Tag: nhl

December 2025 NHL Power Rankings: The Avalanche Show Yet Again Why Expansion is a Good Thing

jminx94Leave a comment
Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon would be the NHL’s MVP if the season ended today.

On November 29th, the Colorado Avalanche hosted a home game against the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens have been in a defensive slump and the Avalanche made it worse. The 7-2 thrashing Colorado put on Montreal was talked about the rest of the weekend. However, unlike previous matchups between both teams, one thing stood out: the Avalanche wore their throwback uniforms.

For those who don’t know, the then-Nordiques moved from Quebec City, Quebec to Denver, Colorado in 1995. The Nordiques were one of four teams that joined the NHL after the World Hockey Association (WHA) folded in 1979, and did well holding onto and developing talented players. Unfortunately, Quebec City wasn’t able to keep its team in the mid-90s because of financial issues and the smaller market not being enough to sustain the team compared to other larger cities in the U.S. The cherry on top of a painful move was the Avalanche winning their first Stanley Cup championship after relocating to Denver.

You may ask what’s the relevance to this story compared to where Colorado is today and what’s going on in the league? Well, articles in The Athletic and New York Times went viral discussing how drastically different things have been for the now-Utah Mammoth compared to when they were the Arizona Coyotes. There were a lot of crazy things mentioned in these articles, but when a current general manager says how one T.V. in the locker room is worth more than an entire facility back in Tempe, AZ, that doesn’t go away. Not to mention last offseason was filled with so many rumors and conversations of where the next expansion teams would be that commissioner Gary Bettman went on record saying there won’t be any discussion on that with the owners anytime soon.

Which is why we turn our focus to the present day Avalanche. Like Colorado, several teams have changed destinations throughout the decades. Atlanta (which for some reason is being considered by serious hockey analysts for yet another professional team) was home to both the Flames and Jets. The return of the Winnipeg Jets has brought all kinds of fortune and success. Not only has the city returned to relevance, multiple players still love and call the team their favorite. The Flames move to Calgary is regarded as one of the best because of the golden age of hockey played in the 1980s. The Battle of Alberta brought the best (and worst) out of everyone. Many still despise the Whalers moving to Carolina and becoming the Hurricanes. However, the NHL is well regarded and talked well about in the south and beloved in North Carolina. The Stars success in Dallas brought both another team to Minnesota and serious discussions of adding a team to Houston.

Some teams will never have to move or relocate because of the money, location and large fanbases they attract. But some should either consider or do it because a fresh start is necessary. Expansion is another great option because many people in North America love ice hockey and want to watch a team closer to home. Some large cities have been crying for a better team or championship for so long, a second team must be considered. It’s why both the league and owners should seriously discuss adding four more teams within the next decade. Quebec City finally has both the money and infrastructure to maintain a professional team. Houston and Kansas City are great cities to expand the game to geographically different areas. Two teams in Texas or Missouri would add a quick, fierce rivalry to immediately grab viewers’ attention and make history in each matchup. Toronto or Vancouver having a second team would make both older franchises more desperate to win a title and stop acting like the world revolves around them. Inner city rivalry games are also a big draw, especially opening night and on holidays.

There is irony in New Jersey, Las Vegas and Colorado being long-term hockey attractions but not Phoenix, Oakland or Atlanta. Last year the Winnipeg Jets were the best team start to finish in the regular season. The talented core put together may have never happened if they were still the Thrashers. The Avalanche are on pace to have as many points if not surpass Boston’s record three seasons ago. It’s doubtful Colorado would have both this team, coaching staff, success and run if they stayed in Quebec. There are dozens of cities lobbying and planning for success like the Golden Knights and Predators have had. It’s time the NHL gives them a chance.

Colorado players celebrate one of their seven goals in a dominant home win against Montreal. Audiences love the alternate Nordiques uniforms so much, the Avalanche could wear them again on January 29th when the Canadiens wear red.

Time for the first power rankings of the season. These show where all 32 teams objectively stand going back to the rankings from last season. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 29)

While many viewers wonder if Barry Trotz can be a competent, long-term general manager, it has flown under the radar how much goaltender Juuse Saros has regressed in not even a full calendar year. Remember, Trotz floated the idea of trading Saros near last season’s trade deadline because of how much he liked Justus Annunen. Something is wrong in Nashville and that could be more than the general manager.

