NHL power rankings: Will Mikko Rantanen make already-surging Hurricanes a Cup contender?

Jan 27, 2025

Carolina Hurricanes right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) skates against the New York Islanders during the first period at UBS Arena.

Credit: © Brad Penner

It’s safe to say trade season has officially begun. After the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks made arguably the biggest blockbuster trade in the salary cap era by sending Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall to the Canes and Martin Necas and Jack Drury to the Avs, the bar has been set too high, and now the bar is much higher for the Hurricanes going into the playoffs.

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. Washington Capitals

Record: 33-11-5, +53
Last Week: 1st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 1st

Scott: The Capitals finally saw their six-game win streak and 12-game point streak end on Saturday, and who would have thought that of all teams to do it, it was the Canucks, who continue to be a hot mess (more on that later)? Regardless, Hunter and I still have lots of love for this Caps team at this point in time, and they hold down the first place spot for another week.

Hunter: I know we’re all on the Ovechkin train and Tom Wilson is (deservedly) getting praise, as well as Jakob Chychrun, but I’ve focused on Pierre-Luc Dubois in the last few games I’ve watched, and he’s really stepped up. It’s not hyperbole to say that if it didn’t work out in Washington, he might have been left to toil away with a bottom feeder. But Spencer Carbery has really gotten the most out of him, and you can tell he’s working hard every shift.

2. Winnipeg Jets

Record: 34-14-3, +56
Last Week: 3rd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 3rd

Hunter: Kyle Connor is having another season for the ages but went into Sunday’s game against the Flames with one assist in five games. No matter, he scored a goal with two assists in a 5-2 win, and he’s on track for a 101-point season. Right now, it’s hard to find a weakness with the Jets, and I’m sure Scott will find one, but with Connor Hellebuyck having a Hart Trophy-caliber season, Josh Morrissey on pace for 70 points and Mark Scheifele looking as strong as ever, all that’s left now is producing in the playoffs. Well, they have to make it to April, first.

Scott: It takes more than four players to win a Stanley Cup though, and you named two players who are only good at one half of the ice (technically three, but I’m sure Hellebuyck would be a point-per-game player if he were allowed beyond the red line).

Hunter: Can’t win without those four to begin with! Besides, they have Nik Ehlers, Nino Niederreiter, Cole Perfetti, and even Neal Pionk is getting in there from the blue line. That’s legitimate depth that you need if you want to win 16 more games after mid April.

Scott: OK, so you named one player who coaches are allergic to giving ice-time to, a solid but unproven youngling, and two players having career outlier years. Give me a strength, and I’ll make it a flaw baby!

3. Edmonton Oilers

Record: 31-15-3, +29
Last Week: 2nd (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 4th

Scott: Nothing’s happened in Edmonton this week, right? In their week without Connor McDavid (due to a suspension that nobody talked about at all), they lost in regulation to the Capitals before routing the Canucks in their rematch of suspensiongate, and then just squeaked by a still-struggling Sabres team to go 2-1-0 without their captain. Leon Draisaitl had two goals and five points in that span, good enough to show that he can survive without McDavid, but maybe not to the level that would make people think he’s a surefire Hart candidate.

Hunter: It feels like it’s Draisaitl’s to lose, although I listen to enough sports talk radio and read the national columnists that it feels like there’s a groundswell of Hart Trophy love for one of Hellebuyck or a defender. The writers just need to decide which blueliner they get behind: Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, or even Zach Werenski. If you were a betting man, there’s value in looking past Draisaitl or any other forward.

Scott: The Hart race probably has 20 different players whom you could see getting a vote and not batting an eye at, so it will be very interesting to see how that develops down the stretch.

4. Vegas Golden Knights

Record: 31-15-4, +32
Last Week: 4th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 2nd

Hunter: The Golden Knights only had two wins in the last two weeks, but they deserved to win a number of them. Sometimes, it doesn’t go your way. Their game against the Stars was one of the better ones I’ve watched this season, and the two teams face each other again on Tuesday. I would happily watch seven games between them, just like the first round of last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. Also, Tomas Hertl has been on a tear in January with eight goals and six assists. Don’t be surprised if he’s the X-factor for Vegas this spring.

