We’re now more than a week removed from the Trade Deadline, and we’re slowly starting to see how the new players are settling into their new teams – or lack thereof in some cases. But what this also means is we get to focus on some of the exciting playoff battles taking place, whether it’s teams scrapping for home ice advantage in their divisions or conferences or one of the eight to nine teams across both conferences fighting for their playoff lives. It’s been a while since we’ve had a race as wide open as this, so sit back and enjoy.
Hunter Crowther and I continue to navigate through the results so far this season with another week of our co-op power rankings. I have my same old system in which I aggregate six stats (points %, 5-on-5 goal differential, 5-on-5 xGF/60, 5-on-5 xGA/60, power play xGF/60, and shorthanded xGA/60, all coming courtesy of Natural Stat Trick) to come up with a list that eliminates my own biases, along with a rule that no team can be above a team that’s more than five points ahead of them in the standings, regardless of where the aggregate places them. On the other hand, Hunter goes off his own intellect and pure vibes, and together, we find a way to combine it and meet in the middle.
1. Winnipeg Jets
Record: 47-17-4, +81
Last Week: 1st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 1st
Hunter: It’s hard talking about how much you like a team like the Jets, who have lost just four times in two months and constantly have in the No. 1 spot. I think the greatest benefit Winnipeg provided themselves was pulling so far ahead in the Central Division that they won’t have to face one of the Stars or Avalanche in Round 1. Also, it’s time for a new segment that we call “Give Kyle Connor the Love Mike Sullivan Didn’t,” as the U.S. winger who was healthy scratched in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final had three goals and two assists this past week. I said my piece, Chrissy!
2. Washington Capitals
Record: 44-15-8, +69
Last Week: 2nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 2nd
Scott: It’s funny to think about the Capitals now, as opposed to their expectations at the start of the season, and how everyone pencilled down this section of the schedule as being the only interesting part of their season because of Alex Ovechkin’s goal record chase. Well, they’ve been interesting all season, and now that they have their playoff spot basically locked up (if my math is correct, they can clinch as early as this week if they win), the only thing that will be interesting about this final stretch is Ovechkin’s record chase (which, with another goal on Saturday, has him only seven back of Wayne Gretzky).
Hunter: Fifteen games left? Eight goals needed to pass Gretzky? I say he does it in Pittsburgh against Sidney Crosby on April 17. It’s too cinematic not to happen.
3. Dallas Stars
Record: 42-21-3, +51
Last Week: 4th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 4th
Hunter: If Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Avalanche was any indication, the eventual first-round matchup between them and the Stars could be the best series of the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs. Each team’s stars played their best, we saw goals in spurts, including a late third-period comeback, and Mikko Rantanen playing his former team? Screenplays like that get turned away. Speaking of Rantanen, he looks very comfortable in the Stars’ lineup, with two goals in his first two games and natural chemistry with Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson.
4. Florida Panthers
Record: 41-24-3, +37
Last Week: 3rd (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 3rd
Hunter: I’m not saying it doesn’t suck to lose Aaron Ekblad for the rest of the regular season after he was suspended for violating the league’s performance enhancing drug program … but if you could pick one player you’d like to take the rest of the season off to be healthy in time for the playoffs, it’s probably the one you’ve had to lean on for more than 23 minutes a game all season. That being said, Seth Jones does not need to be playing 27 to 28 minutes a night like he did with the Blackhawks. Florida has been outscored 6-1 at even strength when Jones is on the ice, as per The Athletic’s Scott Powers. Spread those minutes out, Mr. Maurice.
5. Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 41-22-4, +39
Last Week: 8th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 9th
Hunter: Mikko who? For all the flak Eric Tulsky took after being unable to extend Rantanen and trade him for arguably cents on the dollar, this team doesn’t seem to be missing a beat, winners of seven straight, capped off with a 5-0 shellacking of the Flyers on Saturday. Taylor Hall has scored in back-to-back games, and it would be nice to see him find production in a depth roll on the wing. Don’t look now, but Pyotr Kochetkov hasn’t allowed more than two goals in five straight appearances. If he found his A-game ahead of mid-April, the Hurricanes might be everyone’s sexy pick in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
6. Los Angeles Kings
Record: 36-20-9, +16
Last Week: 9th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 6th
Scott: So, I’m going to tread carefully with this, but could this year’s Kings team be the one that finally beats the Oilers when they inevitably face off in the first round? I’ll certainly never doubt the offensive superpowers that are Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, especially against a team whose biggest offensive stars are a past-their-prime Anze Kopitar, a consistent but not nuclear scorer in Adrian Kempe and the always-streaky Kevin Fiala. But the Kings are looking like the best defensive team in the league, a potential kryptonite for McDavid and Draisaitl, and with the goaltending the Oilers have had recently, Los Angeles might not even need their own players to generate the offense. I’d still put my money on Edmonton, but this might be the team that gets the closest to beating them.
