NHL Power Rankings: Rangers knock Golden Knights off their No. 1 perch amid blistering start

The Rangers haven't suffered a regulation loss in nearly a month

By Austin Nivison Nov 16, 2023 at 11:32 am ET• 1 min read

The newest edition of the NHL Power Rankings are here, and we have a new No. 1 team this week. The New York Rangers are off to a blistering start, and it's time to start talking more about them as real Stanley Cup contenders.

The Rangers have won three in a row, and they haven't lost in regulation since Oct. 19. Offensively, the usual suspects are getting the job done. Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider are leading the way up front while Adam Fox drives play from the blue line. That has always been the case, but bigger contributions from Alexis Lafreniere have helped a lot, as has the addition of offensive defenseman Erik Gustafsson.

On paper and in the standings, the blueshirts are incredibly formidable, but their underlying numbers at five-on-five are closer to the middle of the pack. I would be worried about that if this team hadn't proven it can have success playing that way in each of the last two seasons. There is enough talent for New York to outperform its expected goals at five-on-five, and its power play and starting goaltender are among the best in the NHL. That's a winning combination.