NHL Energy Rankings: 1-32 ballot, huge query for every staff

One other week, one other new No. 1 staff atop the Energy Rankings!

Past the rankings, we have seen a whole lot of drama across the NHL this week, from all of the takes concerning William Nylander’s contract extension to everybody having an opinion on the circumstances of Cutter Gauthier’s commerce from the Flyers to the Geese. So together with our up to date rankings, we’re asking a “dramatic” query for every staff heading into the second half.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors every ship in a 1-32 ballot primarily based on the video games via Wednesday, which generates our grasp listing right here.

Be aware: Earlier rating for every staff refers back to the earlier version, revealed Jan. 5. Factors percentages are via Thursday’s video games.

Earlier rating: 5
Factors proportion: 73.17%
Subsequent seven days: vs. PHI (Jan. 13), vs. NYI (Jan. 16)

Can the Jets keep their defensive excellence? Winnipeg soared atop the standings final week in typical under-the-radar vogue. Make no mistake, although; these Jets are defensive-minded demons on a mission. They have been hermetic since early November with a league-leading 2.00 goals-against per recreation, and are stifling groups off the push. Winnipeg honing these habits into the second half may have them primed for a protracted spring.

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Earlier rating: 3
Factors proportion: 70.24%
Subsequent seven days: @ BUF (Jan. 13), @ CBJ (Jan. 15), vs. ARI (Jan. 18)

When (and for a way a lot and the way lengthy) ought to the Canucks re-sign Elias Pettersson? Vancouver is having a season for the ages. In order that leaves room to concentrate on what famous person Elias Pettersson’s subsequent contract ought to seem like, and when the Canucks would possibly get it achieved. The pending restricted free agent is enjoying his method right into a big-time payday, and the higher Petterson’s second half is, the higher likelihood that common annual worth climbs. Technique is every thing right here for Vancouver.

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Earlier rating: 1
Factors proportion: 69.51%
Subsequent seven days: @ STL (Jan. 13), vs. NJ (Jan. 15), vs. COL (Jan. 18)

Can the Bruins give up blowing late leads? Boston’s first half was sturdy in lots of classes. It was simple to miss the Bruins’ tie for a league lead in time beyond regulation losses (5) after main opponents via two durations. Coach Jim Montgomery has chalked that discrepancy as much as a studying curve for the Bruins’ personnel discovering learn how to handle 6-on-5 situations, however suffice it to say, Boston cannot afford to recurrently let factors slip away.

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Earlier rating: 4
Factors proportion: 67.86%
Subsequent seven days: @ TOR (Jan. 13), @ MTL (Jan. 15), @ OTT (Jan. 16), @ BOS (Jan. 18)

Will goaltending break the Avalanche? Colorado is great in most areas however inconsistent in internet. Alexandar Georgiev had a powerful begin that quickly unraveled, proper up till he blanked Vegas this week in what coach Jared Bednar deemed a “excellent” efficiency. Huh. Can the Avalanche depend on Georgiev to remain on observe from right here? As a result of backup Ivan Prosvetov hasn’t been regular, both. If the Avalanche count on to go far this spring, they’re going to want a goalie tandem as much as the duty.

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Earlier rating: 8
Factors proportion: 68.29%
Subsequent seven days: vs. NJ (Jan. 13), vs. ANA (Jan. 15), vs. DET (Jan. 17)

Is Matthew Tkachuk lastly again? Florida’s sensational first half might be topped by solely a Matthew Tkachuk resurgence. The feisty ahead had a high-quality opening act coming off his damaged sternum, and Tkachuk seems to be discovering extra juice the deeper Florida will get into its season, together with a hat trick this week. A revitalized Tkachuk would make the Panthers solely extra harmful — a scary prospect for the league’s different 31 groups.

