NHL Top 10

Teams in the NHL are already defending their reputation, climbing up the standings and committing upsets.

The Vegas Golden Knights have made themselves the team to beat this season.

They clinched the No. 1 spot on the NHL standings and are defending their Stanley Cup Championship with a record of 9-0-1.

The Golden Knights are just as dominant on the road holding a 4-0-0 record as they are on their home ice which is an impressive touch to their victories.

They lead the league in points, point percentage and goals for, and have been challenged early on by other decently ranked teams like the LA Kings and Detroit Stars.

Creeping up behind the Golden Knights in the stands is the Boston Bruins.

The Bruins are a team that as a fan, you can count on every year to deliver exciting games, quality play and playoff potential.

Their pre-season record gave the Bruins a rocky start with multiple losses to the Flyers that fell as No. 21 in the NHL standings.

However, the Bruins have won the games that they needed to clinch the No. 2 spot.

David Pastrnak was a huge part of the Bruins success in the 2022-2023 season and has set the bar incredibly high for himself.

He is predicted to reach similar records he set for himself in the last season, being the second player in Bruins history to score 60 goals in a single season.

The Colorado Avalanche sit at the No. 3 spot in the NHL standings but are neck-and-neck with the NY Rangers who are right behind them at No. 4.

The Avalanche has an impressive roster that keeps them right above the Rangers, but need to do a little more to keep themselves in the top 3.

The Dallas Stars take the No. 5 seed but are they really worthy of this rank?

They fell short to the No. 1 seed and were also upset by the No. 14 seed, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Stars could be a team that falls out of the top 10 in the next couple of weeks since they have a hefty schedule coming up packed with quality teams.

The No. 6 Vancouver Canucks are recognized for putting up a lot of goals so far this season.

They are worthy of the top 10 and can be depended on to stay in their seed for the next few weeks.

At No. 7 the Detroit Red Wings have made themselves a decent opponent.

They manage to get a lot of pucks behind the net against notable defenses such as the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Red Wings find their way to the playoff rounds in every season and are predicted to climb up the rankings in the next couple of weeks.

They had an upset against the Seattle Kraken in OT two weeks ago which had analysts rethink their spot in the standings.

This loss should not count them out as a gnarly opponent.

Surprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes snuck into the top 10.

Their rank at the No. 9 and No. 10 seed are up for debate based on their performance thus far.

The Canadiens did not make their match against the Golden Knights a walk in the park.

Montreal worked the Knight’s goalkeeper and frequently found shots on goal.

The Canadiens have a lot to prove of themselves if they want to stay in the top 10.

Lastly, the Carolina Hurricanes have performed well at home but struggle on the road.

There is a chance for an upset this coming week against the Rangers if the Hurricanes play to their potential.

This would be a statement win for this season for the Hurricanes and is definitely a game to catch if you are a hockey fan.

The NHL standings are pretty predictable right now but looking at the schedule, there are many opportunities for upsets against the top three teams.

Sophia Monteforte is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email smm8954@psu.edu.