Super 16: Bruins No. 1, Devils, Islanders, Jets, Wild enter rankings

The volatility of early season is reflected in this week's edition of the Super 16 power rankings.

The New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild not only weren't ranked last week, not one of them received even a single voting point. All four are ranked this week, with the Devils coming out of nowhere to be No. 6.
The Edmonton Oilers were 16th with 35 voting points last week. They're No. 4 with 162 voting points this week.
The Colorado Avalanche, No. 4 with 165 voting points last week, are No. 11 with 96 fewer voting points. Similarly, the Florida Panthers, No. 6 last week with 117 voting points, are 12th with 61 points this week.
Considering the volatility and the fact that the calendar has flipped to November, this is as good a time as any to take stock in if a team is ranked higher or lower than we thought they'd be at this point in the season.
That's what the 13 NHL.com and LNH.com staff members who make up the voting panel has done for the Super 16 this 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 thoughts from the staff members whose individual rankings are below:

1. Boston Bruins (10-1-0)

Total points: 205
Last week: No. 2
"When you're wrong, you're wrong. And in this case, I was wrong about the Bruins. I really thought this was the year they would regress, given the advancing ages of their top two centers (Patrice Bergeron, 37; David Krejci, 36); the fact that two of their top players, forward Brad Marchand and defenseman Charlie McAvoy, started the season on injured reserve; the relatively inexperienced goalie tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark; and the firing of coach Bruce Cassidy. But there is no analytical stat that measures heart and the Bruins have plenty of it, as seen by their four-goal comeback in a 6-5 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. Shame on me for underestimating them."-- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

2. Vegas Golden Knights (10-2-0)

Total points: 189
Last week: No. 5
"I wasn't sure the Golden Knights would be in the Super 16 to start the season because they, to me, were a bubble team. Now, as the calendar flips to November, they are a lock in the rankings and battling for best-team-in-the-NHL status. With goalie
Robin Lehner
injured, it was always a question of where will the saves come from? Feel-good story Logan Thompson and Adin Hill have answered that question emphatically. Jack Eichel, meanwhile, is playing like the game-breaking talented forward that he is. The Golden Knights are a juggernaut, and I could not have been more wrong." -- Shawn Roarke, senior director of editorial

3. Carolina Hurricanes (8-2-1)

Total points: 180
Last week: No. 1
"The Hurricanes are ranked high, and that's pretty much where I figured they'd be nearly a month into the season. The Hurricanes and coach Rod Brind'Amour proved last season they could roll with the changes (roster, that is, when they lost 10 regulars through trades, free agency and the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft) and still be one of the top teams in the League. So, it's not a surprise anymore. Forward Andrei Svechnikov leads the Hurricanes in goals (eight), forward Martin Necas leads them in points with 17 (seven goals, 10 assists) and Frederik Andersen (5-2-0, 2.66 goals-against average, .894 save percentage in seven starts) and Antti Raanta (3-0-1, 2.23 GAA, .912 save percentage in three starts) are providing the necessary work in goal. The Hurricanes just know steady." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

4. Edmonton Oilers (7-4-0)

Total points: 162
Last week: No. 16
"The Oilers are a little higher than I expected they'd be -- a lot higher than I would have expected had you told me goalie Jack Campbell, a big offseason acquisition, would have a 3.91 GAA and .881 save percentage through his first seven games. But goalie Stuart Skinner has been outstanding, and forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been themselves. Not only does McDavid lead the NHL with 24 points, two more than Draisaitl, he's first with 12 goals. Maybe he'll add the Rocket Richard to his trophy collection." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

5. New York Rangers (6-4-2)

Total points: 135
Last week: No. 9
"The Rangers are about where I thought they'd be, in the top five, but I had them No. 10 this week after they've gone through some early ups and downs. I expected them to be among the top teams in the NHL after reaching the Eastern Conference Final last season, adding Vincent Trocheck to be their second-line center and with the continued growth of some of their young players. But they still seem to go as Igor Shesterkin goes. It would be difficult to match his all-world performance last season, when he won the Vezina Trophy voted as best goalie in the NHL, and his more human numbers through his first four games (2.75 GAA, .901 save percentage) weren't anything to be alarmed about. But Shesterkin has returned to his 2021-22 form and Chris Kreider seems to be finding his touch with two goals and two assists in a four-game point streak after having two goals in his first eight. So, I'm guessing more positive results will come for the Rangers if that continues." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

