Senators top Canadian teams in first NHL Power Ranking of the season

We are back with our first edition of NHL Power Rankings and a pair of perennial powerhouses are leading the way early in the season.

Three teams still have a perfect record, but there is a reason we have the Colorado Avalanche ranked first in our rankings.

The Avs have the best expected goal differential in the league, which means they are outplaying their opponents by the widest margin of anyone. Alexandar Georgiev has been rock-solid in net, posting a sparkling .943 save percentage. Colorado looks every bit the Stanley Cup contender we expected them to be early in the season.

The Detroit Red Wings are the surprise story of the season so far, winning five of their first six games and sitting third on our list.

Detroit leads the league in goals per game, ranks second in expected goals and is top 10 at producing shots from the inner slot, while also ranking top 10 allowing these high-danger shots. Alex Debrincat, who leads the league in points, has fit like a glove on a line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. The trio has scored an NHL-best eight goals together at 5-on-5 while conceding only two.

The top Canadian team on our list, the Ottawa Senators, debut at sixth in our rankings.

While Ottawa does not rank top 10 in points percentage, it does rank sixth in both goals and expected goals percentage. Despite sitting middle of the pack in goals against, the Senators look much improved defensively, which was a focal point entering the season. The Sens are top five in slot shots, rush chances and expected goals against. Ottawa looks like a legitimate threat to earn a playoff spot this season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are next amongst Canadian teams at 13th on our list. The start of the season has been decidedly average for a team some view as a Stanley Cup contender: 3-2-0 with an even goal differential.

Auston Matthews started the season with back-to-back hat tricks but hasn’t scored in his most recent three games. William Nylander and John Tavares lead the team with nine points each as the stars continue to carry the offensive load for the Leafs.

The Vancouver Canucks sit 14th on our list however there are early signs that they are more likely to drop on our list than rise. The Canucks are fifth in goal differential and 28th in expected goal differential, which is not a recipe for sustained success.

The Canucks sit fifth in goals for despite ranking in the bottom 10 in shots, slot shots, rush chances, cycle chances and expected goals. Vancouver is 10th in goals against but ranks in the bottom 10 in shots, slot shots, rush chances, cycle chances and expected goals against. The 3-2-0 Canucks are a major regression candidate.

The Montreal Canadiens, 20th on our list, are off to a 2-1-1 start after losing Kirby Dach early in the season.

Montreal has looked good offensively through four games, sitting 12th in goals, seventh in slot shots and fourth in rush chances. Defence will continue to be where Montreal needs to improve the most - the Canadiens rank last in expected goals against.

The Edmonton Oilers sit 25th in our rankings, which is not ideal. Losing superstar Connor McDavid to injury early in the season is a lot worse.

With one win in their first five games, the Oilers need to get back on track which will be more difficult without the best player on the planet in the lineup. That said, the Oilers' underlying numbers are much better than their results, which matters – especially in a small sample size. Edmonton ranks 10th in expected goal differential. Improved goaltending will make a lot of problems go away.

Next on our list are the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets who sit 26th and 27th, respectively. Both teams have playoff aspirations however, both have shown cause for concern in terms of results and process.

The Flames, 22nd in goals per game, are still not generating enough quality shots offensively. Like last season, shot volume over shot quality is proving ineffective.

As for the Jets, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is coming off an excellent game against the Oilers on Saturday. Hellebuyck struggled early in the season but will need to play at the high level we are accustomed to seeing from him as Winnipeg continues to look for consistency defensively.