We are days away from the March 8 deadline and realizing the complete make-up of the Stanley Cup hopefuls. While some pretenders have uncovered their true nature, a variety of bubble groups are nonetheless treading water, nonetheless deciding how essential making the playoffs actually is to them. We’ll discover out subsequent Friday which groups are determined to proceed their season into late April. Here are this month’s Herald Power Rankings (Friday/Saturday video games not included):
1. Florida Panthers – There are not any juggernauts in at present’s NHL. But of all of the contenders, the Panthers appear to have the fewest flaws for the time being. They maintain an identical 20-8-2 residence and away data. Machine-like.
2. New York Rangers – The Blueshirts have gotten a lift of their spirits with the call-up of 6-foot-8 brawler Matt Rempe. But the return to type of Igor Shesterkin (1.72 GAA, .953 save share in February) is what is going to matter when the playoffs start.
3. Vancouver Canucks – Are the ‘Nucks simply going by a down spell each staff does (4-5-1 in final 10) or are they lastly coming again all the way down to Earth? March will inform us extra.
4. Boston Bruins – Lost leads are reaching epidemic ranges and the goaltending has not been capable of cease the bleeding because it as soon as did. And but right here they’re, heading into March in a points-tie for the league lead.
5. Winnipeg Jets – The Jets have rebounded from their very own lull. They are the stingiest staff within the league (2.38 GAA), which ought to translate properly within the playoffs.
6. Carolina Hurricanes – After an eyebrow-raising sluggish begin, the Canes are wanting just like the staff they had been anticipated to be. Their 36 wins provides them yet one more than the B’s. Goaltending continues to be a query however they’re not a staff you’d relish seeing within the first spherical.
7. Dallas Stars – The acquisition of Chris Tanev ought to assist the Stars’ sagging defensive sport (ranked 14th within the NHL in GAA at 3.00). But the Stars had been hampered on the again finish after they got here to the Garden a few weeks in the past and almost pulled out the win.
8. Colorado Avalanche – The coronary heart says the Avs needs to be greater than this, however the head seems on the 14-13-5 highway report and thinks higher of it.
9. Vegas Golden Knights – The defending Stanley Cup champions had been lacking two gamers who may very well be any staff’s Most worthy skaters (Jack Eichel and Mark Stone) and threw a serious scare within the B’s. After the long term final 12 months, the damage and tear could also be catching as much as the Knights, nevertheless.
10. Toronto Maple Leafs – An 8-2 run has stored each the Panthers and B’s trustworthy, however their 3.15 GAA (twentieth within the league) stays a problem. Auston Matthews seems to be on a mission to get to 70 objectives. With two video games in opposition to the B’s subsequent week, the Leafs might make the Atlantic race very fascinating.
11. Edmonton Oilers – The Oil has as many wins (35) because the B’s in 4 fewer video games. But for as scorching as Edmonton has been below Kris Knoblauch, the Oilers are nonetheless not the toughest staff to play in opposition to in their very own zone.
12. Detroit Red Wings – The Wings run cold and warm they usually’re overly reliant on outrunning groups in monitor meets, but it surely seems as if they’ve lastly damaged by to be a playoff staff. And they’ll be harmful come playoff time.
13. Philadelphia Flyers – In simply his second season, John Tortorella has efficiently remade the Flyers in his picture, powerful and cussed. But the Flyers nonetheless haven’t discovered a strategy to shut down David Pastrnak but.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning – Nikita Kucherov is that this voter’s Hart Trophy chief for the time being. If the Bolts handle to land Noah Hanifin, that ought to put some authentic worry into the remainder of the Eastern Conference.
15. Los Angeles Kings – After almost falling off a cliff, the Kings seem to have righted themselves, although the Adrian Kempe damage is a priority.
16. Nashville Predators – Which approach the Preds go from right here is anybody’s guess. They’re contained in the playoff construction however they may very well be energetic in transferring gamers out on the deadline. But GM Barry Trotz did his greatest to squash Juuse Saros commerce rumors.
17. New Jersey Devils – The Devils can rating, however they will’t hold different groups from scoring. That’s often not a successful method.
18. New York Islanders – A few good highway wins in Dallas and Detroit had the Isles again inside 5 factors of Philly and a playoff spot. Can Patrick Roy ship this staff to the post-season?
19. Washington Capitals – The Caps, they of the minus-33 objective differential, had been six factors again of the Flyers with two video games in hand.
20. Calgary Flames – Technically, the Flames are nonetheless within the operating for a playoff spot. But they’ve peeled off Elias Lindholm and Tanev, they usually’re anticipated to maneuver Hanifin by the deadline. Can’t see them hanging for much longer.
21. St. Louis Blues – After getting a new-coach bump, the Blues have cooled off these days (4-5-1 of their final 10).
22. Seattle Kraken – Thanks to the B’s handing them two factors on Monday, the Kraken’s playoff hopes stay on life help.
23. Pittsburgh Penguins – How does a staff that has Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson have the twenty ninth ranked energy play? One of the good mysteries of our time.
24. Minnesota Wild – Some nights the Wild seem like world-beaters. Too many different nights? Not a lot.
25. Buffalo Sabres – Now that the playoffs are nearly out of attain, the Sabres are making their annual push.
26. Ottawa Senators – Ditto. One of nowadays, the younger expertise on these two groups will get up.
27. Montreal Canadiens – The Habs are sliding towards the Macklin Celebrini sweepstakes.
28. Arizona Coyotes – Once once more, the league gained’t have to fret about whether or not Coyotes make the playoffs of their faculty enviornment. After a promising begin, the ‘Yotes had been on a 14-game shedding streak heading into their Friday sport in opposition to Ottawa.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets – Another 12 months down the drain. Another GM-to-be-named-later on deck.
30. Anaheim Ducks – The solely query left this season is whether or not the Ducks determine to maneuver on from any of the younger expertise.
31. Chicago Blackhawks – Connor Bedard needs to be getting one other nice younger expertise to play with him subsequent 12 months. It would possibly behoove administration to choose up a nasty kind to guard the lads.
32. San Jose Sharks – It’s going to be a protracted highway again to respectability, however GM Mike Grier ought to get an honest constructing block in June’s draft.
Source: www.bostonherald.com