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Mar 1, 2021

Leafs still No. 1, Habs plummet, Sens climb in NHL Power Rankings

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the top team for a second straight week, the Montreal Canadiens take the biggest hit among Canadian teams and Sens fans rejoice - Ottawa is no longer dead last in our weekly ranking.

Joakim Nordstrom (20) attempts a shot on Matt Murray (30)

By Sportlogiq Staff (@Sportlogiq)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the top team in our NHL Power Rankings for a second straight week.

The Leafs went 2-1-0 last week with wins over Calgary and Edmonton. Toronto’s .773 points percentage is the best in the NHL. In addition, the Leafs have the second-best goal differential and expected goal differential. Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews rank in the top five in points with 32 and 31, respectively. 

The 14-4-1 Tampa Bay Lightning sit in second spot in our rankings, up from fourth place last week. The Bolts swept the week, going 4-0-0 with three wins over Carolina and a 5-0 win over Dallas on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay has the best goal differential in the NHL but their expected goal differential (a reflection of shot quality and quantity) sits at +0.37 per game, which ranks eighth. 

The Vegas Golden Knights move from seventh to third in our Power Rankings, thanks to wins over Colorado and Anaheim last week.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury continues to defy aging curves with his brilliant play this season. The 36-year-old has the best save percentage, .941 and goals-against average (1.51) of any goalie with at least five games played. 

The Minnesota Wild are the biggest movers of the week, jumping from 14th into the top five in our rankings.

The Wild went 4-0-0 last week and have won six straight games overall. Rookie forward Kirill Kaprizov has put on a show in the State of Hockey this season and has eight points in his past five games. Kaapo Kahkonen has been solid in goal, allowing two or fewer goals in four of his last five games. 

Despite ranking 13th in points percentage, the Edmonton Oilers sit seventh in our Power Rankings.

The Oilers are coming off a 2-1-0 week with wins over the Vancouver Canucks and a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the Oilers rank 10th in goal differential, their expected goal differential ranks fourth overall. Mike Smith has turned back the clock, posting a 2.04 GAA and .934 save percentage in eight games this season. Offensively, Connor McDavid has a six-point lead in the scoring race, with 40 points in 23 games. 

The Winnipeg Jets are the third and final Canadian team to crack the top 10, sitting in ninth in our Power Rankings.

The Jets were a perfect 3-0-0 last week, thanks to a pair of overtime wins. Winnipeg ranks fourth in goal differential but sits 18th in expected goal differential. The Jets will be fine as long as Connor Hellebuyck continues to perform at a high level. But if his play dips, expect the Jets to plummet down the standings and in our rankings. 

The Montreal Canadiens took the biggest hit of any Canadian team, dropping from 12th to 19th place. After firing head coach Claude Julien and associate coach Kirk Muller mid-week, the Canadiens dropped both games in Winnipeg to finish the week a winless 0-1-3.

The best team in the NHL through its first 10 games, Montreal now has average numbers across the board, ranking 13th in goal differential, 14th in expected goal differential and 15th in points percentage.

After a 2-1-1 week, the Calgary Flames make a modest jump from 23rd to 20th in our rankings.

The Flames have slightly underperformed when comparing their 16th-ranked expected goal differential to their 21st-ranked actual goal differential. Jacob Markstrom remains day-to-day after missing all of last week with an injury. The sooner he’s back in the Flames net, the better their odds of moving up from this spot. 

Despite a winless week that saw the Canucks go 0-2-1, Vancouver actually moves up a spot from 29th to 28th in our Power Rankings, thanks to poor results from the teams around them near the bottom of our list.

The results have not been good for the Canucks, who rank 26th in goal differential, and the process has been worse, as they rank 30th in expected goal differential. Things don’t get any easier for Vancouver with back-to-back games in Winnipeg Monday and Tuesday, followed by a pair of games against the league-leading Maple Leafs. 

We finish with some good news for Ottawa Senators fans. For the first time, the Senators do not rank last in our Power Rankings. After a 3-1-0 week, the Senators move from 31st to 30th.

While the Senators still rank last in goal differential, their expected goal differential has hovered in the mid-20s recently, signalling that the team was playing a little better than their results indicated.

Drake Batherson provided some big goals for the Sens last week and has scored in five straight games. He’ll look to make it six in a row tonight against the Flames.

