NHL Power Rankings: B/R Experts' Week 25 Poll
April approaches, the NHL playoffs are almost here and only the final battles for positioning are left to be determined.
The Minnesota Wild are the NHL's hottest team, a few short months after they appeared to be going nowhere in a hurry. The only team with a longer active consecutive wins streak is the surprising Columbus Blue Jackets, who have six straight victories to the Wild's five. Meanwhile, four teams secured playoff spots in Week 25, with Anaheim, Nashville, Montreal and the New York Rangers all pulling off the trick.
Which team takes the top spot in this week's Bleacher Report power rankings?
As always, the panel (this week consisting of Dave Lozo, Allan Mitchell, Lyle Richardson, Carol Schram and myself) is here to vote and determine the rankings of the league's 30 teams, with those rankings based on an assessment of each of these teams rather than a pure look at the standings.
Read on to see where all 30 teams are ranked and which rise to the top this week.
News and statistics are courtesy of NHL.com, Hockey-Reference, war-on-ice.com and BehindTheNet.ca and are current through the start of action on March 30.
Our experts participate in weekly voting for B/R's NHL power rankings. Once a vote is cast for a specific team, it's assigned a value—30 points for the No. 1 team in the rankings, 29 points for the second spot and so on. The totals are then added up to create the power ranking.
30-26: Buffalo Sabres-New Jersey Devils
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30. Buffalo Sabres (Last week: 30): The Sabres have now lost five straight games and haven't won without the aid of the shootout in better than a month. Critically, the team lost Thursday's McEichel Cup match with the Coyotes, with the Buffalo crowd (rightly) giving Arizona a big cheer for the win.
29. Arizona Coyotes (Last week: 29): Don't look now, but the Coyotes are on a bit of a roll, and at the worst possible time. They beat both Detroit and Buffalo last week and lost by just one goal to Pittsburgh. Goalie Mike Smith has a 0.934 save percentage in March, though just a 3-8-0 record.
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last week: 28): The Leafs snapped a seven-game losing streak on Saturday, handing a critical loss to the Ottawa Senators as their provincial rivals are in a tooth-and-nail fight for the East's final playoff spot. Still, Toronto lost its other two games this week (both at home). Phil Kessel has just one goal in his last 15, and Joffrey Lupul's goalless streak has now reached 24 games.
27. Edmonton Oilers (Last week: 27): It's been a pretty impressive two weeks for the Oilers, who are 4-1-1 in their last six games after snapping a seven-game losing streak. Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have matching stats lines over their last 10 games, with each scoring seven goals, adding nine assists and going plus-five over that stretch.
26. New Jersey Devils (Last week: 24): The Devils have now dropped five consecutive games; their last win came against the remains of the Buffalo Sabres. Cory Schneider was excellent in three of his four starts, but New Jersey squandered all of them.
25-21: Philadelphia Flyers-Columbus Blue Jackets
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25. Philadelphia Flyers (Last week: 25): The Flyers are in the middle of a weird stretch that sees the team play just four games in a two-week span. A slow week saw the team beat Chicago by a 4-1 score and fall in the shootout to San Jose. Steve Mason was brilliant in both games, turning aside 34 of 35 against the Blackhawks and making 42 saves against the Sharks.
24. Carolina Hurricanes (Last week: 26): Carolina posted a reasonable 2-1-1 record on the week, losing to Chicago in regulation and Boston in overtime but topping Pittsburgh and New Jersey. All the games were played at home; five of the Hurricanes' final seven contests will be on the road.
23. Colorado Avalanche (Last week: 21): The Avs weren't exactly facing murderers' row this week, and so a 2-2 record is nothing to write home about. Ryan O'Reilly stayed hot, though, stretching a personal points streak to seven games. He has 23 points in his last 20 games and has been held off the scoresheet just three times in that span.