Scott: Vegas also was up to their typical shenanigans, withdrawing Alex Pietrangelo from the 4 Nations Face-Off on Sunday, only to have him play later that night against the Panthers. It makes sense from Pietrangelo’s perspective, as he already has a gold medal and a win in a meaningless “international” tournament organized by the league, so it’s better for him to use the break to rest up for the final stretch.

5. Dallas Stars

Record: 31-17-1, +35
Last Week: 5th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 5th

Hunter: Jason Robertson struggled through the first two months of the season, and there were stretches of games where he looked like a shell of the two-time 40-goal scorer from a few years ago. But since Dec. 29, the 25-year-old has been one of the best offensive threats in the game, scoring 10 goals and 12 assists in his last 15 games. As for the Stars themselves, their loss to the Hurricanes felt like a playoff game, with tight checking and players earning every shot attempt. They beat the Golden Knights afterwards and face them again on Tuesday.

6. New Jersey Devils

Record: 28-17-6, +28
Last Week: 6th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 6th

Scott: The Devils have managed to bump their slump with the two games that they played this week, routing the Bruins by a score of 5-1 and then sneaking by the Canadiens with a 4-3 overtime win. Both wins were without Jacob Markstrom as well, who’s going to miss four to six weeks with an MCL sprain, so it’s a good sign that Jake Allen can hold down the fort until Markstrom’s return.

Hunter: Is there a universe where no Markstrom and struggling Allen leads to the Blue Jackets jumping the Devils in the Metropolitan Division? Probably not, but if you look at the standings right now, it’s not impossible! Just seven points behind and Columbus has a game in hand. This playoff race is going to be fantastic.

7. Carolina Hurricanes

Record: 30-16-4, +27
Last Week: 10th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 8th

Scott: Holy hell, we aren’t even close to the trade deadline yet, and Eric Tulsky has made his first as Hurricanes GM a memorable one. How does a team notorious for not getting offense in the playoffs solve that problem? By getting a guy with 49 points in 38 playoff games since 2022. We’ll have to see how Mikko Rantanen does away from Nathan MacKinnon (the fact that the Avalanche were so willing to move on from him this early is a bit concerning), but if Rantanen comes as advertised, this is the player the Canes need, and it was well worth selling high on Martin Necas. The Canes go from “might compete for a Cup” to maybe even the top team in the East with this roster right now, and with the rumours of J.T. Miller/Elias Pettersson close to being dealt, we may see an arms race in the Eastern Conference.

8. Los Angeles Kings

Record: 26-14-6, +19
Last Week: 8th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 9th

Hunter: It feels like the Kings are in this moment where they are playing excellent hockey, but the results aren’t there. Since their 3-0 win over the Devils Jan. 1, the Kings have scored more than two goals only once in nine games. That would normally indicate a non-playoff team who should be deciding which top prospect to draft in June, but for L.A., it’s a bump in the road. Also, for all the talk about how great Sidney Crosby is at 37, how about Anze Kopitar, born just 17 days after Sid? With 43 points in 46 games, Kopitar is on pace for his third straight 70-point season, and no one is giving him any credit. Do yourself a favor and stay up to watch the Kings. You can thank me later.

9. Florida Panthers

Record: 29-19-3, +15
Last Week: 11th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 10th
Scott’s Rank: 7th

Hunter: The defending Stanley Cup champions went 2-2-0 during their four-game west coast road trip, highlighted by Aaron Ekblad’s return to the lineup in a 7-2 win over the Sharks. One thing to keep an eye on: Sam Bennett scored twice this week, his first two goals since Dec. 3, snapping a 20-game goalless streak. He’s going to need to ramp up that production if Florida wants a chance at repeating. Also: would Canada pick Bennett again for the 4 Nations roster if they had the chance?

