It's been exactly two weeks since the 2023-24 National Hockey League campaign kicked off in Tampa Bay on Oct. 24, and although it's still extremely early, there has been a ton of movement in Week 3 of our NHL Power Rankings. Who expected the Philadelphia Flyers to be leading the Metropolitan Division at any time this season? Who expected Alex DeBrincat to be leading the league in scoring in his first season with the Wings, tallying an outrageous eight goals and 12 points through six games? What about Connor McDavid's Oilers starting the year just 1-3-1, with the captain expected to miss time with injury for the first time in four campaigns? There have certainly been some surprises.
But the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights continue to dominate in their respective divisions, with 11 games won between two of the last three undefeated teams in the league. And proving that last season's utter dominance went deeper than just Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, the Boston Bruins lead the Atlantic Division with a perfect 5-0 record, skyrocketing them up the list.
Every team has now played between four and six games, and things aren't yet taking shape — but we're close. Where does your favorite team land in this edition of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings? Let's find out.
32. San Jose Sharks (no change)
The only team without a win in 2023-24 is the San Jose Sharks, landing them safely in the 32nd spot for the third straight week. The 0-4-1 Sharks lost to the Hurricanes, Bruins and Predators last week, scoring just five goals while giving up 14. Unfortunately, great play from Mackenzie Blackwood between the pipes can't keep this team out of the basement. It's early, but there really can't be any chance Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl are still playing hockey in California at the NHL Trade Deadline.
31. Anaheim Ducks (-4)
The Ducks entered Week 2 on the heels of a thrilling 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in their home opener, but it's been all downhill since. Anaheim can't score goals, only potting four through three consecutive losses at the hands of the Stars, Coyotes and Bruins. John Gibson and Lukas Dostal have been completely fine to start the year, but this offense really needs to get going. Frank Vatrano leads the team in scoring at a point-per-game clip, which is a nice story, but it needs to change quickly or this club will be battling the Sharks for last place in the Pacific before the season is a quarter over.
30. Chicago Blackhawks (no change)
Connor Bedard's Blackhawks started the week in style, beating the Maple Leafs 4-1 in the rookie's first of many at Scotiabank Arena. They were then completely dominated by the Avalanche and Golden Knights, the toughest two-game gauntlet you could ask for this season. Bedard didn't even record a shot attempt in a 4-0 loss to the Avs, which was followed by a tight 5-3 loss to Vegas in the home opener. Still, Bedard scored his first home goal early, at least giving the crowd something to cheer about. There's potential for the Hawks to jump a few spots up the list, but the loss of Taylor Hall to a shoulder injury is disappointing.
29. Washington Capitals (-5)
I feel like I'm being a bit harsh dropping the Capitals another five spots after they already fell four in Week 2, but it's clear this team is broken. Alex Ovechkin went two games without a shot on goal for the first time in his career, telling you everything you need to know about the state of this club. The Caps are 1-2-1 after getting smoked 6-1 by the Senators and losing 3-2 in overtime to the Habs last week, and there's not many excuses that can be made. The team is close to fully healthy, with only Max Pacioretty and Joel Edmundson on injured reserve. John Carlson is leading the team in scoring with three points through four games, and if that keeps up, it's going to be a long season in the nation's capital.
28. Nashville Predators (no change)
The Preds showed some signs of life last week, following up a disappointing 6-1 loss to the Oilers with back-to-back wins over the Rangers and Sharks, scoring nine goals in the process. Filip Forsberg looks great, with five points in six games, while Thomas Novak is turning heads with four goals through his first six. Juuse Saros remains an elite goaltender, and Nashville will certainly take a 3-3 record through two weeks. But I want to see how they do against the Leafs, Canucks and Oilers next week before considering bumping them up.
