NHL Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands 1 Day from the Trade Deadline
It's Christmas Eve for the hardcore hockey types.
And it's where big-ticket general managers earn their bonuses.
With the NHL's annual trade deadline just a day away, anxiety is running high for contenders looking to add a final piece for a Stanley Cup run as well as for teams off the pace angling to unload free agents for picks and prospects.
Perhaps nowhere are the pulse rates higher than in south Florida and northern Alberta, where the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are headed toward the deadline riding win streaks of six and five, respectively.
The Panthers dipped their toes in transactional waters with a Tuesday deal that brought prolific forward and Cup champ Vladimir Tarasenko to metro Miami, while the Oilers got involved with a trade that added forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick.
The success attracted the attention of voters for the B/R Power Rankings, who made Florida a unanimous pick to lead the pack for a third straight week, while the Oilers, on the strength of two second-place votes and one third, climbed six spots from 10th overall to fourth.
The Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks maintained perches in second and third place, respectively, and the Dallas Stars completed the quintet by climbing a spot from sixth to fifth.
Scroll through to see where your favorite team wound up and drop a thought of your own in the comments.
Statistics were up to date and votes tallied before games on Wednesday.
32. San Jose Sharks
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Previous Ranking: 32
Overall Record: 15-39-7
No losses are good losses, but games where leads are squandered tend to be more frustrating than ones where a team is blown out. That was surely the case for the Sharks on Tuesday, when they lost a 6-3 lead in the final eight minutes on the way to a 7-6 defeat in OT. "This one stings," forward Anthony Duclair said, "probably worse than the 10-1, 10-2 losses."
31. Chicago Blackhawks
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Previous Ranking: 31
Overall Record: 16-42-5
It was a remarkably long time coming, but the Blackhawks finally won a game on the road after dropping 22 straight. Chicago defeated Arizona at Mullet Arena on Tuesday for its first triumph away from home since November 9. "It's the first happy plane ride we've had in a little bit," forward Connor Bedard said.
30. Anaheim Ducks
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Previous Ranking: 30
Overall Record: 22-36-3
Goalie Lukas Dostal has been a bright light in March for the desultory Ducks, stopping 81 of 86 shots across two games (.942 save percentage) while relieving Josh Gibson. Dostal lost a 2-1 decision to Vancouver on Sunday with Gibson out with an illness. Two days earlier, he stopped 52 shots, the second-highest total of his career, while defeating New Jersey 4-3.
.png?w=256 "Playoff Winners and Losers")
29. Columbus Blue Jackets
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Previous Ranking: 29
Overall Record: 21-31-10
A 2-3-0 week was typical for the mediocre Blue Jackets, who defeated Vegas at home on Monday before heading to Pittsburgh on Tuesday and losing. Youngster Jet Greaves made his fourth NHL start in goal amid some speculation that No. 1 goalie Elvis Merzlikins could get dealt before Friday's trade deadline while he battles an upper-body injury.
28. Arizona Coyotes
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Previous Ranking: 28
Overall Record: 25-32-5
Two wins finally snapped a prolonged losing streak, but the Coyotes were back at it on Tuesday, dropping a 5-2 verdict to Chicago for their fifth straight loss at home and 15th in their last 17 games overall. The Blackhawks scored four of their goals on the power play, lowering Arizona's penalty-kill rate to 76.3 percent, good for 26th in the league.
27. Ottawa Senators
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Previous Ranking: 26
Overall Record: 25-31-3
Tarasenko's final goal in a brief stay with the Senators came in his final game with the franchise, a 4-2 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday. Meanwhile, Brady Tkachuk missed that game with an upper-body injury he'd suffered Friday in a loss to Arizona, the third defeat in a streak that had reached four by the time Ottawa visited Anaheim on Wednesday.
26. Montreal Canadiens
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Previous Ranking: 27
Overall Record: 24-28-10
You can't blame the Canadiens if they were getting tired of 4-3 verdicts on the scoreboard given consecutive shootout losses by that margin to Florida and Tampa Bay, but they'll take the 4-3 OT win that followed at Nashville on Tuesday. "It maybe isn't showing with the results right now," forward Brendan Gallagher said. "Individually, I think you can really see a lot of players' games are being risen to the next level."
25. Buffalo Sabres
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Previous Ranking: 25
Overall Record: 29-29-4
The Sabres squandered a pair of one-goal leads in a 5-2 loss to Winnipeg on Sunday, ending a brief run that had yielded wins over Tampa Bay and Vegas. It was Buffalo's first regulation loss of the season in a game that it had led after 40 minutes, ending a streak of 20 (19-0-1).
24. New Jersey Devils
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Previous Ranking: 19
Overall Record: 30-28-4
It's alarm-bell time in New Jersey, where a 3-6 stretch in his last nine games cost veteran coach Lindy Ruff his job. It was Ruff's fourth season with the Devils and 23rd behind an NHL bench, and he'd overseen a rapid turnaround from 27-46-9 in 2021-22 to 52-22-8 last season. But an expected year of title contention has been a flop thus far, and the team entered Wednesday eight points behind the playoff pace in the East. He was replaced by interim coach Travis Green, who's 0-1-0 after a Tuesday loss to Florida.
