The Flames celebrate (Andy Devlin, Getty Images)
The NHL season is back underway after a short reality check during the All-Star break (which was surprisingly fun, by the way). Like with most years in the NHL, this season's All-Star pause seems to have symbolized a metaphoric shift to a whole new mindset. It truly seems as if playtime is over and every single team has mentally prepared themselves for the grind that is the NHL season.
So far, teams like the Flames and the Panthers are succeeding in the beginning of the season's second half. Other squads, like the Bruins and the Capitals have faltered recently.
The race to the playoffs is often almost as exciting as the postseason itself, so we are getting close to the point where every game is must-watch. I'll continue to try to pay attention to Raptors games and the Olympics, but we've reached the point where I'll be watching an NHL game every single night.
With that being said, it's time to resume the power rankings series. For anybody unfamiliar, I'll be counting down all 32 teams based on how good I personally presume they are. There is no scale for this, so feel free to argue with my opinion.
1. Colorado Avalanche
Cale Makar (Steve Roberts, USA Today)
Previous Ranking: 1
Points Percentage: .783
Week Ahead: @ DAL, vs DAL, @ VGK, @ BUF
The Avs are so far ahead of the rest of the league currently. Their lack of postseason success in the past is the only thing holding this team back from being considered a Stanley Cup final shoo-in.
Their goaltending tandem of Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz is much-improved in 2022 and the pair is convincing doubters that they can hold down the fort against the league's elite.
The Avalanche's special teams still have lots of room for improvement, which in my mind isn't cause for concern just yet. The personnel is amazing and they've been much better, particularly on the penalty kill in the last few weeks.
The trade deadline will be a curious time for Colorado, as rumours linking them with Claude Giroux are aplenty. This team is amazing already, but getting Nathan MacKinnon back from injury and making a splash at the deadline will put them in the "unstoppable" tier.
Fun fact: Wednesday will mark the two-month anniversary of the Avs' last regulation loss. Are you kidding me?
2. Florida Panthers
Previous Ranking: 3
Points Percentage: .734
Week Ahead: @ CAR, @ MIN, @ CHI
In a week in which the Carolina Hurricanes faltered in a couple of tough matchups, the Panthers kept applying the pressure.
The Panthers are so crazy good on offense that it's scary. Jonathan Huberdeau is still fully in the mix for the Art Ross trophy and he might not even be the best forward on his own team, considering how good Aleksander Barkov is on both sides of the puck.
However, the Panthers' stars aren't the main cause for conversation right now. It's their depth. The Mason Marchment-Anton Lundell-Sam Reinhart is the third line for Florida and they have a legitimate argument for being one of the best lines in the league. Marchment (former Leaf by the way, *facepalm*) has 12 points in his last 5 games. Lundell looks like a legit Calder Trophy candidate. Reinhart is showing that the price that Florida paid for him in the summer was worth it.
If you're a neutral fan looking for a team to cheer for in the postseason, a team with a lengthy playoff drought, an elite offense and a chip on their shoulder is up there (no, not that one).
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous Ranking: 4
Points Percentage: .708
Week Ahead: @ NJD
Honestly, the Lightning don't even need to try in most of their games. They don't need to prove anything to the league as the two-time champs. It looks likely that they'll have a tough matchup in the first round against the Maple Leafs, but Jon Cooper's Tampa Bay side are so mentally tough that they are the best bet to go far in the postseason again.
They have a lot of rest over the next few weeks, with just three games spread out until the end of February. It'll be frustrating for them as they will have to watch if teams like Toronto can catch up to them in the coming games, but it should give them time to get key defenseman Erik Cernak back from his back injury.
The Lightning may be looking for a sniper to add to their dwindling power play in the next month, but Brayden Point's impressive play recently should resolve some of the problems that management might have with the man advantage.
4. Carolina Hurricanes
Previous Ranking: 2
Points Percentage: .728
Week Ahead: vs FLA, vs NSH, @ PIT
A few losses to the Leafs, the Senators and the Wild took the Canes off of their high horse, but they are still an elite team and they have a good chance of wrapping up the Metropolitan Division before the year is out.
The Hurricanes' power play has stuttered lately and it looks in need of a jumpstart. Carolina has a fairly dep prospect system, so don't be surprised if we see something drastic, like a Jakob Chychrun or a Tomas Hertl soon. Weirdly, their xGoals% at even strength is in the lower half of the league, so a shutdown defender may be on the agenda as well.
