Super 16: Surging Rangers jump three spots

The New York Rangers rode a three-game winning streak and improved play from goalie Henrik Lundqvist to the biggest surge in NHL.com's weekly Super 16 power rankings.
The Rangers moved up three spots to No. 6, jumping ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks. Lundqvist, who needs two wins to get to 400 for his NHL career, is 6-1-0 with one shutout, a 1.88 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in his past eight appearances.

In addition to the Rangers' rise, the St. Louis Blues returned to the Super 16 after bowing out last week for the first time this season. The Blues are back in at No. 14. The Calgary Flames also returned to the Super 16 for the first time in four weeks. They are at No. 16.
The top three teams in the Super 16 are the same as they have been for the past three weeks, but the San Jose Sharks, who were No. 9 three weeks ago, moved up for the third straight week, this time into No. 4.

The rankings are calculated by a points-based system based on the votes of the 13 participating staff members. 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.
Check out where they all landed once the math was finished, and be sure stay for the information:

1. Washington Capitals (37-11-6)

Total points: 206Last week: No. 1
Hit:The Capitals have scored five or more goals in nine consecutive home games. They are the first team to accomplish that feat since the Flames did it in nine straight games from March 3-April 1, 1990.
Miss: Nothing to see here.

2. Minnesota Wild (35-12-6)

Total points: 195Last week: No. 2
Hit:Say what you want about the plus-minus stat, but five Wild players are among the top seven in the NHL in plus-minus, all plus-28 or better, with two more players in the top 12.
Miss:Backup goalie Darcy Kuemper has allowed 21 goals in six games dating to Dec. 23.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins (33-13-6)

Total points: 182Last week: No. 3
Hit:Center Sidney Crosby is two points away from becoming the 86th player in NHL history to score 1,000 points. He will be the 39th player to reach 1,000 with one franchise.
Miss: Evgeni Malkin (lower body), Conor Sheary (upper body) and Carl Hagelin (concussion) are all sidelined. Malkin has missed five straight games but is skating. Hagelin missed his first game Tuesday. Sheary isn't expected back until mid-March.

4. San Jose Sharks (33-17-4)

Total points: 161Last week: No. 5
Hit:The Sharks lead the Western Conference with a plus-24 goal differential in the first period. They are fourth in the League in first-period goals for (50) and second in first-period goals against (26).
Miss: An ugly problem returned for the Sharks against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, when they were outscored 3-1 in the third period and lost 5-4 in overtime. The Sharks were plus-5 in third-period goal differential in their previous 10 games. However, they are minus-6 for the season (49-55).

5. Columbus Blue Jackets (34-13-5)

Total points: 159Last week: No. 4
Hit:The line of Boone Jenner, Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson has produced four goals, nine points and 25 shots on goal in the past four games.
Miss: The Blue Jackets have gotten six power-play opportunities in their past six games, an indication that A) they aren't getting the breaks, or B) they aren't doing enough to get the breaks.

6. New York Rangers (34-18-1)

Total points: 139Last week: No. 9
Hit:Forward J.T. Miller has 20 points in his past 16 games. He has at least one point in 14 of those games. Miller has an assist in four straight games, including two assists in each of the past three games.
Miss: Rookie forward Pavel Buchnevich has no goals and eight shots on goal in his past seven games. He hasn't exceeded 10 minutes in ice time in any of the past three games.

7. Chicago Blackhawks (33-17-5)

Total points: 137Last week: No. 7
Hit:The Blackhawks have two more road games left, at the Winnipeg Jets on Friday and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, before they finally get to go home and take a week off. They have been on the road since the schedule resumed following the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.
Miss: Chicago will play 11 of its last 18 games of the season on the road from March 4-April 8.

8. Montreal Canadiens (30-17-8)

Total points: 117Last week: No. 6
Hit:Forward Brendan Gallagher could return as soon as Saturday, when the Canadiens are home against the Blues. Gallagher was supposed to miss a minimum of eight weeks after having surgery on his left hand on Jan. 5. If he returns Saturday he will have missed five weeks and one day.
Miss: They have been shut out in back-to-back games and have scored three goals in their current four-game losing streak (0-3-1).

9. Anaheim Ducks (28-17-10)

Total points: 98Last week: No. 8
Hit: The Ducks are 40-for-42 on the penalty kill in their past 13 games.
Miss:They have scored four goals and are 0-for-12 on the power play during their three-game losing streak (0-2-1).

10. Edmonton Oilers (29-18-8)

Total points: 96Last week: No. 10
Hit:Goalie Cam Talbot has allowed four goals on 72 shots in his past three games, including a 22-save shutout in a 1-0 shootout win at Montreal on Sunday.
Miss: Talbot hasn't gotten the goal support he needs. The Oilers have scored three goals in their four games since returning from the All-Star break. They don't play again until Saturday, when Chicago comes to Rogers Place.