Scott: It was such a terrible pick at the time even with Bennett’s hot start, and since they’re stuck with him barring an injury, I’d be surprised if he plays a game.

Hunter: If Canada lost to Sweden without Bennett, then Jon Cooper didn’t dress him for the Saturday night game against the U.S., it would be the best possible wrinkle to add to the Lightning-Panthers series. The perfect amount of domestic league pettiness bleeding into international play. It feels like I’m watching CONCACAF.

10. Toronto Maple Leafs

Record: 30-18-2, +10
Last Week: 7th (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 9th
Scott’s Rank: 11th

Scott: The Leafs have been streaky these days, and right now it looks to be the start of a cold streak. After another dominant display over the Lightning, they scored just two goals in their other two games and lost to the Blue Jackets and Senators. Admittedly, those teams are hungrier right now in an ever-so tight Wildcard race in the East, and the Leafs are now without Anthony Stolarz, John Tavares and Matthew Knies, but you would like to see them draw out more wins if you expect them to be a top team in the Atlantic.

Hunter: They’re too talented of a group not to be getting points against these teams. After the Columbus loss, they should have blown the doors off Ottawa, but credit to the Senators for the win. Everyone has been waiting for Craig Berube to be the bad guy, but through 50 games he seems to be playing the long game. I wonder if he saves his eventual public snapping for their west coast road trip next week.

11. Minnesota Wild

Record: 29-17-4, +3
Last Week: 9th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 12th
Scott’s Rank: 10th

Hunter: One of the many things that impressed me about the Wild this season is how during the month they were without Kirill Kaprizov, who went into the holidays as one of the leading candidates for the Hart Trophy, they managed to keep their heads above water. Going 7-5-0 in that span, they held on to a playoff spot that guarantees home ice in the first round, and with Kaprizov back this week, they’re No. 2 in the Central Division. Next week they’re on the road, facing three Canadian teams in the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Senators, all clubs that are either in a playoff spot or competing for one.

12. Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 26-19-3, +35
Last Week: 12th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 13th
Scott’s Rank: 12th

Scott: There’s a lot to like about this Lightning squad, but they really do seem to struggle with consistency, and a slump this week has now dropped them into the Wildcard race. You can excuse a loss to a Leafs team that is a step above them, and they did at least beat the Blackhawks, but losing to Canadiens and Wings teams that are right behind them in the standings is not a good strategy for making the playoffs. I’m certainly curious to see if they make any big splashes at the deadline to improve the team down the stretch.

13. Colorado Avalanche

Record: 29-20-2, +8
Last Week: 13th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 11th
Scott’s Rank: 15th

Hunter: Give the Avalanche credit: they stuck to their guns, told their employee there’s a number they wouldn’t move past, and when they met a crossroads, they didn’t hesitate. They knew they would be losing the best player in the deal, but they got a point-per-game forward in Necas and a capable bottom-six piece in Jack Drury. Losing a player like Rantanen can be devastating, especially when you consider he was part of their 2022 championship and was the perfect third piece after MacKinnon and Makar. But sometimes, indecision is worse than a bad decision, and the Avalanche decided that wasn’t the route they would take.

Scott: They also now have $4 million in salary cap space, and that doesn’t even include $7 million in LTIR money if Gabriel Landeskog doesn’t make it back before the playoffs, so I wonder what they may still get up to at the trade deadline.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets

Record: 24-19-7, +1
Last Week: 14th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 14th
Scott’s Rank: 14th

Scott: The Blue Jackets have slowed down a little bit, but they continue to impress with their play this season and are still hanging around in the playoff race. Their performance against the Maple Leafs was particularly impressive, and even with the injury to Sean Monahan, the top line is still buzzing with Adam Fantilli there, who had an excellent 27 hours between the Leafs and Hurricanes game with a hat trick in the former game and two assists in the latter.

