NHL Power Rankings: Flames Surge Continues To The Top

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

The trade deadline is just 12 days away now. And all the talk is about the Wild Wild Western Conference. There are five teams battling for the final two playoff spots. In addition, if you are a team in second place in either the Central or Pacific you can find yourself in the hunt for the wild card spot with the snap of a figure. If you did not think the Calgary Flames were for real think again. This team is a top contender for the Stanley Cup and is atop this week’s NHL Power Rankings.  Time to find out what other changes there was this week.

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

NHL Power Rankings

1. Calgary Flames (Last Week 2) 

No surprise the Flames sit at number one. Calgary beat Colorado over the weekend and continues to play great under head coach Darryl Sutter. Tyler Toffoli has been a welcome addition with seven goals in 10 games since the trade.

2. Colorado Avalance (Last Week 1) 

The Avalanche fall a spot this week in the rankings. No surprise really considering the inconsistencies between the pipes. The Avalanche can dominate their opponent at will, but recently they have been struggling to hold onto leads.

3. Tampa Bay Lighting (Last Week 3) 

The Lightning are showing they have what it takes to win another Stanley Cup this season. Realistically, the only team that can stop Tampa is Tampa themselves.

4. Florida Panthers (Last Week 6)

The Panthers have shown the ability to be able to stop a losing streak as they have won four straight games and have looked good doing so. Spencer Knight has found his game again and this has allowed Sergei Bobrovsky to get some much-needed rest. Is Jonathan Huberdeau the most underappreciated player in the league?

5. Carolina Hurricanes(Last Week 4)

The Hurricanes are showing why they have a legit shot to win the Stanley Cup this season. They know how to overcome adversity. Andrei Svechnikov has that winners mentality. The key for Carolina is what they do at the trade deadline. What is a position of need for them?

6. New York Rangers (Last Week 11) 

Look who is back in the top 10 of this week’s NHL Power Rankings. If Igor Shesterkin does not win the Vezina Trophy it is a crying shame. There is talk he could be a Hart Trophy candidate too. He definitely has a case to be nominated. Oh yeah, how about that Chris Kreider fella who has 38 goals on the season.

7. Boston Bruins (Last Week 8) 

The Bruins are rounding into form as a top contender to make a run in the Eastern Conference. They have all the right pieces in place. Jeremy Swayman is playing excellent as he has put himself in contention to win the Calder Trophy for the rookie of the year.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins (Last Week 9)

The Penguins are another team that when you think they are out they pull you right back in. Sidney Crosby has 20 points in his last 14 games. Just remarkable to think and watch.

9. Los Angeles Kings (Last Week 10) 

After losing two straight, the Kings have bounced back nicely winning three straight games. That is what good teams do. They know how to stop the bleeding. Now the question for the Kings is who do they get at the deadline.

10. Dallas Stars (Last Week 12) 

The Stars are now tied for third in the Central Division. Jason Robertson has hat tricks in back-to-back games as he has seven goals in his last three games. He along with Joe Pavelski are driving the Stars offence. Dallas has won seven of its last 10 games.

11. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last Week 5) 

It was a tough week for the Maple Leafs. There are real issues defensively for this team. While everyone wants to blame goaltending, structurally something is not right. Too many holes. This has to be addressed at the deadline.

12. Las Vegas Golden Knights (Last Week 14)

Maybe Vegas is finally to start to figure things out. Jack Eichel looks like the player of old and Robin Lehner is starting to round into form. Once this team gets healthy lookout.

13. St.Louis Blues (Last Week 7) 

The Blues did not have the best of weeks going through the New York/New Jersey area losing all three games. And now they return home with a loss. St. Louis is heading in the wrong direction and find itself in the wild card hunt.

14. Washington Capitals (Last Week 16) 

The Capitals are getting rock-solid goaltending from Vitek Vanecek once again. Maybe the Capitals do not have to get a goalie at the deadline considering the GM feels this team may not be built to make a run this year.