#31 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 21)

This season’s Flames team is what many expected to see last year. The only surprise is how sophomore starting goaltender Dustin Wolf is giving up one goal more per game compared to last year. On the plus side, all Calgary needs is more top end talent to compliment the roster assembled.

#30 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 30)

If there was ever a game that’s defined where the Sabres are, it was last December third’s 5-2 loss in Philadelphia. When captain Rasmus Dahlin cross checked Trevor Zegras into the glass, he did so out of impulse without thinking of the consequences. That’s a dumb decision for any player, let alone a captain. Coach Lindy Ruff is one of the NHL’s all-time best, but even he can’t help Buffalo from sinking. If there was ever a team in prime position to move and start over in a new city or country, it would be the Sabres.

#29 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 28)

During Seattle’s four game losing streak, the Kraken were shut out twice and scored four goals once in a 9-4 loss to Edmonton. Seattle’s dreadful on offense and it is hard to see how they stay in the playoff race as more teams in the western conference start to pull away.

#28 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 31)

A lot of what makes the first rankings of the year difficult to make is how teams that start well won’t be placed higher because of how they performed the previous season. Same applies with teams that were championship contenders and have fallen by the way side for any number of reasons. I understand people won’t like this placement for Chicago. The roster is better, Connor Bedard is playing as the elite center many believed he would, and Jeff Blashill’s having a great year behind the bench.

That said, the amount of inexperience the Blackhawks have will show the later the regular season progresses. Edmonton, St. Louis and Winnipeg will be better than what we’ve seen, and it is one of the biggest lessons Chicago must learn.

#27 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 32)

Wow! Was Macklin Celebrini a slam-dunk pick (even though he went first overall). The 19 year old was the second player to get 40 points into the season. A teenager is on pace for 121 points and trails only Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. San Jose will be fun to watch the next few years.

#26 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 16)

It was clear once Rick Tocchet left, things would go south in Vancouver. Things are so bad the Canucks went from worshipping the ice captain Quinn Hughes skates on to trade discussions with New Jersey. Vancouver is a hot mess because they let a great coach go and dealt the leader of the locker room in the span of months earlier in 2025. Those two decisions will haunt the franchise for years to come.

#25 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 15)

At first it was strange to see St. Louis start the season slower than expected, but stats help. The Blues have one of the worst offenses and that shouldn’t be a surprise. General manager Doug Armstrong needs to add a center or forward that makes opposing defenses worry about breakaway chances and two-on-one scoring opportunities. That would also take a lot of pressure off the defense to create shot attempts on offense.

#24 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 19)

Columbus is fortunate they have several games at hand against some of their divisional opponents, so there’s nowhere to go but up. To everyone’s surprise, Jet Greaves looks like a franchise starting goaltender who could take the Blue Jackets far should they invest in more defense. Don’t be surprised if Columbus moves a spiraling Elvis Merzlikins at the trade deadline.

#23 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 14)

Many expected Ottawa to have some struggles to start the season after a breakout year, a fun return to the playoffs, and a tough first round exit. But this defense? Absolutely atrocious. Prime Martin Brodeur could be in net and struggle almost every night with how bad it’s been this season. The Senators gave up 20+ goals four games into October. Every team has injuries at some point but the sloppy play is on the coaching staff.

#22 Utah Mammoth (last ranking: 20)

At first I was expecting more people would be upset with this ranking. However, center Logan Cooley being out indefinitely gives this spot more merit. Add in a streaky first two months of play and Karel Vejmelka playing close to 90% of Utah’s games, the Mammoth earned this placement.

#21 New York Rangers (last ranking: 18)

It’s been a blooper-filled start to the season for the Rangers. I still believe New York will miss the playoffs and start trading talent next calendar year, but the Rangers remain competitive after a wonky first month in which they kept getting shut out at home, but looked like a playoff team on the road.

#20 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 22)

There are no easy wins in the NHL and it’s harder to have a shutout. That’s why goaltender John Gibson getting his first shutout win as a Red Wing against Vancouver Monday night is big. It’s his best game of the season. If Gibson and the defense in front of him build off that shutout win, Detroit will be hard to beat almost every week.

