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

For a while, the Nashville Predators have been given a bit of a leash considering the talent on their team. However, that leash is over. Nashville has some work to do if they want to make the playoffs. Luckily, they can borrow the blueprint of the Anaheim Ducks from last season. The Predators can be a little encouraged because they’ve been playing better than their record suggests. While their expected goals for percentage (xGF percentage) at even strength is 50.52, their actual goals for percentage (GF percentage) at even strength is 44.12. Their offense has been the primary offender, snakebitten with a low shooting percentage. Things have to get better in Nashville, but they at least have something to be optimistic about.

The Calgary Flames have been very inconsistent this season. In last week’s power rankings, they were holding down the last spot in the Western Conference. Last week, they lost three of their four games while being outscored 16-5. After many believed they could be on the verge of the playoffs this season, the same issues plaguing them last season continue to do so. While they no longer have the worst goaltending in the NHL, it’s still in the bottom 10. Calgary isn’t scoring and they are allowing a ton of goals. That’s a recipe for disaster.