I had predicted that the Florida Panthers would win the Presidents Trophy during the preseason. While that prediction is likely going to be wrong, it is worth mentioning that the Panthers have burned past half of the Eastern Conference and are currently tied with the Islanders and Bruins for the second wild card spot. They jumped up from 19 to 15 in the NHL Power Rankings
The Islanders also made a heavy leap and are currently 16th, while the Blackhawks passed the Blue Jackets in the top five.
1. Washington Capitals (87 points)
Previously 1 (84 points)
Washington struggled in their first two road games this week, salvaging just a single point combined against Detroit and New York. At least they got the better of the fading Flyers. They face Edmonton and Nashville before returning to Madison Square Garden to cap off February. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice in Wednesday’s win, and he now has 11 goals and 28 assists in his last 23 games.
2. Minnesota Wild (84 points)
Previously 2 (80 points)
Minnesota goes on their bye week with the lead in the Western Conference, but their loss to Chicago will be painful. The Hawks can tie the Wild with home games against Arizona and St. Louis before Minnesota plays their next game. Before the crucial loss to the Blackhawks, the Wild took advantage of weaker Central Division opponents in wins over Dallas and Nashville. After losing his double-digit point streak two weeks ago, Mikael Granlund has started a three-game point streak this week, including three goals from within the crease.
3. Pittsburgh Penguins (82 points)
Previously 3 (77 points)
No one has to think about a headline here. Sidney Crosby got his 1,000th career point on Thursday against the Jets. It would have been nice to say that he would hit the milestone and then score the overtime winner later in the game under my Bold Predictions. Then again, I did not expect Winnipeg to force overtime. Nothing crazy to read here. Move along.
4. Chicago Blackhawks (79 points)
Previously 5 (75 points)
It is a shame that the Blackhawks do not have another “long” road trip until March 14. They have played seven of their eight February games on the road and won all of them, but they lost the lone home game of that stretch to Edmonton on Saturday. With a 12-point lead on third place St. Louis, Chicago has realistically sealed another postseason berth barring a colossal meltdown. Jonathan Toews carried the Blackhawks in a key divisional win over Minnesota with a hat trick and two assists. He is having by far his best month of the season, with six goals and eight assists in February.
5. Columbus Blue Jackets (79 points)
Previously 4 (77 points)
The Jackets are just 4-3-1 in February, and after looking like a Presidents Trophy contender last month, they now are in serious danger of falling to the first wild card spot. Not that Columbus would mind, however, because they have just one combined loss against Montreal and Ottawa this season. They have to play each of them one more time over the next couple of weeks. Before Sunday’s loss to Nashville, Brandon Dubinsky was one of the hottest players on the team, and he scored the overtime winner on a fancy drag move to sink the Penguins.
6. New York Rangers (78 points)
Previously 6 (75 points)
The Rangers are not untouchable at home. After all, Montreal stopped them in a shootout on Tuesday. Yet New York ripped off five straight wins at home, and that included a defensive showdown against the Capitals this week. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 31 of Washington’s 32 shots on Sunday, and Mats Zuccarello controlled a setup from Chris Kreider and banked home the game winner.
7. San Jose Sharks (77 points)
Previously 7 (74 points)
San Jose had two weekend games before going on a bye week. After a smooth win in the desert, the Sharks fell short in a defensive dogfight with the Bruins. They still have a marginal lead on both Edmonton and Anaheim in the Pacific Division. After scoring twice more on Saturday and adding an assist on Sunday, Brent Burns now has a four-game point streak and five goals in a three-game span. The Hart Trophy might not be out of reach.
8. Edmonton Oilers (74 points)
Previously 10 (68 points)
It was an inconsistent beginning to the six-game road trip for Edmonton. After winning in Chicago, they took a hard tumble in Tampa before just getting by against the Panthers. It get no easier for a team looking to pass the Sharks in the Pacific Division, with Nashville, Washington, and St. Louis up next. Milan Lucic has had a bad 2017. His wrist shot goal in Chicago was his first in 11 games and his second in 24 games, dating back to Dec. 21.
9. Ottawa Senators (70 points)
Previously 11 (64 points)
Bobby Ryan is likely out until April with a broken finger, and Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone were forced to miss Tuesday’s game in New Jersey due to injuries. Yet the surging Sens continue to gain ground on Montreal in the Atlantic Division, and they can tie or pass them this week during their southeastern road trip. They can always win as long as Erik Karlsson is still playing. Before getting injured on a hard hit from Jacob Trouba, Stone shredded Toronto with a goal and four assists.
10. Anaheim Ducks (74 points)
Previously 9 (70 points)
Anaheim gets a stressless schedule this week…sort of. They only play once, but it will be against Los Angeles on Saturday. Playoff implications are once again abound in the SoCal rivalry, so keep those eyes peeled. Rickard Rakell was having an underwhelming February, but he scored twice, including the go-ahead goal, to help the Ducks defeat Boston on Wednesday.