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Earlier rating: 2
Factors proportion: 67.50%
Subsequent seven days: @ WSH (Jan. 13), vs. WSH (Jan. 14), vs. SEA (Jan. 16), @ VGK (Jan. 18)

Will the Rangers’ protection be its downfall? New York can rating objectives. The issue is what number of it offers up. The Rangers have allowed 4 or extra objectives in 9 video games since Dec. 1, they usually common almost 30 pictures towards in that stretch. It is inconceivable to constantly outscore such points, notably within the postseason. New York has to batten down the again finish to take advantage of its offensive prowess.

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Earlier rating: 10
Factors proportion: 64.10%
Subsequent seven days: vs. COL (Jan. 13), vs. DET (Jan. 14), @ EDM (Jan. 16), @ CGY (Jan. 18)

Are the Maple Leafs dialed in sufficient on protection? Toronto has offensive expertise to spare. Its protection — and, by proxy, goaltending — is beneath the microscope. The Leafs’ ambitions for this season will not simply come to fruition whereas averaging greater than three objectives towards and clinging to veteran Martin Jones carrying a heavy workload in internet. The Leafs would possibly must discover blue-line upgrades earlier than the March 8 commerce deadline.

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Earlier rating: 6
Factors proportion: 66.25%
Subsequent seven days: vs. NSH (Jan. 12), @ CHI (Jan. 13), vs. LA (Jan. 16), @ PHI (Jan. 18)

How will the Stars handle with out Miro Heiskanen? Dallas bore the brunt of shedding beginning goaltender Jake Oettinger by having Scott Wedgewood stepping up in his stead. Who will do the identical whereas star defenseman Heiskanen is week-to-week due to a lower-body harm? The Stars have choices, however Heiskanen’s function is huge — he performs over 25 minutes per recreation, and seemingly in every single place at that — so it is going to require a collective effort on Dallas’ half to fill the void whereas staying aggressive till Heiskanen is again.

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Earlier rating: 11
Factors proportion: 62.20%
Subsequent seven days: vs. PIT (Jan. 13), vs. LA (Jan. 15)

Do the Hurricanes want a goalie improve? Carolina has the makings of a top-tier staff — except for one looming gray cloud round goaltending depth. Rookie Pyotr Kochetkov has achieved properly taking up because the Hurricanes’ No. 1 after Frederik Andersen was sidelined by blood clots. Antti Raanta has carried out poorly behind Kochetkov, although, and if Andersen cannot return, will Carolina pin its playoff hopes on a rookie goalie? The commerce deadline would possibly loom giant right here.

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Earlier rating: 9
Factors proportion: 63.10%
Subsequent seven days: vs. CGY (Jan. 13), vs. NSH (Jan. 15), vs. NYR (Jan. 18)

Are the Golden Knights burnt out? Vegas began the primary half sturdy following its Stanley Cup win. Slowly, the Golden Knights have begun to point out cracks. They went on a current 3-7-0 streak, and bought shutout on the NHL’s marquee Winter Traditional to open 2024. It might be an indication that, after a brief summer season, Vegas is feeling the fatigue. If that is the case, what rejuvenation techniques can the Golden Knights probe for the second half?

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Earlier rating: 7
Factors proportion: 63.16%
Subsequent seven days: @ DET (Jan. 13), @ CAR (Jan. 15), @ DAL (Jan. 16), vs. NSH (Jan. 18)

How will the Kings deal with adversity? Los Angeles loved a clean journey via the primary half — solely to recently encounter some speedbumps. The Kings are shedding leads, dropping tight video games and winding up on the improper aspect of beforehand proper outcomes. And so, L.A. enters this second half with some trepidation and certain a brand new appreciation for a way rapidly issues can swing out of favor. The Kings’ response to their waves of hardship will outline the subsequent few months.

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Earlier rating: 15
Factors proportion: 59.21%
Subsequent seven days: @ MTL (Jan. 13), vs. TOR (Jan. 16), vs. SEA (Jan. 18)

Can the Oilers’ hold this up? Edmonton went from basement dweller in October to producing the NHL’s second-best document (by factors proportion) since Kris Knoblauch changed Jay Woodcroft as head coach on Nov. 12. Connor McDavid? Unstoppable once more. Leon Draisaitl? Discovering his groove. Edmonton total? Vastly improved. The second half is the place Edmonton reveals whether or not it is a flash-in-the-pan response to turnover — or it has truly tapped again into the staff’s full energy.

