NHL Power Rankings Week 5: Rangers rise, Canucks are terrible

Have the New York Rangers done enough to grab the top spot in Week 5’s NHL power rankings? 

As Week 5 of the 2016-17 NHL season begins, fans and teams alike are starting to realize who the contenders and pretenders are. It might seem like it’s early in the season, but many teams who get off to slow starts don’t recover from them.

One of the hottest teams entering this week are the New York Rangers. They have surprised many people with their high scoring offense. New York leads the league in goals scored while also playing tight defense. But are they a better team than the Montreal Canadiens?

The Washington Capitals are also hot, having won five straight just like the Rangers. Despite not getting anything from their power play, they’re dominating teams. Just how good are they and will their rise continue?

On the other hand, the Vancouver Canucks have quickly become the worst team in the league. After getting off to a 4-0-0 start, they have now lost seven straight regulation games. Have they hit rock bottom, or will they continue to fall?

The Nashville Predators have been quite disappointing so far this season. Many had them as Stanley Cup favorites, but they are stuck near the bottom of the NHL standings. Will they be able to claw their way out of a deep hole, much like the Anaheim Ducks did last season?

These rankings will be compiled by a team’s record, who they have beaten, and how they have looked in games. A tough loss to a very good team isn’t the worst thing in the world if you play well. All stats, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of Corsica.

If you missed last week’s power rankings or would like to compare them to this week’s, you can find them here.