7. Edmonton Oilers
Record: 39-24-4, +20
Last Week: 7th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 9th
Scott’s Rank: 5th
Scott: As I said, if we do get another Kings-Oilers first round matchup, this might be the most beatable that we’ve seen the Oilers going into that series. McDavid hasn’t exactly blown you out of the water with his performance this season, and while Draisaitl has more than made up for that with how he’s played, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard have also taken noticeable steps back, and Stuart Skinner is looking like how he did during last year’s series against the Vancouver Canucks. Then again, the Kings have given the Oilers fits in the first round before, yet Edmonton always pulled out the four wins, so who’s to say that will change this season?
Hunter: I think part of why I soured on the Oilers this week and through the season is, well, I don’t have the same confidence I had in them in the final month of last year’s regular season and into the playoffs. Little mistakes that lead to goals, Skinner not looking very sharp through the season and extremely top-heavy production that drops off the grand canyon once you get past Evan Bouchard’s 53 points. Let’s put it this way: if they face the Kings in the first round, which they very likely will, I’m taking L.A.
8. Vegas Golden Knights
Record: 39-20-8, +38
Last Week: 5th (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 8th
Scott: It’s a bit weird to have the current leader of the Pacific Division behind two teams in their own division that they have a four- and five-point lead on, but Vegas also has its fair share of concerns despite getting a bit more luck. The Golden Knights’ underlying numbers just aren’t as good as those of the other top teams in the Pacific, and I wouldn’t even say I have any more faith in Adin Hill than I do in Stuart Skinner, although Hill does at least have the pedigree. I guess that’s what the Golden Knights thought when they extended him for six more years at $6.25 million, because that feels like it’ll be more likely to be a problem than a solution considering he hasn’t really recreated that level he hit during the 2023 playoffs.
9. Colorado Avalanche
Record: 41-24-3, +31
Last Week: 10th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 10th
Scott: I’ve noticed that we’ve taken a little bit of heat for sleeping on the Avalanche (and based on Hunter’s ranking, it’s mostly me sleeping on them), but it should be important to note how close the rankings are from the 5 to 10 spots. All of those teams are neck-and-neck with their own strengths and weaknesses, and there are just some slight concerns under the hood that have me worried about the Avalanche. That said, it’s actually with their offense and power play, and considering the talent they have, they should more than be able to make up for it, even without Rantanen (whom they beat in their first reunion with the Stars on Sunday).
Hunter: As I mentioned in my Stars blurb, give me seven games of Dallas and Colorado, because that Sunday matchup was a tasty appetizer. Those two are going to beat the hell out of each other, which breaks my heart, because they both have a legitimate case to represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final.
10. Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 38-23-5, +55
Last Week: 6th (-4)
Hunter’s Rank: 10th
Scott’s Rank: 7th
Hunter: Did you know that as of Jan. 5, the Lightning have the second-best record in the NHL? With a 18-9-3 record with 39 points? Even after a week where they lost to the Hurricanes and Flyers, they’re a team that’s talented enough that any team in the East would want to avoid them in Round 1. A top-five power play and top-10 penalty kill, plus a top-six of certified Stanley Cup killers? No thank you.
11. New Jersey Devils
Record: 36-26-6, +27
Last Week: 11th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 11th
Scott’s Rank: 11th
Scott: This Devils team just can’t get a win. Not necessarily on the ice, as they had won three straight before a 7-3 blowout loss at the hands of the Penguins, but they keep getting dealt blow after blow on the injury front, first in Jack Hughes and now two top four defensemen in Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler. At least that’s allowed more ice time for Simon Nemec, who has a goal and two points in his last two games.
12. Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 39-24-3, +13
Last Week: 12th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 12th
Scott’s Rank: 12th
Scott: I don’t know how they do it, but this Leafs team continues to underwhelm me to new degrees every week. This may come off as me overreacting to a recent stretch of five losses in six games, but I think anyone who’s followed these rankings long enough have known that I haven’t had much confidence in this year’s squad. They just haven’t done anything to impress me as of late, and it’s becoming quite apparent that Craig Berube’s system was not meant for this team. It’s really the only way that a team with a roster that looks good on paper can’t generate offense and constantly gets hemmed in their own zone. It got glossed over early on in the season because of their goaltending and how gritty and rough they were, but now that that has faded, it’s clear that these are the same old Leafs. The division title is certainly in reach, but I could just as easily see Ottawa catching up to the Leafs as I could see the Leafs catching up to the Panthers.
