Super 16: Reasons to be thankful for teams in power rankings

It's Thanksgiving in the United States, a time for family, friends, food, football and, come Friday, a whole lot more hockey. It's a time to be thankful for what we have, and in specific to sports, the players we admire and the teams we adore.

The Super 16 this week is all about what each ranked team should be thankful for at this time of the year.

It could be team chemistry or legendary players who are still going strong. It could be the impact players are making this season, a Stanley Cup championship that is still fresh in the hearts and minds, healthy players, stalwart defenses, elite goaltending and more.

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 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 Thanksgiving edition of the Super 16:

1. Winnipeg Jets (18-5-0)

Total points: 207
Last week: No. 1

The Jets ought to be thankful for the camaraderie and chemistry they have. They have been building together as a group for the past few seasons. So far this season 20 of the 23 players that have played in at least one game for the Jets also played for them last season. Defenseman Haydn Fleury and goalie Eric Comrie are new. Defenseman Ville Heinola played in Manitoba of the American Hockey League last season, but he previously played 35 games for the Jets from 2019-23. The Jets players have been through a lot together, including last year's successful regular season followed by a disappointing and quick (five games) exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They've grown together. There is a bond. It's a big part of their early-season success. The relationships they've formed will last. There's a deeper meaning to that than there is to any win or loss, but the relationships they've formed are helping them win a lot this season." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

2. Carolina Hurricanes (16-5-1)

Total points: 190
Last week: No. 2

It's Martin Necas. There's no other answer to this question. In a season that some assumed the Hurricanes would take a step back, they're the class of the NHL, led by the League's leading scorer in Necas. The 25-year-old has 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 22 games. He's on pace to shatter his NHL career high of 71 points (28 goals, 43 assists), set in 2022-23 in 82 games. The word all offseason was that that Hurricanes were shopping the forward, but eventually he signed a two-year, $13 million contract. Carolina should be more than a little thankful for how it has all played out -- for Necas and his breakout season and that he's doing it in Carolina. -- Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

3. Minnesota Wild (14-4-4)

Total points: 166
Last week: No. 4

The Wild should be thankful not only for the production they're receiving from Kirill Kaprizov, but also for his ability to quickly return from an injury that could have derailed their season. The star forward was involved in a knee-on-knee collision with Edmonton Oilers forward Drake Caggiula that kept Kaprizov out of a 4-3 shootout loss at the Calgary Flames last Saturday, but he was cleared to play in a 4-1 loss to the Jets on Monday. Kaprizov is among the League leaders in scoring, and Minnesota would have been in a lot of trouble had the injury been more severe. -- Brian Compton, managing editor

4. Vegas Golden Knights (14-6-3)

Total points: 159
Last week: No. 7

The Golden Knights should be very thankful for Jack Eichel's good health so far this season. The only element missing from his game has been durability -- in his first nine NHL seasons, he played more than 70 games twice, and his highest total in four seasons with Vegas is 67 games in 2022-23. So far Eichel has played all 23 of the Golden Knights' games and is producing at career-best levels. He leads Vegas with 34 points (eight goals, 26 assists), and his average of 1.48 points per game puts him on pace for 121 points, which would far surpass his previous high of 82 points in 2018-19 with the Buffalo Sabres. He's also helping in other areas on defense too. A healthy, productive Eichel is a major reason Vegas has settled into first place in the Pacific Division. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

5. New Jersey Devils (15-8-2)

Total points: 154
Last week: No. 9

The Devils should thank their lucky stars they have two healthy, capable goalies in Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. Each veteran has played an integral role in key victories this season, particularly in consecutive road wins against the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena earlier this month. Markstrom made 34 saves in a 4-1 win on Nov. 12, and Allen responded with 25 saves in a 6-2 win two days later. If New Jersey qualifies for the playoffs, it might look back on those victories as a turning point in the season. -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (13-7-2)

