- The Buffalo Sabres have won eight games in a row.
- They have risen 12 spots in the latest NHL power ranking.
- The Colorado Avalanche remain No. 1.
The coaching change bump is well known in the NHL and other sports.
But the Buffalo Sabres might have discovered the general manager bump.
The Sabres, whose 14-season playoff drought is an NHL record, fired general manager Kevyn Adams on Dec. 15 and promoted Jarmo Kekalainen to the position. The former Columbus Blue Jackets GM hasn’t made any direct moves to the on-ice product, but the Sabres have responded.
They were in a three-game winning streak at the time and have pushed that to eight. Tied for last in the conference at the time of the move, they’re now in a tie for the final wild-card spot, falling short on a tiebreaker.
They have appropriately moved up in USA TODAY’s latest NHL power rankings (parentheses indicates change from two weeks ago; stats are through Dec. 28).
NHL power rankings
1. Colorado Avalanche (0)
They keep rolling on. Their seven-game winning streak includes a rout of the red-hot Wild and a third-period rally to beat the Golden Knights.
2. Dallas Stars (0)
The Stars have a six-game point streak as they try to keep pace with the division-leading Avalanche, but they have lost their last two games in overtime or a shootout.
3. Minnesota Wild (+1)
Defenseman Quinn Hughes has a goal and six assists in seven games since arriving in a blockbuster trade from the Canucks.
4. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)
Potential Olympians Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slavin are week-to-week with injuries. Jarvis appeared to hurt his ribs as he crashed into the net, and Slavin has an upper-body injury. He has been limited to five games this season after making the USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off team last season. Jarvis played for Canada.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning (+4)
Brayden Point, who struggled early this season before going out with an injury, is averaging a point a game since he has returned.
6. Detroit Red Wings (÷8)
The Red Wings, on a 7-3 run, lead the Atlantic Division, though the Lightning and Canadiens each have two games in hand.
7. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)
The Golden Knights have gone 1-2-2 with Jack Eichel out with an injury.
8. Philadelphia Flyers (+2)
Coach Rick Tocchet is getting attention for the Jack Adams Award with the Flyers sitting in a playoff spot.
9. Montreal Canadiens (+4)
Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson (USA) and Nick Suzuki (Canada) will learn within a week if they have made the Olympics. They have combined for 115 points in 38 games.
10. New York Islanders (-4)
The Islanders continue to stand up for rookie Matthew Schaefer when someone takes liberties. But Mathew Barzal went too far and was ejected for a two-handed slash against Mason Marchment.
11. Washington Capitals (-4)
Alex Ovechkin ended a nine-game goal drought with a goal and an assist against the Devils.
12. Anaheim Ducks (-4)
Leo Carlsson, who totaled 34 points over the season’s first two months, is in a four-game point drought.
13. Florida Panthers (+4)
Matthew Tkachuk joined the Panthers at practice on Dec. 28 for the first time since his offseason sports hernia surgery. He was wearing a no-contact jersey.
14. Edmonton Oilers (+4)
Connor McDavid has surged into the league scoring lead with a 12-game point streak in which he has recorded 32 points.
15. Buffalo Sabres (+12)
Tage Thompson has five goals and five assists during the Sabres’ eight-game winning streak. He’s pushing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
16. Pittsburgh Penguins (-5)
Stuart Skinner is still looking for his first Penguins win after his trade from Edmonton. The 0-3 goalie has a 4.81 goals-against average and .831 save percentage in Pittsburgh.
17. New Jersey Devils (-1)
Jack Hughes returned earlier than expected from finger surgery. He scored in his first game back but has been shut out in his last two.
18. Los Angeles Kings (-6)
Anze Kopitar is 10 points from passing franchise leader Marcel Dionne after his recent three-point game. He’d be the second player from a 1967 expansion team to grab the lead this season, joining Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby.
19. New York Rangers (0)
J.T. Miller and Adam Fox, who played for the USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off and hope to make the Olympic team, remain out with injuries.
20. Ottawa Senators (+1)
Goalie Linus Ullmark is taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. He ranks last in Moneypuck’s goals saved above expected but had played better in the games before the Christmas break.
21. Boston Bruins (-6)
Is Morgan Geekie a possibility for Team Canada? He’s second in the league with 25 goals.
22. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2)
The Maple Leafs fired assistant coach Marc Savard, who oversaw the power play, and replaced him with Steve Sullivan. They have gone 3-for-5 on the power play in two games since.
23. San Jose Sharks (-1)
Macklin Celebrini has helped his case to make the Canadian Olympic team in his second season in the league by scoring his 20th goal. It took him 38 games, 18 fewer than in his rookie season.
24. Utah Mammoth (-1)
Goalie Karel Vejmelka missed the last game before the Christmas break with an upper-body injury.
25. Columbus Blue Jackets (+1)
Mason Marchment, who didn’t work out in Seattle, has three goals and an assist in three games since arriving in Columbus.
26. Seattle Kraken (+2)
The Kraken have gone 4-0 since trading Marchment to the Blue Jackets. Eeli Tolvanen has three multipoint games in that stretch.
27. St. Louis Blues (+2)
Goalie Jordan Binnington will learn soon if his body of work (2019 Stanley Cup, 4 Nations Face-Off title) will help him overcome this season’s struggles and get him named to Team Canada.
28. Nashville Predators (+3)
Steven Stamkos, limited to one goal in October, had nine goals in 12 games in December to give him 15 for the season.
29. Calgary Flames (+1)
The Flames are three points out of a playoff spot after going on a 7-3 run.
30. Winnipeg Jets (-5)
Defenseman Josh Morrissey is day-to-day after being shoved from behind into the boards. The team’s losing streak has hit five games.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (-7)
The Blackhawks have gone 1-7 without star Connor Bedard, who remains out with a shoulder injury. He’ll be re-examined in the new year.
32. Vancouver Canucks (0)
Coach Adam Foote said Jake DeBrusk will be a healthy scratch for Monday’s game against the Kraken. ‘It’s embarrassing,’ DeBrusk said, but also said he understands he needs ‘a jolt’ because he hasn’t been good enough.