Hunter: I don’t want to spend too much time ripping this team apart, partly because they had a five-game winning streak out of the international break and that they’re just four points back of the top of the Atlantic. But even during that winning streak, this team was off. Missed passes, bad breakouts, chunks of hockey games with no juice. Scott Laughton went toe-to-toe to show his new teammates he’s in the fight, and they barely responded. They’re lifeless. It’s clear something is ailing Auston Matthews, and perhaps he should have been shut down in December.
Forget about the lack of goal scoring from this group, or the continued mediocre play from a fan favorite on the blueline. Do you know what this team needs right now? To grow up.
13. Minnesota Wild
Record: 37-25-5, -10
Last Week: 13th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 13th
Scott’s Rank: 13th
Hunter: It’s been a difficult month of games for the Wild since the NHL returned from the 4 Nations break. Each time they win a game and make some ground, they lose twice and drift further from the top three in the Central. While they may have won enough early games to make up for it, with only two regulation wins in a month, there’s a not-zero chance another team like the Blues or Flames goes on a six-game winning streak and passes Minnesota in the Wild Card.
14. St. Louis Blues
Record: 33-28-7, 0
Last Week: 17th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 16th
Scott’s Rank: 14th
Scott: I can’t believe that I’m actually rating a Blues team well, but here we are. They are this year’s version of the 2023-24 Islanders: a middling team that suddenly has a competitive edge for rounding out their defensive game thanks to a coaching change. In this case, it’s Jim Montgomery who’s turned the Blues into the best defensive team in the league since he took over. That’s right: the best. Since his hiring, the Blues are first in 5v5 expected goals against per 60 minutes. They still rely on a bit too much luck offensively, but I’d say their defensive game certainly earns them a spot in this Western Conference playoff race.
15. Ottawa Senators
Record: 36-25-5, +8
Last Week: 16th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 14th
Scott’s Rank: 17th
Hunter: So this is going to happen, isn’t it? The Senators are going to clinch their first playoff spot since 2017, and they will face a Maple Leafs team that miraculously clinches the Atlantic Division, then in a Game 7 at Scotiabank Arena, Ottawa will defeat Toronto in overtime and hand the blue and white their most painful loss since 2021 when the Canadiens stormed back to beat them in seven. Just want to make sure we’re all on the same page.
16. New York Rangers
Record: 33-29-6, 0
Last Week: 19th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 15th
Scott’s Rank: 16th
Scott: I was a bit surprised to see that the Rangers were holding down the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference considering their recent 4-4-2 stretch, but considering that they have more games played than any other team in the conversation and everyone else in the race has been just as mid, I shouldn’t be surprised. Come on lads, make this an interesting fight to the finish!
Hunter: Two words: Igor Shesterkin. After a lackluster February, the Rangers’ netminder has helped the team earn points in five of seven games in March, posting a .930 save percentage and 1.81 goals against average. As a hockey fan, I want to see the likes of the Sens or Blue Jackets or even the Red Wings have a chance at playoff hockey, but then again, how sweet is Madison Square Garden in April?
17. Vancouver Canucks
Record: 31-25-11, -18
Last Week: 18th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 17th
Scott’s Rank: 15th
Hunter: The Canucks win twice, lose twice, win one, lose one, but as of March 17, they’re holding on to a Wildcard spot in the Western Conference. After all the drama that took place this season, seeing them take on one of the Jets or Golden Knights in Round 1 would actually make for good TV. Also, it’s nice seeing Elias Pettersson scoring in four of his last five games. At this point, you just want him in a good head space, finishing the season strong and hitting the ground running in 2025-26.
18. Utah Hockey Club
Record: 30-26-11, -8
Last Week: 20th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 19th
Scott’s Rank: 19th
Hunter: I gave this team credit last week for being fun to watch and surpassing my expectations, and this past week, they were the better team in all four of their games, even the two they lost. They picked up five out of a possible eight points and are four points back of the second Wildcard spot. Bonus fact: Nick Schmaltz has goals in five of his last seven games and has hit the 50-point mark for the fourth straight season.
Scott: I really hope they do the thing and find their way into that last playoff spot. Not only would it just be the most intriguing storyline considering all that’s happened to this organization over the past few seasons, but I also think they have the highest upside of the bunch.
19. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 28-31-10, -48
Last Week: 27th (+8)
Hunter’s Rank: 21st
Scott’s Rank: 18th
Hunter: For a team streakier than my windshield, the Penguins sure make things interesting. Now winners of four straight, and three of the teams they beat are likely making the playoffs, Pittsburgh is finding ways to win games, even as their season ends without a whimper. Sidney Crosby continues to produce, scoring four goals and three assists this past week, and he’s on pace for another 80-point season. He deserves better, but that’s a chat for another day.
Scott: Since I know people will think I’m insane for my ranking of the Penguins, I’ll at least point out that this is an example of the blindspots of my system. They have great underlying numbers with their offense and their special teams, which is not exactly the case based on the results. It also doesn’t help that Crosby raises the ceiling of this team on his own. To all the OG Daily Faceoff Power Rankings readers from 2022-23, think of this as how Erik Karlsson affected the Sharks that year.
20. Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 31-27-8, -4
Last Week: 15th (-5)
Hunter’s Rank: 18th
Scott’s Rank: 22nd
Scott: Like I said with the Rangers, I really hope we aren’t about to see the Eastern Conference playoff race devolve to a “whoever loses the least” race, because recent trends indicate as such, including three straight losses for the Blue Jackets. It would really be a sad way to see such a positive story fade out down the stretch, so for the sake of the hockey world, I hope that we see the Blue Jackets bounce back soon before they lose control of their own destiny.
Hunter: If I can be selfish for a minute? Just win, baby. There’s no team hockey fans want to see make the playoffs more than this Columbus group. After everything that’s happened, seeing them skate onto the ice in Game 3 in front of their fans would be good for the game’s soul.
21. Boston Bruins
Record: 30-30-8, -34
Last Week: 14th (-7)
Hunter’s Rank: 20th
Scott’s Rank: 20th
Hunter: I respected the Bruins still putting up a fight in the immediate games following the Trade Deadline. A 4-0 win over the Lightning, a 3-2 third-period comeback win over the Panthers; all that seemed to fade away in the last few days, thanks to a 6-3 drubbing from the Senators and Tampa Bay laying a revenge beating on them on Saturday. Still just four points back of a Wildcard spot, it does feel like Boston’s accepted its eventual fate. But what’s the plan for next season?
22. New York Islanders
Record: 30-28-8, -17
Last Week: 21st (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 23rd
Scott’s Rank: 21st
Scott: Should I bust it out again? Considering the fact that they can’t decide if they want to be a contender or a tanker, a buyer or a seller, it really feels like an appropriate way to describe a team so set on being in no man’s land.
Okay, fine. It’s the Islanders, who cares?
23. Calgary Flames
Record: 30-24-11, -21
Last Week: 23rd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 22nd
Scott’s Rank: 23rd
Scott: I watched Wednesday’s matchup between the Flames and the Canucks, partially to prepare for a conversation with Dustin Wolf (which you will see on Daily Faceoff later this week *wink*wink*nudge*nudge*), but also because I wanted to see this playoff race between the two Western Canadian teams in action, and it did not disappoint. Unfortunately, it didn’t go Calgary’s way, blowing the third period lead before losing in the shootout, adding to a stretch of six losses in their last eight games as well. They’re still in the playoff race, but as it becomes a four-team race, it may get harder to hold that spot down. At the very least, they do in terms of points percentage for now.
Hunter: They’ve put themselves in a difficult position, and they face a desperate Leafs squad Monday, which could extend their losing ways. Also: Calgary has scored more than three goals just once since Jan. 30, a stretch of 15 games. You’re not going to win hockey games at a rate like that.
24. Detroit Red Wings
Record: 32-29-6, -17
Last Week: 22nd (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 24th
Scott’s Rank: 24th
Hunter: After losing six straight, it felt like the Red Wings played themselves out of playoff contention. Of course they beat the bottom-feeding Sabres, then lose to the Hurricanes. But shutting out the Golden Knights? Are they for real? No, they’re not, and I feel like it’s too late for them. If they had Ottawa’s goaltending, it might be them sitting in a playoff spot. But alas…
Scott: If they had Ottawa’s defense maybe. Actually, I’m pretty sure any other team’s defense core might be an improvement over what the Red Wings have to work with right now besides Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson.
25. Montreal Canadiens
Record: 32-27-7, -19
Last Week: 24th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 25th
Scott’s Rank: 25th
Scott: Alright, Hunter and I should probably stop pronouncing the Habs dead prematurely. After a stretch of eight losses in nine games had them well out of the playoff race, they’ve got points in nine of their last 10 games to not only get right back in the race, but actually be the team holding down the final Wildcard spot if you go off winning percentage. Don’t be mistaken, Hunter and I still don’t think highly of this team. They’re one of the worst defensive teams in the league, and that will either be the reason they don’t make the playoffs at all or end up as cannon fodder for the Washington Capitals.
