Super 16: Panthers new No. 1, Sabres, Devils debut in power rankings

The Florida Panthers are No. 1 in the first NHL.com Super 16 power rankings of the regular season.

The Panthers were ranked first by 10 of the 14 NHL.com staff members who participate in the Super 16 rankings each week. They were also ranked No. 2 and No. 4 two times each.
The Carolina Hurricanes are No. 2 this week. They joined the Panthers as the only two teams ranked in the top six by all 14 staff members.
The Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils are each undefeated in the first week of the season and got into the power rankings after not being ranked in the
preseason Super 16
that came out two weeks ago.
To create the NHL.com power rankings, each of the 14 participating staff members put together his or her version of what they think it should look like. Those were submitted and a point total assigned to each.
The team that was selected first was given 16 points, second got 15, third 14 and so on down to No. 16, who got one point.
Here is the Super 16:

1. Florida Panthers (3-0-0)

Total points: 216
Preseason rank: No. 6
Rookie goalie Spencer Knight made 30 saves, including 14 in a row to close the game, in his season debut, a 4-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. The Panthers have won their first three games for the second straight season.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (2-0-0)

Total points: 190
Preseason rank: No. 5
Frederik Andersen has allowed five goals on 68 shots (.926 save percentage) in his first two starts with the Hurricanes, who were 7-for-7 on the penalty kill in wins against the New York Islanders (6-3) and Nashville Predators (3-2).

3. Tampa Bay Lightning (2-2-0)

Total points: 161
Preseason rank: No. 1
Nikita Kucherov is on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury sustained in a 2-1 overtime win against the Washington Capitals on Saturday. The forward has scored four points (one goal, three assists) in three games. His timetable is not clear, but the Lightning expect him back this season. Tampa Bay has scored two or fewer goals in three of its four games.

4. Edmonton Oilers (3-0-0)

Total points: 148
Preseason rank: No. 10
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are off to hot starts, scoring eight points apiece. McDavid has four goals and four assists; Draisaitl has two goals and six assists. The Oilers are 5-for-12 on the power play (41.7 percent); McDavid and Draisaitl have combined for seven points on the power play (three goals, four assists).

5. Washington Capitals (2-0-1)

Total points: 145
Preseason rank: No. 11
They scored 11 goals in their two wins and one in their only loss. Alex Ovechkin has scored in all three games, including two goals in a season-opening 5-1 win against the New York Rangers on Oct. 13.

6. Colorado Avalanche (1-2-0)

Total points: 137
Preseason rank: No. 2
They have allowed 11 goals in their past two games, a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and 6-3 loss at the Capitals on Tuesday, when center Nathan MacKinnon made his season debut and was minus-5 with one assist. Colorado is 1-for-11 on the power play.

7. Minnesota Wild (3-0-0)

Total points: 130
Preseason rank: No. 12
They have won their first three games despite giving up the first goal in each and never leading after the first period. They are 4-for-11 on the power play after going 3-for-5 in a 6-5 come-from-behind overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

8. Boston Bruins (1-1-0)

Total points: 119
Preseason rank: No. 8
Goalie Jeremy Swayman started the first two games of the season, including a 6-3 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. Linus Ullmark is expected to make his Bruins debut against his former team, the Buffalo Sabres, on the road Friday.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-2)

Total points: 111
Preseason rank: No. 15
Twelve players have scored at least one goal, including a Pittsburgh-leading three for forward Danton Heinen and two each for forwards Teddy Blueger and Evan Rodrigues. Tristan Jarry has allowed five goals on 77 shots (.935 save percentage) in three games. He's 2-0-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average.

10. St. Louis Blues (3-0-0)

Total points: 101
Preseason rank: No. 14
Forward Jordan Kyrou scored an NHL career high for points in a game with four (two goals, two assists) in a 7-4 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Monday, when the Blues scored five goals in 5:07 in the second period. Forward Pavel Buchnevich is serving a two-game suspension for head-butting Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse in that game. Buchnevich served the first game of his suspension Wednesday at the Vegas Golden Knights, a 3-1 win.