23. Minnesota Wild
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Previous Ranking: 24
Overall Record: 29-27-6
Star players will be star players. Kirill Kaprizov notched his third hat trick of the season in a 4-3 defeat of San Jose that ended a three-game losing skid and kept the desperate Wild within nine points of the current Western cut line. "You always need the guys that play the most minutes and you count on in a lot of key situations to be able to drive your team and not only produce," coach John Hynes said, "but I think play the game the right way."
22. St. Louis Blues
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Previous Ranking: 21
Overall Record: 32-27-1
A 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders was hard enough for the Blues to swallow, but the fact that it ended a critical three-game point streak and came after they'd established a two-goal lead in the second period made it harder. "Those points," forward Jordan Kyrou said, "we need all of them."
20. (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins
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Previous Ranking: 17
Overall Record: 28-24-8
A three-game skid in which they were outscored 12-4 was ill timed for the Penguins, who find themselves eight points off the playoff pace even after a 5-3 win over visiting Columbus on Tuesday. All eyes will be on GM Kyle Dubas to see if he pulls off a deal for imminent UFA Jake Guentzel, who's not played since February 14 due to injury.
20. (tie) Washington Capitals
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Previous Ranking: 20
Overall Record: 28-23-9
The Capitals are seven points below the Eastern cut line, so it's no surprise a sale (Anthony Mantha to Vegas for two picks) was their big pre-deadline move, but they kept a key piece at home, too, by signing imminent RFA defenseman Rasmus Sandin to a five-year, $23 million contract. Sandin is second to teammate John Carlson in overall ice time, as well as in goals, assists and points for a blue liner.
19. Calgary Flames
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Previous Ranking: 18
Overall Record: 30-26-5
The trade cost the Flames a big piece in elite two-way forward Elias Lindholm, but the arrival of winger Andrei Kuzmenko has been part of a resurgence in which Calgary has gone 8-3-1 in 12 games and Kuzmenko has five goals. The team had won five straight games before a 4-2 loss to visiting Seattle on Monday.
18. Seattle Kraken
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Previous Ranking: 22 (tie)
Overall Record: 28-23-11
What looked like a lost third season for the Kraken has suddenly become a compelling stretch drive. A 4-3 victory at Winnipeg on Tuesday was Seattle's seventh in its last 10 games (7-2-1) and got the team within six points of a wild-card spot in the West.
17. New York Islanders
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Previous Ranking: 22 (tie)
Overall Record: 27-20-14
There's nothing like a four-game win streak when you're chasing a playoff spot, and the Islanders have used theirs to climb within four points of the playoff line in the East. A rally from two goals down to defeat St. Louis on Tuesday was a good sign for coach Patrick Roy. "I was very happy when we saw that mindset and the character of our guys bouncing back," he said.
16. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Previous Ranking: 16
Overall Record: 33-24-6
A third-period rally and subsequent shootout win were particularly timely for the skidding Lightning, who'd lost two in a row and five of seven before defeating Montreal. The skid has put Tampa Bay's run of six straight playoff qualifications in at least some peril, shrinking its lead over the cut-line-chasing pack in the East to just four points.
15. Philadelphia Flyers
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Previous Ranking: 13
Overall Record: 32-23-8
It was one defenseman staying and one going for the Flyers, who extended Nick Seeler's pact with a four-year, $10.8 million contract to keep him from free agency. Heading out, meanwhile, is veteran Sean Walker in a deal that sent him to Colorado. "[Seeler is] a huge part of the competitiveness of the room that brings that room together," coach John Tortorella said. "He's one of the true competitors that I've ever coached, as far as how he handles himself."
14. Nashville Predators
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Previous Ranking: 15
Overall Record: 35-25-3
Nobody wins them all, and the Predators won't either after their eight-game run was halted by an OT loss to visiting Montreal on Tuesday. It was tied for the second-longest streak in franchise history, and the OT point has Nashville in the second Western wild-card slot, six points ahead of its nearest pursuer.
13. Vegas Golden Knights
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Previous Ranking: 12
Overall Record: 33-22-7
It's not been going well lately for the reigning champs (0-3 this week and 2-7-1 in their last 10), so it's no surprise they pulled the trigger on a deal to get 6'5", 234-pound forward Anthony Mantha, an imminent UFA, from Washington for two picks. The Capitals retained half the remaining salary on the four-year, $22.8 million contract.
12. Detroit Red Wings
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Previous Ranking: 11
Overall Record: 33-22-6
The Red Wings were the hottest team in hockey at this time last week, but it's been a bit of a snag since, getting outscored 9-3 in losses to the New York Islanders and Florida. Making matters worse is a lower-body injury to captain Dylan Larkin, who'll miss two weeks according to coach Derek Lalonde. He leads the team in both goals (26) and points (54).