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Earlier rating: 16
Factors proportion: 58.54%
Subsequent seven days: @ MIN (Jan. 12), @ WPG (Jan. 13), @ STL (Jan. 15), vs. DAL (Jan. 18)

Are the Flyers adequate to make the playoffs? Philadelphia completed its first half holding the Japanese Convention’s first wild-card spot — one thing few pundits may have predicted. The Flyers have an opportunity to show it is no fluke by staying the course and, as a substitute of dealing away gamers on the commerce deadline, possibly even including someplace to offer themselves a real run towards the postseason.

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Earlier rating: 12
Factors proportion: 58.54%
Subsequent seven days: @ NSH (Jan. 13), @ MIN (Jan. 15), @ WPG (Jan. 16)

Can the Islanders sharpen up? New York is in a precarious place with its goaltending. Semyon Varlamov is on injured reserve, so Ilya Sorokin has been enjoying each recreation. The Islanders aren’t serving to Sorokin bear that burden, giving up the second-most pictures on internet this season. That may be helped by a recommitment to defensive excellence within the second half, giving Sorokin a greater likelihood of maintaining New York afloat in internet.

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Earlier rating: 13
Factors proportion: 57.69%
Subsequent seven days: @ FLA (Jan. 13), @ BOS (Jan. 15), vs. MTL (Jan. 17)

Can the Devils survive — and thrive — with out Jack Hughes? New Jersey is missing its famous person for the foreseeable future, as Hughes nurses a lower-body harm. That is going to make the second half even harder on these Devils, who’re already mired within the mushy center of the wild-card race. How New Jersey rises — or deflates — throughout Hughes’ absence may outline its complete marketing campaign.

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Earlier rating: 14
Factors proportion: 56.41%
Subsequent seven days: vs. NYR (Jan. 13), @ NYR (Jan. 14), vs. ANA (Jan. 16), vs. STL (Jan. 18)

Ought to the Capitals go all-in towards the playoffs? Washington deserves credit score for combating via early-season adversity to stay within the postseason combine. Now we’ll see if that correlates to GM Brian MacLellan upping the ante with commerce deadline acquisitions to assist the Capitals’ possibilities of staying there. Washington is poised to develop into more healthy, too, with Charlie Lindgren and T.J. Oshie returning — and oh yeah, Alex Ovechkin is rolling once more, too. This might be the Capitals’ time to push ahead.

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Earlier rating: 20
Factors proportion: 56.25%
Subsequent seven days: @ CAR (Jan. 13), vs. SEA (Jan. 15)

Can the Penguins claw their method into the playoffs? Pittsburgh has a playmaker any staff would covet in Sidney Crosby. He performs like a Hart Trophy finalist and can carry the Penguins on his again, however Crosby alone will not get Pittsburgh to the postseason. The Penguins have embraced a extra bodily method that has generated momentum. If Pittsburgh retains leaning into that profitable mindset, it may nonetheless push previous the competitors right into a wild-card slot.

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Earlier rating: 18
Factors proportion: 54.88%
Subsequent seven days: @ DAL (Jan. 12), vs. NYI (Jan. 13), @ VGK (Jan. 15), @ LA (Jan. 18)

Can Juuse Saros discover elite type once more? Nashville has relied on its No. 1 goaltender too closely prior to now. This season, it has been the Predators at giant (notably the ahead group) serving to to prop the staff up towards Juuse Saros’ waning numbers in internet. Nashville’s workhorse hasn’t been his normally gorgeous self — the Predators’ defensive lapses do not assist — however seeing Saros soar once more would take stress off Nashville’s offense in a doubtlessly stronger second half.

