The All-Star Break draws closer and closer and with it comes the feeling of playoffs being right around the corner. There’s less than half a season left to go and every team is biting and clawing their way into the postseason, although not much has changed ranking wise over the last week. Let’s take a look.
32. San Jose Sharks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Sharks are still the bottom of the barrel and it’s likely they’ll remain there for the rest of the season. Just two wins in their last 17 games is a very depressing statistic. They’re en route to finishing the season with less than fifty points.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
While they’re not the bottom of the barrel, they’re certainly not much better. The only upside to this season besides Connor Bedard is that Cole Guttman has recently emerged as a budding young star.
30. Anaheim Ducks (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Anaheim cannot score goals. It’s been an issue that’s plagued them all season, but to be fair it’s far from the only issue that’s holding them down. The blueprint for the Ducks is slowly coming together, it’s just going to take more time.
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29. Ottawa Senators (Previous rank: Unchanged)
We’ve said disappointing a lot for Ottawa, but another word that comes to mind is frustrating. You can see the talent on the team, but they somehow always find a way to lose. They led Colorado 4-2 and allowed five straight goals to lose 7-4.
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Elvis Merzlikins finally played again, and he still looks decent. The netminder requested a trade in December, clearly frustrated with the situation in Columbus and who can really blame him. Just another issue in the long list for the Jackets.
27. Minnesota Wild (Previous rank: Unchanged)
There was a brief glimmer of hope for Minnesota, but that quickly faded away as they’re back to playing the way they started the season. At least they can look back and fondly remember Fleury moving to number two in the all time wins list.
26. Montreal Canadiens (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Jake Allen finally played again, and got his first win since December 18. This team has potential, they just need a few more pieces to bring it all together. Hopefully some big deadline moves are on the horizon.
25. Buffalo Sabres (Previous rank: 24)
It may be time to close the curtain on this disappointing Buffalo season. All signs point to yet another playoff miss, despite all the talent and hope that this team brought into the year.
24. St. Louis Blues (Previous rank: 23)
The Blues managed to have a fairly successful road trip, which is great news considering how awful they’ve been on the road this season. They’ll have to keep it up though if they still want a chance to compete for a playoff berth.
23. New York Islanders (Previous rank: 18)
Every week, the Islanders drop further and further away from a playoff berth. The problem isn’t hard to spot, they cannot score goals. Their inability to score has been detrimental to a team that’s just not as fast as the others.
22. Washington Capitals (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Not much has changed for the Caps even after losing Ovechkin to injury. He wasn’t producing at his normal rate anyways, and this team still can’t score goals without him. At least the goaltending has been good.
21. Calgary Flames (Previous rank: 25)
The Flames have won four straight and put themselves in position to make a playoff push. They did this without the help of Jakob Markstrom and Jonathan Huberdeau as well, which is a great sign for Calgary.
20. Seattle Kraken (Previous rank: 15)
After a 13 game point streak, Seattle has found themselves in another hole. They’ve lost four in a row and are in danger of losing the ground that their point streak allowed them to gain. They’ll have to find that footing and fast.
19. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previous rank: 21)
The Pens are far from out of it, but they definitely have some work to do. With the great play of their vets and goalie Tristan Jarry, there’s a decent chance, but they’ll have to get more help from the rest of the roster.
18. Arizona Coyotes (Previous rank: 17)
The Coyotes have struggled a bit as of late, going 2-5-0 in their last seven games, however their confidence hasn’t wavered. The offense has still been good, they just need to find a way to put it together and get points.
17. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previous rank: 19)
The Bolts had an explosion of goals across their last three wins as well as a bit of a return to form for longtime goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. They’ve done this multiple times throughout the season however, so it’s yet to be seen if they can keep it up.
16. Nashville Predators (Previous rank: Unchanged)
Their 4-1 loss to Vegas was their first loss in regulation, which ended a 7 game point streak for the Preds. This team hasn’t faltered as the playoffs draw closer and closer, their goal very clearly in mind. Let’s see if they can hold on.
15. New Jersey Devils (Previous rank: Unchanged)
The Devils cannot escape injuries this season as Brendan Smith is now out as well. Their depth has been tested and for the most part it has held up decently well. That’s a testament to how strong this roster really is.
14. Detroit Red Wings (Previous rank: 15)
The Red Wings lost Patrick Kane against Toronto and it’s hard to tell just how long he’ll be out. Luckily the Red Wings have other players like Dylan Larkin who are playing just as well.
13. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previous rank: 14)
The Maple Leafs are winless in four games and it’s a pretty good example of how January has gone for this team. They’re quickly losing standing in the division and they really have to stop the bleeding soon.
12. Los Angeles Kings (Previous rank: 11)
It’s been a rough month to say the least for LA. They only have two wins in their last 12 games. David Rittich has played well as has Cam Talbot, but this team is struggling to hold onto leads and score goals in crucial moments.
11. Philadelphia Flyers (Previous rank: 12)
The Flyers have lost their last two, but their five game winning streak beforehand was enough to help hold on to their place in the division. This is a team that wants to prove everyone wrong and show what they’re made of.
10. Carolina Hurricanes (Previous rank: 8)
A nine game point streak came crashing to an end as Carolina ended up being the team to end LA’s eight game losing streak. Now they’ve lost two of their last three, but nothing too alarming quite yet. They can still easily come back from this.
9. Vegas Golden Knights (Previous rank: 10)
The Knights may not be as invulnerable as they were when they started the year, but this team still has all the makings of a champion. January hasn’t gone quite the way they wished it too, but this team can be expected to bounce back.
8. Dallas Stars (Previous rank: 7)
The Stars are struggling to keep ground with the other two Central leading teams. They’re not compiling very many win streaks and seem to struggle against better competition. We’ll see if they can pull it together.
7. Edmonton Oilers (Previous rank: 9)
The Oilers are on a franchise record 13 game winning streak. They’re the hottest team in hockey right now and they’ve pulled themselves from the bottom of the barrel and into playoff contention. They have momentum on their side and the world ahead of them if they can continue winning games.
6. New York Rangers (Previous rank: 5)
The Rangers have struggled lately to say the least. Despite continued great play from goalies Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, the Rangers are struggling to find ways to win games. Their once giant lead on the Metro division has faded very fast.
5. Colorado Avalanche (Previous rank: 6)
The Avs find themselves back in the top 5 on the wave of just being consistent. They’re not blowing anyone away with double digit winning streaks, but they’re hunkering down and getting points and locking away a playoff spot for themselves.
4. Florida Panthers (Previous rank: 3)
The Panthers had one mission this season: prove they weren’t a flash in the pan. They’ve proven it and then some as they sit not too far behind the Bruins for the lead in the Atlantic. They still need to translate this into playoff success however.
3. Vancouver Canucks (Previous rank: 4)
It’s always scary to declare a rebuild over, as you never know if it’s just a brief surge or if the team is actually together. As of now, it certainly looks like Vancouver has it together. There’s a lot of season to be had, but these young lads have done nothing but impress.
2. Boston Bruins (Previous rank: 1)
A four game winning streak and a five game point streak has allowed Boston to maintain their hold on the Atlantic division. They’ve been a fun team to watch this year as they continue to impress at every turn. Fans have seen enough regular season success though, they want this team to win a Cup.
1. Winnipeg Jets (Previous rank: 2)
The underdogs have made it. Winnipeg started the season slow and steady, and when the time came they exploded towards the top of their division and the top of the league. With no signs of slowing down, the sky’s the limit for this scrappy squad.
