Welcome back to The Hockey News’ NHL power rankings, where we rank all 32 teams based on their weekly performance.
With the NHL trade deadline behind us, we now look ahead to the playoff race.
Up for grabs: the Atlantic Division crown, both wild-card spots in the East and the last wild-card spot in the West. Everything else is about jostling for playoff standing, and there are huge implications in the Atlantic and Central.
The Atlantic and Central participated in one of the biggest arms races at the deadline, and winning the division title will avoid a matchup between the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in the division, which could just as easily be a semifinal or conference final matchup. Thus is the life in the divisional playoff format.
Regardless, as we wind down the season, we look ahead to some key matchups for every team that will determine its fate as the 2024-25 regular season hurtles toward its conclusion.
1. Winnipeg Jets (45-17-4, +77. Previous: 1)
After a brief 0-2-1 slide, the Jets got right back on track and went 3-1-0 with only one goal allowed in each of their wins. Barring some sort of disaster, Connor Hellebuyck has already locked up the Vezina. Their upcoming key matchups are Friday versus the Stars following a two-day break and then in Dallas on April 10. The season series is split 1-1-0 with a one-goal differential.
2. Washington Capitals (43-14-8, +68. Previous: 2)
The Capitals have won five straight, and based on tankathon.com’s strength of schedule have the third-easiest schedule to finish the season. All the have to do is hold on, and they’ll lock up the Metro and the East and face the second wild-card team. With 33 goals in 49 games this season and eight away from tying Gretzky’s record, Alex Ovechkin is on pace to tie him in his 12th game from now, which is on Sunday, April 6, on Long Island. He gave an empty-net chance Tuesday against the Ducks to give Aliaksei Protas his first career hat trick – that’s good karma, and the hockey gods will reward Ovechkin somehow.
3. Dallas Stars (42-20-2, +55. Previous: 4)
The Stars made the biggest splash at the deadline and they will undoubtedly have the deepest team when and if Tyler Seguin and Miro Heiskanen return in the playoffs. They have lost just three times in regulation since Jan. 24 and the second-best points percentage since Jan. 1. Key matchups? A potential preview of a first-round matchup visiting Winnipeg on Friday and then Colorado on Sunday, Mikko Rantanen’s first game against his former team.
4. Florida Panthers (40-22-3, +40. Previous: 5)
The tricky thing about the Panthers is we really won’t see them at full strength until the playoffs when Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad return. Regardless, they’re an incredible 10-3-0 since Feb. 1. They play the Leafs three more times and the Lightning in their regular-season finale, previews of what could be their first-round opponents if they fail to win the Atlantic. It’s the difference between facing a potential Cup contender and a just-happy-to-be-here wild-card winner.
5. Colorado Avalanche (39-24-3, +28. Previous: 7)
Crazy to think that in December the Avalanche were a team hovering around .500. GM Chris MacFarland took decisive and drastic actions to improve their roster, and it’s really paid off. Gaining home-ice advantage might not be a big factor for the Avs’ chances in Round 1, but preventing the Stars from doing so might be the bigger deal. A home matchup against the Stars on Sunday awaits.
6. Carolina Hurricanes (39-22-4, +32. Previous: 9)
Time will tell if the Hurricanes ultimately made the right move or not, but there’s no denying they miscalculated when they acquired Mikko Rantanen. No matter – they’ve rattled off five wins in a row and seem to have caught a break in a first-round matchup against the Devils, which lost Jack Hughes for the season and just clawing their way to the finish line. The Hurricanes play 10 of their remaining 17 games on the road, including six of their last eight, where they’re just 13-15-3. Can they build moment just before the playoffs?
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (37-23-4, +52. Previous: 6)
They’ve lost three of their past five games, but no third-place team looks more frightening than the Lightning. Another team who has struggled on the road this season, the Lightning fortunately play four of their last five games at home, and three of those opponents are potential first-round opponents Leafs, Panthers and Rangers. A strong finish will be key.
8. Edmonton Oilers (37-23-4, +18. Previous: 8)
A statement was made in a 5-4 win against the Stars, but they nearly blew a 5-1 lead and subsequently lost in Buffalo. Wobbly is a pretty good term to describe their play, going 15-11-1 since Jan. 1, ranking 14th in points percentage. I don’t think the Oilers fear the Kings, and finishing second in the Pacific is probably better than winning the division and facing the Wild (or Avalanche, god forbid) in Round 1. We will see how their offense really stacks up against the NHL’s best goalie March 20 hosting the Jets and then visiting them on April 13.
9. Los Angeles Kings (34-20-9, +12. Previous: 10)
I’m not sure Andrei Kuzmenko is the answer, but the Kings are slated to face the Oilers for the fourth-straight time in the playoffs, and they’ve won fewer games in each subsequent meeting. This is not good, and the Kings continue to have trouble scoring at times and getting quality goaltending. We get our first-round preview on April 5 when they host the Oilers and then on April 14 when they visit Edmonton.
