Super 16: Wild return to rankings

The Minnesota Wild have taken advantage of overtime and the shootout to climb the standings in the Western Conference and into NHL.com's Super 16 power rankings for the first time since they were No. 14 in the preseason.
The Wild, who are No. 14 this week, have won three games in a row, two in overtime and one in a shootout. Their past four wins and five of their six wins since Nov. 24 have come after regulation. Minnesota is 7-3-1 in its past 11 games and 11-4-1 in its past 16.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, who have won five in a row, are No. 1 for the ninth consecutive week.
To create the power rankings, each of the participating staff members puts together his or her version of what they think the Super 16 should look like. Those are submitted and a point total is assigned to each.
The team picked first is given 16 points, second gets 15, third gets 14 and so on down to No. 16, which gets one point.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (22-6-2)

Total points: 223Last week: No. 1
Hit:Andrei Vasilevskiy leads the NHL with 20 wins in 25 starts. He is the sixth goalie in NHL history to win 20 games within his first 25 games of a season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Vasilevskiy is on pace for 68 starts and 54 wins. The NHL record for most wins in a season is 48, shared by former New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur and Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby.
Miss:Defenseman Braydon Coburn has missed five games with a lower-body injury.

2. Nashville Predators (19-7-4)

Total points: 196
Last week: No. 2
Hit:Center Kyle Turris has 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in 15 games since the Predators acquired him in a three-team trade with the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 5. The Predators are 12-2-2 since then.
Miss: None. Things are going well for the Predators, who got center Ryan Johansen back Wednesday after he missed three games with an upper-body injury.

3. St. Louis Blues (21-9-2)

Total points: 191
Last week: No. 4
Hit: The Blues are 15-2-1 when they score first, second behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (16) for most wins when scoring first.
Miss: Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is on injured reserve and has missed two games with a lower-body injury. Coach Mike Yeo said he is day to day. Forward Jaden Schwartz is on IR with a right ankle injury and will miss at least six weeks.

4. Los Angeles Kings (20-9-3)

Total points: 187
Last week: No. 5
Hit: Center Anze Kopitar had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) and defenseman Drew Doughty had nine points (goal, eight assists) during an eight-game winning streak from Nov. 25-Dec. 9. Neither had a point in a 5-1 loss at the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
Miss: The Kings are 3-for-30 on the power play in 13 games since Nov. 18.

5. Winnipeg Jets (18-8-5)

Total points: 164
Last week: No. 3
Hit: The Jets have won seven consecutive home games and are 10-0-1 at Bell MTS Place since Oct. 20.
Miss: They are 0-0-5 in games decided in overtime.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (20-11-1)

Total points: 133
Last week: No. 9
Hit: Forward Patrick Marleau became the fourth active player with 1,100 NHL points when he scored in a 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, joining Calgary Flames right wing Jaromir Jagr (1,921 points), San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (1,412) and Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (1,134). Marleau has 519 goals and 581 assists in 1,525 games.
Miss: Center Auston Matthews (upper body) will miss his third straight game Thursday.

7. Columbus Blue Jackets (19-11-1)

Total points: 125
Last week: No. 7
Hit:Forward Oliver Bjorkstrand has four points (goal, three assists) in four games and 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 31 games.
Miss: The Blue Jackets are last in the NHL on the power play at 9.19 percent, more than 4 percent worse than any other team. They are 1-for-34 in their 12 losses.

8. New Jersey Devils (17-9-4)

Total points: 116
Last week: No. 6
Hit:Forward Stefan Noesen has a four-game point streak (one goal, four assists). He had two points (goal, assist) in his first 18 games.
Miss:Left wing Taylor Hall has a right knee contusion and will not play at the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. He is considered day to day after he was injured in a 5-1 win against the Kings on Tuesday, when he scored two goals. Forward Marcus Johansson is on injured reserve again, this time with an ankle injury. Johansson missed 13 games from Nov. 3-27 with a concussion.

9. Washington Capitals (19-12-1)

Total points: 111
Last week: No. 12
Hit:The Capitals have won five in a row at home, where they are 12-2-0 since Nov. 2.
Miss: Forward T.J. Oshie has missed four games with an upper-body injury.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (19-9-2)

Total points: 108
Last week: No. 10
Hit: Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is back after missing 25 games with a concussion. He made 35 saves, 17 after the second period, in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. He's expected to start against his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, at home Thursday.
Miss: Forward William Carrier has missed eight games since he sustained an upper-body injury at the Arizona Coyotes on Nov. 25.

11. New York Islanders (17-11-3)

Total points: 103
Last week: No. 8
Hit:The Islanders were the only team without a loss in games when they score first entering play Wednesday (11-0-0).
Miss: Thomas Greiss has allowed 25 goals in his past six starts (.870 save percentage). The Islanders are 4-2-0 in those games.

