NHL Power Rankings: Capitals Take Over Top Spot

We're barely two weeks into the New Year.

But some things are already becoming routine.

The Washington Capitals are pretty good at hockey, and they continued to show it through another seven-day stretch of the NHL's regular season, enabling them to sweep the ballots and take the top spot in the latest edition of B/R's Power Rankings.

Alex Ovechkin and Co. are tied for first overall with 63 standings points, have the league's best points percentage at .716 and have established a six-point lead in the Metropolitan Division by going 6-1-3 across their last 10 games.

On the flip side, the Chicago Blackhawks share the league's longest active losing streak at three games and have both the fewest standings points (30) and the lowest points percentage (.341) among the 32 teams.

The B/R panel ranked them all from Washington to Chicago and everywhere in between, awarding 32 points for a first-place vote all the way down to a single point for No. 32. Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought of your own in the app comments.

Votes were tallied after games played on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Previous Ranking: 32

Overall Record: 14-28-2

Connor Bedard's Monday stat line against Calgary made him the fastest teen to 100 NHL points since Sidney Crosby. However, the team's fortunes were more in line with the minus-four number posted by Seth Jones in the 5-2 loss to the Flames–its third straight and fourth in five games.

Previous Ranking: 31

Overall Record: 14-26-6

The Sharks scored four times in the third period to beat Detroit and end the Red Wings' seven-game win streak Tuesday. It was a rare glimpse of success for San Jose, which arrived having lost three in a row and 14 of 17.

"We knew how hot they were and how dangerous they are," forward Macklin Celebrini said. "We stayed focused the whole game and when they answered, we responded."

Previous Ranking: 30

Overall Record: 14-22-7

In the latest edition of "Nothing Makes Sense in the NHL," the Predators shook off a skid in which they'd lost five of seven games to handle Pacific-leading Vegas on Tuesday.

Jonathan Marchessault had an assist in his first game against the Golden Knights after spending seven seasons with them and winning a Stanley Cup in 2023.

Previous Ranking: 29

Overall Record: 16-22-5

A 6-2 loss to the Kraken wasn't an ideal way to start a homestand for the Sabres, who will entertain Pittsburgh on Saturday before heading west for a trip that'll take them to Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

Only five teams have fewer than Buffalo's eight road wins.

Previous Ranking: 28

Overall Record: 19-23-3

It's a small sample size, to be sure, but initial indications are that the trade to Seattle has been a good one for forward Kaapo Kakko. The 23-year-old has eight points in 11 games with the Kraken while averaging nearly 16 minutes per night.

He had just 14 points in 30 games with the Rangers and was averaging just more than 13 minutes.

Previous Ranking: 24

Overall Record: 18-21-5

It was more of the same for the Ducks on Tuesday when they managed just 19 shots while dropping a 3-0 decision at Washington for their third loss on what will be a six-game road trip.

Anaheim has averaged 23.9 shots in eight January games, 29th in the league.

Previous Ranking: 27

Overall Record: 17-19-7

The Islanders had won three in a row before a visit from Ottawa yielded a familiar result–a 2-0 loss that was their sixth shutout defeat of the season.

Not helping matters is an impotent power play that went 0-of-1 against the Senators and hasn't scored in 25 straight opportunities since a goal against Ottawa on December 8.

Previous Ranking: 21

Overall Record: 18-20-8

An up-and-down season has taken another negative turn for the Penguins, who've lost three in a row and seven of eight after a home loss to Seattle on Tuesday.

Goalie Tristan Jarry, drafted by the team in 2013, was placed on waivers Wednesday in the second season of a five-year contract paying him $5.375 million annually.

Previous Ranking: 25

Overall Record: 19-20-6

It wasn't perfect, but the Flyers did manage three of a possible four points from back-to-back games against Florida and at Columbus, defeating the Panthers at home before traveling and dropping a shootout to the Blue Jackets.

Philadelphia, which missed the playoffs last season after a late skid, is four points off the Eastern cut line through 45 games.

