Photo: Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images
With the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline in the rearview and teams’ rosters set in ink for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, NoVa Caps takes a look at where all 32 teams stand with a new edition of 2021-22 power rankings. (⬆️Up or ⬇️ Down represent spaces moved since last power rankings).
32. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks have lost 11 in a row (0-8-3) to fall 13 points out of a Stanley Cup Playoff spot in the Western Conference and three games under .500. They parted ways with defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson in addition to center Rickard Rakell before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. ⬇️17
31. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings are 3-10-3 since February 24 despite getting left-wing Jakub Vrana back from shoulder surgery on March 8. They have allowed 5.06 goals-per-game over that span (by far the most in the NHL) and yielded 11 (to the Pittsburgh Penguins), nine (Coyotes), seven (Edmonton Oilers), six (twice – Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers), and five (twice – New York Islanders, New York Rangers). ⬇️8
30. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken, who offloaded captain Mark Giordano at the deadline, are 4-3-1 in their last eight, an improvement. ⬇️2
29. Arizona Coyotes
After winning seven of 11 (7-4-0), the Coyotes have lost six straight with five of them coming in regulation and lost leading scorer Clayton Keller for the season. ⬆️1
28. Ottawa Senators
Since a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on February 8, the Senators are 7-15-2, better than just the Ducks over that span. ⬇️3
27. Montreal Canadiens
Under interim head coach Martin St. Louis, the Canadiens are 10-9-4 (.524 points percentage), including two wins over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs and one against the Pacific Division-leading Calgary Flames. Right-wing Cole Caufield has 13 goals and 25 points since the coaching change but the Canadiens are still tied for last in the NHL. ⬆️4
26. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers kissed captain Claude Giroux goodbye at the trade deadline and have lost three straight in regulation. ⬆️6
25. Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks, who have dropped two straight in regulation and are 3-5-2 in their last 10, traded goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and left-wing Brandon Hagel before the deadline. ⬇️1
24. New Jersey Devils
The Devils beat the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers in March but lost 6-3 in every game of a three-game Western Canada trip. They were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons since coming two wins short of the ultimate goal. ⬆️3
23. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks are 9-14-7 since a three-game winning streak at the beginning of January and have dropped three of their last four. ⬇️3
22. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are 4-0-3 over a seven-game point-streak and went 8-3-3 over the month of March, including two wins over the Maple Leafs and one over the Flames, Penguins, and Minnesota Wild. ⬆️7
21. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets have lost five in a row and six of seven (1-4-2), which started with a 7-2 blowout loss in a critical game against the Washington Capitals, who hold the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card, on March 17 that ended a three-game winning-streak. ⬆️5
20. Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have fallen in regulation in each of their past two and are 3-5-2 since winning six of seven and are currently six points back of the second wild-card spot. The Dallas Stars hold down the second wildcard spot in the West and have two games in hand. ⬆️1
19. New York Islanders
The Islanders swept a huge home-and-home series with the Blue Jackets and are 8-3-1 since March 9. Though, they still trail the Capitals by 15 points in the standings. ⬇️1
18. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are 9-11-1 since center Jack Eichel made his debut with the team but have won three straight and five of their last seven, which followed a five-game regulation losing streak. Since their skid ended, they beat the Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, and Nashville Predators but are in danger of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in their existence. ⬇️4
17. Winnipeg Jets
The Jets had won three in a row, five of their previous six, and nine of 12 before a 7-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. They are currently three points back of the Stars but Dallas has three games in hand. ⬆️5
16. Dallas Stars
The Stars have won five of their last six and are 20-9-1 in their last 30 since dropping four of five. ⬆️1
15. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are winners of two straight and have gone 8-2-1 since March 8. While goaltender Mikko Koskinen is 6-1-0 over that stretch, he has earned an .895 save percentage and 3.32 goals-against average and the Oilers did not get a goalie at the trade deadline. Center Connor McDavid became the first NHL player to hit 100 points this season on Wednesday night and center Leon Draisaitl should join him shortly as he has 97. ⬆️4
14. Nashville Predators
The Predators have taken 11 of their past 17 decisions (including wins over the Panthers, Wild, Penguins, and Maple Leafs) but lost 6-1 in back-to-back games against the Kings and Golden Knights last week. Defenseman Roman Josi is having a career season with 63 assists and 81 points in 65 games and led the NHL with 24 points and 28 points over a 13-game point-streak from March 2-28. ⬇️3
