Think the Los Angeles Kings are coasting with the Pacific Division title? Think again! The San Jose Sharks are just seven points behind in the standings, and there are still two months before the season is over. The heated California rivalry is going to get very interesting as we head down the home stretch. Do not overlook the Anaheim Ducks, either. They made a jump in the NHL Power Rankings after three straight wins over the Pacific’s elite and are just one point behind the Sharks.
1. Washington Capitals (78 points)
Last week: 1 (74 points)
The juggernaut continues to coast. After the Panthers caught fire in the Verizon Center, the Capitals got some key goals late in each of their last two wins. Of course, Alex Ovechkin got both of them; he scored with 2:40 left in regulation to sink the Islanders and clinched the win in New Jersey with a “motorcycle kick” shootout goal. Despite playing 22 games in Colorado in the previous two seasons, Paul Carey got his first career goal with under six minutes to play in regulation to send the Devils-Caps game into extra time.
2. Chicago Blackhawks (76 points)
Last week: 2 (70 points)
Chicago’s beatdown on Dallas reveals a lot. This is the Blackhawks’ division to lose from here on out. Their week was marvelous, with wins over Colorado and Arizona before the big win in Texas. Artemi Panarin had a goal and five assists this week, including three assists in Glendale.
3. Dallas Stars (71 points)
Last week: 3 (67 points)
They are likely making the playoffs, but they could use a tightrope at this point. They needed two Tyler Seguin goals to stave off Winnipeg and an overtime goal from John Klingberg to leave the Centennial State with two points. Then they got whipped at home against Chicago.
4. Florida Panthers (68 points)
Last week: 5 (63 points)
The Panthers were THIS CLOSE to finishing the week flawless. After blowout wins against Washington and Detroit, they had a 2-0 lead over Pittsburgh with over five minutes remaining in regulation. Unfortunately, they lost the lead and Kris Letang made them pay in overtime. He may not be the most popular veteran in South Beach, but Jussi Jokinen is scorching. He has at least a point in six straight games, tallying two goals and six assists in that span.
5. St. Louis Blues (68 points)
Last week: 4 (64 points)
The Blues used a big second period to bury the Wild, but Florida jumps them because they were simply more impressive. The Blues won 1-0 to Nashville, but they were lost in their 3-1 loss to the Sharks, which were just throttled in Nashville. Jay Bouwmeester has been rock solid on defense this season, and the number three pick in the 2002 Draft scored his second goal of the season in the loss to San Jose.
6. Los Angeles Kings (65 points)
Last week: 6 (63 points)
Disappointing week for LA. Their offense was unstoppable in Glendale, but Anaheim came into Staples Center and took over early. The Kings’ lead in the Pacific Division is beginning to fade with the Sharks just seven points behind, and LA now has to play out east. The Rangers, Capitals, and Blues are included on the seven-game road trip, so the Sharks (or even the Ducks) could tighten the gap even further the next couple of weeks. Vincent LeCavalier has had a revival in LA after playing just seven games with Philly this season. His goal in Arizona was his fifth goal in a month with the Kings.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (62 points)
Last week: 8 (58 points)
Their first two games coming out of the All-Star Break have been masterful. Ben Bishop held the Red Wings to just one goal in the first game, and the Lightning offense lit up Marc-Andre Fleury and the Penguins with six goals in the second game. Getting Onderj Palat healthy and contributing consistently will be key for the Lightning to return to the Stanley Cup Finals, and he has two goals and an assist since the break after lifting the Lightning’s offense against Pittsburgh.
8. New York Rangers (63 points)
Last week: 9 (59 points)
It was not the cleanest week ever, but it was good enough for four points in three games. After blowing a third period lead to New Jersey, they got a comeback win over the struggling Wild and a big shootout win over Philadelphia. They look to gain a comfortable margin for second in the Metropolitan Division with New Jersey and Pittsburgh on the schedule. J.T. Miller is threatening to be the next star in the Big Apple, for he now has eight goals in nine games.
9. Detroit Red Wings (60 points)
Last week: 7 (58 points)
The Florida road trip was a disaster, for they were outscored 9-4 in what was an opportunity to be a part of the division elite. How did they respond? They took their frustrations out on the lifeless Islanders with a 5-1 win. They are now tied for the Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division and need to step their game up to avoid a stressful March/April. Dylan Larkin continues to make his case for the Calder Trophy. He had two goals in Sunrise and one against New York. He also had three assists in the All-Star game.
