With Hunter Crowther

American Thanksgiving has come and gone, which means that from here on out, every single piece of analysis is objectively true, especially on here. Okay, maybe not, but it’s nice that we can start to get rid of the grains of salt from our opinions. Things are still surprisingly close in the standings, so if there was ever a year for the Thanksgiving trend to end and we see eight non-playoff teams make it, this might be the one.

Hunter Crowther and I navigate through the season with another year of our co-op power rankings. I have my same old system in which I aggregate six stats (points %, 5-on-5 goal differential, 5-on-5 xGF/60, 5-on-5 xGA/60, power play xGF/60, and shorthanded xGA/60, all coming courtesy of Natural Stat Trick) to come up with a list that eliminates my own biases, along with a rule that no team can be above a team that’s more than five points ahead of them in the standings, regardless of where the aggregate places them. On the other hand, Hunter goes off his own intellect and pure vibes, and together we find a way to combine it and meet in the middle.

1. Colorado Avalanche

Record: 18-1-6, +48
Last Week: 1st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 1st

Hunter: I mean, Scott, what else can we say about this team? They’re at or near the top of nearly every possible team category — goals for, goals against, expected goals, Corsi — they haven’t lost in regulation since Oct. 25, and they have both the top-scoring forward and defenseman in the league. Even Scott Wedgewood is being brought up among Canada’s possible netminders for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

But I have one gripe with the Avalanche, and I’m curious what my partner-in-crime believes: those Quebec Nordiques sweaters, and having the audacity to write QUE in the scorebug during their game against the Canadiens on Saturday. I know we love throwback jerseys and that both the Nordiques and Hartford Whalers sweaters look beautiful on a sheet of ice, but it pains me to see the franchises that replaced them wearing them. Seeing them worn on Saturday perturbed me, and until the league makes the Jets wear Atlanta Thrashers jerseys, I think we should retire the practice.

Scott: I see where you’re coming from. I’ll personally take any excuse to see those beauties on the ice, but I can understand why the people of Hartford and Quebec City would take issue with it. The QUE in the scorebug is definitely sacrilegious.

2. Dallas Stars

Record: 17-5-4 , +22
Last Week: 4th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 3rd

Hunter: The Stars are in the midst of one of their patented hot streaks, having won four straight and 11 of their last 14. The coaching staff has shown lots of trust in backup netminder Casey DeSmith, who started three of their five games and gave up two or fewer goals in each appearance. In fact, DeSmith finished the month with a 5-0-0 record and a .935 SV% and 8.37 goals saved above expected. Don’t get it twisted: Jake Oettinger is still the team’s No. 1 netminder, and could very well be the U.S. National Team’s starter for the Olympics, but having a legitimate stud in the backup role can do wonders for a team.

Oh, and both Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston are in the top five for goals in the league. Combine all that with the Cowboys beating the Chiefs and everything is great in Dallas.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

Record: 16-7-2, +16
Last Week: 2nd (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 2nd

Scott: The Hurricanes had a bit of a rough patch when they dropped five of eight games in the mid-November stretch, but they strung together back-to-back wins for the first time in 11 games when they routed the Jets and bested the Flames in overtime. That said, for a team that is as trigger happy as Carolina, getting only 15 shots on goal in regulation against Calgary is a tad bit concerning. Still, this team continues to dominate play, and if they can get some consistent (and healthy) goaltending, they’ll go on a run and put themselves in the same conversation as Colorado and Dallas soon enough.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 16-7-2, +19
Last Week: 5th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 5th

Scott: It’s honestly incredible that the Lightning have won seven games in a row considering all the injuries they’ve dealt with this season. Right now they have three of their top four defensemen out in Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak, along with Brayden Point (even if he’s underperformed this season), and that’s not including that more players like Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli have left games early and missed some time. If this is how they’re playing now, how deadly will they be when they’re healthy?

Hunter: It’s amazing how after such a dreadful start, it feels like a Lightning win on any given night is a mere formality. They are 15-3-0 since Oct. 23 and only in the last week and change is Kucherov entering “psycho production mode.” Take the time this week to watch a full Lightning game and watch every Brandon Hagel shift closely: He does so many little things so well. All the talk of him losing his spot on the Canadian Olympic team may have been premature.

5. Vegas Golden Knights

Record: 11-6-8, 0
Last Week: 3rd (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 4th

Hunter: The Golden Knights have lost four of their last five games, and Leaf fans are having a field day over Mitch Marner only having five goals through 25 games. But here’s the thing about hockey: it’s a cruel, cruel sport, and the gods will mock those who actively root against the teams those same gods cheer for.

