Super 16: Bruins reclaim No. 1; Lightning enter power rankings 

The festivities in Toronto begin in a week, when 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend kicks off with a special Thursday night.

There will be 44 players in Toronto who will represent their teams all weekend and compete in the 2024 Honda (U.S.)/Rogers (Canada) NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Arena on Feb. 3.

But could there have been 16 more from the top teams in the League this season?

Absolutely.

It won't happen because the number is 44 players, but included in the NHL.com Super 16, which is below, is one All-Star candidate from almost all the teams in the power rankings this week who did not get the call from the NHL to go to Toronto next week but easily could have.

Why almost? Well, read on to find out.

Who are the candidates? Well, read on to find out.

As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the voters put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like and a point total is assigned to each, with the team selected first given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on.

Here is the maybe, should be, and possibly could be All-Stars edition of the Super 16.

1. Boston Bruins (30-9-9)

Total points: 200
Last week: No. 3

"I'm sticking with Charlie Coyle. With the Bruins already sending David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman (and coach Jim Montgomery) to the All-Star Game, I think Coyle is equally deserving. The center has helped negate the losses of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci and is on pace for a new NHL career-high 68 points. I'd give him the nod as much for what he's done for the Bruins, solidifying his position as their No. 1 center, as his offensive production." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

2. Vancouver Canucks (32-11-5)

Total points: 191
Last week: No. 2

"The answer is nobody if we're being fair. The Canucks already have five players going to All-Star Weekend: goalie Thatcher Demko, defenseman Quinn Hughes, and forwards Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller. But Filip Hronek deserves a spot too. He was never going to get it because the five already going all deserve to be there, but Hughes' defense partner, is having a big season. Hronek has 37 points (three goals, 34 assists) and is plus-34 in 48 games, averaging 23:32 of ice time per game. Though he has Hughes on his opposite side, he's not being carried by the Canucks captain. They play well together, which is why it's working for both." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

3. Winnipeg Jets (30-11-5)

Total points: 183
Last week: No. 1

"With 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 41 games, Mark Scheifele could have been selected for the All-Star Game, but he's injured. Kyle Connor would have been my next choice, but the forward was recently added as an injury replacement, and for good reason. That leaves defenseman Josh Morrissey(he left the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday with a lower-body injury), who may not be the flashiest player but is a huge reason the Jets rank first in goals-against per game (2.26)." -- David Satriano, staff writer

4. Colorado Avalanche (31-14-3)

Total points: 165
Last week: No. 4

"At some point, Devon Toews has to get credit for how good he is. He plays in the shadow of Cale Makar, so he gets overlooked. He shouldn't. Being a part of an All-Star Game would alleviate the problem slightly. Toews would be a No. 1 on many teams in the NHL. He plays more than 24 minutes per game and has 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 48 games. This isn't a charity nomination; Toews deserves to go, and hopefully his day is coming soon." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

5. Edmonton Oilers (28-15-1)

Total points: 147
Last week: No. 8

"Evan Bouchard has made enormous strides since taking over the point on the power play and partnering with veteran Mattias Ekholm on defense. He's having a breakout season and would be an All-Star candidate were he not teammates with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The two perennial All-Stars leave little room for other Oilers to be voted on to the team, but Bouchard is a player who deserved consideration and will likely be involved in the event before his career is over. He is one point away from his NHL career high of 43 set in 2021-22, with just under half a season to play. Bouchard is among one of the top scoring defensemen in the League and will continue to get better under the tutelage of assistant coach and Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

6. Dallas Stars (29-13-6)

Total points: 144
Last week: No. 7

"I recently went with Jason Robertson as one who should be in the All-Star Game. This time I'm going with Roope Hintz. Seriously, do yourself a favor if you don't watch many Stars games, start doing so and focus on this guy. The 27-year-old center has 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists), second behind Robertson (49 points; 16 goals, 33 assists). Hintz is a tremendous skater with great hands to complement that speed. He's been one of the Stars' best players for several seasons now and absolutely would have been worth an All-Star selection. Maybe next year." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

