NHL Power Rankings: Florida Panthers Continue To Roll

Welcome back to another edition of NHL Power Rankings here at Full Press Hockey.

The Florida Panthers continue to be the class of the NHL. Florida is clicking on all cylinders and wouldn’t you know it, the Panthers remain number one in this week’s edition of the Power Rankings. However, the gap between the Panthers and the other top teams in the league is closing. Most of the divisions are still so wide open as it is no guarantee the teams at the top will be there come the end of the season. There really was not much change in the NHL Power Rankings this week especially in the Top 10.

Time to dive into the NHL Power Rankings and find out where these teams stand.

NHL Power Rankings

1. Florida Panthers

We said it before and we will say it again the Florida Panthers are the most balanced team in the NHL. The Panthers dominate each side of the puck especially offence where they are averaging six goals per game.

2. Colorado Avalanche (Last Week 2) 

Look who is back atop the Central Division it is the Colorado Avalanche. This team has so many weapons. Again the biggest question mark for them will be goaltending.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins (Last Week 3)

The Penguins continue to be a remarkable story in the NHL. Just when you think they are near the end of the run, they find a way to remain in the playoff race. Having Evgeni Malkin back definitely helps the cause for the Penguins in the Metro.

4. Boston Bruins (Last Week 5) 

The Bruins are 8-2 in their last 10 contests and have found depth scoring as they moved David Pastrnak to the second line with Erik Haula. Thus moving Taylor Hall to the top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Boston started to figure it out that one line just can’t do everything.

5. St. Louis Blues (Last Week 4) 

The Blues continue to keep pace in the Central Division. Though they have some recent struggles, the Blues have been able to overcome that. St. Louis continues to ride the wave of momentum from the Winter Classic.

6. New York Rangers (Last Week 9) 

It used to be as Carey Price goes so do the Canadiens. Well, that saying can move to the Rangers. As Igor Shesterkin goes, so does the Rangers. What a difference having in between the pipes is for this team.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (Last Week 10)

Here come the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. They are finally healthy as Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point are back together again. Add Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat to the mix, the Lightning are finding their groove again.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last Week 8) 

Auston Matthews continues to be a beast for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has five goals in his last four games and is driving the bus for the offence for the Maple Leafs. They just need to eliminate the mental errors in their game. Especially in the third period.

9. Carolina Hurricanes (Last Week 7)

The Hurricanes have tailed off some from the beginning of the season, but it is surprising to see when they truly have an off night as they did against Columbus. Hopefully, that is only a one-off.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (Last Week 6) 

Vegas is 1-2-2 since the beginning of January. There are questioned marks surrounding the Golden Knights mainly with the goaltender. You have to wonder what moves this team will make at the deadline. Unfortunately, they do not have the cap space to do much.

11. Nashville Predators (Last Week 11) 

It was a decent week for the Predators, no reason to drop them in the rankings. An emotional win over Colorado followed but a tough loss against Boston was to be expected. Nashville is in the thick of things.

12. Washington Capitals (Last Week 12)

The Capitals continue to be in a free fall. they are 1-3-2 in their last six games. You thought the win over the Islanders would have kicked started them again. With Alex Ovechkin off his historic start to the season, the Capitals need to find answers offensively and fast.

13. Minnesota Wild (Last Week 13) 

The Wild are starting to get things back on track with three wins in a row. Kevin Fiala, who is rumoured to be traded at the deadline has five points in his last six games.

14. Los Angeles Kings (Last Week 15) 

The Los Angeles Kings are taking advantage of teams in the Pacific Division that are struggling. Los Angeles continues to exceed expectations as Jonathan Quick and Cal Pettersson are playing lights out. Who said they saw that coming.

15. Anaheim Ducks (Last Week 14) 

While the Ducks have cooled off a lot since their hot start. Despite, the Ducks losing three in a row and eight of their last 10 games, Anaheim is still in the playoff picture in the Pacific Division.

16. Winnipeg Jets (Last Week 18) 

Here come the Winnipeg Jets. Despite playing sparingly over the past several weeks, the Jets have won three of their past four games, as they begin an important stretch in their schedule.

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17. Dallas Stars (Last Week 19) 

The Dallas Stars are six points out of a playoff spot with a decision to make about defenceman John Klingberg, who by all accounts wants out. This decision could make or break the Stars season.

18. Vancouver Canucks (Last Week 17) 

The good times they did not last in Vancouver as the Canucks went through a tough stretch in their scheduling going 1-3 in four games. Don’t feel Canucks fans nobody beats Florida and Tampa Bay anyway. 

19. Calgary Flames (Last Week 16) 

The Flames continue to move in the wrong direction as their losing streak is up to four games. It is hard to break out of a slump when you do not play that much. But Calgary is falling fast and is in danger of missing the playoffs again.

20. New York Islanders (Last Week 20) 

The Islanders are starting to run out of time when it comes to making the playoffs. While they have games in hand over the Metro Division and the Eastern Conference. Those games only matter if they win them. Not to mention they need to find some offence. Playing the Flyers helped them get back on track.

21. San Jose Sharks (Last Week 23)

As of now, the Sharks are not going to be a seller at the deadline as many thought they might be. It helps when Timo Meier scores five goals in one game.

22. Chicago Blackhawks (Last Week 27) 

Don’t look now but the Blackhawks have won four straight games. Look this team is far from a playoff team but they are playing. There are still assets that could move at the deadline.

23. New Jersey Devils (Last Week 22) 

A break in the schedule is what the doctor ordered for the Devils in order to get healthy. An area that improved in the off-season was goaltending. Unfortunately, injuries and COVID have left the Devils starting their third-and fourth-string goalies.

24. Detroit Red Wings (Last Week 24) 

The Red Wings are showing they are a young team during their recent skid as they have a record of 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. They are giving up way too many high danger areas as the playoffs are looking further and further away.

25. Ottawa Senators (Last Week 28) 

The Senators are going on somewhat of mini-run winning two in a row. If they win one more as Lou Brown said it’s called a winning streak. Ottawa has to be impressed by the way Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk have been playing combining for eight goals in the last 12 games.

26. Columbus Blue Jackets 

Despite scoring six goals against Carolina, most nights it is hard for the Blue Jackets to buy a goal. You have to wonder if one of their goaltenders gets traded at the deadline.

27. Edmonton Oilers (Last Week 21) 

Just when you thought the Oilers hit rock bottom, the news comes out about Mike Smith. We all knew goaltending was going to be an area of concern.

28. Philadelphia Flyers (Last Week 25) 

The Flyers have hit new lows as they have lost nine in a row. Defensively things are not going right as Ryan Ellis has not been healthy. Not to mention the Flyers can’t buy a save from their goaltenders.

29. Arizona Coyotes (Last Week 30)

The Arizona Coyotes have been a feisty team this past week especially when they have Karel Vejmelka in between the pipes he has been lights out. Maybe they have found their goalie of the future or at least this season.

30. Seattle Kraken (Last Week 29) 

The Kraken are a bad hockey team as they have now lost six games in a row. Nothing is going right for them this season. Goaltending is dead last in the league and the biggest issue of goal scoring is rearing its ugly head.

31. Buffalo Sabres

Imagine if the Buffalo Sabres had some sort of goaltending this season, they might have won some more of those games they blew leads in. But Don Granato has got his putting up a fight in every game. 

32. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens have had one win since December 1st, but the good thing is the team has a new general manager in Kent Hughes. The rebuild is officially on in Montreal.

That does it for this edition of NHL Power Rankings… Stay Tuned for another edition next week.