 

Toronto Maple Leafs
1. Toronto Maple Leafs

Last Week: No. 1 | 16-4-2

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +1.05 (2)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.70 (2)
  • Point %
    .773 (1)
Tampa Bay Lightning
2. Tampa Bay Lightning

Last Week: No. 4 | 14-4-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +1.58 (1)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.37 (8)
  • Point %
    .763 (2)
Vegas Golden Knights
3. Vegas Golden Knights

Last Week: No. 7 | 12-4-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.94 (3)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.60 (5)
  • Point %
    .735 (3)
Florida Panthers
4. Florida Panthers

Last Week: No. 5 | 13-4-3

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.45 (8)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.64 (3)
  • Point %
    .725 (4)
Minnesota Wild
10. Minnesota Wild

Last Week: No. 14 | 13-8-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.41 (11)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.03 (13)
  • Point %
    .614 (12)
Colorado Avalanche
6. Colorado Avalanche

Last Week: No. 3 | 11-6-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.72 (5)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +1.01 (1)
  • Point %
    .639 (11)
Edmonton Oilers
7. Edmonton Oilers

Last Week: No. 8 | 14-9-0

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.43 (10)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.60 (4)
  • Point %
    .609 (13)
Carolina Hurricanes
8. Carolina Hurricanes

Last Week: No. 2 | 13-6-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.45 (8)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.53 (7)
  • Point %
    .675 (7)
Winnipeg Jets
9. Winnipeg Jets

Last Week: No. 9 | 13-6-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.85 (4)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.08 (18)
  • Point %
    .675 (7)
Philadelphia Flyers
10. Philadelphia Flyers

Last Week: No. 19 | 11-4-3

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.50 (7)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.08 (19)
  • Point %
    .694 (5)
New York Islanders
11. New York Islanders

Last Week No. 13 | 11-6-4

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.38 (11)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.18 (10)
  • Point %
    .619 (12)
Boston Bruins
12. Boston Bruins

Last Week: No. 6 | 12-5-2

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.37 (12)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.25 (9)
  • Point %
    .684 (6)
Washington Capitals
13. Washington Capitals

Last Week: No. 21 | 12-5-4

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.24 (15)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.29 (23)
  • Point %
    .667 (9)

 

 

Chicago Blackhawks
14. Chicago Blackhawks

Last Week: No. 16 | 12-7-4

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.26 (14)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.12 (20)
  • Point %
    .609 (13)
St. Louis Blues
15. St. Louis Blues

Last Week: No. 11 | 11-8-2

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.05 (18)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.01 (12)
  • Point %
    .571 (17)
Los Angeles Kings
16. Los Angeles Kings

Last Week: No. 20 | 9-7-4

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.20 (16)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.44 (27)
  • Point %
    .550 (18)
New York Rangers
17. New York Rangers

Last Week: No. 17 | 7-9-3

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    - .11 (19)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.58 (6)
  • Point %
    .447 (25)
Pittsburgh Penguins
18. Pittsburgh Penguins

Last Week: No. 15 | 11-8-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.40 (23)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.07 (17)
  • Point %
    .575 (15)
Montreal Canadiens
19. Montreal Canadiens

Last Week: No. 12 | 9-6-5

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.35 (13)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.04 (14)
  • Point %
    .575 (15)
Calgary Flames
20. Calgary Flames

Last Week: No. 23 | 10-10-2

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.36 (21)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.01 (16)
  • Point %
    .500 (20)
Dallas Stars
21. Dallas Stars

Last Week: No. 10 | 6-6-4

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.19 (17)
  • xGoal Dif.
    +.06 (13)
  • Point %
    .500 (20)
Nashville Predators
22. Nashville Predators

Last Week: No. 28 | 10-11-0

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.76 (27)
  • xGoal Dif.
    .0 (15)
  • Point %
    .476 (22)
New Jersey Devils
23. New Jersey Devils

Last Week: No. 18 | 7-8-2

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    +.29 (20)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.28 (22)
  • Point %
    .471 (23)
Arizona Coyotes
24. Arizona Coyotes

Last Week: No. 22 | 9-9-3

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.38 (22)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.40 (25)
  • Point %
    .500 (20)
Anaheim Ducks
25. Anaheim Ducks

Last Week: No. 24 | 6-10-5

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.86 (28)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.22 (21)
  • Point %
    .405 (27)
Columbus Blue Jackets
26. Columbus Blue Jackets

Last Week: No. 25 | 8-10-5

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.61 (24)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.79 (31)
  • Point %
    .457 (24)
Buffalo Sabres
27. Buffalo Sabres

Last Week: No. 27 | 6-10-3

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.74 (25)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.32 (24)
  • Point %
    .395 (28)
Vancouver Canucks
28. Vancouver Canucks

Last Week: No. 29 | 8-14-2

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -.75 (26)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.78 (30)
  • Point %
    .375 (29)
San Jose Sharks
29. San Jose Sharks

Last Week: No. 26 | 7-9-2

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -1.17 (30)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.61 (29)
  • Point %
    .444 (26)
Ottawa Senators logo
30. Ottawa Senators

Last Week: No. 31 | 7-15-1

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -1.35 (31)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.43 (26)
  • Point %
    .326 (31)
Detroit Red Wings
31. Detroit Red Wings

Last Week: No. 30 | 7-14-3

  • Avg. Goal Dif.
    -1.12 (29)
  • xGoal Dif.
    -.44 (28)
  • Point %
    .354 (30)