11. Nashville Predators (26-19-8)

Total points: 70Last week: No. 12
Hit:The Predators are 5-1-2 in their past eight home games.
Miss: Defenseman P.K. Subban hasn't scored a goal since Dec. 6. Granted, that includes a 16-game stretch he missed because of an injury, but he has one point in the 12 games he has played since Dec. 6.

12. Toronto Maple Leafs (25-17-10)

Total points: 59Last week: No. 14
Hit: Backup goalie Curtis McElhinney gave the Maple Leafs a much-needed strong performance when he made 39 saves, including 16 in the third period, in a 3-1 home win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The Maple Leafs need reliable backup goaltending to help Frederik Andersen if they're going to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Miss: Andersen has allowed 19 goals in his past four appearances, but a lot of that also has to do with the loose play in front of him. The Maple Leafs have been guilty of trading chances too often.

13. Ottawa Senators (27-18-6)

Total points: 54Last week: No. 11
Hit: The Senators are 16-for-17 on the penalty kill in their past six games.
Miss: They have been outscored 10-0 in back-to-back losses, with nine of the goals against scored at even strength.

14. St. Louis Blues (27-22-5)

Total points: 33Last week: NR
Hit: The Blues are 3-1-0, including back-to-back shutout victories, since Mike Yeo took over as coach for Ken Hitchcock on Feb. 1. Jake Allen has started three of the games and has allowed four goals on 87 shots, including a 30-save shutout in a 6-0 win at Ottawa on Tuesday.
Miss: Robby Fabbri (ACL tear) will miss the rest of the season, a significant blow to the offense. He had 29 points in 51 games. St. Louis hasn't felt the effect of his loss yet, but it likely will and that's another reason why improvements in defense and goaltending are so important.

15. New York Islanders (23-18-10)

Total points: 28Last week: No. 16
Hit:The Islanders have scored three or more goals in 11 of their past 12 games, including four or more in eight of those games. They are 8-2-2 in those 12 games.
Miss: They have also allowed five goals in each of their past three games, a sign they might finally be missing defenseman Travis Hamonic, who has missed 13 straight games because of a knee injury and isn't close to returning.

16. Calgary Flames (28-25-3)

Total points: 17Last week: NR
Hit:The Flames have won four of five games since coach Glen Gulutzan called them out and called their performance "pathetic" in a 5-1 loss at Montreal on Jan. 24.
Miss: Defenseman Mark Giordano's production has dried up; he has no points in his past nine games after getting 22 in his first 47 games.

Others receiving points: Los Angeles Kings 8, Philadelphia Flyers 4, Florida Panthers 4
Dropped out from last week:Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings
HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM
ARPON BASU
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. Columbus Blue Jackets; 5. New York Rangers; 6. San Jose Sharks; 7. Chicago Blackhawks; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Anaheim Ducks; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. St. Louis Blues.
AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. San Jose Sharks; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. Montreal Canadiens; 7. Chicago Blackhawks; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Los Angeles Kings
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Minnesota Wild; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. San Jose Sharks; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. Chicago Blackhawks; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Anaheim Ducks; 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Ottawa Senators; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. St. Louis Blues; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Calgary Flames
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. Columbus Blue Jackets; 5. San Jose Sharks; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Chicago Blackhawks; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Ottawa Senators
NICK COTSONIKA
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. Columbus Blue Jackets; 5. New York Rangers; 6. San Jose Sharks; 7. Chicago Blackhawks; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. St. Louis Blues; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Philadelphia Flyers
LISA DILLMAN
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. Columbus Blue Jackets; 5. San Jose Sharks; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Montreal Canadiens; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Chicago Blackhawks; 10. Anaheim Ducks; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Calgary Flames; 16. St. Louis Blues
TOM GULITTI
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Columbus Blue Jackets; 4. Pittsburgh Penguins; 5. San Jose Sharks; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Chicago Blackhawks; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Ottawa Senators; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. St. Louis Blues; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Calgary Flames
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. Chicago Blackhawks; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. San Jose Sharks; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Nashville Predators; 10. Anaheim Ducks; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Calgary Flames
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. San Jose Sharks; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Chicago Blackhawks; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Anaheim Ducks; 11. Ottawa Senators; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. St. Louis Blues; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Philadelphia Flyers
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. San Jose Sharks; 4. Pittsburgh Penguins; 5. New York Rangers; 6. Chicago Blackhawks; 7. Columbus Blue Jackets; 8. Edmonton Oilers 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Anaheim Ducks; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Nashville Predators; 16. Calgary Flames
BILL PRICE
1. Minnesota Wild; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. San Jose Sharks; 5. Chicago Blackhawks; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. St. Louis Blues; 16. New York Islanders
SHAWN ROARKE
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. San Jose Sharks; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. Chicago Blackhawks; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Anaheim Ducks; 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. Edmonton Oilers: 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. Calgary Flames; 14. St. Louis Blues; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Ottawa Senators
DAN ROSEN
1. Washington Capitals; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. San Jose Sharks; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. Chicago Blackhawks; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. Anaheim Ducks; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Calgary Flames