Super 16: Wild, Predators among five Central Division teams in rankings

The Central Division is well represented this week in the NHL.com Super 16 power rankings with the additions of the Minnesota Wild at No. 14 and the Nashville Predators at No. 16.

Granted, the St. Louis Blues dropped out after pulling in at No. 16 last week, but the Central is the only division with five teams in the Super 16 this week, including the Winnipeg Jets (No. 5), Dallas Stars (No. 7) and Colorado Avalanche (No. 11).
The Pacific Division has three teams ranked because the Edmonton Oilers, No. 15 last week, dropped out, losing out to the Predators by one voting point.
The Eastern Conference has four teams in per division.
As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the 13 voters put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like. A point total assigned to each with the team selected first is given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on down the line.
Here is the Super 16, with the thoughts from the staff members, whose individual rankings are below:

1. Boston Bruins (21-3-1)

Total points: 206
Last week: No. 1
"What's not to like about the Bruins? They've been consistent from the start of the season, winning their first three games, and have yet to lose two in a row in regulation. They overcame injuries to start the season to Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk and kept rolling when they came back. It took the return of their former coach Bruce Cassidy with the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday to end their NHL-record 14-game home winning streak to start the season. The Bruins didn't go down without a fight, erasing a three-goal deficit before falling 4-3 in a shootout. Boston is second in the NHL in goals per game (3.96), first in goals against per game (2.08), fifth on the power play (28.4 percent) and first on the penalty kill (85.3 percent) following their 4-0 win at the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

2. New Jersey Devils (21-4-1)

Total points: 195
Last week: No. 2
"I'll be honest, I could flip a coin to decide who is No. 1 right now between the Devils and Bruins, and I wouldn't be wrong either way. Both are dominating. Both are impressive to watch. But I've been particularly drawn to the Devils, and I'm giving them the edge this week because I absolutely love the way they're playing. Their forwards are fast and skilled and complement each other's talents. The Devils don't rely on one guy to carry the load. Twelve players have at least one game-winning goal this season. And when forward Nico Hischier gets on the score sheet, the Devils get great results (they're 18-0-1 when he has a point). There have been a lot of lean years for New Jersey. Is this the return to its glory from the mid-1990s to early 2000s? I don't know, but it's definitely been one heck of a season, and I've enjoyed taking it in." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

3. Vegas Golden Knights (19-8-1)

Total points: 180
Last week: No. 3
"The Golden Knights this week managed to do what no opposing team had accomplished before them this season -- defeat the Bruins at TD Garden. Yes, it came in a shootout. And yes, Vegas blew a 3-0 lead. But for Cassidy, fired by Boston in the offseason, it was a sweet result. Give the Golden Knights coach credit; he has his team playing at an elite level." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

4. Toronto Maple Leafs (17-5-6)

Total points: 164
Last week: No. 4
"There is a lot to like about the Maple Leafs, who have the third-most standings points (40) in the League. They have gone 10-0-3 in their past 13 games, they just shut out the Los Angeles Kings 5-0 on Thursday. Mitchell Marner, Toronto's MVP, has a point in 21 straight games, a team record. Goalie Matt Murray is 6-1-2 this season, playing to a .932 save percentage. But the Maple Leafs still concern me. Their defense, because of injuries, is in a bit of shamble; they allowed 44 shots to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday but were saved by the brilliance of Murray. And they have precious little support scoring. The big four of Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares and William Nylander have scored 53 goals; the rest of the team has 35, led by Calle Jarnkrok with five. They need more contributions."-- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

5. Winnipeg Jets (17-7-1)

Total points: 147
Last week: No. 5
"The Jets are in first place in the Central Division, which includes five teams that made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season (Avalanche, Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues). Connor Hellebuyck is in the Vezina Trophy conversation helping the Jets rank in the top five in goals against per game (2.52). Mark Scheifele (15 goals), Pierre-Luc Dubois (13 goals) and Kyle Connor (11 goals) lead the way offensively and are among five players with at least 20 points. Overall, the Jets have been one of the most balanced teams this season." -- David Satriano, staff writer

6. Carolina Hurricanes (14-6-6)

Total points: 143
Last week: No. 9
"The Hurricanes are 4-1-5 in their past 10 games, including a five-game point streak (3-0-2). I have them No. 3 in my poll this week, just for their consistency and the simple fact they know how to generate points in the standings even when not on their A-game. Forward Seth Jarvis is having a fine sophomore season, doing his part in a top-line role alongside center Sebastian Aho and right wing Martin Necas. The 20-year-old has six points (two goals, four assists) in a six-game point streak, tying the longest streak by any Hurricanes player this season (Necas, four goals, six assists; Oct. 24-Nov. 4). Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov has done his part due to the injury to Frederik Andersen (lower body) and is 5-1-4 with a 2.44 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 10 games (nine starts)." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