7. Florida Panthers (29-14-4)

Total points: 139
Last week: No. 6

"Who wouldn't enjoy seeing Matthew Tkachuk reunited with his brother, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, at the All-Star Game? In addition to providing offense, Matthew Tkachuk also plays a tough game that fans respect and enjoy and he'll no doubt look to throw a few love taps along the boards if given the opportunity. He had seven points (four goals, three assists) for the champion Atlantic Division and was named most valuable player at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. In the season when the family patriarch and retired NHL forward Keith Tkachuk was inducted into the St. Louis Blues Hall of Fame, what better way to honor the hard-nosed father and sons by having the brothers again skate together at the All-Star event?" -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

8. New York Rangers (29-15-3)

Total points: 112
Last week: No. 5

"With forward Vincent Trocheck and goalie Igor Shesterkin already in the All-Star Game, and Artemi Panarin not going because his wife is expecting their second child, the next Rangers player for me is Mika Zibanejad. Watching him in the 3-on-3 format with some of the greatest players in the NHL would be an absolute thrill." -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

9. Vegas Golden Knights (28-14-6)

Total points: 108
Last week: No. 10

"As of now, the defending Stanley Cup champions do not have anybody going to All-Star Weekend. Jack Eichel had to pull out of the event because of an upper-body injury. He and Chicago Blackhawks rookie forward Connor Bedard (broken jaw) were replaced by Trocheck (Rangers) and Connor (Jets). If the Golden Knights do get a chance to send someone to Toronto it should be captain Mark Stone. He leads them with 49 points (15 goals, 34 assists) in 48 games and does everything. He played the All-Star Game two years ago in Las Vegas and would be the next deserving injury replacement player." -- Rosen

10. Carolina Hurricanes (27-15-5)

Total points: 94
Last week: No. 9

"Though Jaccob Slavin is often overlooked among the League's top defensemen because he doesn't put up big offensive numbers, he was selected for the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis and could have been picked again this season because of his overall play. Slavin has 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) in 47 games, including two short-handed goals, and his plus-345 shot attempts differential at 5-on-5 leads the NHL despite often being matched against opponents' top lines." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

11. Tampa Bay Lightning (26-18-5)

Total points: 63
Last week: Unranked

"There's nobody close on the Lightning to being as deserving as forward Nikita Kucherov, who leads the NHL with 83 points (32 goals, 51 assists) and already is going to All-Star Weekend. Victor Hedman, though, remains one of the most valuable defensemen to his team and would be a decorated choice as a second Lightning player to go. He likely won't get that chance, but has the stat line to back it up with 47 points (nine goals, 38 assists) in 47 games while averaging nearly 25 minutes per game. Tampa Bay has come on of late, going 7-1-0 in its past eight games, and Hedman has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past six. He's still the ultimate workhorse defenseman at 33 years old." -- Rosen

12. Philadelphia Flyers (25-18-6)

Total points: 59
Last week: No. 11

"Travis Konecny will get the chance to represent the Flyers at All-Star Weekend, but the key to their return to Stanley Cup Playoff contention has been the reemergence of center Sean Couturier after missing nearly two full seasons recovering from two surgeries on his back. The 31-year-old has 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 45 games, leads Philadelphia forwards with an average ice time of 20:02 per game, has won 52.5 percent of his face-offs and is on the ice in every important situation. Despite all the time he missed, Couturier looks pretty close to the player he was before his back issues, when he scored 30 goals in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and won the 2020 Selke Trophy voted as the best defensive forward in the NHL. Couturier will get some well-deserved time off during the All-Star break, but it would be a pretty easy argument to make that he should be with the other stars of the League in Toronto. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

13. Toronto Maple Leafs (24-14-8)

Total points: 57
Last week: No. 12

"Why isn't John Tavares an All-Star this season? Well, for starters, the Maple Leafs already have four players (Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly) who are set to represent the host city. Tavares' case also loses some luster considering he doesn't have a point in nine straight games, but he was effective (34 points; 12 goals, 22 assists in 37 games) prior to this drought. He'll still be heavily relied upon in the second half of the season while Toronto battles for playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

14. Los Angeles Kings (22-14-9)

Total points: 41
Last week: No. 13

"There is no point in sugarcoating it: The Kings are having a tough January, and it affected their representation at All-Star Weekend. Goalie Cam Talbot is the only player going to Toronto, and that seems fair. Had the Kings managed to stay on par with their 20-7-4 start, Anze Kopitar would have been a perfect feel-good addition, but the production of the 36-year-old captain has been reflective of his team's success, or lack thereof." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