15. Boston Bruins

Record: 25-20-6, -20
Last Week: 15th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 17th
Scott’s Rank: 13th

Scott: Full credit to the Bruins right now, as they’ve managed to stay afloat during a nine-game stretch in their schedule where they only played one opponent that is not either a playoff team or in the hunt for the playoffs. They’re only 5-3-1, but it could be a lot worse with the competition they’re facing. They’ll get a break on Tuesday against the Sabres (watch them lose that game), before seeing another five-game stretch featuring the Jets, Rangers, Wild, Rangers, and Golden Knights.

Hunter: A few weeks ago, Bruins’ President Cam Neely said the team was charting two paths for the future: one where they gear up for a playoff run, and one where they retool and start to think about the future. I think Neely is bluffing and has no desire for option No. 2 — he’s trying to light a fire under the group. As of Jan. 27, they hold one of the Wildcard spots in the Eastern Conference. Do you think this group is a few trades away from being a contender? If you said yes, then you’re also bluffing.

16. Ottawa Senators

Record: 26-20-4, +1
Last Week: 16th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 15th
Scott’s Rank: 17th

Hunter: The week started off horribly for the Senators with losses to the Rangers and Bruins by a combined score of 7-0, but wins against the Leafs and Utah puts Ottawa in third in the Atlantic Division. That’s right, even with Brady Tkachuk going pointless in 10 games — he finally scored Sunday vs. Utah — and Linus Ullmark still out of the lineup, the Senators are not in a Wildcard spot, but actually holding on to one of the Atlantic’s top three spots. Huh, a thing like that.

17. New York Rangers

Record: 24-21-4, +1
Last Week: 17th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 16th
Scott’s Rank: 16th

Scott: Last week we asked if the Rangers are back, and they responded by extending their point streak to 10 games (7-0-3) before losing to the Avalanche on Sunday night. They also made a surprising move to extend Will Borgen after he appeared to be trade bait for them, but it appears that the Rangers liked what they saw from him in the 18 games he’s played so far and think he’ll play a role in re-shaping this team’s defense.

18. Calgary Flames

Record: 24-17-7, -11
Last Week: 18th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 18th
Scott’s Rank: 18th

Hunter: At this point, it’s all gravy for the Flames. Jonathan Huberdeau is looking more like himself, Nazem Kadri continues to produce, and Dustin Wolf is knocking on the door for the Calder Trophy. No, they shouldn’t try to add any pieces before the deadline, but they shouldn’t rush to trade any away, either. Just enjoy this run and see where it goes.

Scott: I mentioned this in my to sell or not to sell pieces last week, but the ideal blueprint at the trade deadline for the Flames is what the Flyers did last year when they overperformed as a rebuilder: sell where you can (Sean Walker), look to be a third-party trade broker (the Noah Hanifin trade), and maybe add a veteran or two for cheap to reward the team (Erik Johnson). Just don’t do the last part where they barely miss the playoffs and don’t get a top 10 pick.

19. New York Islanders

Record: 21-20-7, -11
Last Week: 25th (+6)
Hunter’s Rank: 21th
Scott’s Rank: 19th

Scott: So… Tony DeAngelo, huh? The controversial defenseman managed to get kicked out of the KHL, which also houses a who’s who of players with skeletons in their closets in Slava Voynov, Brendan Leipsic, Reid Boucher, Michael McLeod and Dillon Dube, and the Islanders decided it was worth a gamble? I will say, the loudest player in the sport playing for a GM notorious for being as quiet as possible will be an entertaining dynamic, almost straight out of a sitcom.

20. Vancouver Canucks

Record: 21-17-10, -18
Last Week: 19th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 19th
Scott’s Rank: 22th

Hunter: I don’t even know what to say about the Canucks at this point. One minute, J.T. Miller is on his way out, the next he’s blocking shots and sealing a 2-1 win over the Capitals. It feels like we’re a day or two away from Elias Pettersson becoming the leading candidate to be traded before the March 7 deadline. Also, I know it’s only been 12 games, but if Thatcher Demko doesn’t find his groove, they’re not making the playoffs, end of story.

