It no secret to anyone in our great country that we are divided politically. It is all the more evident as we enter into another presidential election year. But it is encouraging to see brief moments in the political arena where those on either side of the aisle can come together in unity.
Sports are often a vessel for such unity. Sure, there are rivalries between teams and opposing fan bases. But for those in the same fanbase? Harmony.
Such is the case for the 12th Man. Seattle and the Puget Sound area is more liberal, whereas the rest of the state is more conservative. Yet those who are red or blue put those differences aside on Sundays to become neon green.
It is currently towards the end of the legislative session in Washington, but the State Senate did take time earlier in February to honor former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. Senator Ann Rivers from La Center (R-LD18) introduced a resolution in the Senate to thank Carroll for his 14 years. While Senator Rivers was the prime sponsor, twenty other senators co-sponsored the resolution. Both Democrats and Republicans, from all over the state.
What an interesting first half of the season. Most teams are close in the standings with good chances of making the NBA playoffs. The reigning champion Denver Nuggets feel pushback in their division and conference. The MVP race has a half dozen candidates while coaching remains inconsistent. The second half is set up for a fun, intense finish.
Here are some important topics and questions after the first half of the season.
It was a mistake for most of last year’s playoff contenders to not tank for Victor Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama (1, black) has the best coaches helping him through his first NBA season. He’ll easily win rookie of the year.
Remember last year’s season when almost every NBA team was fighting for a playoff spot before the All-Star break? The teams who had no shot at getting into the playoffs missed out on tanking for a one-of-a-kind talent in Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio has won a dozen games and will not see the postseason, but teams are finding it hard to guard and attack the rookie on both sides of the ball. His dunk over 6’10 Marvin Bagley III showcases his intimidating height and talent over the average player. Someone this big, athletic and threatening make teams such as Washington, New Orleans and Detroit regret not tanking for the draft sooner (funny how all three are also the league’s worst teams right now).
Last season there was conversation on reducing the number of games. The league’s done the opposite and added more with an in-season tournament. Will this add to the concerns more players will suffer more long-term injuries?
No one is having more injuries than Memphis. They had eleven players out on January 29th’s game against Sacramento and lost by double digits because of limited available talent.
Last year’s league MVP Joel Embiid is probably out for the rest of the season after ignoring a nagging leg injury because of national pressure he play in as many games possible. While it’s a blow to Philadelphia, nothing compares to what the Grizzlies have gone through the first half of the season. Memphis entered October with franchise star Ja Morant on suspension. He returned in late autumn and gave the team a spark, but he suffered a tear in his right shoulder on a Saturday practice. Desmond Bane, former Grizzly Steven Adams and at least eight other players on the roster have missed time due to injuries. It peaked when 13 players were ruled out for a game at Boston this month against the Celtics. Memphis had no chance and lost by 40.
If the league wants to expand play and add more games and tournaments, then they have to let teams increase roster space and expect more injuries to star players to dent their ratings at some point during the year. It doesn’t seem most of the approved rules were well thought out.
Just as was written in the NHL first half analysis article, there are at least a half dozen candidates for MVP in this year’s NBA season. Who has the best chance to win the award (unless injuries plague the nominees)?
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2, blue) is a frontrunner to win MVP this season. The Thunder are second in the western conference due to his play and leadership.
You could go even further and say almost ten players could be in the MVP race due to how close most teams are in the standings. Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are fringe candidates, but they could gather more interest if Minnesota and Indiana continue stunning audiences. They’re also on the outside due to spectacular play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic.
While the latter three names will probably remain the favorites, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell stand out in unique ways that will keep this a closer race. Some of the candidates will be considered due to the changes in MVP voting this year. We’ll find out which names will be favored more by Easter.
Here’s the second ever NBA power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These show where all 30 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.
#30 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 29)
If there’s any team that could’ve tanked more for Victor Wembanyama last year, it should have been Washington. The defense would be better and the offense would be in the top ten with his rebounding. He also could’ve been their second player averaging over 20 points a game. The Wizards will regret that decision for the next two decades.
#29 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 30)
The Pistons are slowly getting better since January. They’ve collected five wins the last month of play and had their first winning streak last week. The trade deadline helped them get some future assets but there’s still a lot of work to be done.