#19 New York Islanders (last ranking: 24)

Despite a flood of injuries the last two months, New York has hung in there because of coach Patrick Roy, center Bo Horvat and rookie phenom defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Schaefer has single handedly won some games for the Islanders and has made sure they stay relevant in the division race.

#18 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 25)

This was another ranking many would see as controversial given how well Anaheim’s played this season. However the recent losses of goaltenders Lucas Dostal and Petr Mrazek to IR are big concerns and the biggest test for the Ducks. If Anaheim is a top three team in the Pacific by next month’s rankings, we’ll know for sure if they’re the real deal.

#17 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 27)

Rick Tocchet was a perfect coaching hire. He is a rare coach who keeps a lot of the John Tortorella discipline and hardline stances while getting the team to evolve, play smarter and clamp down on defense. Most importantly, Tocchet gets along well with top-tier talent. I’m not sure the goaltending situation stays solid the whole season, but the Flyers are a fringe playoff threat the rest of the year.

#16 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 26)

This is the biggest team surprise of the year so far. Sidney Crosby has matched Wayne Gretzky’s goal total from his age 38 season in 56 less games. Crosby may be a dark-horse MVP candidate should Pittsburgh grab a high playoff seed. A new coach helps but with Sidney Crosby playing similar to when he first came into the league, many teams will see the Penguins as a hard out.

#15 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 8)

I’m still willing to give Toronto more breaks with their slump given who their coach is and the deep scoring talent. However, the losses of both goaltenders Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz are huge blows and present several problems for general manager Brad Treliving. An ugly start to the season could get worse if Dennis Hildeby isn’t the answer in net.

#14 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 23)

If someone told you at the beginning of the season that one of the top three goal scorers in the NHL would be a Boston Bruin, they would assume it would be David Pastrnak. Turns out it’s Morgan Geekie. What should be a re-build or re-tool season for Boston has been a year many see them in the playoffs. It would be comedic if after last season’s results, the Bruins somehow make the playoffs but the Maple Leafs or Panthers do not.

#13 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 13)

Think of the Mammoth but with more hype and located on the east coast. That’s New Jersey. A bit shocking the Devils are inconsistent after general manager Tom Fitzgerald added more defensive depth in the offseason. New Jersey sports media is pressuring Fitzgerald to make another big trade but that could make things worse. Here’s hoping coach Sheldon Keefe can fix the issues.

#12 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 10)

Many analysts, friends and commenters told me in the last two Stanley Cup playoffs that I was much too harsh on Edmonton’s defense and goaltenders. Anyone who has seriously watched the Oilers play not even two months into the season knows that the goaltending is so bad, even the broadcasting crews make jokes at their expense. Trading Stuart Skinner for Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry, who’s buried on the depth chart because of poor play, is unlikely to solve anything. From Elliotte Friedman to Paul Bissonette, analysts can tell this start to the season has a much different feel in Edmonton than the last few. This might be the last dance for the Oilers core talent.

#11 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 17)

Something many sports fans forget is how one decision can impact a lot of lives. The most drastic example is the NBA’s Luka Doncic getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Countless lives were changed overnight. A much smaller example is goaltender Samuel Montembeault. Some analysts had him going to Seattle in the expansion draft back in 2022. Given how Montembeault’s game has been uneven at times while the Kraken have one of the better goaltending duos in the league, one wonders what would’ve happened if he never went to the Canadiens. It’s a small thought many will dismiss, but it might have made Montreal take a more serious look at their goaltending situation and not just sign players they see as temporary solutions.

#10 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 1)

Much like Calgary, Winnipeg is playing like many expected last season. The difference is injuries and a continual slump in offensive production could un-do a lot of progress the Jets made in Scott Arniel’s first year. It makes Eric Comrie’s time as starter in net more important given where Winnipeg could be by March’s trade deadline.

#9 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 12)

Los Angeles has a fantastic defense. The offense and power-play? Absolute garbage. Coach Jim Hiller has to find some answers by the New Year. It’s baffling that a veteran team this talented struggles to score when they have the puck.

