What a race this NHL season has turned out to be. A couple of months ago, we thought the Colorado Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche]https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche would run away with the Presidents' Trophy. From November to December, they were 23-1-3 despite having one of the league's worst power plays. (They still do). Fast forward to today, and there are now four teams within seven points of the Avs, two of which are within their own division. With roughly 15 games remaining, there are still plenty of points to be earned. Very few Presidents' Trophy winners have gone on to win the Cup, but in the Avs' case, and certainly for the Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars] and Minnesota Wild [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild] as well, winning the top spot means avoiding a first-round matchup against one another in the playoffs. That will certainly mean a lot. For what it's worth, the surging Stars have the fourth-hardest schedule for the rest of the season, while the Avs and Wild face significantly easier opponents, according to tankathon.com [https://www.tankathon.com/nhl/remaining_schedule_strength]. Staying healthy will be a big story for the rest of the season. Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz may not return during the regular season. It's questionable if Dylan Larkin will. Leon Draisaitl will definitely not. Speaking of the Pacific, there's an interesting race for the division title between the Anaheim Ducks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks], Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers] and Vegas Golden Knights [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights], and the wild-card spot between the Seattle Kraken [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/seattle-kraken], Los Angeles Kings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings] and San Jose Sharks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks], assuming the Utah Mammoth [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/utah] take the first wild-card spot. None of the teams are really playing like they really want it, though, and there's no guarantee the division winner will be able to handle the Mammoth, either. The wild-card spots in the East will be even tougher to figure out. The Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings], which have gone nine seasons without a playoff berth, have to be looking behind their shoulders with a lot of trepidation. They're now fifth in the Atlantic, and the Ottawa Senators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators] look like they're going on a run, winning seven of their past 10 and sit five points behind with two games in hand. The hard-charging Columbus Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets] are making things interesting, sitting just one point behind the Wings and two points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins] and New York Islanders in the Metro. Here are this week's NHL power rankings. 1. DALLAS STARS (42-15-10, +51. PR: 2) The Stars recovered nicely after blowing a 3-1 lead and losing in a shootout to the Avs, winning four straight before succumbing to the Mammoth. All good things must come to an end, after all. But if you factor in a healthy Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen, at full strength, the Stars are shaping up to be the best team in the NHL. 2. COLORADO AVALANCHE (44-13-9, +79. PR: 1) Losing three of their past four just won't cut it, especially at home against the Oilers and then a 7-2 drubbing by the Pens. Sure, the Avs still sit atop the standings, but that gap is really narrowing, and it's clear the Stars have more momentum right now. The Colorado Avalanche Shouldn't Be Too Concerned About The Dallas Stars Just Yet [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/71915973-0f7b-45b4-89b8-7d2d9e74b1e5.jpeg] The Colorado Avalanche Shouldn't Be Too Concerned About The Dallas Stars Just Yet The Colorado Avalanche have been the NHL's best team virtually all season long, but the Dallas Stars are catching up. Do the Avalanche have what it takes to stay ahead and secure the top playoff seed? [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/the-colorado-avalanche-shouldn-t-be-too-concerned-about-the-dallas-stars-just-yet] 3. BUFFALO SABRES (42-20-6, +37. PR: 4) Since Dec. 9, when the Sabres' three-game losing streak ended, they're 31-6-2, 10 points ahead of the next best team and nearly as good as the Avs (30-2-7) in the first part of the season. Quite frankly, it's kind of unbelievable, but in an awesome way for a tortured fan base. 4. MINNESOTA WILD (39-18-12, +31. PR: 3) Their recent play does not breed a lot of confidence, and the Wild definitely look like they're the third-best team in the Central. They have just three regulation wins in their past 10 games and are having some trouble scoring goals on a consistent basis. 5. CAROLINA HURRICANES (42-19-6, +38. PR: 5) Most nights, the Canes are absolutely dominant, but once in a while, they'll have a head-scratching loss. Goaltending is a growing concern. Since Jan. 1, among 43 goalies with at least 500 minutes played at 5-on-5, Brandon Bussi ranks 34th in save percentage and 35th in goals saved above average, while Frederik Andersen ranks 23rd in both categories. 6. