NHL Top 10 Teams Entering Week 12

We are just a few days away from a mini-break for the holidays. In the meantime, teams are still trying to find identities and some are just on a roll. Here are this week's top 10 teams:

#10 Toronto Maple Leafs: The Maple Leafs have lost three straight games and this has been their worst stretch of the season of far. The offence has been missing during this losing streak. They have only scored three goals in the last three games. Toronto's record is 20-13-1 with 41 points. Last week's ranking: 4.

#9 Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets continue to float around in the Metropolitan Division. They are one of the best teams in the NHL when they are hitting on all cylinders. Columbus's record this season is 20-12-1 with 41 points. Last week's ranking: 7.

#8 Los Angeles Kings: The Kings struggled against the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and New York Islanders all on the road. At least they got a point against the Islanders. Los Angeles was hot and then they got cold a little bit. The Kings' record is 20-10-4 with 44 points. Last week's ranking: 2.

#7 New Jersey Devils: The Devils have reached the 100 goal mark this season. Their offence had a very good week They scored five goals in a game against the Los Angeles Kings and the Dallas Stars. New Jersey's record is 18-9-5 with 41 points. Last week's ranking: 9.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights: The Vegas Golden Knights continue to play excellent team hockey. They are very fast and skilled. Marc-Andre Fleury has returned between the pipes and he made 24 saves in a 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins and 35 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Vegas has scored 112 goals, tied for third-most in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets. Vegas's record is 21-9-2 with 44 points. Last week's ranking: not ranked.

#5 Washington Capitals: The Capitals have won three games in a row and they are not being talked about a lot. Even though they are in first place in the Metropolitan Division, this is the way the Capitals want it. Washington's record is 21-12-1 with 43 points. They are playing unselfish hockey right now. Last week's ranking: 8.

#4 Winnipeg Jets: The Jets got a much needed 4-0 shutout win against the St. Louis Blues yesterday. Connor Hellebuyck had 24 saves in that game. He continues to get it done for the Jets and Hellebuyck has to be one of the favourites for the Vezina Trophy right now. His record is 17-4-4 with a .920 save percentage and a 2.45 GAA, along with two shutouts. The Jets record is 19-10-5 with 43 points. Last week's ranking: 6.

#3 St. Louis Blues: The Blues have been having players step up with the absence of Jaden Schwartz. They aren't the same team, but the Blues are still a very dangerous team. The Blues record is 22-11-2 with 46 points. Last week's ranking: 3.

#2 Nashville Predators: The Predators continue to be a team that looks to be possessed. Nashville has won its last 11 out of 15 games. Pekka Rinne made 32 saves and it was his third shutout of the season in a 2-0 win against the Calgary Flames. Different players continue to contribute to the Predators' cause. Last week's ranking: 5.

#1 Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa Bay has scored 123 goals this season which is the most in the NHL so far this season. Steven Stamkos (43 points) and Nikita Kucherov (46 points) have been contained a little bit lately, but they are still leading the NHL in points. Tampa Bay's record is 24-6-2 with 50 points. Last week's ranking: 1.