Short Shifts Power Rankings: May 16

Throw out the Xs and Os and join Short Shifts for our own weekly power rankings. What is our criteria? Whatever makes us smile, laugh, cry or any other wholesome feeling. This list is updated every Friday with our top moments of the week.

1. Chris Tanev

Schoolwork doesn’t stop for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. During a press conference, Mitch Marner was asked what teammate Chris Tanev brings off the ice to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marner revealed the veteran defenseman does schoolwork on the road. Tanev then told reporters he was studying finance. The defenseman went to college for one year (2009-10) and then joked he took a “10-year break.” His wife suggested he start taking classes again during the pandemic and the defenseman “has done that since and is almost done.”

Ranking: Playoff games are his study break

2. Flavor Flav and his pretzels

Flavor Flav needed to go back to the concession stand thanks to a hit along the boards. The rapper was mic’d up during Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round between the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers. Rocking a Golden Knights jersey and his infamous chain, Flav had some hilarious one-liners as he sat along the glass. “Hey y’all knocked down my pretzels,” the rapper yelled at the players after a hit in front of him. Flav also met a fan who was dressed as the pope. “You the dopest pope I know,” Flav told the fan.

Ranking: Taste the playoffs

3. Carolina Hurricanes social team

The Carolina Hurricanes had the receipts. After the Hurricanes won Game 5 against the Washington Capitals to clinch the series, the team’s social media account posted the perfect response to all the people who called them “boring.” The admins compiled social media posts from fans, podcasters and media pundits all calling the Hurricanes boring to watch then cutting to the final scores of each game in the series. They captioned the post, “ECF berths are so boring!”

Ranking: Yawn

4. Reilly Smith's goal celebration

Reilly Smith wished the Edmonton Oilers a good knight on Saturday. The Vegas Golden Knights forward scored the game-winning goal with 0.4 seconds left in the third period of Game 3 against the Oilers in the Western Conference Second Round. Smith wristed a shot past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner and off forward Leon Draisaitl’s stick to give Vegas the 4-3 lead. Smith stuck his tongue out and smiled before celebrating with his teammates.

Ranking: Tongues out guns out

5. Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley is the Edmonton Oilers’ biggest fan. The Basketball Hall of Famer had a priceless reaction to the Oilers winning 1-0 in overtime during Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. “Edmonton won! Woo!” Barkley yelled while sitting on set. “We scored in overtime.” Barkley didn’t want to talk basketball when the NBA on TNT broadcast returned. “I told y’all the Edmonton Oilers are going to win the Stanley Cup …We are taking the Cup back to Canada,” Barkley added. The retired NBA star picked the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup in his bracket.

Ranking: Play “La Bamba”