#28 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 28)
You know a team’s bad midway through a season when the only major news doesn’t involve players, but management and executive hirings. While new owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin were going to make changes after grading current management, the early changes signal how bad it’s been top to bottom.
#27 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 27)
Can you imagine if San Antonio didn’t trade Dejounte Murray to Atlanta in 2022? Another key player would probably have Wembanyama in a better position to score more and not defend as hard every night despite his smooth transition into the league. The Spurs should have kept another player averaging 20 points a game and someone to maybe consider trading for better players in the future. Instead the franchise will have to eliminate most of the roster for nothing once the regular season ends.
#26 Portland Trail Blazers (last ranking: 26)
I have no idea how Chauncey Billups wasn’t fired after that choke to Detroit at home on the eighth. The Blazers shouldn’t have lost after a 49 point performance from Jerami Grant. Portland’s lost every game this month after winning in Milwaukee. Talk about a sharp decline.
#25 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 25)
As of this publishing, Memphis has lost nine of their last eleven. It’s a disappointing season for the Grizzlies but the only positive is finding quality depth players for next season for when star players need the rest after solid performances.
#24 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 24)
The Raptors are five games out of a play-in spot and it’s because they’ve lost to inferior opponents or blown double digit leads. Losses to Memphis, Detroit, Charlotte, Oklahoma City and division rivals Boston and New York are the differences in having an extra week of play. This will be a good theme to keep up with the following months to see how Toronto makes a push for the postseason.
#23 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 21)
Brooklyn’s won one more game than the Pistons since 2024 began. Curious on how that’s slipped serious basketball conversations.
#22 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 19)
Despite Steven Adams done for the season with a PCL injury, one should like Houston trading for him. The roster is young and needs more veteran leadership, even if those veterans can’t play. We’ll see how it pays off next season.
#21 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 23)
It’s fitting the Hawks flips with the Nets after last power rankings. Since that publishing they’ve had winning streaks of three, four and two. They’ve beaten the playoff hopeful Magic, Heat, Lakers, Suns, Warriors and 76ers. They also lost close games to the Mavericks and Clippers. Atlanta could get hotter after the All-Star break.
#20 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 20)
The mediocre Bulls did nothing at the trade deadline and just…sit at ninth in the east.
#19 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 17)
After winning eight of nine games to start 2024 the Jazz are 4-10 in their last 14. The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a better time. If Utah doesn’t finish February strong, there could be a steeper drop off.
#18 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 22)
The most baffling part of Klay Thompson’s slump is how he’s still the team’s second leading scorer with 17 points a game. If Golden State moves forward with having Thompson coming off the bench, that’s fine. It’s more important Jonathan Kuminga continues his growth as a reliable scorer. Kuminga’s a reason for the Warriors resurgence.
#17 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 18)
The Lakers played nervous during the trade deadline. Since the deadline passed Los Angeles is playing arguably their best basketball of the season, losing only to the reigning champion Nuggets this month. The next power rankings in March could reveal how dangerous this team is in the west.
#16 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 9)
One has to wonder if the Kings peaked too soon last year. That dominant division-winning season put a target on their back and it seems to be taking a toll. Sacramento in the bottom half of the league in rebounds despite starting Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes at center and both forward positions. It’s also possible they need the rest despite the number of players in their prime ages. Coach Mike Brown’s great at getting the best out of his players, so we won’t find out their trajectory until next month.
#15 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 15)
No matter what happens, it’s been a memorable season for the Magic. While they did retire Shaquille O’Neal’s jersey (the first number retired in franchise history), there’s been a lot more progress on the court. They’re tied for first in the southeast with Miami. A Florida rivalry is brewing and it’s possible Orlando wins the division due to their young core having more energy and positive inexperience. If the Magic win the division and clinch the fifth or sixth seed, it would be very interesting to see how a team like Milwaukee or the Knicks fare against a team with nothing to lose.
#14 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 12)
How is coach Rick Carlisle doing this? Indiana’s tied for first in points per game (124) and field goal percentage (51%) while being the second worst rebounding team in the league. It’s unsustainable for the second half of the season but the Pacers are defying expectations on every level.
