Ranking the 5 Hottest NHL Teams Ahead of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have been on fire as of late with a record of 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, and that bodes well for the team heading into the NHL's 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Although teams have already qualified for the playoffs, finishing the year strong is very important because momentum is crucial during the playoffs. The following teams have played well over the last few weeks, and the momentum gained by these teams should carry over to the postseason.

With the playoffs only a week away, here are the five hottest teams heading into the NHL's 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Honorable Mentions

Columbus Blue Jackets

Sergei Bobrovsky has played tremendous hockey as of late, and he will be the main reason for the Columbus Blue Jackets making the playoffs if they can take care of business in their final game of the season. In order to make the playoffs, The Blue Jackets will need one more win coupled with two Minnesota Wild losses, or a Detroit Red Wings loss in their final game of the season.

The Blue Jackets are 7-3-0 in their last 10, and if the team gets into the playoffs, Bobrovsky should get serious consideration for the Hart Trophy.

New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2007, and the team has been playing well as of late. The Isles are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games played, and the team is kicking it into gear as the playoffs approach. The Isles are currently the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, and they are going to try to finish the season strong to avoid playing the powerhouse Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round.

New York Rangers

The Broadway Blueshirts are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games played, and they are 9-3-1 in the month of April. The Rangers offense has improved as of late, and Henrik Lundqvist is playing amazing hockey. The team has been hot over the last month, and it is safe to say that no contender will want to face them in the first round because Lundqvist has the potential to steal a series.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are headed to the first playoff series since the 2004-05 lockout, and the Air Canada Centre is going to be rocking. The Leafs have taken care of business down the stretch with a record of 6-3-1, and they are one of the hotter teams headed into the playoffs.

5. St.Louis Blues

The St.Louis Blues were on the outside looking in a few short weeks ago, but their play has really improved  as of late. The Blues are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games played, and they have an overall record of 28-17-2 and 58 points. The Blues' improvement can be linked to impressive goaltending—an area that will be mightily important in the playoffs. The Blues were in the running for the top spot in the Western Conference last year, and they are currently one of the hottest teams in the NHL.

4. Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have lost Cory Schneider to a "body injury," but Roberto Luongo is capable of starting the final two games of the season. The surging Canucks captured the Northwest Division title, and they are 6-3-1 in their last 10.

The Canucks were active at the deadline, and the addition of Derek Roy helped the team solidify its top six. In the first round, the Canucks could face off against the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks or the St.Louis Blues, and either team would be a beatable opponent for the Canucks.

It will be interesting to see when Cory Schneider gets back from his injury, but Roberto Luongo can hold down the fort in the interim. This is the first time in the last three years that the Canucks failed to capture the Presidents' Trophy, and maybe they will play better because the trophy curse won't be hanging over their heads.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins

The top seed in the Eastern Conference was captured by the Pittsburgh Penguins, and they have played some exceptional hockey as of late. Although Sidney Crosby, James Neal, Paul Martin and Kris Letang have been out of the lineup recently, the Penguins have continued to play quality hockey.

The Penguins are 7-3-0 in their last 10, and that is one of the best stretches in the Eastern Conference. Although the Penguins have dropped two games in a row, overall they are a hot team that is going to be healthy during the playoffs. The additions made at the trade deadline are starting to pay dividends, and that bodes well for the Pens in the playoffs.

2. Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals have been surging as of late, and their 8-1-1 record in their last 10 is second-best in the NHL. Alex Ovechkin's game has really taken off as of late, and the Capitals have really benefited from it in the standings. When Ovechkin is playing well the Capitals follow suit, and that is going to be very important during the playoffs.

The Capitals are locked in as the No. 3 seed, and they could face off against the New York Rangers, New York Islanders or the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. Any of these matchups would be amazing to watch, and it will be tough to stop the surging Capitals in the postseason.

1. Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks captured the Presidents' Trophy after clinching the best record in the NHL. The 2009-10 Stanley Cup champions were able to do it because they have been the hottest team in the NHL all season.

The Blackhawks have a record of 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, and they have won 35 of a possible 46 games thus far. In the playoffs, the Blackhawks will face off against the No. 8 seed, and there is a good chance they will represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.

There are not many teams in the league that can go toe-to-toe with Blackhawks, and it will be very shocking if they don't make it to the Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks' streak earlier in the year was mighty impressive, and if the season were longer, there would be a chance they would come close to repeating it.

The team is firing on all cylinders and is a force not to be trifled with in the postseason.