22. San Jose Sharks (Last Week: 22): San Jose went a mediocre 2-2 on the week. A disastrous February killed the team and a mediocre March hasn't made up the gap between it and the postseason. Aside from the surprising Chris Tierney, the one guy playing well at the moment is Antti Niemi, who is likely to exit as a free agent in July.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets (Last week: 23): The Jackets are absurdly hot. This week the team won a home game against Anaheim, then went on the road and beat the Blackhawks and Blues in their own buildings; that's a three-for-three run against a trio of Stanley Cup contenders. The club now is on a run of six straight wins and has nine victories in its last 10 outings.
During this 10-game run the goaltending has been great, Scott Hartnell has nine goals and rookie Marko Dano nine points, and pint-sized winger Cam Atkinson holds the team lead with 12 points.
20-16: Florida Panthers-Vancouver Canucks
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20. Florida Panthers (Last week: 19): Florida's playoff hopes are on life support, but they got a big boost on Sunday when they beat Ottawa in regulation. Overall the Panthers were 2-1-1 on the week, which put them a little further behind Boston than they were at the start of the week.
19. Calgary Flames (Last week: 17): Every game is critical for Calgary, and a win over Nashville on Sunday salvaged the week for the team. The 5-2 victory pushed the club to 2-1-1 over the last seven days and elevated it to a one-point lead on Los Angeles for third in the Pacific. Jiri Hudler picked up three points in the win and now has 21 points in his last 14 contests.
18. Dallas Stars (Last week: 20): With the weirdest exception, Dallas has continued its run of red-hot play: Edmonton managed to hand the Stars a 4-0 loss on Friday. Dallas won its other three games and is now 10-3-0 over its last 13 contests. Kari Lehtonen is a big part of the reason why; March has been his best month of the season with a 9-2-0 record and 0.917 save percentage.
17. Ottawa Senators (Last week: 13): The clock may have struck midnight on the Senators' Cinderella story. After beating San Jose on Monday, the Sens have dropped three straight games and now find themselves three points out of the postseason; they're also just one point up on Florida after falling to the Panthers in regulation on Sunday.
Andrew Hammond has been playing despite a recent injury and has had a sub-0.890 save percentage in three of his last four starts; it's the first time this season that he's had a save percentage below 0.920 in a game he's started.
16. Vancouver Canucks (Last Week: 15): A three-game homestand was a miniature disaster for the Canucks. Vancouver managed a win over Winnipeg but then lost to non-playoff teams from Denver and Dallas. British Columbia's team has enough of a lead that it still sits in second place in the Pacific, but its hold on a playoff spot is not yet totally safe.
15-11: Boston Bruins-New York Islanders
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15. Boston Bruins (Last week: 18): The Bruins have their backs to the wall, but they did a nice job this week, winning two games and losing a third (to Anaheim) in overtime. They aren't home-free yet, but thanks to some sudden losses by Ottawa now have a three-point cushion on the teams chasing them for the final playoff spot. Ryan Spooner continues to play well; he has four goals in his last six games.
14. Winnipeg Jets (Last week: 14): The Jets went 2-2 on the week, which isn't ideal given where they sit in the standings. Calgary and Los Angeles have been going back and forth for the third spot in the Pacific, but Winnipeg has fallen far enough to bring the final wild-card slot into play, too. Ondrej Pavelec got lit up on Sunday; it's his first weak start in a month that has seen him wrest the No. 1 job back from Michael Hutchinson.
13. Detroit Red Wings (Last Week: 12): The Red Wings' playoff spot isn't in any particular danger, but the club did lose three of four this week and in so doing may have brought at an end to its hopes of finishing higher than third in the Atlantic.
Petr Mrazek had been outperforming Jimmy Howard to a significant degree in net, to the point that head coach Mike Babcock opted to start him in consecutive games on the weekend. After posting a shutout on Saturday, Mrazek got lit up Sunday and had to be replaced.
12. Los Angeles Kings (Last Week: 16): The Kings went on the road in Week 25, and the results were pretty encouraging. L.A. managed wins over New Jersey and both New York teams in succession, and only a loss to Minnesota on Saturday prevented a perfect 3-0 run. With the defending champions life-and-death to make the postseason, this team needs the next two weeks to be similarly successful.