#13 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 3)
What a blow to the 76ers championship aspirations. I’m not a doctor but Embiid’s lateral meniscus injury probably ends his season and with it Philadelphia’s hopes for a deep playoff run another year. If there’s any positive, it’s finding out how good Nick Nurse will be coaching a deflated team that knows they’re outmatched almost every game.
#12 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 14)
The Sixers tumble means a lot of teams will rise and stay clustered in the top 15 that normally wouldn’t have a chance.
That said, Dallas has played better since February began. They’ve lost only one of their last seven. Backup center Daniel Gafford is becoming a reliable option on both offense and defense. The team hopes this ascent continues after the All-Star break.
#11 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 16)
Another injury to Bradley Beal slows down an important hot streak for Phoenix. They’ve won almost a dozen games since the debut power rankings, but they’ve followed up some impressive victories with head-scratching losses. One does wonder how that pattern would be addressed if Monty Williams was still the coach.
#10 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 10)
I’m going to have New Orleans in these power rankings what I’m doing with Toronto in the NHL ones; securing their spot as the benchmark team to see which teams can be separated from the good to great ones. The Pelicans have only lost to teams many see having deep playoff runs since the start of January. New Orleans also hasn’t been injury plagued, solidifying this choice.
#9 Miami Heat (last ranking: 8)
It’s a bummer Terry Rozier was injured shortly after Charlotte traded him to Miami. Star forward Jimmy Butler also getting hurt would make any other team crater and decide to let up before the All-Star break. This is Erik Spoelstra’s team though, so naturally the Heat have won their last six of eight.
#8 New York Knicks (last ranking: 11)
There’s some overreactions about New York’s shabby start to February. Usually a Tom Thibodeau coached team that lost only two games in January doesn’t play the following month without some fatigue. Once the second half of the season starts, the Knicks should pick up where they left off.
#7 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 5)
I’m going to play this smart and keep the Bucks in the top ten but not top five until they show genuine improvement. Milwaukee is 3-7 in their last ten to start the Doc Rivers era. There are major flaws with this team including blowing double digit leads. Add the loss to a Grizzlies team with ten players injured and the Bucks have too many issues no one will be ignoring nor forgetting any time soon.
#6 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 6)
For anyone hoping the Thunder hit a wall in the second half of the season, you’re in for a rude awakening. Oklahoma City will probably win four of their five remaining February games, and while their March schedule does pose a challenge, they don’t have the pressure to win almost every game like Phoenix, Dallas or the Lakers will. People should think ahead to who would be in the best position to play the Thunder before Easter. No matter how their regular season ends, it’s tough to discourage an opponent who knows they’re going nowhere but up after the playoffs.
#5 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 13)
Philadelphia falling or not the Cavaliers deserve to be a top five ranked team. Cleveland also had a two loss January and lost by two to the 76ers Monday. They’ve blown out playoff hopefuls in both conferences, and the discussions of Donovan Mitchell being an MVP candidate will continue after the All-Star break.
#4 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 4)
If you want to know why the Timberwolves aren’t higher, consider this: they ended January with a loss to San Antonio, followed up by wins against Oklahoma City and Dallas. They began February with losses to Orlando and Chicago, then won against Milwaukee and the Clippers. It adds to the speculation of how predictable this team could be in the playoffs.
#3 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 1)
I’ll also be consistent in analyzing Boston sports teams and say just because they have the league’s best record, doesn’t mean they’re the league’s best team. The Celtics deserve credit for being the first team to 40 wins, but the’re 17-6 in their last 23 games after starting 26-6 the first 32 of the season. Their wins are also determined by how good they are from three-point range (via ESPN). All of their 2024 losses contain valid criticism to wonder how far this team can go in the playoffs.
#2 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 7)
I expect many people won’t be happy with Los Angeles being this high. This is again consistency that’s been given to other teams such as New York and Cleveland. It’s not just the Clippers are winning, they look good. Right now, Los Angeles isn’t the type of team that would lose to non-contenders. If they do lose a game it’s usually close. The Clippers also have a benefit the longer this season goes: Minnesota and Oklahoma City will struggle some games due to inexperience while Kawhi Leonard raises his play. That means Paul George and James Harden will have more open looks. Last but not least, Los Angeles isn’t facing an injury crisis right now. That could get them far in the western conference.