13. St. Louis Blues
Before sweeping a home-and-home with the Canucks, the Blues went 3-6-3 in March. Though, they earned a huge win over the Predators last month. ⬇️5
12. Los Angeles Kings
Since a 12-3-3 stretch, the Kings are 5-4-3. Even though they lost 6-1 to the Kraken on home ice on Monday, Los Angeles bounced back by getting three out of four points in Alberta. They have beaten the Panthers and red-hot Boston Bruins since March began. ⬆️2
11. Washington Capitals
The Capitals went 9-3-1 in March but dropped three of their last five in regulation (all at home), most recently a 6-1 blowout loss to the Hurricanes after taking the first three games of the season against the Eastern Conference co-leaders. ⬆️1
10. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins, who added Rakell at the trade deadline, have lost three of their last five, including twice to the New York Rangers, but beat the Lightning and got three out of a possible four points against the Carolina Hurricanes last month. This month will not get much easier with a home-and-home against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche, another game against the Rangers, a tilt with the Capitals, and two games against the Bruins on the dock. ⬇️4
9. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs have taken three in a row, including a 5-2 win over the Panthers and their 6-4 victory in Boston, and six of eight since dropping the Heritage Classic. April will feature some challenges with two trips to Florida, two games against the Capitals, and another game vs. the Bruins looming. Defenseman Mark Giordano was the Maple Leafs’ biggest add but the big question looms in goal as Jack Campbell has an .888 save percentage since December 14 and Petr Mrazek’s .890 save percentage is not much better. Center Auston Matthews hit 50 goals for the first time in his NHL career on Thursday. ⬇️2
8. Calgary Flames
The Flames are 23-7-3 since January 18 but have dropped their last two (though, against the Avalanche and Kings). They hold a five-point cushion for first in the Pacific Division with three games in hand over the Kings and got left-wing Calle Jarnkrok to join them at the deadline. ⬆️8
7. Tampa Bay Lightning
Since dropping six of eight, the defending Stanley Cup Champions have won three in a row, including a 4-3 victory over the Hurricanes on Tuesday. They have a big opportunity to salvage points this weekend with home games against the Blackhawks and Canadiens before taking on the Maple Leafs, Capitals, and Bruins next week. Left-wings Hagel and Nick Paul were brought in at the deadline. ⬇️3
6. New York Rangers
The Rangers have won four in a row and eight of their last 10. Left-wing Chris Kreider has been hot with eight goals and 12 points in his last nine and goaltender Igor Shesterkin is the only starter in the NHL with a save percentage above .930 at .936. They have two home games against the Hurricanes left, one against the Penguins, and another against the Capitals. The Rangers were the busiest team at the trade deadline with center Andrew Copp, right-wings Tyler Motte and Frank Vatrano, and defenseman Justin Braun coming in. ⬆️3
5. Boston Bruins
The Bruins are 28-10-3 since the calendar flipped to 2022 and an NHL-best 15-3-1 since February 18, including a 5-1 win over the Avalanche, 7-0 victory in Los Angeles, and 3-2 against the Lightning. Their loss to the Maple Leafs on Tuesday was disappointing but they bounced back with an 8-1 win over the Devils. At the trade deadline, the Bruins acquired Lindholm. ⬆️5
4. Minnesota Wild
Before a tough four-game road-trip with stops in Raleigh, Washington, Nashville, and St. Louis, the Wild extended their point-streak (7-0-1) with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins on Thursday. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has stopped 52 of 55 shots (.948 save percentage) in his first two games with the team and left-wing Kirill Kaprizov set a franchise-record with his 83rd point of the season vs. Pittsburgh. ⬆️1
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Since a four-game losing-streak ended, the Hurricanes are 4-0-2, including 7-2 and 6-1 blowout wins in St. Louis and Washington. Center Sebastian Aho has four goals and seven points during a six-game point-streak, left-wing Teuvo Teravainen has a goal and nine points over a six-game point-streak, right-wing Andrei Svechnikov has four goals in his last four, and goaltender Frederik Andersen is second in save percentage (.929). After Saturday’s game vs. Minnesota, five of the Hurricanes’ next six are against the Sabres, Islanders, Ducks, and Red Wings. ⬇️1
2. Colorado Avalanche
After dropping four of five at the start of March, the Avalanche are 7-1-1 and have beaten the Flames twice in that span. They lead the NHL with a .750 points percentage and rank second with an average of 3.76 goals-per-game. Four of the top-21 leaders in points (C Nazem Kadri, 83; RW Mikko Rantanen, 80; D Cale Makar, 75; and C Nathan MacKinnon, 70) belong to Colorado, who acquired Manson, left-wing Arturri Lehkonen, and center Andrew Cogliano prior to 3 PM ET on March 21. ⬇️1
1. Florida Panthers
The Panthers have won five of their last six and went an NHL-best 11-2-1 in March. Their .731 points percentage trails just the Avalanche while they average a league-high 4.06 goals-per-game. The Panthers added Giroux in addition to defensemen Ben Chiarot and Robert Hagg at the trade deadline. Left-wing Jonathan Huberdeau leads the league with 71 assists and ranks third with 94 points. ⬆️2
By Harrison Brown