7. Dallas Stars (15-7-5)

Total points: 125
Last week: No. 8
"Robertson's point streak ended when the Stars lost to the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, but let's appreciate what the 23-year-old did over the previous 18 games. The forward had 34 points (21 goals, 13 assists) from Oct. 27-Dec. 4, leading the Stars to a 10-4-4 record in that span. He's a huge reason Dallas is a top 10 team. He's second in the NHL with 23 goals, one behind Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, and ranks third in points with 41, 11 behind McDavid and three behind Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl. No one else on the Stars has more than 11 goals." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

8. Seattle Kraken (15-7-3)

Total points: 113
Last week: No. 6
"I think it's time for all of us to admit that the Kraken are for real. I'm still not entirely sure that the goaltending will hold up, with Philipp Grubauer struggling and Martin Jones having to carry the load, but that's a problem for a different day. For now, the Kraken are fifth in the NHL in goals per game, averaging 3.60. They're led by new addition Andre Burakovsky (26 points), coming off a Stanley Cup run with the Avalanche, Jordan Eberle (22 points) and rookie Matty Beniers (21 points). I'll admit that I was wrong at the start of the season on the Kraken, but I've definitely come around." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

9. Tampa Bay Lightning (16-9-1)

Total points: 96
Last week: No. 11
"Leadership is what strikes me with the Lightning, and it goes from top to bottom. Steven Stamkos is the epitome of a team captain. The forward recently hit some impressive milestones (500 assists, 1,000 points) and he's on the verge of 500 goals. The Lightning had a slow start by their standards, but it was predictable because of their last three playoffs runs. It's only a matter of time before they'll get into full gear with the leadership core (and the talent group, of course) they have."-- Robert Laflamme, LNH.com senior writer

10. Pittsburgh Penguins (14-8-4)

Total points: 91
Last week: No. 12
"The Penguins' turnaround during the past month has been pretty remarkable. For an ordinary team, a seven-game losing streak like the one they had between Oct. 24-Nov. 5 could derail a season in a hurry, especially considering most of those losses were not even close. But this veteran group isn't just any team. They have gone 10-2-2 since, their 22 points in that span trailing only the red-hot Devils (23). What made the biggest difference? Their penalty killing. Ranked 26th at just 73.2 percent during the first month of the season, it has been superb since Nov. 9, clicking at 90.2 percent, best in the NHL by a wide margin. Tristan Jarry has also looked great lately, going 7-0-2 in his past nine starts with a 2.20 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and one shutout."-- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

11. Colorado Avalanche (13-10-1)

Total points: 80
Last week: No. 7
"The Avalanche are hanging in, but their biggest challenge is now in front of them. Can they win without Nathan MacKinnon too? MacKinnon, Colorado's leading scorer with 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists), is out four weeks with an upper-body injury. It's the biggest blow the Avalanche have taken in a season that keeps delivering punches to the face. MacKinnon, a center, joins forwards Valeri Nichushkin,
Gabriel Landeskog
, Artturi Lehkonen, Evan Rodrigues and Darren Helm, along with defensemen Josh Manson and Bowen Byram on the injured list. We can talk all day about how the Avalanche have that Stanley Cup championship pedigree, but how much is too much? We're going to find out. For now, I have them No. 10 in my Super 16. If they can stay in the playoff race until the injured players return, and not sustain any more along the way, they'll be right back in my top five."-- Dan Rosen, senior writer

12. Detroit Red Wings (13-8-5)

Total points: 63
Last week: No. 13
"Have we reached the point 26 games into the Red Wings season that we should be taking them seriously and thinking that they are a legit playoff contender? I think so. So much starts with goaltending, and Ville Husso has been everything the Red Wings were hoping for in a No. 1. He's 11-4-3 with a 2.54 GAA, .916 save percentage and three shutouts. Those are numbers that can help a team get to the playoffs. The veteran players in Detroit, such as forwards Dylan Larkin, David Perron and Andrew Copp, and defensemen Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta, have insulated the younger players, making the Red Wings are deeper and more dangerous team. I have the Red Wings at No. 12, and that's not just because they're third in the Atlantic Division. I think they're legit." -- Rosen

13. New York Islanders (16-11-0)

Total points: 59
Last week: No. 10
"The Islanders are creating more offense this season under new coach Lane Lambert, but they will only go as far as their goaltending. Ilya Sorokin is making a case to be a Vezina Trophy candidate, and Semyon Varlamov showed just how formidable the tandem is in New York's 3-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Even when the offense is stagnant, the Islanders will still have chances to win games because of those two."-- Brian Compton, managing editor