#1 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 2)
It makes sense to have the current champions here due to how Boston and Los Angeles have showed some weaknesses. Yes, Denver has lost more games than either since 2024 started, but if Denver plays both at full health in a seven game series, do you see the Clippers or Celtics taking four games? I don’t think so either.
Jamal Murray (27, blue) is the Denver’s second leading scorer and rebounder at the All-Star break.
The Super Bowl features the best team in each conference. Kansas City and San Francisco mirror each other in their running games, solid quarterback play and total defense. Both offensive and defensive lines play better each week and the secondaries know when to shut down receivers. It’s time to reveal which team has the best chance of winning the Vince Lombardi trophy and why.
#3 Kansas City Chiefs v. #1 San Francisco 49ers
This game mirrors the last Super Bowl between Kansas City and San Francisco four years ago. Both head coaches Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan have great offensive gameplans and coordinators who will give opposing defenses headaches. However, there are differences since their last championship meeting. The Chiefs finished as the third seed in the AFC, Brock Purdy is the starting quarterback for the 49ers, Kansas City has a less talented receiving core and San Francisco has more depth on the defensive line.
The winner of this game and the champion of the 2023-2024 season will be determined by two things: Kansas City’s offensive line versus San Francisco’s defensive line, and coaching. The passrush depth of San Francisco’s Javon Kinlaw, Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Arik Armstead and Randy Gregory will be hard to defend against if defensive coordinator Steve Wilks decides to switch and alternate coverage schemes each possession. The Chiefs offensive line of Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith are a solid set who have negated multiple passrush threats throughout the regular and postseason. Left guard Joe Thuney is a longshot to both practice the rest of the week and play Sunday according to coach Reid. That means Nick Allegretti could start his third straight playoff game on the eleventh. He’s performed well throughout the 2023-2024 season, giving up zero sacks and committing zero penalties.
The winning teams are determined by coaches who adapt and make the necessary changes each quarter. This year’s Super Bowl coaching difference comes down to Andy Reid calling his best plays in the second half, notably in the fourth quarter versus Kyle Shanahan’s. Unfortunately for Shanahan, his terrible second half play-calling in previous Super Bowls with San Francisco and Atlanta gives Kansas City the edge to win the championship. Reid went through the same conversations before Super Bowl 54. He’s mastered what necessary changes to make and when his offenses should either run or throw the ball better in the second half (especially in one possession games). Kyle Shanahan has gone through the same scenarios and failed each time. Until he makes the needed changes, Kansas City is the favorite to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.
Super Bowl 58 winning prediction: Chiefs win Super Bowl 31-28 and take home their fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy
What a fun first half of the season. The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks are tied for the league’s best record. Sam Reinhart, Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury have dazzled and broken franchise or league records. Then there’s the case for who will win league MVP. The tone is set for the second half of the regular season. Here are the top takes, questions and answers as All-Star weekend closes.
Who is the most deserving of the Hart trophy this season?
David Pastrnak has the third most points behind Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon half-way into the regular season.
There are a lot of names you could pick to win the Hart trophy (the NHL’s regular season MVP award). Usually the winner is either the league leader in total points or the deciding factor for a team getting into the postseason. This year it ranges from top goal scorer to best player. Auston Matthews’ 40 goals in 47 games is incredible. Nathan MacKinnon’s home point streak of 25 to start a season ties him for second all-time with the great Bobby Orr. MacKinnon’s play has opened up better scoring opportunities for depth players such as Logan O’Connor and Ross Colton. This is all without team captain Gabriel Landeskog and twenty goal scorer Valeri Nichushkin. There’s Nikita Kucherov, back in top form leading the NHL in points with 85. Kucherov’s a reason Tampa Bay’s the fifth seed in the east after 50 games. Boston’s David Pastrnak leads Boston in points, goals and assists. Dating back to the start of last season, Pastrnak has scored the most goals in the league with 94. Connor McDavid is a distant second with 84. The Bruins are also tied for the league’s best record with 71 points. Last but not least, don’t forget Connor McDavid has led Edmonton to the second best winning streak in NHL history with 16 straight victories. Voters want to see how the Oilers captain helps the team extend this streak.