11. New York Islanders (Last Week: 9): The Isles lost three of four games before squeaking out a 5-4 win against Detroit on Sunday. The club is two games below 0.500 in terms of wins/losses (13-11-4) over the last two months, and it only still has a shot at second in the Met because Pittsburgh has been almost as bad over the last couple of weeks.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins
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Record: 42-23-11, 95 points
Last Week: 10
Recent Trend: Consecutive wins on the weekend, even with one coming in the shootout, are a good sign for Pittsburgh. The Pens had gone 2-5-2 in the nine games between recording two straight wins.
Big Picture: The Penguins are neck-and-neck with the Islanders in the battle for second in the Metropolitan; it's likely the two teams will meet in the first round, and the big question at the moment is which will have home ice.
By the Numbers: It seems like a long time since Chris Kunitz was a member of the Canadian Olympic team in 2014. A goal on Sunday ended an 11-game pointless streak for the Penguins left wing, and he can only hope it's a sign the page has turned on two brutal months. Since February 1, Kunitz has played 27 games and scored just twice.
9. Washington Capitals
6 of 14
Record: 41-25-10, 92 points
Last Week: 11
Recent Trend: For the second consecutive week the Capitals have won two of three games. They dropped a 4-3 decision against Nashville but won games against both the Rangers and Devils.
Big Picture: The six-point gap between the Capitals and the best team currently outside the playoffs makes it unlikely that the team will be unseated in the short time remaining between now and the end of the season. There's even an outside shot that Washington could climb to second in the Met, as both the Islanders and Penguins are slumping.
By the Numbers: Washington's most potent weapon is its power play, which at a 24.4 percent efficiency rating is the best in the NHL at the moment. The team's penalty kill and even-strength goal differentials are just a touch above the league average; the man advantage has made all the difference.
8. Chicago Blackhawks
7 of 14
Record: 45-24-6, 96 points
Last Week: 3
Recent Trend: The Blackhawks went just 2-2 last week, which doesn't sound that bad except that three of their games were against non-playoff times. They even briefly inhabited a wild=card spot before Sunday's win.
Big Picture: Chicago's playoff spot isn't in any particular jeopardy; with 96 points the team could probably lose all its remaining games and still make the postseason. But it's going to be difficult to make up the ground separating the team from the top two spots in the Central Division, and so a lot of road games in the playoffs seem like a near certainty.
By the Numbers: Here's a whopper: Since January 1, in all situations the Blackhawks have run a minus-five goal differential. They have done a good job out-shooting and out-chancing their opponents, but they're not managing to outscore them, in large part because league-wide only Toronto and Arizona have a worse shooting percentage in that span.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning
8 of 14
Record: 46-23-7, 99 points
Last Week: 2
Recent Trend: The Lightning ended the week with losses to Detroit and Nashville, bringing a four-game winning streak to an end. It's the second time this month the team has seen a four-game winning streak end in consecutive losses.
Big Picture: It's all about playoff seeding for Tampa Bay. A strong finish could see the team win the Atlantic and (maybe) even the East, and allow it to avoid a first-round meeting with Detroit.
By the Numbers: Ondrej Palat returned to the lineup after missing three games and was surprisingly effective immediately. He picked up two assists in his first game back and, despite going pointless in Tampa's last two losses, has five points in five contests since coming back from injury.
6. Montreal Canadiens
9 of 14
Record: 47-21-8, 102 points
Last Week: 5
Recent Trend: Montreal went a decidedly mediocre 1-1-1 on the week, getting out-goalied in a regulation loss to Winnipeg and trading overtime decisions with Nashville and Florida. The loss to the Predators brought an end to a modest three-game winning streak.
Big Picture: The Canadiens are one of a handful of teams to be mathematically certain of a playoff berth, but their hold on first in the Atlantic is still precarious. A Monday game against the Tampa Bay Lightning will be critical to their efforts to finish the year in a favourable playoff position.
By the Numbers: Carey Price has been frankly ridiculous for the Habs this season. He leads the NHL in wins (41), shutouts (nine) and save percentage (0.937), and is the primary reason that Montreal is battling for first overall rather than desperately trying to secure a playoff spot in these final few games of the year.