14. Minnesota Wild (13-10-2)

Total points: 38
Last week: Unranked
"The Wild are starting to look more like the team that finished second in the Central Division last season. One of the biggest reasons is forward Kirill Kaprizov looking like a dynamic superstar again, with points in 13 straight games (20 points; nine goals, 11 assists), the longest in Wild history. They're healthy, with Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway back in the lineup after each missed time because of injury. And forward Ryan Reaves has provided an energy boost since being acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on Nov. 23. Minnesota also has been better defensively, allowing 2.85 goals per game in their past 13 after giving up 3.42 in their first 12. It was a bit of an up-and-down start for the Wild, but now they've seemed to have found the right level to their game. If they can stay consistent, there's going to be a lot to like about the Wild moving forward." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

15. Los Angeles Kings (14-11-4)

Total points: 19
Last week: No. 14
"The Kings haven't found the consistency in their play that helped them qualify for the playoffs last season for the first time since 2018. But they have found ways to get points, going 3-2-2 in their past seven games, to stay in a playoff position in the Western Conference. Perhaps the best example of this was their 9-8 overtime loss to the Kraken on Nov. 29. They fell behind five times and battled back each time to tie the score before losing in overtime. But that game also highlighted some of Los Angeles' issues, including goaltending, and led to
Cal Petersen
, who allowed four goals on 16 shots in relief, being put through waivers and sent to Ontario of the American Hockey League. Still, there's a lot to like about the Kings, including their scoring depth with 10 players with at least 16 points, including Kevin Fiala with a team-high 30 (nine goals, 21 assists). -- Gulitti

16. Nashville Predators (12-10-2)

Total points: 15
Last week: Unranked
"I wasn't going to rank the Predators at first glance. I initially had the Calgary Flames in at No. 16. To be honest, when you get down to this point in the Super 16, all the teams you're debating have their pros and cons and they're usually about even. But the Predators, like the Flames, are a team that I expected better from earlier in the season. They might be delivering on that potential now. Three straight wins, including a 4-3 overtime thriller against the Devils at Prudential Center last week, have me believing the Predators are in the process of straightening out their season. I'm not near as sold on the Flames, which is why I put the Predators in this spot. They also defeated the Islanders 4-1 at UBS Arena. They're 7-2-1 since Nov. 12, and goalie Juuse Saros looks like he's got his game back (6-1-1, 2.57 GAA and .920 save percentage in his past eight games) after a tough start (3-6-1, 3.46 GAA, .892 save percentage)."-- Rosen
Others receiving points: Edmonton Oilers 14, New York Rangers 14, St. Louis Blues 4, Florida Panthers 2
Dropped out:Oilers (No. 15), Blues (No. 16)

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Seattle Kraken; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. New York Islanders; 13. Detroit Red Wings; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Nashville Predators; 16. Los Angeles Kings
BRIAN COMPTON
1. New Jersey Devils; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Toronto Maple Leafs; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Seattle Kraken; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. Detroit Red Wings; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Colorado Avalanche; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Nashville Predators
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Seattle Kraken; 7. Carolina Hurricanes; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Detroit Red Wings; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. New York Islanders; 13. Colorado Avalanche; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Nashville Predators
TOM GULITTI
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Carolina Hurricanes; 8. Seattle Kraken; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Detroit Red Wings; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Nashville Predators
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Seattle Kraken; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. New York Rangers; 14. Detroit Red Wings; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Nashville Predators
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Seattle Kraken; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Detroit Red Wings; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Edmonton Oilers
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. New York Rangers; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Seattle Kraken; 16. Los Angeles Kings
TRACEY MYERS
1. New Jersey Devils; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Seattle Kraken; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Detroit Red Wings; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. New York Rangers
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Winnipeg Jets; 11. Seattle Kraken; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Minnesota Wild
DAN ROSEN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Toronto Maple Leafs; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Colorado Avalanche; 11. Seattle Kraken; 12. Detroit Red Wings; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Nashville Predators
DAVID SATRIANO
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Toronto Maple Leafs; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Seattle Kraken; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Detroit Red Wings; 13. Colorado Avalanche; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Nashville Predators
PAUL STRIZHEVSKY
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Seattle Kraken; 8. Tampa Bay Lightning; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Detroit Red Wings; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. Colorado Avalanche; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Nashville Predators; 16. Los Angeles Kings
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Boston Bruins; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Seattle Kraken; 10. Detroit Red Wings; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. Colorado Avalanche; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. New York Rangers; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Minnesota Wild