Super 16: Bruins take No. 1 spot; Golden Knights drop in rankings

The holiday season is in the rearview, and the NHL is approaching the halfway point in the season, with all teams having played between 33 and 39 games.

It's as good a time as any to take stock of where things stand, which is exactly what this week's Super 16 power rankings are all about.

Why are the Boston Bruins in that No. 1 spot? Why have the Vegas Golden Knights dropped? What is going right for the Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers?

There are several reasons the teams below appear in the Super 16 this week and are ranked where they are. Read on to find out some of those reasons.

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 very merry post-holiday break Super 16.

1. Boston Bruins (23-7-6)

Total points: 205
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 3

"Things are looking up for the Bruins as they enter 2024 -- not that they were ever looking all that down. The Bruins are on a four-game winning streak since the holiday break, something they haven't accomplished since a six-game winning streak in October. There are hopeful signs from a few players that haven't quite measured up to expectations, including Jake DeBrusk, who has points in four straight games (six points; two goals, four assists), and Kevin Shattenkirk, who has three goals in his past three games. This is a team built on defense and goaltending from Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, both of which remain solid but could use some help from a few underperforming forwards. If that happens, one of the top teams in hockey could only get better." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

2. New York Rangers (25-10-1)

Total points: 184
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 1

"A 6-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at home Tuesday is a tough pill to swallow, but that can't cloud all the good the Rangers have showcased this season. They have lost two games in a row once, proving their ability to self-correct. They have won at least three games in a row five times, including a season-high six-game winning streak from Oct. 21-Nov. 2. That ended with a 5-4 shootout loss at the Minnesota Wild. A four-game winning streak followed. The Rangers are hard to play against on most nights, relentless in their attack, and their power play is top notch (30.1 percent). It all looks good right now, but that loss to Carolina can't be a sign of things to come. It's time to self-correct again with Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks coming into Madison Square Garden on Thursday." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

3. Vancouver Canucks (24-10-3)

Total points: 183
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 5

"The Canucks were expected to improve from last season, but few had predicted them to be challenging for first place in the Western Conference. Vancouver is getting major contributions from its top players, such as defensemen Quinn Hughes, forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, and goalie Thatcher Demko, who are having career seasons. Steering the Canucks in the right direction is Rick Tocchet, an early candidate for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year. Through 36 games this season, the Canucks had improved by 14 points (23-10-3, 49 points). At that point last season, the Canucks were sixth in the Pacific (16-17-3, 35 points) and well out of a Stanley Cup Playoff spot. Tocchet was hired Jan. 22, 2023, to replace Bruce Boudreau and set about changing the culture of the team, which is paying off this season." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

4. Winnipeg Jets (23-9-4)

Total points: 166
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 8

"The Jets improved to 16-4-2 in their past 22 games with a 4-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. In their past 26 games, they have not allowed more than three goals, becoming the third team in the NHL's expansion era (since 1967-68) to do that, joining the Wild (35 games in 2014-15) and St. Louis Blues (27 games in 2011-12). And Connor Hellebuyck, who was named the Third Star for December after going 7-0-2 with a 1.88 goals-against average and .934 save percentage, made 32 saves Tuesday. All in all, the Jets have a nine-game point streak (7-0-2) and are clicking on all cylinders." -- David Satriano, staff writer

5. Colorado Avalanche (24-11-3)

Total points: 165
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 9

"We know who the Avalanche are. They are a team with incredible high-end talent at all three positions but with a worrisome lack of depth. It is a combination that has made them inconsistent at times, but their .671 points percentage is fifth in the NHL and makes them elite. Nathan MacKinnon, who has 61 points (20 goals, 41 assists) in 38 games, is having a season worthy of the Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL most valuable player. Cale Makar is among the top three defensemen in the League. No goalie has won more games than Alexandar Georgiev (20), but the Avalanche need to shore up their team defense and get more from their bottom six. There's a good chance coach Jared Bednar and general manager Chris MacFarland will figure out how to address these issues and make sure Colorado is a legitimate threat out of a loaded Western Conference." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

6. Florida Panthers (23-12-2)

Total points: 125
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 11

"The Panthers have outscored their opponents 19-9 during their five-game winning streak and will play the second of a pivotal four-game road trip at the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. Florida has been led offensively by Sam Reinhart with 45 points (24 goals, 21 assists) and Aleksander Barkov with 39 points (11 goals, 28 assists). The most impressive part of Florida's game to this point, however, has been its defense behind the play of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov, Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Sergei Bobrovsky has won four straight starts and is 17-9-1 with a 2.44 GAA and .912 save percentage in 28 games (all starts)." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

