NHL power rankings: Central Division continues to set the pace
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The trade deadline has come and gone, with several teams making key moves to boost their Stanley Cup hopes. While the usual Central Division powerhouses remain near the top, strong recent performances and impactful acquisitions have pushed some middle-of-the-pack teams into dark horse contention.
The Colorado Avalanche have bounced back from a 5-6-2 slump with an 8-1-0 run and strengthened their lineup at the deadline, adding Nazem Kadri, Nicholas Roy, Brett Kulak, and Nick Blankenburg. The Dallas Stars follow closely, winning 11 of 13 games, though Colorado recently proved the superior team.
Other teams making waves include the Utah Mammoth, who added MacKenzie Weegar to an already strong lineup during a 15-5-1 run, and the Detroit Red Wings, who continue to struggle with depth scoring and the absence of Dylan Larkin despite adding Justin Faulk on defense.
1. Colorado Avalanche (43-10-9)
The Avalanche remain firmly in control of the Presidents’ Trophy race with a seven-point lead over the next closest teams. Their recent surge, combined with strong deadline additions and a statement win over Dallas, keeps Colorado at the top of the league.
2. Dallas Stars (39-14-10)
After a rough 3-7-4 stretch earlier in the season, the Stars have completely turned things around with an 11-0-1 run, their only loss coming against Colorado. With Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn returning to form, Dallas holds the second spot until another team proves it can knock them off.
3. Minnesota Wild (37-16-11)
The Stars and Wild appear set for a first-round Stanley Cup playoff matchup that could resemble a Western Conference Final. Minnesota is surging with an 11-3-3 record in their last 17 games, and their revamped bottom six, featuring Nick Foligno, Bobby Brink, and Michael McCarron, gives the team strong depth heading into the postseason.
4. Carolina Hurricanes (40-17-6)
Carolina holds a two-point lead over the next closest team in the Eastern Conference and continues to prove they are among the league’s best. Strong depth from players like Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Martinook has helped drive a 16-3-3 run over their last 22 games, while their dominant home record still makes Raleigh one of the toughest places to play.
5. Buffalo Sabres (39-19-6)
Some teams are chasing history this season, and Buffalo is one of those teams as one of the league’s most dangerous teams. Their 28-5-2 record over the last 35 games leads the NHL during that stretch and gives them an eight-point cushion over the next closest team in that span.
MORE: How Sabres won an insane 8-7, fight-filled game with Lightning
6. Tampa Bay Lightning (39-19-4)
The Bolts rarely lose, but recent struggles have seen them drop five of their last six games. Still, a softer upcoming schedule featuring opponents like Vancouver, Calgary, and the struggling Detroit Red Wings could help Tampa Bay quickly regain momentum.
7. Montreal Canadiens (34-18-10)
As much as their rivals may not want to admit it, the Canadiens have quietly emerged as one of the league’s strongest teams once again. Their roster is deep but young, which has helped them win consistently, though inexperience has limited them to streaks of no more than four consecutive wins so far this season.
8. Utah Mammoth (34-25-4)
During Utah’s 15-5-1 run since January 5, the Mammoth defense has ranked second in the league with a 2.43 goals-against average, and the addition of MacKenzie Weegar should make the unit even stronger. Combined with an offense averaging 3.52 goals per game, currently among the league’s top 11, Utah could soon push its way into the NHL’s elite.
MORE: Mammoth get big news on Nick Schmaltz contract update for Utah
9. Detroit Red Wings (36-21-7)
The Motor City hockey club has shown it can compete as both a playoff team and a potential dark horse contender. However, its inconsistent offense is a concern, averaging just 1.90 goals per game over the last 10 games. With captain Dylan Larkin sidelined, Detroit could slip slightly in the standings, but their roster should have enough depth to stay in the playoff race until he returns.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins (32-17-14)
Few expected the Penguins to stay in the playoff race without captain Sidney Crosby after his Olympic injury. However, Pittsburgh has earned points in five of their last seven games thanks to strong secondary scorers like Anthony Mantha, Thomas Novak, Justin Brazeau, and rookie Ben Kindel.
MORE: Penguins make franchise history not done since 2001 in wild win over Bruins
11. New York Islanders (36-23-5)
The Islanders have moved well past a rebuild and into playoff contention, helped by the impact of breakout rookie Matthew Schaefer. Depth additions like Ondrej Palat, Carson Soucy, and deadline pickup Brayden Schenn have quietly made this team deeper than many realize.
12. Anaheim Ducks (35-25-3)
Since January 13, the Ducks are tied for the NHL lead with 14 wins. Their steady rebuild has produced a deep lineup with scoring talent across multiple lines, led by young stars Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier. At the same time, goaltender Lukas Dostal continues to keep them competitive in any game. If the Ducks stay hot, their stock will keep rising.
