Super 16: Devils rise to No. 2; Kings, Flames join rankings

The New Jersey Devils haven't lost since Oct. 24. Four days later, when the Super 16 power rankings were released for that week, the Devils didn't receive a voting point.

They entered Thusday having won 10 straight games and are No. 2 in the Super 16 power rankings. They debuted at No. 6 two weeks ago, got to No. 4 last week and are suddenly a notch below the top-ranked Boston Bruins, the only team in the Eastern Conference with more wins (14) and points (28) than the Devils (13 and 26).
The Vegas Golden Knights, No. 1 last week, dropped to No. 3, one voting point behind the Devils on the heels of back-to-back losses.
The Los Angeles Kings (No. 12) are in the Super 16 for the first time this season. The Calgary Flames (No. 16) are back in after dropping out last week.
As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the 13 voters put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like. A point total assigned to each with the team selected first is given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on down the line.
Here is the Super 16, with those thoughts from the staff members, whose individual rankings are below:

1. Boston Bruins (14-2-0)

Total points: 204
Last week: No. 2
"I'm big enough to admit when I'm wrong, and with the Bruins this season I was wrong. I thought this would be the year the Bruins regressed, having to scratch and claw their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, potentially missing them. I was worried about how they would start the season without forward Brad Marchand and defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk out of in the lineup. I wondered how they would take to new coach Jim Montgomery. I was curious about their goaltending, if Linus Ullmark could hold up his end of the bargain. All the Bruins have done this season is prove there was nothing to be concerned about at all, which is why I have them at No. 1, just like nine of my colleagues. The three who don't are wrong. They won without Marchand, McAvoy and Grzelcyk. They're winning with them. Montgomery has been a hit. Ullmark has been fantastic. The Bruins entered Thursday having won four in a row and allowed five goals since a 2-1 loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 5. That defeat ended a seven-game winning streak. They will eventually hit a bump in the road, but banking 28 of a possible 32 points in their first 16 games provides a cushion to withstand it when it happens. They're good. They're legit. I was wrong." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

2. New Jersey Devils (13-3-0)

Total points: 185
Last week: No. 4
"The Devils might be the most polarizing team in the League right now. They are playing like the best team in the NHL at the moment and entered Thursday on a 10-game heater, the third-longest winning streak for a franchise that has won the Stanley Cup three times. Their plus-21 goal differential was second-best in the NHL behind the Bruins (plus-30). They were second in shots for per game and first in shots-against. Should they be No. 2 in the power rankings? Maybe. But I need to see more of this across a larger sample size. Sorry, Lindy Ruff. Talk to me in another 10 games and we will see where they are, and maybe I will be apologizing to the coach as well. In the interim, enjoy the heck out of this wonderful run." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

3. Vegas Golden Knights (13-4-0)

Total points: 184
Last week: No. 1
"The Golden Knights entered Thursday having lost consecutive games for the first time this season after letting a one-goal lead entering the third period slip away in a 5-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. But there's still plenty to like about Vegas, which led the Western Conference with 26 points in its first season under coach Bruce Cassidy. Goaltending was the Golden Knights' biggest question mark with
Robin Lehner
out for the season after needing surgery on both of his hips. But Vegas was fourth in the NHL in allowing 2.47 goals per game with goalies Logan Thompson (8-3-0, 2.38 goals against average, .922 save percentage, two shutouts) and Adin Hill (5-1-0, 2.32 GAA, .920 save percentage) sharing the load. Center Jack Eichel led a balanced offensive attack with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in his first 17 games." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

4. Carolina Hurricanes (10-5-1)

Total points: 170
Last week: No. 3
"The Hurricanes suffered a blow when they placed No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen on injured reserve Friday, but they have to be encouraged after watching Pyotr Kochetkov make 27 saves to get his first NHL shutout at the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Andersen's recovery timeline has yet to be determined, so Carolina will go with a Kochetkov/Antti Raanta tandem for the foreseeable future. The good news is the Hurricanes have the offense to help ease matters, so I wouldn't anticipate them losing ground in the Eastern Conference." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

5. New York Islanders (11-6-0)

Total points: 130
Last week: No. 6
"It's amazing to think center Mathew Barzal hadn't scored a goal this season entering Thursday, yet the Islanders have averaged 3.45 goals per game in winning nine of their past 11 (9-2-0) to vault into second place behind the Devils in the Metropolitan Division. In the meantime, Barzal continues to rack up the assists; he had 18 in 17 games. Goalie Ilya Sorokin has been a huge reason the Islanders have had recent success; he was 6-1-0 with a 1.81 goals-against average and .945 save percentage during an eight-game stretch (seven starts)." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

