Lightning increasingly look like team to beat

It’s not difficult to envision the Nashville Predators making a back-to-back appearance in the Stanley Cup Final this season. But don’t forget the Tampa Bay Lightning were in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and came within one win of returning there in 2016.

And the Lightning’s disappointing 2016-17 campaign might have looked more like those seasons, or this season, had they not been overrun by injuries.

The point is no one should be surprised that the Lightning look like the team to beat now. They have been trending in this direction.

Here is USA TODAY’s NHL power rankings (games through Nov. 13):

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (14-2-2): This team can beat you numerous ways, including in net where Andrei Vasilevskiy owns a .930 save percentage.

2. St. Louis Blues (13-5-1): Jaden Schwartz sits tied for third in the scoring race. He is one of multiple Blues who have taken their game to the next level. Too soon to mention Alex Pietrangelo as a Norris candidate?

3. Los Angeles Kings (11-4-2): Their improved scoring of 3.18 goals per game is one of the keys to their turnaround. Anze Kopitar leads the way with 21 points in 17 games.

4. New Jersey Devils (11-4-2): As we approach the quarter pole, the Devils are clearly one of the NHL’s biggest surprises. They are sixth in goals per game

(3.47).

5. Toronto Maple Leafs (12-7-0): The Maple Leafs have followed up a rough patch with four consecutive wins. You expect that from a Mike Babcock team.

6. Winnipeg Jets (9-4-3): Over the last 10 games, the Jets have lost only once in regulation. This is a team rich in offensive firepower. Blake Wheeler has 11 points in his last five games.

7. Ottawa Senators (8-3-5): Too soon to know what the Matt Duchene trade will do, but the Senators are 5-2-3 in their last 10.

8. San Jose Sharks (10-6-0): Their +8 goal differential is an indication of how they’ve grown stronger as the season has progressed. They are 7-3-0 in their last 10.

9. Vegas Golden Knights (10-5-1): It feels as if everyone in the hockey world is rooting for this spunky expansion team. They’ve had reasons to fall off the pace, but they refuse to yield.

10. New York Rangers (9-7-2): With six wins in a row, the Rangers have erased the memories of their disappointing start.

11. Nashville Predators (9-5-2): After the Kyle Turris trade, the Predators are definitely a better team than they were when they reached the Stanley Cup Final last spring.

12. New York Islanders (9-6-2): John Tavares has 13 goals in 17 games. That’s a 62-goal pace. As we count the reasons why the Islanders are in the playoff hunt, let’s start with him.

13. Columbus Blue Jackets (10-7-1): The Blue Jackets need another scorer, and they are shopping for one.

14. Washington Capitals (10-7-1):

Nicklas Backstrom has one point in his last nine games, which is an indication something is off with the Capitals.

15. Pittsburgh Penguins (9-7-3): As their -18 goal differential would suggest, the Penguins are trying to find a rhythm.

16. Dallas Stars (9-8-0): This team is going to be more difficult to face in the second half of the season once everyone gets adjusted to the personnel changes and Ken Hitchcock’s arrival.

17. Philadelphia Flyers (8-7-2): The focus is on the Flyers’ impressive young defensemen, but Jakub Voracek’s and Claude Giroux’s presence among the top 12 scorers is equally important.

18. Calgary Flames (10-7-0): While the Flames expected to be better this season, they are on a 96-point pace. They are still in a playoff spot.

19. Vancouver Canucks (8-7-2): Based on where they were in 2016-17, the Canucks are having an encouraging season.

20. Chicago Blackhawks (8-8-2): The defense just isn’t as dependable as it was at when the Blackhawks won Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

21. Colorado Avalanche (8-7-1): This is about the time last season when the Avalanche started the downhill slide.

22. Detroit Red Wings (8-8-2): If the Red Wings could find more goals, they might compete for a playoff spot. Jimmy Howard has been good, and their defense has been better than expected. 23. Carolina Hurricanes (7-5-4): This is a team that probably needs to trade a defenseman for a scoring forward. But the Hurricanes are on the rise.

24. Anaheim Ducks (7-7-3): Given the injuries, their record is impressive. When Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler and Cam Fowler are back, they will be a force again.

25. Minnesota Wild (7-7-2): When Coach Bruce Boudreau called out his players recently for not looking like they knew what they were doing, they deserved it. The Wild have been mediocre.

26. Montreal Canadiens (8-9-1): The Habs are 7-3-0 in their last 10 yet still own a -15 goal differential for the season. But their play has been sharper.

27. Edmonton Oilers (6-9-2): The Oilers have been the NHL’s biggest disappointment in the first month.

28. Boston Bruins (6-6-4): The Bruins haven’t been as strong on the road (1-3-2) as they have at home (5-3-2). Tuukka Rask’s .901 save percentage hasn’t helped.

29. Buffalo Sabres (5-9-3): It’s clear that the Sabres aren’t as close as they hoped they would be. Injuries on the blue line have hurt.

30. Florida Panthers (5-9-2): The Panthers rank eighth in goals per game (3.31), but their defensive sloppiness has pushed them well down in the standings.

31. Arizona Coyotes (2-14-3): With the personnel that the Coyotes have on the blue line, they should not be giving up almost four goals per game.