The real test of this Vegas squad will be whether Carter Hart, who is expected to get his first NHL start in nearly two years this week, is capable of keeping up at this level. If he can’t, then we can start to speculate whether the Golden Knights are in trouble.

Scott: Speaking of gods, if they’re real, please let Hart’s stint be short and hilariously bad.

6. Los Angeles Kings

Record: 12-6-7, -2
Last Week: 12th (+6)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 7th

Scott: The Kings now have points in nine of their last 10 games, even if they only have six wins in that span (6-1-3). As other playoff teams in their division are either just establishing themselves (Anaheim, Seattle) or are figuring things out (Edmonton, Vegas), Los Angeles just keeps consistently putting together points and performing at the same level as they have in past seasons. Of course, that also leaves the concern of how much noise they’ll make in the playoffs, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

7. Anaheim Ducks

Record: 15-9-1, +9
Last Week: 6th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 12th

Hunter: Despite a loss to the lowly Canucks, the Ducks earned a hard-fought two points against the Kings after coming back from a 4-2 deficit late in the third period. While there may be some concerns giving up a 3-0 lead to the Blackhawks and losing 5-3, the hockey fan in me is selfishly excited to see hockey’s Western Conference rekindle the fire that fueled the 2010s, when staying up to watch any combination of the Ducks, Sharks, Kings and Blackhawks was mandatory.

Bonus stats to tell your friends at the bar: Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry and Beckett Sennecke have points in at least six straight games, with Terry and Sennecke reaching the seven-game mark.

Scott: If only the Kings got the memo to actually go all the way with their rebuild.

8. New Jersey Devils

Record: 16-8-1, +6
Last Week: 10th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 13th

Scott: The last five games have been pretty good for the Devils… unless they’re playing the Flyers. They squeaked away wins over the Red Wings, Blues and Sabres, but bookending that three-game win streak was two brutal losses to the Flyers by a combined score of 11-6. Of course, the biggest story regarding New Jersey last week wasn’t even about something the Devils did, but about the Canucks starting to make veterans available, which of course led to some more discussion about Quinn Hughes joining his brothers. It doesn’t sound like Hughes is being dealt any time soon, but it feels like we’re getting closer and closer to seeing three different Hugheses in Newark.

9. Ottawa Senators

Record: 12-9-4, -5
Last Week: 7th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 10th
Scott’s Rank: 10th

Scott: Last week wasn’t a great one for the Senators after we gave them the front page for our power rankings, as they dropped three of four games (highlighted by a blowout 6-1 loss to the Stars) and needed a shootout to beat the Golden Knights in their lone win. At the very least, Brady Tkachuk is back in the lineup, and while he hasn’t really stood out yet, he’s likely just getting warmed up. He’s one of the most effective physical players in the game right now, so he’ll be a big piece on a Sens team that still looks really strong and may just be the best Canadian team this season.

Hunter: It was nice seeing Shane Pinto find his game in the second half of November after a timid start to the month. Part of me wondered if his half-season suspension in 2023-24 would have stunted his development, highlighted by an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign, but he’s shown strong flashes of being a top player this season.

10. New York Rangers

Record: 13-12-2, +1
Last Week: 18th (+8)
Hunter’s Rank: 11th
Scott’s Rank: 9th

Scott: For the first time all season, the Rangers offense has actually started to match their underlying numbers, as they now rank 18th in 5v5 expected goals per 60 minutes. Their 5v5 xG against per 60 is fifth in the league, but with Adam Fox set to miss several weeks with an upper-body injury, there’s no guarantee that New York can even hold that part together either. It’s also a shame that Fox’s injury may be the nail in the coffin for his spot at the Olympics, with him already seeming to be on the outside looking in. Why USA would want to leave out their at-worst third-best defenseman is beyond me, but they’ve made stupid decisions before.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins

Record: 12-7-5, +4
Last Week: 8th (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 15th
Scott’s Rank: 6th

Hunter: Call me Agent Scully, because I want to believe. I want to see Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang lead this team to a playoff run, to see Kyle Dubas and co. trade for assets and go on one last run, ‘98 Bulls style. We don’t ask for much in this life. But I just can’t see it happening, especially when you’re badly outplayed by a pair of underperforming teams in the Sabres and Leafs. At some point, Tristan Jarry will be acquired by the Oilers and Malkin will be a Panther. It’s easier to just accept it.

