NHL 2022-23 Season Weekly Power Rankings: Monday 3/6
28. Arizona Coyotes (28)
I want to be excited about the Arizona Coyotes in some capacity, but when they continue to take on contracts belonging to retired and/or injured players, it’s hard to do that. Maybe one of these days the Yotes will be known for more than absorbing unwanted salaries.
27. Philadelphia Flyers (27)
The Philadelphia Flyers were not expected to be buyers last week, but they didn’t turn out to be sellers either. I have to think that the lack of activity at the NHL Trade Deadline was not what the Flyers had hoped to achieve coming into the week.
26. Vancouver Canucks (29)
The Vancouver Canucks made their fair share of deals in the last week or two, but core players like Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller once again went untraded. This team has pieces, but with only 55 points on the year, that won’t matter until they’re traded over the summer or hit the ice in the fall.
25. St. Louis Blues (25)
After entering this season with playoff aspirations, the St. Louis Blues are no longer contenders. While they did add Jakub Vrana in a move that has a high upside, the damage had been done in February for the 2019 Stanley Cup champions.
24. Montreal Canadiens (24)
The Montreal Canadiens were not a major factor at the deadline, and the highlight of their week last week was a victory over the San Jose Sharks. This team isn’t as bad as some others that have already appeared on this list, but the Habs are a non-factor moving forward this season.
23. Detroit Red Wings (17)
A lot of the discussion so far has been centered around the NHL Trade Deadline, but the Detroit Red Wings’ fall in the rankings comes purely from their on-ice performance. Detroit did not win a game last week and is quickly falling out of contention in the Eastern Conference as a result.
22. Calgary Flames (20)
The Calgary Flames looked as though they were going to move silently through the trade deadline before making a pair of moves late on Friday afternoon. Still, the Flames are going to have to improve from within if they want to make the playoffs in 2023.
21. Washington Capitals (22)
After losing a game against Buffalo last Sunday, the Washington Capitals picked up two wins against bad Western Conference teams. Those count in the standings, but they don’t do much for the Caps in these rankings.
20. Florida Panthers (23)
This Florida Panthers team is one of the many in the Eastern Conference wild card log jam. Wins last week against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins were important ones for the Cats to pick up, so they rise in these rankings.
19. Nashville Predators (19)
Mikael Granlund and Mattias Ekholm were shipped out of town last week, yet the Nashville Predators remain the first team out of the playoff picture in the West.
Nino Niederreiter and Tanner Jeannot were also moved, so don’t expect this selling team to make much noise in the spring.
18. Buffalo Sabres (16)
The Buffalo Sabres went 2-2 last week and acquired Jordan Greenway at the NHL Trade Deadline. Buffalo has some work to do if it hopes to make the playoffs, but it has at least put itself in a position to continue contending for a postseason berth.
17. Pittsburgh Penguins (18)
The Penguins had been playing very poorly a couple of weeks ago, but four straight wins before a loss to the Panthers has Pittsburgh back in control of a wild card spot. With a few trades made to address depth concerns, the Pens are prepared to take another run at the Cup.
16. Ottawa Senators (21)
The Ottawa Senators have won five straight games and outscored their opponents 22-8 in their four games last week. Add the trade for Jakob Chychrun to that streak, and you’ve got an Ottawa squad that is as dangerous as any team in the East right now.
15. New York Islanders (15)
General manager Lou Lamoriello added more goal-scoring to his team last week with the addition of Pierre Engvall.
A 2-0-1 record for his team kept them in the playoff picture for now, but with the teams in pursuit having games in hand, the New York Islanders will need to keep winning to maintain that spot.
14. Winnipeg Jets (14)
Things have not been going particularly well for the Winnipeg Jets as of late. They went from contending for first place in the Central Division to scrambling to stay out of a wild card position. A 7-5 win over the Oilers on Saturday was the only thing that helped them salvage the week.
13. Edmonton Oilers (13)
The Edmonton Oilers made one of the best trades of the deadline when they acquired Mattias Ekholm from the Predators. I’m not convinced that this team is deep enough to win it all, but it deserves credit for recognizing its weakness and addressing it.
12. New York Rangers (9)
Did the New York Rangers find a way to acquire some of the biggest names available in the NHL this winter? Yes. Has it all fallen into place immediately? No.
There is plenty of time for the Rangers to find the best way to use all of its star power, but for now, New York falls on this list after an underwhelming week.
11. Seattle Kraken (11)
The Seattle Kraken enjoyed a successful week last week but don’t move up here because of their lack of action at the trade deadline. This team should make the playoffs and will not be an easy out, but I don’t see the Kraken as being good enough to go the distance.
10. Minnesota Wild (12)
A 4-0 week and a nine-game point streak have the Minnesota Wild feeling good. General manager Bill Guerin was busy on deadline day, as he attempted to assemble a team that could win once into the postseason.
If the playoffs began today, this is without question a team that would advance at least through a round or two with as well as it is playing.
9. Los Angeles Kings (10)
The Los Angeles Kings stunned fans by shipping Jonathan Quick out of LA. His return to the Pacific Division a short while later could prove to be problematic for the Kings, and their handling of the situation is not without scrutiny, but they do at least deserve credit for getting better on the ice.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning (5)
Eighth on this list is probably generous after the week that the Tampa Bay Lightning have had. The Bolts surrendered four or more goals in every game they played last week, and while this roster deserves the benefit of the doubt, things look legitimately bad in Tampa right now.
7. Colorado Avalanche (6)
The Colorado Avalanche defense looked about as bad as the Lightning’s last week, allowing seven goals against both the New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars. Colorado has played well overall in the last few weeks, but it took a slight step back last week.
6. Vegas Golden Knights (7)
The Vegas Golden Knights beat two of the top teams in the East last week, improving its lead in the Pacific in the process.
As for the trade deadline, Vegas pushed the right buttons by acquiring Ivan Barbashev, Teddy Blueger, and Jonathan Quick. I expect the Golden Knights to make a deep run in 2023 if they can get a little healthier.
5. Dallas Stars (8)
By going out and trading for Evgenii Dadonov and Max Domi, the Stars have proven that they want to win right now. A 3-0-1 week further exemplified just how dangerous Dallas will be this season. If this team can score goals consistently, it will be one of the best in the NHL come the playoffs.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (3)
If you like trades, you’ve loved the Toronto Maple Leafs in the last few weeks.
As of this moment, I’m not sure what to make of the Leafs. They retain a top-four position here because of their overall body of work this season, but a couple of ugly losses and a lineup full of new players creates some uncertainty in Toronto right now.
3. Carolina Hurricanes (2)
Some will argue that the Carolina Hurricanes were losers at the trade deadline because they didn’t do enough, but how much does one of the best teams in the NHL have to do?
The Canes continue to pace the Metropolitan Division and will be one of the favorites in the East this spring, even if they didn’t add a big name.
2. New Jersey Devils (4)
While the Hurricanes didn’t add a big name, the team chasing them did, as the Devils got Timo Meier from the Sharks. New Jersey also added Curtis Lazar in a depth move to bolster a team that seems more than ready to make a deep run in the East.
1. Boston Bruins (1)
If there was any doubt about which team was going to be number one, there shouldn’t have been. The Boston Bruins are breaking NHL records and still went out and picked up more talent for their roster.
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Recent history has proven that the teams that dominate in the regular season don’t always reap the rewards in the playoffs. With that said, there’s no way to bet against Boston right now.