Welcome back to The Hockey News' NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.
As the NHL regular season enters its final week, only two playoff spots in the East and three in the West remain up for grabs.
Assuming the New Jersey Devils lock up the final spot in the Metropolitan Division – the fourth-place New York Rangers are 10 points behind – that leaves the Montreal Canadiens as the team most likely to claim the last spot. Making the same assumption for the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific, as they hold a six-point lead over the fourth-place Calgary Flames with five games to go, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues will likely take the last two spots.
There’s been a lot more clarity in the playoff picture over the past week in what has been an extremely tight race for much of the regular season. Perhaps the greatest chase, however, was Alex Ovechkin’s quest to become the NHL’s all-time goals leader, which he accomplished Sunday against the New York Islanders. He is no longer ‘Alexander the Great’ but now ‘Alexander the Greatest.’
The order of teams in the NHL power rankings are firming up as the season winds down, but there’s still a lot of movement within the top 16. Teams are jostling for playoff positioning, and some teams are running hotter than others.
The Ottawa Senators, for example, won three of four games over the past week and dutifully climb up the rankings, while losing streaks for the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes see them dip even though they’re still top-tier contenders.
1. Winnipeg Jets (53-21-4, +83. Previous: 1)
With just four more games remaining, including two bound for the lottery (Ducks, Blackhawks) and another missing their top players (Oilers), the Jets will likely claim their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. It’s a fitting end to a brilliant regular season where the Jets maintained their top spot for nearly the entire campaign.
2. Washington Capitals (49-19-9, +66. Previous: 3)
Alex Ovechkin’s record-setting campaign overshadowed a poor stretch of play where the Caps have lost five of their last seven games. It’s worth noting during this stretch, Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren are a combined 2-4-1 with an .820 SP. They won’t go deep in the playoffs with that kind of goaltending.
There's Still A Lot For Capitals' Alex Ovechkin To ChaseThe Gr8 Chase is complete after Alexander Ovechkin scored his NHL record-setting 895th career goal. But he’s got more to chase.
3. Colorado Avalanche (48-27-4, +45. Previous: 5)
The Avalanche actually finish their regular season on Sunday, giving them all four days off next week. On one hand, it’ll provide them with additional rest. On the other, they’ll have almost no say on who they play in the first round and will likely start on the road.
4. Vegas Golden Knights (47-22-9, +51. Previous: 7)
Tough stretch for the Knights with three losses in their last five games, including one in a shootout, but they’ll likely claim their fourth division title and secure home-ice advantage through the first two rounds.
5. Los Angeles Kings (44-24-9, +36. Previous: 9)
Andrei Kuzmenko has unlocked the Kings' offense, which ranks eighth with 3.41 goals per game since he joined the team on March 8. Before that, the Kings ranked 23rd with 2.80 goals per game. If they want to beat the Oilers in their first-round matchup, they’ll have to be able to score a lot.
6. Dallas Stars (50-22-6, +65. Previous: 2)
The Stars have lost three straight and blew a 5-2 lead against the Canucks with one minute remaining in what may have been their worst stretch of play this season. If they can beat the Jets on Thursday on home ice, they have an easy three-game stretch the rest of the way that may put them in contention for the Presidents’ Trophy.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (47-26-4, +27. Previous: 8)
The Maple Leafs have lost just twice in regulation over the past three weeks but face some tough matchups ahead – Lightning, Habs, Canes – in order to secure home-ice advantage. The COVID-19 season’s North Division notwithstanding, the Leafs have not won a division banner since 1999-2000.
Toronto Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Plays The Long Game While Blue Jays Lock Up Guerrero Jr. The Toronto Maple Leafs have their own star player to re-sign, but the Toronto Blue Jays took care of business with theirs.
8. Carolina Hurricanes (46-27-4, +37. Previous: 4)
The Hurricanes stumble with three-straight losses with a minus-9 goal differential against non-playoff teams. The good news is they will likely face the Devils in the first round, who have essentially played .500 since March 1.
