Does Taylor Hall have a legitimate case for the Hart Trophy? The New Jersey Devils were not the worst team in the NHL last season, but their offense was bad enough for them to get the top pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. Now? The offense is above average and is the main reason why the Devs are in a wild card position. Top pick Nico Hischier has certainly been helpful, but Hall has points in 19 straight games. A player who is that productive each and every game is bound to bring a meddled franchise to Lucky 13 in the NHL Power Rankings.
Zach Aston-Reese has made his presence felt in Pittsburgh, while there was some disturbing behavior in the Windy City.
1. Vegas Golden Knights: 84 points
Previously 2 (78 points)
Despite all of their accomplishments, the Knights had issues with Alberta. They had allowed eight goals in Edmonton and lost at home (that is rare) to the same team, and they needed some luck to pull out the win in their first game in Calgary. Let us just say they redeemed themselves against both teams this week, as they set a new expansion record with 23 home victories. Wednesday was a field day for scoring, as seven different players scored for Vegas. William Karlsson tipped in the lone power play goal for them in the win, and he is now at a staggering 31 for the season.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning: 83 points
Previously 1 (79 points)
After just their third losing streak of 2018, the Lightning alternated wins and losses to barely hang onto first in the Atlantic Division. A big offensive night in Washington helped cap off a run of inconsistency against varying levels of talent, and they will continue their recent stretch of divisional games for the rest of the month. Nikita Kucherov continues to make his case for the Hart Trophy after extending his point streak to seven games. He had four points in an easy win over Detroit on Thursday, and he tricked Braden Holtby on Tuesday with his famed fake-deke to beat him five-hole.
3. Nashville Predators: 81 points
Previously 4 (77 points)
The home ice was not very friendly following Valentine’s Day, but they recovered with a split of the season series with both Ottawa and Detroit. With a win and a Jets loss on Tuesday, Nashville reclaimed first in the Central Division. Viktor Arvidsson scored twice on Monday to pick up his second straight 20-goal season, and Pekka Rinne stopped 36 Senators shots for his 30th win.
4. Winnipeg Jets: 79 points
Previously 5 (75 points)
It would have asking a lot for the Jets to score at least six goals in three straight games, and their modest three-goal game on Tuesday was not enough to dethrone LA. Unfortunately, that means they are still behind Nashville in the Central Division. Before that, Winnipeg had a combined 13 goals in blowout wins over Colorado and Florida, and Blake Wheeler had three points in each game.
5. Boston Bruins: 82 points
Previously 3 (78 points)
A nightmare in Vancouver prevented the Bruins from taking over first place in the Atlantic Division. They had to scratch and claw to pull off two victories in Alberta, including two third period goals to scoot by Edmonton. Brad Marchand broke loose on Monday and extinguished the Flames on a breakaway goal in overtime. Despite another productive season, it was Marchand’s first goal in seven games.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins: 74 points
Previously 8 (68 points)
They may not be in first place in the Metropolitan Division at the moment, but they did pass Washington after an easy win over Columbus on Sunday. They have now won five straight games and have points in seven straight, and they continue their short road trip by going south on Friday and Saturday. Pittsburgh may have found yet another un-drafted diamond in the rough. Zach Aston-Reese, a Staten Island native, scored in both weekend games to extend his run of four goals in his last four games. Not bad for someone with just eight games of NHL experience.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs: 79 points
Previously 6 (75 points)
Despite a loss in Steel City, the Leafs continues to roll. They have won seven of their last eight games and face Boston one more time with a chance to jump to the top of the division standings. Frederik Andersen has had an inconsistent year, but Tuesday was a step in the right direction. He made 40 saves on Florida to notch his fifth shutout of the season, and 15 of those shots were in a stressful third period.
8. Philadelphia Flyers: 72 points
Previously 11 (66 points)
Their February schedule has not been that strong, but Philadelphia has taken advantage in winning seven of eight. They had one explosive offensive night on Sunday sandwiched in between two OT winners, and they are getting very close to first in the Metropolitan Division. To make things better, the Flyers traded for Petr Mrazek to account for the injuries of Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth. Not a bad look for a team that had lost 10 straight games earlier in the year.
9. Washington Capitals: 75 points
Previously 9 (71 points)
Braden Holtby has had a rough season, as his GAA is now getting really close to 3.00. He was terrible against Chicago on Saturday, but that was not the only issue in the Windy City. Devante Smith-Pelly expressed his frustrations following racial comments made from Blackhawks fans while he was in the penalty box, and that led to a commotion that eventually get those fans ejected and banned from United Center. Not a good look for a league that had seemingly avoided political turmoil. Alex Ovechkin led the Capitals’ offensive charge in Minnesota on Thursday with a goal and three assists, and he eclipsed the 1100-point mark late in the third period.
10. San Jose Sharks: 74 points
Previously 12 (68 points)
The Sharks are picking a perfect time to get hot. They won all three games this week, including a tight one in St. Louis on Tuesday, to create some space for second in the Pacific Division. That will certainly amplify potential trade talks as the trade deadline draws near. In particular, Mikkel Boedker has been electric. He now has five goals on what is now a four-game point streak, and he scored twice in an easy home win over Dallas on Sunday.