12. Washington Capitals

Record: 15-9-2, +19
Last Week: 16th (+4)
Hunter’s Rank: 14th
Scott’s Rank: 8th

Scott: For three straight seasons, the Capitals’ on-ice performance is vastly different from their record. In 2023-24, they were a subpar squad that snuck into the final playoff spot and were easily swept. Last season, they were a good team, but not Presidents’ Trophy-contending good, and went about as far as they were expected to in the playoffs. But this season, their record hasn’t been nearly as good, and yet their underlying numbers have been much improved, with the second-best 5v5 xGF/60 and a more middling 17th-best 5v5 xGA/60. I’m surprised Hunter has them as low as he does, especially when they’re in the top 10 in the standings and are tied with the Stars in regulation wins. Not enough overtime losses to suit your fancy, Mr. Crowther?

Hunter: Hey now, I’m playing by the league’s rules! It is something to see Alex Ovechkin fight father time and Tom Wilson produce like the elite power forward everyone pegged him to be (he’s scored more than 24 goals just once). It’s also nice to see Jakob Chychrun play so well that he may be a Norris Trophy finalist for the first time in his 10-year career. But there’s a part of me that feels like they’ve been riding a hot hand in blackjack and, at some point, it will catch up and trigger a losing streak that cuts their place in the Metropolitan Division. I know they’re good and that they will likely compete for a playoff spot in the spring, but I think it’ll be closer to a wild card spot than for one of the top three in the division.

Scott: I don’t know, outside of Carolina, I just don’t see another team really running away with a top-three spot in the Metro, and I think the Capitals have the play to at the very least keep them in the running. Like, their 15-9-2 record is the regression from last year, they should be better than that!

13. Minnesota Wild

Record: 14-7-5, +5
Last Week: 22nd (+9)
Hunter’s Rank: 9th
Scott’s Rank: 18th

Hunter: I said last week that the Wild’s two games against the Blackhawks and Avalanche would be important barometers for how good Minnesota is. The result? Two wins, all the more impressive when you consider it was Colorado’s first loss of any kind since Nov. 1. There’s the part of you that knows the harsh truth, that their 5-on-5 play isn’t that good, that it’s a steep drop beyond Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy in terms of goal scoring, and that Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt can’t keep this up forever. But hey, let’s enjoy it while it lasts! And for god’s sake, dump the bear logo and make the green and yellow sweaters their permanent uniforms.

Scott: Look, I love the Subway jerseys as much as anyone, but the bear logo is one of the most intelligently designed logos in sports.

Hunter: Cram it, Anna Wintour, and save it for the spring edition. If I can’t see the bear logo in great detail on my television from home, then let me enjoy the highlighter sweaters!!!

14. Montreal Canadiens

Record: 13-8-3, -5
Last Week: 15th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 13th
Scott’s Rank: 15th

Scott: A lot was made about the Canadiens’ big win over the Leafs last week and whether that would be the beginning of the end of their slump in November. To some extent, it was. They followed up the 5-2 win over Toronto with a 4-3 win over the Mammoth and a 4-1 win over the Golden Knights, and while the loss to Colorado was an ugly one, the Avalanche have been obliterating everybody, so the Habs can’t even be disappointed in that result. Heck, they ended Mackenzie Blackwood’s shutout streak! Overall, it was a good, but not great week for Montreal.

15. Philadelphia Flyers

Record: 14-7-3, +6
Last Week: 20th (+5)
Hunter’s Rank: 18th
Scott’s Rank: 11th

Hunter: With wins in three of four games this week, two against division rivals in the Islanders and Devils, the Flyers currently hold on to the first Wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. Of course, it’s Dec. 1 and there are plenty of games to lose, but they feel like a team that’s right in the mushy middle, which, weirdly, doesn’t feel like the worst thing? I know some fans would want to see them play worse and get a better draft pick, but a healthy and motivated Trevor Zegras is the next-best thing.

16. Florida Panthers

Record: 12-11-1, -2
Last Week: 9th (-7)
Hunter’s Rank: 12th
Scott’s Rank: 19th

Scott: It’s the same old story for the Panthers this season. On one hand, you could be concerned about how they haven’t really strung together a good streak and have a four-point gap to a playoff spot right now. But on the other hand, their underlying numbers are still fine, and you know this team can improve when they get healthier. On a positive note, after starting the season with just 10 points in 21 games, Carter Verhaeghe has started to pick up the pace with six points in his last three games. He’s a guy Florida needs to step up if they want to keep up with the playoff race.