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Earlier rating: 22
Factors proportion: 54.88%
Subsequent seven days: @ CBJ (Jan. 13), @ PIT (Jan. 15), @ NYR (Jan. 16), @ EDM (Jan. 18)

Is Joey Daccord the actual deal? Seattle’s greatest hurdle has been discovering a dependable goaltender. After which appeared one Joey Daccord. He shut Vegas out within the Winter Traditional to place the league on discover of his arrival, and Daccord has solely continued to ascend proper previous the Kraken’s different goalies. If Daccord’s trajectory retains up, he offers Seattle greater hopes for his or her second-half prospects within the standings.

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Earlier rating: 21
Factors proportion: 54.88%
Subsequent seven days: vs. LA (Jan. 13), @ TOR (Jan. 14), @ FLA (Jan. 17)

What is the Crimson Wings’ greatest drawback defensively? Detroit has its points maintaining pucks out of the web. The Crimson Wings are eighth worst in goals-against per recreation (3.40), and no quantity of rotating defensemen or different tinkering by coach Derek Lalonde has produced the specified enhancements. Figuring out — and fixing — no matter is inflicting the Crimson Wings’ defensive woes can be paramount to their second-half success.

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Earlier rating: 17
Factors proportion: 52.50%
Subsequent seven days: @ MIN (Jan. 13), @ CGY (Jan. 16), @ VAN (Jan. 18)

Will the Coyotes’ offense ignite once more? Arizona has shocked this season with some strong runs of fine hockey. Recently, the Coyotes’ offense has sputtered, they usually want that to vary — quick. Arizona has scored two objectives or fewer in 10 video games since early December, and it’s giving up over 31 pictures per recreation. That is a poor mixture. Including some firepower again up entrance will assist tip the scales again of their route.

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Earlier rating: 19
Factors proportion: 54.65%
Subsequent seven days: vs. ANA (Jan. 13), vs. MIN (Jan. 18)

Will the Lightning miss the playoffs? Tampa Bay had two Stanley Cup wins and one Cup Last look throughout six consecutive postseasons. However the Lightning left this primary half on the skin trying in. It is a tight race (in the meanwhile) for the Atlantic Division and Japanese Convention wild-card spots. The Lightning’s streaky season thus far has to stabilize quick — into stretches of sustained success — to maintain their playoff hopes alive.

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Earlier rating: 23
Factors proportion: 51.19%
Subsequent seven days: @ VGK (Jan. 13), vs. ARI (Jan. 16), vs. TOR (Jan. 18)

Is it time to discover a rebuild? Calgary hasn’t established an actual id this season. Will that sign the beginning of a brand new chapter? Pending free brokers together with Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev have not re-signed but, and GM Craig Conroy should resolve whether or not the Flames’ subsequent step entails maintaining these veterans or prioritizing draft place and prospects to place Calgary on a distinct path for the longer term.

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Earlier rating: 24
Factors proportion: 53.75%
Subsequent seven days: vs. BOS (Jan. 13), vs. PHI (Jan. 15), @ WSH (Jan. 18)

Will the Blues bloom with confidence beneath their new coach? St. Louis pulled off its Stanley Cup run in 2019 following a training change. Nicely, now Craig Berube is out and Drew Bannister is in, and the Blues have, as soon as once more, proven some actual life. Can they maintain that development into the second half? St. Louis remains to be within the playoff hunt, and with Jordan Binnington excelling and his teammates starting to thrive, it is affordable to imagine within the Blues making strides.

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Earlier rating: 27
Factors proportion: 48.78%
Subsequent seven days: vs. EDM (Jan. 13), vs. COL (Jan. 15), @ NJ (Jan. 17), @ OTT (Jan. 18)

Can Nick Suzuki win the Selke Trophy? Montreal will not be making the playoffs, however there’s an opportunity one in every of its prime gamers takes residence some {hardware} primarily based off this second half. Nick Suzuki has emerged as a front-runner for the league’s award honoring a prime defensive ahead, and it could be an actual feather within the Canadiens’ cap to see their captain have that kind of end to his marketing campaign.