27. Montreal Canadiens (+2)
The Canadiens are looking surprisingly solid despite losing Kirby Dach to a devastating season-ending injury. Absolutely brutal news for him, but the team is winning games, to the tune of an impressive 3-1-1 record through five contests. The Habs have won two games in a row, and they did a decent job of keeping the puck out of their net in wins over the Capitals and Sabres. Sean Monahan and Tanner Pearson are off to great starts, with five points in five games each, and there's some early potential for this team to improve on their spot in the next few weeks.
26. Columbus Blue Jackets (-1)
The Blue Jackets are quietly 3-2 through five games, and them falling down a spot is really no fault of their own. Zach Werenski is back, which is huge, but Patrik Laine is out after taking a vicious hit from Rasmus Andersson in the final seconds of a 3-1 Columbus win over Calgary last week. Still, the Jackets beat the Flames and Wild, and will look to make it three straight against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. This is a team that could surprise in the Metro.
25. Philadelphia Flyers (+6)
The 3-1-1 Flyers, first place in the Metropolitan Division? That is a treat for Philadelphia fans who don't need any extra stress with the Phillies set for Game 7 against the Arizona Diamondbacks with the National League pennant on the line on Tuesday. Carter Hart looks absolutely phenomenal, John Tortorella has this team playing hard, and having Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson back in the lineup is massive. Could this be the surprise team of 2023-24, or will it all come crashing down?
24. Arizona Coyotes (+2)
Clayton Keller continues to prove he's a top-tier player in this league, and he's taking Nick Schmaltz along with him; the linemates have scored five goals and 12 points combined through five contests. Both Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka have been excellent, the revamped defense is holding up early, and the Yotes are fifth in the West with a 3-2 record. If you've watched this team play, you won't be surprised when I say they have an outside shot for a wildcard spot.
23. Buffalo Sabres (-3)
There were extremely high hopes in Western New York at the start of this season, and the early returns have been well below expectations. The line of Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch has already been split up, with the latter two forwards combining for an unacceptable two points in six games. Thompson was a late first-round fantasy pick in most pools and has been abysmal, along with many of his teammates. Devon Levi was just fair in the early going, and is now out with an injury, leaving Eric Comrie and UPL to share the net. Buffalo is 2-4 after a disappointing loss to the Habs on Monday, and everybody not named Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt needs to be a ton better, or this team will be out of the running early.
22. New York Islanders (+1)
Steady as she goes for the Islanders, who won just one game in three tries last week but remain 2-1-1. As expected, Ilya Sorokin looks exceptional, and he will be knocking on the door of Vezina Trophy supremacy regardless of where this team finishes. Still, back-to-back losses at the hands of the Devils and Sabres could have gone either way, and things won't get easier with the Avs and Sens on deck this week. Brock Nelson is still scoring goals, but the team has just 2.25 per game, good enough for 26th in the league. That glaring problem needs to change for a New York team that still has playoff aspirations.
21. Seattle Kraken (-4)
The free fall continues for the Kraken, who finally won their first game last week, but lost double that amount. To their defense, Seattle played the Avs, Hurricanes and Rangers, probably their toughest stretch of the season. Still, nobody is scoring goals; this club lost by identical 4-1 scores to Colorado and New York, but surprisingly beat the Canes 7-4. That says more about Carolina, who has shockingly given up more goals than any other NHL club. Regardless, the Kraken are 1-4-1, and need to turn things around immediately. Andre Burakovsky going down for 6-8 weeks will not help in any way.
20. Calgary Flames (-1)
The Flames played four games last week and lost three of them. Rasmus Andersson appealed his four-game suspension, but probably shouldn't have — he got off the hook easy with just four. Calgary is still struggling to find their identity, and this team is looking more like last year's Flames than the iteration that won the Pacific Division two years ago. Now 2-3-1, this figures to be a middle of the pack team all year.
19. St. Louis Blues (+2)
Jordan Binnington and the St. Louis defense has proven early that last year's playoff miss did not mean it was time to rebuild. The Blues are 2-1-1 after two wins in three tries last week, including an impressive 4-2 victory over the Penguins. Binnington looks like a Stanley Cup caliber goaltender again, and although the offense is struggling, especially without Pavel Buchnevich, the structure is doing enough to win this team games.