10. Boston Bruins (62 points)
Last week: 11 (57 points)
What could have been. Their first three games after the break were against Toronto and Buffalo. That should have been an easy six points, but apparently the Bruins are afraid of winning in TD Garden (An unacceptable 12-13-3 at home). They lost in overtime to the Leafs and needed a shootout and overtime goal to defeat Buffalo twice. Habs fans look away. Your favorite player, Brad Marchand, got four goals in those three games, including a highlight reel goal in Buffalo to tie the game and send it to extra time. He then topped the week off with a game-winning penalty shot in overtime.
11. San Jose Sharks (58 points)
Last week: 12 (56 points)
They were firing on all cylinders against the Blues, but they could not tie it up late in Anaheim. Then things got ugly in Tennessee. They only got two points this week, but they are in prime position to catch the Kings with a big February and March coming up. Winning the division would be huge considering how brutal their December was. Joe Thornton scored in both the St. Louis and Nashville games, giving him double digit goals for the season.
12. New York Islanders (58 points)
Last week: 10 (56 points)
Their schedule was not easy coming out of the break, but they are clearly not as good as previously advertised. Beating Minnesota is turning into a commonplace event, and the Islanders blew an opportunity in D.C. when Alex Ovechkin fired the game-winner late. The Islanders were nowhere to be found in their 5-1 loss in Detroit on Saturday. With a goal in games against Minnesota and Detroit, John Tavares is now leading the team in points.
13. New Jersey Devils (59 points)
Last week: 15 (55 points)
They got a huge home victory over the Rangers, but their last two games showed that the Devils need help with their shootout skills. They lost to both Toronto and Washington in shootouts this week and are 2-6 in shootouts this season. Perhaps it would benefit them if Reid Boucher, Jacob Josefson, and Joseph Blandisi did not go up against TJ Oshie (the international king of shootouts, himself), Evgeny Kuznetsov, and the Great 8. Talk about a mismatch.
14. Colorado Avalanche (58 points)
Last week: 13 (57 points)
It must be a coincidence that the Avalanche and UFC were at the same time. Colorado turned their loss against the Jets into an all-out melee. In recap, Cody McLeod got a five-minute fighting major in the first and Patrick Roy was penalized for “abuse of official” (Not bad, Roy, not bad) in the second period. Then there was the third period. Tyson Barrie got five for fighting, Gabriel Landeskog and Nick Holden had roughing penalties, and Blake Comeau exploded on Mark Scheifele, resulting in a two-minute roughing and ten-minute misconduct penalty. It is no coincidence that the Avalanche were frustrated, since they got just one point against Chicago, Dallas, and Winnipeg.
15. Pittsburgh Penguins (59 points)
Last week: 14 (55 points)
All is well in Pittsburgh when Sidney Crosby gets a hat trick, but the Pens were doubled up in Tampa. It looked like yet another Florida road trip was going to go rogue (That seems to be a theme lately), but Kris Letang saved the day. He scored the first Pittsburgh goal against the Panthers and then won the game in overtime for a huge comeback win. The Penguins are now third in the Metropolitan Division.
16. Nashville Predators (58 points)
Last week: 16 (56 points)
Their first two games following the All-Star break were bad. That made their contest against the Sharks super important with Washington in their sights. They went on to win 6-2 for what may have been a must win. Ryan Johansen had two assists in the win, and he now has three goals and ten assists since the trade. Certainly a welcome site for him and the Nashville offense.
17. Carolina Hurricanes (56 points)
Last week: 17 (54 points)
The Canes were smothered in Calgary, but their offense looked much better in Winnipeg. Andrej Nestrasil had an assist in three straight games before the break, and he continued his torrid production pace with two goals against the Jets, including the game clincher after Winnipeg nearly came back from four goals down.
18. Anaheim Ducks (57 points)
Last week: 22 (51 points)
Make it six wins a row! The Ducks are getting hot at the right time, and they are now just one point behind the Sharks for second in the Pacific Division. Simply put, it is a good time be a California hockey fan, and Anaheim knocked out the other two teams this week before throttling Arizona at home. It will be hard for Patrick Maroon to match his totals from last season (9 goals and 25 assists) because he only has two goals and nine assists this season, but at least he going in the right direction after a goal and two assists against the Coyotes and one assist against the Sharks.
19. Philadelphia Flyers (55 points)
Last week: 23 (50 points)
Being seventh in the Metropolitan Division is not as bad as it seems. After getting five points this week, they are just a couple victories away from entering the playoff picture. This would be a shocking turn of events in the NHL, and Philly could add believers if they can best the Capitals on Sunday. With two assists against Nashville, 2012 first round pick Scott Laughton has four goals and ten assists this season and could be in position for a breakout season next year.
