Super 16: Penguins are No. 1

The defending Stanley Cup champions have emerged as the new No. 1 team in NHL.com's Super 16 power rankings this week.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, who were No. 4 last week, jumped to the top spot, leaping the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers because they were ranked first by six of the 13 staff members who submitted rankings this week.

The rankings are calculated by a points-based system based on the submissions by the 13 NHL.com staff members who participate weekly. Point values are assigned to each ranking. The point values are assigned as follows: 16 points for a No. 1 ranking, down to one point for a No. 16 ranking.
The rankings panel grew by one this week with the addition of Lisa Dillman, NHL.com's Los Angeles-based staff writer. She was one of the six who ranked the Penguins first.

The Canadiens, who were No. 1 for two weeks in a row, dropped to No. 3, extending their streak of being ranked in the top three to seven consecutive weeks.
The panel again is struggling to come to any kind of consensus on the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers, the top two teams in the Pacific Division standings.
The Kings were ranked in the top 10 by two staff members but were left unranked by five. The Oilers were ranked No. 8 by two staff members and No. 9 by another two, and yet were left out completely by two others.
The Philadelphia Flyers, the hottest team in the NHL with six straight wins, were popular this week with all 13 staff members ranking them. Nobody ranked them last week. The Calgary Flames also got some love, but not enough to get into the Super 16.
Here's where they all landed once the math was finished:

1. Pittsburgh Penguins (16-7-3)

Total points: 200
Last week: No. 4
Hit: With so much talk about Sidney Crosby's goal scoring (which is warranted considering he has 17 in 20 games), Evgeni Malkin's production has gone somewhat underreported nationally. He has 28 points in 26 games, including 11 points during a current six-game point streak.
Miss: Marc-Andre Fleury has struggled to adjust to the two-goalie system with Matt Murray. Fleury has allowed 20 goals on 153 shots in his past five games (.869 save percentage) and has a 3.42 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in 18 games.

2. Chicago Blackhawks (17-8-3)

Total points: 188
Last week: No. 2
Hit: Scott Darling has a .940 save percentage (five goals on 84 shots) in three straight starts since Corey Crawford had an appendectomy that is expected to keep him out him for 2-3 weeks.
Miss: Jonathan Toews remains out with no return date in sight because of a reported back injury. He has missed seven straight games. Chicago is 4-2-1 without him.

3. Montreal Canadiens (17-6-3)

Total points: 186
Last week: No. 1
Hit: Tomas Plekanec finally showed some life in a 3-2 overtime loss against the St. Louis Blues by scoring his first goal since Nov. 5 and creating another. He had four shots on goal.
Miss: It's a good thing Plekanec showed some life, because the Canadiens are down two centers; Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais are expected to miss 6-8 weeks because of a knee injury.

4. New York Rangers (17-9-1)

Total points: 161
Last week: No. 3
Hit: Jimmy Vesey has averaged 16:31 of ice time per game in the past four games following a move back into the top-six forward group, and he's responded with two goals and an assist. Vesey, though, is questionable to play against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday because of an upper-body injury.
Miss: Rick Nash left the game against the New York Islanders on Tuesday with a groin injury and is expected to miss one week.

5. St. Louis Blues (15-7-4)

Total points: 160
Last week: No. 6
Hit: Jake Allen is 8-0-0 with a .923 save percentage (18 goals on 235 shots) in his past eight starts.
Miss: Backup goalie Carter Hutton has allowed 14 goals on 94 shots (.851 save percentage) in his past four games dating to Nov. 10. He allowed seven goals on 94 shots (.925 save percentage) in his first four games of the season.

6. Columbus Blue Jackets (15-5-4)

Total points: 139
Last week: No. 8
Hit: Has there been a better bargain find than Sam Gagner, who has 17 points, including four in a 4-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Monday, in 23 games? He signed a one-year, $650,000 contract with the Blue Jackets on Aug. 1 after scoring 16 points in 53 games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season.
Miss: None.

7. San Jose Sharks (15-10-1)

Total points: 130
Last week: No. 7
Hit: The Sharks are 11-4-0 when scoring the first goal.
Miss: As good as they've been in the first period, outscoring the opposition 23-13, the Sharks have struggled in the second. They are getting outscored 23-16 in the middle period.

8. Washington Capitals (15-7-3)

Total points: 124
Last week: No. 5
Hit: The Capitals have scored the first goal in 18 of 25 games. They are 13-3-2 when scoring first.
Miss: The Capitals' power play hasn't clicked like it has in previous seasons (14.8 percent, 23rd in the NHL) and they are 7-6-2 when they don't score a power-play goal. Washington is 8-1-1 when it does score on the power play.

9. Ottawa Senators (16-9-2)

Total points: 76
Last week: No. 11
Hit:Bobby Ryan returned to the Senators' lineup on Wednesday after missing three straight games because of a hand injury.
Miss:The Senators scored at least four goals in two of their previous four games heading into their game against San Jose on Wednesday, but they lost each of those games.

10. Philadelphia Flyers (15-10-3)

Total points: 70
Last week: NR
Hit: The Flyers' six-game surge is the longest active winning streak in the League. They've gotten massive contributions from Wayne Simmonds and Steve Mason. Simmonds has five goals, including two each in the past two games, and seven points while Mason has a .947 save percentage during the streak.
Miss: The Flyers are allowing 33.8 shots on goal per game during their win streak. They've needed Mason to be excellent, which he has been.