7. Vegas Golden Knights (22-11-5)

Total points: 124
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 2

"The defending Stanley Cup champs are clearly in a funk, the exclamation point being a 3-0 loss to the Seattle Kraken in the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Monday. They looked flat at points of the game. Still, they have the talent and experience to get out of this, and despite their current 1-5-0 stretch, they are still near the top of the Pacific Division. I have no doubt will turn things around quickly. The Golden Knights are too good for that not to happen." -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

8. Dallas Stars (22-10-4)

Total points: 121
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 6

"The Stars are 7-2-1 in their past 10 games, have 48 points and are third in the Central Division behind the Avalanche (51 points) and Jets (50). What's working? A whole lot. The Stars have an outstanding penalty kill (85.3 percent) and entered Wednesday tied with the Detroit Red Wings for fourth in the NHL with an average of 3.58 goals per game. Goalie Scott Wedgewood has had success in the absence of Jake Oettinger, who has been out since Dec. 15 with a lower-body injury. Wedgewood is 11-3-2 with a 3.01 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in 16 games (15 starts) this season. Outside of Oettinger, the Stars are otherwise healthy. They'll welcome him back when he returns, but between Wedgewood and a strong offense, the Stars are doing just fine." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

9. Los Angeles Kings (20-9-5)

Total points: 109
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 4

"The Kings have lost three in a row (0-2-1) but find themselves in a good place to start 2024. They have a firm hold on third in the Pacific Division while having played the second-fewest games in the NHL (34). Allowing an average of 2.35 goals per game, Los Angeles is the League's best defensive team and has the top penalty kill (87.0 percent). Cam Talbot (14-8-3 with a 2.10 GAA, a .925 save percentage and two shutouts) has been sensational and is on track to produce a career season at age 36. The Kings have been crushing it away from home (13-2-1), including setting the NHL record for most consecutive road wins to start the season (11). After a few years of roster tweaks, it looks like their partial rebuild has worked and put them back in contention." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

10. Carolina Hurricanes (21-13-4)

Total points: 103
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 14

"The Hurricanes made a bit of a statement with the victory against the Rangers on Tuesday. Carolina has been inconsistent this season but has won four in a row and is 7-1-3 in its past 11. Sebastian Aho continues to drive the offense with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) during a five-game point streak. Andrei Svechnikov had a slow start after recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL last season but is coming on with 11 points (six goals, five assists) during a five-game point streak, including five goals in the past three games. With Pyotr Kochetkov finding his groove (6-1-2, 1.86 GAA, .934 save percentage in his past nine starts), the Hurricanes have looked more like the team many expected to contend for the Stanley Cup." -- Tom Gulitti, Staff Writer

11. Toronto Maple Leafs (19-10-7)

Total points: 75
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 7

"NHL All-Star Weekend is in Toronto on Feb. 1-3. How many representatives will be there from the hometown team? Auston Matthews leads the NHL with 30 goals. William Nylander leads the Maple Leafs with 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists). Mitch Marner and John Tavares -- each born and raised in the Toronto area -- are producing offensively, too, and Morgan Rielly leads the Maple Leafs on defense. As usual, Toronto is relying on its top players and offensive game but needs more depth, defense and better goaltending." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

12. Edmonton Oilers (19-15-1)

Total points: 41
Dec. 21 ranking: Unranked

"The Oilers are heading toward where they were expected to be this season. A new coach, and more importantly, a healthy Connor McDavid have them moving up the Western Conference standings after bottoming out 12 games into the season, when they were 2-9-1 and tied with the San Jose Sharks for last in the NHL. McDavid missed two games with an upper-body injury during that stretch and wasn't his dominant self early in his return. He's back to being the premier offensive player in the League and became the fifth-fastest player to reach 900 points when he had five (one goal, four assists) in his 602nd game, a 5-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. McDavid went from 131st in the scoring race to third in 22 games and has sparked Edmonton on its current six-game winning streak. The Oilers are 16-6-0 since coach Kris Knoblauch took over for Jay Woodcroft and an NHL-best 14-3-0 since Nov. 24." -- Van Diest

