The NHL’s western conference was the first to have every playoff spot clinched. However, seeding was finished after the last game of the regular season. Many wonder if either of last year’s conference finals participants can replicate their success and represent the west in a championship slugfest. The conference wants to win the Stanley Cup two years in a row. Winnipeg improved this season and drew an easier first round opponent. Vancouver and Edmonton have enough balance on offense and defense to shake a series in their favor.Finally, Vegas has returned to their Stanley Cup champion selves after serious roster moves before their playoff run. Only four teams will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#6 Los Angeles Kings v. #4 Edmonton Oilers
For the third year in a row, captains Connor McDavid (left) and Anze Kopitar (right) square off in the first round.
It’s the third year in a row these teams will play each other in round one. Los Angeles has a top three defense and penalty kill but the offense has struggled to play past quick transition. That’s a bad game-plan against the improved Oilers defense.
The Kings have struggled this season to consistently beat Edmonton’s goaltender duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. While Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has improved the defense, the offense isn’t one dimensional scoring from captain Connor McDavid and former MVP Leon Draisaitl anymore. Forward Zach Hyman and defenseman Evan Bouchard will frustrate the Los Angeles defense.
Prediction: Oilers win series 4-2
#5 Colorado Avalanche v. #3 Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg showed audiences in their April 13th 7-0 thumping over the Avalanche that Colorado’s depth on both offense and defense is strained.
This pick will either be bullseye accurate or stunningly wrong due to how the Jets mauled Colorado in Ball Arena April 13th. Winnipeg’s mindset has shifted and they looked ready for the playoffs after their remaining regular season games. The Jets are getting depth scoring from centers Sean Monahan and Adam Lowry, forwards Tyler Toffoli, Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi, and defensemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo.
Colorado’s scoring depth fizzles out once the first line of Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Mikko Rantanen don’t tally points. It’s concerning goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has played tired most of April. Winnipeg has to take advantage of these weaknesses and quickly eliminate the Avalanche.
Prediction: Jets win series 4-1
#7 Nashville Predators v. #2 Vancouver Canucks
Hits reminiscent of Dakota Joshua’s on Alexandre Carrier in the regular season will be a common theme in this playoff series.
Vancouver surprised many with their consistent, quality play even when starting goaltender Thatcher Demko was injured the last few months of the regular season. Their reward: drawing the hottest wildcard team in either conference.
Nashville’s been one of the league’s best teams since the March seventh trade deadline. More importantly, the pairing of Ryan McDonagh and Roman Josi has both stabilized the defense and opened up scoring opportunities in transition offense. McDonagh’s playoff success on defense combined with former captain and Stanley Cup champion center Ryan O’Reilly on offense presents more of a challenge to the Canucks.
Vancouver can counter some of the Predators optimism with the return of Demko in net. Playoff-mode Thatcher Demko was feared after his 2020 miracle series loss against Vegas. Coach Rick Tocchet’s mentality mirrors former coach and current general manager Barry Trotz. Nashville knows how to play with and against this thought process well. Coach Andrew Brunette will challenge and want his players to hit and bully the Canucks stars. The physical play will throw Vancouver’s scoring leaders off their game and make them play a brand of hockey no one’s challenged them to all season.
Western conference upset prediction: Predators win series 4-2
#8 Vegas Golden Knights v. #1 Dallas Stars
Dallas is the favorite this time but the return of playoff-mode Jonathan Marchessault (81) does boost Vegas’ championship chances.
The best first round matchup in the conference. In a rematch of last year’s conference finals, this time Dallas has home ice and touts both a top five offense and top ten defense. The Stars might be the most complete team in the league with eight 20+ goal scorers on the roster.
The Golden Knights are fortunate to have the defensive depth to counter. Captain Mark Stone returns and the newly acquired Tomas Hertl is playing better since he returned from injuring his left knee. Similar to last year’s postseason matchup, Vegas has bigger defensemen and more overall depth than Dallas, but the goaltending has been inconsistent for the Golden Knights. Jake Oettinger might be the best netminder in the conference while Logan Thompson and Adin Hill could split starts, throwing off Vegas’ defensive rhythm.
