Super 16: Devils surge into top 10

Dominant play at even strength has helped the Nashville Predators win three games in a row and five of their first six this season, enough to climb to the top of the NHL.com Super 16 this week.

The Predators moved up to No. 1 after coming in at No. 4 last week.
However, Nashville's climb pales in comparison to the rocket-like launch of the New Jersey Devils up the Super 16. The Devils, the only team of the 31 that hasn't lost yet in any fashion, are No. 6 after going unranked the first two weeks of the season.
In addition, the Boston Bruins moved up three spots to No. 4 and the Chicago Blackhawks climbed five spots to No. 11.

To create the power rankings, each of the 13 participating staff members put together his or her version of what 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.
Here is latest Super 16, with some news and notes to follow for each team:

1. Nashville Predators (5-1-0)

Total points: 192
Last week: No. 4
Hit: The Predators have allowed two or fewer goals in four of their six games and haven't allowed more than three in any game. Pekka Rinne has made the save on 116 of 123 shots (.943 save percentage) in four starts.
Miss: Their special teams have struggled so far. The power play is 2-for-20 (10.0 percent), and the penalty kill is 12-for-16 (75.0 percent).

2. Toronto Maple Leafs (6-1-0)

Total points: 190
Last week: No. 3
Hit: Auston Matthews has scored at least two points in all seven games this season. He's the fifth player in NHL history to score multiple points in each of his team's first seven games of a season. The third-year center has at least one point in 17 consecutive regular-season games since Feb. 22 (17 goals, 13 assists).
Miss: No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen said he has some swelling in his knee and he's not sure if he'll be able to play against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV).

3. Tampa Bay Lightning (3-1-0)

Total points: 183
Last week: No. 1
Hit: The Lightning are 5-for-8 on the power play in their past two games after going 0-for-8 in their first two. They're perfect on the penalty kill (18-for-18).
Miss: Penalties are a potential early-season concern. The Lightning have 38 penalty minutes through four games, an average of 9:30 per game. They were 23rd in the NHL with 9:10 in penalty time per game last season.

4. Boston Bruins (4-2-0)

Total points: 157
Last week: No. 7
Hit:The Bruins' top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak has 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists).
Miss: The rest of the roster has combined for 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists).

5. Winnipeg Jets (3-2-1)

Total points: 142
Last week: No. 2
Hit:Forward Blake Wheeler's next point will be his 500th with the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers. The Winnipeg captain has 173 goals and 326 assists in 563 games, including 23 in 2010-11, the final season in Atlanta.
Miss:The Jets have allowed 10 goals after the second period in their first six games, including four in their 5-4 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. They've allowed six goals in the first and second periods.

6. New Jersey Devils (4-0-0)

Total points: 134
Last week: NR
Hit: Keith Kinkaid is 4-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .961 save percentage. He already has two shutouts, tying his NHL career high from 2015-16.
Miss: Defenseman Will Butcher was injured in a 3-0 win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. An update on his status is expected Thursday.

7. Anaheim Ducks (5-1-1)

Total points: 116
Last week: No. 8
Hit: Forward
Nick Ritchie
signed a three-year contract with the Ducks on Wednesday. The 22-year-old, who was a restricted free agent, has 59 points (26 goals, 33 assists) in 186 NHL games in three seasons.
Miss: Forward Ondrej Kase remains sidelined indefinitely with a concussion. He has missed all seven games this season and is not yet skating with the Ducks. Kase scored 20 goals in 66 games last season.

8. Washington Capitals (3-2-1)

Total points: 107
Last week: No. 5
Hit:Center Nicklas Backstrom is two assists shy of 600 in the NHL. He could become the 87th player in NHL history to reach the milestone and the 27th to do it in fewer than 850 games. Backstrom played his 821st NHL game Wednesday and had two assists in a 4-3 overtime win against the New York Rangers.
Miss: The Capitals have allowed at least four goals in three of their first six games.

9. Carolina Hurricanes (4-2-1)

Total points: 92
Last week: No. 10
Hit: The Hurricanes are averaging 42.0 shots on goal per game, most in the NHL. They're giving up 25.3 shots on goal per game, third fewest in the League.
Miss: Carolina is 2-for-25 on the power play (8.0 percent), including 1-for-16 on the road (6.3 percent).

10. Pittsburgh Penguins (2-1-2)

Total points: 91
Last week: No. 9
Hit: The Penguins have been on the penalty kill six times in their past three games, including none in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, after going on the kill six times in their season opener.
Miss: Pittsburgh has scored two goals in the third period.

11. Chicago Blackhawks (3-0-2)

Total points: 72
Last week: No. 16
Hit: The Blackhawks are expecting goalie Corey Crawford to be able to start against the Arizona Coyotes at United Center on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, FS-A, NHL.TV). Crawford missed the first five games of the season with concussion symptoms. He hasn't played since Dec. 23, 2017.
Miss: Cam Ward, who started the first five games, has allowed 21 goals on 173 shots (4.07 GAA, .879 save percentage). The Blackhawks are getting by because they're averaging 4.40 goals per game.

12. San Jose Sharks (2-3-1)

Total points: 66
Last week: No. 6
Hit: The Sharks are averaging 38.5 shots on goal per game, 11.5 per game more than they're giving up.
Miss: Special teams are an early-season concern. San Jose is 2-for-21 on the power play (9.5 percent) and 22-for-28 on the penalty kill (78.6 percent).

13. Colorado Avalanche (3-1-2)

Total points: 55
Last week: No. 15
Hit: Center Nathan MacKinnon has set a new Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques record with at least one goal in six straight games to start the season. The record was previously held by Hockey Hall of Famer Mats Sundin, who scored in five straight games to start the 1992-93 season with Quebec. MacKinnon has scored seven goals.
Miss: Center J.T. Compher is out indefinitely with a concussion.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets (3-2-0)

Total points: 46
Last week: No. 12
Hit:Forward Artemi Panarin is off to a strong start with seven points (three goals, four assists) in five games.
Miss: The Blue Jackets are 11-for-17 on the penalty kill (64.7 percent) after allowing four goals on seven kills in an 8-2 loss to the Lightning on Saturday.

15. Calgary Flames (4-2-0)

Total points: 30
Last week: No. 14
Hit:Forward Johnny Gaudreau scored his 100th NHL goal in his 318th game, a 5-2 win against the Bruins on Wednesday. He needs three assists to reach 200 and three points for 300. James Neal is three points shy of 500. He has played 709 NHL games.
Miss: Travis Hamonic remains out with a facial fracture. The defenseman has missed five consecutive games.

16. Vegas Golden Knights (3-4-0)

Total points: 28
Last week: No. 11
Hit:Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed one goal on 53 shots in his past two games, each a win. He has 407 NHL wins, tying him with Hockey Hall of Famer Glenn Hall for 10th all-time.
Miss:Center Paul Stastny could be out two months with a lower-body injury.
Others receiving points: Vancouver Canucks 24, Dallas Stars 16, Montreal Canadiens 15, Los Angeles Kings 7, Edmonton Oilers 2, Ottawa Senators 2, Philadelphia Flyers 1
Dropped out:Dallas Stars (No. 13)

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

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