Hunter: I don’t understand how Sam Bennett can seem invisible in some of these games, generating little to nothing for chunks at a time, then in March and April he becomes a sleeper cell and engages beast mode. Must be nice to sign long-term contracts and work three months of the year. Ah, salute!

Scott: I love the irony in Sam Bennett, a player many blue collar workers seemingly identify with, actually being a capitalist and working the minimal amount for the most money.

17. Detroit Red Wings

Record: 13-11-2, -12
Last Week: 13th (-4)
Hunter’s Rank: 19th
Scott’s Rank: 14th

Hunter: I went on one helluva rant last week regarding the Oilers and their goaltending woes, and how GM Stan Bowman needs to get out of his own way and find someone new. We’re getting to that point with the Red Wings, who gave up six goals in two of their games last week and are right there with Edmonton when it comes to goals against. Cam Talbot and John Gibson have a combined save percentage of .877, and unless the organization wants to call up Sebastian Cossa and his .942 SV% in the AHL, they better start building trade packages.

18. Utah Mammoth

Record: 12-11-3, 0
Last Week: 11th (-7)
Hunter’s Rank: 16th
Scott’s Rank: 20th

Scott: As much as I’ve been riding the Mammoth bandwagon this season, it is a bit concerning that they have just four wins in their last 16 games. The underlying play is still there, even if their defense occasionally leaves a bit to be desired, but the slump has gone on for a concerningly long time. It almost got worse too with the injury to Logan Cooley, but it seems like he shouldn’t be out as long term as Utah first feared.

19. Seattle Kraken

Record: 11-7-6, -7
Last Week: 14th (-5)
Hunter’s Rank: 21st
Scott’s Rank: 16th

Hunter: The Kraken had a bit of a weird schedule this week with only two games, both at home and both losses in regulation. They continue to confound me, which feels like a running trend every edition of the power rankings. When I watch them play, I can tell that they’re better than last season, and their defensive game is among the best in the league, tied with the Avalanche for the least amount of goals against.

The problem? They can’t score. Like, at all. With only 36 5-on-5 goals through 24 games, an average of 1.5 per game, that’s not enough to do much of anything. It’s not even that they’re getting caved in PDO wise — with a 101.6 rate, their above-average goaltending is getting them better results than what would be expected. We’re nearly a third into the season and not one Seattle player has reached double digits in goals. They need to be better.

20. New York Islanders

Record: 13-10-3, -1
Last Week: 19th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 22nd
Scott’s Rank: 17th

Hunter: After an emotional week with Patrick Roy basically threatening to drop Mikko Rantanen like third period French, the Islanders followed that up with three losses to the Bruins, Flyers and Capitals. It’s nice to see Bo Horvat get his first goal in nearly two weeks, which puts him tied for fifth among all NHL skaters. As for our obligatory Matthew Schaefer mention — yes he’s continuing to produce, but he’s played at least 25 minutes in five straight games. At what point does the wear and tear of an NHL season crush him? Or are we talking about a unicorn who can throw on his skates and have the endurance of Scott Niedermayer?

Scott: How could you fail to mention the baller play that Kyle Palmieri made on Saturday, where, after tearing his ACL in a collision in the Flyers zone, he sneaks up behind Emil Andrae, strips him of the puck, and gets the secondary assist on Emil Heineman’s goal. I’m not one for being idiotic about playing through injuries, but this is just Palmieri making the most of a bad situation.

Hunter: I wrote about said baller play, damn it!

Scott: So did I! Checkmate, atheist!

Hunter: I was sitting in the fourth row last Sunday, I didn’t see YOU there!

Scott: Oh boy, I just got flashbacks to monthly mass in elementary school.

21. Winnipeg Jets

Record: 13-11-0, +6
Last Week: 17th (-4)
Hunter’s Rank: 17th
Scott’s Rank: 22nd

Scott: The Jets finally got their first win in the post-Hellebuyck injury era, and it only took five tries to get there. After dropping games to the Hurricanes, Wild, Capitals and Hurricanes (again), they managed to squeeze out a 5-2 win (4-2 if you exclude the empty net goal) on Saturday. Except, it was against the Predators, which isn’t exactly an accomplishment. The Jets have at least improved analytically (they’re only ninth-worst in 5v5 expected goal share at 47.83% thanks to the return of Dylan Samberg), but this is what should be expected from a team without their one weapon that can overcome their poor performance in front of him.