Scott: It’s fine if they trade Elias Pettersson though, because they also have another Elias Pettersson. They only have one J.T. Miller.

Hunter: It was my understanding that there would be no math in this column.

Scott: That’s why I did it for you buddy.

21. Pittsburgh Penguins

Record: 20-23-8, -39
Last Week: 20th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 22nd
Scott’s Rank: 20th

Hunter: If you’re reading our rankings the day they come out, the Penguins are 15th in the Eastern Conference, dead last in the Atlantic Division, and it’s nearly February. What are we doing here? Let’s cut the foreplay and start the rebuild, starting with all the pending unrestricted free agents, then find a dance partner for Erik Karlsson. Just stop wasting everybody’s time, because I can’t watch a handful of Hall of Famers get blown out by the Ducks and Kraken.

22. Utah Hockey Club

Record: 21-21-7, -8
Last Week: 24th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 23rd
Scott’s Rank: 21st

Scott: Clayton Keller has had himself a decent stretch in these past couple of weeks, with four goals and 13 points during a seven-game point streak. I would know that he’s doing well – he terrorized my fantasy team this week! Unfortunately, that hasn’t helped Utah’s play, as they have 12 losses in their last 17 games, and this is even with Connor Ingram and John Marino finally returning to the lineup. That playoff spot is fading quickly, and they’ll need to turn it around quickly if they want to remain in the hunt.

23. Montreal Canadiens

Record: 24-20-5, -15
Last Week: 21st (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 20th
Scott’s Rank: 25th

Scott: I’m sure Habs fans will be calling for my head for underrating Montreal again, but just remember that the numbers I use include when they were terrible defensively earlier this season, and that’s weighing them down. That said, they’ve been outplayed in six of their last eight games in terms of expected goals despite the 4-2-2 record in that span, so maybe they haven’t figured things out under the hood just yet.

Hunter: If one of the Habs or Blue Jackets (or both!) make the playoffs, then the 2024-25 season will have been a success, and we can all shake hands like doctors after a successful surgery. Either way, I’ve watched more Montreal the last few weeks than any club, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. When the Bell Centre is buzzing, there isn’t a better rink in the sport.

24. Detroit Red Wings

Record: 23-21-5, -16
Last Week: 23rd (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 24th
Scott’s Rank: 24th

Scott: After the Red Wings had seen their coach bump come to an end with losses in four of five games, they bounced back later in the week with a 4-2 win over the Canadiens and a 2-0 win over the Lightning, and they’re still hanging around the playoff race as we speak. I still don’t have a ton of faith in this team, compared to some of the other competition, but they nearly proved me wrong last season, so I won’t say that they have no chance either.

25. St. Louis Blues

Record: 23-23-4, -9
Last Week: 22nd (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 26th
Scott’s Rank: 23rd

Hunter: There aren’t many phrases in sports that I dislike more than “the mushy middle,” but unfortunately, that describes the Blues to a tee. St. Louis is just five points out of a playoff spot, but nothing about them tells me they can get past one or all of the Avalanche, Flames, or even the struggling Canucks. Maybe Jim Montgomery can make the Blues a playoff team after a full training camp, but not this season.

26. Nashville Predators

Record: 18-23-7, -24
Last Week: 27th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 25th
Scott’s Rank: 27th

Scott: The Predators won more than three games in a row for the first time this season with their recent five-game winning streak before dropping Saturday’s game to the Ducks, and they’ve been excellent under the hood in these last six games, only falling below 58% in 5v5 expected goal share in that first win over the Golden Knights. I’m not saying this team is back, but maybe they weren’t as bad as we thought they were. I feel like the perfect game plan for this season is to stay closer to the lottery, get a top pick, and then run it back next season with some minor improvements, and they should probably be back in playoff contention.