Prediction: Stars win series 4-2
Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2
The 2023-24 NBA regular season ended on a high note for the eastern conference. New York clinched the second seed in their final game before the play-in tournament. Indiana and Orlando are young teams that exceeded expectations and will use this postseason to learn how to improve for future playoff appearances. Most believe the east is Boston’s to lose. Milwaukee’s inconsistency even before hiring new coach Doc Rivers solidifies this belief. Regardless, four talented and competitive teams will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#8 Miami Heat v. #1 Boston Celtics
While Jayson Tatum (left) will have one of the best statistical series of his career, it’s up to Miami’s Tyler Herro (right) to keep the Heat close in each game.
This couldn’t be a more lopsided series. Miami’s without star forward Jimmy Butler against the league’s best team. Boston’s starting five and their dangerous scoring depth makes this a one-sided matchup. No matter how well the Heat play, the Celtics will quickly advance to round two.
Prediction: Celtics win series 4-0
#6 Indiana Pacers v. #3 Milwaukee Bucks
Tyrese Haliburton (left) and the Pacers are heavily favored to sweep Giannis Antetokounmpo (right) and the Bucks after sweeping them in the regular season.
It’s not as easy a prediction Indiana will sweep their first round opponent like Boston will, but many expect it. Milwaukee didn’t win 50 games during the regular season after they hired Doc Rivers (they had 30 when Adrian Griffin was let go). The Bucks have regressed on defense since Jrue Holiday was traded to Portland for star point-guard Damian Lillard. Lillard’s also struggled shooting from three-point range most of the season.
Indiana decisively swept their central division rivals, and this was before they traded for forward Pascal Siakam mid-January. The Pacers averaged 123 points per game and were over 50% in field goal percentage in the regular season. Indiana never faced a dip in offensive production. That’s bad news for the Bucks.
Prediction: Pacers win series 4-0
#7 Philadelphia 76ers v. #2 New York Knicks
Former league MVP Joel Embiid’s still easing back into playing full-time minutes, but Isaiah Hartenstein and the Knicks have a shutdown defense that can frustrate Philadelphia.
This series would look different if 76ers franchise star center Joel Embiid was at full health and consistently playing 40 minutes a night. Since Embiid’s easing back into his major roles, New York will take advantage of this weakness and attack both the former MVP and Philadelphia’s complimentary players. Forward OG Anunoby and the guard duo of Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo will be too much for coach Nick Nurse’s adjustments.
Prediction: Knicks win series 4-1
#5 Orlando Magic v. #4 Cleveland Cavaliers
No matter who wins the series, both Paolo Banchero (5) and Donovan Mitchell (45) should play well and give audiences the best series of the first round.
The hardest series to decide a round one winner in either conference. Both Orlando and Cleveland are young and inexperienced, but play hard and are fun to watch. They have similar stats and both excel playing inside the three-point line. This will probably be a physical, seven game series.
If any side can claim an advantage, it would be the Cavaliers with guard Donovan Mitchell leading the offense. The Magic can counter with guard duo Gary Harris or Jalen Suggs, but it won’t be enough to contain Mitchell. Cleveland can counter Orlando’s star trio of Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr. and Franz Wagner with their trio of Evan Mobley, Max Strus and Jarrett Allen. This puts more pressure on Harris and Suggs to score more than Mitchell, but that will be hard to do each game.
Prediction: Cavaliers win series 4-3
Regular season eastern conference playoffs and play-in prediction record: 6-2
The 2023-24 NBA regular season ended in anticipation for a thrilling western conference playoff race. MVP runner-up Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are the favorites to make a deep run to the championship while the young Thunder and Timberwolves want to prove they can compete and beat the best veteran teams left. No one should underestimate the resurgence of New Orleans, and Phoenix is still the team everyone wants out in order for a fair chance at the finals. Four talented squads will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#7 Los Angeles Lakers v. #2 Denver Nuggets
Fans are blessed with another LeBron v. Jokic series, but it could mirror last year’s lopsided results after Denver’s game one win.