11. Montreal Canadiens (72 points)
Previously 8 (70 points)
Montreal scraped by the Rangers, thanks to Paul Byron, in the shootout for Claude Julien‘s first victory in his second tenure as the team’s head coach (still weird to me). With Ottawa breathing down their neck in the Atlantic Division, however, the Habs have disappointed for the second straight season regardless of how their season ended. There have been disturbing rumors of former coach Michel Therrien verbally abusing Andrew Shaw and Carey Price shortly after Montreal’s loss to Philadelphia two weeks ago. Therrien’s temper has been well known, and it will make finding another head coaching job very difficult in the future, especially if this incident is true.
12. St. Louis Blues (67 points)
Previously 12 (65 points)
The Blues are also going on a bye week, and they will have Chicago and Edmonton waiting for them at the end of this week. Not ideal for a team who that might be passed by both Calgary and Nashville in the standings. Kevin Shattenkirk had three assists in the Blues’ win over Vancouver on Thursday, helping Mike Yeo set the record for best start by a coach in franchise history.
13. Boston Bruins (66 points)
Previously 14 (64 points)
Not a bad way to begin the road trip, The Bruins beat San Jose in overtime before falling in a tight battle with Anaheim. They are currently behind the Islanders for the final wild card spot due to the tiebreaker, but that can change very quickly. Brad Marchand scored the game-winner against the Sharks, and his only two goals since February 4 have come against San Jose.
14. Toronto Maple Leafs (67 points)
Previously 15 (63 points)
Toronto could afford a weaker schedule after losing a huge game against the Senators. They got it with a shutout win in Carolina before a thrilling and violent home victory against Winnipeg. Jake Gardiner capped off a huge five-point week with the overtime winner on Tuesday, his ninth goal of the season.
15. Florida Panthers (66 points)
Previously 19 (60 points)
They do not have the second wild card at the moment (The Islanders do), but the Panthers have jumped back into the playoff picture thanks to a five-game winning streak that was lost on Wednesday. They will need to take advantage of the home-heavy schedule in order to keep pace with New York. Jaromir Jagr went fancy for his 750th career goal. He stole the puck from Anaheim’s Josh Manson and fooled around with John Gibson before finding the open net on Friday. The ageless wonder is still wonderful.
16. New York Islanders (66 points)
Previously 21 (60 points)
The Islanders started a potential season-deciding nine-game road trip this week, and things have looked good so far. They got a massive win against the Rangers at home before splitting the home-and-home with New Jersey. In their first game of the road trip, the Islanders got the better of Detroit in low-scoring affair, which has been unusual for the Islanders this season. Andrew Ladd has caught fire with six goals in February after just eight beforehand. He had four this week, including two to sink the crosstown rivals.
17. Nashville Predators (65 points)
Previously 13 (62 points)
A team that usually prides itself on defense did not look so unstoppable this week. Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros allowed at least three goals in every game this week, and Rinne was mercifully pulled after a offensive charge from the Flames, which miraculously needed overtime with save two points on Tuesday. Filip Forsberg had a quiet week before Tuesday, but he went off in the second period, scoring a hat trick against Calgary. Unfortunately, Mark Giordano‘s overtime winner bounced off his skate.
18. Calgary Flames (64 points)
Previously 17 (61 points)
The Flames seem like a weak wild card team that would likely play Minnesota in the playoffs if they get in, but they did sweep the season series against the best team in the Western Conference. Even after trading for defenseman Michael Stone, Calgary’s theme for the week was clutch shooting from Mark Giordano. He is the reason why the Flames got three points this week instead of just one. He forced overtime in Vancouver on a deep drive with six seconds remaining in regulation, and he scored the overtime winner off Filip Forsberg on Tuesday for his third straight game with a goal. Johnny Gaudreau broke out of his slump with four assists, including one in overtime, at Nashville.
19. Los Angeles Kings (62 points)
Previously 14 (60 points)
The Kings whiffed on a chance to pass Calgary in the wild card race, and their lone victory this week was a tight defensive battle in Denver. They no longer have a heavy game advantage on the Flames, so LA’s four games against them will be ultra-important, starting with Tuesday’s tilt in the Saddledome. Tanner Pearson scored twice in the Kings’ loss to Arizona on Thursday, and he is now second on the team in goals (19) and points (34), both of which are behind Jeff Carter, of course.
20. Philadelphia Flyers (63 points)
Previously 18 (61 points)
That 10-game winning streak seems like a distant memory. With just eight wins since that streak, the Flyers have endured a tiring season that is slowly beginning to have a clearer end in April. Shayne Gostisbehere has been in a miserable sophomore slump this season, but his three assists on Saturday helped the Flyer defeat Vancouver. He still has not scored since Nov. 25.
21. Winnipeg Jets (62 points)
Previously 26 (56 points)
Perhaps their overtime loss to Toronto was a letdown, but the Jets have found themselves back into the playoff race with their monster week. Despite not playing a single game at home, Winnipeg got points in all four of their games, including wins against Montreal and Ottawa, the top two teams in the Atlantic Division. A win against Minnesota following a bye week could make the wild card race even more interesting. Patrik Laine had a series to remember against the Leafs this season. After getting a hat trick and an overtime goal in their previous meeting, Laine added two more in the road game. He also got the NHL’s first star of the week, and his seven goals over the last five games means that he is the first rookie in Atlanta/Winnipeg history to reach 30 goals in a season. Jacob Trouba is currently serving a two-game suspension for his illegal hit on Mark Stone.