11. Anaheim Ducks: 73 points
Previously 16 (65 points)
Major hot team alert! The Ducks have won four straight and three on the road. The lone home game? A 2-0 shutout of the Stars, and that came after the second combined shutout (against Vegas, no less) in franchise history. Obviously, there is concern about John Gibson‘s status moving forward, but Ryan Miller is unstoppable. After coming into relief with 20 saves in Vegas, the former U.S. Olympian stopped all 41 saves against the Stars. That is nearly 80 minutes of Miller goose (or duck?) eggs!
12. Dallas Stars: 72 points
Previously 7 (70 points)
Dallas looked in good shape for a playoff spot last week, but two shutout losses and another to a playoff hopeful reopened the door for any other team to snag the first wild card spot. This week’s slate will undoubtedly crystalize the potential direction of the Stars and their opponents. Ben Bishop picked up a key win in another low-scoring game in Big D, making 28 saves to knock off the Blues on Friday.
13. New Jersey Devils: 70 points
Previously 14 (64 points)
Despite a loss to Columbus, the Devils retained their grip on a wild card spot with four wins in a row. The usual suspects were a big reason why, as Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier continue to stuff the stat sheet. Hischier has a six-game point streak, and his big night on Thursday (one goal and two assists) was part of a four-game goal streak. That is tame, however, compared to the 19-game point streak that Hall has dating back to January 2.
14. St. Louis Blues: 72 points
Previously 11 (72 points)
All it takes is a skid for a team’s playoff hopes to dwindle, and the Blues are suddenly getting close to playing catch-up in the wild card race. They lost two one-goal games this week to extend their losing streak to four. It only gets tougher, as Winnipeg and Nashville are next on the schedule. The offense continues to hinder the team, scoring just three times despite overwhelming shot advantages against Dallas and San Jose.
15. Los Angeles Kings: 71 points
Previously 19 (65 points)
Things were beginning to look bleak in Los Angeles, but a rare win in Buffalo helped the Kings recover. How long was it since their last win in Western New York? That was back in 2003, when Ryan Miller was the only Sabre on the team still active. Anze Kopitar picked up his 800th NHL points on Tuesday, and Jonathan Quick held the fading Blackhawks off with 27 saves.
16. Minnesota Wild: 71 points
Previously 13 (68 points)
The power of Gotham is certainly on Minnesota’s side. Their last two wins have been against New York-based teams, and they continue a New York area road trip that will conclude before some critical match-ups against San Jose and St. Louis at home. Jason Zucker now has a career high for goals in a season, and he picked up his third multi-goal game of the season in Monday’s win over the Islanders.
17. Calgary Flames: 69 points
Previously 15 (66 points)
The Pacific Division’s top tier will not stop losing, so the Flames really picked a bad time to lose three in a row. Having to play Boston and Vegas three times in five games was not ideal, but losing to Arizona and Colorado could be very fatal for Calgary’s playoff chances. Despite the skid, they are still just two points behind in the wild card race. Dougie Hamilton now has a career high for goals in a season, and his hat trick against Florida on Saturday was certainly a key part.
18. Colorado Avalanche: 68 points
Previously 17 (66 points)
Colorado had been doing fine without Nathan MacKinnon, but the Avalanche were still out of a playoff position when he returned to action on Sunday. Two days later, and the Avalanche look poised to make a late playoff push. Coming back from a 4-1 deficit in the second period was impressive enough, but Colorado scored a whopping five times on six power play chances in the process, including the OT winner from the Great Mack. MacKinnon had a goal and three assists, while Tyson Barrie bruised by Vancouver with a goal and four assists. All of their points came on the man advantage.
19. Carolina Hurricanes: 64 points
Previously 18 (63 points)
Losing three straight to division rivals is not the best way to end an NHL-long nine-year playoff drought, and the Hurricanes may need to push the panic button if they cannot upset Pittsburgh or Boston. The goaltending took a step back as they allowed three or more goals in each game despite not allowing more than 22 shots in any of them. Justin Williams assisted on both goals on Thursday for his second straight two-assist game, and he can join Teuvo Teravainen in the 30-assist club with another such game.
20. New York Islanders: 64 points
Previously 21 (60 points)
If there is any consolation to being on the edge of the playoff picture, it is that the Isles took advantage of two division opponents in the bottom of the standings. That could be helpful in the event of tiebreaker scenarios. It is also worth mentioning that Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss each picked up shutouts on consecutive days against said rivals. Shutting teams out on consecutive nights is impressive enough, but it is even more shocking for a team that has what is easily the worst goaltending unit in the league.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets: 65 points
Previously 20 (62 points)
The Jackets had to snap another three-game losing streak, and the recent struggles are starting to show in the standings. Will winning a hotly-contested road game in Jersey help turn the tide? Winning in Philadelphia certainly would. Sergei Bobrovsky has floundered since December, but he came up big with 30 saves to sink the Devils on Tuesday.
