NHL Power Rankings: Golden Knights in Free Fall; Oilers on the Rise

Listen closely: There's some NHL rumbling out West.

One of the league's most consistent franchises and one of its most enigmatic are on opposite sides of the momentum scale as we creep closer to the trade deadline, and, further out on the horizon, the playoffs.

The Vegas Golden Knights became the gold standard of expansion teams thanks to a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season and a series of subsequent postseason berths.

Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers have a pair of players who have won both a Hart Trophy and an Art Ross Trophy, yet the team hasn't won a playoff series since 2017.

But up is down and down is up these days.

The Golden Knights have dropped five in a row and seven of their past 10 to fall perilously close to the 2021-22 playoff cutline, while the Oilers have won three straight to move past Vegas into third place in the Pacific Division—and the playoff safety it at least temporarily brings.

Their fortunes are reflected in the latest edition of B/R's NHL Power Rankings, with the Golden Knights down two spots to No. 18 and Edmonton up three to No. 15.

Of course, they're both quite a ways from the top of the heap, which is occupied for the ninth straight week by the Colorado Avalanche, who swept the panel of first-place votes.

The Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy last season but haven't won a Cup since 2001. They're followed in the top five by the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Read on to see how the remaining spots were filled, and feel free to drop a note or two in the comments section to let our puck heads know where we got it right or not.

Nos. 32-26: Canadiens, Kraken, Coyotes, Senators, Flyers, Sabres, Devils

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32. Montreal Canadiens (Last Week: 32nd)       

Inconsistent days are here again for the Canadiens, who dropped three of four during the week and are now 3-4 in seven games since a five-game win streak that stretched through the end of February and into March. Defenseman Ben Chiarot didn't play in a Tuesday night loss to Arizona, perhaps a sign that a long-discussed pre-deadline trade is imminent. "It was a bit sad to see him left aside but that's life, that's hockey," forward Paul Byron said. "We tried our best to win without him."  

31. Seattle Kraken (Last Week: 31st)  

An OT loss in Ottawa and a shootout win in Montreal capped a 1-3-1 road trip for the Kraken, who returned home Wednesday night to host Tampa Bay. It was the only visit of the season for the two-rime defending Stanley Cup champions and the first game at Climate Pledge Arena without COVID-19 masking or vaccination requirements. "We worked hard every single game on that road trip," coach Dave Hakstol said. "There were a couple of stretches I didn't like, but I usually call it the way I see it. We deserved a better fate a couple of those games."  

30. Arizona Coyotes (Last Week: 30th)  

Three wins in four games for the week made it six of seven overall for the suddenly red-hot Coyotes, including a 6-3 win in Montreal on Tuesday night. Four of the six wins have come on the road for Arizona, raising the team's away record to 11-16-3 compared to 9-20-1 at home. "I'm pleased with our guys' effort," coach Andre Tourigny said. "The guys battled [Tuesday]. It's been a long trip."  

29. Ottawa Senators (Last Week: 28th)       

A 1-2 stretch over three games for the week extended what's been a forgettable March for the Senators, who'd won just twice in eight games in the month heading into a Wednesday night date with Columbus. A 5-3 loss to Arizona on Monday was particularly grating given that the Coyotes had just 15 shots on goal. "I think with our group, we don't want to make any excuses whether young or old we just want to win," forward Brady Tkachuk said. "Everyone wants to win and has the mindset of winning every single day. So yeah, we're not gonna make any excuses or feel sorry for ourselves."  

28. Philadelphia Flyers (Last Week: 27th)       

A rare two-game win streak for the struggling Flyers was quickly eclipsed by a three-game skid, in which the team lost to Florida, Carolina and Montreal by a combined 13-7 score while managing a single standings point for getting the Montreal game into overtime. Philadelphia hosts Nashville on Thursday in both a chance to end the slide and to mark captain Claude Giroux's 1,000th NHL game—making him just the second player in franchise history (Bobby Clarke) to reach that mark with the team. "That's a real amazing accomplishment, to play 1,000 games with one organization, to play them the way that he did, to add what he's added to this organization," interim coach Mike Yeo said. "Let's celebrate that and let's celebrate it with a great game."  

