NHL Power Rankings: Calgary Flames Surge Into Top 5

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

We are four weeks away from the trade deadline and the Calgary Flames continue to inch closer to the top of the standings. After pulling off a trade for Tyler Toffoli, the Flames have not missed a beat. They are one of the best teams in the NHL right now. There are no signs of slowing down. However, there is a new team at the top spot of the NHL Power Rankings. But it is a familiar team that has been there before taking advantage of a grueling schedule.

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

NHL Power Rankings

1. Florida Panthers (Last Week 2) 

The Panthers take over the top spot this week as they were able to go on the road and get wins over the Hurricanes, Wild and Blackhawks. What a difference Aaron Ekblad is making for this Panthers lineup.

2. Colorado Avalanche (Last Week 1) 

The Avalanche fall a spot this week. It has been a so-so week for them. They were handed their first loss in regulation on home ice in what seemed like forever. However, after back-to-back wins, they got blown out to the Bruins. Just chalk it up to a bad day. Colorado is still the best in the west.

3. Calgary Flames (Last Week 8) 

The Flames are back into the Top 5 in the power rankings thanks to a 10-game winning streak. Since their COVID stoppage, the Flames are 15-6-0 as they sit atop the Pacific Division not only in points by points percentage.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning (Last Week 4)

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning are not moving out of the four spot despite having a week off, they are still the champs for a reason. And the teams behind have not done enough to pass them. The Lightning have a grueling stretch in March of eight games in 13 days. Can they survive that?

5. New York Rangers (Last Week 5) 

Feels like a broken record but as Igor Shesterkin goes so does the New York Rangers. If Shesterkin does not win the Vezina it will be shocking. Yes, they are relying on him to win games, but the team is playing in front of him so that is a good sign.

6. Carolina Hurricanes (Last Week 10)

The Carolina Hurricanes have rebounded nicely after a 1-2-1 stretch. Despite blowing a lead to the Panthers, the Hurricanes were able to close out the week on a high note beating the Penguins and Predators. Look for them to add a piece or two at the deadline.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last Week 6) 

The Maple Leafs continue to get beat by teams that play a heavier style of hockey. Three straight losses have dropped the Maple Leafs in the Power Rankings. Not only that Auston Matthews‘s point streak was stopped at nine games and now Jake Muzzin is out indefinitely.

8. Minnesota Wild (Last Week 7) 

After a great January where the Wild went 8-2, it has been a subpar February for the Wild going 4-4. However, don’t look now but Kevin Fiala continues to produce for the Wild. In his last 19 games, he has 21 points. Minnesota needs that kind of production.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins (Last Week 3)

The Penguins drop near the bottom of the Top 10 for this week after losing back-to-back games. Sidney Crosby hit the 500 goal mark, but the bigger question is what the Penguins do at the deadline. They need a backup goalie.

10. St. Louis Blues (Last Week 11) 

We know Rangers fans probably don’t want to read this but Pavel Buchnevich is fitting in perfectly with the Blues. He is tied for the team lead in points with 45. What a great acquisition that was.

11. Vegas Golden Knights (Last Week 9) 

Jack Eichel is back with the Vegas Golden Knights. He finally got his first goal the other night against the Sharks. With Robin Lehner hurt, the Golden Knights need to find a quality goaltender. Is there a reunion in the works?

12. Boston Bruins (Last Week 13) 

The Boston Bruins continue to rely on the duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. While it was nice Tuukka Rask was coming back, this duo has gotten the job done. All that remains is for Brad Marchand to return to the lineup and this team could really kick it into high gear.

13. Dallas Stars (Last Week 14) 

The Dallas Stars still find themselves in playoff contention. However, if the Stars want to show they are real contenders they cannot be losing to the Arizona Coyotes. It’s great you beat Colorado and Chicago, but the two points they lost against Arizona could be costly.

14. Washington Capitals (Last Week 16)

The Capitals are starting to putting things back together again. Winners of two straight before their little break. Washington looks to be flying under the radar. And guess who is having fun again Evgeny Kuznetsov. His production is going on and he is being relied on more to carry the offence. So much for wanting to be traded?

15. Los Angeles Kings (Last Week 15) 

The Los Angeles Kings are for real people. Just when you think they are slipping, they pull right back in. Winners of two straight the Kings are looking to hold on to that second wild-card spot.