#8 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 3)

Let’s not be too critical of this placement. We know when fully healthy, Florida is a top five NHL team. We also know that no Matthew Tkachuk or Aleksander Barkov for most of the season changes everything. Other injuries such as a five month loss of defenseman Dmitry Kulikov doesn’t help. The Panthers have earned enough grace to take a slower tumble in these standings than most other teams.

#7 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 11)

I’d love to have Minnesota up higher if they can fix their offensive struggles. A bottom ten offense holds them back from a top five ranking. Regardless, the Wild are amazing audiences during every game goaltender Jesper Wallstedt plays. Wallstedt was shockingly 8-0-2 in his first ten starts, and half of those wins were shutouts. Not only is the sophomore net-minder leading the league in every important goaltending category, but he also had sports pages in and outside of Minnesota wonder if he’d have more season shutouts than Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will have touchdown passes by May. It’s super early to call Jesper Wallstedt the next Martin Brodeur but wow, talk about potential.

#6 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 6)

The next three teams are all in the same position: a top tier championship contender with some serious glares that could de-rail their title dreams. Most of Carolina’s inconsistencies come from goaltending and defensive injuries. While Minnesota’s Jesper Wallstedt has been getting most of the attention, Hurricanes third string goaltender Brandon Bussi has been a lifeline. His 1-0 OT shutout win November 30th against Calgary was a season highlight.

#5 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 4)

If someone said before the regular season that Mitch Marner would excel in Vegas, many would’ve agreed because Toronto is notorious for bungling star players and their talents. Yet if someone added that Marner could have been the glue that held the Leafs locker room together, that would’ve stunned almost everyone. Mitch Marner’s growth and presence almost cancels out the goaltending and defensive issues the Golden Knights have dealt with the last two months.

#4 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 9)

Without captain Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay got back to what made them successful and now the Lightning are one of the best teams in the NHL. The defense led by net-minder Andrei Vasilevskiy is top five, the penalty kill is the league’s second best and the offense is top ten with Brandon Hagel, Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel. Now if center Brayden Point can get out of his slump, this could be the best team in the eastern conference.

#3 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 2)

Not only does this Washington team look nearly identical to the teams coached by Barry Trotz, the most stand-out player is Tom Wilson. Wilson is more focused and critical to coach Spencer Carberry’s offense. He leads the the Capitals in points (32), goals (17), and hits (83). He’s progressed to a team leader opposing defenses have to prepare for (and not just for the cheap shots and fighting).

#2 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 5)

If Colorado were not a factor, Dallas would be the easy pick for best team. Not only are the Stars playing some of their best hockey, they’ve played well despite several players entering and returning from IR. While the loss of assistant captain and former champion Tyler Seguin for the rest of the regular season is damaging, it might not matter with how Dallas is playing now until late in the season.

#1 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 7)

Even if Colorado’s season was in the mainstream news 24/7, it wouldn’t be enough to highlight how impressive the first two months have been for the former-Nordiques. Two regular season losses in almost two months of play. At one point all the starters had a positive plus/minus differential in the double digits (only ONE player has a negative differential. That is almost unheard of). Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood are playing the best goaltending they have in their careers. I don’t know how any team in the west could take this juggernaut out in a seven game series unless injuries plague the whole roster. Ils sont magnifiques!

The NHL’s best player Nathan MacKinnon (29) scored two goals in a 3-2 overtime win in New York December 6th.

2025-26 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picks

jminx941 Comment

What an exhilarating offseason! The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions are back after another summer of free agency. No one outside the Sunshine State has won the eastern conference and gone to the Stanley Cup finals the last six years. While a good number of teams out west improved, teams like New Jersey and Washington made trades to bolster their rosters and re-signed important depth players. The Maple Leafs and Hurricanes are more determined than ever to finish what they started last postseason. Then there are younger teams like Detroit and Montreal with long-term playoff aspirations.

It’s time to break down which teams in each division can push back hard or surprise a lot of people in making the 2025-26 playoffs.

Metropolitan

Washington Capitals

This could be the last season for the NHL’s best all-time goal scorer, Alexander Ovechkin (8).

