Maybe the No. 1 spot in The NHL power rankings isn't so coveted after all.
Once again this week there's been a change at the top, as the Bruins, last week's No. 1 team, hit their first speed bump of the season. Boston dropped back-to-back games for the first time as the Bruins stumbled against Washington and St. Louis.
The Caps and Blues were more than happy to take advantage of Boston's struggles. Washington and St. Louis are among the hottest teams in the league right now, and each continues to soar up the rankings. But just how high did each of those clubs make it this week, and where did the Bruins land after this past week's setback?
Note: Rankings reflect play through Tuesday.
| NHL Power Rankings |
| 1 |
 |
| Last week: No. 4 |
|
There's no denying the young Blues anymore, as St. Louis has now won seven straight games. That includes three this past week, with a 2-0 win over San Jose, a 2-1 shootout victory in Boston and a 2-0 shutout of the Rangers as Jaroslav Halak continues his amazing start to the season. |
| 2 |
 |
| Last week: No. 2 |
|
The Kings continue to reign in the West, pushing their win streak to four games with victories over Tampa Bay and Nashville this week, allowing just one goal in the process. |
| 3 |
 |
| Last week: No. 8 |
|
Don't look now, but the Caps are back to piling up the wins in bunches. Washington went 4-0-0 this week, including knocking off previous No. 1 Boston. |
| 4 |
 |
| Last week: No. 1 |
|
The Bruins didn't last long in the top spot, as they suffered their first back-to-back losses with a 5-3 setback at Washington and a 2-1 shootout loss to St. Louis. Considering where the Caps and Blues are ranked, that's hardly anything to get too upset about. Adding David Krejci to the injured list, however, is a reason for concern. |
| 4 |
 |
| Last week: No. 5 |
|
The Red Wings maintain their hold on the fifth spot for a third straight week after winning three of their four games this week, the lone blemish coming against Vancouver. |
| 6 |
 |
| Last week: No. 7 |
|
The Flyers rolled through New York with wins over the Rangers and Islanders, but had to settle for one point in an overtime loss at Washington. |
| 7 |
 |
| Last week: No. 6 |
|
The Canucks had a mixed week against a pair of Original Six powers, posting an impressive 6-4 win over Detroit but getting blanked in Montreal. |
| 8 |
 |
| Last week: No. 3 |
|
The Lightning managed just one win in four games, and that came against Toronto, which really shouldn't even be worth the full two points. |
| 9 |
 |
| Last week: No. 12 |
|
Trading away Jaroslav Halak could still come back to haunt the Habs, but Carey Price is doing his best to make both sides happy with the deal, closing out a strong week with a shutout of the Canucks. |
| 10 |
 |
| Last week: No. 21 |
|
Todd Richards' bag skate a couple weeks back has seemingly worked wonders. The Wild have won three straight, including victories over Calgary and Columbus this week. |
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