William Nylander concluded a phenomenal 2023 NHL Global Series in style on Sunday afternoon, becoming the first European player to score an overtime winning goal in his home country to help the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Minnesota Wild in Stockholm. There were no shortage of storylines in Sweden over the last week, but it was the Leafs and Ottawa Senators who fly back to North America undefeated, while the Detroit Red Wings and Wild were unable to secure a victory overseas.
And with that, another international chapter closes. There won't be any more NHL contests outside of Canada and the United States this season, with the league now boasting 42 regular-season games at venues outside North America since 1997.
Headlining Week 7 of the National Hockey League slate is American Thanksgiving, which will give every team a short break nearly one-quarter into the season. There will be no hockey on Tuesday and Thursday this week, although it's a generally packed slate for the other five days. 14 games will be played on Wednesday, with another 15 headlining a massive NHL Thanksgiving Showdown on Friday.
And finally — finally — we have a new team at the top of the NHL Power Rankings. After winning the Stanley Cup in June and looking like the best hockey team in the world ever since, the Vegas Golden Knights have indeed been usurped from the top spot after a challenging seven days. And by two Eastern Conference clubs no less.
Besides Thanksgiving, there are storylines a plenty this week. Alex Ovechkin is three points shy of 1,500. Rookie sensations Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli will face each other for the first time as professionals. And Cal Clutterbuck, who is the NHL's all-time leader in hits, will play game No. 1000 against the Philadelphia Flyers at home on Wednesday.
As usual, the movement in Week 7 of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings is significant as November rolls on. Let's get into it.
Previous 2023-24 NHL Power Rankings: Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3| Week 2 | Week 1
1. Boston Bruins (+1)
Finally, there is a new King of the Hill. And it is a team that no one outside of New England expected to be dominating the NHL for the second consecutive year. The Boston Bruins remain an elite wagon, their incredible 13-1-2 record good enough for first place in league standings. David Pastrnak continues to play like the Hart Trophy is his to lose, the goaltending remains phenomenal despite neither Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman emerging as the starter, and Charlie McAvoy is back from his four-game suspension and looking like one of the better defensemen in the league. The 2023-24 Bruins won't go 65-12-5 again, but there is no ceiling for a club looking to win back-to-back President's Trophies for the first time since the Washington Capitals did it from 2015-17.
2. New York Rangers (+1)
The Bruins may have vaulted into the top spot for the first time this season, but the New York Rangers are hot on their trail. The Blueshirts are looking like a true President's Trophy contender under Peter Laviolette, and the incredible 12-2-1 record backs it up. Since Filip Chytil went down, the line of Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere has been stupendous, and Panarin is on a tear with at least a point in every game the team has played this year. With four wins in a row and nine in their last 10, the Rangers are a certified wagon. And just imagine how much better this club will be once Mika Zibanejad wakes up.
3. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)
It's been a tough week for the Knights, who lost three of four games in Week 6. That included two shutout losses at the hands of the Penguins and Capitals, and a disheartening 4-3 loss to the Flyers on Saturday. That was enough to knock Vegas out of the top spot, especially as they are playing .500 hockey over the last two weeks. It's a potent team going through a mini slump, and it shouldn't last too much longer. The Knights remain the best team in the Western Conference, and the 13-4-2 record backs it up.
4. Dallas Stars (no change)
The Dallas Stars might be five points back of the Knights for the top spot in the West, but they have three games in hand and a sparkling 11-4-1 record to their credit. The Stars played just two games last week, defeating the Coyotes and losing to the Avalanche, although they remain just ahead of Colorado for at least one more week. Matt Duchene has been red-hot with his new team, especially recently with 10 points over a five-game point streak. The Stars continue to chug along and win games, and will look to continue that trend in a heavyweight matchup against the Rangers on Monday.
5. Colorado Avalanche (+3)
The Avalanche were not happy with me dropping them three spots, and made all of them up after a phenomenal seven-day stretch. Besides scoring six unanswered to beat the Stars, the Avs crushed the Kraken and Ducks — 5-1 and 8-2, respectively — to cap off a perfect week. Colorado is getting solid contributions from the bottom-six, and the big guns in Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen continue to carry the load. But how about Devon Toews, who has five points during the team's three-game win streak? The 2023-24 Avalanche might be streaky, and they'll take an 11-5 record into a matchup with the Predators on Monday night.