The Caps have a great, defensive minded coach in Spencer Carbery who learned valuable lessons after his first postseason run. They also have the number one all-time goal scorer and a top five roster on the power-play and defense. Washington will make the playoffs.

Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina’s roster is the envy of the east. No matter what happens in the postseason, I guarantee coach Rod Brind’Amour will have the Hurricanes clinch a playoff spot.

Devils core players Dawson Mercer (91) and Jack Hughes (86) are still learning how to play against the NHL’s best.

Pittsburgh’s aging core and lack of defensive depth could be an early issue. The Rangers nosedive will continue. The Islanders and Flyers should be better than last year, but neither have the scoring depth to clinch a postseason spot. Columbus may surprise many and find a way to clinch a playoff spot, but the Atlantic teams could have the edge in tie-breakers.

This leaves New Jersey as the remaining metropolitan choice. The Devils invested more money into both their goaltending and defensive depth. New Jersey will still be seen as an easy out in the postseason, but for now they’re re-building in the right ways.

Atlantic

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto’s core is back and more mature after Craig Berube’s first year as coach.

Toronto is the favorite to win the division again. From coach Craig Berube to a deep fourth line, the Maple Leafs will excel in the regular season.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay still has one of the NHL’s best rosters and coaching staff. The Lightning added and brought back key scoring and defensive depth players. After last year’s postseason exit, expect Tampa Bay to dial in and get back to 2022 levels of elite.

Ottawa Senators

Goaltender Linus Ullmark was good his first season in Ottawa. He can and should be better this year.

Ottawa nearly forced a triggering game seven with Toronto in last year’s first round. The Senators should take another leap this season and put the NHL on notice. Travis Green is the right coach for this young group, and general manager Steve Staios has done well adding and tweaking the roster.

Don’t be surprised if Ottawa faces the second place winner in the Atlantic and gives them fits the first round. The Senators could be a top ten team and make the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Florida Panthers

Despite some injuries to start the season, Florida aims for a championship three-peat.

One might wonder why Florida is lower on the list than Ottawa or Tampa Bay. Captain Aleksander Barkov and star forward Matthew Tkachuk will be out the entire regular season with lower body injuries. Those are big losses that threaten to loom over every important game the next few months.

The Panthers still have the NHL’s best active and the third most winningest head coach in Paul Maurice. Florida also has a lot of veteran talent that will give teams fits. However, they won’t be as high in the standings with the losses of Barkov and Tkachuk.

Detroit Red Wings

Captain Dylan Larkin leads Detroit into their centennial season.

Boston and Buffalo will be the dustbins of the Atlantic. Montreal’s playoff appearance amazed and surprised many, but more teams will take the Canadiens seriously this year. This leaves Detroit as the east’s surprise playoff team.

The Red Wings now have an elite goaltending tandem with John Gibson and Cam Talbot. The offense remains one of the NHL’s most dangerous. The deciding factor that gets Detroit into the playoffs is an improved defense. The 100th year of Red Wings hockey should be both a statement and a relief to audiences everywhere.

2025-26 NHL Western Conference Playoff Picks

jminx941 Comment

What a year it was for the western conference! Although Edmonton lost in fewer games in the finals, the conference certainly had entertaining playoffs. Many viewers wonder if the Oilers can make another run this year in coach Kris Knoblauch’s second full season. Edmonton doesn’t have any serious injuries before the season begins, and they have handled the salary cap issues better than most expected. There will certainly be competition and pushback from teams from St. Louis, Colorado and Vegas. Los Angeles and Minnesota have a lot to prove after last season’s playoff exits. A team like Utah could break out and do damage to whoever clinches a top seed, possibly throwing the playoffs into doubt. It’s time to break down which teams in each division have the best chances to make the 2025-26 postseason.

Pacific

Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas is a serious championship contender this year.

Let’s see…championship coach, forward and defensive depth, great scorers and shutdown defense. Pencil in the Knights for the playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers

The addition of Connor Ingram last month finally gives Edmonton a stable presence in net. The Oilers could have another slow start to the season, but should gradually get better each month with two former MVPs in their prime.

Los Angeles Kings

Younger players like Quinton Byfield have to play better this season and step up in the playoffs.

