NHL Power Rankings - Week 15: Lightning claim top spot; Maple Leafs drop to No. 22

1. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning have lost only two games in 2015 in which Ben Bishop started. 

2. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks will be without Dan Carcillo for an extended stretch, which will force them to ice a much better fourth line featuring Ben Smith, Teuvo Teravainen and Joakim Nordstrom.

In the NHL, there is such thing as supplementary discipline. There is no such thing as justice. 

3. New York Islanders

The following forwards - non-Kyle Okposo division - have spent more time skating with John Tavares at 5-on-5 this season than Ryan Strome has: Nikolai Kulemin, Cory Conacher, Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson, Mikhail Grabovski and Matt Martin.

Matt Martin!

What the ...

4. Los Angeles Kings

If Jake Muzzin is the frowny face emoji ...

Then what emoji is Kyle Clifford? 

Our suggestion: 

5. Anaheim Ducks

Three of Anaheim's top four defenders are under the age of 25, including Sami Vatanen (23), Cam Fowler (23) and Hampus Lindholm (20). This team is poised to be very good for a long, long time. 

6. St. Louis Blues

Since Dec. 1, the Blues have six(!) players producing at a point-per-game rate or better, including Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Steen, Vladimir Tarasenko, T.J. Oshie, Jaden Schwartz and David Backes. 

7. Nashville Predators

Injuries to James Neal and Ryan Ellis appear to be catching up to the Predators, whose once-promising puck possession game has plummeted off a cliff over the past month, as the raw Corsi For percentage chart shows. 

(Courtesy: war-on-ice)

Meanwhile, Pekka Rinne's injury could take Nashville out of serious contention in the Central Division. 

8. Detroit Red Wings

No team has been better at controlling games at even strength over the past six weeks than the Red Wings.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins

Is there a Wikipedia list of ways the Spinal Tap drummers were killed? No? Let's just use Olli Maatta's recent injury report instead.

10. Winnipeg Jets

Not only is Michael Hutchinson better than Ondrej Pavelec, but splitting starts evenly with another netminder appears to agree with Winnipeg's miscast former workhorse starter:

11. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens are in the mix for the Atlantic Division crown, but we can't in good conscience put a team with Dale Weise on its first line in the top 10.

12. Washington Capitals

We're waiting with bated breath to discover whether Bella Swan chose the vampire (Sidney Crosby) or the werewolf (Alex "Lautner" Ovechkin). 

13. New York Rangers

Because committing big money and term to a non-scoring defenseman through their mid-30s always pans out.

14. Boston Bruins

With David Krejci in the Bruins' lineup, Milan Lucic has 18 points in 25 games. When Krejci is out of the lineup, Lucic has six points in 20. 

15. Dallas Stars

The Stars are in the thick of a playoff race, so expect general manager Jim Nill to call for backup at the trade deadline. And by backup we mean, quite literally, a serviceable backup.

16. Florida Panthers

Panthers forward Scottie Upshall hates Winnipeg and cold weather, but he loves emojis:

17. Vancouver Canucks

When your center depth can be aptly compared with the quality of the entertainment playing NHL All-Star Weekend, you know you're in trouble. 

18. San Jose Sharks

Logan Couture had his teeth chipped by a T.J. Brodie high stick this weekend:

His perfect teeth, forever ruined:

19. Minnesota Wild

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a Kuemper.

20. Calgary Flames

Johnny Trademark is on pace for a 61-point rookie season, which should probably be getting talked about more. 

21. Ottawa Senators

Paul MacLean and his mustache made an appearance at Bell Centre in Montreal for a game between Ottawa and the Canadiens this week. Who would've thought in May 2013 that Michel Therrien would have the last laugh?

22. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs have been shut out three times in their past four games, giving them enough goose eggs to spell T0r0nt0.

23. Columbus Blue Jackets

An NHL All-Star team named after Nick Foligno belongs in the "Hey, that will make zero sense to anybody a decade from now!" pantheon. Sandwiched between "former NHL Player of the Month Lee Stempniak" and former Vezina Trophy award winner Jim 'the net detective' Carey!

24. Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have lost three of their past four games by one goal, which is pretty much the exact opposite of how their 2013-14 season went. 

25. Philadelphia Flyers

Michael Del Zotto is second among all Flyers defenders in time on ice per game, just in case you were wondering precisely how Philadelphia is managing to waste Jakub Voracek's career year. 

26. Carolina Hurricanes

Congratulations to Alexander Semin on being literally the only player in hockey whose team might consider trading him straight up for David Clarkson.

27. Arizona Coyotes

The 2014-15 Coyotes play offensive hockey with the grace of a Reggie Evans fastbreak ... 

28. New Jersey Devils

Unlike with Kyle Clifford, we all know which emoji Lou Lamoriello is:

29. Edmonton Oilers

It's strange to see how effective Edmonton media are when it comes to shivving Tyler Dellow. You'd think after treating Kevin Lowe with kid gloves for 15 years, they'd be out of practice. 

30. Buffalo Sabres

A modest proposal:

Good night, and good luck!