NHL Power Rankings: Devils Drop Below Top 15 Amid Scoring Struggles

The NHL landscape is shifting dramatically as we head into the heart of the season, with some surprising storylines emerging across the league.

Pierre-Luc Dubois is making the Capitals look smart after their big offseason gamble. He’s racked up 38 points in 47 games and has been absolutely dominant at even strength, sporting an impressive +17 goal differential.

The Oilers are on fire, and Connor McDavid is leading the charge. He put up 5 points in back-to-back comeback wins against Minnesota and Colorado before his suspension. The big question now: Can he keep that momentum when he returns?

Carolina’s got a secret weapon in their two Jordans – Martinook and Staal. They’re shutting down opponents left and right, helping the Hurricanes outscore teams 23-14 when they’re on the ice together.

Auston Matthews is finally getting healthy and it shows. The Leafs’ superstar has potted 5 goals in his last 4 games, putting him on pace for 47 this season. Not quite last year’s incredible 69-goal pace, but pretty impressive considering his shoulder issues.

Jason Robertson’s heating up in Dallas, which should worry the rest of the West. After a slow start, he’s scored 5 times in his last 6 games. The former 46-goal scorer looks like he’s found his touch again.

The defending champion Avalanche have a surprising weakness – they’re just average at 5-on-5 play. They rank 18th in expected goals and are actually -5 in goal differential at even strength. That could come back to bite them in the playoffs.

Up in Winnipeg, Gabriel Vilardi has become a power play monster. He’s tied with some big names like Filip Forsberg and Alex DeBrincat for power play goals since joining the Jets – and he’s done it in way fewer games.

The most ridiculous stat of the season might belong to Patrik Laine in Montreal. He’s played just 18 games but already has 10 power play goals, tied for fourth in the NHL. The Canadiens have him playing the Ovechkin role to perfection.

The Wild are really missing Kirill Kaprizov’s offense. Joel Eriksson Ek has just 2 assists in his last 6 games – they need more from him while their star is out.

Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov just keeps rolling. He’s on an 11-game point streak with 16 points in that span, and the Lightning are +21 with him on the ice. He’s right in the Hart Trophy conversation again.

Down in Florida, Carter Verhaeghe can’t find the net. He’s on pace for his lowest goal total since his rookie year, which is part of why the Panthers are struggling to get momentum lately.

The Kings’ offense has completely disappeared in January – they’re tied for last in the league with just 16 goals. Their big guns are all ice cold: Byfield, Kopitar, and Danault haven’t scored in what feels like forever.

Vegas is hitting their first real rough patch, dropping 4 straight and 6 of 7. Both their offense and goaltending have gone cold at the worst possible time.