The easiest series out west. Nikola Jokic is an MVP front runner and his supporting cast of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope outmatch LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell. Lakers coach Darvin Ham struggled to adjust against Jokic and Denver’s offense in every second half of their regular season games. Don’t expect that to change in the series.
Prediction: Nuggets win series 4-0
#8 New Orleans Pelicans v. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder
If New Orleans wants to drag Oklahoma City into a long series, point-guard CJ McCollum (3) has to be their top playmaker.
Similar to Miami versus Boston in the east, New Orleans is without their star franchise player this series. Unlike the Heat, the Pelicans have a good amount of scoring depth to make their first round series fun. They’re also fortunate the west’s number one seed is both in their first playoff series and as young as the University of North Carolina’s basketball team.
If New Orleans has any chance of taking advantage of Oklahoma City’s young starting five, the veteran starters have to be their best players each game. Point-guard CJ McCollum has been phenomenal in previous playoff series, but he needs to get out of his scoring slump. Shooting guard Brandon Ingram and center Jonas Valanciunas can add more on offense and help slow down Thunder center Chet Holmgren and guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.
The number one seeded Thunder had a top three offense, but their youth will make this a longer series compared to a more experienced team like Denver or Phoenix. The Pelicans are desperate to stay in the playoffs long enough for franchise star Zion Williamson to return. It might not be enough to slow down a resurgent and determined team coached by Mark Daigneault.
Prediction: Thunder win series 4-2
#5 Dallas Mavericks v. #4 Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles forward duo Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will be a great counter to Dallas guard duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
This was the first clinched matchup before the regular season ended. The series stars are Los Angeles forward duo Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, while Dallas counters with guard duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Two factors will determine the winner: coaching and which team can slow down the other’s elite duo. James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Terance Mann can counter Doncic and Irving with how their offensive playmaking, but P.J. Washington Jr. and Daniel Gafford might struggle against George and Leonard if this series goes more than five games.
Coaching favors Tyronn Lue over Jason Kidd. Lue’s been in harder situations ranging from championship finals experience to roster depth issues in previous playoff rounds. His adjustments will determine how many games the Clippers can beat Dallas.
Prediction: Clippers win series 4-2
#6 Phoenix Suns v. #3 Minnesota Timberwolves
If Phoenix wants to replicate their regular season success against Minnesota, they must attack the interior early and often.
The Suns dominated the Timberwolves during the regular season. Yet Minnesota looks different with guard Anthony Edwards and center Rudy Gobert elevating the team’s nightly performances.
There’s no doubt Phoenix forward Kevin Durant will play some of his best postseason basketball, but he’ll need more help from guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, forward Grayson Allen and center Jusuf Nurkic. The Timberwolves match up well against Phoenix’s starting five. Point guard Mike Conley and center Naz Reid bring the needed veteran presence and scoring depth. It depends on how franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns continues to ease back into heavy minutes and if he comes off the bench compared to his regular starting role. If Towns continues coming in from the bench like he did in game one, Phoenix will have a hard time winning the series.
Prediction: Suns win series 4-2
Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 5-3
Every playoff series in the eastern conference was set almost a week before the regular season ended. In a surprising twist, Pittsburgh misses the playoffs for the second straight year and Detroit came up short despite a thrilling overtime win. Only Carolina and Tampa Bay acquired more than one major player by the trade deadline. The other six will rely on scoring depth and coaching changes to get through another tough postseason. Each team has their hands full against veteran playoff franchises wanting a championship appearance. It’s time to break down which four teams have the best chance of advancing to the second round.
#7 New York Islanders v. #2 Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina’s Seth Jarvis (24) was fun to watch throughout the regular season. He’ll have a tough time keeping up with New York’s Mathew Barzal (13).
Two months ago, it was inconceivable the Islanders wouldn’t just make the playoffs, but get as high as the seventh seed. New York won eight of their final ten regular season games and have adjusted to a postseason mindset led by center Mathew Barzal.
