NHL Power Rankings: Kraken surge into top 5, plus every team's nationality mix

1 year ago 53

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Kristen ShiltonESPN NHL newsman
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We're into a caller period of the 2022-23 NHL season, and for the archetypal clip ever there's a World Cup (of soccer) going connected simultaneously!

To support successful the planetary tone of the large event, this week for the powerfulness rankings we've breached down the roster of each nine successful presumption of nationalities represented, on with immoderate amusive facts for each. Some caveats: A subordinate indispensable person appeared successful 1 crippled to marque the breakdown, and the countries are according to each player's listing connected the NHL's website (with 1 exception).

How we rank: A sheet of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors rates teams against 1 different -- taking into relationship crippled results, injuries and upcoming docket -- and those results are tabulated to nutrient the database featured here.

Note: Previous ranking for each squad refers to the astir caller edition, published Nov. 18. Points paces are done Thursday's games.

1. Boston Bruins

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 86.34%
Next 7 days: vs. COL (Dec. 3), vs. VGK (Dec. 5), @ COL (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 12 Americans, 7 Canadians, 6 Czechs, 3 Swedes.

The Bruins mightiness person the second-fewest countries represented successful their lineup this season, but Boston does boast the largest attraction of Czech players.

2. New Jersey Devils

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 81.25%
Next 7 days: @ PHI (Dec. 3), vs. CHI (Dec. 6)

Roster breakdown: 9 Canadians, 4 Swedes, 3 Americans; 3 Swiss; 2 Czechs; 1 Belarusian; 1 Finn; 1 Slovakian.

The Devils person dressed the astir Swiss players this season, including the NHL's lone Swiss goaltender Akira Schmid.

3. Vegas Golden Knights

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.00%
Next 7 days: @ DET (Dec. 3), @ BOS (Dec. 5), vs. NYR (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 18 Canadians, 4 Americans, 1 Swede.

The Golden Knights clasp 2 unsocial distinctions, by dressing the astir Canadians wide (18, tied with Edmonton) and players from the fewest countries wide (three).

4. Dallas Stars

Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 66.67%
Next 7 days: vs. MIN (Dec. 4), vs. TOR (Dec. 6), vs. OTT (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 8 Canadians, 5 Americans, 5 Finns, 2 Swedes, 2 Czechs, 1 Russian.

The Stars person seen the second-fewest combined full (13) of Canadian- and U.S.-born players connected the crystal this season, and the highest full of Finnish skaters (not including goaltenders).

5. Seattle Kraken

Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 71.74%
Next 7 days: vs. FLA (Dec. 3), vs. MTL (Dec. 6)

Roster breakdown: 13 Canadians, 5 Americans; 4 Swedes, 1 Dane, 1 German, 1 Dutch.

The Kraken lineup is location to the league's lone Netherlands-born skater, successful Daniel Sprong, and 1 of lone 4 Danish players, successful Oliver Bjorkstrand.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs

Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 70.00%
Next 7 days: @ TB (Dec. 3), @ DAL (Dec. 6), vs. LA (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 15 Canadians, 7 Swedes, 4 Americans, 2 Czechs, 1 Russian, 1 Swiss.

The Maple Leafs are 1 of lone 2 teams (along with New Jersey) that don't person Canada and the United States arsenic their top-two astir represented countries. The Leafs and Devils each person much Swedish than U.S.-born skaters.

7. Colorado Avalanche

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 64.29%
Next 7 days: @ BOS (Dec. 3), @ PHI (Dec. 5), vs. BOS (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 14 Canadians, 6 Americans, 3 Czechs, 3 Finns, 3 Russians, 3 Swedes.

The Avalanche presently person the league's lone Swedish skipper successful Gabriel Landeskog. He ironically doesn't origin into the breakdown of Colorado's roster operation yet this play though; the guardant has yet to debut aft undergoing genu country successful October.

8. Carolina Hurricanes

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 64.58%
Next 7 days: @ LA (Dec. 3), @ ANA (Dec. 6)

Roster breakdown: 8 Americans, 7 Canadians, 4 Finns, 2 Czechs, 2 Russians, 1 Dane, 1 Swede.

The Hurricanes are location to the NHL's lone Danish goalie successful Frederik Andersen, and 1 of 7 Finnish netminders successful Antti Raanta.

9. New York Islanders

Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 62.50%
Next 7 days: vs. NSH (Dec. 2), vs. CHI (Dec. 4), vs. STL (Dec. 6)

Roster breakdown: 11 Canadians, 7 Americans, 4 Russians, 2 Swedes, 1 Finn.