Nevertheless, Carolina still has a great goaltender, one of the best coaches in the league and a penalty kill that frustrates me just by watching it.
5. Minnesota Wild
Previous Ranking: 9
Points Percentage: .709
Week Ahead: vs DET, @ WPG, vs FLA, @ EDM
Remember when we were worried that the Wild may have overpaid for Kirill Kaprizov during the contract stalemate in late August? Because I don't remember that.
Kaprizov has not only lived up to that contract, he's made it look like a bargain and turned into one of the best players in the whole NHL. In his last 22 games, he has 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points. He has scored 3+ points more times in a game than he has been held off the scoresheet during that streak. He's been downright unstoppable at 5-on-5.
Add that impact to a team with already good goaltending, a smart coaching staff and an electric second line and you have a top-5 team in the league.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs
Mitch Marner scores (Ridley Vaughn, Getty Images)
Previous Ranking: 7
Points Percentage: .700
Week Ahead: @ SEA, vs PIT, vs STL
Two losses in a row indicates that it's all crashing down in Leafs Nation, right?
You wouldn't know that Toronto has been a top-3 team in the league for the past 3 months or so judging by their fanbase's actions, but that's exactly what they have been.
Auston Matthews is scoring at a goal-per-game pace over his last 25 games, Mitch Marner has been a superstar since coming back from the COVID protocols list and Rasmus Sandin has been showing signs of legitimate promise.
The Leafs need to find the elite goaltending they were getting in November if they want to reach their potential.
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
Previous Ranking: 5
Points Percentage: .694
Week Ahead: vs PHI, @ TOR, vs CAR
As good as players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel are, it's the less heralded players that are pushing the Pens forward this year. Guys like Chad Ruhwedel, Teddy Blueger and Evan Rodrigues have been analytic darlings all year and they each fit a certain role on this Pens team.
Tristan Jarry has also been key to Pittsburgh's success this year and he's helping this squad prove me wrong after I called them a team that would struggle to make the playoffs.
Another shout-out I wanted to make was to Mike Sullivan, who never gets the credit he warrants for being one of the best coaches in the NHL. He is making this team look like they could go all the way.
8. Calgary Flames
Previous Ranking: 14
Points Percentage: .644
Week Ahead: vs CBJ, vs ANA, vs SEA
I'm telling you, the Flames are for real. They are steamrolling teams, not just picking up Ws. A 6-game win streak has several highlights, like a 6-0 shutout against division rivals Vegas, a real playoff victory against an elite Toronto team and a defensive masterclass against Vancouver.
This team plays a playoff style, with a tough penalty kill, an elite goalie, a top line fully capable of dominating a game and a whole bunch of defenseman who can just wreck any forward with their heads down.
They also recently made a big trade for scoring winger Tyler Toffoli. He should mesh well with the team and may even help Sean Monahan get back to his best. They are going to be a tough out when they inevitably make it to the postseason.
9. New York Rangers
Previous Ranking: 6
Points Percentage: .681
Week Ahead: vs BOS, vs DET, @ OTT
The Rangers are always one of the hardest teams to power rank. Their record speaks for itself, but every time I watch a Rangers game, I'm underwhelmed at how they play. They get a lot of helpful deflections, have a star in Artemi Panarin who can dominate a game on his own and a goaltender who stands on his head basically every game. Other than that, they are underwhelming at even strength, inconsistent on the power play and below average at suppressing high-danger chances.
I think 9th is about right, as I still feel that they are going to be a handful for whatever team matches up with them in the playoffs. I also feel they are one of the teams most likely to make a big splash at the deadline.
Gerard Gallant's squad still strike me as a top-10 team.
10. Vegas Golden Knights
Previous Ranking: 10
Points Percentage: .615
Week Ahead: vs COL, vs LAK, @ SJS
The Knights look like they've pulled a Tampa. Since my blog started, the biggest story for Golden Knights hockey has been how they would walk on the tightrope that was the salary cap. It looked impossible that they would be able to activate Jack Eichel and Alec Martinez while also not making any significant trades. However, a solution has emerged.
Mark Stone's back injury that has been tormenting him all season is back and has placed him on LTIR, which might allow Vegas to keep him off the cap until the playoffs begin, allowing them to roll with a fully healthy roster with the talent level capable of beating anybody in the league.
If the Stone injury and Eichel return works as well as GM Kelly McCrimmon is expecting it to work, the Knights are going to be right up there with the Cup favourites when it comes to the postseason.
