Three weeks are officially in the books for the NHL, and the action has already been jam-packed.
Teams are beginning to separate themselves, but movement up and down the divisions is still fast and furious — and probably will be for the foreseeable future. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are ridiculous, not much more to say to that.
The Golden Globe nominees came out on Wednesday, so what better way to look at this week's power ranking than by paying homage to the TV and movie landscape?
Here's a quick look at each team, through the eyes of cinema, for Week 3.
Previous weeks
- Week 1: Vegas tops list, Chicago at bottom
- Week 2: Canadiens glitter, Flames and Islanders lose their glow
NHL Power Rankings 2021: Week 3
1. Montreal Canadiens: 7-1-2 (1st in North)
Week 2 ranking: 1
GM Marc Bergevin made "All the Right Moves" in the offseason from Josh Anderson to Jake Allen to Tyler Toffoli, who, if you didn't know, LOVES playing his ex-buddies. In five games against the Canucks, he has eight goals and 11 points.
Tyler Toffoli is the third player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to score nine goals through his first 10 career games with the @CanadiensMTL (NHL debut or otherwise). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/gPlEJjpKmG
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 3, 2021
2. Toronto Maple Leafs: 7-2-1 (2nd in North)
Week 2 ranking: 3
Joe Thornton to his kids: “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”
Hockey hair, 2021 edition: Thornton (obviously) among the NHL's best beards
3. Philadelphia Flyers: 7-2-1 (1st in East)
Week 2 ranking: 8
No reason to stretch here. Pick a Rocky quote — any Rocky quote — and it works.
4. Washington Capitals: 6-1-3 (2nd in East)
Week 2 ranking: 4
Zdeno Chara is literally every parent in every movie ever who gets swarmed by their kids toward the end of the film, and everyone gets the feels.
MORE: Chara scores first goal with Caps, teammates go bonkers
5. Colorado Avalanche: 7-3-1 (2nd in West)
Week 2 ranking: 6
Picture it: Roy Hobbs is in a hospital bed. He gets better. Years later, he signs with the Knights. He hits the lights with a monster home run and the Knights win the NL pennant and everyone is happy.
The Avs are Roy Hobbs — it's unreal how injuries continue to riddle this roster — and in the end, it's expected, they'll be hitting the lights at the end of the season.
6. Vegas Golden Knights: 5-1-1 (4th in West)
Week 2 ranking: 2
Marc-Andre Fleury to Robin Lehner: "You're so money and you don't even know it." Robin Lehner to Marc-Andre Fleury: "You're so money and you don't even know it."
7. Boston Bruins: 6-1-2 (3rd in East)
Week 2 ranking: 7
David Pastrnak missed the Bruins' first seven games. He comes back and scores three points in two games. After the game, he slams the puck on the glass and says, "How do you like them apples." (Not really, but he should have).
8. Carolina Hurricanes: 6-1-0 (1st in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 23
The Hurricanes are Judd Nelson in "The Breakfast Club": Rebels who are misunderstood but walk out of the building with a fist pump.
COVID-19 TRACKER: List of players out | Games rescheduled
9. St. Louis Blues: 7-2-1 (1st in West)
Week 2 ranking: 12
St. Louis is like Kramer: Bursting through, the true star of the show and, when on, 100 percent hitting its spots. "Gold Jerry. Gold!"
10. Tampa Bay Lightning: 5-1-1 (4th in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 10
The defending champs are riding a wave in an "Endless Summer."
11. Florida Panthers: 5-0-1 (2nd in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 11
Leslie Knope once said, "No one achieves anything alone.” The Panthers are proving that with a spread-out offensive game.
12. Columbus Blue Jackets: 4-4-3 (5th in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 9
The Blue Jackets are John Wilson: They try to just play hockey, but everything turns into a story and, in the end, we all learn a lot.
13. Dallas Stars: 5-1-1 (3rd in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 5
When they're on, the Stars are like "The Sopranos" — ridiculously good. The only question is, will we be disappointed in the end?
14. Pittsburgh Penguins: 5-4-1 (4th in East)
Week 2 ranking: 13
"You know. You all know exactly who I am. Say my name."
Crosby.
