Super 16: Predators move up to No. 2

The Tampa Bay Lightning are No. 1 in NHL.com's Super 16 power rankings for the eighth consecutive week, but for the first time in four weeks they were not a unanimous choice.
The Nashville Predators jumped one spot to No. 2 this week and were ranked first by two of the 14 staff members who contribute to the weekly Super 16.

Tracey Myers, our Chicago-based regional staff writer who participated in the Super 16 for the first time, was one of the two who had the Predators at No. 1. Lisa Dillman, our Los Angeles-based regional staff writer, also ranked the Predators first.
The Los Angeles Kings made the biggest positive move this week, up four spots to No. 5 in large part because of an active six-game winning streak.
To create the power rankings, each of the participating staff members puts together his or her version of what they think the Super 16 should look like. Those are submitted and a point total is assigned to each.
The team picked first is given 16 points, second gets 15, third gets 14 and so on down to No. 16, which gets one point.
Check out how the rankings came together once the math was finished this week, and stay for the information about each team:

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (19-6-2)

Total points: 222Last week: No. 1
Hit: The Lightning needed 27 games to get to 40 points. It's the fewest games needed to reach 40 points in their history. Tampa Bay has scored at least one power-play goal in 23 of its 27 games and has the NHL's No. 1-ranked power play (27.8 percent).
Miss: Defenseman Jake Dotchin has missed seven games with an undisclosed injury.

2. Nashville Predators (18-7-3)

Total points: 207Last week: No. 3
Hit: The Predators have scored the most goals in the second period (44) and allowed the fewest goals in the first period (14) in the NHL.
Miss: Center Ryan Johansen has missed two games with an upper-body injury.

3. Winnipeg Jets (17-7-4)

Total points: 178Last week: No. 5
Hit: Forward Blake Wheeler has seven assists in the past three games and 10 in the past five. He leads the NHL with 29 assists, is tied for third in points with 36, and is tied for fourth in points per game with 1.28.
Miss: Goalie Connor Hellebuyck (15-3-3, 2.44 goals-against average, .921 save percentage) has been a terrific story. However, he has allowed at least three goals in three of his past four games, including a 7-4 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday and a 5-1 loss at the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. Backup goalie Steve Mason has missed the past five games with an upper-body injury.

4. St. Louis Blues (18-8-2)

Total points: 174Last week: No. 2
Hit: The Blues are 12-2-1 in games when they score first, 14-0-0 when they lead after the first period, and 15-1-0 when they score at least three goals, not including the goal awarded for a shootout win.
Miss: Forward Vladimir Tarasenko hasn't scored in six straight games.

5. Los Angeles Kings (18-8-3)

Total points: 169Last week: No. 9
Hit: The Kings have a League-best plus-27 goal differential in the third period (40-13). The Toronto Maple Leafs at second at plus-14 (41-27).
Miss: Nothing to see here. The Kings have won six in a row and have allowed two or fewer goals in each of the wins, including one goal in four of them. They have won four consecutive road games.

6. New Jersey Devils (16-7-4)

Total points: 147Last week: No. 8
Hit: The Devils are 10-3-2 on the road this season. They are tied with the Kings (10-3-1) for the NHL lead in road wins and are first in road points (22).
Miss: Forward Pavel Zacha, selected by the Devils with the No. 6 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, can't seem to find traction. He's been a healthy scratch six times this season, including the past two games. Zacha has four assists in his past 18 games.

7. Columbus Blue Jackets (17-10-1)

Total points: 142Last week: No. 4
Hit: Rookie center Pierre-Luc Dubois had a point in four straight games (one goal, five assists), including back-to-back two-assist games, before having none in a 4-1 loss to the Devils on Tuesday. Dubois had five points (two goals, three assists) in his first 23 games.
Miss: Forward Cam Atkinson has two goals in nine games, including none in the past five, since signing a seven-year, $41.125 million contract Nov. 17. They are the only goals he's scored in 13 games since he returned to the lineup after missing four with an injury.