5. New York Rangers
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Record: 47-21-7, 101 points
Last Week: 1
Recent Trend: New York did manage an impressive win over Ottawa on Thursday, putting five goals past red-hot goalie Andrew Hammond and guaranteeing a playoff spot in the process. Unfortunately, the other three games in Week 25 were all losses.
Big Picture: The Rangers have done enough in preceding weeks that this mini-slump isn't all that big of a deal; their hold on the Metropolitan is solid enough that even with mediocre showings over the next two weeks they'll likely hold on. They are, however, also in a race for the Presidents' Trophy, and a strong finish could give them home-ice advantage for the entire playoffs.
By the Numbers: Cam Talbot deserves massive credit for his work in Henrik Lundqvist's absence. Lundqvist returned on Saturday in his first action in nearly two months, and while he was out Talbot held things together, going a marvelous 16-4-3 with a 0.929 save percentage. New York may well field calls this summer from teams interested in Talbot as a starter.
4. Anaheim Ducks
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Record: 49-22-7, 105 points
Last Week: 4
Recent Trend: Anaheim won three of its four games this week, ending a five-game road trip on a winning note. That gives the Ducks seven victories in their last nine games, all but one of them won by just a single goal.
Big Picture: Somehow the Ducks have turned a modest plus-11 goal differential into 105 points; both Ottawa and Los Angeles have done a better job of outscoring their opponents than Anaheim this year but find themselves on the wrong side of the playoff cut line at this point. Anaheim will certainly win the Pacific and could finish first in the NHL.
By the Numbers: The Ducks have a 0.933 win percentage when leading after two periods, the fourth-best number in the league. They can also catch up after falling behind; they win 45.5 percent of their games when trailing after one period, the third-best mark in the game.
3. St. Louis Blues
12 of 14
Record: 46-22-7, 99 points
Last Week: 6
Recent Trend: The Blues have won just one of their last five contests, though they have been close in plenty of them. Two losses and the lone win came after regulation, and in some cases (such as against Columbus on Saturday) St. Louis controlled the balance of play but was beaten in the goalie battle.
Big Picture: It is probable that St. Louis will retain possession of second place in the Central Division, but if the Blues move the most likely scenario sees them passing the Predators for control of first place.
By the Numbers: Zbynek Michalek has emerged as a pretty important player for the Blues immediately, particularly with fellow right-shooting defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk only recently returned from injury. Michalek has logged just under 20 minutes per game, despite not being part of the St. Louis power play. He's facing tough competition and taking tougher-than-average zone starts for the team.
2. Nashville Predators
13 of 14
Record: 47-22-8, 102 points
Last Week: 8
Recent Trend: The Predators have won four of their last five games, though they lost on Sunday when they played tired against a rested Calgary team.
Big Picture: Nashville currently sits in first place in the Central Division, but it has also played two games more than the rival Blues, who sit three points back. A strong push from St. Louis could mean the battle for first comes down to the wire.
By the Numbers: The Predators have had some offensive problems in March, though they have been more successful over the last few games. Figuring out the power play would help; Nashville has converted on only 16.0 percent of its opportunities, putting it 26th in the league.
1. Minnesota Wild
14 of 14
Record: 44-25-7, 95 points
Last Week: 7
Recent Trend: Minnesota's been one of the hottest teams in the NHL for several months now, and that shows no signs of changing. The Wild went 4-0 this week and currently hold a five-game winning streak.
Big Picture: Minnesota briefly moved past Chicago for control of third in the Central Division, but a Blackhawks win on Sunday bumped them back down. The Wild have been the best team in the NHL since bringing aboard Devan Dubnyk in mid-January; the team's plus-47 goal differential is 19 better than the next-closest club since then.
By the Numbers: Devan Dubnyk's performance is the story every week and will continue to be for as long as he continues playing the way he is, but we'll take a break from it and focus instead on the modest rejuvenation of Thomas Vanek.
Vanek has seven goals and 11 points in his last 11 games and after a disastrous start to the year is finally having some success. If the Wild can get the power play figured out (Vanek has just five goals on the man advantage, which is three back of his previous career low of eight), the player will doubtless look even better.
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