11. St. Louis Blues
Ville Husso celebrates (Scott Rovak, Getty Images)
Previous Ranking: 8
Points Percentage: .641
Week Ahead: @ OTT, @ MTL, @ TOR
The Blues are continuing to ride their special teams to the promised land. They are similar to the Rangers in the sense that their xGoals% as a team is somewhat lacklustre, though not to the same extent as New York. Their third ranked power play and fourth ranked penalty kill is keeping them on track with the other elite teams in the Central Division.
Young goalie Ville Husso is playing like prime Georges Vezina every time he goes between the pipes. The Blues need to sort out what they have to do with their goaltending situation before they go into the playoffs. Husso has been the best goalie statically in the NHL this season, whereas his sparring partner, former Cup hero Jordan Binnington, has a 5.26 GAA since January 1.
The Blues are still keeping pace due to their exciting forward group, highlighted by NHL Fastest Skater Jordan Kyrou, who looks like he could legitimately score 90 points this year.
12. Nashville Predators
Previous Ranking: 12
Points Percentage: .625
Week Ahead: vs WSH, @ CAR
For the third week in a row, the Preds find themselves at number 12 on my rankings. That can be seen as either a good or a bad thing.
The Predators' depth and world-class goaltending keeps them hovering around this range. They have seven 10+ goal scorers this season, all of them scattered around their lineup. They have some good depth defensemen like Dante Fabbro and Alex Carrier who have made the need for a blueline revamp minimal.
However, Juuse Saros is the obvious highlight here. He leads all goalies in steals, which represents how many times a goalie stole a win for their team (yes, it's an actual stat). He very rarely puts in a bad outing in net, which gives the Preds' deep forward group a chance to outscore their opponents every night.
13. Boston Bruins
Previous Ranking: 11
Points Percentage: .620
Week Ahead: @ NYR, @ NYI, @ OTT
It was a tough week for the Bs, losing Brad Marchand due to a silly suspension, losing underrated Patrice Bergeron to an injury and losing franchise goaltender Tuukka Rask to retirement. There was a lot of turnover in Boston recently, but nobody should press the panic button just yet.
It does seem as if they are a tier below the rest of the elite teams in the Atlantic Division, but with David Pastrnak going supernova the way he currently is as well as a return for Bergeron and Marchand, this Bruins team can still win a Cup.
As a whole, they've had a somewhat disappointing season relative to expectations, but things have to go a whole lot worse before the alarm bells start ringing in Massachusetts.
14. Washington Capitals
Previous Ranking: 13
Points Percentage: .610
Week Ahead: @ NSH, @ PHI
The Capitals have a lot of injuries, so it's hard to blame them for their recent slip down the standings. They aren't producing offense, either at even strength or on the power play, but the injured Anthony Mantha can probably help fix that upon his return. They still have Alex Ovechkin, so although the power play drought is weird and concerning, it's entirely possible that the Caps just go nuclear for a couple of weeks, especially if oft-criticized power play coach Blaine Forsythe is kicked off the unit.
To me, though, the reason I have the Caps so low is the goaltending. The team has been waiting for Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek to take the reins for the past couple of years, but neither of them seem up to the task.
I'm not sure how desperate Brian MacLellan is to win this year, but I think he should be very desperate. Rumours have linked them with Marc-Andre Fleury and Connor Hellebuyck, but I worry if they have the worthy assets to pull off such a move. To me, Semyon Varlamov is the perfect target and if it happens, you head it here first.
15. Los Angeles Kings
Previous Ranking: 15
Points Percentage: .585
Week Ahead: vs EDM, @ VGK, @ ARI
The Kings have generally been a very pleasant surprise this season. GM Rob Blake has found the perfect mix of veteran presence and unbridled youth to make for a fun watch on any given night.
The second line of Trevor Moore (former Leaf, ugh)-Phillip Danault-Viktor Arvidsson has been dominant in all three zones in terms of driving the play. It makes the Kings a much more multi-dimensional team that doesn't have to rely on Anze Kopitar, like they have for the past few years.
Jonathan Quick has also been very good in net to help a burgeoning D corps find their way in the NHL. The Kings don't seem like a surefire playoff team just yet, but they are almost there. Also, we can't forget how good their prospect pipeline is and we must acknowledge the possibility of a blockbuster trade.