16. Edmonton Oilers (Last Week 18) 

The Oilers have are 5-1 under head coach Jay Woodcroft. However, goaltending continues to be an issue. Even with Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Evander Kane, they can’t outscore their problems. They will be buyers at the deadline.

17. Nashville Predators (Last Week 12) 

The Predators finally got the monkey off their back snapping a four-game losing streak as they are holding on to the first wild card spot in the West. It is a good thing they banked all those wins early. Have the real Predators finally shown up? Like other teams who rely heavily on defence, Nashville needs to score goals heading into their Stadium Series game.

Around FPC

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18. Columbus Blue Jackets (Last Week 23) 

How about those Columbus Blue Jackets making things interesting in the East. Columbus has won three straight games and scored seven goals in two of three games. Patrik Laine remains red hot as he looks to in the future plans for the Blue Jackets.

19. Vancouver Canucks (Last Week 20) 

The Canucks still have hope in the Pacific Division and the wild card race in the West. Vancouver has won three of their previous four games. There is still a lot of trade talk surrounding the Canucks, it appears J.T. Miller is not going anywhere, but that does not mean Conor Garland and Brock Boeser are not on the trading block. 

20. Winnipeg Jets (Last Week 19) 

The Jets are just a win or two away from consistently breaking out and making this wild card race in the west a little more interesting. Mark Schiefele and Blake Wheeler have really picked things up since the break. Imagine if Connor Hellebuyck could consistently put great games together then the Jets would be soaring even higher.

21. Anaheim Ducks (Last Week 18) 

The Ducks finally put an end to their four-game losing streak. It appears changes are coming with Anaheim with Rickard Rakell, Josh Manson, and Hampus Lindholm all on the move. Their playoff chances are slipping away to their freeway rivals.

22. Detroit Red Wings (Last Week 22) 

The Red Wings are still in striking distance of the second wild-card spot. Even with Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider producing as they are, goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is holding them back. If he could only rekindle the magic he had with the Hurricanes. Detroit has to hope this was just a one-off.

23. New York Islanders (Last Week 21) 

Time is just running out for the Islanders to make a run to make the playoffs in the East. You can’t lose to the Sabres and Canadiens after beating the Bruins and expect to make the playoffs. The Islanders just could not ever get a run going. Now we wait and see what they do at the deadline.

24. San Jose Sharks (Last Week 24)

The Sharks window for making the playoffs in the West is starting to shrink 10 points as the trade deadline approaches. It is time to look towards getting a contract extension done for Tomas Hertl. If they can’t get one done, maybe he is moved at the deadline.

25. Ottawa Senators (Last Week 25) 

The Senators are playing much better but have run into the injury bug. Josh Norris, Drake Batherson are joined by Matt Murray and Thomas Chabot. It is all about the future for Ottawa.

26. Chicago Blackhawks (Last Week 27) 

The Chicago Blackhawks will be an interesting team at the Trade Deadline as they have so many available players. There is even talk about maybe moving on from Patrick Kane? This team will look a lot different next year.

27. Buffalo Sabres (Last Week 28) 

The Sabres have two nice pieces to build around going forward with Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch. Add to the fact they are effective with Jeff Skinner that is a pretty good topline. Now throw Tage Thompson into the mix, Sabres are playing well. 

28. New Jersey Devils (Last Week 29) 

The Devils have been off for a week and moved up and this is because the team’s behind them did not impress. New Jersey is making noise in the trade market, but hopefully, the rest did them some good. We know Dougie Hamilton is coming back let’s see about Mackenzie Blackwood.

29. Arizona Coyotes (Last Week 30)

How about Phil Kessel? He has four points in his last three games. The Coyotes are playing for pride this season. They already made one move is Kessel the next domino to fall or is Jakob Chychrun the next to go?

30. Montreal Canadiens (Last Week 32) 

The Canadiens are playing much better under Martin St. Louis. Montreal has won three straight games and Cole Caufield is getting back into the action of scoring goals. He has six goals on the season and four in his last five games.

31. Philadelphia Flyers (Last Week 31) 

The Flyers have dropped five straight games and there is noise picking up not only about Claude Giroux, but others players as well including Justin Braun.

32. Seattle Kraken (Last Week 26) 

Losers of four straight the Seattle Kraken are at the bottom of the NHL Power Rankings. It should come as no shock. This team was drafted poorly, the signings have not worked out and oh yeah their head coach is not the right guy for this team.

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