6. Vancouver Canucks (-1)
For the first time since early October, the Vancouver Canucks lost two games in a row last week. It was the most disappointing seven days of the season for a team that has been an unbelievable surprise through nearly a quarter of the 2023-24 campaign. The Canucks spoiled Bo Horvat's return with a 4-3 overtime win over the Islanders, but followed it up with consecutive losses to the lowly Flames and Kraken. Certainly not ideal, but Vancouver remains 12-5-1 and just three points back of the Knights for the Western Conference lead. They should bounce back against the Sharks to begin Week 7.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (+3)
You really can't say enough about William Nylander this season. In a hyper-critical media market in Toronto, the Swedish superstar has amassed 27 points over 17 games, just a point out of the league lead, and hasn't gone a single contest without a point. He also gave the fans at Avicii Arena in Stockholm a ton to cheer about, leading the Leafs to two straight wins over the Red Wings and Wild. Of course, he finished it in style by ending the 2023 NHL Global Series with an overtime winner in his home country. Toronto is back on track after four straight wins, and the work continues to usurp the rival Bruins for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. But first, a break until Friday night after a ton of travel.
8. Carolina Hurricanes (-2)
Week after week, the Carolina Hurricanes look less and less like a true Stanley Cup contender. The Canes won two of three last week, but remain 10-7 as the sky-high expectations continue to not be met in Raleigh. There aren't many more excuses to be made with both Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho healthy, although the team has looked better as of late. Still, Frederik Andersen has no timetable, and his presence will be missed despite the depth Carolina has at the position. This is still a top team in the Eastern Conference, but the struggle to find consistency continues for a club that is middle of the pack in both goals for and goals against.
9. Los Angeles Kings (-2)
After a few fantastic weeks, the Kings came back to earth a little bit after consecutive losses to the Penguins and Flyers. But the team bounced right back, beating the Panthers and Blues while giving up just two total goals last week. The slight drop down the list has much less to do with Los Angeles than it does about the teams ahead of them. Still, this is a potent squad that is built for the playoffs and continuing to impress in the Pacific Division. They're just five points back of Vegas with three games in hand, and this is a team that cannot be counted out to battle for that top spot all season long.
10. Florida Panthers (+1)
Finally, the Florida Panthers are healthy. It took nearly two months, but Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour and Sam Bennett have all returned to the lineup. And the Cats look potent; winners of seven of their last 10, this is starting to look like the team that marched all the way to the Stanley Cup Final five months ago. Sergei Bobrovsky has been playing great, and the defense in front of him might be even better than last year with the way Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niko Mikkola have handled increased minutes. We're still waiting for a true breakout stretch for Matthew Tkachuk, but Sam Reinhart continues to lead the way and the Panthers are 11-5-1 and second in the Atlantic.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning (+2)
It looks like we're mere weeks away from the highly-anticipated return of Andrei Vasilevskiy. And it will come at a perfect time for a team that is struggling to keep the put out of their net. The Bolts had an easy schedule last week, and won two of three against the Oilers and Blackhawks, after being shut out by the Blues just days before. Still, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point continue to shine, Mikhail Sergachev has found his offensive touch, and a team that is 8-6-4 is set to be transformed before the end of November. The Lightning welcome the powerhouse Bruins to Amalie Arena on Monday night.
12. New Jersey Devils (-3)
Jack Hughes' return could not have come at a better time for a reeling New Jersey Devils team. But the problems might go even deeper than he and Nico Hischier's absence. The Devils have lost four of five and somehow fallen to sixth in the Metropolitan Division, a place not many in the hockey world expected them anywhere near after an encouraging 2022-23 campaign. Vitek Vanecek needs to be better, as does the defense in front of him. Even with Hughes returning to the lineup (and scoring), New York hung five on New Jersey on Saturday night. Only Columbus has allowed more goals in the division. If the alarm bells aren't ringing in Newark, they could be soon.
13. Winnipeg Jets (+3)
Welcome to the top of the National Hockey League scoring table, Kyle Connor. The 26-year-old is on fire for the Winnipeg Jets, with eight goals and 13 points in his last six games. His 14 goals on the campaign has him tied with Auston Matthews for the Rocket Richard lead, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. Neither are the Jets, after winning three straight games over the Devils, Sabres and Coyotes. All of a sudden, Winnipeg is 10-5-2 and just a point out of the top spot in the Central.
