Super 16: Jets get top spot, Christmas cheer from Hellebuyck, Connor

The holiday season should be festive, cheerful, merry and bright. For many teams in the NHL, that's exactly what it is during this holiday break, which ends Friday. For some, they're just trying to clear out the lumps of coal they found in their stockings before returning to the ice.

But this is the Super 16. It separates the festive from the gloomy every week. And this week, each of the 16 teams ranked has at least some reason to be festive. Some more than others, of course, but there's a reason to be happy at the holiday break for all 16 teams.

Read on to find out what that is, why each of the 16 teams ranked below should have had a very merry Christmas and have reason to hope for a happy new year.

As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the 14 voters this week 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 holiday cheer edition of the Super 16:

1. Winnipeg Jets (25-10-1)

Total points: 210
Last week: No. 3

"It should be a whiteout Christmas in Winnipeg. The little lights should be twinkling. It should be bright and festive and fun, and, well, yeah, cold too. But the Jets have brought the heat this season, enough to warm up the fanbase and the city, more than enough to bring the holiday cheer with the way they've played through 36 games. They had a recent blip, but they're back and playing well. The Jets should be thankful for chemistry and continuity. The majority of players in Winnipeg have been together for several seasons so there's a special bond among them. The Jets should be thankful for forwards Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. There are seven players in the NHL with at least 20 goals; Scheifele and Connor are two of them, each with 21. The Jets should be thankful for goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who like Connor will represent the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Hellebuyck has been the best goalie in the League this season, leading with 22 wins, a 2.07 goals-against average and .927 save percentage (minimum 10 games). There are many other reasons for the Jets to be festive, but those are enough to bring all the holiday cheer anyone could want or need." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

2. Vegas Golden Knights (23-8-3)

Total points: 209
Last week: No. 4

"It's the most wonderful time of the year for the Golden Knights, who entered the holiday break with the best points percentage (.721) in the NHL. Vegas has won four in a row and eight of its past nine (8-1-0). With a 3-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday, Bruce Cassidy reached 119 wins with the Golden Knights, passing Gerard Gallant for the most in Vegas history." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

3. Washington Capitals (23-9-2)

Total points: 198
Last week: No. 2

"There's plenty for the Capitals to be cheerful about these holidays. Even with a 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday in its final game before the break, Washington has the best points percentage (.706) in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals have more than survived while Alex Ovechkin has been sidelined with a fractured left fibula, going 10-5-1 in 16 games, and he'll potentially be back for their first game after the break, at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday." -- Tom Gulitti, senior writer

4. New Jersey Devils (23-11-3)

Total points: 180
Last week: No. 5

"New Jersey sits first in the Metropolitan Division after 37 games and that's certainly reason enough to give the organization and its fans plenty of holiday cheer at this point. The Devils are tied for fourth in the NHL in goals (124) and sixth in goals allowed (91), they rank second in power play percentage (31.2 percent) and seventh in penalty-killing percentage (82.5 percent). Six players have at least 20 points and five at least 10 goals. Additionally, goalie Jacob Markstrom already has three shutouts this season and is on a nine-game point streak (8-0-1)." -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

5. Florida Panthers (22-12-2)

Total points: 161
Last week: No. 6

"The Panthers have so much for which to thankful this holiday season. They have a shiny Stanley Cup under the tree and sparkly championship rings on their fingers. They should be extra thankful for their leadership core, on and off the ice. Aleksander Barkov has grown into the consummate captain, setting the tone for how the Panthers need to play. Coach Paul Maurice is the architect of the X's and O's, but just as importantly for navigating them through the peaks and valleys of the past 2 1/2 years. And let's not forget Bill Zito, the general manager who has acquired players that perfectly fit the winning system in place." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

6. Minnesota Wild (21-10-4)

Total points: 152
Last week: No. 1

"The Wild got a bit of an early holiday gift when defenseman Brock Faber barely missed any time after being hit near his throat by a shot against the Florida Panthers on Dec. 18. Faber might not be the first defenseman that comes to mind when the best in the NHL at the position are discussed but there might not be one the Wild take ahead of the 22-year-old, who continues to impress with his skill, poise and smarts in his second full NHL season. Faber has 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 35 games, including the tie-breaking goal in the third period of the Wild's 4-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday to help end a season-long four-game losing streak. But the Wild don't just count on Faber's offensive contributions. He has a plus-11 even-strength goal differential that's tied for third among NHL defensemen averaging at least 20:00 of even-strength ice time. He's averaging 25:04 of ice time per game, nearly three minutes more than any other Wild defenseman. That includes 2:23 on the power play and 1:54 on the penalty kill, showing the kind of level of trust he's already earned." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

