Heading into the NHL All-Star break, it was a relatively stable week in the TWC NHL Power Rankings. Some teams saw some big swings, but most ended up remaining within just a few spots of their previous positions. Read on to see if your team has stabilized in a strong position with the deadline just around the corner.
TWC Power Rankings explained
If you’re new to our power rankings, this is how it all works.
Here at TWC, we use a statistical model to effectively rank teams on a week to week basis. The model takes into effect winning percentages, CF%, SCF%, HDCF% as well as SV%. Each statistical category is weighed and scored differently, giving each team a unique TWC Score that determines their ranking after each week. The formula puts the highest emphasis on winning percentages over other statistics. All numbers are taken in all situations, to incorporate special teams into the fray.
We got some excellent feedback over the course of last season from our readers as to how we could improve this model moving forward. This year we have slightly altered the weightings of the statistical categories, but also re-worked the recency component to make sure that each week the teams that are riding hot streaks are more appropriately demonstrated in the rankings.
Don’t like where your team is ranked? Unfortunately, they will have to turn it around on the ice, as we take zero personal opinions into effect.
Have any suggestions for the TWC Power Rankings for next season? Leave us a comment and let us know. Without further ado, this week’s power rankings are below!
Week 16 NHL Power Rankings
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Week 16 Highlights
At the top of the list, the Carolina Hurricanes had an exceptional week, winning all three of their games and, perhaps most impressively, knocking off the Boston Bruins from the top spot. The Canes continue to dominate in terms of possession, and that success naturally translates into wins. The now second place Bruins are looking like their fairytale season is at least somewhat coming down to reality, on the other hand. With these teams at the top of the conference, the battle to make it to and come out on top of the Eastern Conference Final will be fierce.
On the other side of the league, the highest ranked team is the Edmonton Oilers. After a difficult first half, they seem to have found their stride, and are up to sixth place in the league. With the talented forward group and stronger recent play of Jack Campbell, they look more like the team most people expected them to be heading into the year.
Another western conference Canadian team has had a much worse go of it lately. The Winnipeg Jets dropped three games this week, and paid for it with an eight-position slide down the rankings, the biggest move of any team this week. The Jets struggled for offense this week, and even Connor Hellebuyck couldn’t make up for it. That said, the Jets still have solid, if uninspiring underlying numbers. A rebound is likely in the coming weeks.
Continuing with the Western Conference, the Vegas Gold Knights had a difficult week, dropping three games, two of them in regulation. Once the clear favorites to win the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights are now at risk of falling into a wildcard spot. They’ve lost four straight, with the Oilers hot on their tail trying to find their way into a divisional spot.
Staying in the Pacific, the Calgary Flames were the biggest gainers this week with a 2-1-0 record as they moved up five spots into 12th. It was quite the week with Johnny Gaudreau’s homecoming, losing 5-1 to the lowly Chicago Blackhawks, and then winning a crucial game against the Seattle Kraken. What exactly is this team? No one knows but their underlying numbers inflate their rankings here each week.
Flipping back to the east, a team to watch in the coming weeks will be the Florida Panthers. They drop five spots this week as they battle for a playoff spot. Regardless of that, and their poor record over the past week, they are strong in terms of chance creation, particularly high-danger Corsi. They won’t be an easy out in this race, and are at the heels of the east’s wildcard race.
Finally the St. Louis Blues may finally have put the nail in the coffin on this season after going 0-3-0. They now sit below .500 and have simply far too much ground to make up.
Past 2022–23 Power Rankings
Week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
Check here for how teams have done over past weeks and stay tuned for upcoming power rankings.