16. Dallas Stars
Tyler Seguin (Bill Wippert, Getty Images)
Previous Ranking: 17
Points Percentage: .565
Week Ahead: @ COL, @ CHI, @ ARI
I love watching the Stars...for about a third of the game. The Stars just don't strike me as anything special, but their top line of Jason Robertson-Joe Pavelski-Roope Hintz is one of the best and most exhilarating lines to watch in the NHL. All three of them are among the most underrated players in the NHL and they make watching Stars games bearable.
Other than that, the Stars are just kind of "meh". John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen are a good defense pairing, but Klingberg might be gone, and Heiskanen isn't quite an offensive defenseman. Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Denis Gurianov have all been disappointing and head coach Rick Bowness always seems to be caught in a cat-and-mouse game to keep his job.
17. Anaheim Ducks
Previous Ranking: 18
Points Percentage: .561
Week Ahead: @ CGY, @ EDM, @ VAN
The Ducks are one of those weird teams, like the Stars, that are simultaneously boring and the most exciting team in the league packed all in one. On one hand, they have an electric trio of youngsters, with Trevor Zegras, Sonny Milano and Troy Terry making the league look like a TikTok account by making crazy moves with the puck at their sticks in a real game. They have a new GM in Pat Verbeek, who has some tough decisions to make: does he retool by trading his pending UFAs or does he go all-in this year when the team will probably be better next season? They also have a great goaltender in John Gibson, who makes tanking impossible.
On the other hand, they are a very middling team in most aspects of the game. In terms of goals for and goals against, they are close to league average in both. They allow a ton of shots on goal per game.
They do have great special teams units though, which is a huge step up from last year's bore-fest of a power play.
18. Edmonton Oilers
Previous Ranking: 20
Points Percentage: .567
Week Ahead: @ SJS, @ LAK, vs ANA, @ WPG, vs MIN
Ding-dong, the witch is dead. Dave Tippett has been purged from the city of Edmonton, taking away all the bad vibes with him and now this team is ready to go on a run. Not so fast.
While from all accounts I've head, Jay Woodcroft is a good coach (very Sheldon Keefe-esque), there are too many issues with this team to legitimately make any noise come playoff time. GM Ken Holland is unwilling to spend assets to make the team better in positions of great need and this team is far too reliant on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to do anything that even those two are burnt out.
Either way, they could still make the postseason, but a matchup against the West's elite looms, and I have a hard time seeing how Woodcroft's team can get out of any series with the Wild or the Avs.
19. Winnipeg Jets
Previous Ranking: 16
Points Percentage: .533
Week Ahead: vs CHI, vs MIN, vs SEA, vs EDM
The odds are slim, but I will still not count out a Jets playoff run here. There have been reports that the Jets may be willing to pursue a rebuild and that a Connor Hellebuyck trade is possible. That just seems outrageous to me; I think a surge from Hellebuyck to lead a stagnant Jets offense to the postseason is way more likely.
The Jets have a ton of games against divisional rivals coming up and if they can play they way the did on Saturday against Nashville, they could make up some serious ground. The team has struggled under coach Dave Lowry, but with Blake Wheeler finally putting in a performance to be proud of and one of the league's best goaltenders between the pipes, I think we may be in for a comeback story here.
20. Vancouver Canucks
Previous Ranking: 19
Points Percentage: .510
Week Ahead: @ SJS, vs ANA
Obviously things are better now than they were under Travis Green, but the Canucks still seem like nothing more than a mediocre squad that could make a feeble playoff push.
The Canucks are very reliant on JT Miller and Thatcher Demko, which I can speak to firsthand, as when the Canucks played the Leafs, Miller and Demko were some of the few players on Vancouver to actually make a positive impact from start to finish.
The Canucks have a ton of valuable trade chips (Luke Schenn to the Leafs, make it happen), so I'm curious to see whether new general manager Patrik Allvin decided to go the route of a fire sale or just lets the season ride and hopes that the team will be more equipped for next year. The latter option seems more likely.
21. San Jose Sharks
Tomas Hertl (Randy Litzinger, Getty Images)
Previous Ranking: 21
Points Percentage: .522
Week Ahead: vs EDM, vs VAN, vs VGK
The Sharks are a distinctly average team. They remind me of several teams over the years that have just been stuck in limbo; not good enough to do anything special in the postseason, but not bad enough to get a generational talent in the draft.