It’s possible this becomes the most contested Hart race since the 2001-2002 season. McDavid’s won the trophy a few times and Matthews will probably win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy at his scoring pace. That means the vote could be narrowed to Pastrnak, MacKinnon and Kucherov. What MacKinnon’s doing right now with no team captain and personal issues sidelining the third leading goal scorer on the team could give him the edge over the latter two.
Will any other coaches get fired before February ends?
Todd McLellan’s the latest to get the pink slip after Los Angeles won three of 15 games in January.
Los Angeles’ Todd McLellan was fired this past Friday after the Kings went 3-12 last month. The organization only extended his contract through the 2024-2025 season before the regular season began. Los Angeles is a playoff contender that needs a different coach who can elevate the team back to a playoff mindset.
There are a few others who could go before the postseason begins. Greg Cronin of Anaheim hasn’t done well with the young, talented core general manager Pat Verbeek’s drafted. The regression of Trevor Zegras and having only one 20+ goal scorer on the roster doesn’t reflect well on Cronin. He was hired in the 2023 offseason so it’s possible he gets another year, but the room for error is thin. Another name to consider is Don Granato in Buffalo. The Sabres’ playoff drought will extend another year unless the powerplay and defense quickly improves. Luke Richardson in Chicago and David Quinn in San Jose are other names to keep an eye on.
This is an annual question but what’s the biggest surprise of the year, or in this case, since last power rankings?
Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins celebrating after a hard-fought win in Edmonton. The duo has picked up the scoring responsibilities when both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been shutout.
Luckily for Minnesota, their play has improved since the first power rankings was published. They’re still near the bottom in the west but there’s hope they sneak into the postseason. Edmonton’s turnaround after an awful two month start is eye-opening. I don’t think anyone had the Oilers winning 16 straight games even if captain Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl had zeroes in the stat sheets some nights. The team defense is central to the streak and Kris Knoblauch should be commended for the 180 degree turnaround.
There’s a good case for Winnipeg also being the top team in the western conference since December and Vancouver being a great pick for conference finals host, but anything could happen the final three months. Edmonton shouldn’t slow down anytime soon with who’s on the roster.
Interim Kris Knoblauch’s made the right changes to make Edmonton a contender again.
Here’s the second ever NHL power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These show where all 32 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.
#32 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 31)
Chicago’s been shut out four of their last six games. It’s understandable most of the roster is on injured reserve but what an awful stat the team has to look at before play resumes.
#31 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 32)
I don’t think Quinn will get fired for two reasons: everyone knew San Jose would be terrible in another rebuilding year. That awful streak at the beginning of the season is still heavy on everyone’s minds. The other reason is how well the team has played since Christmas. They’ve won four of their last six games, building more confidence.
#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 29)
January 21st’s home loss to the Rangers summarized their season. Mason McTavish scored a goal, giving Anaheim a 3-1 lead. When the refs pulled it back due to the puck being played offsides, New York then scored all four unanswered goals the final period. The Ducks lost 5-2. Nothing is going right for this team.
#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 28)
If you take out the shutout win in St. Louis, Columbus gave up an average four goals a game in January. That’s a fraction into why they have the second worst scoring defense this season. It doesn’t matter who the team’s leading scorers are if the defense can’t keep the puck out of the net.
#28 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 30)
Imagine how good this team would have been if D.J. Smith was fired after 2022 instead of coaching on an extended contract this season. Not only are the Senators playing better defense just over three weeks into the new year, they’ve beaten at least three playoff caliber teams. Ottawa could be a litmus test for who’s worthy of making the postseason by the start of March.
#27 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 24)
I know he’s only been in the league less than two seasons but at what point is there draft remorse over picking Juraj Slafkovsky first overall? Seattle’s handled Shane Wright’s ease into the league well even though they’re the youngest franchise. Montreal knew they’d be at the bottom for at least a few years. He could’ve developed more in the AHL instead of just playing most of last season. The Canadiens could use a more polished Slafkovsky with the injuries and roster holes this year.