Unfortunately for the Islanders, they drew the red-hot Hurricanes. Goaltender Frederik Andersen is back to full health and the acquisitions of Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov are another layer of playoff depth few teams can counter. New York had a great run to end the regular season, but Carolina’s depth will overwhelm them early and often.
Prediction: Hurricanes win series 4-1
#8 Washington Capitals v. #1 New York Rangers
Jimmy Vesey and the Rangers offense will give Washington’s defense and Charlie Lindgren (79, white) problems.
The Capitals almost drew a favorable first round matchup against Carolina. Instead they drew the President’s Trophy winning (awarded to the team with the league’s best record) New York Rangers. The Rangers have a top five offense, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin is among the best at shutting down opposing offensive playmakers.
Washington coach Spencer Carbery has proven resourceful and will find ways to frustrate a deep, veteran New York offense to take some pressure off goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper. Don’t be surprised if this series lasts longer due to the Capitals new, scrappy mindset.
Prediction: Rangers win series 4-2
#5 Toronto Maple Leafs v. #4 Boston Bruins
Two original six franchises in another physical and mean first round series. This will be a ratings success.
The last power rankings discussed Toronto’s disadvantages facing any atlantic division rival in round one. Auston Matthews didn’t even get 70 goals in the regular season and the celebratory gift for the team is another first round matchup against their long-time rival Boston.
The Bruins have many advantages over their Canadian rival, but the big ones are the goaltending duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, and their home play versus their rivals. The Leafs netminder duo of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll are streaky and not ready to face a veteran team like Boston.
The latter advantage cements this pick. The Bruins are 7-0 against the Leafs (with total goals being 25-13) in their last seven games. Toronto’s also lost the last eight of nine games at TD Garden. While this series might go seven games, it’s clear who advances.
Prediction: Bruins win series 4-3
#6 Tampa Bay Lightning v. #3 Florida Panthers
The 1980s-1990s had the Battle of Alberta. The 2010s-2020s have the Battle of Florida. Like the winner of those glorious western conference series, the winner of these eastern matchups are favored to represent the conference in the Stanley Cup finals.
There’s nothing better than a state or provincial rivalry in the NHL playoffs. It’s juicier if both teams are heavily favored to reach the championship.
Coaching doesn’t get better than Jon Cooper versus Paul Maurice. Goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky will have games where they frustrate opposing offenses and give up four or more goals depending on how both teams attack the net. Both Florida teams again feature the best forward and center depth in the conference. One could say it’s a deadlock and the winner might be decided in game seven.
If there’s a decisive factor for which team advances, it’s defensive depth. Both Aaron Ekblad and Victor Hedman will return, but Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh, Erik Cernak, Matt Dumba and Calvin de Haan are a better core than Florida’s Gustav Forsling, Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov. The Panthers core defensive players will struggle whenever the Lightning have power-play opportunities.
Eastern conference upset prediction: Lightning win series 4-2
Regular season eastern conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2
Left winger Anthony Duclair won’t be an MVP candidate but he’s having another solid season. Duclair’s been an important player and face in the media.
After Wayne Simmonds retired last month, there are currently 34 black players in the NHL. Some notable players and starters include former 2020 second overall pick Quinton Byfield, K’Andre Miller and Seth Jones. A good number such as Ryan Reaves, Matt Dumba, Jordan Greenway and Kyle Okposo are found on third or fourth lines to provide stronger, physical presences or defend on the penalty kill.
There’s one who stands out the last five years in a class of his own. That would be forward Anthony ” “The Duke” Duclair. Duclair’s been on eight teams (including two this season) and has impressed on each one. From setting a franchise scoring record in 2019 with Ottawa to making a Stanley Cup finals appearance last year in Miami, Anthony Duclair is a hot name because of what teams look for and want in a forward.
