NHL Power Rankings: Jets Force Their Way Into First Place After Canes’ League-Altering Trade

Welcome back to The Hockey News’ NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.

In case you missed it, there was a huge blockbuster trade last Friday. It was massive – significant enough to alter the league landscape. The Carolina Hurricanes got the best player in the deal in a 100-point player in Mikko Rantanen, but you know who else won big? Everybody else in the Western Conference.

The Colorado Avalanche are a flawed team, but invariably, the road to the final will go through them at some point. Not having to face a MacKinnon-Rantanen combo makes it a little easier, and while it doesn’t necessarily reflect in this week’s NHL power rankings, all the Western teams ranked ahead of the Avs get a slight boost.

With the 4 Nations Face-Off just a couple of weeks away, you wonder which teams will make the next big move. Perhaps it’s better to acquire a player now and let them get acclimated during the break rather than doing things in a rush closer to the deadline. The Hurricanes have drawn a line in the sand in a year without a standout contender, and many teams should make moves in response.

What makes it difficult is the number of teams in the running for the playoffs. The New York Islanders signing Tony DeAngelo and trading for Scott Perunovich is a sign they’re not giving up just yet despite being ranked 14th in the East heading into Wednesday’s games.

1. Winnipeg Jets (35-14-3, +59. Previous: 2)

The Jets rolled right through the week, going a perfect 4-0-0 with a plus-10 goal differential. If you want to see the ultimate litmus test, the Jets visit the Capitals this coming Saturday with potentially first place in the NHL (and the power rankings!) on the line.

2. Washington Capitals (34-11-5, +55. Previous: 1)

Nothing against the Capitals, but the difference was the Jets’ unblemished record versus the Caps losing a tough 2-1 game in Vancouver over the past week. The two teams are tied at the top with 73 points apiece, though the Caps still hold the edge with a higher points percentage.

Related: Ovechkin Didn’t Score In Vancouver, But He’s Not Alone As Capitals’ Firepower Begins To Dim

3. Edmonton Oilers (32-15-3, +31. Previous: 3)

If the Oilers go one more week without losing a game, we might finally have a No. 1 that’s neither the Caps nor the Jets. The Oilers are slipping through everyone with a league-best 19-6-1 record since Dec. 1. If they…