6. New Jersey Devils (8-3-0)

Total points: 122
Last week: Unranked
"The Devils are miles ahead of where I thought they'd be at this point in the season. Better than last season? Yes, I thought they'd be that. Good enough 11 games into the season for me to rank them fifth in my Super 16 and for them to finish sixth this week? No shot. But amazing things can happen when you get some saves. Confidence booms, and the Devils have it in spades right now. Forward Jesper Bratt looks like a star with at least one point in all 11 games. They're way better than I thought they'd be and if the goaltending holds up, I think it's sustainable." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

7. Calgary Flames (5-4-0)

Total points: 117
Last week: No. 3
"Two straight losses pushed the Flames down my Super 16 to No. 6. I had them at No. 1 last week. Maybe I'm a harsh grader. Either way, I expected them to be somewhere between one and six in the Super 16 throughout the season, so the fact I had them at each spot the past two weeks means it's about right where they are. Although I do think No. 7 is a tad low, it's still a fine place for the Flames, who have some impressive wins including against the Golden Knights, Hurricanes and Oilers, three teams ranked ahead of them. But sample sizes are small, so there is an instability about this Super 16, and when you lose to Edmonton and then give away a 4-2 lead in the third period to the Seattle Kraken and lose 5-4, you will drop. The Flames did, but some wins in the next week, particularly with a back-to-back set against New Jersey, will push them right back up." -- Rosen

8. Dallas Stars (7-3-1)

Total points: 108
Last week: No. 8
"The Stars enter Thursday first in the Central Division and are definitely off to a better start to the season than I thought. Playing in arguably the toughest division, which got five teams into the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, I had them as likely in again this season but was unsure how long it would take before they adjusted to new coach Peter DeBoer. It hasn't taken long at all. They have a plus-10 goal differential and rank in the top 10 on the power play and penalty kill. They've locked in down defensively, have seven players with at least three goals, and have a Vezina Trophy candidate in Jake Oettinger." -- David Satriano, staff writer

9. Buffalo Sabres (7-4-0)

Total points: 96
Last week: No. 11
"I thought the Sabres had a chance at being a playoff contender if a few things broke right. They would need their top forwards who stepped up last season to keep scoring, their young defensemen to keep progressing, and strong goaltending from Craig Anderson. Well, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Victor Olofsson are on pace to smash their previous NHL highs for goals (38 for Thompson, 20 for Tuch, 20 for Olofsson). Rasmus Dahlin started the season with goals in five straight games and is an early contender for the Norris Trophy given to the best defensemen in the NHL. Anderson, 41, and Eric Comrie have provided top-10 goaltending. The Sabres have been fun to watch develop since Don Granato took over as coach last season, and it should be interesting to see how they handle this level of success as the season goes on." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

10. Tampa Bay Lightning (6-4-1)

Total points: 95
Last week: No. 14
"The Lightning have been one of the more puzzling teams in the early going. They struggled out of the gate but finished October looking more like their old selves with consecutive wins at the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks and opened November with a 4-3 victory against the Ottawa Senators. Given their recent history heading into the season, I certainly thought I'd have them ranked higher than No. 12 at this stage and that they would finish in the Super 16 this week better than No. 10, but I can't imagine goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy won't get better as things progress (.902 save percentage after seven starts). As he goes, so too will Tampa Bay." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

11. Colorado Avalanche (5-4-1)

Total points: 69
Last week: No. 4
"Truth be told, if these rankings were based primarily on the standings, the Avalanche with their .500 record after nine games would not even qualify to be in the Super 16. But the benefit of the doubt associated with being defending Stanley Cup champions is obviously quite substantial, given that barely three weeks ago we all ranked them in the top three. To be fair, four of their five losses have come by one goal, and none have been by more than two. Still, are the Avalanche ranked much, much lower than I thought they would be with 10 percent of the regular season behind them? Duh! Of course they are. But early on with each game carrying so much weight, both the standings and these rankings are extremely volatile. As teams settle into the season, I'm willing to bet we are going to see Colorado a lot higher in both within a few weeks." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

