Welcome back to The Hockey News’ NHL power rankings. Every Wednesday, we’ll rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.
In the cap era, winning the Jack Adams might as well be the death knell.
Despite guiding the Bruins to an astonishing 120-41-23 record over two-plus seasons, ranking first in the NHL during that span in points percentage and winning the award for the league’s best coach in 2023, Jim Montgomery was fired Tuesday.
It’s a cruel world. Montgomery was not the one who built the Bruins roster, nor was he responsible for the contract standoff with Jeremy Swayman. The thing with the NHL, however, is that there’s now a very good coach available, and the Montgomery may be the first domino to fall in a league that likes to recycle coaches. This week’s power rankings muses which coaches might be feeling the heat.
Montgomery’s firing overshadows the fact that there is a new No. 1 in the NHL power rankings.
It’s been a difficult season to prognosticate the elite contenders and lottery-bound teams. Unlike last season where the Sharks were undeniably the worst, there are 10 teams within four points of each other at the bottom of the standings, and seven of those 10 teams are within four points of a wild-card spot.
1. Carolina Hurricanes (13-4-0, +27). Last week: 2)
Under Rod Brind’Amour, the Hurricanes since 2018-19 rank: second in points percentage (.667), sixth in goals-for per game (3.24), second in goals against per game (2.58), ninth in power-play percentage (22.3), first in penalty-kill percentage (85.0), second in shots-for per game (33.8) and first in shots against per game (27.5). His job’s as safe as it can be.
2. Winnipeg Jets (16-3-0, +34. Last week: 1)
Promoted from an associate coaching position and even taking over briefly when Rick Bowness was absent, Scott Arniel’s been a popular homegrown hire who spent large parts of his playing career with the Jets as well. He’s a front-runner for the Jack Adams, and it’s pretty remarkable how different the Jets are under Arniel even though he inherited a roster without any significant changes.
3. Minnesota Wild (12-3-3, +18. Last week: 4)
I know Matt Boldy at center was temporary, but sometimes John Hynes makes decisions that make me go, “… hmm?” No matter, the Wild have been excellent thanks to their improved goaltending, which is one of the biggest factors for getting Jack Adams consideration.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (11-6-2, +8. Last week: 7)
Before you accuse me of Leafs bias – which would be the furthest thing from the truth – they are 5-2-1 in November with wins against the Capitals and Oilers. I’m not sure the Leafs are necessarily better, but they’re certainly different under Craig Berube, and that was part of the point. The Leafs have continued to win consistently even without Auston Matthews.
Related: Is Mitch Marner Better Without Auston Matthews?
5. Washington Capitals (13-4-1, +28. Last week: 5)
What a turnaround by Spencer Carbery, and props to the Capitals for adding players who have all managed to fit in. The real test now comes with Alex Ovechkin out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Carbery can earn the Jack Adams right here if the Caps can keep winning without their captain.
6. New York Rangers (12-4-1, +20. Last week: 6)
The Rangers have a strong record, which means Peter Laviolette’s job is very safe, but I can’t help but notice they’ve had trouble beating the top-tier teams this season, including the Panthers, Capitals and Jets. Of the teams the Rangers have beaten this season, only three of them – the Leafs, Canucks and Islanders – are currently in playoff position.
7. New Jersey Devils (12-7-2, +16. Last week: 8)
The Devils are gaining some serious momentum. After a four-game losing streak at the end of October, the Devils are 7-3-0. Strangely enough, they were shut out in all three losses. I don’t think it’s surprising at all that Sheldon Keefe has done a good job with the Devils.
8. Florida Panthers (12-6-1, +7. Last week: 3)
Discounting the two seasons in Hartford as a first-time coach and the two seasons in Toronto, Paul Maurice is synonymous with longevity. He’s at 1,867 games and counting, and winning a Cup will buy you lots of time.