Total points: 140
Last week: No. 10

Despite being a local kid who grew up dreaming of playing for the Maple Leafs, Mitch Marner always seems to be the scapegoat every time Toronto falls short in the playoffs. This past offseason was no different with a vocal segment of Leafs Nation moaning for the forward to be traded. To blame one player (goaltenders being the exception) in a team sport is a ridiculous narrative. In the end, the fanbase should be thankful general manager Brad Treliving didn't listen to it. Before a 5-1 loss at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, Toronto was on a 7-1-0 run with captain Auston Matthews (upper body) out of the lineup. In that span, Marner, who scored the lone goal Wednesday, had 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and has flourished when the team has needed someone to step up. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

7. Washington Capitals (15-6-1)

Total points: 133
Last week: No. 5

There's plenty for the Capitals to be thankful this year, beginning with their emergence as one of the NHL's better teams this season. They are much deeper offensively with the additions of forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Taylor Raddysh, Brandon Duhaime and Jakub Vrana and defenseman Jakob Chychrun, along the continued progression of forwards Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas. It helped that Alex Ovechkin was leading the NHL with 15 goals in 18 games before he fractured his left fibula on Nov. 18. Washington is also thankful Ovechkin is only out 4-6 weeks and should be back chasing down Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record before we know it. Throw in an improved defense, bolstered by the additions of Chychrun and Matt Roy, and a solid goalie tandem of Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren, and the Capitals have a cornucopia of blessings to count at their Thanksgiving table. -- Tom Gulitti, senior writer

8. Dallas Stars (13-8-0)

Total points: 127
Last week: No. 8

If you're the Stars, you're thankful for your defense. The Stars are one of the stingiest teams out there, allowing 2.67 goals per game this season, sixth in the NHL (the Wild are first at 2.36 goals per game allowed). The Stars are still generating great offense but it's how they've stopped the puck from going in their own net that's been their strongest asset. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

9. Florida Panthers (13-9-1)

Total points: 106
Last week: No. 3

What do Panthers fans have to be thankful for? Try everything. Most importantly, they are the holders of the Stanley Cup, the thing each fan base craves more than anything. On top of that, they have a franchise icon in Aleksander Barkov playing in his prime, a late-blooming elite goal-scorer in Sam Reinhart, a Hall of Fame goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and Paul Maurice, perhaps the best coach in the land. Thanksgiving dinner may be done and dusted by the time the list in South Florida is finished. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

10. Tampa Bay Lightning (11-8-2)

Total points: 79
Last week: No. 11

The Lightning can be thankful for a lot of things. First, they are still playing hockey after the passage of Hurricane Milton this past October. On the hockey side, they can be thankful for the stability at the top of the pyramid with Julien BriseBois and Jon Cooper. BriseBois has been the general manager since September 2018 and Cooper the coach since March 2013. They both have great vision, and they are finding ways to build one of the greatest teams in the NHL year after year. In the salary cap era, it's not an easy task. -- Jean-Francois Chaumont, journalist principal LNH.com

11. New York Rangers (12-8-1)

Total points: 74
Last week: No. 6

There is no question the Rangers have to be thankful for goalies Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick. The Rangers have been struggling lately, and honestly, haven't looked like a Cup contender all season, but they still have a pretty good record mostly due to their goalies. Shesterkin and Quick have faced plenty of rubber this season -- opposing teams are averaging 33 shots against per game, the second most in the League. In fact, they had allowed at least 40 shots per game in each of their past three games before allowing 30 on Wednesday to the Hurricanes. But Shesterkin and Quick have done the best they could facing a nightly barrage, Quick especially. Before giving up six goals against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, Quick had allowed a total of four goals in his previous five starts. -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

12. Vancouver Canucks (11-7-3)

Total points: 57
Last week: No. 13

Quinn Hughes has been giving Canucks fans a reason to be thankful for the past six seasons. He's done it all on offense and defense and was a big reason behind their resurgence last session. The Canucks also should be thankful for Kevin Lankinen, who has filled in admirably for the injured Thatcher Demko, and is coming off a 32-save shutout against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. -- David Satriano, staff writer