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (41-21-4, +53. PR: 6) The Lightning need to storm through the Pacific in their upcoming road trip in a tight divisional race. They're four points behind the Sabres but have two games in hand and do not play a divisional opponent until March 28 against the Sens. 7. NEW YORK ISLANDERS (39-24-5, +8. PR: 9) Being unbeatable in overtime obviously helps, but since Feb. 1, only four teams have had a better points percentage: Stars, Sabres, Jackets and Sens. Expect To See Isles' Matthew Schaefer On A Lot Of Calder, Norris And Hart Ballots [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1f2ae1a4-b7c4-45d8-8856-47e3bae19942.jpeg] Expect To See Isles' Matthew Schaefer On A Lot Of Calder, Norris And Hart Ballots New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy is making a huge statement by giving Matthew Schaefer so much ice time. That should prove his value in the conversation for the Hart and Norris Trophies. [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/expect-to-see-isles-matthew-schaefer-on-a-lot-of-calder-norris-and-hart-ballots] 8. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (34-18-15, +26. PR: 11) Evgeni Malkin scored two goals in his return from a suspension and helped the Pens win consecutive games for the first time in three weeks. They were banged up, but going 3-1-1 in their past five against tough competition is a good sign. And Sidney Crosby returns to action Wednesday. 9. MONTREAL CANADIENS (37-20-10, +14. PR: 7) Is the solution in net Jakub Dobes or Jacob Fowler? The Habs need to find the answer quickly with a game in Detroit on Thursday. They then play two Metro teams in the thick of the playoff race: the Isles on Saturday and the Jackets next Thursday. 10. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (35-21-11, +8. PR: 14) We fight, we march! Like the inscription inside the collar of their jersey, the Jackets are making a charge up the standings with Charlie Coyle (!) as their key cog. He's been one of the best pickups made by any team during the off-season. NHL Norris Trophy Rankings: Will Gold Medallist Zach Werenski Become D-Man Of The Year? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/cf20e805-db3d-4a1e-99ed-723bc90ed25b.jpeg] NHL Norris Trophy Rankings: Will Gold Medallist Zach Werenski Become D-Man Of The Year? Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has produced at a rate no other blueliner has matched in the NHL this season. Is that enough to win him the Norris Trophy over Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes and others? [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-norris-trophy-rankings-will-gold-medallist-zach-werenski-become-d-man-of-the-year] 11. OTTAWA SENATORS (34-23-9, +20. PR: 15) The Sens have been on a rip since Jan. 25, going 11-2-2 with a plus-26 goal differential and ranking third in points percentage, recovering nicely from poor stretches in early December and early January. 12. BOSTON BRUINS (37-23-8, +10. PR: 10) The good news is the Bruins are grabbing points. The bad news is they're giving a lot of them away in overtime, and they have been unable to string together multiple wins since Jan. 27 and 29. 13. ANAHEIM DUCKS (37-27-3, -10. PR: 8) The Ducks can definitely score, but can they defend well? They've lost half of their last eight games, but with a relatively easy schedule coming up against divisional opponents, they have an opportunity to generate some momentum. The return of Troy Terry helps, and it's interesting that John Carlson played more minutes in his Ducks debut than Jackson LaCombe. 14. UTAH MAMMOTH (35-27-6, +23. PR: 12) A win in Dallas definitely made a statement, and the Mammoth ended a bad 0-2-2 slide with three one-goal losses. The margin for error as the fourth-best team in the Central isn't big, though it's good that nine of their remaining 14 games are at home, where they've been quite strong. 15. EDMONTON OILERS (34-26-9, +8. PR: 16) With Leon Draisaitl missing the rest of the regular season, this is the time for Connor to step up… of course, I mean Ingram, who is 4-0-1 so far this month despite having an .898 save percentage. Oilers Forced To Continue Crucial Playoff Push Without Leon Draisaitl [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/508b5767-3c60-4fe9-88cf-2120de3935c9.jpeg] Oilers Forced To Continue Crucial Playoff Push Without Leon Draisaitl The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the NHL's coldest teams since late January. They're battling not just to make the playoffs but to get home-ice advantage. And now, they'll be without a superstar. [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/oilers-forced-to-continue-crucial-playoff-push-without-leon-draisaitl] 16. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (31-23-14, +9. PR: 17) Their goaltending seems to have settled down, but once again, they've been inconsistent and having trouble winning games, losing seven of their last 10. Their big acquisition, Rasmus Andersson, has seven points and a minus-5 rating in 19 games. 17. DETROIT RED WINGS (37-23-8, -3. PR: 13) The fan base must be white-knuckling for the rest of the season. They're sitting on the edge of the cutoff line and will be without key veteran Andrew Copp and captain Dylan Larkin. Can the Yzerplan afford another season of a playoff drought that has felt like eons? 18. NEW JERSEY DEVILS (34-31-2, -24. PR: 20) The Devils were 5-2-0 during their homestand, and Jacob Markstrom seems to have found his game again, though it's likely too late. This has been Jesper Bratt's worst season since his breakout 2021-22 campaign. 19. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (31-23-12, -14. PR: 22) It's mathematically possible the Flyers make the playoffs, and with six wins in their last 10 games, they're definitely trying. But they'll need to run the table and hope the teams in front of them fall off the table. The Flyers' penalty kill has been especially awful this month, killing a league-low 63.6 percent of their penalties. 20. SEATTLE KRAKEN (31-27-9, -12. PR: 18) The Kraken either blow out teams or get blown out themselves, with an average goal differential of 2.73 goals. While they currently occupy the last wild-card spot, the Kings and Sharks are grinding away and slowly eroding the Kraken's hold. 21. SAN JOSE SHARKS (32-28-6, -27. PR: 19) Yaroslav Askarov is 4-7-2 in his past 14 games, so the Sharks' goaltending hasn't exactly been a bright spot, but it might get even worse with Alex Nedeljkovic and Laurent Brossoit now holding down the fort. They're not particularly good on the road, and only one of their final five games is played on home ice. 22. LOS ANGELES KINGS (28-24-15, -21. PR: 25) Anze Kopitar is 38 and in his final season, and yet, he's somehow still the main driver for the Kings. The Kings' top line with Kopitar, Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin has accounted for 13 of 25 goals scored by Kings forwards since the Olympic break. They'll need more from the supporting cast to make the playoffs. 23. WASHINGTON CAPITALS (33-27-8, +9. PR: 21) Unsurprisingly, the loss of John Carlson and the front office's decision to essentially wave the white flag on the season has put the team in a difficult spot to win games. They've lost five of their past seven in what may be Alex Ovechkin's last season. 24. WINNIPEG JETS (28-28-11, -15. PR: 24) When the Jets prayed for more depth scoring beyond their top line, nobody thought they would be answered by Haydn Fleury. 25. ST. LOUIS BLUES (27-30-10, -45. PR: 27) If the Blues are laying down the foundations for next season, they've really uncovered a potentially excellent top line with Robert Thomas between Dylan Holloway and Jimmy Snuggerud. With Philip Broberg holding down the blueline and Joel Hofer looking like he's ready to be a No. 1, the Blues might be a dark horse. 26. NASHVILLE PREDATORS (30-28-9, -29. PR: 26) Things looked good for a brief moment there, but the Preds have fallen behind again, unable to generate any more momentum to propel them forward after a 4-5-2 stretch. 27. NEW YORK RANGERS (28-31-8, -19. PR: 28) An excellent stretch of results for the Rangers with six wins in their past nine, though they've been outplayed and outshot by only two teams (Jackets on March 2, Flames on March 7) so far this month. We call this the Igor Shesterkin effect. 28. FLORIDA PANTHERS (33-31-3, -24. PR: 23) It's an overall sense of malaise, fatigue and when-is-this-season-over for the Panthers, which have lost six of their last nine and outscored 11-4 in the first two games through the Pacific Division. They're now second-last in the East, but this is certainly a blip. When Aleksander Barkov is healthy next season, they're right back to contender status. 29. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (29-28-12, -25. PR: 29) The Leafs are 2-1-1 since Auston Matthews' season-ending injury, which will prompt all sorts of jokes about how Bo Groulx is the better player. NHL Sour Rankings: What The Canucks, Leafs And League's Worst Have To Play For [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/e45008a4-20c4-494a-86eb-0417c16b6b2a.jpeg] NHL Sour Rankings: What The Canucks, Leafs And League's Worst Have To Play For The squads at the bottom of the NHL standings are all but officially out of playoff contention. With one month to go, the way these teams in our Sour Rankings play could still shape their future. [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-sour-rankings-what-the-canucks-leafs-and-league-s-worst-have-to-play-for] 30. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (25-30-12, -39. PR: 30) Overtime losses to the Stars and Wild, and then overtime wins against the Mammoth show that the Blackhawks can be competitive on some nights, but just not consistently or often enough. If they're jealous about the growth the Sharks made this season, next season, it just might be their turn. Frank Nazar looks like he could be an excellent No. 2 center behind Connor Bedard. 31. CALGARY FLAMES (26-34-7, -45. PR: 31) The Flames are 2-7-1 in their past 10, the worst record in the league and serving up the hottest meal for 31 other teams to feast on. 32. VANCOUVER CANUCKS (21-38-8, -72. PR: 32) The Canucks have seven home games remaining, and they'll need to win at least three of them to avoid having fewer home wins than the Vancouver Grizzlies in their inaugural season, when they were 15-67. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/524c0ea5-12d5-4434-accb-ae709e32c6a6.webp] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*18b69da*_ga*NDAxOTY4NTMuMTc1NTg5NTA0Mg..*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjkyNjYzNzAkbzEwJGcxJHQxNzY5MjY3MTQ4JGozMiRsMCRoMA..]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