Previous Ranking: 17

Overall Record: 18-18-7

Five second-period penalties certainly didn't help Utah's cause in a Tuesday home loss to Montreal, and it's been a difficult stretch of road for the ex-Coyotes, who are just 2-7-2 over the last 11 games.

"We've got to be better as players," center Nick Bjugstad said. "We know what we have to do and it's frustrating."

Previous Ranking: 26

Overall Record: 20-20-3

They're not overt just yet, but there are signs of life from the Rangers, who've earned points in five straight games while going 3-0-2.

New York is 4-1-2 in seven January games, and its 3.29 goals per game are sixth-best in the league in the new year.

Previous Ranking: 23

Overall Record: 21-20-4

Nothing boosts spirits in St. Louis more than a visit from Calgary, as reflected by the Blues' 2-1 win on Tuesday that was their fifth straight against the Flames. The teams will meet again on Thursday at the Enterprise Center.

Goalie Jordan Binnington is 8-1-0 in 10 games against Calgary and the team is 13-2-0 in its past 15 in the head-to-head series.

Previous Ranking: 22

Overall Record: 20-19-4

It couldn't go on forever, and it was pretty good while it lasted for the Red Wings, who reeled off seven straight wins before falling to San Jose on Tuesday.

Detroit hasn't won eight straight since the 2007-08 season, which was also the last time it hoisted the Stanley Cup.

Previous Ranking: 20

Overall Record: 22-19-5

Internal strife? What internal strife? The Bruins put together a second straight strong outing since dispelling rumors of a divided locker room, netting a half-dozen goals on 24 shots in a 6-2 rout of Tampa Bay.

Boston is 2-0-0 since a six-game losing streak and has gotten 83 saves on 88 shots from goalie Jeremy Swayman in the wins.

Previous Ranking: 16

Overall Record: 21-18-4

Defenseman Lane Hutson notched three assists in a Tuesday win over Utah to stretch a streak of at least one per game to five in a row. He's done that twice this season and is the sixth rookie blue-liner in league history to have two such streaks in a season.

He's the second-fastest Montreal rookie to reach 30 assists in a season, trailing only Chris Chelios in 1984-85.

Previous Ranking: 18

Overall Record: 22-18-3

The arrival of Linus Ullmark made goaltending a strength in Ottawa this season, but it's continued even with the ex-Bruin on the shelf. Youngster Leevi Merilainen stopped 24 shots to blank the Islanders on Tuesday, recording his second shutout in three starts.

Ullmark hasn't played since injuring his back in late December, and the Senators have a 2.44 goals-against average in nine games without him.

Previous Ranking: 19

Overall Record: 21-17-6

There's no hotter team over the last two weeks than the resilient Blue Jackets, whose Tuesday shootout win over Philadelphia was their fifth in a row.

Norris Trophy contender Zach Werenski scored twice and extended a home-ice point streak to 17 games.

Previous Ranking: 15

Overall Record: 19-14-10

It was a second straight week of mediocrity for the Canucks, whose 6-1 loss at Winnipeg on Tuesday dropped them to 1-3-2 in their last six games. Vancouver was down by six before getting its lone goal 91 seconds into the third period.

"Obviously we didn't play well, but we didn't have guys quitting," forward Conor Garland said.

Previous Ranking: 14

Overall Record: 21-15-7

Calgary got its four-game road trip off on the right foot with a Monday win at Chicago, but a Tuesday loss at St. Louis was more of the same for a team that's dropped five straight to the Blues.

Goalie Dan Vladar made 23 saves but is 0-4-1 in his last five starts and hasn't won since December 10.

Previous Ranking: 13

Overall Record: 23-16-3

The Lightning were without Brayden Point for a 6-2 loss at Boston after he missed a team meeting and was scratched by coach Jon Cooper.

"We've had a team standard since I've been here," Cooper said. "It's professional sports, and you've got rules and nobody's above the law."

Previous Ranking: 10

Overall Record: 26-16-5

A few bad games have turned into an all-out skid for the Devils, whose 2-1 home loss against Florida on Tuesday was their sixth in eight games and simultaneously ended a six-game win streak at the Prudential Center.

