NHL Standings for January 2

NHL Standings, NHL records

The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins got things started right in 2016 with the latest Winter Classic. (Getty)

The Dallas Stars surprised just about everyone by falling to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this week. The Montreal Canadiens started off the New Year right with a dominant victory in the Winter Classic. And we should all probably start to be a little bit concerned with how well the Chicago Blackhawks are starting to play.

The NHL standings are fluctuating just a bit as we head into 2016 and things are just starting to heat up, at least metaphorically, on the ice.

Let’s break it down. Check out the standings for each team here, as well as their points totals, and some things to watch for regarding each squad. Let’s go.


Atlantic Division

NHL Standings, NHL Records

The Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers have been battling for control of the division. (Getty)

1. Montreal Canadiens

Record: 22-15-3; Points: 47; Next Game: Tuesday, January 5 at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. ET

Welcome back to the top. The Canadiens moved back to the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic Division after a dominant showing at the Winter Classic on January 1. Montreal cruised to a 5-1 victory over the Boston Bruins in the outdoor tradition and looked like a team focused on starting off 2016 right.

2. Florida Panthers

Record: 21-12-4; Points: 46; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. New York Rangers, 7 p.m. ET

The Florida Panthers are still in a good place heading into 2016 and they’ve also got a pretty fascinating team tradition heading into the near year. A Kevin Spacey sweatshirt. That’s right. The team MVP of each games gets to sport a royal-blue hoodie that has a picture of Spacey’s head floating in space on it.

3. Boston Bruins

Record: 20-13-4; Points: 44; Next Game: Tuesday, January 5 vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

The Winter Classic didn’t quite work out the way the Bruins wanted. Boston gave up a goal just over a minute into the game and dropped a 5-1 decision to the Montreal Canadiens in the outdoor matchup on Friday afternoon.

4. Detroit Red Wings

Record: 18-13-7; Points: 43; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Buffalo Sabres, 1 p.m. ET

The Red Wings didn’t exactly wrap up 2015 the way they wanted. Detroit dropped a 5-2 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins on New Years Eve, the third straight loss as things have seemingly fallen off from every angle. It doesn’t get any easier either. The Red Wings play six in a row on the road, starting this Saturday.

5. Ottawa Senators

Record: 18-14-6; Points: 42; Next Game: Sunday, January 3 at Chicago Blackhawks, 7 p.m. ET

The Senators offense needs a bit of a jump. Or a leap rather. In the last two games, Ottawa has been out-scored 10-to-3 and is coming off a 3-0 shutout loss to the New Jersey Devils last Wednesday. That simply won’t work in 2016.

6. Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 18-16-4; Points: 40; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Minnesota Wild, 7 p.m. ET

Ben Bishop had been a wall in net. Then last week happened. Bishop, and the Tampa Bay defense, gave up five goals to a New York Rangers team that had been woefully bad on the road en route to a 5-2 loss. The Lightning have one last home game to regroup before heading out to the road for four straight.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs

Record: 14-15-7; Points: 35; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. St. Louis Blues, 7 p.m. ET

Despite a less-than-ideal performance to start the season in 2015, the Maple Leafs aren’t lacking any confidence. In fact, goalie Jonathan Bernier is feeling great, particularly after last week’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. “The biggest thing was to find the fun again,” Bernier told SportsNet. “It was good for me to get away a bit. There’s no confidence issue now.”

8. Buffalo Sabres

Record: 15-19-4; Points: 34; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Detroit Red Wings, 1 p.m. ET

Ok, so the Sabres are on a three-game losing streak, but two of those games were against the Washington Capitals, so take that streak with a grain of salt. Still, Buffalo needs to turn things around, fast, if it wants to get out of last place.


Metropolitan Division

NHL Standings, NHL records

The New York Islanders have found their on-ice footing and moved into second place. (Getty)

1. Washington Capitals

Record: 28-7-2; Points: 58; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET

The Capitals win streak is over. After nine straight, Washington dropped a 4-2 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes on the road on New Year’s Eve. Still, not all is lost. Washington takes on a less-than-dominant Columbus Blue Jackets team today.

2. New York Islanders

Record: 21-12-5; Points: 47; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

We’ve got some bad news, Islanders fans. The team announced on Friday that it had placed defenseman Johnny Boychuk on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. New York added that Boychuk’s return would be determined when he meets with doctor’s next week.

3. New York Rangers

Record: 21-13-4; Points: 46; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. ET

The Rangers won on the road! The offense looked good! The penalty kill…well it wasn’t terrible. New York defeated Tampa Bay 5-2 last week, earning a bit of much-needed confidence along the way. There’s one more road game on the schedule before a tough slate at the Garden with Dallas, Washington and Boston coming to town.

4. New Jersey Devils

Record: 19-14-5; Points: 43; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Dallas Stars, 7 p.m. ET

Patrik Elias is hurt. And officially on IR. The Devils announced they had placed the veteran forward on injured reserve due to a knee injury after he had missed the first 20 games of the season. “He’s still not feeling ready to play, so we’ll keep him out for a little bit,” coach John Hynes said.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins

Record: 18-15-3; Points: 40; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. New York Islanders, 7 p.m. ET

The up and down Penguins ended 2015 up with a 5-2 victory over Detroit Red Wings on New Year’s Eve. The come-from-behind win was sparked by Sydney Crosby, who scored the game-winning goal with just 2:12 left in the third period. Sign of good 2016-things to come for Crosby? Pens fans hope so.

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Record: 15-14-7; Points: 37; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Los Angeles Kings, 4 p.m. ET

The Flyers need something good to happen. Sooner rather than later would be great. Philadelphia has dropped three of its last four and wraps up its three-game road trip with a tilt against the Los Angeles Kings tonight. A win would, for lack of a better word, be awesome.