13. Calgary Flames (12-7-4)

Total points: 56
Last week: No. 16

The Flames are having a much better season than anticipated and can be thankful for the job coach Ryan Huska and his staff are doing. In his second year as coach, Huska has the Flames second in the Pacific Division. Considered a "retool" season according to general manager Craig Conroy, Calgary has taken a number of opponents by surprise with Huska getting the most out of his roster. The Flames do not have a single player who is having an outstanding offensive season and are getting the job done by committee. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson and forward MacKenzie Weegar lead Calgary in scoring with 13 points each in 23 games The Flames are also getting strong goaltending from rookie Dustin Wolf, who is rewarding the faith Huska had in him this season. -- Van Diest

14. Colorado Avalanche (13-10-0)

Total points: 42
Last week: No. 14

Yes, the Avalanche are thankful for Nathan MacKinnon and his continued dominance, and the same for Cale Makar. But what about Mikko Rantanen? Doesn't it at times feel he's overlooked. We talk about MacKinnon and Makar, and then we talk about when is Gabriel Landeskog coming back, and is Alexandar Georgiev the answer in net. We don't talk nearly enough about Rantanen. How is that even possible? He leads the Avalanche with 14 goals and is second behind MacKinnon with 32 points. He is well over a point per game (1.09) for his career Rantanen makes MacKinnon better, and vice versa. They are an elite forward duo, but it seems like we're always focused on MacKinnon. So, on this holiday, let's be thankful for Rantanen. Oh, and to general manager Chris McFarland, sign this guy. He's a pending unrestricted free agent. Don't let him out of your grasp. -- Rosen

15. Edmonton Oilers (11-9-2)

Total points: 30
Last week: No. 15

The Oilers should be thankful Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have made them Stanley Cup contenders. The Edmonton forwards have developed into two of the best players in the NHL and turned the fortunes of the team. Edmonton had missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons from 2007 to 2016 before McDavid and Draisaitl helped the Oilers get back into the postseason in 2017. Edmonton has gone on to qualify for the playoffs the past five consecutive seasons with McDavid and Draisaitl. The Oilers made it to the Stanley Cup Final last season, losing in seven games to the Panthers and aspire to get back there this season and finish the job. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

16. Los Angeles Kings (12-8-3)

Total points: 29
Last week: No. 12

If the Kings as an organization and their fans aren't thankful for Anze Kopitar every time they see No. 11 skate on the ice then they're missing the boat. But that's not a problem in L.A. They are thankful for Kopitar. He is the most accomplished player in team history and he continues to be the Kings' best player. Kopitar leads the Kings this season with 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 23 games. He has three game-winning goals. He is a King through and through, the franchise leader in games played (1,396) and assists (812), second in points (1,238) and fourth in goals (426). Kopitar helped bring L.A. two Stanley Cup championships. His No. 11 will be retired by the franchise and he will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. For now, though, he's still just humming along as the Kings best player at 37 years old. -- Rosen

Others receiving points: Buffalo Sabres 19

Dropped out from last week: None

Enterprise Team of the Week: The Maple Leafs are moving up in the Super 16 despite not having Matthews in the lineup. Before a 5-1 loss at the Panthers on Wednesday, they were 7-1-0 without their captain, as Mike Zeisberger mentions in his blurb about the Maple Leafs. The Berube effect is in full effect in Toronto with coach Craig Berube implementing a style of play and a system that allows the Maple Leafs to play well defensively and still generate offense. That they outscored opponents 25-13 in the eight games without Matthews entering Wednesday is telling of how it works. Now it has to continue, and Matthews, when he returns, will have to seamlessly fit himself right back in. -- Rosen

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

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

JEAN-FRANCOIS CHAUMONT

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

BRIAN COMPTON

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

TOM GULITTI

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

ADAM KIMELMAN

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

MIKE G. MORREALE

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

TRACEY MYERS

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

BILL PRICE

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

SHAWN P. ROARKE

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

DAN ROSEN

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

DAVID SATRIANO

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

DEREK VAN DIEST

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

MIKE ZEISBERGER

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