NHL Power Rankings: An Early Look at Buyers and Sellers at the Trade Deadline

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With the trade deadline coming up, the time has come to determine who will be buyers and sellers come Feb. 27.

 

Eastern Conference

Buyers: NY Rangers, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh, New Jersey

 

On the Bubble

Ottawa and Toronto: Both teams will probably be buyers, knowing that their fans demand a playoff appearance (especially in Toronto).

Washington and Florida: This division is up for grabs, so both will probably look to add what they need for a push—unless things go awry.

Tampa Bay: Gotta believe they want to be buyers, but they’ve got to keep the hot streak up.

Winnipeg: They’ll probably hold on to their youth and not jeopardize the future for an instant return this season.

Sellers: NY Islanders, Buffalo, Carolina, Montreal 

 

Western Conference

Buyers: Detroit, Vancouver, San Jose, St. Louis, Chicago, LA

 

On the Bubble

Nashville: This team should make the playoffs and have a chance to build on their success from last season, but they are a low-budget team and need to figure out what to do with Suter and Weber.

Minnesota: Unless things go really wrong (and they have before), this team needs a playoff appearance, but do not want to mortgage their future.

Dallas and Colorado: Both franchises need a playoff appearance to put butts in the seats next season.

Calgary: They always think they’re in it.

Sellers: Phoenix, Edmonton, Anaheim Columbus

30. Columbus Blue Jackets

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Last week: 30

With a win over Anaheim in the last game of their road trip, the Jackets stemmed a six-game losing streak.

They still remain the league’s worst team by a large margin.

29. Edmonton Oilers

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Last week: 28

Edmonton has won four of its last five, but still looks like a seller at the deadline.

A once-promising season has once again become a "wait ‘till next year" campaign.

28. Montreal Canadiens

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Last week: 20

The struggles continue for the Habs.

Montreal has lost its last three games.

27. Buffalo Sabres

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Last week: 29

The Sabres have won three of their last four.

Granted, those wins came at New Jersey, Montreal and the Islanders.

26. Carolina Hurricanes

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Last week: 26

Carolina started February off right.

The team crushed the Bruins, 3-0, in Boston and beat the Kings, 2-1, at home.

The Canes have won three of their last four.

25. New York Islanders

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Last week: 27

The Islanders picked up wins over Carolina and Ottawa, but it’s too little, too late for this franchise.

Perhaps an exhibition game in Brooklyn will galvanize the franchise, but most likely, the Islanders will have to find a way to get another arena on the island.

24. Anaheim Ducks

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Last week: 19

The Ducks finished January winning six of their last seven.

They then opened February with losses to Dallas and Columbus at home.

23. Winnipeg Jets

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Last week: 24

Currently on a stretch where they will play eight of nine games away from Manitoba, Winnipeg will have to face Montreal in Quebec, Toronto at home and then be tested by Washington and Pittsburgh on the road.

22. Phoenix Coyotes

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Last week: 22

Phoenix started the month off right with a 5-3 win over the Sharks in Glendale.

The Coyotes are in a bit of a hole, however. They’re still 10 points behind San Jose in the division and four points out of the eight spot in the West.

21. Calgary Flames

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Last week: 21

A win over Chicago is never a bad way to start off a month.

Calgary will be tested, though.

The Flames play their next three on the road against Anaheim, San Jose and Phoenix.

20. Colorado Avalanche

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Last week: 12

With five straight losses, the Avs are slipping in the Northwest Division.

Colorado needs to take advantage of a slumping Chicago team and beat a red-hot Canes team at home before the Avs go on their four-game road trip.

19. Dallas Stars

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Last week: 25

After a rough stretch, the Stars have won three of four and enter a nice portion of their schedule.

Their next three games come against Phoenix, Columbus and Buffalo.

18. Florida Panthers

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Last week: 23

The Cats picked up division wins over Washington and Winnipeg in Sunrise and remain the leaders in the Southeast Division.

A 6-3 loss in Tampa, however, indicates they don’t yet have control over the division.

17. Washington Capitals

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Last week: 7

Washington did not capitalize on its monumental 5-3 win over Boston and dropped two games to division opponents Tampa and Florida.

16. Chicago Blackhawks

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Last week: 11

The Hawks are in trouble.

Chicago has lost its last five games and must play its next six away from home.

15. Minnesota Wild

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Last week: 15

The Wild need to take advantage of their schedule to get back to their winning ways.

The Wild will face Columbus, Vancouver, Columbus, Anaheim and Winnipeg in that order over the next five contests.

The team can easily go 4-1 in those games.

14. Ottawa Senators

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Last week: 8

After a strong January, the Sens are slipping.

Ottawa has lost its last six contests.

Fortunately, Boston isn’t doing too well either.

13. Los Angeles Kings

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Last week: 14

The defensive-minded Kings have started their road trip the wrong way.

They lost to St. Louis and Carolina and must play their next four away from home.

12. Tampa Bay Lightning

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Last week: 17

The Lightning are struggling on defense and are playing awful on special teams.

Still, the team has won six of seven and could squeak in late for a seed in the playoffs.

Currently, the Bolts sit nine points out of a playoff spot in the East.

11. Philadelphia Flyers

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Last week: 10

The Flyers are struggling to put together back-to-back wins, and it’s costing them the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic.

10. San Jose Sharks

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Last week: 13

The Sharks had won their three contests heading into Phoenix by a margin of 12-2.

They then lost to the lowly Coyotes 5-3 in Glendale.

The Sharks need to take advantage of home games against Calgary and Chicago before going on a nine-game road trip that will consume most of their February schedule.

9. Boston Bruins

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Last week: 9

Boston has hit the skids lately.

The team opened February by being shutout by Carolina and losing to Pittsburgh.

Both losses came at home.

8. New Jersey Devils

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Last week: 18

There’s nothing to complain about for the residents of Jersey when the Devils have wins over the Rangers and Flyers.

Unless you’re a Rangers or Flyers fan, that is…

7. St. Louis Blues

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Last week: 2

The defensive-minded Blues have lost three of four, admittedly to talented teams (Detroit, Pittsburgh and Nashville), and are slipping in the Central.

St. Louis is capable of winning its next three games, however.

The team will play in Ottawa and New Jersey before returning home to face Colorado.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs

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Last week: 16

By winning four of their last five, the Leafs remains the No. 8 seed in the East.

5. Nashville Predators

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Last week: 5

Is it fair to make a Moneyball comparison here?

The shoestring-budget Preds have lost only three games since the beginning of January and currently sit at No. 2 in the perilous Central Division.

4. Detroit Red Wings

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Last week: 1

The Wings have had two concerning losses recently: a 7-2 doozy in Montreal and a shootout loss in Edmonton.

Still, despite those losses, the Red Wings lead the mighty Central Division, along with the league.

3. New York Rangers

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Last week: 3

With wins over Boston, Winnipeg and Buffalo in their last four games, the Rangers remain atop the mighty Atlantic Division.

The Blueshirts' upcoming schedule will test them, however.

New York will face, in order: New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Philly, Washington, Boston and Chicago.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

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Last week: 4

The Penguins have won nine of their last 10.

Nobody in Pittsburgh is complaining about this club’s performance.

1. Vancouver Canucks

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Last week: 6

Vancouver has won four of its last five, and is three points away from the No. 1 team in the West, Detroit.