9. Tampa Bay Lightning (45-26-6, +74. Previous: 10)
It’s vital for the Lightning to win the division, or at least come second. Among the top Atlantic teams, the Lightning have the worst road record (18-18-4), and Andrei Vasilevskiy has been far better at home (25-6-2, .936 SP, 1.85 GAA) than he has on the road (12-14-1, .904 SP, 2.51 GAA) this season.
10. Edmonton Oilers (44-28-5, +19. Previous: 6)
The Oilers’ situation feels dire, but it will be a 180-degree turn once Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl return to the lineup. Calvin Pickard is doing an admirable job, but he has only two career playoff starts to his resume, and both were from last year.
11. Florida Panthers (45-29-4, +31. Previous: 13)
The Panthers made a statement with a 3-1 win Tuesday against the Leafs to end their five-game losing streak. We must take the Panthers’ losing streak with a grain of salt – three of their losses were by just one goal, and the defending champs are already prioritizing a playoff run over regular-season wins.
12. St. Louis Blues (43-29-7, +18. Previous: 11)
All good things must come to an end, but at least the Blues set a franchise and season record with 12-straight wins. It’s an incredible run for the Blues, which were two points out of a playoff spot and sat fourth in the wild-card race prior to their winning streak. They will likely become the seventh team to clinch in the West in the coming days.
13. Ottawa Senators (42-30-6, -1. Previous: 16)
Talk about catching fire at the right time. The Sens lost 5-2 on Tuesday but clinched the ‘x’ next to their name anyway thanks to a Red Wings loss. They wouldn’t have been in that position if not for a 3-0-0 run with only one goal allowed against the Lightning, Panthers and Jackets.
14. Montreal Canadiens (39-30-9, -17. Previous: 12)
Not sure what more Lane Hutson has to do to clinch the Calder with 20 points in his past 19 games. The Canadiens have won six in a row, leaving them eight points clear of the next four teams and return to the postseason.
15. New Jersey Devils (41-30-7, +25. Previous: 14)
Perhaps no team enters the post-season with less momentum than the Devils, which have lost six of their past 11 with some really poor performances sprinkled in. They lost 7-2 to the Bruins on Tuesday in a game filled with errors and carelessness atypical of a good team.
16. Minnesota Wild (42-29-7, -12. Previous: 15)
The complexion of this team will surely change once Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek return. They’ve lost six of their past eight but at least managed to earn points in half those games, and they’ll likely make the playoffs thanks to a massive 23-11-4 cushion in the first three months of the season.
17. Utah Hockey Club (36-30-12, -10. Previous: 18)
Utah just keeps hanging around, and Karel Vejmelka has arguably been the most impressive goalie down the stretch. Sure, there have been some bad starts, but who doesn’t after 21 (!) consecutive starts. After a tough stretch, Vejmelka has won four of his past five with five goals allowed in those wins. He’s making a very strong case to be their undisputed No. 1 next season.
18. Calgary Flames (37-27-13, -22. Previous: 19)
The Flames’ playoff hopes stay alive because they’ve managed to earn points in five of their past six games, but it’s looking out of reach despite a valiant effort. Fun stat: Dustin Wolf will be just the eighth rookie in the cap era to start at least 50 games.
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (35-33-9, -14. Previous: 17)
A six-game winless streak through mid-March and losing four of their past six ultimately dropped the Jackets out of playoff contention. Nevertheless, the Jackets should be the proudest of the non-playoff teams considering how competitive they’ve been after the tragic loss of one of their best players.
20. Vancouver Canucks (36-29-13, -17. Previous: 20)
It’s actually quite commendable for the Canucks to stay in the playoff race for this long despite significant roster changes and injuries to key players. There was just too little room for error, however, which wastes another brilliant season from Quinn Hughes, who is – gulp – two years away from unrestricted free agency.