After last year’s finals appearance with the Florida Panthers, Duclair was traded to San Jose for Steven Lorentz and a fifth round draft pick. Most NHL teams in a long-rebuild don’t trade draft picks unless it’s for a quality player. Anthony Duclair was a bright spot for San Jose despite the team’s offensive and defensive woes. He tallied 16 goals and eleven assists, averaging 16 minutes of ice time in 56 games on the worst team in the league. Cup contenders took note of Duclair’s efforts and many hockey news outlets had him going somewhere needing both scoring depth and veteran presence for deep playoff runs. Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois traded Jack Thompson and a 2024 third round pick for San Jose’s only quality player (who wasn’t injured) a day before the trade deadline.
The Lightning made one of the best trades at the deadline. Anthony Duclair has scored five goals and added four assists in the ten games played since March seventh. Coach Jon Cooper put Duclair on the first line with MVP favorite Nikita Kucherov and phenom center Brayden Point. They’ve won all but two games since the move, and one of the losses took overtime in Los Angeles. When coach Cooper was asked by the TNT panel before Tampa’s 3-1 home win against Boston on March 27th about what Duclair brought to the team Cooper replied, “He (Duclair) slots all the guys in spots they should be.” The most tenured coach in the NHL added that the Lightning looked at and heavily considered trading for him months ago. The decision has Tampa Bay six points back of Toronto for third in the Atlantic and at fifth place in the eastern conference. If the playoffs were held today, the Lightning would play the Leafs and possibly take the series to seven games.
It’s a big deal Anthony Duclair is coveted by multiple playoff contenders wanting a finals appearance. I wrote at the beginning there are 34 black players in the NHL, and while some of them are or will become stars, none of them have the unique career trajectory as Duclair. Quinton Byfield will probably be a star, but right now he’s injured while Los Angeles sputters. K’Andre Miller takes a backseat to multiple stars in New York while Ryan Reaves is known for physical play and fighting. There’s Seth and Caleb Jones, who are afterthoughts in Chicago. Most black players such as the aforementioned Okposo, Greenway and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare are depth players. Matt Dumba is the closest to receiving similar attention as Duclair, but he’s also on Tampa Bay and takes a backseat to defenseman Darren Raddysh.
Many black viewers have wanted to watch ice hockey for a long time but sadly haven’t been able to watch someone who looks like them elevate a team’s performance the way Matthew Tkachuk or Valeri Nichushkin have on Florida or Colorado. It’s why Anthony Duclair is a big deal. He’s been on title contending teams, makes everyone around him better while growing his game and sometimes sets a record. The NHL’s return to ESPN and ABC means more audiences are finally watching the first black hockey star in over a decade. Duclair’s 28 years old, so expect continued, growing interest from all kinds of viewers.
Forward Anthony Duclair (10) and center Brayden Point (21) lead a red-hot Tampa Bay power-play at 29%.
Here’s the April 2024 power rankings. These will be the last power rankings for the season due to the playoffs starting April 20th.
#32 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 31)
Many knew San Jose would be awful this season with a continued roster teardown. We’re witnessing a full rebuild that will take at least five years to construct. The Sharks best players are Logan Couture and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and they might not be around after 2024 with how San Jose needs high draft picks. This will be a long, painful process for northern California hockey fans.
#31 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)
Chicago’s had one of the best power-plays since March began. Number one overall pick Connor Bedard returning is a big factor for the team’s improvement, but Ryan Donato and Philipp Kurashev are peaking at a good time. Coach Luke Richardson might have saved his job for the rest of the calendar year.
#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 30)
General manager Pat Verbeek has a lot to consider once the season ends (if owner Henry Samueli doesn’t fire him). Many expect starting goaltender John Gibson to finally be traded, but who else will go before the 2024 draft? Coach Greg Cronin is probably done and free agency always has a lot of valuable talent wanting to sign with warmer climate teams. Anaheim has to get better than this season’s disaster.
#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 29)
Like the Ducks, Columbus will be a name to watch in the draft. As written last month, a new general manager means a new vision and ideas. The Blue Jackets could retool most of the roster centered around rookie center Dmitri Voronkov. We’ll find out what kind of revamp Columbus will have at the start of free agency.