22. New York Rangers: 59 points
Previously 22 (59 points)
The wide array of slumps in the Metropolitan Division has kept the Rangers within striking distance, but the wins are just not coming. They have lost four straight, and none of their three games this week were close. Michael Grabner scored twice in the loss to Ottawa on Saturday, and he is on pace for his first 30-goal season since his first season with the Islanders back in 2010-2011.
23. Chicago Blackhawks: 60 points
Previously 23 (56 points)
Those racist fans continued the long string of terror in 2018, but this week was significantly better on the ice. What was forgotten because of the racial taunts was a 7-1 beating against the Washington Capitals. Seven players scored in what was an exclamatory end to their eight-game losing streak, and Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist in both home wins this week.
24. Florida Panthers: 58 points
Previously 24 (56 points)
Travel can take a toll on a team. Going from Edmonton to Toronto on one trip was certainly not the ideal scenario for Florida, and it showed in losses to the two best Canadian teams in the NHL. They return home with an equally tough go-around with Washington, Pittsburgh, and Toronto to begin a six-game home stand. Michael Matheson continued his dominance on the road with two goals on Saturday, while Roberto Luongo made 30 saves to win in his return to the crease.
25. Detroit Red Wings: 57 points
Previously 25 (55 points)
Detroit became the first team this season to trade a “top” goaltender away. After heating up midway through the season, Petr Mrazek will get the chance to fill in a gaping hole in Philadelphia’s crease following injuries to Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth. Meanwhile, the Wings are likely sticking with Jimmy Howard in the crease until Filip Larsson leaves the University of Denver, which may not be until 2022. Mrazek’s final victory in the red came in the first of two games against Nashville this week, and Luke Witkowski picked up his first NHL goal on an early breakaway.
26. Vancouver Canucks: 53 points
Previously 28 (50 points)
The wins are still not piling up, but Vancouver had one of their most impressive performances of the season on Saturday. With the Bruins making their cross-country trip to Canada, the Canucks knocked their former Stanley Cup Finals opponent around early and often despite nearly being doubled up in shots. They have scored six goals in each of their last two wins while allowing just one goal. Loui Eriksson scored twice to hit double figure in goals, while Anders Nilsson stymied the B’s with 44 saves.
27. Ottawa Senators: 52 points
Previously 29 (47 points)
Ottawa took advantage of a lighter schedule at home with wins over Buffalo and New York, but the climb back into the playoff picture is still steep. Expect more moves to be made before the deadline, but will Erik Karlsson be moved? Matt Duchene came up big in Kanata this week, and his third assist on Thursday night was a beautiful overtime feed that Mike Hoffman buried. It was Hoffman’s second consecutive OT winner on a Thursday.
28. Edmonton Oilers: 50 points
Previously 26 (50 points)
What did Edmonton’s last two wins have in common? They both featured a Connor McDavid hat trick. The problem? There were six straight losses in between, and the first two losses of this week featured just one Edmonton goal and one loss to Arizona. Somebody give this kid some help! He already has three hat tricks for the season and is still not going to play meaningful March games this year.
29. Montreal Canadiens: 52 points
Previously 27 (51 points)
Montreal did not get much good news this week. They traded Jakub Jerabek to Washington and officially revealed that Shea Weber would miss the rest of the season. It is now looking like there is a realistic chance the Habs could have the top pick in 2018. Jeff Petry has points in his last two games and can double his season goal total in the month of February alone with another goal.
30. Buffalo Sabres: 45 points
Previously 30 (44 points)
It was unlikely that the Sabres would continue their run without Jack Eichel on the roster. What was more unexpected (or is it?) is the fact that they scored zero goals in the first and second periods of all three of their games this week. Against playoff hopefuls like Los Angeles and Washington, that cannot happen. Scott Wilson extended his run of three goals in four games following Thursday’s opening goal in Ottawa, and he has tied his career high for points in a month.
31. Arizona Coyotes: 44 points
Previously 31 (40 points)
Arizona made a big move, but it was not an expected one. They traded Scott Wedgewood and Tobias Rieder to the SoCal coast (LA) for backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper. In fairness, Kuemper has had an excellent season, and perhaps he will be the solution to turn the franchise around. We will see how many starts Antti Raanta will get before Kuemper starts getting the brunt of the load, but he capped Saturday’s win over the Oilers of with a 40-save shutout, his first of the season.
BOLD PREDICTIONS:
Last week:
Carolina scores six on the porous Islanders defense on Friday. A Thomas Greiss shutout would have been extra bold…and super right.
Toronto beats the Red Wings in at least six rounds of a shootout on Sunday. This would have been possible if Auston Matthews had not scored the game-winner with 30 seconds left in regulation.
Jonathan Toews picks up three assists against Ottawa on Wednesday. Nothing to show for in the shootout win.
This week:
Eric Staal picks up the hat trick against San Jose on Sunday
Philly seals the sweep over Montreal with at least two goals in two different periods.
Both New York teams win by at least three goals on Wednesday.
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