7. Carolina Hurricanes

Record: 16-17-5; Points: 37; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Nashville Predators, 7 p.m.

Hey! New Year’s Even success! The Hurricanes snapped the Washington Capitals nine-game win streak on Thursday, earning a 4-2 victory at home. Now, it’s just a matter of keeping things going. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

8. Columbus Blue Jackets

Record: 14-22-3; Points: 31; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

Speaking of big-time victories – the Blue Jackets took down the Dallas Stars 6-3 last Tuesday and now, after a fairly long break get to square off against the Washington Capitals tonight. Can Columbus make it two in a row?

Click the “next page” button below to check out the Western Conference standings and team-by-team breakdown.

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Central Division

NHL Standings, NHL records

The Dallas Stars dropped a surprising loss last week, but bounced back in a big way. (Getty)

1. Dallas Stars

Record: 28-8-3; Points: 59; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. ET

Let’s not blow the loss to Columbus totally out of the water. After all, Dallas bounced back with a 5-1 victory over the Nashville Predators in the next game on Thursday night. That seems like a fairly good answer. The chaos is over.

2. St. Louis Blues

Record: 23-13-4; Points: 50; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET

It’s time to pack your bags, St. Louis. The Blues have just one game at home over the next five, a January 4 tilt against the Ottawa Senators, and they’re going to have to make sure that they don’t trip up on this trip. Especially with the Blackhawks breathing down their neck.

3. Chicago Blackhawks

Record: 22-13-4; Points: 48; Next Game: Sunday, January 3 vs. Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m. ET

The Chicago Blackhawks are looking good. They’ve won two straight after Thursday night’s 4-3 OT victory over the Colorado Avalanche and get a chance to dig their skates into home ice for quite some time. Only one of the ‘Hakws next six games is on the road.

4. Minnesota Wild

Record: 20-10-6; Points: 46; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. ET

Zach Parise acknowledged that he had aggravated the same right knee injury that caused him to miss eight games in November earlier this week, but said he still hopes to play tonight. “A couple things happened,” he said. “It just felt like every game something happened and it just got worse and worse. Things happened, and it started to not feel good anything. So I’m just trying to play it a little safe.”

5. Nashville Predators

Record: 18-13-7; Points: 43; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. ET

Nashville has some issues to figure out heading into 2016. The Predators have dropped three of their last four and while they’ve managed to keep things mostly close, the 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday was a bit jarring. It also showed some of the holes in the team; on both sides of the ice.

6. Colorado Avalanche

Record: 18-17-3; Points: 39; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Calgary Flames, 10 p.m. ET

The OT loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday wasn’t great. But it’s still a point and with the next four games at home, there’s still reason for the Avalanche to feel pretty ok about where they’re at right now.

7. Winnipeg Jets

Record: 17-18-2; Points: 36; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at San Jose Sharks, 10 p.m. ET

The Jets continue to hurt themselves on the ice. Penalties hurt Winnipeg as the squad wrapped up 2015 with a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. It might not get better any time soon either; the next four games are all on the road.


Pacific Division

NHL Standings, NHL Records

The Los Angeles Kings have rolled through their Canadian road trip over the past week. (Getty)

1. Los Angeles Kings

Record: 24-11-2; Points: 50; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 4 p.m. ET

The Kings are having a pretty good time in Canada. Los Angeles has won four straight and the last three have come on Canadian soil, including a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday. Unfortunately, LA has to come back stateside this week.

2. Arizona Coyotes

Record: 18-16-3; Points: 39; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Edmonton Oilers, 4 p.m. ET

Welcome to history Shane Doan. The right-winger broke the franchise record for most goals last week with his hat trick performance against the Chicago Blackhawks. If Doan, 39, can keep this kind of production up, the entire Arizona squad can feed off of it.

3. Vancouver Canucks

Record: 15-15-9; Points: 37; Next Game: Monday, January 4 vs. Arizona Coyotes, 10 p.m. ET

The Canucks took down the Anaheim Ducks in a shootout on Friday night to jump over the San Jose Sharks in the divisional standings. Vancouver has now won three of its last four and still has four games games in its current homestand.

4. San Jose Sharks

Record: 18-16-2; Points: 38; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Winnipeg Jets, 10 p.m. ET

The Sharks are in a good spot right now and a lot of it has to do with Pete DeBoer. The first-year head coach is, finally, working with a healthy roster and San Jose is primed  to make standings moves in 2015. “We need contributions from everybody, that’s what we want to be,” DeBoer told the Mercury News. “I think we have the personnel here to be that team. We’ve got to just stay healthy and keep going here.”

5. Anaheim Ducks

Record: 15-15-7; Points: 37; Next Game: Sunday, January 3 vs. Winnipeg Jets, 9 p.m. ET

So, the shootout loss on Friday snapped a three-game win streak, but there’s still a reason to get behind this Ducks squad. Anaheim has three win-able games ahead of it with matchups at home against the Jets, Maple Leafs and Blues.

6. Calgary Flames

Record: 17-18-2; Points: 36; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 at Colorado Avalanche, 10 p.m. ET

Two straight losses and the Calgary Flames are looking to turn some things around in January. This team has shown sparks of what it’s capable of, it’s just a matter of fanning that metaphorical flame a little bit.

7. Edmonton Oilers

Record: 15-21-3; Points: 33; Next Game: Saturday, January 2 vs. Arizona Coyotes, 4 p.m. ET

Here’s some good news! Connor McDavid returned to practice on Friday for the first time since fracturing his clavicle on November 3. The No. 1 selection int he 2015 NHL Draft took part in a number of light drills and told NHL.com, “It feels good, it’s good to feel normal again and be out there with them.”

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