The Islanders are 1 of 8 teams with a Russian goalie successful their lineup, and the lone nine boasting a Russian netminder 1-2 punch: Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov.

10. Winnipeg Jets

Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 69.05%
Next 7 days: vs. CBJ (Dec. 2), vs. ANA (Dec. 4), vs. FLA (Dec. 6), @ STL (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 12 Canadians, 9 Americans, 2 Swedes, 2 Finns, 1 Czech, 1 Dane.

The Jets person been powered offensively by Danish-born prima Nikolaj Ehlers, who moved to Germany arsenic a kid and past played his inferior hockey successful Switzerland.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins

Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 58.33%
Next 7 days: vs. STL (Dec. 3), vs. CBJ (Dec. 6)

Roster breakdown: 10 Americans, 9 Canadians, 3 Swedes, 1 Czech, 1 Finn, 1 Latvian, 1 Russian.

The Penguins' ample contingency of U.S.-born players includes Jake Guentzel, who is 1 of lone 4 Nebraska-native skaters to ever look successful the NHL.

12. Edmonton Oilers

Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 54.17%
Next 7 days: vs. MTL (Dec. 3), vs. WSH (Dec. 5), vs. ARI (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 18 Canadians, 3 Americans, 2 Swedes, 2 Finns, 1 Russian, 1 German.

The Oilers person a tiny beingness of U.S.-born skaters, yet 2 of the 3 -- Kailer Yamamoto and Derek Ryan -- stock a hometown of Spokane, Washington.

13. Tampa Bay Lightning

Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.04%
Next 7 days: vs. TOR (Dec. 3), vs. DET (Dec. 6), vs. NSH (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 12 Canadians, 6 Americans, 4 Russians, 1 French, 1 Latvian, 1 Slovakian, 1 Swede.

The Lightning are represented by the league's lone subordinate French skater, successful Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and person 1 of 3 Latvian players, successful Rudolfs Balcers.

14. Los Angeles Kings

Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 57.69%
Next 7 days: vs. CAR (Dec. 3), @ OTT (Dec. 6), @ TOR (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 9 Canadians, 8 Americans, 6 Swedes, 1 Finn, 1 Slovakian, 1 Swiss.

The Kings person immoderate divers backgrounds successful their lineup, including Arthur Kaliyev's: helium was calved successful Uzbekistan earlier moving to the United States astatine property 2 and present represents the U.S. internationally.

15. Detroit Red Wings

Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 61.36%
Next 7 days: vs. VGK (Dec. 3), @ CBJ (Dec. 4), @ TB (Dec. 6), @ FLA (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 8 Canadians, 6 Americans, 6 Swedes, 4 Czechs, 2 Finns, 1 Swiss, 1 German.

The Red Wings' top-pairing defenseman (and reigning Calder Trophy winner) Moritz Seider successful presently the NHL's lone German blueliner.

16. Minnesota Wild

Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 54.55%
Next 7 days: vs. ANA (Dec. 3), @ DAL (Dec. 4), @ CGY (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 15 Canadians, 7 Americans, 3 Swedes, 1 Austrian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Russian.

The Wild whitethorn not pb the league successful top fig of countries represented, but Minnesota does laic assertion to the NHL's lone Austrian subordinate successful Marco Rossi and sole Norwegian skater successful Mats Zuccarello.

17. New York Rangers

Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 54.17%
Next 7 days: vs. OTT (Dec. 2), vs. CHI (Dec. 3), vs. STL (Dec. 5), @ VGK (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 9 Americans, 7 Canadians, 3 Russians, 2 Czechs, 1 Finn, 1 Slovakian, 1 Swede.

The Rangers person iced the largest fig of U.S.-born defensemen successful the NHL frankincense acold (five), including Jacob Trouba (one of lone 4 U.S.-born captains successful the league).

18. Calgary Flames

Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 50.00%
Next 7 days: vs. WSH (Dec. 3), vs. ARI (Dec. 5), vs. MIN (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 10 Canadians, 7 Americans, 4 Swedes, 1 Slovakian, 1 Russian, 1 Czech.

The Flames person 1 of the NHL's six Slovakian players, guardant Adam Ruzicka.

19. Florida Panthers

Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 54.17%
Next 7 days: @ SEA (Dec. 3), @ WPG (Dec. 6), vs. DET (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 10 Canadians, 4 Americans, 4 Finns, 3 Swedes, 1 Czech, 1 Latvian, 1 Russian.

The Panthers are the lone squad truthful acold to formal the aforesaid fig of U.S.-born skaters arsenic Finnish, accounting for the second-highest representations of immoderate state connected their roster.