7. Edmonton Oilers (21-11-2)

Total points: 140
Last week: No. 11

"The Oilers have plenty of reasons to be festive this holiday season, going into the break playing their best hockey. After a 2-4-0 start, Edmonton is back to playing the way it was expected after making it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season. The Oilers went into the holiday break on a 10-2-0 run. Connor McDavid has 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) during a nine-game point streak, and Leon Draisaitl has 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists), also during a nine-game point streak. Stuart Skinner is 5-2-0 with a 2.30 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in seven December games and Calvin Pickard is 3-0-0 with a 2.02 GAA and .919 save percentage in three games this month. With McDavid, Draisaitl and the goaltending coming around, the Oilers will be working on getting the other aspects of their game back on track in the second half of the season. For now, they can take comfort in having been one of the best teams in the NHL through December." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (21-12-2)

Total points: 116
Last week: No. 8

"Holiday cheer for the Maple Leafs comes in the form of their ability to win without forward Auston Matthews in the lineup. Toronto is 7-4 this season with Matthews (upper body) sidelined because of injury and 42-23-2 all-time under those circumstances. The Maple Leafs captain obviously is a key cog to the team, coming off a 2023-24 season in which he led the NHL in goals (69) en route to the Rocket Richard Trophy. Kudos to forwards Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares for stepping up in Matthews' absence. Having said that, any prolonged absence in the second half of the season by Matthews certainly will be a further test of the team's trend of playing well with him out." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

9. Carolina Hurricanes (21-12-1)

Total points: 114
Last week: No. 7

"There are plenty of reasons for the Hurricanes to be cheerful this holiday season, but the biggest is goalie Pyotr Kochetkov. The 25-year-old has been sensational this season, going 14-6-0 with a 2.43 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in 21 games. He's a big reason the Hurricanes are third in the Metropolitan Division." -- Bill Price, editor-in-chief

10. Los Angeles Kings (19-10-5)

Total points: 92
Last week: No. 9

"Hey Kings fans, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout over your team's two recent narrow losses (0-1-1) to close an exhausting seven-game road trip. I'm telling you why. … Where do I even begin? How about the Kings' suffocating defense that is allowing an average of just 24.6 shots on goal per game, best in the NHL, and just 2.56 goals per game, and doing all that without Drew Doughty, their legendary top defenseman, playing in a single game this season? Isn't defense what usually wins championships? How about the balanced offense with 14 players, including five defensemen, reaching double-digit points before the break? How about Anze Kopitar, who is leading Los Angeles in scoring and has already matched his age with 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists)? How many 37-year-olds around the League do you see also leading their team's forwards in average ice time (19:14)? Your captain and some guy named Sidney Crosby are the only two." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

11. Dallas Stars (20-13-0)

Total points: 78
Last week: No. 10

"For the Stars, their penalty kill definitely is a reason to be cheerful. Entering the Christmas break, Dallas' penalty kill is fifth in the NHL (85.0 percent) and has snuffed out the past 17 power plays it faced and scored one short-handed goal. The last time the Stars allowed a power-play goal was Dec. 6, when Vegas forward Jack Eichel scored one in the second period of their 3-2 win against the Stars. Special teams are always key, and the Stars are clicking on their kill." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

12. Colorado Avalanche (21-15-0)

Total points: 76
Last week: No. 14

"December has brought the required holiday cheer to the Avalanche and their faithful fans. It wasn't this festive or bright or merry in October and November. The Avalanche struggled through those months, going 13-12-0. They allowed 3.72 goals per game. They were 71.9 percent on the penalty kill. They had a ghastly minus-16 goal differential in the first period (37-21). But they've reversed it this month. They're 8-3-0 in December. They're allowing 2.45 goals per game. The penalty kill is 90.3 percent. They're even in the first period, eight goals for, eight against. Things are looking up in Denver. Happy holidays, indeed." -- Rosen

13. Tampa Bay Lightning (19-11-2)

Total points: 74
Last week: No. 12

"The Lightning got their first win this season against the Panthers just before Christmas. It's always a great gift when Tampa Bay is winning the Sunshine State rivalry. Offensively, Nikita Kucherov has 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists) in 30 games, putting him on pace for his fifth 100-point season. He's a special talent. In net, Andrei Vasilevskiy is playing like the Vasilevskiy of the good old days. Vasilevskiy has been healthy since the first day of the season, and you can see the difference." -- Jean-Francois Chaumont, journalist principal LNH.com

