Rich 10 NHL Rankings (Nov. 16-22, 2021)
A new No. 1 emerges in this week's edition of the Rich 10 NHL Rankings. Who is it? Read to find out.
A surprising week of professional hockey shakes up this installment of the Rich 10 NHL rankings as there is a new No. 1 and four new teams finding a number next to their name.
Who cracked the list this week? Let’s get into it.
Outside the Crease: Tampa Bay Lightning (8-3-3, 19 pts)
Previous rank: 10
Like the Marvel film Eternals, the Lightning’s season has plateaued and lacks that pop we’ve come to know from the brands. Tampa went 1-1 in a difficult week that included a loss in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes and an OT win against the Florida Panthers.
The record may look decent, but the Bolts are middle of the pack in many statistical categories like goals per game (14th), power-play percentage (17th), goals allowed per game (17th) and save percentage (T-12th). It’s been very “meh” for the defending champs, but it’s still early in the season and this team has the tools they need to get right back to the top of the league in no time.
10. Winnipeg Jets (8-3-3, 19 pts)
Previous rank: NR
The Jets recovered from back-to-back losses against the New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues to knock off a pair of teams in the Pacific Division with the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. Winnipeg currently stands 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. Kyle Connor is the man of the hour for the Jets with 19 points (11 goals, 8 assists). The 11 goals are good enough to tie him for third-most in the NHL.
Their top netminder Connor Hellebuyck has been serviceable with a .911 SV%, but second-string goalie Eric Comrie has shined in four starts with a 1.98 GAA and a SV% of .926.
Winnipeg will have their hands full this week with a home-and-home stand against the Edmonton Oilers.
9. Anaheim Ducks (9-4-3, 21 pts)
Previous rank: NR
Well, hello there, Anaheim. The Ducks have surprised many this season and have been rolling over the last two weeks on a seven-game win streak. The last time the Ducks only managed two goals or fewer in a game was a 5-1 loss to the Jets back on Oct. 21.
Leading the tantalizing Anaheim brigade is Troy Terry, who is having a sensational start to the season with 20 points (11 goals, 9 assists).
36-year-old Ryan Getzlaf continues to turn back the clock with 17 points this season. He’s tied for third in the league with 16 assists.
As a team, the Ducks are fourth in goals per game (3.56) and PP% (28.3%) and tied for fifth in PK% (87.5%). Anaheim’s goaltenders also combined to sit inside the top 10 for SV%, so this team is clicking on all strides for the time being.
A tough, but short week slate awaits them with games against the gritty Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes.
8. Calgary Flames (8-3-4, 20 pts)
Previous rank: 6
It’s a little bit of a drop for the Flames this as they’ve dropped three of their last four, but it shouldn’t bring any concern to Calgary fans as the team rebounded Sunday with a shutout of the Ottawa Senators.
The tandem of Jakob Markstrom and Dan Vladar has been stellar for the Flames so far as they both sit with GAA’s under 2.00. The overall 2.13 GAA is second-best in the NHL and a .935 SV% is tied for the best in the league with the Hurricanes. Calgary sits top-10 in most statistical categories, including goals scored, PP% and PK%.
7. Minnesota Wild (10-4-0, 20 pts)
Previous rank: 4
The Wild also take a slight fall in the rankings, but nothing done at their fault. There have just been teams above them that have gotten really hot over the last week. Instead of the Seattle Kraken breaking out, it was Rem Pitlick scoring his first NHL goals in what was a hat-trick night inside Climate Pledge Arena Saturday.
Minnesota is a winner in five of its last six games, but goaltending has been a main cause of concern for the team. They sit 20th in GAA (3.07) and 26th in SV% (.903). Cam Talbot has surrendered a goal on about 11 shots (31 GA/336 shot attempts). The 10-4 record is nice, but the goaltending will need to improve before the Wild can be considered true contenders.
6. Washington Capitals (9-2-4, 22 pts)
Previous rank: NR
For Washington, the old will never die. It seems as though Alex Ovechkin gets better with age as the first-ballot Hall of Famer sits third in the NHL with 26 points and second in goals with 12. Oh, he’s also in the top five for assists with 14.
Evgeny Kuznetsov continues to be a viable second option with 20 points on the year as well.
It’s not just the size and physicality that makes Washington such a formidable franchise year in and year out, but the goal-scoring has been fruitful for the team as well as the caps sit third in goals scored per game (3.60). With Ovi having another Hart Trophy-esque season, the Caps will be a force for the rest of the season.
5. New York Rangers (9-3-3, 21 pts)
Previous rank: NR
With how good Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad were last year, it’s quite a surprise they aren’t producing as much this season given the Rangers impressive start. Instead, it’s the goaltending that’s carried the Rangers to one of the best records in hockey.
Igor Shesterkin has been a brick wall in his 11 starts, pitching a 2.46 GAA with a SV% of .929.
Instead of “Bread Man” baking up goals, Chris Kreider has been the deliverer of goods with 11 goals. Offensive production is few and far between for this New York team, but once the skaters start clicking, the Rangers are going to be a threat come the spring.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (10-5-1, 21 pts)
Previous rank: 7
Well, here we go again. Toronto is giving the city slight hope again that they can compete with the best in the NHL. The Leafs are winners in eight of their last nine and are getting the job done thanks to stellar netminder Jack Campbell, who sits fourth in the NHL with a GAA of 1.82 and third in SV% at .939.
Unfortunately for Toronto fans, they just haven’t gotten the production necessary out of a Murderer’s Row of talent with John Tavares, William Nylander, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Once again, the Leafs’ superstars are swinging underneath their potential and if it doesn’t turn around, it’s going to be another year of sorrow for the city desperate to win a playoff series.
3. Florida Panthers (10-2-3, 23 pts)
Previous rank: 1
For the first time, Florida is not No. 1 in the rankings as they’ve dropped four in a row. For now, no cause for concern as it appears to be a little lapse in goaltending that hasn’t been a concern so far this season. The team is still scoring, but giving up seven goals to the New Jersey Devils isn’t the best of looks. For the Panthers right now, it’s all about halting the recent cut that’s caused a little bleeding. All this recent stretch proves is that Florida is human. They’ll be fine.
2. Edmonton Oilers (11-3-0, 22 pts)
Previous rank: 2
Now if you want to talk about something inhuman, it’s the production of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl is first in points (31) and goals (15) along with having 16 assists, which is tied for third among NHL leaders. McDavid trails Draisaitl for the points lead with 27. However, the superstar is tied for first in assists with 17.
The offensive production is otherworldly as Edmonton is averaging over four goals per game (best in the league) with a ridiculous man-advantage scoring rate of 41.9%. As of right now, I’m all in on a clash of styles for the Stanley Cup Finals with the Oilers and the team topping the Rich 10 this week.
Is it 2006 again?
1. Carolina Hurricanes (11-2-0, 22 pts)
Previous rank: 3
While Edmonton is the best scoring team, Carolina has been the best defensive team by a long way.
A major concern for Carolina entering 2021-22 was their goaltending after letting their two netminders from last year walk. Replacing them was Frederik Andersen and he’s leading the league in GAA (1.77) with a SV% of .938.
It seems to be the year of Edmonton and Carolina. It’s hard to separate these two with how dominant they are on contrasting sides of the puck. We’ll see if these two franchises keep it up for the next months.