22. Edmonton Oilers

Record: 11-10-5, -14
Last Week: 23rd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 20th
Scott’s Rank: 23rd

Scott: Another week goes by, and it’s another week where the Oilers haven’t really made up any ground in the playoff race. Suddenly, their typical slow start in October has carried over into November, and there’s a lot more to be concerned about with this group. They didn’t exactly have a busy schedule this week (only two games) to start on that, but an 8-3 loss to Dallas being one of the two isn’t exactly an encouraging start. The worst part? The solution isn’t even as easy as finding a goalie, which isn’t even easy. They lack scoring depth beyond the usual crew and Jack Roslovic, and Mattias Ekholm and Darnell Nurse have struggled, so Edmonton may need help on the back end, too. I still think Connor and Leon drag the team to the playoffs, but it’s getting far too close for comfort.

Hunter: Speaking of Roslovic, the Oilers will be without him for the next several weeks after he blocked a shot against the Stars. I don’t know how this group allowed itself to go into the season with almost nothing in their bottom six beyond a last-minute signing of said Roslovic. If he’s going to be in this lineup, then he better start doing more than scoring two measly goals or getting fine tuned by Mathieu Olivier.

Scott: Just like their goaltending plans, the Oilers’ bottom-six plans involved hope, only this time it was in Issac Howard and Matt Savoie.

23. Columbus Blue Jackets

Record: 11-9-5, -9
Last Week: 21st (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 26th
Scott’s Rank: 21st

Scott: Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers posted a couple of interesting stats regarding the Blue Jackets on Twitter last week, pointing out that they haven’t outscored their opponent in the third period in 19-straight games, and they’ve lost six points in games where they had a third period lead and lost. That is… not good, especially after four-straight losses. They’ve got a few injuries that they’re dealing with, most notably Kirill Marchenko, but for a team looking to build off of last season, this isn’t a great start.

24. Chicago Blackhawks

Record: 11-9-5, +7
Last Week: 24th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 24th
Scott’s Rank: 25th

Hunter: I got so caught up with the emergence of Connor Bedard, capped with another two-goal, four-point performance Sunday against the Ducks, that I forgot they lost five straight games going into their win over Anaheim. After a red-hot start, Frank Nazar is goalless in 13 games, and I think I’ve seen enough from Oliver Moore to say he needs to be back in the AHL with Rockford. Some baked goods need a little longer in the oven.

25. Buffalo Sabres

Record: 10-11-4, -10
Last Week: 26th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 25th
Scott’s Rank: 27th

Hunter: On one hand, the Sabres losing by a combined score of 9-2 to the Penguins and Devils is bad. On the other, snapping the Wild’s seven-game winning streak in a dominant possession performance is good. On the third hand, Buffalo has won five of their last eight games. On the fourth hand, they lost eight of nine games before that. There’s much to consider. Where did these arms come from?

Scott: It’s no coincidence that the Sabres have seen a spike in their play again after Zach Benson returned. The man is a surprisingly great defensive player, and he’s poised to breakout offensively this season playing with Tage Thompson. I’ve long considered him to be the in-house replacement for JJ Peterka, and if Benson can be, look out.

26. Boston Bruins

Record: 15-12-0, -3
Last Week: 25th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 27th
Scott’s Rank: 26th

Scott: How are the Bruins still in the playoff picture? They’ve played horribly but have managed to hang on thanks to David Pastnak, Jeremy Swayman, and Morgan Geekie, the latter of whom is somehow going toe-to-toe with Nathan MacKinnon for goals. We spent so long last year scared to bag them and tag them, and once again, Boston is inevitable. To be fair, this team is outside of a playoff spot based on points percentage, but it really shows the state of the Atlantic that the Bruins are one of the top teams.

27. Toronto Maple Leafs

Record: 11-11-3, -4
Last Week: 27th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 23rd
Scott’s Rank: 30th

Scott: See, I’m a real hater of this Leafs team. Hunter here sees two wins last week and thinks everything is okay again. I know they’re still bad. If not for the five-point rule, they would have been 31st for me. They’re still the sixth-worst team in 5v5 xGF%, they only have seven regulation wins (as many as the Sabres and Flames!) and their losses seem to be more alarming than their wins are rewarding. Maybe the two wins is the start of a turnaround, especially with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies healthy, but I’m still pessimistic.

On a more optimistic note: I was very surprised to see that Oliver Ekman-Larsson has 20 points right now. Where has that come from? He’s tied with Morgan Rielly and Lane Hutson for 10th in defenseman scoring! I don’t know about you, but if the Leafs keep sliding, that’s a great player to sell high on.