On the positive side, Nico Hischier's goal was his 20th of the season and made him the first Devil since Kyle Palmieri to string four straight with 20 or more.

Previous Ranking: 6

Overall Record: 27-16-2

It had been nearly three months since the Maple Leafs went three games without a win but that's where they are again after Tuesday's 4-1 home loss to Dallas.

Toronto has scored just four goals in the three losses to Carolina, Vancouver and Dallas while allowing 10.

Previous Ranking: 12

Overall Record: 26-16-3

Reaching another shootout was a good thing for the Panthers on Tuesday, resulting in a 2-1 win at New Jersey that improved Florida to 4-0 in those winner-take-all scenarios this season.

The defending champs had lost two straight and three of four before visiting the Devils and pulling within a point of first-place Toronto in the Atlantic Division.

Previous Ranking: 9

Overall Record: 27-17-1

The successful beat goes on for goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, who made 27 saves in a Tuesday defeat of the Rangers and is 9-2-1 with a .938 save percentage since arriving from San Jose in early December.

"He was best player on the ice [for] either team," Avs coach Jared Bednar said.

Previous Ranking: 11

Overall Record: 26-15-3

It didn't win a game or a series, but Andrei Svechnikov's goal against Anaheim on Sunday did end a stretch of 17 straight unsuccessful power plays for the Hurricanes across six games.

Carolina's 22.8 percent success rate through 44 games was 13th in the league.

Previous Ranking: 5

Overall Record: 24-12-5

The Kings won four straight at home before going on the road, where they started with an OT victory in Winnipeg before dropping consecutive one-goal games at Pacific Division rivals Calgary and Edmonton.

They'll visit Seattle on Thursday before returning home Monday.

Previous Ranking: 2

Overall Record: 27-13-4

The Wild have maintained their high-end performance in the absence of injured stars Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber, who missed their 10th and fourth consecutive games on Wednesday against Edmonton.

Both have returned to skating but neither has moved forward to a full-on practice. Kaprizov (lower body) hasn't played since December 23 and Faber (upper body) has been out since January 7.

Previous Ranking: 8

Overall Record: 28-14-1

You know you're hot when you start beating teams you normally don't beat. That's the case for the Stars, whose 4-1 win at Toronto was their eighth in nine games and marked their first defeat of the Maple Leafs since February 2020.

Dallas was 2-of-3 on the power play and is converting at 29.2 percent over the nine-game stretch, more than 10 percent better than its season-long average of 17.9 percent.

Previous Ranking: 7

Overall Record: 27-13-3

Another week, another milestone of sorts for Connor McDavid. The three-time MVP turned 28 on Monday and had the third-most points in league history (1,040) before that age, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (1,773) and Mario Lemieux (1,174).

The difference? Gretzky had won four Cups in Edmonton by his 28th birthday and Lemieux had hoisted two in Pittsburgh.

Previous Ranking: 1

Overall Record: 29-12-3

Unheralded winger Pavel Dorofeyev recorded his first NHL hat trick on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 5-3 defeat at Nashville and extend Vegas' mini-skid to three losses in four games.

Dorofeyev has 19 goals in 44 games this season after scoring a career-best 13 in 47 games in 2023-24.

Previous Ranking: 3

Overall Record: 30-12-3

The Jets became the first team this season to reach 30 wins after a 6-1 rout of visiting Vancouver in which Kyle Connor scored the second-fastest natural hat trick in franchise history.

Connor had three straight goals by the 13:37 mark of the first period, just 2:13 off the pace of Sean Monahan's three-bagger last February.

Previous Ranking: 4

Overall Record: 29-10-5

Go ahead and raise your hand if you had Logan Thompson pegged to be a difference-making goalie in 2024-25.

The 27-year-old became a Capital in June and has thrived in his first season in D.C., registering a shutout of Anaheim on Tuesday that lifted him to 19-2-3 through 24 appearances.