8. New York Islanders (16-9-2)

Total points: 120Last week: No. 7
Hit: The Islanders are second in the NHL in goals per game (3.66). They've scored 99 goals in 27 games, one fewer than the Lightning, who have played the same number of games.
Miss: New York's games are the highest-scoring in part because the Islanders are tied for 27th in goals against per game (3.37) with the Florida Panthers. The Islanders have allowed 16 goals in their past three games.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs (18-10-1)

Total points: 116Last week: No. 6
Hit: The Maple Leafs had the No. 2 road penalty kill in the NHL at 89.4 percent (42-for-47).
Miss: They were No. 28 in penalty killing at home (73.8 percent; 31-for-42) before they went 1-for-2 in a 2-1 shootout win against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (17-9-1)

Total points: 90Last week: No. 10
Hit: The Golden Knights lead the NHL with four wins and are tied for the lead with the Kings with nine points in games when they trail after two periods. They are 4-5-1 in those games. The Golden Knights have won six of their seven games that have been decided in overtime or a shootout.
Miss: Vegas has been outscored 5-0 on special teams in its past five games. The Golden Knights are 0-for-14 on the power play and have allowed five power-play goals on 14 attempts.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins (15-11-3)

Total points: 79Last week: No. 12
Hit: Forward Jake Guentzel has 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in his past 14 games, including six points (three goals, three assists) during his active four-game point streak. Forward Patric Hornqvist has scored in four straight games.
Miss: Defenseman Justin Schultz could miss some time with a lower-body injury he sustained in the a 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

12. Washington Capitals (17-11-1)

Total points: 72Last week: No. 11
Hit: Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin has 15 even-strength goals in 29 games after scoring one in a 6-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. He scored 16 even-strength goals in 82 games last season.
Miss: Forward T.J. Oshie did not play against the Blackhawks. He hasn't skated with the Capitals since he left the game against the San Jose Sharks on Monday in the second period after getting hit into the boards by center Joe Thornton.

13. New York Rangers (15-10-2)

Total points: 60Last week: No. 14
Hit: Forward Michael Grabner, who had a hat trick against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, has scored 40 goals (none on the power play) in 103 games since signing with the Rangers before last season. He had 29 goals in 178 games from 2013-16.
Miss: Forward Rick Nash has two points (two assists) in his past eight games.

14. Dallas Stars (16-11-1)

Total points: 59Last week: NR
Hit: Forward Radek Faksa had seven points (five goals, two assists) during a four-game point streak before he had none in a 5-2 home loss to the Predators on Tuesday.
Miss: The Stars are 2-for-37 on the power play in their past 11 games.

15. San Jose Sharks (14-10-2)

Total points: 31Last week: No. 13
Hit: The Sharks are 6-1-2 against the Western Conference. They play eight straight games against teams in their conference from Dec. 10-31.
Miss: The Sharks have two power plays in their past three games (0-for-2). Defenseman Brendon Dillon is suspended for the game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday for slashing Capitals defenseman Madison Bowey in the third period of a 4-1 loss at Washington on Monday.

16. Vancouver Canucks (14-10-4)

Total points: 22Last week: NR
Hit: Center Henrik Sedin has 10 assists in his past eight games after scoring seven points (two goals, five assists) in the first 20 games.
Miss: The Canucks are 0-0-4 in games decided in overtime or a shootout.

Dropped out: Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames
Others receiving points: Blackhawks, 5; Flames, 5; Montreal Canadiens, 4; Boston Bruins, 2

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Washington Capitals; 15. Chicago Blackhawks; 16. San Jose Sharks
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. St. Louis Blues; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Pittsburgh Penguins; 13. Washington Capitals; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. Chicago Blackhawks
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Los Angeles Kings; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Vancouver Canucks; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. Chicago Blackhawks
NICK COTSONIKA
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Washington Capitals; 15. Boston Bruins; 16. San Jose Sharks
LISA DILLMAN
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. New York Islanders; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. San Jose Sharks
TOM GULITTI
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New York Islanders; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. New York Rangers; 15. San Jose Sharks; 16. Vancouver Canucks
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. Columbus Blue Jackets; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. New York Islanders; 7. New Jersey Devils; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Pittsburgh Penguins; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. New York Rangers; 15. San Jose Sharks; 16. Montreal Canadiens
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Los Angeles Kings; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. New Jersey Devils; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. New York Islanders; 13. Vancouver Canucks; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. San Jose Sharks
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Columbus Blue Jackets; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. New Jersey Devils; 10. New York Rangers; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. New York Islanders; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. Washington Capitals; 16. Dallas Stars
TRACEY MYERS
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. New York Islanders; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. New Jersey Devils; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Vancouver Canucks; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. Chicago Blackhawks
BILL PRICE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Pittsburgh Penguins; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Vancouver Canucks; 15. Montreal Canadiens; 16. Dallas Stars
SHAWN ROARKE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New Jersey Devils; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. New York Rangers; 13. New York Islanders; 14. San Jose Sharks; 15. Calgary Flames; 16. Washington Capitals
DAN ROSEN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. Los Angeles Kings; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Columbus Blue Jackets; 8. New York Islanders; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. New York Rangers; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. Pittsburgh Penguins; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. Montreal Canadiens
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. New Jersey Devils; 10. Columbus Blue Jackets; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. San Jose Sharks; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. New York Rangers