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Earlier rating: 25
Factors proportion: 47.50%
Subsequent seven days: vs. PHI (Jan. 12), vs. ARI (Jan. 13), vs. NYI (Jan. 15), @ TB (Jan. 18)

What can the Wild do at full energy? Minnesota is oh-so-close to having all of Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin and Filip Gustavsson again from harm (as for Jared Spurgeon, properly, he is out slightly longer). It has been a troublesome season injury-wise for the Wild, however having a healthy-ish roster eventually? Music to their ears — and a possible sign to their Central Division foes that the battle-tested Wild are able to make a transfer up the standings.

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Earlier rating: 26
Factors proportion: 47.62%
Subsequent seven days: vs. VAN (Jan. 13), vs. SJ (Jan. 15), vs. CHI (Jan. 17)

Is Don Granato within the scorching seat? Buffalo was meant to make playoffs this season. That is not occurring and not using a miraculous surge up the standings. If the Sabres fail to get there, will it spell the tip for head coach Don Granato? It is not fully on Granato that Buffalo has failed to achieve expectations, however that scenario hasn’t saved different coaches’ jobs in years previous.

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Earlier rating: 28
Factors proportion: 41.67%
Subsequent seven days: vs. SEA (Jan. 13), vs. VAN (Jan. 15)

Is it time to maneuver Elvis Merzlikins? Columbus has waited to see the perfect of the netminder. And whereas he has improved since final season, it is nonetheless not the proper partnership of participant and staff that the Blue Jackets hoped for once they signed him. There might be a chance forward of the deadline, with numerous groups trying so as to add goalies to their rotation. Columbus ought to take a protracted, exhausting have a look at whether or not there is a suitor on the market with a strong return to offer them — and Merzlikins — a contemporary begin.

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Earlier rating: 29
Factors proportion: 37.84%
Subsequent seven days: vs. SJ (Jan. 13), vs. COL (Jan. 16), vs. MTL (Jan. 18)

Will the Senators add or subtract throughout commerce season? Ottawa has undergone monumental change within the first half — and it won’t be achieved but. The Senators are pivoting in a brand new route, and that would embrace buying and selling off some organizational stalwarts in favor of including new gamers to the lineup. Count on GM Steve Staios to start out actually placing his fingerprints on the staff.

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Earlier rating: 30
Factors proportion: 35.37%
Subsequent seven days: @ TB (Jan. 13), @ FLA (Jan. 15), @ WSH (Jan. 16)

Ought to the Geese commerce Trevor Zegras? Anaheim has a method to go in its rebuild. It is attainable that shifting Zegras, who’s at the moment injured, would assist pace the method alongside. GM Pat Verbeek’s imaginative and prescient for the Geese won’t match with Zegras’ model in the long run, and if that is a priority, then Verbeek would possibly properly discover choices for a mutually helpful parting with Anaheim’s rising star.

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Earlier rating: 31
Factors proportion: 30.95%
Subsequent seven days: vs. DAL (Jan. 13), vs. SJ (Jan. 16), @ BUF (Jan. 17)

Will the Blackhawks crumble with out Connor Bedard? Chicago did rating a victory over Calgary in its first outing for the reason that rookie phenom broke his jaw. It stays to be seen how nice an impression shedding Bedard has on the Blackhawks long run, although. Will it push them nearer to a different draft lottery win or be a rallying level for the staff to construct round?

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Earlier rating: 32
Factors proportion: 27.38%
Subsequent seven days: @ OTT (Jan. 13), @ BUF (Jan. 15), @ CHI (Jan. 16)

Will the Sharks stay unhealthy sufficient to get the primary decide? San Jose is the one staff to not hit 10 wins by the midway level. So, the Sharks are actually on observe for a Thirty second-place end. Maybe a victory within the upcoming draft lottery would cushion the blow of losses persevering with to pile up.