14. Detroit Red Wings (-2)
This might be a bit dramatic, but the 2023 NHL Global Series was a disaster for the Red Wings. After making an electric comeback against the Senators — turning a 4-0 deficit into a 4-4 tie in the span of under 10 minutes — Tim Stutzle scored an outrageous overtime winner to stun the crowd at Avicii Arena (more on that later). The next night, the Wings held a 2-0 lead over the Leafs but allowed Nylander and his teammates to score three unanswered in the third period. A back-to-back set that could have been a smashing success turned into a devastating defeat, with Detroit flying back to Michigan without a victory overseas. The work continues against the Devils on Wednesday for a team that is no longer in an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
15. Washington Capitals (+3)
Alex Ovechkin is starting to score goals again, and the Washington Capitals are back in the playoff picture. The Caps have won four straight games to improve to 9-4-2 and vault back into third place in the Metro. Despite an aging roster, the wins keep coming in the nation's capital, and eight victories in 10 tries has this team back in the upper echelon of the NHL Power Rankings. A 3-0 win over the Golden Knights proved that this club can still skate with the best of them, and Ovechkin's team is showing no signs of slowing down late in November. Ovi should eclipse 1,500 points this week as he continues to write one of the greatest careers ever by a Russian player.
16. Pittsburgh Penguins (+1)
After winning four games in the row, the Pittsburgh Penguins have lost two of three but ended the week with a convincing 3-0 shutout victory over the Golden Knights. This is still a team that is struggling with its identity, and no one in Pennsylvania will be happy with a 9-8 record through 17 games. But the Pens continue to battle, and although they are just outside the playoff picture, the superstars continue to produce. The top talent should keep them competitive all year, although the depth remains a question mark.
17. Philadelphia Flyers (+7)
Don't look now, but the Philadelphia Flyers are 10-7-1 and second place in the Metro. I strongly considered putting them ahead of the Capitals and Penguins, but think all three teams are in a similar boat right now. Still, with Carter Hart back, it's looking like the rebuild might be in the rearview mirror. The Flyers might not end up a playoff team, but they will be competitive all season long, and even that is a huge win. Philly has come out on top in five straight games, and John Tortorella's style is clearly working wonders. Nobody thought this could be a top-three team in the Metro, but through 18 games, that narrative could be going out the window for a club that just keeps winning.
18. Ottawa Senators (+3)
The Ottawa Senators have jumped out of last place in the Atlantic Division after a very successful 2023 NHL Global Series. The Sens beat the Red Wings in overtime and squeaked by the Wild in a shootout en route to a fantastic trip to Sweden. If you haven't seen Stutzle's incredible goal yet, here it is, provided without commentary:
It's still a gauntlet of a division, but there is hope in Canada's capital for a club that has won three straight games. And with Stutzle leading the roster, there could be good times ahead, especially once Thomas Chabot is healthy.
19. St. Louis Blues (-4)
Just when we thought the Blues were starting to turn things around, this team loses 5-1 to the Sharks. Although the week was salvaged with a tight victory over the Ducks on Sunday, St. Louis remains 9-7-1 and didn't make up any ground in the Central Division last week. Although it looks like Pavel Buchnevich, Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou have woken up, the jury is still out on this team's playoff chances. The Blues have lost two of three and will look to rebound against the Coyotes on Wednesday.
20. Buffalo Sabres (-1)
The Buffalo Sabres continue to hang around the .500 mark, but it's been a hugely disappointing start for a team that had legitimate playoff chances at the beginning of the year. Those took a massive hit when Tage Thompson went down with injury. He could be out for two months, and Dylan Cozens will not be able to fill even close to the void the superstar has left. The Sabres are only a point away from the Atlantic Division basement, and that's a place they could be very soon. At the least, they secured a tight win over the lowly Blackhawks on Sunday.
21. Anaheim Ducks (-7)
Recency bias may have clouded judgment when it comes to the Anaheim Ducks, a team that went on a torrid stretch but has now lost three in a row. The Ducks remain 9-9, which is much better than their early season predictions, but still not good enough for a club that is looking to sneak into a playoff spot in 2024. Frank Vatrano continues to lead the way offensively, while John Gibson has been fantastic this year. Anaheim needs to snap out of the funk against the reeling Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
22. New York Islanders (-2)
The Islanders finally snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Flames this weekend, but the damage has been done. New York is 6-6-5, having a world of trouble winning games past regulation and, like usual, failing to score goals. Ilya Sorokin has not been the Vezina Trophy caliber goaltender he can be at his best, and that is really hurting this club. The mood is somber on Long Island ahead of a date with the Flyers on Wednesday night.
23. Edmonton Oilers (+4)
Are things finally turning around for the 5-10-1 Oilers with Kris Knoblauch behind the bench instead of Jay Woodcroft? I'm not convinced, but Edmonton has finally strung together a couple of wins. That came in the form of three straight against the Kraken, Islanders and Kraken again, not exactly the most difficult strength of schedule. And the Oilers followed those up with a 6-4 loss to the Lightning. Still, it does seem like, slowly but surely, Connor McDavid's team is coming around. It's interesting to think that with all of the talent on this squad, the playoffs could still be out of reach come April.