10. Vegas Golden Knights (38-19-7, +38. Previous: 11)
The Knights were the biggest tease at the deadline and did nothing despite their reputation for big-game hunting. The immediate aftermath is losing two straight. They spotted the Kings a 3-0 lead and nearly made a comeback, but good teams don’t give that up to a division rival. The Knights are 15-4-1 against divisional opponents, with three of those losses coming against the Kings. Are they the Knights’ kryptonite? They will not meet again this season unless it’s in the playoffs, and the Knights play six of their last nine games against divisional opponents, which will help them lock up the first seed.
11. Toronto Maple Leafs (39-22-3, +16. Previous: 5)
After winning four straight on the road, the Maple Leafs lost at home in the second half of a back-to-back to the floundering Sharks, had no legs in a pitiful loss to the Knights, couldn’t outscore the Avs and then barely beat Utah in a shootout. A division title is in reach, which would avoid a Round 1 matchup against the Panthers or Lightning – I think that’s a lot of incentive. The Leafs are two points behind the Panthers and face them three more times: this Thursday, April 2 and April 8.
12. New Jersey Devils (35-25-6, +30. Previous: 12)
The Devils will likely lock up their playoff spot soon, but I can’t help but feel they will have the least amount of momentum going in. The two wild cards will likely need winning streaks to get in, while the Devils have big voids in the injured Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton. Entering Tuesday’s game against the Jackets that saw a five-goal outburst, they had trouble scoring more than three following Hughes’ injury. Thursday’s game against the Oilers doesn’t seem out of the ordinary, but note if the Devils, win it’ll be their first three-game winning streak since Dec. 21 to 27.
13. Ottawa Senators (34-25-5, +3. Previous: 18)
Dylan Cozens has been excellent since joining the Senators, quickly erasing any ill emotions from trading the beloved Josh Norris. There have been close calls, and they needed Linus Ullmark to be brilliant, but four-straight wins has launched them into the first wild-card spot with a three-point cushion and setting up a potential Tkachuk versus Tkachuk matchup in Round 1. A Battle of Ontario looms on Saturday.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets (31-25-8, +4. Previous: 13)
Please don’t let this be the time the Jackets lose steam. They’ve lost three of their past four after winning four straight, and their cushion for the last wild-card spot is now just two points. This coming four-game homestand is vital because they’ve been excellent at home (20-6-4) and need to distance themselves from the pack. They also have three games against the Sens, including a home-and-home on April 6-8, that will be basically must-wins.
15. Montreal Canadiens (31-27-6, -20. Previous: 16)
They’re 6-1-1 since play resumed following 4 Nations, and both losses were by just one goal. A key matchup awaits next Tuesday against the Sens, followed by the Isles on Thursday. After that, the Canadiens don’t have many games against other teams in the wild card race except for the Bruins, Wings and Sens in their final 14 games.
16. Minnesota Wild (37-24-4, -5. Previous: 14)
It looks like another first-round exit for the Wild, who will likely play the Pacific Division winner or face the second-best team in the Central. The interesting tidbit is they might decide who gets the final wild card in the West; they play a back-to-back on the road in Calgary and Vancouver before returning home for their final game to close out the season.
17. New York Rangers (31-28-6, -3. Previous: 15)
For a while, the Rangers looked good with five wins in seven games, but then dropped four straight, including key points to the Sens and Jackets in the wild-card race. They have a really difficult path to make the playoffs with a late-season road trip through California and then end the season facing the Hurricanes, Panthers and Lightning in succession.
18. Detroit Red Wings (30-28-6, -22. Previous: 17)
They’re losing a ton of steam with six-straight losses, and I’m pretty sure Petr Mrazek is not the answer to their problems. A brilliant power play powered their winning streak earlier this year, but it’s ranked 19th during their losing streak, and they’ve allowed at least four goals in four of their six losses. Some of it’s just bad luck – they’ve been outshooting their opponents a lot – but if the Wings lose to the Sabres in their next game, we’re going back to doubting the Yzerplan.
19. St. Louis Blues (31-27-7, -7. Previous: 19)
The Blues weren’t buyers nor were they really sellers at the deadline, but what they can be still are spoilers. They’re 6-1-1 in their past eight and are still just one point out of a wild-card spot. Shades of 2019? Not really, but circle March 20 against the Canucks.
20. Calgary Flames (30-23-10, -18. Previous: 20)
Dustin Wolf keeps doing it. He’s won two of their past three games and allowed five goals in his past three starts while the Flames cling onto the last wild-card spot. Scoring is a big problem – they’ve been shut out twice in their last five games and scored more than two goals just once. Coming off a three-day break and facing a listless Canucks team that just lost on home ice and playing the second game of a back-to-back with travel, they have zero excuses not to win this game.
