Here are our Week 4 NHL power rankings entering Friday’s games (previous ranking in parentheses):
1. (2) Boston Bruins, 10-1-0
Jim Montgomery ties Patrick Roy with fastest 10-win start by a new coach in NHL history, getting there in 11 games. Also, fastest climb to top by new coach in history of my power rankings.
2. (4) Vegas Golden Knights, 10-2-0
Beat Ottawa for sixth consecutive victory. Logan Thompson — still technically a rookie — making early Calder Trophy case with 6-2 record, 2.01 goals-against average and .934 save percentage.
3. (3) Carolina Hurricanes, 7-2-1
Ron Francis draft pick Martin Necas off to career-best start, popping six goals, eight assists to lead team with 14 points. Helps to have Andrei Svechnikov on wing with eight goals already.
4. (7) Edmonton Oilers, 7-4-0
Came three minutes from sixth consecutive victory before Devils flipped table by scoring twice in seven seconds. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have 46 combined points in 11 games.
5. (1) Calgary Flames, 5-4-0
First skid of season now at three losses after dose of the Kraken. Jonathan Huberdeau struggling with new team, managing a goal and four assists overall and zero points in that span.
6. (9) Dallas Stars, 7-3-1
After losing to Rangers, rallied to beat Los Angeles and Arizona by a combined 12-4. Jason Robertson leads team with seven goals and 15 points, but it’s mostly about goalie Jake Oettinger’s .952 save percentage.
7. (20) New Jersey Devils, 8-3-0
What’s a five-letter word for pain in the butt? Bratt. As in Jesper Bratt, a nightmare for opposing defenses with five goals, 12 assists as his team has finally found scoring touch in winning five in a row and eight of past nine.
8. (5) Colorado Avalanche, 4-4-1
Showing strain from three early series of back-to-back games with two still ahead this month. Blew 3-0 lead on road to Islanders and now will play … in Finland? Traveling secretary on hot seat.
9. (11) Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-4-1
Finding their contender groove with five wins in six games before dropping a one-goal affair by shootout to Carolina.
10. (6) Florida Panthers, 6-4-1
Special teams struggling, particularly on power play. Plenty of shots, but not many finding the net. Aaron Ekblad could return by Nov. 12 to help defense.
11. (12) New York Rangers, 6-4-2
Had won three in a row before running into Bruins buzz saw at home. Mika Zibanejad ran his points streak to four games.
12. (15) Buffalo Sabres, 7-3-0
Are Sabres finally for real? Victor Oloffson leads team with eight goals after notching pair to defeat Pittsburgh for third consecutive victory.
13. (22) Seattle Kraken, 6-4-2
No playoff team from last season wants to face Kraken group now 5-1-1 vs. such squads. Four balanced scoring lines mean they can win all types of games — be it shootouts in Calgary or shutouts in Minnesota.
14. (17) New York Islanders, 7-4-0
Former Thunderbirds captain Mathew Barzal has 10 points in 10 games, and his team is on fire with five consecutive wins.
15. (16) Winnipeg Jets 6-3-1
Have won four of past five — allowing just 10 goals that span. Connor Hellebuyck has a .929 save percentage, offsetting fact the team’s offensive leader is a nine-assist defenseman.
16. (13) Minnesota Wild, 5-5-1
Had turned things around until nearly half the team’s forwards seemingly got hurt at once. Took 11 minutes to muster a shot against Kraken and not much afterward.
17. (10) Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-4-2
Mitch Marner benched? Sheldon Keefe on hot seat? John Tavares delivered hat trick at right time against Philadelphia, but panic mode has set in already.
18. (8) Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-5-2
Six consecutive losses, yielding five or more goals in four of them. Blowing multi-goal, third period leads. Kraken jumped on them once. Can they do it twice?
19. (21) Los Angeles Kings, 6-6-1
Appear to have solved goaltending woes, allowing two or fewer in three of past four games. But offense sputtered and scored just three goals in losses to Dallas and Chicago.
20. (19) Philadelphia Flyers, 5-3-2
Ex-Silvertips goalie Carter Hart — 5-0-2 with 2.10 goals-against average and .943 save percentage — was making them look good. But Flyers now losing a bunch of close games with lack of scoring punch.
21. (18) Ottawa Senators, 4-6-0
Ryan Reynolds can’t buy this team — and maybe additional defensive help — fast enough. Four consecutive losses, but at least new goalie Cam Talbot finally made debut coming off training-camp injury.
22. (14) St. Louis Blues, 3-6-0
You’ve got tough-guy coach Craig Berube, but the GM is leading your closed-door player meetings? Not good. We’ll see whether GM Doug Armstrong’s words about competing can reverse six-game losing streak.
23. (24) Detroit Red Wings, 5-3-2
Allowed Alex Ovechkin to tie franchise icon Gordie Howe for most goals with one team. But still beat Ovechkin’s team to salvage week in which they struggled to score.
24. (23) Washington Capitals, 5-5-2
Ovechkin tied Howe’s record for most goals with one franchise at 786. Get Ovie on a line with Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay, as Howe had with Detroit, and these Capitals might have shot at something beyond mediocrity.
25. (26) Chicago Blackhawks, 5-4-2
Injury bug — including sprained ankle for Spokane native Tyler Johnson — has sapped their surprising early energy, though they ended four-game losing streak.
26. (25) Montreal Canadiens, 5-5-1
Snatched losing overtime point at Winnipeg to remain quite entertaining for a lottery team. But they still can’t score, with two goals or fewer in four of their past six games.
27. (27) Nashville Predators, 4-6-1
Roman Josi and other career performers from last season — Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene among them — have regressed. And prior borderline playoff team now looks badly exposed.
28. (31) Vancouver Canucks, 3-6-2
Five points in a game for Elias Pettersson, and suddenly these guys are rolling just after Bruce Boudreau moved to front of line in Las Vegas odds of first coach to be fired.
29. (32) Anaheim Ducks, 3-7-1
When Kraken lose Presidents Trophy by a point, they’ll wonder about their blown opening-night lead to these guys. Gave up 13 goals past two games yet still split by beating Sharks.
30. (29) Arizona Coyotes, 3-6-1
The emotion of 5,000 die-hard fans kept them competitive for a few periods at home. Announced “Goodwill” as official helmet sponsor, which is a punch line waiting for inserted joke.
31. (28) Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-7-0
They aren’t Cleveland Barons bad — yet. But give this weekend a chance with consecutive games against Colorado in Finland. Tied for worst goal differential in league.
32. (30) San Jose Sharks 3-8-2
Awful team obscuring fact Erik Karlsson off to career start with 10 goals, eight assists. So he has 10 of 32 Sharks goals. Note to Kraken: Put three guys on him, take night off.