The pacific will be one of two divisions featured that will have three teams predicted to make the postseason. Nothing about the other five teams in this division looks playoff-worthy compared to the central.

Future Hall of Famer and Kings’ captain Anze Kopitar will retire after the season. Los Angeles aims to make sure to reach the postseason for Kopitar to have one more championship run. Many people would like if they don’t draw Edmonton again in the first round.

Central

Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger is the face of the franchise after captain Jamie Benn was placed on season ending IR.

Dallas did the right thing by firing Peter DeBoer after an atrocious conference finals elimination. DeBoer blaming US Olympic goaltender Jake Oettinger left a sour taste throughout the organization and the team. The promotion of Glen Gulutzan is a head scratcher, but the Stars have a lot of talent and should remain a top team throughout the season.

Colorado Avalanche

As long as Jared Bednar is alive and behind the bench, Colorado will make the playoffs. The return of captain Gabriel Landeskog immediately makes the Avalanche a top Stanley Cup champion contender.

St. Louis Blues

Expect St. Louis to build off of last year’s second half surge.

I am still stunned at the fight St. Louis put up in their first round series versus Winnipeg. Almost no one will want to play the Blues this season with Jim Montgomery behind the bench full-time. It wouldn’t surprise any serious viewers if St. Louis was one of the three best teams in both the division and the conference.

Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg had a stellar 2024-25 season no matter what analysts say. No one expected the Jets to be the NHL’s best team nearly the whole regular season. Coach Scott Arniel should have an interesting year with a core still in its prime. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff signed defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Tanner Pearson for additional physical depth and veteran presence. Winnipeg could be a more complete team this year.

Utah Mammoth

Behold, the first ever logo of the Utah Mammoth.

This is the only pick for the west (and maybe both conferences) that may stun a lot of readers. Utah gets the nod here with how close the roster is to complete. The Mammoth also have a long-tenured coach who has dealt and helped the team overcome several unique issues.

Chicago is easily the worst team in the central, Nashville is both older and stuck with a worse roster compared to last year, and Minnesota lacks defensive and goaltending depth. The Mammoth young core of Michael Carcone, Logan Cooley, Sean Durzi, Jack McBain and Dylan Guenther should break out this season while veterans Lawson Crouse, Clayton Keller, and Mikhail Sergechev grow more into their team captain roles.

2025 NHL Stanley Cup Finals Prediction

jminx941 Comment

The NHL finals are set. For the first time since 2009, the championship round is a rematch from the previous final series. Florida and Edmonton are stacked with stars, deep rosters, and savvy coaches. Their power-plays and penalty kills are some of the best since playoffs began. Whichever team wins the finals deserves the accolades and label of champion. It’s time to break down which franchise has the best chance of winning the finals and taking home both the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup.

#5 Florida Panthers v. 6 Edmonton Oilers

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has been better this postseason than he was last year. That’s bad news for Edmonton.

A lot has changed since game seven of last year’s Stanley Cup finals. Both Florida and Edmonton are more physical and smarter with improved rosters to better counter each other. The Panthers can now play the middle of the ice just as well as the Oilers and still play the sides with the same excellence they did last season. Edmonton’s improved forecheck and physical play made them the best team in the western conference.

Series deciding factor: Aaron Ekblad and the Panthers defense v. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Oilers forwards.

While Oilers centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will lead the offense against a deeper Florida defense, Edmonton’s forwards will feel the true test of this series rematch. With no Zach Hyman for the rest of the playoffs, it’s up to forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Corey Perry, Kasperi Kapanen, Evander Kane, Jeff Skinner, Victor Arvidsson and Trent Frederic to play the best series of their lives. Panthers defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Niko Mikkola, Seth Jones, Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Kulikov play well together and have shut down three of the best forward cores in the NHL (Tampa Bay, Toronto and Carolina).

Florida has some of the best two-way forwards and centers in the NHL. Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, Tomas Nosek and Matthew Tkachuk throw their bodies into shooting lanes and block shots on penalty-kills. Their physical play will cause a lot of problems for whoever starts in net for Edmonton. The Panthers playing a more complete physical game on both interior bluelines and by the boards will give the Oilers more problems this year.