18. Minnesota Wild (no change)
The Wild are .500, but they've lost three of their last four after an opening night shutout win against the Panthers. They also gave up 21 goals over those games, which is concerning. The losses of Jared Spurgeon and Matt Boldy have been noticeable, although Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello continue to shine together on the top line. Joel Eriksson Ek has also been fantastic, leading the team in scoring with seven points in five games. The Wild will do a better job of keeping the puck out of their net, but the goals are coming, and that's encouraging.
17. Florida Panthers (-3)
The Panthers continue to prove that they're a completely different team than the one that went to the Stanley Cup Final in June. Florida is 2-3, and they're struggling to both score goals and keep them out of their net. Oliver Ekman-Larsson looks rejuvenated with his new team, as does Evan Rodrigues, but the key players not in the lineup are being badly missed, and it's already looking like it'll be a dogfight to get back into the postseason.
16. Winnipeg Jets (-4)
The Jets are struggling, losing two of three games last week, and needing past regulation to get a single victory. Connor Hellebuyck has been struggling despite his new contract, but both Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey have been excellent, with a matching six points each over five contests. At 2-3, Winnipeg will be looking for a better week, starting when the Blues come to town on Tuesday night.
15. Detroit Red Wings (+7)
Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin look like they were made to play together. The electric duo has taken the NHL by storm this year, helping the Red Wings open the campaign with a 5-1 record. 23 points between those two forwards is good enough for one-and-two in league scoring, while the goaltending has been solid between Ville Husso and James Reimer. Detroit looks like a team that is having a lot of fun, and one that wants a top-three finish in the Atlantic.
14. Vancouver Canucks (+2)
Although it was a 1-1 week on the road for the Canucks, they remain eighth in the league with a 3-2 record. Elias Pettersson continues to prove he's a superstar on a nightly basis, and his ten points is just one behind Larkin and two behind DeBrincat for the scoring lead. Thatcher Demko is just getting started, but Casey DeSmith looks dialled in as well in the early going. Vancouver needs to build on the early momentum against the Preds on Tuesday night.
13. Edmonton Oilers (-5)
There was a lot of belief that the Oilers' first two losses of the season, both at the hands of the Canucks, had more to do with Vancouver than it did Edmonton. But there's no excuses now, with the 1-3-1 Oilers losing to the Flyers and Jets, losing Connor McDavid for 1-2 weeks, and looking down at the Pacific Division basement, which is just two points away. Yes, it's early, but neither the defensive core nor the goaltending has been encouraging through two weeks. Can Leon Draisaitl carry them for the next few games?
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (-1)
The Lightning are doing a solid job without Andrei Vasilevskiy, and it's the core that continues to get it done. Nikita Kucherov has nine points through six, Brayden Point has seven, and Steven Stamkos has potted six. Jonas Johansson has been good, but the Bolts are still allowing four goals a game, which is 28th in the league. Still, they're 11th in goals for, and once Vasi returns, the now 2-2-2 Lightning should string a ton of wins together in the back half.
11. Los Angeles Kings (+2)
The LA Kings are a very good team that are being undone by poor goaltending. It looks like Cam Talbot and Phoenix Copley are not the answer after all, although Talbot has been better in his last few starts. The Kings are scoring 4.2 goals a game, good for third, and if they can keep pucks out of their net, this is a top-10 team. Whether or not that actually happens will go a long way in determining if this club is strong enough for a top-three finish in the Pacific.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins (-1)
The Pens have had an up-and-down start to the season, stringing together two wins before disappointing back-to-back defeats at the hands of the Red Wings and Blues last week. The star trio of Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel continues to produce, while Erik Karlsson is just under a point-per-game. But it's not the start the Pens were hoping for; Tristan Jarry needs to be better with the Dallas Stars in town on Tuesday.