27. Buffalo Sabres (Last Week: 29th)       

It was a light but successful week for the Sabres, who won a pair of games—including the emotional return to Buffalo for Jack Eichel with Vegas and a 5-2 decision over geographical rival Toronto three days later. The team returns to the ice Thursday and starts a three-game western swing with a visit to Edmonton. "We really know we have good people and competitive people," coach Don Granato said. "When you watch our group compete the way they've competed the last couple of games and get the reward for the work, it's nice on the coaching side, and for our organization for all we talk about."  

26. New Jersey Devils (Last Week: 26th)       

The Devils split the final two games of a homestand before setting out on a western road trip with a 6-3 loss in Vancouver on Tuesday night. They visited Calgary on Wednesday and will be in Edmonton on Saturday before returning home to meet the New York Rangers next week. Off the ice, impending free-agent defenseman P.K. Subban won't be offered a new contract with the team, fueling speculation that he'll be moved prior to the trade deadline. "He's done a lot for the community here and the organization," GM Tom Fitzgerald told The Athletic. "But I told him, 'On the last day, somebody may lose a right-shot [defenseman] and may call me and if the move makes sense for the New Jersey Devils and makes sense for you to potentially have a chance to win, I have to do what's best for the organization.'"  

Nos. 25-21: Blackhawks, Red Wings, Sharks, Islanders, Ducks

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25. Chicago Blackhawks (Last Week: 25th)     

Two losses through three games for the week for the Blackhawks, who dropped both ends of a home-and-home with Boston on opposite sides of a 6-3 win for Chicago in Ottawa on Saturday. The game with the Senators yielded a scary moment when defenseman Connor Murphy was hit along the boards and lay motionless on the ice for several moments afterward before leaving on a stretcher. He was placed into concussion protocol and was back in the locker room to see teammates by Monday. "Obviously great to see him," interim head coach Derek King said. "I talked to him a little bit, he said he's feeling better. It's just really comes down to just protocol and it'll be day by day after that. Just see how he is."  

24. Detroit Red Wings (Last Week: 24th)     

A three-game week with three losses is bad enough. But the fact that it's added to what's now a six-game slide is worse for the Red Wings, who've allowed 34 goals since defeating Carolina on March 1. Their goals-against average of 3.77 was second-worst in the league entering Wednesday's games. "I'll be honest with you, I thought we did tons of good stuff in (Tuesday's 7-5 loss to Edmonton). Right now, pucks are going in, when teams get chances the pucks are going in," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said.  

23. San Jose Sharks (Last Week: 22nd)     

The Sharks had lost three straight heading into the week but turned it around with a pair of wins and an OT loss in three games. Both the victories came against Western Conference rival Los Angeles, whom they'll meet again Thursday. San Jose entered Wednesday's games eight points out of the final available wild-card position. Elsewhere, Tuesday's loss to visiting Florida marked Joe Thornton's first visit to San Jose as an opposing player since he'd played there with the Sharks from 2005 through 2020. He remains the franchise's leader in assists (804) and is second in points (1,055), third in games played (1,104) and fourth in goals (251).  

22. New York Islanders (Last Week: 23rd)     

Three wins and a shootout loss meant seven of a possible eight standings points for the week for the Islanders, who outscored Columbus, Winnipeg and Anaheim 15-5 before dropping the extra-time decision to Washington on Tuesday. The burst has moved New York two places away from the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, though the gap was still 19 points entering Wednesday's games. "We've been through a lot and it's made us stronger in a lot of aspects," forward Anders Lee said. "We've learned a lot about ourselves and we're gonna take all that and use it to our advantage and do the best we can to make the most of it."  