24. Arizona Coyotes (+1)
The Arizona Coyotes have rotated between wins and losses for the entire month of November. As middling as a team can possibly be, the Yotes are fifth in the Central Division with an 8-7-2 record and continue failing to find a way to gain any meaningful momentum. Clayton Keller continues to lead the way, but the long-term injury for Barrett Hayton is hurting this team, as he was blossoming into a serviceable 1C in the desert. The LA Kings await on Monday night.
25. Seattle Kraken (-2)
After a slow start, the Seattle Kraken are becoming streaky in 2023-24. A three-game losing skid was followed up with wins over the Islanders and Canucks last week to almost get back to .500. At 7-8-4, there are still a ton of problems in the State of Washington, and it's clear this is just not the same team as last year. Still, there is still a path to the playoffs, especially if a few players (like Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle) can find last season's offensive touch.
26. Montreal Canadiens (-4)
With every week that goes by, the Montreal Canadiens fade more and more into insignificance in the Eastern Conference. The Habs have lost four games in a row and now find themselves at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, and just four points up on the lowly Blue Jackets. Mike Matheson and Nick Suzuki are both playing great hockey, but the list ends there for a team that is truly lacking bonafide talent at every position. Either Montreal or Anaheim will snap out of the slump on Wednesday night.
27. Minnesota Wild (-1)
The Minnesota Wild cannot buy a win, and GM Bill Guerin is not at all happy. He had a meeting with the players and coaches after the team lost its fifth straight game to conclude the NHL Global Series. It's chaos in the State of Hockey after a disappointing two losses in Sweden; one in a shootout and another in overtime. The Wild are 5-8-4 and showing no signs of busting the slump. Filip Gustavsson bounced back against Ottawa, giving up just a goal on 31 shots, but he needs to turn into last year's version of himself or else the playoffs are already a pipe dream in Saint Paul.
28. Nashville Predators (+1)
We learned very early this season that the Nashville Predators weren't a very good hockey team, and they continue to prove it on a nightly basis. The Preds have won just three of 10 and are above only the Hawks in the race for the Central Division basement. This team is very likely going to get a high selection in the 2023 NHL Draft once the rebuild is fully committed to (if it isn't already). On the bright side, Smashville will honor longtime GM David Poile for his 24 seasons helming the team with a ceremony on Wednesday.
29. Calgary Flames (+1)
Jonathan Huberdeau is off the first powerplay unit, and another abysmal season continues in Alberta. The Flames finally strung two wins together, one being an impressive one over the Canucks, but followed it up with a loss to the Islanders a few nights later. Calgary remains 6-8-3, sixth place in the Pacific Division, and nowhere near a postseason spot through nearly a quarter of the season. There is room for this club to slowly work up the list, and No. 29 is probably the lowest they will be this season.
30. Chicago Blackhawks (-2)
It looked like the Hawks were ready to string some wins together, but they quickly reminded us how bad of a hockey team they really are. Connor Bedard's squad has lost four in a row and fallen to last place in the Central, and nine goals in that stretch is not at all encouraging. Taylor Hall is back from injury, and it might be time to reunite he and the rookie sensation as the cold spell continues. The Hawks are 5-11, but Bedard still makes it a fun team to watch.
31. Columbus Blue Jackets (no change)
When I wrote about the Blue Jackets last Monday, they were mired in a five-game losing streak and it seemed like rock bottom had been realized. How wrong I was. The Jackets lost another four games last week, gifting the Penguins, Coyotes, Capitals and Flyers two points. Patrik Laine was a healthy scratch for the final one, Johnny Gaudreau looks lost out there, and not even Adam Fantilli's excellent start can keep this team afloat. How long will it be before the season is considered lost in Ohio and the work for another top pick in next year's draft begins? It looks like it already has.
32. San Jose Sharks (no change)
The San Jose Sharks are oh-so-close to finally jumping out of the No. 32 spot in ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings. But it ain't happening yet. The Sharks snapped a three-game losing skid with a nice 5-1 win over the Blues to end their week, but the record remains a ghastly 3-13-1, and the -47 goal differential is absolutely staggering. Still, the Blue Jackets are looking just as ineffective lately, and it could be only a matter of time before San Jose begins the long climb to No. 1. I'm talking about the 2024 NHL Draft, of course.
Follow Us
Subscribe