20. Minnesota Wild (55 points)
Last week: 18 (55 points)
They are so cold that the fans walk outside just to warm up. They have just one win in 11 games, and all facets of their game look lowly. Their 4-2 loss to the Rangers was a real shot to the mouth. They were outshot 30-18. Henrik Lundqvist has no problem when facing such few shots. The saddest part of that loss was that they were tied up in the third period.
21. Arizona Coyotes (54 points)
Last week: 16 (53 points)
¡Muy Malo! The Coyotes lost three straight games to the Kings, Hawks, and Ducks, and Jonathan Toews finished Arizona in overtime in what was the only close game for the Coyotes. They have dug a hole in the division. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a goal and two assists to help the Coyotes salvage one point in the Chicago game.
22. Ottawa Senators (54 points)
Last week: 19 (52 points)
Defense was a federal disaster this week. They gave up 13 goals in TWO games and look like a guaranteed lottery pick. Things were mended, at least temporarily, with a much needed shellacking of the Maple Leafs. Defenseman Cody Ceci was sharp in a losing effort in Pittsburgh, with a goal and an assist. His fellow defenseman Erik Karlsson got four assists in the win over Toronto. He is now second in the NHL in points.
23. Vancouver Canucks (52 points)
Last week: 21 (51 points)
They share the bottom three with Edmonton and Calgary, but Vancouver differs in that they have yet to reach rebuilding mode. So while Calgary and Edmonton are on the rise, the Canucks could be on their way to being the worst team in the Pacific Division. They could only get one point, and one goal, in two home games against two of the bottom teams in the league: Calgary and Columbus. I would give a player update, but do any of them deserve one?
24. Montreal Canadiens (54 points)
Last week: 24 (52 points)
The fans of Quebec are still showing up, but the team is still dormant. Their only form of life lately has been their 5-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers. They need more than that to save a season their rival Maple Leafs can relate to. Tomas Plekanec led the charge in the win, scoring a goal and three assists. It was his first goal in eight games.
25. Calgary Flames (49 points)
Last week: 26 (45 points)
When do we call curtains on the Flames? Not yet. Losing to Columbus at home let air out of the “hot”-air balloon (Another bad joke. I know.), but they came out on top against Carolina and Vancouver. As long as the young guns continue to “fire” like mad, there is always a chance for a comeback. Sean Monahan had a week to remember, with two goals and four assists coming out of the break. This included a goal and three assists to carry Calgary over the Hurricanes.
26. Winnipeg Jets (49 points)
Last week: 25 (47 points)
Growing pains. Conor Hellebuyck had issues this week, giving up four goals against Dallas and three goals, in 4:33, against the Canes. Michael Hutchinson replaced him and gave up just four combined goals in the Hurricanes and Avalanche game. It probably will not give him the starting spot, but Hutchinson is certainly a reliable backup for any team. With him, Hellebuyck, and Ondrej Pavelec on the roster, it will be interesting to see which goalie is the odd man out. In my opinion, Hellebuyck is definitely not it.
27. Edmonton Oilers (47 points)
Last week: 28 (43 points)
Their East Coast swing was looking legendary after a 7-2 thrashing in Ottawa that followed a 5-1 thrashing at home against Columbus. Then reality set in after losing to Montreal (Ugh). They at least can pass the Flames next week and exit the Pacific Division cellar. Jordan Eberle had three goals and two assists in his first two games after the break, and Connor McDavid has returned to action after missing three months.
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (47 points)
Last week: 29 (43 points)
The floodgates have officially opened. After a lousy loss in Edmonton, the Jackets responded with two consecutive 2-1 victories over Vancouver and Calgary. Joonas Korpisalo is looking like the hottest goalie in the NHL right now, with 67 saves in 69 shots in those two wins. Questions are continuing to rise about whether Sergei Bobrovsky can be reliable moving forward, and if Korpisalo continues to impress, the door may be closer than expected.
29. Toronto Maple Leafs (47 points)
Last week: 30 (43 points)
They got two extra time wins over Boston and New Jersey to play spoiler, but it does the franchise no good when a logo modification is the most newsworthy story of the year. The goalie carousel continues to give Toronto fans headaches. James Reimer had had a decent week, but he was pulled less than ten minutes into the game against the Senators.
30. Buffalo Sabres (48 points)
Last week: 27 (44 points)
The opportunities have been there. They got the win in Montreal, but they had two golden opportunities to build on it in a home-and-home against Boston. Instead, they lost in two extra time thrillers. With no clear “worst team” anymore, the Sabres are at the bottom due to their lack of experience, which may have had a factor in those two Boston games. Robin Lehner returned in January after being injured in the first game of the season. He has only given up more than two goals once since his return, and his season GAA is hovering around 2.2.