Blackhawks hit rock bottom as they fall in this week's Power Rankings

In this week’s power rankings, the Buffalo Sabres(!!!) carry a seven-game winning streak and the Avalanche continue to never lose, while the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets continue their free fall. These power rankings are determined mostly by a team's win-loss record, but also by their recent performance, injuries, and the strength of the week's schedule. For example, if teams have similar records or point totals, they will receive a higher ranking based on who they played and the margins of victory. Teams will also be ranked higher or lower depending on how they have played over their last 10 games.

The Past Week (0-3-0)

With Connor Bedard missing an extended amount of time with his shoulder injury, Frank Nazar joined him on the injury report by taking a puck to the face and missing up to four weeks. With these two out, it will be hard to imagine the Blackhawks having any sort of consistent or sustainable offense. Nazar scored the only goal in the loss to Montreal, and while the Blackhawks put up four goals in Ottawa, it sacrificed its defense by doing so, allowing the Senators to score six. Finally, the Blackhawks' latest defeat came at the hands of Philadelphia, while Ryan Donato scored his first goal since November 28th.

The last few weeks have been reminiscent of the Blackhawks of recent years. Even with the injuries, it has been extremely difficult to watch, and a good portion of the fanbase is becoming increasingly frustrated with the rebuild. We have seen glimpses of good hockey this year, but the team has been bailed out more often than not by Spencer Knight. We knew the regression was coming, but it has hit the team hard, and it will be hard to ask fans to keep "trusting the process" as they are yet again at the bottom of the NHL standings.

Power Rankings

32 - Chicago Blackhawks (13-17-6)
31 - Winnipeg Jets (15-17-3)
30 - Vancouver Canucks (15-18-3)
29 - Calgary Flames (15-18-4)
28 - St. Louis Blues (14-16-8)
27 - Columbus Blue Jackets (15-15-6)
26 - San Jose Sharks (17-17-3)
25 - Seattle Kraken (15-14-6)
24 - Nashville Predators (16-16-4)
23 - Utah Mammoth (18-18-3)
22 - Toronto Maple Leafs (16-15-5)
21 - Los Angeles Kings (15-12-9)
20 - Pittsburgh Penguins (15-12-9)
19 - Boston Bruins (20-17-1)
18 - New Jersey Devils (20-16-1)
17 - Buffalo Sabres (18-14-4)

16 - New York Rangers (19-16-4)
15 - Washington Capitals (19-13-5)
14 - Ottawa Senators (18-13-5)
13 - Tampa Bay Lightning (20-13-3)
12 - Florida Panthers (20-14-2)
11 - Anaheim Ducks (21-14-2)
10 - Vegas Golden Knights (17-8-10)
9 - Edmonton Oilers (19-13-6)
8 - Montreal Canadiens (20-12-5)
7 - Philadelphia Flyers (19-10-7)
6 - New York Islanders (20-13-4)
5 - Carolina Hurricanes (22-11-3)
4 - Detroit Red Wings (22-13-3)
3 - Minnesota Wild (22-10-6)
2 - Dallas Stars (25-7-6)
1 - Colorado Avalanche (27-2-7)

Who Has Won Seven Straight?!

The Buffalo Sabres have won seven straight games and, by doing so, have put themselves squarely back into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Time will tell whether this run they are on is sustainable, but it has undoubtedly been a fun couple of weeks for a great fanbase that has endured years of suffering.

The Florida Panthers have found their groove again, winning eight of their last ten games. With Matthew Tkachuk looking to return soon, they will receive another boost on their quest to three-peat. The Pacific Division remains in flux as the Golden Knights, Ducks, and Oilers are all tied in first place with 44 points.

Looking Ahead

The Blackhawks return to play from their Christmas break by travelling to face the Stars (12/27) before returning home to play the Penguins (12/28) and the Islanders (12/30). There appears to be no end to the losing streak in sight, and with captain Nick Foligno returning soon, it might mean decreased playing time for Nick Lardis or Oliver Moore. Both skaters are, for some reason, only getting seven minutes of 5-on-5 ice time a night. Buckle up, Blackhawks fans, it looks like 2026 will be more of the same as we have seen in the 2020s.