11. Boston Bruins (15-10-2)

Total points: 63
Last week: No. 16
Hit: The Bruins had allowed three power-play goals on 39 times shorthanded (92.3 percent) in their previous 15 games entering Wednesday. They were 9-5-1 in those games.
Miss: Boston was held to two goals or fewer in 18 of its first 26 games, going 7-10-1 in those games.

12. Edmonton Oilers (14-10-4)

Total points: 57
Last week: No. 15
Hit: The Oilers are 6-for-13 on the power play in their past four games, and they're 2-0-2 in those games. They were 0-for-12 in their previous three games and went 0-2-1.
Miss: Rookie forward Jesse Puljujarvi has clearly struggled to gain the trust of coach Todd McLellan. He played only 7:21 in the 4-3 overtime loss at the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday after being scratched for three straight games. He hasn't scored since opening night.

13. Anaheim Ducks (13-9-5)

Total points: 41
Last week: No. 10
Hit: The Ducks lead the League in faceoff win percentage (56.8 percent) and faceoff wins (951). Antoine Vermette was first in the League in faceoff percentage at 66.1 percent.
Miss: Corey Perry went 18 games without a goal before scoring on Wednesday.

14. Nashville Predators (12-9-4)

Total points: 40
Last week: No. 12
Hit:The Predators are the only team in the League that hasn't lost in regulation when scoring the first goal. They are 8-0-3 in games when they score first.
Miss:They are 1-for-16 on the power play in their past five games.

15. Tampa Bay Lightning (14-11-2)

Total points: 39
Last week: No. 9
Hit: After missing the Lightning's 1-0 overtime loss against the Hurricanes on Sunday, Jonathan Drouin (undisclosed), Ryan Callahan (lower body) and Jason Garrison (knee) were full participants in practice Wednesday and could play against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
Miss: The Lightning have scored 10 goals in their past six games, including four in a 5-4 loss against the St. Louis Blues last Thursday. They are 1-4-1 in those games.

16. Los Angeles Kings (13-10-2)

Total points: 30
Last week: No. 14
Hit: The Kings have outshot the opposition or finished even in shots on goal in 21 of their 25 games.
Miss: They've won only 11 of those games (11-8-2).
Others receiving points: Minnesota Wild 24, New Jersey Devils 21, Winnipeg Jets 13, Calgary Flames 6
Dropped out from last week: Minnesota Wild
HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM
ARPON BASU
1. Pittsburgh Penguins; 2. Montreal Canadiens; 3. Chicago Blackhawks; 4. Columbus Blue Jackets; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. Nashville Predators; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. Ottawa Senators; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Boston Bruins
AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Pittsburgh Penguins; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Chicago Blackhawks; 4. Montreal Canadiens; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. San Jose Sharks; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. Ottawa Senators; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Anaheim Ducks; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Los Angeles Kings
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Montreal Canadiens; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Chicago Blackhawks; 4. New York Rangers; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Ottawa Senators; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. New Jersey Devils; 13. Tampa Bay Lightning; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. Minnesota Wild
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Montreal Canadiens; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Columbus Blue Jackets; 4. Chicago Blackhawks; 5. New York Rangers; 6. Philadelphia Flyers; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Ottawa Senators; 10. San Jose Sharks; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Boston Bruins; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Tampa Bay Lightning; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Los Angeles Kings
NICK COTSONIKA
1. Montreal Canadiens; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Columbus Blue Jackets; 4. Chicago Blackhawks; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. New Jersey Devils; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. Nashville Predators; 16. Los Angeles Kings
LISA DILLMAN
1. Pittsburgh Penguins; 2. Montreal Canadiens; 3. Chicago Blackhawks; 4. New York Rangers; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. San Jose Sharks; 7. Columbus Blue Jackets; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Ottawa Senators; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Edmonton Oilers. 16. Philadelphia Flyers
TOM GULITTI
1. Montreal Canadiens; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Chicago Blackhawks; 4. New York Rangers; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. Ottawa Senators; 10. Anaheim Ducks; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Boston Bruins; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Nashville Predators
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Chicago Blackhawks; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. New York Rangers; 4. Montreal Canadiens; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. San Jose Sharks; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Winnipeg Jets; 10. Columbus Blue Jackets; 11. Ottawa Senators; 12. Boston Bruins; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Anaheim Ducks; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Nashville Predators
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Pittsburgh Penguins; 2. Montreal Canadiens; 3. Chicago Blackhawks; 4. New York Rangers; 5. St. Louis Blues; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Philadelphia Flyers; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. Calgary Flames; 14. Anaheim Ducks; 15. Boston Bruins; 16. New Jersey Devils
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Chicago Blackhawks; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. San Jose Sharks; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Montreal Canadiens; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Columbus Blue Jackets; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. Boston Bruins; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Winnipeg Jets
BILL PRICE
1. Chicago Blackhawks; 2. Montreal Canadiens; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. New York Rangers; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. San Jose Sharks; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Anaheim Ducks; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Winnipeg Jets; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. Calgary Flames; 16. Ottawa Senators
SHAWN ROARKE
1. Pittsburgh Penguins; 2. Chicago Blackhawks; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Montreal Canadiens; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. New York Rangers; 7. San Jose Sharks; 8. Nashville Predators; 9. Columbus Blue Jackets; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Philadelphia Flyers
DAN ROSEN
1. Pittsburgh Penguins; 2. Chicago Blackhawks; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. San Jose Sharks; 5. Montreal Canadiens; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Columbus Blue Jackets; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Ottawa Senators; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Philadelphia Flyers; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Nashville Predators; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Edmonton Oilers