#28 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 27)
This is a good time to look back to the 2018 draft where Montreal picked Jesperi Kotkaniemi ahead of Brady Tkachuk. How big was that move? To start, Kotkaniemi isn’t with the Canadiens anymore while the younger Tkachuk brother is Ottawa’s captain. It didn’t matter when Montreal made the 2020-2021 Stanley Cup finals, but every season besides that one shows how the Canadiens could use the extra goal scoring. Montreal is currently 27th in goals scored with 201. Ottawa is 15th with 235, and Tkachuk is the leading scorer with 33. If we wanted to transfer all 33 over, it would give Montreal 236 and place them between Vegas and Ottawa. The Canadiens would have more goal scoring than the Capitals, Penguins, Flyers, Wild, Kings, Jets and hilariously, one more than the Senators. They’d also be closer in the playoff race.
#27 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 28)
It’s a shame Arizona had a winless February. The Coyotes could’ve ended some conference rivals playoff chances with their play in March. Instead they have to add more scoring depth while bolstering the defensive lines. Maybe we’ll look back a year or two from now and consider February 2024 a turning point for a more competitive team clinching a playoff berth.
#26 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 26)
Management has to be careful about who to move once the season ends. If we were to start a list by position on who the Senators should keep we’d start with:
Defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Jake Sanderson.
Centers Shane Pinto, Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris and Ridly Greig.
Forwards Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson, Brady Tkachuk and Boris Katchouk.
Goalie Mads Sogaard
If new management decides to keep these players while adding roster depth and doubles down better defensive play, then more free agents will see Ottawa as an attractive destination. Most of the Senators listed are still young and seen as high-grade offensive playmakers eager to make the postseason.
#25 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 23)
That eight game losing streak pretty much eliminated the Kraken from postseason contention. Bummer for a top ten scoring defense that got little help. Seattle scored four goals once during the slump and averaged one goal a game in seven of the eight losses. General manager Ron Francis still has an ongoing plan for how this team should look, but it still feels disappointing after last year’s postseason success.
#24 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 18)
Trading Jake Guentzel to Carolina ended their season. There are more difficult decisions that will be made after the season ends from who to keep, who to trade and if there will be a retooling versus a rebuild. It will be a long offseason.
#23 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 20)
Another team that has a lot of hard decisions to make once the regular season ends. While the Flames had an ok March, they didn’t have enough to close the gap in the wildcard race. That could lead to goaltender Jacob Markstrom getting traded in the offseason. If Calgary moves Markstrom, then the team could regress at a pace many expected before the 2023 season began.
#22 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 25)
Buffalo’s nemesis for the second straight year is the number of remaining games on their schedule. The Sabres are close to being a playoff team but can’t pull out big wins when it matters most. It’s not all on coach Don Granato either, but management could stick him with the blame once the season ends. A lingering issue Buffalo has to address is the struggling play from rookie and younger players when they’re brought up from minor league systems compared to their opponents.
#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 21)
The trade for goalie Jake Allen could work well next season. Right now there aren’t enough games nor easier opponents for New Jersey to get many quick points over and leapfrog into the eighth seed. It would be smart to retain interim coach Travis Green for next season and implement more of his schemes with a young, determined roster.
#20 New York Islanders (last ranking: 24)
New York started March hot and then reality set in. They’ve lost eight of the last eleven and all were ugly. Three were shutouts and then an angry Red Wings getting captain Dylan Larkin back drove home how poor the Islanders decisions have been the past few years. The genius of Lou Lamoriello will cost them another shot at the playoffs.
#19 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 10)
Wow. Sometimes a player can be what holds a team together but nobody thought Detroit would tumble without captain Dylan Larkin. General manager Steve Yzerman’s plan was revealed when Larkin wasn’t playing: continue developing young talent in the minor leagues while finding who works best with the current roster.
#18 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 17)
Nashville’s ascent probably sinks Minnesota’s season. The Wild have to play Colorado twice and face Vegas, Winnipeg and Los Angeles one more time. Minnesota needs a lot of help to get into the eighth seed. The Wild have San Jose twice and Chicago in their remaining games but it won’t be enough.