Hunter: Random trade idea alert: Send Ryan O’Reilly to the Avalanche for Casey Mittelstadt. Colorado gets an upgrade at center and Mittelstadt can start fresh in Nashville. Work around the edges over details like draft picks and sweeteners, but start there. Who says no?!

27. Philadelphia Flyers

Record: 22-22-6, -21
Last Week: 26th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 27th
Scott’s Rank: 26th

Hunter: Let’s play a game: Travis Konecny has 56 points, 22 ahead of Matvei Michkov and 26 ahead of Owen Tippett. What’s the final number going to be between Konecny and whomever finishes second? I’m going to say 37. Would you take the over or the under? Also, Michkov’s production has dipped in the last two months, with just three goals in his last 23 games, likely hurting whatever was left of his Calder Trophy chances.

28. Seattle Kraken

Record: 22-25-3, -11
Last Week: 29th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 28th
Scott’s Rank: 29th

Hunter: Did you know Jared McCann has one goal in his last 12 games? Or that Shane Wright has one goal in his last 21 games? Or if you take away Jaden Schwartz’s hat trick last week, he has one goal in January? What I’m trying to say is, things aren’t going great for the Kraken. They’re eight points out of a playoff spot, but they aren’t going to make it. It’s time to start selling in Seattle.

Scott: Yeah, winning by overwhelming depth only worked one season. They need a superstar, and they’re only going to get that in the draft, so build up that capital baby!

29. Anaheim Ducks

Record: 20-23-6, -30
Last Week: 30th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 29th
Scott’s Rank: 28th

Hunter: Hey now, a couple wins! Having lost seven of their last eight games, the Ducks are in the same spot they were last year, the year before, the year before, etc. But even in a rebuilding year, you have to find your moments, and that’s what they did this week with a 5-1 win over the Penguins and 5-2 victory over the Predators. Mason McTavish had a pair of two-goal games this week, giving him 11 on the season. It ain’t much, but it’s honest work.

30. Buffalo Sabres

Record: 18-26-5, -20
Last Week: 28th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 30th
Scott’s Rank: 30th

Scott: I miss the days when the Sabres were streaky and would rotate weeks where they were flirting with the playoffs and flirting with disaster. I guess they really committed to one of those options, and it obviously wasn’t the good one. That hasn’t changed recently with five losses in their last seven games, capped off with a 3-2 loss to the Oilers that saw Jeff Skinner score in his first game against the Sabres post-buyout, and Skinner hasn’t exactly been much better than the Sabres this season with just eight goals and 16 points in 44 games.

31. Chicago Blackhawks

Record: 15-29-5, -42
Last Week: 31st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 31st
Scott’s Rank: 31st

Hunter: Sure, the Blackhawks lost all their games this week, two of them heartbreakingly in overtime. But the worst part of Chicago’s week was the ridiculously small return they received in the three-way trade with the Hurricanes and Avalanche. A third-round pick for Taylor Hall and $4.65 million of Rantanen’s salary? And it’s their own third-round pick?! Kyle Davidson is a smart hockey mind, but he needs to make better moves ahead of the March 7 deadline, or else they’ll get someone else to make them.

Scott: If they did only one of those things and got a third-round pick, I maybe still would have thought that they were getting a little bit less than they could have. But for both, that’s insane. Maybe they’re trying to earn some good karma with charity work? That might be my only logical explanation, and it’s not even logical.

32. San Jose Sharks

Record: 14-32-6, -42
Last Week: 32nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 32nd
Scott’s Rank: 32nd

Scott: Ok, we may be reaching the point where the Sharks are too fun for their own good. It’s not like they need the wins, but this recent six-game losing streak has seen way too many goals go in their own net. During this stretch, they’ve allowed 34 goals in six games. A good night for them has been only allowing four goals. That will certainly sewer Yaroslav Askarov’s numbers enough for a late run at Calder votes. Speaking of the Calder, Celebrini has been a bit quieter during this stretch, with only four points in six games. That still likely won’t hurt his chances of the award as much as Askarov’s.

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