6. Winnipeg Jets (9-4-1)

Total points: 127
Last week: No. 5
"Here's the thing with the Jets: They're playing well and goalie Connor Hellebuyck had been lights out entering Thursday (7-3-1, 2.08 GAA, .935 save percentage, two shutouts in 11 starts), but I'm still not exactly sure how good they are. I ranked them No. 8 this week and I don't know if that's too high or too low. Since I'm torn, I just figured put them in the middle for now. They played 14 games in 34 days, which means a lot of time to rest and recover. And, as I mentioned, Hellebuyck has been outstanding. But they're finding ways to win, like scoring with six seconds remaining in regulation and winning 3-2 in overtime a the Seattle Kraken on Sunday. But now comes the test. Winnipeg began a stretch of 20 games in 37 days starting at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, including two sets of road back to backs. We will know a lot more about the Jets by Christmas, but for now it's hard to argue with what they've done." -- Rosen

7. Colorado Avalanche (8-5-1)

Total points: 123
Last week: No. 8
"I feel like the Avalanche are giving me whiplash this season. I was all-in at the start, even without center Nazem Kadri and with the swap in net from Darcy Kuemper to Alexandar Georgiev. I thought Colorado was due for another big season. Then it got walloped by injuries, with players like forward Valeri Nichushkin and defensemen Bowen Byram and Samuel Girard out, in addition to the absence of captain
Gabriel Landeskog
. But the Avalanche are back to holding their own; they won four straight, including two at the 2022 NHL Global Series in Tampere, Finland, before a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Monday. If Colorado can outlast its injuries, I'm bullish on what it can do as the season goes along." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

8. Dallas Stars (9-5-2)

Total points: 112
Last week: No. 7
"The Stars are a good road team so far, having played 10 of their 16 first games away from home (5-3-2). They also entered Thursday with an excellent goal differential at plus-17. No. 1 goalie Jake Oettinger is back after missing a week. After its game at the Florida Panthers on Thursday, which ended a four game road trip, Dallas plays nine of its next 11 games on home ice. Being at home will give give the Stars a chance to strengthen their position in the Central." -- Robert Laflamme, LNH.com senior writer

9. Toronto Maple Leafs (9-5-3)

Total points: 109
Last week: No. 11
"The Maple Leafs were 5-1-1 in their past seven games entering Thursday, and each of their core players was averaging at least a point per game over this stretch. forward Mitchell Marner had 10 points (two goals, eight assists), center Auston Matthews nine points (four goals, five assists), center John Tavares eight points (five goals, three assists), forward William Nylander seven points (three goals, four assists) and defenseman Morgan Rielly seven assists. Goalie Matt Murray also returned from an adductor injury and made 35 saves in a 5-2 win at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

10. Tampa Bay Lightning (9-6-1)

Total points: 91
Last week: No. 10
"Going to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals involves a lot of wear and tear, so no one should have been surprised at Tampa Bay's moribund start to the season. But this team's no-quit pedigree is beginning to pay dividends; the Lightning entered Thursday on a 6-2-1 run that has them gaining momentum in the Atlantic Division. Forward Nikita Kucherov had 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 16 games and is playing at an all-star level." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

11. Florida Panthers (9-6-1)

Total points: 90
Last week: No. 15
"I know the Panthers have been fighting consistency lately (well, at least on the road, where they're 4-5-0) but there are two things I'm really liking about them right now: forward Matthew Tkachuk easily transitioning to his new team and Spencer Knight in goal. Tkachuk said after he was traded to Florida that he was looking forward to the life there and it looks like he's soaking it up, leading Florida entering Thursday with 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 14 games. Meanwhile, Knight has outplayed Sergei Bobrovsky; the 21-year-old was 5-2-0 with a 2.31 GAA, .922 save percentage and one shutout in seven starts, compared to Bobrovsky (4-4-1, 3.14 GAA, .905 save percentage). The Panthers will find the consistency again, with Tkachuk and Knight leading the way." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

12. Los Angeles Kings (11-7-1)

Total points: 63
Last week: Unranked
"This version of the Kings seems to be more focused on filling up the opponent's net than on buttoning up their defense. Goalies Jonathan Quick and Cal Petersen haven't been great, but the forwards have done fairly well to outscore the mistakes in their own end, which makes for some entertaining hockey. And, who, other than coaches, doesn't like high-scoring games? Sure, there was that 1-0 outlier win against the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 8, but there have been a lot more 5-4, 6-5, and 7-6 types of adventures. In the absence of injured forwards Alex Iafallo and Brendan Lemieux, Los Angeles is getting solid contributions from Gabriel Vilardi, 23 (15 points; 10 goals, five assists), and Arthur Kaliyev, 21 (13 points; six goals, seven assists) -- two among their eight forwards with double-digit points." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