9. Dallas Stars (11-6-0, +17. Last week: 9)
The thing about Peter DeBoer’s teams is that they generally win a lot of games until suddenly they don’t. After 328 games and a .607 points percentage with the Sharks, they suddenly go 15-16-2? Out. After 78 games across two shortened seasons and a .731 P% with the Knights, they miss the playoffs? Out. He’s super safe in Dallas, but it’s odd that some of their players are playing really well, and others have been downright terrible. Which way will the teeter-totter tilt?
10. Vegas Golden Knights (11-5-2, +15. Last week: 10)
The Knights are no strangers to making significant changes when everyone least expects it, but with a Cup title, Bruce Cassidy’s job is most definitely safe right now.
11. Colorado Avalanche (10-9-0, -6. Last week: 12)
Jared Bednar has a franchise cornerstone level of talent at his fingertips, but he’s been excellent at managing all sorts of injuries and off-ice issues thrown his way. Bednar is already the Avalanche’s all-time leader in games and wins and trails only Marc Crawford and Bob Hartley in points percentage, though all three have rings.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (10-6-1, +12. Last week: 18)
Jon Cooper will go down as one of the best coaches ever and yet has never won the Jack Adams, which again highlights the award’s weird unwritten criteria – that it’s essentially awarded to the team with the most improved goaltending.
13. Edmonton Oilers (10-8-2, -7. Last week: 13)
Their 5-2 win against the Senators was their first regulation in over a week, but slowly and surely, they’re getting back on the right track. Kris Knoblauch has not been able to capture last season’s magic but deserves the benefit of the doubt, and the poor goaltending is not his doing.
14. Vancouver Canucks (9-6-3, -2. Last week: 14)
Like I said before, winning the Jack Adams feels like a bad omen. But Rick Tocchet seems to press the right buttons all the time, and keep in mind they’re without two-thirds of their top line with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser out. Thatcher Demko has also yet to play a minute. The Canucks’ management team can be pretty aggressive and somewhat abrasive, but moving from Tocchet would just be a bad idea.
Related: Vancouver Canucks Push On With Dad Strength And Support As J.T. Miller Takes Leave
15. Calgary Flames (10-6-3, -1. Last week: 17)
I thought the four-game winning streak would signal a decline after the Flames seemingly overachieved early in the season, but Ryan Huska has really done a great job of keeping this team prepared and competitive. Having Dustin Wolf absolutely helps, and he deserves Calder consideration.
Related: NHL Calder Trophy Tracker: Stankoven, Michkov And Hutson In Dead Heat, But Celebrini Lurks
16. Los Angeles Kings (10-6-3, +6. Last week: 11)
Moving away from the 1-3-1 and therefore not killing all excitement in Kings games is already a feather in Jim Hiller’s cap. There’s no reason to think the Kings will make any drastic changes – like signing and trading Pierre-Luc Dubois within a year – but it is strange how inconsistent they can be.
17. Philadelphia Flyers (8-9-2, -11. Last week: 26)
John Tortorella’s seat felt pretty hot after a 1-5-1 start, but in true Tortorella fashion, they’ve really grinded it out, and they’re now 4-1-1 in their last six. It’s lukewarm right now, at best, and I still feel he’s the right option for that market and that team.
18. Ottawa Senators (8-9-1, -1. Last week: 15)
Travis Green was an interesting hire, and this new Sens ownership certainly seems more patient than the previous regime. The Sens are 0-2-1 over the past week with a minus-8 goal differential. Inconsistency is part of the Green experience, though once in a while, it can be exciting because of their explosive offense.
19. Seattle Kraken (9-9-1, even. Last week: 24)
The Kraken make so few moves that I think even Ron Francis forgets he’s the GM. Either way, Dan Bylsma will get to address the Kraken’s inconsistency. They’ve already had four separate streaks of either three consecutive wins or losses this season.
20. New York Islanders (7-7-5, -7. Last week: 19)
Lou Lamoriello can be so stubborn it hurts, but I think Patrick Roy’s done an alright job so far. He’s only had 56 games behind the bench, and sometimes, I think it’s more likely he gets fed up and goes back to junior hockey.