15. Detroit Red Wings (25-18-5)

Total points: 33
Last week: No. 14

"Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings in goals (20) and points (44). With 24 assists, he is tied with Alex DeBrincat, Detroit's All-Star representative, and Lucas Raymond for second, one behind Shayne Gostisbehere's 25. That's despite the fact he has missed six games because of injuries. The captain has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) on a 10-game point streak. If the selections were made today, he'd be going to the All-Star Game for the fourth time." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

16. New Jersey Devils (24-19-3)

Total points: 23
Last week: No. 16

"If center Jack Hughes (upper body) can't play during All-Star Weekend, and the Devils aren't ready to give a thumbs up or down on that, Jesper Bratt should get the call from the NHL to replace him. Bratt leads the Devils with 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists) in 46 games. Fine, he leads the Devils because Hughes, who has 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists), has missed 14 games, including nine in a row. So what? If you watched the Devils' wild 6-5 overtime win against the Golden Knights on Monday, you saw why Bratt is so important to them. He was everywhere and seemingly always had the puck, especially in overtime, when he was dominant. That's how Bratt is with or without Hughes in the lineup. Hughes will go to Toronto and that might be good enough for team representation whether he plays or doesn't. That might stop Bratt from getting the chance and that's fine, but he would have earned it if he gets it." -- Rosen

Others receiving points: Nashville Predators 8, Arizona Coyotes 1

Dropped out: Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 15)

New Amsterdam Game of the Week

Each week, NHL.com will highlight one game that features two teams in the Super 16. This week, it's the No. 8 Rangers hosting the No. 9 Golden Knights at Madison Square Garden on Friday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN).

It wasn't long ago that the Rangers and Golden Knights were battling to be No. 1 in the Super 16. Both have fallen back with inconsistent play, which only makes this game at the Garden that much more important. The Rangers are home after winning one of four games on a Western road trip (1-2-1). They could have closed it out with a win at the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday but couldn't hold a 2-0 lead in the third period and lost 3-2 in overtime. The Golden Knights got goalie Adin Hill back after he missed 22 of 23 games with a lower-body injury and hung on to defeat the New York Islanders 3-2 at UBS Arena on Tuesday. That came after the loss in New Jersey on Monday, which was followed by coach Bruce Cassidy ripping into the team for being "careless, disrespectful to the game." It's a national TV game in the United States and two teams that should be Stanley Cup contenders. They're in the middle of the Super 16 this week, but both could play their way back up to the top soon enough. -- Rosen

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Florida Panthers; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Detroit Red Wings; 16. Tampa Bay Lightning

BRIAN COMPTON

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Florida Panthers; 6. Edmonton Oilers; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Detroit Red Wings; 16. New Jersey Devils

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Tampa Bay Lightning; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Detroit Red Wings

TOM GULITTI

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Detroit Red Wings

ADAM KIMELMAN

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Philadelphia Flyers; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Nashville Predators; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Detroit Red Wings

MIKE G. MORREALE

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Carolina Hurricanes; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Detroit Red Wings; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Toronto Maple Leafs; 16. New Jersey Devils

TRACEY MYERS

1. Vancouver Canucks; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Florida Panthers; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Detroit Red Wings; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. New Jersey Devils

BILL PRICE

1. Edmonton Oilers; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Florida Panthers; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Detroit Red Wings; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Nashville Predators

SHAWN P. ROARKE

1. Edmonton Oilers; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Philadelphia Flyers; 11. New Jersey Devils; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Detroit Red Wings

DAN ROSEN

1. Edmonton Oilers; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Florida Panthers; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Detroit Red Wings; 12. New York Rangers; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Arizona Coyotes

DAVID SATRIANO

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. Edmonton Oilers; 4. Vancouver Canucks; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Florida Panthers; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Detroit Red Wings; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Toronto Maple Leafs; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. New Jersey Devils

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Florida Panthers; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Tampa Bay Lightning; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Detroit Red Wings

DEREK VAN DIEST

1. Vancouver Canucks; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Toronto Maple Leafs; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Detroit Red Wings; 16. New Jersey Devils