15. Winnipeg Jets: 6-3-1 (3rd in North)
Week 2 ranking: 14
The True North. (Obviously, we had to go with "Game of Thrones" here.) Hmm, is Pierre-Luc Dubois the Arya Stark this team needed all along?
16. Edmonton Oilers: 6-6-0 (4th in North)
Week 2 ranking: 24
"I am a Golden God." Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl — reader's choice.
MORE: McDavid end-to-end gem | It was '80s night in Edmonton
17. Vancouver Canucks: 6-7-0 (5th in North)
Week 2 ranking: 25
Do you know the scene in "Pretty Woman" when Julia Roberts walks into the store that wouldn't let her shop the day prior after she goes on a shopping spree on Rodeo Drive? "Big mistake. Big. Huge," she says to the saleslady.
That's everyone to Jim Benning for not re-signing Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev, Tyler Toffoli and Troy Stecher.
18. Minnesota Wild: 6-5-0 (3rd in West)
Week 2 ranking: 18
The Wild are like Richard Castle: You never know what you're going to get, they're slightly awkward (but usually figure it out) and sure are pretty to look at ... in those sweet reverse retros.
MORE: Ranking NHL's reverse retros from worst to first (guess who is No. 1)
19. New York Rangers: 3-4-2 (8th in East)
Week 2 ranking: 28
It was a rollercoaster week for the Rangers. Now the question is: What is this team? If you've seen "In and Of Itself" you'll know that's a tricky, multi-layered question.
MORE: Alexis Lafrenière's first NHL goal | Cut ties with Tony DeAngelo
20. Calgary Flames: 4-4-1 (6th in North)
Week 2 ranking: 20
"Beauty and the Beast" perfectly sums up the Flames this year. When they play quality, high-energy hockey, it's a thing of beauty — but it's such a rarity these days, and that's a beast.
21. New Jersey Devils: 4-3-2 (5th in East)
Week 2 ranking: 15
It starts with Jack. It ends with Jack. And a whole lot of stuff happens in between. We all knew Jack Hughes was good, and he's definitely showing it in 2021.
22. Nashville Predators: 4-5-0 (7th in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 19
The Predators are like Ross from "Friends." Loveable and someone you want to root for but so, so flawed.
23. Buffalo Sabres: 4-4-2 (6th in East)
Week 2 ranking: 21
One of the most famous scenes from "I Love Lucy" is when Lucy and Ethel are in front of a conveyor belt and everything is fine to start — and then the chocolates they need to wrap come faster and faster and they can't keep up. The Sabres are Lucy and Ethel: Everything starts out great but then it becomes hard to handle.
24. New York Islanders: 3-4-2 (7th in East)
Week 2 ranking: 17
"You can't handle the truth," Lou Lamoriello. You needed to upgrade the offensive oomph on this roster, and you didn't.
25. Los Angeles Kings: 3-4-2 (6th in West)
Week 2 ranking: 22
"King Arthur" has arrived. May his reign be bountiful.
Watching this @Arthur_Kaliyev first @NHL goal on repeat 😎 pic.twitter.com/FZJPoIarxx
— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 3, 2021
26. Arizona Coyotes: 3-5-1 (7th in West)
Week 2 ranking: 26
"So, what you're saying is we're at this level but we gotta get to this level."
Yep.
27. Chicago Blackhawks: 3-4-4 (6th in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 29
Remember those thingies Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones use to erase people's memories in "Men in Black"? The Blackhawks may want one of those at the end of the season.
28. Anaheim Ducks: 4-5-2 (5th in West)
Week 2 ranking: 16
I've been told by a friend who is a big "Mighty Ducks" fan that this team is the equivalent to the Ducks in the first movie — pre-Bombay. Side note: This comparison does not include John Gibson.
29. San Jose Sharks: 3-5-0 (8th in West)
Week 2 ranking: 27
Dear Doug Wilson: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
30. Detroit Red Wings: 2-6-2 (8th in Central)
Week 2 ranking: 30
The Red Wings are stuck in The Upside Down. Will they be Barb, or will they be Hopper? Time will tell.
31. Ottawa Senators: 1-8-1 (7th in North)
Week 2 ranking: 31
In the "Lion King," Rafiki holds up Simba so everyone can see. Simba is Tim Stützle. He's the future of the Senators and if you saw his goal the other night, you know he just needs some time to be king.