22. Tampa Bay Lightning (62 points)
Previously 21 (57 points)
The Canadian teams have stepped up this season, but that has not phased the Lightning this week. They got points in all three games this week, including an impressive 4-1 victory over the Oilers on Tuesday. They continue their Canadian home swing with Calgary and Ottawa coming to town. This week had plenty of one-man shows for Tampa Bay. Victor Hedman contributed to all three goals in Dallas, scoring two of them, on Thursday, and Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists against Edmonton.
23. Buffalo Sabres (62 points)
Previously 25 (58 points)
Buffalo won three straight before they crashed against the scorching Blackhawks. It seems like Robin Lehner and Evander Kane have done everything they can to keep Buffalo within striking distance of a playoff spot. Lehner stood tall against the weaker Avalanche on Thursday, shutting them out on 23 shots for his second shutout of the season. Kane has seven goals in as many games after hitting the net in all three games this week, and his 21 goals are the second most of his career behind 2011-2012 (30 goals).
24. Vancouver Canucks (58 points)
Previously 23 (56 points)
Lady luck was on Vancouver’s side Saturday. An awkward knuckling puck from Alexander Edler went past Brian Elliott from the center line, and even a late goal from Calgary could not stop the Canucks from getting two points. Unfortunately, they could not find similar luck against St. Louis or Vancouver, and that would have been ideal for a better chance at the playoffs. Chris Tanev took a gorgeous feed from Daniel Sedin and burned the Flames in overtime for his first goal of the season.
25. New Jersey Devils (60 points)
Previously 24 (58 points)
The offense was fine against the Islanders, but not so much against the Senators. They scored just once in their two home losses to Ottawa this week, and they are now 29th in the league in scoring. That is basically last since Colorado is at its own level these days, and the Devils have found themselves in the same situation, offensively, as they were last year. Travis Zajac has points in his last three games, including a shorthanded goal in the win over the Islanders on Saturday.
26. Carolina Hurricanes (56 points)
Previously 22 (55 points)
The Hurricanes have likely fallen out of playoff contention despite having a huge advantage in games played. Their offense is a travesty (two goals in three games this week), and the team has now lost five in a row. Even the Red Wings have more points now. It seems like they are also willing to part with the select few veterans remaining on the team. Carolina sent Ron Hainsey to Pittsburgh, which just lost Trevor Daley for six weeks, in exchange for Danny Kristo and a second-round draft pick.
27. Detroit Red Wings (58 points)
Previously 27 (54 points)
There are not many expendable players on the Detroit roster, but that is to be expected for a team that has had no reason to be sellers for over 25 years. Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen, who were added in the hopes of making up for Pavel Datsyuk‘s absence, seem like the best options for trade bait. The Wings surprisingly got the better of Pittsburgh on the road, and enforcer Steve Ott led the charge with two points and a solid backhand goal.
28. Dallas Stars (56 points)
Previously 28 (54 points)
The horrendous defense likely ruined their chance at returning to the playoffs, but it did just enough this week. After losing a low-scoring game in Minnesota, the Stars got some heroics from Antoine Roussel right before their bye week. Roussel, who is the only player in the NHL to reach triple digits in penalty minutes so far, scored all three regulation goals for Dallas to get his first career hat trick, and Jamie Benn won the game in overtime.
29. Arizona Coyotes (49 points)
Previously 29 (45 points)
The Coyotes continue to find more wins, and now the thought of getting a lower lottery pick is in potential danger. The Coyotes should continue to trade players away after shipping Michael Stone to Calgary, but will that be enough to land the #1 pick? That would be a huge boost for a team that is loaded with raw prospects. Brendan Perlini has points in three of his last five games, and his two goals in Thursday’s win over Los Angeles make him the second Arizona rookie to reach double figures in goals. Christian Dvorak is the other rookie with 10 goals.
30. Colorado Avalanche (35 points)
Previously 30 (32 points)
Two teams allowed the Avs to get points this week, but it is unlikely that either Tampa Bay or Carolina will be serious playoff contenders in March. With the trade deadline nearly a week away, the Avalanche should unload on their roster, especially Jarome Iginla. Calvin Pickard did an exceptional job this week despite the awful offense. He saved 125 of the 133 shots faced in those four games (.940 save percentage) and hit double figures in wins with the overtime win in Raleigh.
Bold Predictions:
Last week:
Carolina scored at least five times on Colorado on Friday. Their offense is playing like golfers in April.
Devan Dubnyk/Darcy Kuemper shut out Nashville on at least 33 shots on Saturday. Dubnyk lost the shutout in the third period, but he still got an easy win.
Arizona scores at least two power play goals against Anaheim on Monday. They scored three times in the first period on Monday, but none were on the power play.
This week:
Edmonton defeat Washington by three goals on Friday.
Erik Karlsson has four points against the Panthers on Sunday.
Cory Schneider/Keith Kinkaid allow just one goal and leave Max Pacioretty point-less.