13. Seattle Kraken (8-5-3)

Total points: 53
Last week: No. 9
"The Kraken entered Thursday having lost two straight, including that 3-2 overtime heartbreaker against the Jets on Sunday, but that was on the heels of a five-game winning streak. How long they remain in the Super 16 and relevant in the playoff race remains to be seen. I ranked them No. 16 this week after having them at No. 6 last week. I probably had them too high last week, but credit was due for the winning streak. Where they're at now is about right and where they could be for a long time this season. They have balanced scoring, but they don't have a gamebreaker. Seattle's defense is holding its ground and goalie Martin Jones deserves credit for how he's played, but grinding out wins will get harder as the season goes on and defenses tighten up. As it is, the Kraken have scored two goals in their past two games, including a 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild last Friday. They're in for now, but next week could be different." -- Rosen

14. Edmonton Oilers (9-8-0)

Total points: 52
Last week: No. 14
"The Oilers will remain an elite team in the NHL as long as they have centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the top two scorers in the NHL. But the potential is there for much more if they can get a few of their secondary contributors going. Outside of McDavid (15) and Draisaitl (nine), the only players with more than three goals are center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (eight), forward Zach Hyman (eight) and forward Evander Kane (five), who is on long-term injured reserve with a wrist injury. Forward Warren Foegele has two goals, forward Jesse Puljujarvi one and forward Kailer Yamamoto none. Edmonton also is allowing 34.9 shots on goal per game, third-most in the NHL entering play Wednesday, which is putting too much pressure on goalies Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner. Despite all that, the Oilers still have most of the same roster that reached the Western Conference Final last season. I have them at No. 13 for now, but can see them moving up in the near future." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

15. New York Rangers (8-6-3)

Total points: 39
Last week: No. 16
"The Rangers have been hard to figure out early this season. They entered Thursday 5-5-1 when they outshoot an opponent, meaning they have did so in 11 of their first 17 games, but they only had 11 out of a possible 22 points to show for it. But they were 3-1-2 in games when they were outshot, good for eight out of a possible 12 points. They scored eight goals on 33 shots in an 8-2 win at the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 10 and two days later mustered one goal on 35 shots in a 2-1 loss at the Nashville Predators. I ranked the Rangers 13th this week. I think they're better than that, but they haven't shown it yet this season. Maybe they will on their four-game West Coast trip that began at the Kraken on Thursday." -- Rosen

16. Calgary Flames (7-6-2)

Total points: 16
Last week: Unranked
"It's been a season of transition for the Flames, with Kadri and center Jonathan Huberdeau arriving and Tkachuk and forward Johnny Gaudreau leaving. It was clear some time would be needed to determine where how all the new parts would fit, but maybe that time is coming. Calgary entered Thursday 2-2-2 in its past six games, and Huberdeau is healthy after missing four games because of a lower-body injury. He also scored for the first time in six games in a 6-5 win against the Kings on Monday, in his first game on a line with Mikael Backlund and Trevor Lewis. Kadri (two assists) and Elias Lindholm (one goal, two assists) played on separate lines and also contributed to the offense. If Huberdeau can get going and the Flames develop a more diversified attack, the chances of them getting back to where they were last season, atop the Pacific Division, will increase considerably." -- Kimelman
Others receiving points: Detroit Red Wings 9, St. Louis Blues 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Nashville Predators 2
Dropped out: Philadelphia Flyers (No. 12), Red Wings (No. 13)

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. New York Islanders; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Winnipeg Jets; 9. Seattle Kraken; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Toronto Maple Leafs; 16. Calgary Flames
BRIAN COMPTON
1. New Jersey Devils; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Seattle Kraken; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. Detroit Red Wings; 16. New York Rangers
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Seattle Kraken; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. Detroit Red Wings; 16. New York Rangers
TOM GULITTI
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Seattle Kraken; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. New York Rangers; 16. Calgary Flames
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. New York Rangers; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. Seattle Kraken; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Calgary Flames
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Vegas Golden Knights; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. New York Islanders; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Seattle Kraken; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Florida Panthers; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. Tampa Bay Lightning; 15. New York Rangers; 16. Calgary Flames
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. New Jersey Devils; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Winnipeg Jets; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Pittsburgh Penguins; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Edmonton Oilers
TRACEY MYERS
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. New York Islanders; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Los Angeles Kings; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Winnipeg Jets; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. New York Rangers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Colorado Avalanche; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Detroit Red Wings
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Florida Panthers; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Calgary Flames; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. Nashville Predators; 16. New York Rangers
DAN ROSEN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Winnipeg Jets; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Florida Panthers; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Arizona Coyotes
DAVID SATRIANO
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Seattle Kraken; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Calgary Flames
PAUL STRIZHEVSKY
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. New York Islanders; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Seattle Kraken; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Detroit Red Wings; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. New York Rangers
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. New Jersey Devils; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Winnipeg Jets; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Florida Panthers; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Seattle Kraken; 16. Detroit Red Wings
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