NHL Power Rankings: Northwest and Southeast Divisions May Only Send One Team

It looks like the Northwest and Southeast Divisions may send only one team to the playoffs.

The situation in each division is different, however.

Save for an epic collapse at the end of the season, Vancouver should win the Northwest by a landslide.

They are the only team with a positive goal differential (plus-40), and they lead the division by 14 points.

This means Calgary, Colorado and Minnesota, three teams that have been inconsistent all season, are vying with the Phoenix and Dallas for the eighth spot in the playoffs.

Florida has held down the Southeast for most of the season, but Washington is surging, Winnipeg is hanging in there and Tampa had a win streak going in January.

The Panthers are the three-seed right now in the East by nature of being the Southeast Division leader, but they have fewer points than the struggling Senators, who are the seven seed right now.

Washington is currently only two points out of first place in the Southeast.

A flawed team will make the playoffs from the Southeast, but they will most likely be the only team to represent that division.

30. Minnesota Wild

Last week: 15

The reeling Wild have lost five of their last six, including two contests against the lowly Blue Jackets.

It’s a tough time to be a hockey fan in Minnesota right now.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets

Last week: 30

Columbus has won three of their last four, including two contests against their expansion brethren, the Minnesota Wild.

28. Carolina Hurricanes

Last week: 26

The resilient ‘Canes have something going right now.

Carolina started off the month with wins over Boston and LA and recently picked up points in OT losses in Anaheim and Colorado.

27. Anaheim Ducks

Last week: 24

The Ducks won their final two games of a four-game homestand.

Then they lost the first game of their daunting eight-game road trip.

26. Buffalo Sabres

Last week: 27

A 6-0 beatdown of the Bruins is a highlight in a tough season for the Sabres.

The team had a three-game win streak going, but lost to Tampa 2-1 on Saturday.

25. Edmonton Oilers

Last week: 29

The Oil picked up two nice wins against Chicago and Detroit but have cooled off since.

24. Dallas Stars

Last week: 19

The injury-ridden Stars have been inconsistent in February.

Dallas still remains three points out of the playoffs, however.

23. Calgary Flames

Last week: 21

The inconsistent Flames have accrued enough points to pass the Wild and compete with the Avs for the No. 2 spot in the division.

However, neither Calgary nor Colorado is in a playoff spot right now.

22. Colorado Avalanche

Last week: 20

The Avs have passed the Wild to compete with Calgary for the No. 2 spot in the division.

However, both Colorado and Calgary are not in the playoff picture right now.

Their current four-game road trip will indicate what this team is made of.

The Avalanche lost the first game of the trip to St. Louis in OT.

21. New York Islanders

Last week: 25

Despite their inconsistent play, the Islanders appear to be holding off on selling right now.

They’ve been playing better recently, but they are currently eight points out of a playoff spot.

20. Chicago Blackhawks

Last week: 16

Yikes…

The Blackhawks are currently on an eight-game losing streak and still have three more away games to go.

The caveat here is that Chicago has played seven of their last eight games on the road.

Still, the team has yet to earn a point in February.

19. Los Angeles Kings

Last week: 13

Life on the road has been tough for the Kings.

LA has only one win five games into a six-game road trip.

18. Tampa Bay Lightning

Last week: 12

Lackadaisical defense and inept special teams have caught up with the Lightning.

Tampa finished January on a five-game win streak, but only have two wins in February.

The Bolts are currently eight points out of a playoff spot in the East.

17. Ottawa Senators

Last week: 14

With only one win in their last nine games, the Senators have gone from competing with Boston for the Northeast Division title to vying with Toronto for the No. 2 spot in the division and the No. 7 spot in the conference.

16. Winnipeg Jets

Last week: 23

The Jets have played eight of their last nine games away from home.

They have picked up wins in four of those games, keeping them in contention for the division lead.

15. Montreal Canadiens

Last week: 28

There is life in the Canadiens.

The Habs have won four straight, including a rout of the rival Maple Leafs, 5-0, in Toronto.

14. Washington Capitals

Last week: 17

Inconsistent play has plagued the Caps, who are trying to catch the Panthers for the Southeast Division lead.

The Caps may need to win their division, as the Southeast may only send one team to the playoffs this season.

13. Florida Panthers

Last week: 18

With wins over LA and New Jersey in recent contests, the Panthers have held off the surging Capitals and remain in control of the Southeast Division.

12. Toronto Maple Leafs

Last week: 6

Just when I think Toronto is going to reward all those loyal Leafers for sticking with them through thick and thin (mostly thin) they go on a three-game losing streak.

That 5-0 home loss to Montreal has to hurt…

11. New Jersey Devils

Last week: 8

The Devils had their five-game win streak snapped in a shootout against St. Louis.

Then the Southeast-leading Panthers beat them soundly 3-1 at home.

10. Phoenix Coyotes

Last week: 22

How about them ‘Yotes?

The maybe-we’ll-be-in-Phoenix-next-year Coyotes have made one thing certain:

They’re not dead yet.

Phoenix has yet to lose in February.

9. Boston Bruins

Last week: 9

I got ripped for putting Boston at No. 9 last week, but a 6-0 stinker in Buffalo indicates that there’s something wrong in Beantown right now.

A 4-3 shootout win over the Preds has to be a good omen though.

Bruins fans certainly hope so. After a contest against New York, the team will head on a gruesome six-game road trip.

8. Philadelphia Flyers

Last week: 11

With losses in four of their last five games, the Flyers are moving in the wrong direction.

They still have 69 points, one shy of Boston and six less than New York, meaning that if they can turn things around soon they will escape from the losing streak without too much damage done.

7. San Jose Sharks

Last week: 10

San Jose has to be careful not to overlook inferior competition.

In their last seven games, the Sharks have lost to Edmonton, Phoenix and Calgary.

That said, they continue to lead the Pacific Division.

San Jose’s upcoming nine-game road trip will make or break this team down the stretch.

6. Nashville Predators

Last week: 5

Nashville had something going at the end of January, finishing up the month on a five-game win streak.

The Preds have only one win in their last five games.

5. St. Louis Blues

Last week: 7

The Blues keep chugging along.

St. Louis only has one loss in February.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

Last week: 2

The road was tough on the Penguins.

Following a four-game trip in which they went 1-2-1, Pittsburgh returned to the CONSOL Energy Center to crush Winnipeg 8-5.

3. Vancouver Canucks

Last week: 1

With Colorado, Calgary and Minnesota all swamped in mediocrity, Vancouver has all but locked up their division.

The Canucks finished up their road trip 3-0-1 and have three home games against Phoenix, Colorado and Toronto to create some separation in the division before embarking on a six-game road trip to finish off the month.

2. Detroit Red Wings

Last week: 4

Despite having mediocre special teams and shocking losses in Edmonton and Phoenix, the Red Wings have more points than anyone in their division or the Western Conference.

1. New York Rangers

Last week: 3

The Rangers have won four of their last five and lead the Eastern Conference with 75 points.

Sounds crazy, but this club may be the team to beat in the East.