Hunter: This guy thinks he’s the real hater? Did he even read my blurb on them last week? Scott throwing them in the 30-spot is just overcompensating, like wearing a leather jacket or driving a Ford F-350s. I have them 23rd, and that’s nowhere near a playoff spot or anything worth respecting. I have no illusions of what this team is and where they could end up by the end of the calendar year. The only hesitation I have to put them lower is that this league is so damn finicky that they’re four points out from third place in the Atlantic. In fact, if it weren’t for Matthews’ vintage goal on Saturday against the Penguins, they’d be in the 26-28 range.

AUSTON. MATTHEWS.@OREO | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/GPX6D68850
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 30, 2025

28. St. Louis Blues

Record: 9-10-7, -23
Last Week: 30th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 29th
Scott’s Rank: 24th

Hunter: Fun fact: All nine of the Blues’ wins this season have come in regulation, meaning if they won even just three of their seven overtime/shootout appearances, they would have a Wildcard spot. Wait … I don’t know if that’s a “fun fact,” but it’s still a fact. Ah! Well, nevertheless …

29. San Jose Sharks

Record: 12-11-3, -10
Last Week: 28th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 28th
Scott’s Rank: 31st

Hunter: Holy boats, I skipped plans Wednesday night to watch Sharks-Avs, just for it to be over five minutes into the second frame. Hey, at least, uh, ahem … at least we’re having fun! They beat a lowly Canucks squad and gave the Golden Knights a half-decent fight this weekend. I think we can temper those “The Sharks will be competitive in March” predictions, but they have flashes of brilliance where they look like they’re flying in the offensive zone.

Scott: The five-point rule is keeping them afloat for now, but my model is trying their absolute hardest to stick the Sharks in last place based on their underlying numbers. I wouldn’t hold my breath on this being a clear-cut next step for them.

30. Vancouver Canucks

Record: 10-13-3, -16
Last Week: 29th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 30th
Scott’s Rank: 29th

Hunter: It really felt like the conversation around Quinn Hughes and whether the Canucks will trade him spiked this week. Of course, team president Jim Rutherford made that clear in an interview with the Vancouver Province last week, but he left it cryptic when it came to Hughes, saying: “I believe Quinn and his agent are aware of the direction we want to go … they’re aware of the direction they want to go. Everybody wants to play on a winning team. But there’s different reasons why people make decisions.”

Let’s cut the foreplay and get to the point: Hughes, the best defenseman in franchise history, is on his way out. And while fans may not want to hear this, trading him sooner than later will give them the best possible return. Teams will be happy to trade their whole damn cupboard of picks and prospects if it promises them two postseasons with a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman.

“But who has the cap space? And won’t he just walk and sign with his brothers in two seasons?” Um … who cares? For two playoff runs, you’ve got arguably the second-best defender in the world. Besides, if you can prove you’re a winner, wouldn’t that create an interesting scenario for brothers Jack and Luke?

Scott: Considering the rumour that a potential deal to Detroit could involve Lucas Raymond, I would probably look to move Hughes ASAP if the Canucks are rebuilding.

31. Calgary Flames

Record: 9-14-4, -17
Last Week: 31st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 31st
Scott’s Rank: 28th

Hunter: All things considered, it was a half-decent week for the Flames, who earned points in two of three games and have a chance to earn points in four of their five games on this road trip. Devin Cooley closed out a strong November with a 3-1-0 record, a .934 SV% and a 7.99 GSAx, and he only gave up more than two goals just once in seven games. It will be interesting to see how the Flames deploy Cooley and Dustin Wolf through the holiday season.

32. Nashville Predators

Record: 8-13-4, -28
Last Week: 32nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 32nd
Scott’s Rank: 32nd

Scott: The Predators had something to be happy about with back-to-back wins last week over the Red Wings and Blackhawks, but those are two of just three wins in their last 12 games. At this point, it’s a waiting game as to which shoe drops first. Does Andrew Brunette get fired? Does Trotz swing a deal and move on from one of the veterans? Maybe Trotz gets fired, who knows? At this point, it’s a matter of when, not if.

Hunter: I really feel like ownership will let Trotz move out some pieces to get as much as possible, then clean house completely in the offseason. Then again, why not just rip the damn band-aid off after the holidays?

Scott: Considering Trotz’s legacy in Nashville, I have full expectations that he’s going to survive this chaos and get one more chance at retooling the team, but if a general manager should be fired, it’s probably him.

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