Photo Credit: David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images
The Kraken had a good week, the Ducks are suddenly struggling, and the Canucks look like they’re heading for rock bottom.
8. Vancouver Canucks (6-14-2)
Last week: 7
The Canucks have descended to the bottom of the Pacific Division standings, as well as our power rankings.
Things just keep getting uglier in Vancouver. They’ve lost the first three games of their current road trip, four straight overall, and are 1-8-1 in their last 10. This team doesn’t even know how to practice at this point.
Some confusion setting up a drill at #Canucks practice, as Travis Green discussed it at length with Boeser.
Appears to be a straightforward 2-on-0 drill, but the wrong mix of players was in various ends.
J.T. Miller could be heard yelling, “We don’t know what we’re doing!”
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) November 25, 2021
This week: @ MTL, @ OTT, VS PIT
7. Seattle Kraken (7-13-1)
Last week: 8
Congrats to the Kraken, who will officially not spend the entirety of their inaugural season at the bottom of our rankings.
It was a pretty good weak for Seattle. This team has now won three of its last four games, and the wins have come over some quality opponents, too — the Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers. That’s much more impressive than anything the Canucks have done lately.
Jordan Eberle celebrated his 800th career game with a pair of goals on Saturday and now has a team-leading 11 on the season.
🔥 EBS AND FLOW 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jghHTW6OZJ
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 27, 2021
Jordan Eberle with the hot hands 🙌 pic.twitter.com/TtFFJNS18n
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 28, 2021
This week: @ BUF, @ DET, VS EDM
6. San Jose Sharks (11-9-1)
Last week: 6
It seems San Jose has decided that Evander Kane’s talent isn’t worth the headache. With his suspension for submitting a fake vaccination card set to expire this week, the Sharks waived Kane and will assign their leading scorer from last season to the AHL if he clears.
Kane mess aside, it wasn’t a bad week for the Sharks, who won three out of four. Timo Meier looks to be having a career season. He scored both goals in Sunday’s 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks and is now up to 20 points (9-11-20) in 16 games on the year.
That goal, made possible by an incredible pass from the Cap.@MeierTimo | #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/b0dfe1lnh9
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) November 29, 2021
This week: @ NJ, @ NYI, @ NYR, @ CBJ
5. LA Kings (9-8-3)
Last week: 5
The LA Kings are back in the win column, picking up a much-needed 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday to snap a five-game winless streak.
Of course, that wasn’t the big story from the game, and it looks like they’re going to be without Brendan Lemieux for a while. He’s been offered an in-person hearing — which gives the Department of Player Safety the ability to suspend Lemieux for six or more games — after Brady Tkachuk accused Lemieux of biting his hand during a scrum late in Saturday’s game.
Lemieux’s antics could have cost the Kings the game, too. The Senators got a five-minute power play with 6:09 remaining in the third period of a game they trailed 3-2 at the time. Lemieux’s been an effective player at times for the Kings this season, but they need him to keep his head on straight.
This week: VS ANA, VS CGY, @ EDM
4. Anaheim Ducks (11-8-3)
Last week: 4
Neither the Kings nor Sharks have done enough to drop the Ducks out of the fourth spot for now, but we’re putting Anaheim on notice after dropping four of five games, most recently Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Tuesday’s game against the Kings at Staples Center, the first of the season between the teams, could go a long way in shaping next week’s rankings.
This week: @ LA, VS VGK, VS CGY
3. Vegas Golden Knights (12-9-0)
Last week: 3
The Golden Knights stay put in the third spot after dropping two of three last week, with Saturday’s 3-2 home loss to the Edmonton Oilers killing any chance of them moving up.
Some good news for Vegas is that Reilly Smith has caught fire with seven goals in his last nine games.
Yep!!! Reilly Smith scores against the St. Louis Blues to make it 2-0 #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/PmEj8Y3xnJ
— Did VGK Score?! (@DidVGKScore) November 23, 2021
This week: @ ANA, @ ARI, VS CGY
2. Calgary Flames (12-4-5)
Last week: 2
Calgary saw a four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday after an early 2-0 lead over the Winnipeg Jets turned into a 4-2 loss. That was the Flames’ first regulation loss since November 11th and just their fourth of the season.
Speaking of Tkachuks, Matthew Tkachuk has been killing it for Calgary lately, with seven points (3-4-7) in his last five games.
That chemistry tho 😍 pic.twitter.com/CrnXKmg7Sk
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) November 28, 2021
This week: VS PIT, @ LAK, @ ANA, @ VGK
1. Edmonton Oilers (15-5-0)
Last week: 1
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had two goals and two assists in a 5-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes last Wednesday. Just another night at the office for those two.
But on Saturday, a weird thing happened. For the first time all season, neither McDavid nor Draisaitl recorded a point. And yet, the Oilers left Vegas with a 3-2 win over the Golden Knights anyway.
So let’s show some love to someone else in Edmonton for a change. Not long ago, Jesse Puljujarvi looked like a wasted fourth-overall pick. So far this season, though, he’s enjoying a career year. He’s now up to 16 points (7-9-16) in 20 games, and with McDavid and Draisaitl absent from the scoresheet on Saturday, it was Puljujarvi who stepped up to score what would stand up as the game-winning goal.
YESSSSSAHHHH. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/jcM75to57N
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 28, 2021
This week: VS PIT, @ SEA, VS LA