14. Boston Bruins (19-13-4)

Total points: 44
Last week: No. 15

"It's early yet, but the line of Brad Marchand, Elias Lindholm and Charlie Coyle is giving the Bruins some cheer this holiday season. They combined for six points (three goals, three assists) in a 4-1 win against the Capitals on Monday, with three points (one goal, two assists) coming from the rejuvenated Marchand, who now has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) during a 10-game point streak. They haven't been together long, but the defensively responsible, two-center line is giving the Bruins pep at a time that they need to string a few wins together. They have taken nine of 10 possible points in their past five games and are looking a whole lot more like the team we thought they would be." -- Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

15. Vancouver Canucks (17-10-7)

Total points: 32
Last week: No. 13

"Canucks fans should be caroling to the tune of, 'We wish Hughes a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,' because Quinn Hughes has been bringing plenty of holiday cheer. The defenseman and reigning Norris Trophy contender does it all. His 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) are 14 more than any of his teammates, he's the Vancouver all-time assist leader at his position and soon to be all-time points leader among defensemen; his 375 points are 34 behind Alexander Edler's 409. Hughes also rarely misses games and has turned around the culture of the team since becoming a full-time NHL player in 2019-20." -- David Satriano, staff writer

16. Ottawa Senators (18-14-2)

Total points: 15
Last week: NR

"Linus Ullmark and rising expectations are giving the Senators and their fans reason to believe in the holiday spirit and what 2025 could bring. Ullmark has been the best goalie in the NHL the past month, going 8-0-1 with a 1.48 GAA, .952 save percentage and two shutouts in 10 games since Nov. 27. Ullmark has given the Senators the saves they need to climb into a playoff position. He's given them confidence to believe that they can stay there. Ullmark has raised the expectations for the Senators this season. It should be playoffs or bust for Ottawa now." -- Rosen

Others receiving points: Utah Hockey Club 9, Calgary Flames 4

Dropped out from last week: Flames (No. 16)

Enterprise Team of the Week: The Avalanche have won three in a row, outscoring the San Jose Sharks (4-2), Anaheim Ducks (4-2) and Seattle Kraken (5-2) by a combined 13-6, to climb to No. 12 in the Super 16. Cale Makar (two goals, five assists) and Nathan MacKinnon (one goal, six assists) each had seven points in the three games leading into the holiday break. Joel Kiviranta scored five goals, two against the Sharks and a hat trick against the Kraken, including two empty-net goals. Mackenzie Blackwood was the winning goalie against San Jose and Seattle, allowing four goals on 53 shots. Scott Wedgewood won against the Ducks with 30 saves. The Avalanche are 8-3-0 this month, including 6-2-0 on the road. -- Rosen

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Florida Panthers; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Carolina Hurricanes; 8. Los Angeles Kings; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Boston Bruins; 14. Colorado Avalanche; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. Utah Hockey Club

JEAN-FRANCOIS CHAUMONT

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

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

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

TOM GULITTI

1. Vegas Golden Knights; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. Washington Capitals; 4. New Jersey Devils; 5. Florida Panthers; 6. Edmonton Oilers; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Colorado Avalanche; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. Utah Hockey Club

ADAM KIMELMAN

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Florida Panthers; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. New Jersey Devils; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Minnesota Wild; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Colorado Avalanche; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Carolina Hurricanes; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. Utah Hockey Club

MIKE G. MORREALE

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. New Jersey Devils; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Colorado Avalanche; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Boston Bruins; 15. Utah Hockey Club; 16. Ottawa Senators

TRACEY MYERS

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. New Jersey Devils; 3. Washington Capitals; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. Carolina Hurricanes; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Tampa Bay Lightning; 14. Vancouver Canucks; 15. Boston Bruins; 16. Utah Hockey Club

BILL PRICE

1. Washington Capitals; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Vancouver Canucks; 14. Colorado Avalanche; 15. Utah Hockey Club; 16. Ottawa Senators

SHAWN P. ROARKE

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

DAN ROSEN

1. Vegas Golden Knights; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Florida Panthers; 6. Edmonton Oilers; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Los Angeles Kings; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Colorado Avalanche; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Ottawa Senators; 16. Utah Hockey Club

DAVID SATRIANO

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

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

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

DEREK VAN DIEST

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Edmonton Oilers; 7. Florida Panthers; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Boston Bruins; 13. Tampa Bay Lightning; 14. Calgary Flames; 15. Vancouver Canucks; 16. Ottawa Senators

MIKE ZEISBERGER

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