NHL power rankings for mid-December

By Rick Morris

NOTES: Rankings from start of season are in parentheses.

TOP TIER

1 Washington (3)

2 Dallas (2)

3 New York Islanders (13)

4 Montreal (1)

5 Los Angeles (7)

6 Chicago (6)

7 Detroit (11)

8 St. Louis (4)

9 New York Rangers (5)

10 Boston (15)

11 Minnesota (17)

12 Ottawa (14)

13 Nashville (12)

14 Tampa Bay (18)

15 Florida (19)

16 New Jersey (16)

17 Philadelphia (21)

18 Edmonton (30)

19 Pittsburgh (9)

20 Arizona (10)

21 Calgary (29)

22 Buffalo (22)

23 Winnipeg (23)

24 San Jose (8)

25 Vancouver (20)

26 Anaheim (25)

27 Toronto (26)

28 Colorado (28)

29 Carolina (27)

30 Columbus (24)

BIGGEST RISERS: Edmonton (12 spots), New York Islanders (10 spots), Calgary (8 spots), Minnesota (6 spots), Boston (5 spots), Detroit, Florida, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay (4 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: San Jose (16 spots), Arizona and Pittsburgh (10 spots), New York Rangers and St. Louis (4 spots), Montreal (3 spots)

RANKINGS BY DIVISION – 1 POINT PER RANKING SPOT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEAM, DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF TEAMS, LOWEST SCORE IS BEST

1 ATLANTIC 12.6

2 CENTRAL 12.71

3 METROPOLITAN 15.5

4 PACIFIC 19.86

RANKINGS BY CONFERENCE

1 EAST 28.1

2 WEST 32.57