20. St. Louis Blues

Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 47.83%
Next 7 days: @ PIT (Dec. 3), @ NYR (Dec. 5), @ NYI (Dec. 6), vs. WPG (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 10 Canadians, 7 Americans, 5 Russians, 1 Australian, 1 Finn, 1 German, 1 Swede.

The Blues person dressed much Russian players (five) than immoderate squad this season, and person the league's lone Australian subordinate (Nathan Walker) successful the premix arsenic well.

21. Nashville Predators

Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 54.55%
Next 7 days: @ NYI (Dec. 2), @ TB (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 10 Canadians, 6 Americans, 5 Finns, 2 Swiss, 2 Swedes, 1 Russian.

The Predators are tied with the Stars for the astir Finnish players represented, but Nashville is the lone nine with a goalie tandem (of Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen) who some hail from the nation.

22. Washington Capitals

Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 48.00%
Next 7 days: @ CGY (Dec. 3), @ EDM (Dec. 5), @ PHI (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 10 Americans, 9 Canadians, 4 Russians, 2 Swedes, 1 Belarusian, 1 Dane, 1 Slovakian.

The Capitals' lineup is location to guardant Aliaksei Protas, 1 of lone 2 Belarusian players successful the NHL.

23. Montreal Canadiens

Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 54.35%
Next 7 days: @ EDM (Dec. 3), @ VAN (Dec. 5), @ SEA (Dec. 6)

Roster breakdown: 17 Canadians, 5 Americans, 1 Finn, 1 Slovakian, 1 Russian.

The Canadiens selected Juraj Slafkovsky No. 1 astatine the 2022 draft, making him the archetypal Slovakian to ever spell archetypal overall.

24. Vancouver Canucks

Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 43.75%
Next 7 days: vs. ARI (Dec. 3), vs. MTL (Dec. 5), @ SJ (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 12 Canadians, 10 Americans, 4 Swedes, 3 Russians.

The Canucks person a beardown instauration of American players and a unsocial netminder successful Thatcher Demko, the lone San Diego-born goalie successful league history.

25. San Jose Sharks

Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 38.46%
Next 7 days: @ OTT (Dec. 3), @ BUF (Dec. 4), vs. VAN (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 12 Canadians, 5 Americans, 2 Czechs, 2 Swedes, 2 Russians, 1 Finn, 1 German, 1 Swiss.

The Sharks are tied with the Devils for astir countries represented this play (nine). San Jose is besides the lone squad to boast some a German (Nico Sturm) and Swiss subordinate (Timo Meier).

26. Ottawa Senators

Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 38.64%
Next 7 days: @ NYR (Dec. 2), vs. SJ (Dec. 3), vs. LA (Dec. 6), @ DAL (Dec. 8)

Roster breakdown: 10 Canadians, 9 Americans, 4 Swedes, 2 Russians, 1 Finn, 1 German.

The Senators are the lone squad this play to person dressed 2 Swedish goalies, successful Anton Forsberg and Magnus Hellberg.

27. Buffalo Sabres

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 43.75%
Next 7 days: vs. SJ (Dec. 4), @ CBJ (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 10 Canadians, 9 Americans, 4 Swedes, 2 Finns, 1 Russian, 1 Latvian, 1 German.

The Sabres person had plentifulness of Canadians done their ranks, but nary rather similar Dylan Cozens, 1 of lone 3 NHLers to ever travel retired of the Yukon Territory.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets

Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 38.10%
Next 7 days: @ WPG (Dec. 2), vs. DET (Dec. 4), @ PIT (Dec. 6), vs. BUF (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 11 Canadians, 9 Americans, 4 Swedes, 3 Russians, 2 Czechs, 2 Finns, 1 Latvian.

The Blue Jackets haven't had the widest swath of countries accounted for, but Columbus has dressed the highest full fig of players wide done the aboriginal goings of this play (32).

29. Philadelphia Flyers

Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 43.75%
Next 7 days: vs. NJ (Dec. 3), vs. COL (Dec. 5), vs. WSH (Dec. 7)

Roster breakdown: 12 Americans, 10 Canadians, 2 Swedes, 2 Russians, 1 Finn, 1 Czech.

The Flyers person seen the 2nd astir American players done their lineup this season, and person 1 of the league's winningest U.S.-born coaches down the seat successful John Tortorella.

30. Chicago Blackhawks

Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 36.36%
Next 7 days: @ NYR (Dec. 3), @ NYI (Dec. 4), @ NJ (Dec. 6)

Roster breakdown: 13 Americans, 11 Canadians, 2 Swedes, 1 Swiss, 1 Czech.

The Blackhawks are tied (with aggregate teams) for the 2nd fewest countries represented successful their ranks, but Chicago has dressed the largest fig of U.S. players (13).