#17 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 19)
The Blues are five points ahead of Minnesota and three behind Los Angeles for the last wildcard spot. They’re 25-1-0 in games where they score four or more goals, and 16-3-4 in one goal games (with a win percentage over .700). Finally, the Blues have the second highest winning percentage when scoring first this season at .882 (behind only Winnipeg). St. Louis has a good chance at squeaking into the eighth seed with the Kings falling apart. If the Blues make the playoffs, it will be a headache for whoever has the top seed in the west.
#16 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 13)
Washington will surpass Philadelphia in the standings if the Flyers keep playing down to their competition. Coach John Tortorella already let his players and media know the last two weeks have been awful. Philadelphia needs to improve on defense and create better scoring chances on the power-play. Bringing in goalie Ivan Fedotov after the Russian KHL rescinded his contract could bring spark the change Tortorella’s looking for.
#15 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 22)
All the thought pieces on captain Alex Ovechkin being too old to break Wayne Gretzky’s goal record and Washington being eliminated from the playoffs were useless. As I wrote in previous power rankings, no team in the east wants to face the Capitals if they somehow clinch a playoff berth. Well, they’re a top eight team in the east and are one of the hottest since the trade deadline. Washington has the fifth best winning percentage when scoring first this season at .759 and the highest win percentage in one goal games at 17-2-10. The Capitals are also playing their best against the hardest part of their schedule. Coach Spencer Carbery should be considered for coach of the year.
#14 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 16)
Los Angeles was in a better position to seal a playoff berth until their current three game losing streak. It would be disheartening for one of the league’s best defenses to miss the postseason due to a second half collapse. The Kings also can’t play down to their competition. They’re under a lot of pressure to have a strong finish when many didn’t expect them to be in this position at the start of 2024.
#13 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 11)
It’s easy to make excuses for Vegas regarding their health, defense and roller coaster performances but remember, this was the last team to lose a game starting the 2023-2024 regular season. The Golden Knights were the best team in the league for almost two months. They’ve followed up impressive wins with deflating losses. Yes, Vegas is a big name contender if they make the postseason, but they haven’t played like the reigning champions enough and probably wouldn’t be favored in a first round matchup against any of the central division teams trying to clinch the first seed.
#12 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 9)
Toronto’s in a sticky spot. Right now they’re the atlantic’s third seed, which is great until one factors the Maple Leafs will play either the Bruins or Panthers in the first round. Given how Boston is 7-0 against Toronto (with total goals being 25-13) in their last seven games, Toronto’s lost the last eight of nine games at TD Garden, and the first round game seven PTSD against the Bruins lingers over a decade, this isn’t a matchup the franchise wants. However the Maple Leafs would get mauled by Florida if they decide playing the Panthers is the better option. One could say if Toronto lost a good amount of games to drop down to the seventh seed, that would improve their postseason outlook. That means Auston Matthews could miss the 70 goal mark to remain a top MVP candidate. No matter the choice made, the result won’t end well.
#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 14)
If you wanted to know how better Anthony Duclair has made Tampa Bay’s offense, here’s a comparison with him being on the first line with Kucherov and Point compared to when Brandon Hagel was partnered with the duo during the Lightning’s March 14th 6-3 home win against the Rangers:
with Hagel
Time on ice: 4:40
0-4 on shots
0-2 on slot shots
0-2 on goals
With Duclair
Time on ice: 4:43
7-1 on shots
5-0 on slot shots
3-0 on goals
Brandon Hagel’s a good player, but he’s doesn’t elevate a playoff veteran offense versus some of the league’s best teams like Duclair will.
#10 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 15)
Until Arizona routed them last Thursday, Nashville had a franchise best run in points at 18 games going 16-0-2. Filip Forsberg had a seven game goal streak going until Saturday’s wild loss in Colorado, surpassing captain Roman Josi’s by three games. Goalie Juuse Saros has the second most shutouts in franchise history with 22 despite him being a starter less than five seasons. We’ll see how the Predators respond later into the month after three straight losses but right now, this is the team no one wants to face heading into the postseason. General manager Barry Trotz would be a solid pick at winning the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award.