13. Ottawa Senators (31-22-9)
Constant roster changes have kept the Senators from reaching their full potential, due to the absence of Linus Ullmark, inconsistent goaltending, and injuries at times. When everything clicks, however, they’ve shown they can compete with the best, including recent wins over the Avalanche and Golden Knights. Replacing the old, injured David Perron with young Warren Foegele positions Ottawa as the NHL’s top dark horse with a shot at a wild card spot.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets (32-21-9)
The head coach bump is paying off for Columbus, which has gone 14-2-2 over its last 18 games, tying the Buffalo Sabres for the best record in the league during that span. Recent surges from Kirill Marchenko, Charlie Coyle, and Zach Werenski, combined with the addition of Vancouver’s Connor Garland, make Columbus another underrated team to watch.
15. Boston Bruins (35-22-6)
With a difference-maker on every line, the depth of the Bruins often goes unnoticed. Expected to be in a rebuilding year, they climbed into the second wild card spot, but their stock is now slipping after seven losses and a bottom-nine goals against per game average over their last 14 games.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
16. Vegas Golden Knights (29-21-14)
Olympic fatigue has hit the Vegas Golden Knights hard. With captain Mark Stone sidelined long-term, the team has lost four of six games since returning. Key players Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Andersson, and Shea Theodore are in minor slumps, but these players won’t stay cold for long, and the Golden Knights are expected to regain ground in the Pacific Division.
17. Winnipeg Jets (26-26-10)
Quietly climbing the playoff standings, the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners have earned points in seven of their last eight games and 16 of their last 20, bringing them within five points of the second wild card spot.
18. Edmonton Oilers (31-25-8)
The Oilers made minor deadline moves, swapping depth forwards Andrew Mangiapane for Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach, while adding Connor Murphy from Chicago to bolster their defense. Murphy’s first game resulted in six goals allowed in a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite two recent Stanley Cup Final runs and the star power of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton has struggled, losing six of their last eight games.
19. Philadelphia Flyers (29-22-11)
Once a potential playoff dark horse, the Flyers struggled through a 20-loss stretch in 29 games from mid-December to late February but have started to rebound, winning four of their last five games.
20. New Jersey Devils (32-30-2)
After a slow start following the Olympic break, the Devils have regained momentum, winning four of their last five games. Jack Hughes has been riding the high of his gold-medal-winning goal with three goals and four assists for seven points during this stretch.
David Gonzales-Imagn Images
21. San Jose Sharks (30-25-6)
Macklin Celebrini's breakout has been a bright spot for the Sharks, whose lineup still has notable holes. The Canadian center has doubled the points of the next closest teammate with 89, helping San Jose earn points in five straight games and climb to just one point shy of a wild card spot. They also have the fourth-easiest remaining strength of schedule, according to Tankathon.
22. Washington Capitals (31-26-7)
Capitals fans were stunned when longtime defenseman John Carlson was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. Washington’s group is deflated by the move and has dropped three straight games, but with largely the same roster that contended for the Presidents’ Trophy last season. They remain just seven points behind the second wild card spot.
23. Seattle Kraken (29-24-9)
The Kraken still hold the second wild card spot despite making no major deadline moves. They’ll need to play their best hockey down the stretch, after four losses in their last six games, and will face several contending teams looking to overtake them.
24. Florida Panthers (31-29-3)
The defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, appear worn down after 377 total games since October of 2022, from three full seasons and three deep playoff runs.
25. Los Angeles Kings (25-23-14)
Despite acquiring superstar Artemi Panarin to make a playoff push in captain Anze Kopitar’s final season, the Kings have struggled, winning just 11 of their last 33 games.
26. Toronto Maple Leafs (27-26-22)
The nine-year playoff streak for the Toronto Maple Leafs is in jeopardy after trading pieces like Scott Laughton, Bobby McMann, and Nicolas Roy, coupled with a seven-game losing streak. With seven of their next eight games against opponents in a playoff spot, the Maple Leafs could see their losing streak hit double digits.
27. Nashville Predators (28-27-8)
Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly remained with the Nashville Predators for their playoff push. Despite winning only two of their last eight games, they are just three points behind the second Western Conference wild card and need momentum to catch up.
28. St. Louis Blues (25-29-9)
The Blues have won four consecutive games, but after trading key players like Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk, they appear focused on next season rather than the playoffs.
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29. Calgary Flames (25-30-7)
Calgary has slim playoff hopes after losing top scorers Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson, combined with four losses in their last five games and a ten-point gap in the standings.
30. New York Rangers (24-30-8)
The Rangers kept most of their roster at the trade deadline, aside from trading Sam Carrick. They could continue to contend, but sitting 20 points out of the playoffs, they’re now better off focusing on the draft.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (23-29-11)
Connor Bedard awaits being named the next captain of the Blackhawks, while his team once again sold off most of its pieces at the deadline, acquired more picks, and is continuing to build towards the future.
32. Vancouver Canucks (19-36-8)
After trading most of their key players, Vancouver has just 19 wins in 63 games, relying on Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser as their primary scoring options in an otherwise young lineup.