#26 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 27)
This team showed miniscule improvement from the last power rankings and somehow are seven points behind the last wildcard spot in the west. All Minnesota needs is one good month and they can be a headache before the postseason starts. There’s no reason the Wild should continue struggling with 33 games left.
#25 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 22)
The contenders are starting to play more serious, so it’s not a surprise Arizona’s fading into the background. There are a lot of positives for the Coyotes young core moving forward but there’s a lot of needed growth and roster depth to address.
#24 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 26)
If Granato is fired, it has to be after the season ends. The Sabres still play hard for him and given the state of the metropolitan division, they could make another run for the postseason. I don’t think he’ll be fired due to the team’s overall progress, but one has to wonder when owner Terry Pegula decides to move on.
#23 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 23)
Calgary’s 2024 includes:
a high chance Dillon Dube never plays on the roster again due to the sexual assault case in London, Ontario.
Had winning streaks of two and four with losing streaks of two and four.
Traded Elias Lindholm to rival Vancouver.
finished the first half of the season with the fourth worst power-play in the league.
That was only January.
#22 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 16)
The Capitals are one of three teams tied with 51 points in the east and on the outside of the playoff race. Washington is the worst of the three. While the defense is their strength, the Capitals are alarmingly a top three worst scoring offense in the league. Recall what I said in the last power rankings; how much longer will it take until certain names return?
#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 17)
I knew this team wouldn’t replicate last season’s success but wow they’ve taken hit after hit. Michael McLeod and Cal Foote probably won’t play another game for the franchise (they’re in the same sexual assault case as Dillon Dube) and Jack Hughes’ upper body injury has limited the offense. Instead of worrying about trading for Ducks goalie John Gibson, New Jersey has to continue coaching up the younger defensive players and make some smaller trades for offensive scoring depth.
#20 New York Islanders (last ranking: 14)
Unlike many, I’m not enthusiastic about Patrick Roy being the interim coach. In fact, I find it sinister not only is he the current coach, but this move was decided by Lou Lamoriello after Marc-Andre Fleury became the second winningest goalie in NHL history, surpassing Roy after shutting out the Islanders on MLK Jr. Day. For anyone who doesn’t know, Roy resigned from Colorado for not getting his own way against franchise great and general manager Joe Sakic. The resignation led to the franchise’s 48 point season with then-rookie coach Jared Bednar unable to implement anything with Roy’s former assistants. If Lamoriello believes this will make New York better, he’s in for a rude awakening.
#19 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 18)
There’s been chatter defenseman Erik Karlsson could get traded due to differences in his style of play versus the Penguins’ three franchise stars. Pittsburgh is a top three team in defense but bottom five in offense and they badly need scoring depth. A trade makes sense.
#18 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 21)
In Seattle’s last four losses, one was against San Jose and two were 2-0 leads against playoff hopefuls. Those losses will contribute to where the Kraken land before playoffs start.
#17 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 14)
The sexual assault case in London, Ontario hits Philadelphia hardest. Goalie Carter Hart might not play another game with the franchise. That could upend the Flyers season unless there’s a trade for someone like John Gibson or Mackenzie Blackwood. Without Hart, Philadelphia isn’t going to the playoffs. They’re already the eighth seed not even three weeks after he went back north.
#16 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 13)
It’s easy for sports pundits to say a playoff caliber team up 3-0 against Ottawa should 100% win the game. Nashville squeaked out wins in January they shouldn’t have, so there’s nothing to complain about. What will be interesting is what new general manager Barry Trotz decides to do with this roster by the trade deadline and what changes are made depending on the Predators making the playoffs.
#15 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 11)
Looking back, McLellan’s fate was sealed when franchise star Drew Doughty came back to practice and then ripped three teammates online. Management saw the defensive stats and made the right move. There’s no way the number one penalty killing unit should miss the playoffs.
#14 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 25)
The Blues dealt Vancouver two of their three losses in January, lost to Boston in overtime and pummeled the Rangers. They’re in prime position to stay in one of the lower wildcard spots the second half of the season. I don’t know if Drew Bannister should keep the coaching job at the end of the season but I can concede the short-term changes are helping the team.