21. Anaheim Ducks (Last Week: 19th)     

The Disney-style resurgence has gone away lately for the Ducks, who've now dropped five road games in a row following four more losses in a week in which they were outscored 14-8 in trips to Nashville, New Jersey, the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers. Anaheim was just three points away from a Western Conference wild-card spot heading into Wednesday's games, but had three more teams between it and the team holding the spot—Vegas. "The first game was an absolute debacle and our last two games (in New York) our guys have played hard, they've played hard for each other," coach Dallas Eakins said. 

Nos. 20-16: Blue Jackets, Jets, Golden Knights, Canucks, Stars

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20. Columbus Blue Jackets (Last Week: 21st)     

A three-game losing streak to begin the week was extended to four with an ugly shutout loss against the New York Islanders, but the Blue Jackets recovered in time to finish with consecutive defeats of Minnesota and Vegas in which they scored nine goals heading into a Wednesday visit to Ottawa. Rookie forward Cole Sillinger scored three goals against the Golden Knights to record his first NHL hat trick. "It didn't really feel real, and then kind of going forward in the second period there, I was kind of, not really zoned out, but just like, oh my God, what just happened?" he said. "Pretty cool."  

19. Winnipeg Jets (Last Week: 20th)     

Three wins in four games for the week made it four out of five overall for the suddenly surging Jets, who've scored 20 goals in the four wins while allowing just 11. Captain Blake Wheeler said a negative response from the home crowd in Winnipeg was particularly motivating during a 7-3 defeat of Vegas on Tuesday night. "I think we've been a really good home team and fed off of our crowd over the years," he said. "When you hear a little jeer from the crowd when you get first shot, I mean, you know what it's for. And, like I said, it's their prerogative. You don't have to love it. But I think tonight they sparked us and got us going. We scored two goals right after that."  

18. Vegas Golden Knights (Last Week: 16th)     

A five-game road trip turned into a five-game nightmare for the Golden Knights, who dropped all five while scoring just 11 goals. Goalie Robin Lehner hasn't played since leaving the trip-opening game in Philadelphia with a lower-body injury, prompting chatter that the trade deadline could include a quest for a goaltender. Still, GM Kelly McCrimmon vetoed the idea of reacquiring reigning Vezina winner Marc-Andre Fleury, who was traded to Chicago in the offseason. "There is absolutely no credence to that rumor at all," he said. "I wouldn't normally speak [officially] on such things, but there will be so much racket about this, it's important to let people know that's not going to happen." 

17. Vancouver Canucks (Last Week: 17th)    

A 2-2 week made it four wins in six games for the Canucks, including a 6-3 defeat of New Jersey on Tuesday night in the fourth game of a seven-game homestand. Captain Bo Horvat had two goals and an assist against the Devils to raise his production to eight goals and six assists in his last 12 games. "Obviously things are going in and helping your team offensively, you feel good about yourself,'' he said. "I don't feel like I've changed my game a whole lot from the beginning of the year, it's just a matter of it going in and things happening.''  

16. Dallas Stars (Last Week: 15th)     

An offensive drought has come at a bad time for the Stars, who have dropped three straight games while scoring just five goals and dropping out of a Western Conference playoff spot entering Wednesday's games. Dallas scored once in a loss at Nashville, netted four while allowing seven in a defeat by the New York Rangers and was blanked 4-0 in Toronto on Tuesday. Adding to the bad news is word that goalie Anton Khudobin will miss six months following hip surgery.   

Nos. 15-11: Oilers, Kings, Wild, Predators, Capitals

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15. Edmonton Oilers (Last Week: 18th)     

And suddenly it's back to prosperity for the back-and-forth Oilers, who answered a three-loss stretch last with three wins this week against Washington, Tampa Bay and Detroit. The streak moved Edmonton into third place in the Pacific Division, where it trails second-place Los Angeles by four points heading into Wednesday's games and has a two-point cushion over fourth-place Vegas. "Those are the best teams in the league," forward Leon Draisaitl said. "We have had a lot of them against us in the last couple of weeks and we have played well every game. We are hurting a little bit right now and it is going to help is a lot when those top guys are coming back. But all-in-all, I think we are finding our gear here and taking steps in the right direction."