11. Los Angeles Kings
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Previous Ranking: 14
Overall Record: 31-19-11
The streaking Kings got a point from an OT loss to visiting Vancouver on Tuesday, and it was enough to push them past Vegas and into third in the Pacific with a game in hand. Los Angeles has won seven of its past 11 and would face Edmonton in the first round for the third straight season if current standings hold.
9. (tie) Carolina Hurricanes
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Previous Ranking: 7
Overall Record: 36-19-6
Three losses in five games isn't the end of the world, but the most recent loss was particularly difficult for the Hurricanes, who surrendered five goals in the third period against Winnipeg. Carolina arrived to Wednesday exactly in the middle of the Metropolitan Division chase, six points behind the first-place New York Rangers and six ahead of Philadelphia.
9. (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs
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Previous Ranking: 9
Overall Record: 35-18-8
The good news? Toronto and Boston are on track for a first-round playoff matchup for the first time since 2019. The bad news? The Bruins have won six in a row in the rivalry, including a 4-1 win on Monday during which the Maple Leafs had a 33-27 edge in shots on goal and saw a power-play attack fall to 0 for its last 14 against Boston. "When you lift your foot off the gas against a good team," defenseman Morgan Rielly said, "they make you pay."
8. Colorado Avalanche
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Previous Ranking: 8
Overall Record: 38-20-5
The Avalanche upgraded the blue line and added a forward in separate deals on Wednesday, getting Sean Walker from Philadelphia for Ryan Johansen and a conditional first-round pick in 2025. Casey Mittelstadt came over from Buffalo for defenseman Bowen Byram, whom Colorado had selected fourth overall in 2019. The Avalanche were 2-1 last week, are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and arrived to Wednesday four points out of first in the Central.
7. New York Rangers
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Previous Ranking: 3 (tie)
Overall Record: 40-18-4
The Rangers tapped into the deadline vibe when they sent a pair of picks to the Seattle Kraken for forward Alex Wennberg. The 29-year-old is in the final throes of the three-year, $13.5 million deal he signed with the Kraken prior to their inaugural NHL season in 2021-22 and has had 33 goals and 100 points in 222 games with the franchise.
6. Boston Bruins
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Previous Ranking: 5
Overall Record: 36-13-15
A lot of near-misses add up to frustration for the Bruins, who've won just two of their past seven games but have lost just once in regulation. Boston led Edmonton inside the last two minutes on Tuesday before giving up a tying goal and losing in overtime. The team's 13 regulation losses are the fewest in the league but its 15 in OT or shootouts are the most.
5. Dallas Stars
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Previous Ranking: 6
Overall Record: 38-17-9
Nothing like a little drama for the streaking Stars, who picked up their third straight win and maintained a hold on first in the Central with a rally from three goals down in the third period to defeat San Jose in OT 7-6. "When you play an 82-game schedule," coach Pete DeBoer said, "you've got to find all kinds of different ways to win games. 1-0, 2-1, 7-6."
4. Edmonton Oilers
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Previous Ranking: 10
Overall Record: 38-20-2
After weeks of watching others get involved, GM Ken Holland pulled the trigger Wednesday on a deal that netted forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, goalie Ty Taylor and a pick from Anaheim in exchange for Edmonton's first-rounder this summer and two other picks. Henrique adds playoff experience, two-way prowess and five consecutive seasons of 50-plus percent success in the faceoff circle. The Oilers have been the league's best team (.755 points percentage) since coach Kris Knoblauch arrived on November 12.
3. Vancouver Canucks
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Previous Ranking: 3 (tie)
Overall Record: 40-17-7
A 2-1 win at Los Angeles on Tuesday was big in a lot of ways for the Canucks, who kept their Pacific Division lead at nine points, lead the Western Conference overall by two points and became the first in the group to reach 40 wins. It was a second straight win and third in five games (3-1-1) for Vancouver, which won 38 games all last season.
2. Winnipeg Jets
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Previous Ranking: 2
Overall Record: 39-17-5
Surrendering two third-period goals to blow a lead and then lose a game to visiting Seattle was uncharacteristic for the high-flying Jets, who'd won two in a row and nine of 11. It cost Winnipeg a chance to tie Dallas for the top spot in the Central. Still, the Jets have three games in hand on the Stars.
1. Florida Panthers
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Previous Ranking: 1
Overall Record: 43-16-4
The Panthers have a lot of things going for them. They're the defending champs in the East, they're at the top of the overall standings and they were 4-0 this week. And now there's even more after the addition of veteran forward and former Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa for a pair of picks. The Senators retained half of what remains on his one-year, $5 million deal. Meanwhile, Tarasenko brings his 17 goals and 41 points to what was already among the league's most prolific offenses.
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.jpg?w=600 "🚨 Giants Picking 5th and 10th")