21. Utah Hockey Club (28-25-11, -9. Previous: 21)
There is still hope! Utah is three points out of a playoff spot, but dropping points in extra time to the Hawks (overtime) and Leafs (shootout) really stings. Otherwise, they’re 7-3-2 following their five-game losing streak. Their three upcoming games against the Ducks, Kraken and Canucks are must-wins if they want to stay in the race, and it’s very, very doable.
22. Vancouver Canucks (29-24-11, -21. Previous: 22)
The Canucks drew some of the lowest grades at the deadline. They weren’t sellers when they could be in the ultimate sellers’ market, and they weren’t buyers despite accruing cap space all season. What is this team? Facing an existential crisis, they’ve lost six of their last nine, four of their last six and now play the second game of a back-to-back in Calgary with another back-to-back later this week while carrying only one goalie they trust.
23. Boston Bruins (30-28-8, -27. Previous: 25)
The Bruins dealt captain Brad Marchand and top-four defensive stalwart Brandon Carlo but still have a chance in spite of this with impressive wins against the Panthers and Lightning. The next two games against the Senators and Lightning (again) gives them a chance to make huge swings in the wild-card race.
24. New York Islanders (29-28-7, -18. Previous: 24)
The Islanders‘ power play woes are one of the biggest reasons they’ll likely miss the playoffs this season. Since Feb. 1, the Islanders are tied-sixth for most power-play opportunities but converted only just five of their 39 chances, rendering the most offensively inept team in the East. It doesn’t matter the opponent; the Isles need to run the table with key games on March 20 versus the Habs and March 24 versus the Jackets to stay in it.
25. Anaheim Ducks (28-29-7, -27. Previous: 26)
The Ducks are 3-5-1 after going 7-1-0 and lost so much ground they’re practically out of the playoff race. Wednesday’s matchup in Utah will bring them closer in the standings, but they must sweep the season series against the Predators and defeat the Blues and Stars on the road to stay in the race. That will put them in a strong position during a five-game homestand where four of the teams are visiting from the East and may not be used to the late starts.
26. Philadelphia Flyers (27-31-8, -36. Previous: 23)
Like, what happened?! The Flyers are on an extended losing streak once again for the second time in less than two months, now sitting eight points out of the playoffs. They’re not mathematically out, but they’re probably out, and what hurts most is all five losses were at home. They have two more home games and then a five-game road trip, and face Lightning-Canes-Lightning-Caps next.
27. Nashville Predators (25-32-7, -41. Previous: 29)
Where was this all season, right? The Predators have won four straight with 17 goals scored, though the competition wasn’t very good to begin with. It’s not out of the realm of possibility the Preds make the playoffs, but they’ll need to at least win against the Kings, Ducks (twice) and Blues (twice) over their next six games.
28. Seattle Kraken (27-34-4, -20. Previous: 27)
Since Feb. 1, the Kraken are 4-7-1 with 3.42 goals allowed per game, and the normally dependable Joey Daccord has a .889 save percentage. I think fatigue is a huge reason for that, starting 11 of 13 games after Philipp Grubauer was waived. With the playoffs out of reach, you wonder if Daccord gets a lesser workload to finish the season. The Kraken play only two teams (Hawks, Sharks) currently not in playoff contention in their remaining 17 games.
29. Pittsburgh Penguins (26-31-10, -54. Previous: 32)
Just like we predicted a month ago, Tristan Jarry is back to save the Penguins’ season. Jokes aside, it’s clear the Pens have thrown in the white towel after a flurry of deadline moves to accumulate draft picks. Despite their teams going in opposite directions, a Ovechkin-Crosby hurrah to conclude the Penguins’ disappointing 2024-25 season should be good TV.
30. Buffalo Sabres (25-32-6, -21. Previous: 28)
A 3-2 win against the Oilers brings some reprieve, but we all collectively wonder what the Sabres are planning following a seemingly sideways move that sent Dylan Cozens to the Senators. It’s a total bust season, but at least the Sabres can play spoiler facing the Wings, Jackets, Sens (twice) and Bruins (twice) to close out the season.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (20-36-9, -49. Previous: 31)
A bit of a strange schedule since the Hawks finish their season facing Eastern Conference opponents in six of their last seven games. It’s a moot point, anyway, since the Hawks will likely win less than 30 games for the fifth-straight season.
32. San Jose Sharks (17-40-9, -75. Previous: 30)
The Sharks are close to clinching the best odds to land the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, and that starts with losing to the Hawks on Thursday. It’s their last meeting of the season, and the Sharks will play four of their final five games on the road where they’ve won only eight games.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