14. Los Angeles Kings (Last Week: 11th)     

The Kings entered the week having won three straight but exited with three losses in four games, including two to in-state rival San Jose and a 3-0 home defeat to Colorado on Tuesday. Two of the three losses were by shutouts and Los Angeles scored just six goals for the week. Additionally, in the loss to Colorado the Kings were without any of the defensemen who'd played for them when the season opened. "As they keep falling out, it gets tougher," coach Todd McLellan said. "You get deeper in the batting order and guys end up playing significantly more minutes against opponents that they normally wouldn't play against, and that catches up to you."   

13. Minnesota Wild (Last Week: 13th)     

The ups and downs continued for the recently reeling Wild, who won two straight to start the week but then dropped consecutive games at Columbus and home with Nashville heading into a Wednesday night visit from Boston. The loss to the Predators came on the night the team retired the jersey of longtime star Mikko Koivu, who played 1,028 of his 1,035 games with Minnesota between the 2005-06 and 2019-20 seasons. "These are games that we got to win," forward Jordan Greenway said. "These games that going down the stretch are going to matter." 

12. Nashville Predators (Last Week: 14th)     

Three wins in four games made for a successful week for the Predators, who've now won five of six overall and were third in the Central Division heading into Wednesday. Goalie Juuse Saros made 35 saves in the latest of the victories, a 4-1 decision over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. "We've played three really strong teams," coach John Hynes said. "I just have a lot of respect for the way the guys have dug in and competed and remained focused and ready for the game. [They've] met the challenges of each game and also the challenges within each game."  

11. Washington Capitals (Last Week: 12th)     

Two wins in three games is nice and five out of six is better, but the big news with the Capitals came Tuesday night against the New York Islanders when Alex Ovechkin scored the 767th goal of his NHL career to pull past Jaromir Jagr and into third on the league's all-time list. He trails only Gordie Howe (801) and Wayne Gretzky (894). "When you doubt Ovi, he digs in," said Islanders coach Barry Trotz, who previously coached in Washington. "As we say, at 36, he's getting older. You would think some place along the line he'll break. But as he would say, the 'Russian Machine' never breaks." 

Nos. 10-6: Blues, Bruins, Penguins, Rangers, Flames

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10. St. Louis Blues (Last Week: 10th)     

A four-game skid is a memory now for the Blues, who rebounded with two wins and an OT loss in three games heading into a Thursday visit from Pittsburgh. St. Louis entered Wednesday's games second in the Central Division, two points ahead of Nashville. The OT loss was the sixth in seven tries for the Blues in 2021-22. "Overtimes have not been good this year for us," forward Brayden Schenn said. "The guys get put on the ice to do it, myself included, and we've got to be better." 

9. Boston Bruins (Last Week: 9th)     

Three games, all decided by one goal, yielded three wins for the streaking Bruins, who visited Minnesota Wednesday night in the second of four games on the road. Boston was 9-1-1 in its last 11 prior to playing the Wild and was prepping for the trade deadline with what coach Bruce Cassidy labeled a "business as usual" approach. "[GM Don Sweeney] always has discussions with us. The state of the team, or where do you see needs? Depth pieces," he said. "If there's a big [trade], we're outside of that. But at the end of the day there's always that discussion and I imagine it will heat up over the next week."

8. Pittsburgh Penguins (Last Week: 8th)     

A week that began with home defeats of Vegas and Carolina turned sour when the Penguins headed to Nashville on Tuesday and dropped a 4-1 decision. They'll move on to visit St. Louis and Arizona before returning home next week. Still, coach Mike Sullivan was positive. "We didn't end up on the right side of the score," he said, "but if we bring that effort, we bring that commitment, we're going to win a lot of games." 

