As the trade deadline draws nearer, the NHL power rankings continue to get tighter this week. A reminder once again that a loss or win doesn’t necessarily mean that one team will be ranked higher than a team they beat or lost to. With that being said, let’s get down to business.
Numbers in parentheses reference last week’s rankings and all stats are current as of 3/14.
No.32: Seattle Kraken (+0)
Poor Seattle. They are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games and it shows no sign of getting better. They rank fourth-worst in goals for and against per game. Expect them to be sellers at the deadline.
No.31: Philadelphia Flyers (-1)
So much for Chuck Fletcher’s aggressive retooling. The Flyers still cannot score, plain and simple. Not to mention they blew the hockey world’s collective mind with the extension of Rasmus Ristolainen.
No.30: Arizona Coyotes (-1)
The Coyotes aren’t quite out of trouble just yet, but what has gotten into this team as of late? They seem reinvigorated. Whether Arizona fans want that or not is yet to be determined.
No.29: Buffalo Sabres (+2)
The Sabres have put together a couple of nice wins. The winning streak moves them up two places this week. Had to feel good for Alex Tuch especially to get that big win over Las Vegas. Also, congratulations to Craig Anderson for 300 career wins.
No.28: Ottawa Senators (-3)
The Senators have been struggling as of late, going 3-7 in their last 10. They are missing Drake Batherson horribly on the offensive end and it shows. Brady Tkachuk can’t do it all on his own.
No.27: New Jersey Devils (+1)
The Devils seem to be trending in the right direction, as their offense has started to turn around. The defense could still use a little work, but they are 5-5 in their last 10 games which is a good sign for them.
No.26: Montreal Canadiens (+0)
The Canadiens have had a great turnaround, but this week they didn’t do much to move the needle. Martin St. Louis should be in consideration for the Jack Adams Trophy at this rate.
No.25: Detroit Red Wings (-4)
Oh, how the Red Wings have fallen. Currently 2-7-1 in their last 10, things are rough in Motown. At least they still have Moritz Seider who is leading the Calder Trophy race.
No.24: San Jose Sharks (+3)
The Sharks have put together a nice two-game winning streak for themselves. The only problem is they still can’t score. Plus, Tomas Hertl could be on his way out at the deadline.
No.23: Chicago Blackhawks (+1)
The Blackhawks move up one spot this week. They may move up this week, but their defense is still an issue. Marc-Andre Fleury is not having the season we are used to seeing out of him and it is hurting this team badly. However, who knows, he may be on the move as well.
No.22: Columbus Blue Jackets (+0)
They are on a two-game winning streak, but there are still major concerns with this team that leave them at 22, at least for now. Namely, their goaltending continues to be a huge issue.
No.21: New York Islanders (+2)
Things are looking up for the Islanders. They are currently on a three-game winning streak, even though they are still struggling to score goals. That will need to be addressed in short order, but even then this year may already be lost.
No.20: Anaheim Ducks (-2)
The Ducks are struggling. 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, that is pretty crazy to think about considering how hot this team started. There have to be questions raised around the deadline for this team.
No.19: Winnipeg Jets (+1)
The Jets have not done anything special this week, but they do look like they are finally clicking. Connor Hellebuyck still needs to improve his numbers, but that will come without a doubt.
No.18: Edmonton Oilers (+1)
A two-game winning streak is slowly helping the Oilers get back to the playoff spot that they know they should be in. Goaltending is certainly still a major issue, but that can be addressed at the deadline.
No.17: Vegas Golden Knights (-3)
Did not see that coming. The Golden Knights are spiraling out of control, currently on a four-game losing streak. Their offense needs to figure things out and quickly if they want to get out of this skid.
No.16: Vancouver Canucks (+1)
The Canucks move up a spot this week. 7-2-1 in your last 10 is certainly one way to get your team noticed again. Thatcher Demko could use some help on the offensive end still however, that’s for sure.
No.15: Nashville Predators (+1)
The Predators move up a spot this week after a great win over Minnesota Sunday night. It was a great defensive game after a bad loss to St. Louis on Saturday. Their offensive prowess is slowly becoming on the verge of elite as well. Filip Forsberg isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
No.14: Dallas Stars (-2)
A two-game losing streak sends Dallas down two spots this week. Their offense is finally starting to click, which is a good thing. Joe Pavelski has been dynamite this season and kept them in the playoff hunt.
No.13: Minnesota Wild (+0)
There is no way to tell what this team is right now. They have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the NHL since the All-Star break. Goaltending has become a major issue. Where they go at the trade deadline is a major question that has to be answered.
No.12: Washington Capitals (+3)
The Capitals move up a spot largely do to their 6-3-1 10-game stretch. Alex Ovechkin has done it. He’s tied Jaromir Jagr for third-most career goals in NHL history.
No.11: Los Angeles Kings (-2)
The Kings start the falls of teams that are more controversial. They have been playing well, but there are some teams that just look better as of now. Anze Kopitar needs some help on offense.
No.10: New York Rangers (+1)
Going 6-4 in their last 10, the New York is the dark horse of the league currently, and they’re certainly looking to maintain that reputation. Igor Shesterkin is the Vezina Trophy front runner, without question.
No.9: St. Louis Blues (-3)
Poor St. Louis. They also land in the same boat as the Kings. It’s time for the Blues to realize that Ville Husso should be their starter over Jordan Binnington.
No.8: Toronto Maple Leafs (-1)
The Leafs continue their crawl down the rankings. It was a rough loss to the Sabres at the Heritage Classic. However, Auston Matthews has been lighting the world on fire with his goal-scoring.
No.7: Boston Bruins (+3)
The Bruins have been rolling as of late. They are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and have been offensive dynamos, slowly improving that area. Combine that with one of the sneakiest goaltending duos in the league with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, they have put the league on notice.
No.6: Tampa Bay Lightning (-4)
Boy does a losing streak hurt this high up the rankings. The Lightning are currently on a three-game losing streak, but they have the talent to turn things around. They will be back near the top before long.
No.5: Calgary Flames (-1)
The Flames fall due to the other four teams being too hot, currently. The flame has extinguished slightly for Calgary, but there is no doubt they will be fighting for the top spot again very soon.
No.4: Colorado Avalanche (-1)
The Avs drop outside of the top three for the first time in quite some time, not necessarily through any fault of their own. Losing Gabriel Landeskog will be huge for this team, however.
No.3: Pittsburgh Penguins (+2)
Welcome back to the top three, Pittsburgh. On a two-game winning streak, the Pens have been rolling, and their offense has continued to be strong.
No.2: Carolina Hurricanes (-1)
The winning streak ends, which forces Carolina out of the top spot. The Hurricanes are still one of the strongest all-around teams in the NHL, especially on the defensive end.
No.1: Florida Panthers (+7)
Welcome back, old friend. The longest-tenured team at the top of the rankings has found their way back. On a five-game winning streak, the Panthers have gotten themselves back into first in the Atlantic Division. They have reinforced themselves as one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference
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