Top 5 best and top 5 worst NHL teams following February
There are some really good teams at the top of the NHL standings right now.
5. New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are the fifth-best team in the NHL right now. They made some big moves during this trade season. It was nice for them when they traded for Vladimir Tarasenko earlier but they made it even better when they traded for Patrick Kane.
Now, it is hard to argue anyone’s top six is better than theirs. There are some that are equal but nobody is just straight-up better at the top of their forward lineup. Igor Shesterkin has been suspect in recent weeks but we all know how good he can be.
They will be dangerous down the stretch, especially now that they have Patrick Kane reunited with Artemi Panarin.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have loaded up for their playoff run. They are on a long run of making it to the playoffs but they are also on a long run of losing in the first round. They are all in on this being the year that changes.
Adding Ryan O’Reilly, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, Noel Acciari, and Luke Schenn, this group is now very dangerous. If those guys come in and produce alongside the stars, this team will be incredibly dangerous. Don’t let them win a series.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes haven’t made the big move at the trade deadline but their record speaks for itself. They are one of the best teams in the NHL and are hoping that this is the year that they can go to the Final after many years of just a couple of playoff series wins.
They don’t have that one superstar player that is top ten in NHL scoring or goal scoring but they play one of the best team games in the league. They roll four lines and are one of the best-coached teams in the league. They will be fun to watch in the postseason.
2. New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils have been one of the best teams in the league all season long. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, and Dougie Hamilton have formed one of the best cores in the league.
They score a ton because of their speed. They are fast, play good defense, and get great goaltending. That is a dangerous team that nobody is going to want to play in the playoffs. Their youth makes them a question mark going into the playoffs, but they are confident.
They improved their team a lot over the last few days as they made the trade with the San Jose Sharks for Timo Meier, who was the biggest trade chip on the market this year. They didn’t give up any of their top five prospects to get him either so this team is in good shape for a long time.
1. Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins have been the number-one team in the league by a lot. They have a double-digit lead in points over the team that is second in the President’s Trophy race.
With guys like Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Charlie McAvoy leading the way, you know you are going to see this team play very well. Their depth is as good as any team in NHL history which is why they could be a record-breaking team.
They also made a big trade with the Washington Capitals to add Dmitry Orlov and Garnett Hathaway to the mix. That is a very solid top-four defenseman in addition to some sandpaper for the bottom six.
This team is truly awesome. Anything other than a Stanley Cup victory would be a massive disappointment.
First Out: Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars
The worst teams in the NHL have Connor Bedard on their mind at this point.
28. Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now so they are barely in the bottom five. If they keep playing like this down the stretch, they will be off this list by the time March ends. They are selling at the deadline so things might get bad again.
There are pros and cons to them playing well. They need Connor Bedard as badly as any franchise in the league but it is also nice to see them play good hockey after so many years of being the worst in the league.
29. San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks, as mentioned when talking about the New Jersey Devils, have traded Timo Meier. That means things are going to go from bad to worse for them. They might make even more moves as a part of their rebuild before Friday’s deadline. That should be interesting.
30. Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are the most exciting team on this list because watching guys like Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Troy Terry amongst others is so much fun. Imagine if Connor Bedard joined that core!
Even if they add Adam Fantilli, Matvei Michkov, or Leo Carlsson, some good times are ahead for Anaheim. Right now, however, they are awful.
31. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets being on this list would be the most surprising to a hockey fan if you showed it to them before the season started. They are making big trades that identify them as sellers but they don’t want to be in this position again next year.
They didn’t sign Johnny Gaudreau to that lucrative of a contract just to be terrible. It may take another year or two but they are truly bad right now.
32. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are the worst team in the league and it is only going to get worse for them as well. Patrick Kane, Jake McCabe, and Sam Lafferty are all gone. Who will be next before Friday?
If Connor Bedard came to the big city, their rebuild would be accelerated but it is going to be a long time before this team is elite again. With that said, their rebuild is off to a good start as they have some really nice young prospects. The NHL is better when they are great but they are far from that right now.
First Out: Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks
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