NHL power rankings for mid-December

By Rick Morris

NOTES: Rankings from start of season are in parentheses.

TOP TIER

1 Chicago (1)

2 New York Rangers (2)

3 Montreal (3)

4 Columbus (8)

5 Pittsburgh (6)

SECOND TIER

6 Minnesota (21)

7 San Jose (7)

8 Washington (9)

9 St. Louis (4)

10 Philadelphia (15)

11 Ottawa (5)

12 Anaheim (11)

13 Boston (14)

14 Edmonton (20)

THIRD TIER

15 Los Angeles (12)

16 Calgary (26)

17 Tampa Bay (10)

18 Florida (19)

19 Detroit (18)

20 Carolina (24)

21 Winnipeg (23)

22 Dallas (22)

23 Nashville (13)

24 Toronto (17)

25 Buffalo (27)

26 Vancouver (25)

27 New Jersey (16)

28 New York Islanders (30)

29 Arizona (29)

FOURTH TIER

30 Colorado (28)

BIGGEST RISERS: Minnesota (15 spots), Calgary (10 spots), Edmonton (6 spots), Philadelphia (5 spots), Carolina and Columbus (4 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: New Jersey (11 spots), Nashville (10 spots), Tampa Bay and Toronto (7 spots), Ottawa (6 spots), St. Louis (5 spots), Los Angeles (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 METROPOLITAN 13

2 CENTRAL 16

3 ATLANTIC 16.25

4 PACIFIC 17

RANKINGS BY CONFERENCE

1 EAST 29.25

2 WEST 33