12. New York Rangers (16-12-3)

Total points: 67
Last week: No. 13
Hit: Backup goalie Ondrej Pavelec has allowed four goals on 89 shots (.955 save percentage) in his past two starts.
Miss:The Rangers are 3-for-34 on the power play in 13 games since Nov. 15.

13. San Jose Sharks (16-10-3)

Total points: 66
Last week: No. 15
Hit:The Sharks have scored at least three goals in seven of 10 games (6-2-2) after scoring that many in 10 of their first 19 (10-8-1). They have scored two power-play goals in three consecutive games (6-for-17). Defenseman Brent Burns has three goals in three games after scoring one in his first 26, none in his first 20.
Miss: Defenseman Paul Martin, who has played three games, is on a conditioning assignment with San Jose of the American Hockey League to try to rehab his injured ankle.

14. Minnesota Wild (16-11-3)

Total points: 34
Last week: NR
Hit: The Wild are 6-0-1 at home since Nov. 14 and 9-3-2 this season.
Miss: Center Mikko Koivu has no points in his past eight games and no goals in 21 games since Oct. 31.

15. Dallas Stars (18-13-1)

Total points: 28
Last week: No. 14
Hit: Center Martin Hanzal returned to the lineup in a 5-2 win against the Islanders on Wednesday after missing seven games with a hamstring injury.
Miss:The Stars are 0-for-15 on the power play in the past six games and 1-for-35 in their past 12.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins (16-13-3)

Total points: 23
Last week: No. 11
Hit: Goalie Matt Murray is expected to start against Fleury and the Golden Knights on Thursday. Murray missed five games with a lower-body injury.
Miss:Forward Conor Sheary has one goal in his past 12 games and three in 18.

Dropped out:Vancouver Canucks (No. 16)
Others receiving points: Chicago Blackhawks, 14; Boston Bruins, 13; Calgary Flames, 2

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. New Jersey Devils; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Vegas Golden Knights; 11. New York Rangers; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. Pittsburgh Penguins; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. San Jose Sharks; 16. Minnesota Wild
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Los Angeles Kings; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Nashville Predators; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Columbus Blue Jackets; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. New York Rangers; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Chicago Blackhawks; 15. Calgary Flames; 16. Dallas Stars
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Los Angeles Kings; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Nashville Predators; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. New Jersey Devils; 9. Columbus Blue Jackets; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. San Jose Sharks; 14. New York Rangers; 15. Chicago Blackhawks; 16. Dallas Stars
NICK COTSONIKA
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. Los Angeles Kings; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Columbus Blue Jackets; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. New York Islanders; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. San Jose Sharks; 16. Pittsburgh Penguins
LISA DILLMAN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Los Angeles Kings; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. Columbus Blue Jackets; 10. New York Islanders; 11. San Jose Sharks; 12. New Jersey Devils; 13. Pittsburgh Penguins; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. New York Rangers; 16. Chicago Blackhawks
TOM GULITTI
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. New Jersey Devils; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. San Jose Sharks; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. Chicago Blackhawks
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. Washington Capitals; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Los Angeles Kings; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. New York Islanders; 10. New Jersey Devils; 11. San Jose Sharks; 12. New York Rangers; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. Pittsburgh Penguins; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Boston Bruins
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. St. Louis Blues; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. New Jersey Devils; 11. New York Islanders; 12. San Jose Sharks; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Boston Bruins
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Columbus Blue Jackets; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New York Islanders; 9. New York Rangers; 10. San Jose Sharks; 11. New Jersey Devils; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. Pittsburgh Penguins; 15. Washington Capitals; 16. Minnesota Wild
TRACEY MYERS
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. New York Islanders; 6. St. Louis Blues; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. New Jersey Devils; 12. New York Rangers; 13. Chicago Blackhawks; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Boston Bruins
BILL PRICE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Los Angeles Kings; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. New Jersey Devils; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. New York Islanders; 12. New York Rangers; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. San Jose Sharks; 16. Pittsburgh Penguins
SHAWN ROARKE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. St. Louis Blues; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Columbus Blue Jackets; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New Jersey Devils; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Vegas Golden Knights; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. New York Rangers; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Pittsburgh Penguins; 15. Washington Capitals; 16. Boston Bruins
DAN ROSEN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. St. Louis Blues; 3. Nashville Predators; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Columbus Blue Jackets; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. New York Islanders; 11. New York Rangers; 12. San Jose Sharks; 13. New Jersey Devils; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Pittsburgh Penguins
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. St. Louis Blues; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Los Angeles Kings; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Columbus Blue Jackets; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. San Jose Sharks; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Chicago Blackhawks; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Pittsburgh Penguins