11. Vegas Golden Knights (1-2-0)

Total points: 99
Preseason rank: No. 3
They are playing without their top two scorers from last season, forwards Mark Stone (lower body) and Max Pacioretty (lower body). Each was injured in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 14. Stone had three assists in two games before the injury. He scored 61 points (21 goals, 40 assists) last season. Pacioretty scored 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists).

12. Toronto Maple Leafs (2-1-1)

Total points: 95
Preseason rank: No. 7
Center Auston Matthews had eight shots on goal, 16 shot attempts and won 13 of 15 face-offs in 22:53 in his season debut Monday, a 2-1 overtime loss to the Rangers. He missed the Maple Leafs' first three games recovering from offseason wrist surgery. Toronto has given up seven goals in four games, four at 5-on-5.

13. New York Islanders (1-2-0)

Total points: 60
Preseason rank: No. 4
Forward Oliver Wahlstrom has scored three goals in his past two games, two in an 8:03 span in the third period of a 4-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. Goalie Semyon Varlamov has not played yet this season because of soreness, but he practiced Monday and could make his first start this week.

14. Buffalo Sabres (3-0-0)

Total points: 31
Preseason rank: NR
They have won three in a row to start a season for the first time since 2008-09 (4-0-0). Eight players have scored at least one goal, including forward Jeff Skinner, who scored in the third game (5-2 win against Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday) after not scoring his first goal last season until the Sabres' 20th game. Fifteen of Buffalo's 20 skaters who have played have scored at least one point.

15. Philadelphia Flyers (2-0-1)

Total points: 29
Preseason rank: No. 16
Carter Hart allowed five goals on 58 shots (.921 save percentage) in the first two games before Martin Jones started in the win against the Bruins on Wednesday. Hart gave up one goal on 24 shots in a 6-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken on Monday.
Kevin Hayes
is skating with the team, an indication the center is getting closer to joining the lineup following abdominal surgery he had Sept. 21.

16. New Jersey Devils (2-0-0)

Total points: 27
Preseason rank: NR
Jonathan Bernier has made the save on 51 of 56 shots (.911 save percentage) in two starts with Mackenzie Blackwood still sidelined with a heel injury. The Devils have scored eight goals despite going 0-for-5 on the power play. Center Jack Hughes was placed on injured reserve Thursday with a dislocated left shoulder and will be reevaluated in one week. An MRI revealed no further damage, Hughes will not require surgery and he has started physical therapy.
Others receiving points: New York Rangers 26; Dallas Stars 24; San Jose Sharks 18, Winnipeg Jets 15, Detroit Red Wings 15; Ottawa Senators 5; Calgary Flames 2
Dropped out:Jets (No. 9), Stars (No. 13)
HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM
AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. St. Louis Blues; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Boston Bruins; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Winnipeg Jets; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. Calgary Flames
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. New York Rangers; 16. San Jose Sharks
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. New Jersey Devils; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Detroit Red Wings; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Tampa Bay Lightning
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Florida Panthers; 2. St. Louis Blues; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Edmonton Oilers; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. New Jersey Devils; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. Buffalo Sabres; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Detroit Red Wings; 12. Pittsburgh Penguins; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. Toronto Maple Leafs; 16. New York Rangers
TOM GULITTI
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. Edmonton Oilers; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. New York Islanders; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. New York Rangers; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Buffalo Sabres
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Florida Panthers; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Buffalo Sabres; 16. New Jersey Devils
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Minnesota Wild; 3. Washington Capitals; 4. Edmonton Oilers; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Vegas Golden Knights; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Buffalo Sabres
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Florida Panthers; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. New York Islanders; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Boston Bruins; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Pittsburgh Penguins; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. New York Rangers
TRACEY MYERS
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Toronto Maple Leafs; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. St. Louis Blues; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. New York Islanders; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Winnipeg Jets
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Minnesota Wild; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Winnipeg Jets; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Calgary Flames
DAN ROSEN
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Buffalo Sabres; 16. New York Rangers
DAVID SATRIANO
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. New York Rangers; 16. Buffalo Sabres
PAUL STRIZHEVSKY
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. Minnesota Wild; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. New York Islanders; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. New Jersey Devils
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Buffalo Sabres; 13. Detroit Red Wings; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Ottawa Senators; 16. New Jersey Devils