#13 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 20)
Detroit claims the best stat of the first half of the season: whenever Red Wings games are televised, they’re the most watched team in the U.S. Audiences want to see Detroit at the top of the league again. Viewers watched the Wings win 20 points in January, the most the franchise has won for that month in over a decade. We’re getting closer to seeing them be a serious playoff threat.
#12 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 19)
That’s better. I did say this team would be in a higher spot once the defense and goaltending showed true improvement. Well, they’ve won 16 straight, one short of the league’s all-time record. While I’m curious how they’ll bounce back after a loss, the Oilers haven’t given up more than three goals in a game since their December 22nd road win against the Rangers. Kris Knoblauch’s made the defense a priority and it’s why Edmonton could have a deep postseason run.
#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 15)
Andrei Vasilevskiy is almost back to his Vezina form. What’s helped him is Tampa’s power-play jumping to the league’s best at 30%. When the power-play starts cooling off (they all do, it’s inevitable), we’ll see how good this team is on defense.
#10 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 10)
January is a microcosm of what this team is: they’ll beat the bad teams and get some wins against some good teams, but they’ll also lose to the great ones and a few younger and hungrier teams. Yes, the Leafs are a good team, but they’re absolutely not better than the other nine on this list. That’s fine, as long as they don’t play them in the postseason.
#9 New York Rangers (last ranking: 7)
The initial power rankings list I wrote up a week before typing on here had the Rangers at number one. Thankfully that was a rough draft. New York’s been gradually slipping and one has to wonder if the Peter Laviolette all-offense-and-no-defense style of coaching is starting to take over sooner than expected. They need to take advantage of the softer February schedule as soon as the All-Star break ends.
#8 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 9)
New York’s slippage is Carolina’s gain. Even if the Hurricanes didn’t win all their January games, they’re mostly back to their dangerous selves. Those first two games after the All-Star break will show audiences how good this team is.
#7 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 8)
After Los Angeles, Dallas is the one team out west that would want to re-do January. Losses to Montreal, Nashville and Philadelphia countered resounding wins against Minnesota, Los Angeles and New Jersey. They also struggled with Detroit, Anaheim and Washington. Coach Peter DeBoer better renew the focus this month.
#6 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 4)
Much like Dallas, Vegas didn’t do themselves any favors looking dangerous one game and looking garbage the next. Part of the Golden Knights’ issue has been goaltending, so that can get sorted out after a one week break. This is when coach Bruce Cassidy has to drive home they’re the better team with 32 games left.
#5 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 6)
The NHL Network found an amazing statline on the 27th: Boston’s defensemen core had 97 points before the All-Star break (it’s now 100 with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo each adding one). The Bruins are tied for the best record in the league while their defensemen are in the bottom half of the league in points.
#4 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 5)
Florida was up and down to start 2024 but Sam Reinhart will get a big contract once the season is over. Nobody thought he’d have 37 goals after 49 games. Even if the Panthers enter a difficult part of the schedule, they can count on Reinhart to be in the score column.
#3 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 1)
Hilariously, that sensational point and winning streak Winnipeg put together after the last power rankings was published ended when John Tortorella’s Flyers outplayed them in a home shutout loss. The Jets also lost two close games to Toronto and got thrashed in TD Garden against Boston (most opponents have dealt with that the last two years). Those aren’t shameful results. On the contrary, it ensures Winnipeg will play more determined this month.
#2 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 3)
The most dangerous part of coach Jared Bednar’s Avalanche (outside that awful first year) has been how the team plays their best hockey the second half of the regular season, especially in March. Both Winnipeg and Dallas had chances to stay ahead of Colorado before the end of January. Now they’re going to find out why giving their mountain rivals any room to work around is a bad idea.
#1 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 2)
Vancouver did what playoff teams should do and that is dominate their schedule versus the easier teams most of January. February will show audiences how high the playoff ceiling can go. They’ll be facing most of the Cup favorites in both conferences. Trading for Elias Lindholm shows they’re ready to take the next few steps and have more than a deep playoff run.
Quinn Hughes has the third most points on the Canucks with 62. A good number of analysts also see Hughes as a Hart trophy candidate this season.
JD's Sportscorner 