playing time, the longest season-opening stretch without a lead since the start of the 1979-80 season.
30. Anaheim Ducks
Last week: 31
Record: 2-4-1
The Ducks had the upper hand going into the final 90 seconds against the Jets on Tuesday, and they looked ready to snap their three-game losing streak. Instead, they allowed two goals in 19 seconds to Winnipeg winger Nikolaj Ehlers and took their fourth loss in a row.
29. Montreal Canadiens
Last week: 26
Record: 1-6-0
The Canadiens finally clinched their first win, and an impressive one, as a Mathieu Perrault hat trick led them to a 6-1 win against the Red Wings. But they quickly followed up the victory with another loss, falling 5-1 to Kraken on Tuesday.
28. Los Angeles Kings
Last week: 21
Registration: 1-4-1
Since the season began with a win against the Golden Knights, the Kings have lost five straight games, including the last two against the Blues. Star center Anze Kopitar stayed off the score sheet in both losses at St. Louis.
27. Ottawa Senators
Last week: 22
Record: 2-4-0
The team placed Matt Murray on injured reserve after he knelt on the head in Saturday’s loss to the Rangers. The starting goalkeeper has a .936 save percentage this season; Neither of his backups, Filip Gustavsson or Anton Forsberg, have a save percentage greater than .900.
26. Columbus Blue Jackets
Last week: 29
Record: 4-2-0
Patrik Laine didn’t prosper with former Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, but the forward has changed this season with new coach Brad Larsen. He has six points from six games, including two winning games in overtime against the Islanders and Kraken.
25. Seattle Kraken
Last week: 25
Record: 2-4-1
The Kraken ended a four-game streak with their first home win Tuesday, a 5-1 loss to the Canadiens at a sold-out Climate Pledge Arena. Brandon Tanev led the way with two goals; the winger leads the team with five this season.
24. Detroit Red Wings
Last week: 28
Record: 3-2-1
Tyler Bertuzzi remains unvaccinated, so the 26-year-old forward was unable to travel with the Red Wings to Canada for a game in Montreal. Detroit missed its goal and points leader in the 6-1 beating, and will miss it again on Saturday when the team embarks on a two-game Canadian road trip. The Red Wings have eight games left in Canada this season.
23. Buffalo Sabers
Last week: 30
Record: 4-1-1
The Sabers continue to defy expectations, following their first rocky stretch of the season (a 4-1 loss to Boston and then a 2-1 overtime loss to New Jersey) with a 5-1 win against the two. times defending champion Lightning. .
22. Sharks of San José
Last week: 23
Record: 4-2-0
With six points from six games, two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson has been strong so far for San Jose, but his comparatively weak possession stats and high PDO could spell a regression in his future.
21. Vancouver Canucks
Last week: 19
Record: 3-3-1
Elias Pettersson entered the season with a new three-year deal worth $ 7.35 million annually, but the center has just one goal in the first seven games, a concern for the Canucks.
20. Nashville Predators
Last week: 20
Record: 3-4-0
After a slow start, the Predators have begun to find their footing behind the play of defender Roman Josi, who had a combined six points (one goal and five assists) in back-to-back wins against Wild and Sharks.
19. Philadelphia Flyers
Last week: 16
Record: 2-1-1
Even with points in three of the four games so far, the Flyers are still at the bottom of the competitive Metropolitan Division. Still, their offense has been clicking. Philadelphia has scored no fewer than four goals in every game and is averaging 4.50 goals per game, tied for fourth in the league.
18. New Jersey Devils
Last week: 18
Record: 3-2-0
The Devils’ third goalkeeper in Nico Daws, called into action after the injuries of Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier, allowed three goals on seven shots in Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to Calgary. Blackwood could be close to returning, giving New Jersey a much-needed boost.
17. Winnipeg Jets
Last week: 17
Record: 3-2-1
Pierre-Luc Dubois has four goals and three assists in Winnipeg’s last five games. That puts him on track to surpass his totals from last season, when he scored eight goals and 12 assists in 41 games.