9. Ottawa Senators (+5)
The Senators are looking great. Although 3-2, the two losses were to the Hurricanes, and Wings in DeBrincat's return to Ottawa. Otherwise, they look like a complete team who will be competing for an Atlantic Division playoff spot. Jake Sanderson is breaking out, Vladimir Tarasenko is fitting in nicely, and the Sens have seven players scoring at a point-per-game clip or better. There's a ton of belief in Canada's capital that this organization has finally put together a playoff contender in 2023-24.
8. New York Rangers (-1)
Artemi Panarin looks like a new player without the hair, and he leads the Rangers with seven points through five games. Unsurprisingly, Adam Fox, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad are also all at a point-per-game. Alexis Lafreniere continues to disappoint, though, and Blake Wheeler has been an afterthought with no points and just over 12 minutes of ice per game. But the defense and goaltending remains elite; the Rangers have given up just 2.4 goals per game. The Blueshirts are 3-2, and everything is fine in New York.
7. New Jersey Devils (-2)
Although Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt have been absolutely spectacular, the Devils have been just OK through the first two weeks. Yes, they're 2-1-1, scoring 3.75 goals per game, but they're allowing 3.5, which is concerning. New Jersey will be fine, and watching the Hughes brothers sling it around on the powerplay is electric. But last year's third-best regular-season team has another gear, and it's only a matter of time before they get there.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2)
Auston Matthews scored back-to-back hat tricks to start the year, and hasn't recorded a point since. But the Leafs are still 3-2, although no thanks to Ilya Samsonov. It looks like Joseph Woll could get the opportunity to be the starter, and he was solid in the team's 4-3 win over the Lightning on Saturday night. Toronto is still a powerhouse, with William Nylander and John Tavares leading the way with nine points each through five.
5. Carolina Hurricanes (-2)
It's baffling that the Carolina Hurricanes, a team that boasts one of the best defensive cores in the league, has given up more goals than any other NHL club through two weeks. It's absolutely astounding, actually. Despite that, they've scored 4.5 per game, good enough for second in the league. Every game this team plays is a shootout, and they're probably lucky to be 3-3. But the defense will get corrected, the goaltending will improve, and with Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho back, the goals aren't going anywhere. This is still a top five team.
4. Dallas Stars (+2)
The only teams besides the Stars that haven't lost in regulation haven't lost, period. At 3-0-1, Dallas is looking great, and that's without Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz playing anywhere near their respective potential. Texas won two straight against the Ducks and Flyers, and will look to make it three in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
3. Boston Bruins (+7)
The Bruins are proving in 2023-24 that elite defense and goaltending can take you a long way. Even without Bergeron, Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi or Dmitry Orlov, Boston is 5-0 to start the campaign, giving up a minuscule 1.4 goals per game to lead the league. The tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark is just fantastic, as is the entire back end. If GM Don Sweeney can add a top center in a trade, the Bruins could be a Stanley Cup contender again in 2024, just without the glaring spotlight. Boston is still a wagon.
2. Colorado Avalanche (no change)
For the second straight week, the only thing keeping the Colorado Avalanche out of the top spot is the dominance of last year's Stanley Cup champions. The Avs are 5-0, and scored 14 goals in back-to-back-to-back victories over the Kraken, Blackhawks and Hurricanes last week. Alexandar Georgiev is putting together an early Vezina Trophy case, the usual suspects are leading the way up front, and Colorado is looking like far and away the best team in the Central Division. Avs fans are having a ton of fun watching hockey right now.
1. Vegas Golden Knights (no change)
The Golden Knights made history when they won their sixth straight game to start the 2023-24 campaign; no other club has won as many the year after winning the Stanley Cup. Vegas is looking like an absolute behemoth, and that's without Alex Pietrangelo or Zach Whitecloud in the lineup. The Knights are fifth in goals for and fourth in goals against, with every player in the lineup doing their job. Adin Hill and Logan Thompson are one of the top tandems in the game, while five players are scoring at over a point-per-game clip in the early going. As it has been since the start of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Vegas Golden Knights remain the best team in the NHL.
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