NHL Power Rankings - October 27, 2014

Had a seven-game winning streak snapped Sunday by San Jose, in a game that got way out of control, but the Ducks are getting a goal per game out of RW Corey Perry and have improved their possession metrics compared to last season.

Key Injuries: LW Kyle Palmieri (ankle), LW Patrick Maroon (knee).

With Corey Crawford out, the Blackhawks have received impressive relief goaltending from Antti Raanta and Scott Darling combining to stop 116 of 123 shots (.943 SV%).

Key Injuries: Corey Crawford (upper body).

Horrible news about D Olli Maatta, who is due to have surgery to remove a likely-cancerous tumour in his thyroid. He's been terrific in the early going for Pittsburgh, putting up five points in seven games, with 58.4% of 5-on-5 shot attempts, while playing more than 20 minutes per game, so hopefully early detection will help him to fight through this successfully.

Key Injuries: RW Beau Bennett (leg).

Averaging 18:49 time on ice per game, C Tomas Plekanec is at his lowest usage since 2008-2009, yet his production (5 G, 4 A in 8 GP) is way up. While some of that is percentage-driven, Plekanec is also generating more shots on goal -- his current 3.13 per game represents a career high.

Key Injuries: None.

The Kings have won six straight, yet fall one spot, due to C Anze Kopitar's injury. Like most Kings aside from the Jeff Carter-Tanner Pearson-Tyler Toffoli line, Kopitar hasn't done much yet, with three points in eight games, but there is also no doubt that the Kings are better with Kopitar in the lineup.

Key Injuries: C Anze Kopitar (upper body), LW Marian Gaborik (upper body), D Slava Voynov (suspension).

A dominant team during 5-on-5 play in the early going, the Wild have yet to find the net on the power play, starting the season 0-for-20 with the man advantage. But, you can get away with those kinds of troubles with dominant possession numbers and the kind of goaltending that Darcy Kuemper (.966 SV%) has been providing. 

Key Injuries: None.

The run-and-gun Stars are certainly fun, but when Anders Lindback is yielding six goals on 28 shots, as he did against the Islanders Saturday, the end result isn't so fun.

Key Injuries: RW Valeri Nichushkin (groin).

He's still looking for his first goal, but RW Ryan Strome has put up seven points in eight games and the points have all come during 5-on-5 play. In fact, according to Puckalytics.com, Strome's points/60 of 4.82 ranks sixth, behind Rick Nash (5.78), Mikhail Grabovski (5.74), Tyler Toffoli (5.65), Jeff Carter (5.64) and Tanner Pearson (5.56).

Key Injuries: RW Michael Grabner (lower body), D Travis Hamonic (upper body).

Saturday's home loss to Pittsburgh was Nashville's first regulation loss of the season, which is pretty great considering their relative problems on special teams. They're also getting nice production (1 G, 4 A in 8 GP) and possession (61.6%) out of D Ryan Ellis, who is getting more ice time under the new regime.

Key Injuries: C Matt Cullen (upper body), C Mike Fisher (Achilles).

LW Alex Ovechkin has managed a total of seven shots on goal over the last four games, during which he's also failed to record a point. But, hey, he's blocking shots and we're being told that's a good thing.

Key Injuries: D Dmitri Orlov (wrist).

Percentages are helping LW Jaden Schwartz to a hot start (5 G, 3 A in 7 GP), but he's generating 3.29 shots on goal per game, up from 2.35 in more ice time per game last season.

Key Injuries: C Paul Stastny (wrist).

Coming up empty on the power play, but that seems to be a situation that could be helped by the return of C Pavel Datsyuk, who ranks seventh in Goals For/60 minutes of 5-on-4 ice time over the past four seasons.

Key Injuries: LW Johan Franzen (leg).

G Cory Schneider is getting his chance to run with the starting job, but the early returns have been uneven, as a .912 save percentage is well below his career average (.925).

Key Injuries: None.