15. Minnesota Wild (Last Week 13) 

3-8 in their last 11 games is not going to cut it for the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have some serious goaltending issues to overcome. Not to mention the offence that was hot has gone cold.

16. Nashville Predators (Last Week 15) 

Nashville is barely hanging on to one of two wild-card spots in the Western Conference. The offence finally showed up to beat up a bad team in San Jose. But losses to Seattle can’t happen. They got a much-needed two points against a divisional opponent.

17. Columbus Blue Jackets (Last Week 17) 

Columbus is still right there in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Realistically it will be tough for the Jackets to get in. But they are keeping Washington within striking distance so anything is possible. Columbus is so tough to play against especially on home ice.

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18. Vancouver Canucks (Last Week 18) 

The Canucks are still in the heart of things in the West. J.T. Miller who was thought to be traded at the deadline may not be traded now as the Canucks may look to trade other players. Miller is on a nine-game point streak with six goals 11 assists in those nine games.

19. Edmonton Oilers (Last Week 19) 

The Oilers are just making things difficult for themselves. They had a chance to maintain a wild card spot and could not do it. There is no shame losing to Montreal right now, but true playoff teams do not lose the games they need to win to get in.

20. Winnipeg Jets(Last Week 20) 

There are some interesting times ahead for the Winnipeg Jets. If this team does not make the playoffs, does management decide to blow it up? It is hard to see them doing it at the deadline.

21. Anaheim Ducks (Last Week 21) 

The Anaheim Ducks were such a nice story this season. Eventually, this team will be a contender again. With contract talks heating up with  Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and Rickard Rakell you have to wonder if only one player of the three gets moved.

22. Montreal Canadiens (Last Week 24)

The Montreal Canadiens continue to climb up the rankings. After losing to Winnipeg the Canadiens bounced back with wins against Calgary and Edmonton. You have to wonder what the return for some of these players will be.

23. Detroit Red Wings (Last Week 22) 

The Detroit Red Wings have so much hope going forward. Mortiz Seider just had an eight-game point streak snapped. This kid looks so comfortable in the NHL. What a great draft pick this was by Steve Yzerman and company.

24. New York Islanders (Last Week 23) 

The Islanders still have the belief they are in the hunt for the playoffs. But let’s be realistic here time has run out. This team has yet to make us believe they can go on a run to propel them into the playoffs.

25. Arizona Coyotes (Last Week 29)

Who is this Arizona Coyotes team? The team has scored 17 goals in two games and Nick Schmaltz has recorded points on 11 of those 17 goals including seven points against Ottawa.

26. New Jersey Devils (Last Week 28) 

The Devils are showing to be a gritty team. When they are clicking on all cylinders they can play with any team in the league. Just imagine if they can get help for Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes.

27. Chicago Blackhawks (Last Week 26) 

The Chicago Blackhawks have a nice trio for the future of Patrick Kane, Dylan Strome, and Alex DeBrincat. Just imagine if they kept them together all season.

28. Ottawa Senators (Last Week 25) 

Prior to their win on Tuesday night, the Senators had lost five in a row. The Senators might have found their goalie of the future in Anton Forsberg. They need to keep around for the future.

29. Buffalo Sabres (Last Week 30) 

Buffalo had a decent week. Wins over Minnesota and Toronto will bolster any team’s confidence. The good times can’t last forever and it did not for the Sabres.

30. San Jose Sharks(Last Week 27) 

The Sharks have lost three straight games in a row now and their playoff hopes have all but extinguished as the team heads towards the deadline. The question will be can they re-sign Tomas Hertl. 

31. Philadelphia Flyers (Last Week 31) 

The Flyers have just won two of their last 10 games. Teams will be waiting on the Flyers for what they decide to do with Justin Braun and Claude Giroux.

32. Seattle Kraken (Last Week 32) 

The Kraken continue to show why they are an expansion team. Good for Jared McCann getting a new five-year, $25 million deal. But they have bigger issues to fill than keeping McCann.

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