#9 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 12)
Despite some mediocre streaks, the two players who have improved most since Kris Knoblauch’s taken over are Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard. We’re seeing Hyman’s improvement each week even if we looked past his career high 52 goals. He’s fourth in team points with 72 and has the team’s most shot attempts and game-winning goals. Bouchard has tied Paul Coffey’s 1984-85 franchise record for most game winning goals by a defenseman in a single season with six. He’s also ahead of Hyman in team points this season while anchoring an improving penalty-kill. Whoever Edmonton draws in round one will have headaches trying to contain them while defending captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
#8 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 3)
The NHL Network’s John Torchetti and Billy Jaffe made a great point on Winnipeg’s slump; the Jets have to start resting starters such as goalie Connor Hellebuyck before the postseason. Winnipeg’s dealing with both coach Rick Bowness coming back and finally snapping a six game losing streak. The Jets aren’t out of the central division race yet, but they should focus on preserving the health of their main core before the postseason begins. If nothing else, Winnipeg can see how good their depth and minor league stars are while trying to get as many points possible.
#7 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 6)
Famous goaltender and TNT panel guest Henrik Lundqvist had an eye-opening take in the middle of March: Colorado’s a great team at home (now having a record of 28-7-1), but on the road, they’re mediocre at best (posting a record of 18-15-5). It’s fine for one round if the Avalanche stay at three in the west, but that’s not an encouraging number if they play in a loud arena in Edmonton, Vegas or Nashville.
#6 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 1)
The Panthers clinched a playoff spot but you wouldn’t know it given how they’ve played the last eight of ten games. Poor performances led to coach Paul Maurice going on a tirade inside Florida’s locker room after an ugly loss to the Islanders. Then the Panthers lost in spectacular fashion against Montreal. There’s enough time to make a determined push but keep an eye on how well Florida plays the next week and a half.
#5 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 4)
Boston’s knocked down a spot due to a small goalie controversy regarding Jeremy Swayman being the long-term starting option and the other four teams ahead in the rankings. The Bruins also have a brutal remaining schedule and finish the regular season with one more game against Washington. If Boston struggles before April 20th, it might determine how they fare in the first round.
#4 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 2)
It would be a surprise if Rick Tocchet doesn’t win the Jack Adams award for best coach in 2023-2024 with how Vancouver wins. Starting goaltender Thatcher Demko is out the rest of the season with a knee injury and the Canucks went 8-4 in March with Casey DeSmith starting most of the games. They might not make it past the second round against teams that can take advantage of the goaltending weakness, but Vancouver’s offense can make a series just as difficult with their offense. It also depends on the opponent the Canucks draw in the first round (should they remain the second seed in the west).
#3 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 7)
The Hurricanes clinched their sixth straight postseason berth and goalie Frederik Andersen is gradually getting back to playing his best. There are a handful of teams that know how to slow down Carolina and none of them will face Rod Brind’Amour’s team in round one. The Hurricanes will be a hard out for whoever makes it to the later rounds.
#2 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 8)
The main concern with Dallas was how they would separate themselves from Jared Bednar’s Avalanche and the resurgent Jets later in the season. The Stars have been the most consistent of the three and is the only team that regularly pummeled the red-hot Predators. Dallas is peaking at the best time and they should clinch the top seed in the western conference.
#1 New York Rangers (last ranking: 5)
New York became the first team of the season to clinch a playoff spot and have more than 100 points. They finished March at 10-3-1 and averaged four goals a game while averaging three a game on defense. The power-play was over 31% and the penalty kill shut down opponents 85% of the time.
If you don’t find that impressive, then you must watch what the Rangers did to Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche in Ball Arena on March 28th. Goalie Igor Shesterkin made sure to shut the MVP favorite out of the scoring column, breaking his 35 home game point streak in over four periods of play. New York’s the team to beat unless injuries take a toll.
Rangers center Vincent Trocheck nets the game-winning shootout goal past Colorado goalie and former Ranger Alexandar Georgiev in Ball Arena. New York’s playing their best hockey just before the playoffs.
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