Some good wins (at St. Louis, vs. Washington) sandwiched around a dog of a game in Colorado last week, but the Canucks are driving play and getting offensive production from the supporting cast, including second-line C Nick Bonino, who has seven points in eight games.

Key Injuries: None.

Snapped a four-game slide with Sunday's win at Anaheim, the kind of game that shows what still lurks beneath with these Sharks, but they've been oddly mediocre through the first 10 games of the season.

Key Injuries: Raffi Torres (knee).

Seven Flames have scored at least six points and four of them are defencemen. If the forwards can't generate enough offensively -- team-leading scorer Joe Colborne has eight points with six shots on goal -- then it falls to the defence to create more chances, but the way the play is tilting, the Flames are still spending too much time defending for this start to be remotely sustainable.

Key Injuries: RW David Jones (lower body).

The defence corps, which was already questionable, is depleted by injuries, yet the Flyers have won three of four and the wins have been against quality teams (Dallas, Pittsburgh, Detroit).

Key Injuries: D Kimmo Timonen (blood clots), D Braydon Coburn (lower body), D Andrew MacDonald (lower body).

Returning home after back-to-back three-goal losses in SoCal ought to be a welcome relief, or it would be if the Blue Jackets weren't facing the prospect of missing up to five regular forwards due to injuries.

Key Injuries: LW Boone Jenner (hand), RW Nathan Horton (back), C Brandon Dubinsky (abdominal), RW Cam Atkinson (eye), LW Nick Foligno (upper body).

Asking a lot of their goaltending early, allowing 36.0 shots per game (only Buffalo at 36.7 is worse), and while Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner have been great (combined .940 SV%) it's a risky game to play.

Key Injuries: C Marc Methot (back).

The Bruins will need to have their defensive group come together to help make up for the loss of Zdeno Chara, but they do have a favourable schedule coming up, with five of the next six at home, that should make the transition easier.

Key Injuries: D Zdeno Chara (knee).

Injuries have hit the Lightning hard, and they got blown out 7-2 in Minnesota Saturday, a tough result when getting outshot 22-19.

Key Injuries: D Victor Hedman (hand), RW Ryan Callahan (lower body), LW Alex Killorn (upper body).

It's hard to get too worried about the Rangers when goaltending has been part of the problem early, with Henrik Lundqvist posting an .895 save percentage, but until King Henrik gets back to form, they are fighting uphill.

Key Injuries: C Derek Stepan (leg), D Dan Boyle (hand).

Finding out about the perils of regression in dramatic fashion, too dramatic to hold at this low-water mark, but if there aren't changes to how the Avs play, they're going to need another superhuman season from G Semyon Varlamov.

Key Injuries: None.

It's already been something of a roller-coaster season for the Leafs, with decisive wins in New York providing optimism, but home flops raise the level of frustration.

Key Injuries: LW David Booth (foot).

After a bit of a slow start, the Jets are making some progress, earning more of the shots, and with Evander Kane nearing a return, that should continue.

Key Injuries: LW Evander Kane (knee).

The early scoring returns on Sam Gagner (one assist in seven games) haven't been ideal, but when he is on the ice, the Coyotes get more than 53% of the even-strength shots, so results ought to improve.

Key Injuries: C Martin Hanzal (lower body).

Three straight wins helps turn around an early-season slide. Improved play from G Ben Scrivens is a big part of it, but the Oilers had decent underlying numbers early, suggesting they were due for a market correction.

Key Injuries: None.

Hoo boy is it tough for the Panthers to score goals and their one centre who has been able to put the puck in the net more than once, Brandon Pirri, has dressed for three games.

Key Injuries: C Dave Bolland (lower body).

Still an incredibly bad team, with historically inept offence, but the Sabres managed to steal a road win in San Jose and that's enough to pull out of the basement for one week.

Key Injuries: None.

Still seeking their first win, the Hurricanes are putting good pressure on the Sabres in their race for McDavid and Eichel. Not sure any other teams are going to be able to sink to their level.

Key Injuries: C Jordan Staal (fibula), C Eric Staal (upper body), RW Patrick Dwyer (lower body).