Hunter: Full credit to the Canadiens for getting past the Red Wings and a number of other Eastern Conference teams that have lost ground in the playoff race. I’m not going to critique them or offer any “Well, actually,” analysis for the Habs the rest of the season: I’m just going to enjoy their games and see if they make it to the playoffs. Besides, a postseason game in Montreal is hockey’s best environment. If we can see that at least twice, it’ll be worth the race.
26. Anaheim Ducks
Record: 29-31-7, -32
Last Week: 26th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 26th
Scott’s Rank: 27th
Hunter: For a hot second, the Ducks made things interesting, being as little as five points out of a playoff spot in early March, but the gap has widened and those postseason hopes have evaporated. Still, it was fun while it lasted. Also, how about Frank Vitrano recording his third-straight 20-goal season in his third season in Anaheim? He signed a three-year extension in January, and I gotta tell ya, there’s a lot worse fates in life than scoring goals in Orange County.
27. Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 28-32-8, -40
Last Week: 25th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 27th
Scott’s Rank: 26th
Hunter: Let’s play conspiracy theory: Canucks’ head coach Rick Tocchet is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, as there’s a team option for 2025-26. If Vancouver fails to make the playoffs, would the 60-year-old have any interest in re-joining the team he spent 11 of his 18 playing seasons with, but this time, behind the bench? He would have to deal with a rebuilding group, one that’s lost seven of nine and owns the second-worst record in the East. But just ask Dorothy: there’s no place like home.
28. Nashville Predators
Record: 25-33-8, -43
Last Week: 28th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 28th
Scott’s Rank: 28th
Scott: Everyone knows what I think of the Predators at this point: they’re a team that has underwhelmed in terms of their record, but their underlying numbers indicate that if you bring this squad back next season, you might get a playoff team out of them. I do have to wonder though, was moving on from Yaroslav Askarov and committing to Juuse Saros the right move? We’re now two years removed from the last time Saros had an elite season, and he’ll be 30 in a month. Askarov isn’t proven yet, but it probably would have helped to keep both options open.
29. Buffalo Sabres
Record: 26-33-6, -24
Last Week: 30th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 29th
Scott’s Rank: 29th
Hunter: I want to compliment the Sabres for severely outplaying the Golden Knights and earning a shootout win, as well as absorbing the pressure from a desperate Oilers squad and winning in regulation. But it doesn’t matter, because those who cheer and follow this team are basically taking a knee on the year and waiting to see who the Buffalo Bills take in the NFL Draft next month (I’d like to see them let Amari Cooper leave in free agency and add a receiver with their first-round pick).
30. Seattle Kraken
Record: 29-34-5, -18
Last Week: 29th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 30th
Scott’s Rank: 30th
Scott: Ah man, I shouldn’t have wasted the “it’s the ______, who cares?” bullet on the Islanders, the Kraken might deserve it these days. Too good to be in the lottery race, too bad to be in the playoff race, and with a 4-5-1 record in their last 10, they’re neither hot nor cold. I’ve been dealing with strep throat for the last week, but trying to come up with a talking point for the Kraken these days might be more of an annoyance for me. No offence to Kraken fans, they seem friendly, it’s just the state of your team right now.
31. Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 20-38-9, -55
Last Week: 31st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 31st
Scott’s Rank: 31st
Hunter: Four straight losses and it feels like the Blackhawks couldn’t crawl any slower to the finish line. One thing I noticed: Connor Bedard had 10-minute misconducts in back-to-back games this week, one for getting (allegedly) lippy with officials and another after a late scrum. Having watched a lot of Chicago games this year, I have one tidbit of advice for Blackhawks management: get Bedard to gain 15 pounds, learn to battle in the corners, and don’t be afraid to throw some lumber. It feels like he gets pushed around physically in every game, less so in one-on-battles and more just being punked and tested in a man’s league. Teach this kid how to create space for himself.
32. San Jose Sharks
Record: 18-41-9, -77
Last Week: 32nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 32nd
Scott’s Rank: 32nd
Scott: The Sharks surprised us with back-to-back wins a couple weeks ago, but just as they were starting to return to normal with three straight losses, they did the one thing they weren’t supposed to do: they beat the Blackhawks. In a tank battle, the one team you definitely don’t want to catch up to is the one that’s so close to you at the bottom of the standings. The Sharks still have four fewer points on one more game played, but they’ve made it a little bit closer again.
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