Oilers top NHL power ranking going into All-Star break

Many people make New Year's resolutions. Most aren’t able to follow through on them. We're not sure if the Edmonton Oilers resolution was to never lose a hockey game again, but if it was, they’re doing a pretty good job of following through.

The Oilers head into all-star weekend undefeated in 2024 and winners of 16 straight games. They are the third team in NHL history to win 16 in a row. The Oilers have averaged roughly half a goal more per game during the streak than they did before and have cut their goals against by almost two goals per game.

Edmonton now sits seventh in points percentage, fourth in goal differential, first in expected goal differential and, for a second straight week, first in our Power Rankings.

The Vancouver Canucks hold steady at third on our list following a 2-0-1 week.

Vancouver is coming off a thrilling comeback win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in which Brock Boeser scored a hat trick to hit the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career. Boeser is tied for sixth in the NHL in goals. Teammate Elias Pettersson is tied for ninth with 27. Quinn Hughes ranks third in assists with 50, while J.T. Miller leads all players in primary assists with 33. The star players in Vancouver have been that and more in the unofficial first half of the season.

Life isn’t as rosy in Winnipeg where the Jets lost all three of their games last week and drop from second to eighth on our list. The Jets had won eight of nine games in January before that, so it’s far from panic time in Winnipeg.

The all-star break will be welcomed as the Jets have struggled offensively recently and have clearly missed having Mark Scheifele in the lineup. Winnipeg is 2-3-1 since Scheifele’s injury, scoring just 11 goals in their past seven games.

Two of the Jets' losses last week came at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who move up four spots from 14th to 10th on our list.

The Leafs have won three straight games and should be thrilled that Ilya Samsonov won all three. Samsonov struggled so much earlier this season, that the Leafs sent him to the minors to reset. Since returning, Samsonov has posted a 1.48 GAA and a .939 save percentage.

Auston Matthews leads the league in goals with 40 in just 46 games. The last player to average a higher goals per game than Matthews' current rate with at least 40 games played was Mario Lemieux in 1996.

The Ottawa Senators are up one spot from 23rd to 22nd following a 1-1-1 week. The Sens were blown out in their most recent game after taking a 2-0 lead against the New York Rangers. Ottawa allowed seven straight goals in a 7-2 loss.

Poor defensive play and shaky goaltending continue to plague the Senators just over a month into Jacques Martin’s tenure behind the bench. The Sens are at home to Nashville Monday night and face the Red Wings in Detroit Wednesday ahead of the all-star break.

The Calgary Flames managed to snap a four-game losing streak Saturday with a 1-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. It wasn’t enough to slow their descent down our list as the Flames drop six spots from 18th to 24th.

Jacob Markstrom was brilliant, earning a shutout Saturday in a game in which he faced three clear-cut breakaways. The Flames have allowed 36 breakaways this season, more than any team in the NHL. 

As for the Montreal Canadiens, no movement as they sit in 28th on our list following a 1-1-1 week. Cole Caufield hits the break on a nine-game point streak, posting six goals and six assists during the streak.