NHL Power Rankings: Streaking Lightning stay on top; Leafs, Kings, Caps move up

Jim Cerny

NHL Power Rankings: Streaking Lightning stay on top; Leafs, Kings, Caps move up image

The Tampa Bay Lightning hold on to their top ranking once again this week and, in fact, the top three all remain intact from a week ago.

Keep an eye on the Kings, Capitals and even the Flyers, who are moving up the rankings.

Here is the complete breakdown of Sporting News' NHL power rankings for Week 10.

PREVIOUS POWER RANKINGS: Preseason | Week 1​ | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9

NHL Power Rankings 10.0

1. Tampa Bay Lightning

22-6-2, 46 pts (last week: 1)

The winning streak sits at five after the Lightning's extremely impressive 3-0 win Tuesday over the Blues.

2. Nashville Predators

18-7-4, 40 pts (last week: 2)

Played only one game — a shootout loss to Golden Knights — in past seven days. Who makes the schedule? Play three in four nights in Western Canada, starting Wednesday in Vancouver.

3. St. Louis Blues

21-9-2, 44 pts (last week: 3)

Jaden Schwartz injury is a blow. Three-game winning streak snapped in a loss to first-overall Lightning certainly not embarrassing.

MORE: NHL's worst injuries in 2017-18

4. Toronto Maple Leafs

20-11-1, 42 pts (last week: 6)

Milestone 1,100th career point for Patrick Marleau Tuesday, but Leafs lost to Flyers, snapping three-game win streak.

5. Los Angeles Kings

20-9-3, 43 pts (last week: 8)

Started four-game road trip with 5-1 loss in New Jersey, but won their previous eight games, the longest streak in the NHL this season.

MORE: How a Drew Doughty-Erik Karlsson free agency would alter the NHL

6. Columbus Blue Jackets

19-11-1, 39 pts (last week: 5)

Regained first-place in Metro with road win in New Jersey, but following Tuesday's brutal home-ice loss to Oilers, Torts refused to speak to media.

7. Winnipeg Jets

18-8-5, 41 pts (last week: 4)

Back on track with convincing win over Canucks. Winnipeg power play is Top 5 in NHL, and on home ice the Jets are clicking at over 35 percent.

8. New Jersey Devils

17-9-4, 38 pts (last week: 7)

Resilient Devils nip two-game skid in bud with impressive 5-1 win over red-hot Kings. However, waiting on Taylor Hall injury update. A Hall absence would be major blow.

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9. Washington Capitals

19-12-1, 39 pts (last week: 11)

Here come the Caps. Winners of five of six, eight of 10. Caps are 13-5-0 at home, now have to get it done on the road where they play five of next six games.

10. Vegas Golden Knights

19-9-2, 40 pts (last week: 10)

Though they lost in shootout Tuesday, it is big lift to have Marc-Andre Fleury healthy and back between the pipes again.

11. New York Rangers

16-11-3, 35 pts (last week: 12)

Looks like Mika Zibanejad is returning from concussion. Rangers got two huge performances from backup goalie Ondrej Pavelec in last week.

12. Pittsburgh Penguins

16-13-3, 35 pts (last week: 9)

Pretty under the radar that Phil Kessel -- not Sidney Crosby nor Evgeni Malkin -- leads the Pens in goals and points. Bonus: Matt Murray is healthy and activated off IR.

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13. New York Islanders

17-10-3, 37 pts (last week: 13)

Home Sweet Home. Isles impressively beat Caps 3-1 at Barclays and are now 9-1-2 on home ice. Play six of next seven in Brooklyn.

14. Dallas Stars

17-13-1, 33 pts (last week: 14)

Alex Radulov stumbled, picked himself up and scored unique shootout goal on Monday. Stars also recently stumbled and picked themselves up collectively.

15. San Jose Sharks

16-10-3, 35 pts (last week: 16)

Defense and goaltending rule the day in San Jose. Only Logan Couture (15) in double digits on Sharks goal-scoring list.

16. Minnesota Wild

16-11-3, 35 pts (last week: 19)

Riding three-game winning streak after shootout win over Flames Tuesday.

WATCH: David Leggio is up to his old tricks

17. Boston Bruins

14-9-4, 32 pts (last week: 20)

Give them their due. Despite slew of injuries, Bruins remain in playoff hunt -- and actually sit in third place now in Atlantic. Quietly won four of last five and eight of ten.

18. Chicago Blackhawks

15-11-5, 35 pts (last week: 18)

Riding three-game winning streak. Power play is third-worst NHL. PK is one of league's best.

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19. Vancouver Canucks

14-13-4, 32 pts (last week: 15)

Trending down. Lost three straight. Only 5-6-3 on home ice. Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi both injured, out six weeks or so apiece.

20. Calgary Flames

16-12-3, 35 pts (last week: 21)

Remain on cusp of playoff picture. How about Sean Monahan with 17 goals, seven on the power play?

21. Montreal Canadiens

13-14-4, 30 pts (last week: 17)

Winless in last three and smoked by Oilers on Saturday. Habs host Devils Thursday then close out the month with seven straight road games.

22. Carolina Hurricanes

12-11-7, 29 pts (last week: 21)

Cam Ward earned 300th career victory Tuesday night.

MORE: Who is Tom Dundon? What to know about the Hurricanes' prospective owner

23. Edmonton Oilers

13-16-2, 28 pts (last week: 24)

Won two and lost two in the past week. In the two victories, Oilers scored 13 goals. In the two defeats? Only one goal.

24. Philadelphia Flyers

12-11-7, 31 pts (last week: 28)

Brian Elliott earns NHL Third Star honors this week as Flyers win streak swells to four.

25. Anaheim Ducks

13-11-7, 33 pts (last week: 27)

Ryan Getzlaf is back. Now Corey Perry is hurt.

26. Florida Panthers

12-14-5, 29 pts (last week: 28)

Panthers have great top line, but still team goal differential sits at minus 16.

27. Colorado Avalanche

14-14-2, 30 pts (last week: 26)

Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog both thriving since trade of Matt Duchene.

28. Detroit Red Wings

11-13-6, 28 pts (last week: 22)

Not scoring enough. Not keeping puck out of own net enough. Bad combination.

29. Ottawa Senators

9-13-7, 25 pts (last week: 23)

One win in last 13 games (1-8-2). Lost to lowly Sabres on Tuesday. Erik Karlsson firestorm. Good times in the nation's capital.

30. Buffalo Sabres

8-17-6, 22 pts (last week: 30)

Lowest-scoring team in NHL also has the fourth-worst teams goals against average.

31. Arizona Coyotes

7-21-5, 19 pts (last week: 31)

Bet Rick Tocchet is having fun in the desert?

Jim Cerny