Thus, it's all about small victories for the Sharks. Keeping Tomas Hertl looks possible. Nice. Jonathan Dahlen is having a good season. Good. Timo Meier is an excellent player. Awesome. Erik Karlsson is playing well for the first time in a Sharks uniform. Not bad.
Sharks fans are going to need to be more celebratory of these moments when they come along.
22. New York Islanders
Previous Ranking: 23
Points Percentage: .476
Week Ahead: @ BUF, vs BOS, vs MTL
For most of the season, we've been wondering how the Islanders would beat the odds and achieve their obvious goal for the season: a postseason berth. Frankly, I'm not convinced they even want a playoff spot now.
This draft isn't a particularly strong one, but the Islanders clearly need a lot of help, particularly with the forward group. I think this season may be a wash for the Isles and that they may be ready to target one of the top forwards in the draft.
On the bright side, Noah Dobson and Ilya Sorokin have both established themselves as key parts of the franchise for the next decade with strong individual seasons.
23. Detroit Red Wings
Previous Ranking: 22
Points Percentage: .510
Week Ahead: @ MIN, @ NYR
The peculiar split between Detroit's home and road records remains, but in all honesty, it seems as if a playoff berth is out of reach for this team. It would take a monumental collapse from the Boston Bruins or Washington Capitals for Jeff Blashill's team to sneak in as the last wild-card team. Despite that, this season should be considered a success for the team.
Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond have both shown that they are superstars in the making. Seider in particular already looks like a steal at pick 6 in the 2019 draft.
The Wings still have a fun offense and I was very excited to see Filip Zadina on the first line in a recent game against the Philadelphia Flyers. He has looked like a bust for most of his career, but an opportunity with Dylan Larkin and Raymond could give him that spark he needs to be a legitimate threat in the top-six.
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
Previous Ranking: 25
Points Percentage: .511
Week Ahead: @ CGY, @ CHI, vs BUF
I've actually been pleasantly surprised with Columbus' season for the most part. There are a few major low points, such as conceding over 60 shots to the Calgary Flames just before the All-Star break. However, in general, Patrik Laine, Zach Werenski and Elvis Merzlikins are having solid seasons. The Jackets have some prospects to look forward to, particularly Kent Johnson. I've been singing his praises for the last year or so and he is proving my faith in him with an excellent performance at the Olympics for Team Canada.
Circling back to Laine, he has been on a torrid streak recently. His RFA status made him less than a sure thing for Columbus' future, but at the rate he is scoring, he is going to get an expensive contract in Ohio this offseason and hopefully be a big part of the Jackets' future. He has 7 goals and 5 assists for 12 points in his last 6 games. Over that stretch, the Jackets are 5-1-0 and they look like a team capable of surprising next season.
25. Ottawa Senators
Previous Ranking: 27
Points Percentage: .422
Week Ahead: vs STL, @ BUF, vs BOS, vs NYR
Out of nowhere, Matt Murray is a good goalie and that makes the Senators a good team. Since being demoted to AHL Belleville midway through the season, Murray has returned with a vengeance. He has a .922 SV% on the season, a top-10 mark among NHL goalies (he's just ahead of Jack Campbell in save percentage, for context). He is helping keep the pesky Senators in tough games, but it would be ignorant to the rest of the roster to say that their good play recently is all thanks to Murray.
The whole team plays hard and they seem to have a good understanding about how to stay in games that they would lose on paper.
Last edition of the power rankings, I praised the Coyotes for working hard and giving 110% for each other every shift. The Sens are like that if they had some real talent level. The injuries to Drake Batherson and Josh Norris are tough to swallow, though.
26. New Jersey Devils
Pavel Zacha (Jonatha Kozub, Getty Images)
Previous Ranking: 26
Points Percentage: .398
Week Ahead: vs TBL
Jack Hughes' stunningly fun performance in the Breakaway Challenge during the All-Star game was quite possibly the highlight of what has been a frustrating season for the Devils. Things may be looking up though, as Dougie Hamilton is scheduled to return in the next week or so.
The Devils' goaltending continues to let them down, as none of MacKenzie Blackwood, Jonathan Bernier, Jon Gillies and Akira Schmid have been capable of keeping the Devils in games this season. As good as Hughes and Jesper Bratt have been on offense this year, the Devils are going nowhere fast if they can't resolve their goaltending issues.
The Devils are going to be interesting to watch in the next few weeks, as they have a few trade chips that could be on the move if GM Tom Fitzgerald doesn't deem them key parts of the future.