16. Calgary Flames
Last week: 24
Record: 4-1-1
The Flames have four straight wins and center Elias Lindholm has five goals during the streak, including a hat trick in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Capitals.
15. Dallas Stars
Last week: 13
Record: 3-3-0
The Stars are scoring just 1.83 goals per game, second only to the Canadiens (1.67). Goalie Braden Holtby and his .939 save percentage keep them afloat.
14. New York Rangers
Last week: 15
Record: 4-2-1
Kaapo Kakko remains on injured reserve after sustaining an upper body injury in the Rangers’ third game of the season, but the 20-year-old winger is expected to return in time for the team’s game on Friday against Columbus.
13. Toronto Maple Leafs
Last week: 7
Record: 2-4-1
The Maple Leafs have a 5.5 shooting percentage, the league’s lowest, and a save percentage in the bottom third of the league, making Toronto one of the most unlucky teams yet, but also a candidate. main for a rebound in the near future.
12. New York Islanders
Last week: 12
Record: 3-2-1
The Islanders are still catching up from their slow start, but they have had back-to-back shutouts from Coyotes and Golden Knights.
11. Vegas Golden Knights
Last week: 6
Record: 2-4-0
Special teams problems plague Las Vegas, which remains the only team that has yet scored a power play goal at 0-for-11 on the season.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins
Last week: 11
Record: 3-1-2
No Crosby, no Malkin, no Rust, no Letang, no problem? Even with forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust out with injuries, and defender Kris Letang out after a positive COVID-19 test, the Penguins had not lost a game in regulation time until their 5-1 loss on Tuesday against the Lightning.
9. Minnesota Wild
Last week: 9
Record: 5-1-0
The Wild suffered their first loss Sunday against the Predators, but bounced back with a 3-2 road win Tuesday against the Canucks. Defenders Jonas Brodin and Mathew Dumba scored their first goals of the season in the victory.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning
Last week: 4
Record: 3-3-1
After an ignominious 5-1 loss Monday at Buffalo, the Lightning changed the script Tuesday with their victory at Pittsburgh. Still, the two-time defending champions are still looking for consistency on both ends of the ice.
7. Colorado Avalanche
Last week: 3
Record: 2-4-0
Last season, Colorado had 10 power play goals in its first six games. This season, they have two out of 20 chances. The Avalanches need to find a way to take advantage of their man-up opportunities.
6. St. Louis Blues
Last week: 14
Record: 5-0-0
At the top of the Central Division, the Blues lead the league with 5.00 goals a game thanks to their perfect start, aided by 23-year-old forward Jordan Kyrou, who has two goals and six assists so far.
5. Washington capitals
Last week: 8
Record: 4-0-2
Vitek Vanecek was selected by Kraken in the expansion draft this summer, but the Capitals sent a second-round pick to Seattle to bring the 26-year-old goalkeeper back in a trade. The move has paid dividends as Vanecek has had a consistent online presence for Washington.
4. Edmonton Oilers
Last week: 10
Record: 5-0-0
The undefeated Oilers are scoring 47.1% of their power plays, the league-highest, for eight league-leading power play goals. They also have a meager goal and a respectable 88.2 penalty shootout percentage.
3. Boston Bruins
Last week: 5
Record: 3-1-0
Despite a good start, the Bruins are still looking for a trademark victory. They could catch a Wednesday when they take on their Atlantic Division rivals, the leading Eastern Conference Panthers, on the road.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
Last week: 2
Record: 5-0-0
Behind goalie Frederik Andersen, who has a .946 save percentage and has played every minute for Carolina thus far, the Hurricanes have allowed just 1.60 goals per game, the fewest in the league.
1. Florida Panthers
Last week: 1
Record: 6-0-0
Eight Panthers players have at least two goals so far this season. That depth makes Florida a force to be reckoned with no matter who is on the ice.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.