21. Buffalo Sabres (35-36-6, -12. Previous: 23)
Trust the Sabres to win games and keep avoiding elimination when it no longer matters. They’ve won eight of their last nine – where was this in December?! – and again offers some hope heading into next season. This is a vastly talented young group that still hasn’t quite figured it out.
22. Anaheim Ducks (34-35-8, -34. Previous: 21)
It was a tough stretch, but it was good to see the Ducks win games in which they had a legitimate chance to upset (Rangers, Oilers). With Lukas Dostal starting most of the games down the stretch, you have to wonder if the Ducks will finally close the John Gibson chapter this summer.
23. Detroit Red Wings (36-34-7, -23. Previous: 24)
The Wings shored up their goaltending acquiring Petr Mrazek, but it was again veteran Cam Talbot who has kept them in the race going 3-2-1 in their last six, including impressive wins against the Panthers and Canes. Alas, it just won’t be enough as we once again question the validity of the Yzerplan. Two months ago, we were sure the Wings would be in the post-season.
24. New York Rangers (36-34-7, -5. Previous: 22)
There have been only three instances where a team has won the Presidents’ Trophy only to miss the playoffs the following season, and one of them was the 1992-93 Rangers. The good news is the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and the Cup in the following season. That’s the silver lining in a disastrous season.
NHL Rumor Roundup: The Future Of Rangers' Kreider And Flyers' Summer PlansOn April 15, 2024, the New York Rangers clinched the 2023-24 Presidents' Trophy with a 4-0 shutout of the Ottawa Senators. They entered this season considered among the Stanley Cup favorites.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins (32-35-12, -52. Previous: 26)
Tristan Jarry is really good or really bad with no in-between. The good news is that he’s shown he’s capable of winning games at this level again, but the Penguins face such an uncertain future ahead. There’s no clear path to put them back in the playoffs.
26. Seattle Kraken (34-39-6, -17. Previous: 27)
Another season where the Kraken simply stay afloat. Like it or not, the Kraken’s success (or lack thereof) will be compared to the Knights’, and they’re falling way behind. The fan base feels like they’re getting antsy, and we shall see if GM Ron Francis opens the wallet to make significant improvements for a second-straight summer.
27. Philadelphia Flyers (31-37-9, -47. Previous: 28)
Maybe the layoff was just too long. After a three-game winning streak, the Flyers had a four-day break and lost their following game to the Canadiens. They’re scoring, and the goaltending doesn’t look too bad, but it’ll be interesting to see what direction they take in the off-season, whether it’s continuing to add futures or making win-now moves.
28. Nashville Predators (28-42-8, -59. Previous: 29)
Are the Predators a bounce-back candidate next season, or did they fast-track themselves on the age curve? They’ve won just two games in regulation since March 14 (3-10-1), the third-worst points percentage in the NHL and still cannot score on a consistent basis.
29. New York Islanders (34-32-11, -22. Previous: 25)
Not only did they get picked on by Ovechkin for his record-setting 895th – and so many big goals before that – they’ve lost five of their last seven. Their big free agent signing who was supposed to provide much-needed offense, Anthony Duclair, ended up taking a personal leave after Patrick Roy ripped him in public.
30. Boston Bruins (32-38-9, -49. Previous: 32)
The Bruins' 10-game winless streak ended, and they’ve won two of their past three, but it does not hide the fact that this team has a ton of flaws. The bad part is they’re very much locked into this core – Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and Jeremy Swayman are finishing up the first seasons of their long-term contracts.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (22-46-10, -74. Previous: 31)
A 3-1 win against the Pens was just their second regulation win since March 8. More worrisome, however, is Bedard’s stagnant development in his sophomore season. Without a better roster, it’s hard to see the Hawks being competitive next season.
32. San Jose Sharks (20-47-10, -95. Previous: 30)
Last place and zero wins in their last six games? No problem. The Sharks’ bright future is easy to see, and getting the best chance to draft defenseman Matthew Schaefer in the upcoming draft will give them a much-needed bona fide prospect on their blue line.
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