27. Chicago Blackhawks
Previous Ranking: 24
Points Percentage: .427
Week Ahead: @ WPG, vs CBJ, vs DAL, vs FLA
Speaking of teams with an important trade deadline ahead, the Blackhawks are in make-or-break territory. They committed to being a contender way too early in the offseason and now this deadline could be a full teardown of the work that was done in the offseason. Players like Dominik Kubalik, Brandon Hagel and even Marc-Andre Fleury could be out the door, but I suspect interim GM Kyle Davidson won't be ready to make any drastic moves unless he gets a show of faith from ownership.
Other than that, most of Chicago's storylines are off the ice. Owner Rocky Wirtz's insane tirade against local reporters undid months of good work by his son Danny Wirtz and president of business operations Jaime Faulkner and probably lost the organization millions of dollars. Clearly, the Kyle Beach saga is still not being treated as a big deal by the higher powers in Chicago's front office and as necessary on-ice transactions are, a change to the management is even more important.
28. Seattle Kraken
Previous Ranking: 31
Points Percentage: .375
Week Ahead: vs TOR, @ WPG, vs CGY
The Kraken have simply not been a very good team in their debut season. Does that mean they won't beat the Leafs tonight? No, they probably will, because why not?
Seattle are currently amid the best streak in franchise history, with wins in six of their last 11. It's just depressing.
There do seems to be a bit of goodwill about the team though and they have been looking more cohesive in recent weeks. Jared McCann has been excellent all season, but his play in the past three weeks has been especially encouraging.
29. Philadelphia Flyers
Previous Ranking: 30
Points Percentage: .404
Week Ahead: @ PIT, vs WSH
What a car crash of a season for a Philadelphia team that was expected to be fighting for a playoff spot this campaign. Two 10+ game losing streaks have accentuated a season of frustration in Philly.
They should get a top pick at the draft (though Philly's recent history of turning all good prospects in the organization into a bust doesn't bode well). Carter Hart is still very good. Ryan Ellis might be back soon. Also, the Flyers have a lot of pieces to deal at the deadline, with Claude Giroux the obvious headliner.
I've been predicting Minnesota all season, but even if it isn't the Wild, it looks increasingly likely that his future lies outside of the City of Brotherly Love. His MVP performance in the All-Star game probably boosted his stock even further.
30. Buffalo Sabres
Previous Ranking: 28
Points Percentage: .404
Week Ahead: vs NYI, vs OTT, vs COL, @ CBJ
It hasn't been a complete disaster, which I guess is a plus.
In all seriousness, Sabres fans were expecting misery this season and they've mostly gotten that. There actually have been some exciting revelations, such as Jeff Skinner being good again, the Sabres may have won the Jack Eichel trade and Rasmus Dahlin is having a career season.
Frankly, that's close to the best that Sabres fans could hope for this year, so in general it hasn't been as much of a catastrophe as I expected heading into the season.
31. Arizona Coyotes
Dylan Guenther (Norm Hall, Getty Images)
Previous Ranking: 29
Points Percentage: .292
Week Ahead: vs LAK, vs DAL
This feels harsh, because the Coyotes have actually been putting up a good season compared to what was expected of them earlier in the season.
They recently ended the Avalanche's home winning streak with a performance that earned them many plaudits.
Off the ice, however, the club is as tumultuous as ever. They've reached an agreement with Arizona State University to use ASU's arena for their games over the next three years. ASU's arena is projected to have just 3 200 seats. For context, the Bell Centre has a capacity of 21 302. Yikes.
32. Montreal Canadiens
Previous Ranking: 32
Points Percentage: .240
Week Ahead: vs STL, @ NYI
I just feel bad for Habs fans at this point. They could legitimately end up as the worst team of the 21st century. They recently hired Martin St. Louis as their coach, as in the same Marty St. Louis who was coaching a youth AAA team just a few weeks ago. To be brutally honest, St. Louis' AAA team was probably better than this current iteration of the Canadiens.
The Habs' goaltending is getting lit up and the growth of young prospects like Cayden Primeau is being stunted by the fact that he is allowing 7 goals a game.
I'll be tuning into Habs games this year as there is a fun countdown going on. We've reached the point where it is becoming a legitimate possibility that the Habs will win less games over the entire 2021-22 regular season than they did in their playoff run in 2021. They've won 8 games so far this year and they won 13 games in the postseason last campaign. Don't tell me that it isn't possible.
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