7. New York Rangers (Last Week: 7th)     

It's been a strong March so far in midtown Manhattan, where the Rangers are 5-2 after a week that yielded two wins in three games. New York scored 11 times in defeating Dallas and Anaheim and will host the Islanders on Thursday before visiting Tampa Bay and Carolina on Saturday and Sunday. "I think it speaks to how focused this group is on accomplishing our first goal to make the playoffs," forward Chris Kreider said of the comeback wins. "Regardless of where we're at in a game, home or on the road, we have that ability to dial it in and get back to playing simple hockey and doing little things that will help the team," forward Chris Kreider said. "It's ultimately something everyone has bought into." 

6. Calgary Flames (Last Week: 6th)  

The Flames got a taste of both sides during a week in which they held Tampa Bay to a single goal and shut out Detroit, then were blanked 3-0 by Colorado. Calgary hosted New Jersey on Wednesday and will welcome Buffalo on Friday before heading to Vancouver for a Saturday game. GM Brad Treliving is expecting to beef up the team come deadline time to prep for the stretch run. "We're certainly a team that's looking to add to our roster, not take off it, so you're the one who has to be a little more proactive because people aren't coming for your players," he said.  

Nos. 5-1: Maple Leafs, Lightning, Hurricanes, Panthers, Avalanche

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5. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last Week: 5th)     

What looked like a disappointing week at least got a positive finish when the Maple Leafs blanked Dallas on Tuesday, following an OT loss at home to Arizona and a 5-2 defeat in Buffalo. The big story in the victory was the performance of 25-year-old Swedish export Erik Kallgren, who recorded a shutout in his first start as an NHL goalie. He became the first Toronto goalie since 2015 to get a shutout in his first start.  "A lot of emotions, but I am really happy for the win," he said. "Before the game, I just tried to treat it as a regular game. During the game, I tried to not think too much. At the end, I was happy we could keep the shutout." 

4. Tampa Bay Lightning (Last Week: 4th)     

The Lightning finally put the brakes on a three-game skid with a 2-1 win in Vancouver on Sunday as they headed into a Wednesday visit to Seattle, their first since the Kraken entered the NHL. It was the final game of a six-game trip that'll end when Tampa Bay hosts the Rangers on Saturday. "The whole team played well, just through the hard work we'll be able to overcome the stretch," goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy said. "It happened before, last season and season before that and season before that, so it's just one of those stretches." 

3. Carolina Hurricanes (Last Week: 3rd)     

The Hurricanes responded to a rare two-game losing streak with four straight before dropping a 4-2 decision in Pittsburgh on Sunday. They'll visit Toronto on Thursday before returning home for four straight against Washington, the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay and Dallas. "Guys play hard. They never stop playing hard," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "That's what I appreciate the most, really. We're down (against Pittsburgh). On the next shift, guys just come out and try, play our game. I thought we stuck with it for the 60 minutes. It didn't work out."  

2. Florida Panthers (Last Week: 2nd)     

Two wins in three games made it six of seven for the month for the Panthers, who ended February with three straight losses at home in their first extended skid of the season. A shootout loss in Los Angeles and an OT win at San Jose began a seven-game road trip for Florida, which will visit Vegas, Anaheim, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto before its next home date on March 29. Late Wednesday, after trading winger Frank Vatrano to free up cap space, Florida sent a 2023 first-round pick as part of a package to bring in Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens to solidify the blue line. "He is a player that knows what it takes to make a deep playoff run, which is what our organization is striving for in these next few months," GM Bill Zito said.

1. Colorado Avalanche (Last Week: 1st) 

It was an all or nothing week for the Avalanche, who began with a 2-0 loss at Carolina before recording consecutive 3-0 wins against visiting Calgary and at Los Angeles. Darcy Kuemper got the wins in both games and now has five shutouts on the season, good for third-best in the league. "He's playing with a ton of confidence, and it's pouring over to the rest of our team," coach Jared Bednar said.