12. Florida Panthers (6-4-1)

Total points: 61
Last week: No. 6
"I thought I would have the Panthers ranked higher than No. 7 at this point in the season, but they've been mediocre. They're fourth in the Atlantic Division, which is likely why my colleagues felt they belonged further down the list and why they landed in this spot at No. 13. The addition of forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Colin White, veteran depth defenseman Marc Staal and the goalie tandem of Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight, had me believing. The injury to defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower body) certainly hurts, but I think the players in the lineup still haven't taken to heart coach Paul Maurice's notion in the preseason that Florida needs to believe they've earned the right to be among the elite. I feel the best is yet to come once they lock down the details and believe they belong ... and get healthy." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

13. Philadelphia Flyers (5-3-2)

Total points: 57
Last week: No. 13
"Anybody who tells you they thought the Flyers would be in the Super 16 at this point in the season, or really at any point in the season, is flat-out lying, especially considering forwards Sean Couturier (back), James van Riemsdyk (finger) and Cam Atkinson (upper body) are injured. But here are the Flyers, No. 12 this week and 14th in my own Super 16 rankings. Why? Carter Hart. The goalie has been outstanding. He has a 2.10 GAA and .943 save percentage in seven starts. The Flyers, not surprisingly, are 5-0-2 when he has played. They had zero business being in the game against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, but Hart made 35 saves and got them a point in a 1-0 overtime loss. Great goaltending can mask a lot of flaws. The Flyers have them. They're not offensive enough. They struggle to make plays in the defensive zone. I don't think what they're doing is sustainable but they have Hart, so who knows?" -- Rosen

14. New York Islanders (7-4-0)

Total points: 56
Last week: Unranked
"I think we all expected more out of the Islanders last season after making it to the third round of the playoffs in 2020 and 2021. So when they missed the playoffs last season, I wasn't sure what to make of them. Then they started 2-4-0 this season. But since that point, the Islanders have picked up the pace. They've won five straight games against some serious competition, led by Brock Nelson, who has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 11 games. I'm still not 100 percent convinced with the Islanders, but they've done enough to enter my Super 16, at No. 14."-- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

15. Winnipeg Jets (6-3-1)

Total points: 40
Last week: Unranked
"I was unsure what to expect of the Jets heading into the season following the hiring of coach Rick Bowness, the decision to strip Blake Wheeler of the captaincy and a kind of quiet offseason when their lone significant roster addition was signing goalie David Rittich to back up Connor Hellebuyck. It's been a challenging first few weeks too, with forward Nikolaj Ehlers missing all but the first two games with a lower-body injury and Bowness being unable to coach following a bout with COVID-19. So, I've been impressed that Winnipeg has been able grind out a 6-3-1 start, including 4-0-1 in its past five games. The Jets climbing into the back end of the Super 16 maybe is a little surprising at this point in the season, but mostly because they were kind of an unknown entity." -- Gulitti

16. Minnesota Wild (5-5-1)

Total points: 20
Last week: Unranked
"I feel the Wild should be higher in the poll at this point in the season, but after starting 1-3-1 and being outscored 27-19, they've appeared to be gaining the traction we thought would be evident much earlier. Minnesota is dealing with injuries to forwards Brandon Duhaime (upper body), Jordan Greenway (upper body), Marcus Foligno (upper body) and Ryan Hartman (upper body)." -- Morreale
Others receiving points: Pittsburgh Penguins 16, Washington Capitals 10, Toronto Maple Leafs 9, Los Angeles Kings 9, Seattle Kraken 7, Detroit Red Wings 4, St. Louis Blues 1
Dropped out:Penguins (No. 7), Blues (No. 10), Ottawa Senators (No. 12), Maple Leafs (No. 15)

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

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