21. Buffalo Sabres (8-9-1, even. Last week: 16)
My fear is the Sabres get so nostalgic that replacing Lindy Ruff becomes more difficult than it really should be. He’s one of a trio of Jack Adams finalists in 2023 who have since been fired – the others were Montgomery and Dave Hakstol – and his job is certainly safe as a new hire, but he has not been the spark the Sabres were looking for in his second tour. They did finally manage to beat the Stars, though.
22. Utah Hockey Club (7-8-3, -13. Last week: 22)
This group has certainly improved every season under Andre Tourigny, though this season has presented new challenges with various injuries to key players and a brand-new city and environment. But you do wonder when this core will really make that leap into a playoff contender. Ryan Smith doesn’t seem like a guy who makes rash decisions.
23. St. Louis Blues (8-11-1, -20. Last week: 23)
After a promising start, the Blues are 3-7-1 since Oct. 24. Drew Bannister doesn’t have a lot to work with and perhaps things will turn around with Robert Thomas back in the lineup. No reason for the Blues to make any drastic changes right now, but at some point down the road, they need to get serious about going for it or rebuilding.
24. Nashville Predators (6-10-3, -15. Last week: 25)
Whenever a GM publicly proclaims unconditional support for his coach, it’s a bad sign. But Barry Trotz said he’d shake up the roster, which means Andrew Brunette is likely staying. The roster construction seems flawed, and perhaps Trotz now sees this, too.
25. Boston Bruins (8-9-3, -21. Last week: 20)
Well, we know what happened. But it must be pointed out that the Bruins have defied expectations over the past few seasons, and now reality bites.
Related: Three NHL Teams That Should Consider Hiring Jim Montgomery
26. Anaheim Ducks (8-8-2, -8. Last week: 30)
Impressive! Greg Cronin has a reputation for being tough, but perhaps his message is getting through. The Ducks are playing hard and managed to grind out three straight wins.
27. San Jose Sharks (6-10-4, -21. Last week: 28)
The Sharks lost to the Wings in overtime and beat the Pens in a shootout, so it was tough to rank them in the proper order. But I do think the Sharks showed the best, outshooting the Wings 34-20 and nearly erasing a 3-0 deficit against the Pens. The Sharks are much improved from last season, and Ryan Warsofsky deserves some credit.
28. Detroit Red Wings (7-9-2, -14. Last week: 21)
Full disclosure: In a pre-season poll among THN writers, I picked Derek Lalonde as the first coach to be fired. That obviously didn’t happen, but I don’t think Lalonde’s seat is any less hot. They’ve lost five of their past six and have not won in regulation in two weeks, and their playoff drought still looms.
29. Pittsburgh Penguins (7-10-4, -26. Last week: 27)
Normally, I’d say yes, but it’s such an awkward situation since ownership gave Mike Sullivan that big extension, not Kyle Dubas. I also think it’s a bad look for Team USA if their head coach was fired by his NHL team right before the 4 Nations Face-Off.
30. Montreal Canadiens (7-10-2, -17. Last week: 32)
They’ve won three of their past four, so at least they’ve stopped the bleeding. Considering Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis both buy into the same long-term plan with the Habs exercising St-Louis’ two-year option this past April, we likely won’t see a change. But we’ve seen about-faces before, and there’s no denying that the fan base’s patience seems to be getting thin with St-Louis.
Related: Are The Canadiens Actually Making Any Progress Under Martin St-Louis?
31. Columbus Blue Jackets (7-9-2, -4. Last week: 31)
Never mind they’re 2-6-1 in November – they can be fun to watch, and Dean Evason’s done a good job of helping this team deal with adversity. The Jackets seem to respond best when they have a salt-of-the-earth bench boss who’s tough on his players, and Evason fits the bill.
Related: Columbus Blue Jackets And Fans Rally Together Early In 2024-25
32. Chicago Blackhawks (6-12-1, -14. Last week: 29)
Very hot. They have one regulation win in November and lost five of their past six, and looked particularly dejected following a loss to the Ducks on Tuesday. They’ve managed to score more than two goals just six (!) times this season, and Luke Richardson is having trouble coaxing out passable efforts out of his club.
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