Hurricanes No. 1; Canadiens make biggest surge in NHL Power Rankings

By Sportlogiq Staff (@Sportlogiq)

Another week, another elite team vaulting to the top of our Power Rankings. 

The Carolina Hurricanes jump from third to first thanks to a 3-0-0 week with wins against Philadelphia, Columbus, and Edmonton. The Canes have won five straight overall and trail only Colorado in points percentage and goal differential.

Frederik Andersen continues to make a strong case for Vezina Trophy consideration, ranking first in wins and third in goals-against average, save percentage, and goals saved above expected. 

The Calgary Flames drop one spot from second to third despite a 2-1-0 week. The Flames suffered their worst defeat of the season, a 7-1 loss to Vancouver Thursday. However, Calgary bounced back with a dominant 7-3 win against the Wild on home ice.

Our model is high on the Flames, who rank ninth overall in points percentage, believing Calgary is a legit Stanley Cup contender. The Flames are an elite defensive team, ranking second in goals-against average and first in expected goals against. Expect Calgary to continue its climb up the standings in the second half of the season. 

A roller-coaster week ends with the Toronto Maple Leafs moving up one spot, from eight to seventh on our list. Toronto went 2-1-1, capped off by a 10-7 win against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Leafs are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league however, goaltending has become a major cause for concern. Only the New Jersey Devils have posted a worse 5-on-5 save percentage over the past three months.

Toronto can outscore its issues many nights, with Saturday being a perfect example. However, if the Leafs want to get back into the top five in our rankings and contend for the top spot in the Atlantic Division (avoiding