13. New York Islanders (17-10-10)

Total points: 40
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 12

"It is imperative that Semyon Varlamov isn't out for the long term after leaving the 5-4 overtime loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury. Yes, Ilya Sorokin is a top-tier No. 1 goalie in the NHL, but it is unfair to ask him to start night after night, especially with a second half of the season still to play. Already without two of its top three defensemen in Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, New York can't afford to have the injury bug to spread to its goaltending, too." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

14. Philadelphia Flyers (19-13-5)

Total points: 39
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 10

"There are two reasons the Flyers have surged into contention for a playoff spot: strong goaltending and a relentless work ethic. The goaltending looks like it's sustainable. Carter Hart has emerged as a top-10 goalie in the NHL, and backup Samuel Ersson, who has a .926 save percentage in 13 games since Nov. 3, was outstanding last month while Hart was dealing with an illness. The work ethic part needs to be elevated on the offensive side. The Flyers have been strong scoring off the rush, but when those openings haven't been available, they have struggled to get a consistent forecheck going. That has led to Philadelphia not getting enough bodies and pucks to the net in the offensive zone, which has meant too many clean looks for goalies and not enough rebounds and havoc at the front of the net. Coach John Tortorella has talked often about how the way his team can take another step forward is to be able to score consistently in different ways. Putting in the extra effort it takes to get bodies and pucks to the front of the net is something that will be emphasized as the season goes on." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

15. Nashville Predators (21-16-1)

Total points: 34
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 13

"Growing pains under new coach Andrew Brunette set the Predators back in the first month of the season. They were 5-10-0 after losing 3-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 14, their fourth straight loss and sixth in seven games. They were scoring 2.93 goals per game and allowing 3.47, and their penalty kill was at 70.0 percent. But they strung together six straight wins after that, gained some confidence and now look like a team that has it figured out under Brunette. The Predators are 16-6-1 since that loss to Anaheim. In those 23 games, they've scored 3.17 goals per game and allowed 2.78, and the PK has been at 82.4 percent. Best yet, Juuse Saros has his game in order. He is 12-4-1 in his past 17 starts with a 2.66 GAA and .913 save percentage. Saros was 4-9-0 with a 3.23 GAA and .892 save percentage in his first 13 starts." -- Rosen

16. Washington Capitals (18-12-6)

Total points: 23
Dec. 21 ranking: No. 15

"The Capitals have surprised some by being in the thick of the playoff hunt through the first three months of the season after not qualifying for the postseason last season for the first time since 2014. That Washington has done it despite struggling to score consistently also has been surprising. The Capitals' success has been rooted in their commitment to team defense and the goaltending of Charlie Lindgren, Darcy Kuemper and Hunter Shepard, but they will probably need to begin producing more offensively to sustain it and qualify for the playoffs. Their 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday was their first time in nine games scoring more than two goals during regulation play. Washington ranks 30th in the NHL with an average of 2.36 goals per game." -- Gulitti

Others receiving points: Seattle Kraken 14, New Jersey Devils 7, Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Arizona Coyotes 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
Dropped out from Dec. 21: Devils (No. 16)

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. 3 Vancouver Canucks against the No. 2 New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, SN).

This will be the third of the Canucks' season-high seven-game road trip that starts in St. Louis on Thursday and continues in New Jersey on Saturday before this stop in New York. Vancouver is 10-6-2 on the road this season. The Rangers will be coming off a game at the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday after playing the Blackhawks on Thursday. They won 4-3 in overtime in Vancouver on Oct. 28 on a goal by defenseman K'Andre Miller.

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED ’EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

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

BRIAN COMPTON

1. Boston Bruins; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. New York Rangers; 4. Vancouver Canucks; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Vegas Golden Knights; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Washington Capitals; 15. Arizona Coyotes; 16. Philadelphia Flyers

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

1. Boston Bruins; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Vancouver Canucks; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Florida Panthers; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Nashville Predators

TOM GULITTI

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

ADAM KIMELMAN

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

MIKE G. MORREALE

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

TRACEY MYERS

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

BILL PRICE

1. Boston Bruins; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Florida Panthers; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Toronto Maple Leafs; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Seattle Kraken; 15. Nashville Predators; 16. Washington Capitals

SHAWN P. ROARKE

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

DAN ROSEN

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

DAVID SATRIANO

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

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

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

DEREK VAN DIEST

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