Verdict: The loss of Zach Hyman is massive for a team that found their groove games three and four in the first round. Hyman had 104 hits this entire postseason (almost as many as he had in the regular season) before he broke his right wrist at home against the Dallas Stars in game four. Without their best forward, that means someone else has to step up not named McDavid or Draisaitl. Florida’s smothering defense will lead to a lot of transition offense and make the Oilers defense more uncomfortable each game. Coach Kris Knoblauch did a great job stretching last year’s championship series a full seven games, but don’t expect replicated magic with Hyman’s loss and polar goaltender performances.

Florida captain Aleksander Barkov (16) will overwhelm Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) on every side of the puck.

Prediction: Florida Panthers defeat the Oilers 4-1 and win back-to-back championships and their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Conn Smythe Winner: Sam Bennett

2025 NHL Western Conference Second Round Playoff Predictions

jminx943 Comments

The first round of the NHL playoffs set records and entertained many viewers. In the west, the reigning Presidents Trophy winners were two seconds away from elimination in a game seven against St. Louis. After a nine game regular season losing streak, Dallas fought hard and eventually won a thrilling game seven against Colorado. Vegas eliminated Minnesota in style, and the Oilers power-play caught fire against one of the league’s best defenses in Los Angeles. Four championship caliber teams will show audiences why they made it this far, but only two will advance to the conference finals. It’s time to predict which two have the best chance.

#6 Edmonton Oilers v. #2 Vegas Golden Knights

The first two picks of the 2015 draft face off again. This time it will be in an exciting second round series. Unlike Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, Vegas’ Jack Eichel’s (9) won a championship.

Good thing no one pinned championship aspirations on Los Angeles. That would’ve been silly. Instead of facing a daunting Kings roster in the second round, Vegas could be relieved they got Edmonton. The Oilers played journeyman goaltender Calvin Pickard four of six games of the first round, and he won all four.

While Los Angeles was a quality opponent, the Golden Knights are the top threat in the west to make the finals. Vegas may not have Drew Doughty or Anze Kopitar, but their roster depth is only rivaled by Florida and Winnipeg. Edmonton’s still shaky and not playing at levels similar to last year. Other analysts pointed this out by talking about how Los Angeles lost the series rather than the Oilers constantly doing the right things to win. The Golden Knights are veteran champions and the hardest team Edmonton’s played in a series the last two years.

Prediction: Golden Knights win series 4-2

#3 Dallas Stars v. #1 Winnipeg Jets

Dallas needs centers like Roope Hintz to play the best series of their careers versus the President’s Trophy winning Jets.

It took two overtimes of a game seven in Winnipeg to determine which team would play Dallas in round two. Instead of a cozy, home ice advantage where the Stars could put St. Louis away in (maybe) six games, Dallas has a nightmare second round opponent.

The Jets thumped the Stars in every serious game they played in the regular season. Add in the high and positive energies within Manitoba since forward Cole Perfetti’s two goal performance and captain Adam Lowry’s game winner, and this is a daunting task for Dallas.

It’s important to point out no matter how good Winnipeg’s played against the Stars in the regular season, Dallas could also be at their best selves. The Jets cannot force a full series this time because Stars coach Peter DeBoer is undefeated in game sevens and goaltender Jake Oettinger’s 3-1 with a .950 save percentage. Oettinger’s lone game seven loss featured 64 saves on 67 shots. MVP and Vezina candidate Connor Hellebuyck has to play better and center Mark Scheifele should return sometime this series, yet Winnipeg is the more physical team that survived a brutal, battering 600 hit onslaught from St. Louis in seven games. The Jets have every advantage and shouldn’t lose any of them.

Prediction: Jets win series 4-2

Western conference first round playoffs record: 1-3

2025 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round Playoff Predictions

jminx941 Comment

The first round of the NHL playoffs intrigued and entertained many viewers. The Capitals were the first team to advance to the second round after eliminating Montreal. Toronto won a gritty series in the Battle of Ontario. Florida easily won the Battle of Florida. Carolina proved they can take care of business with depth scoring regardless of who starts in net. Four fantastic teams will show audiences why they made it this far, but only two will go to the conference championship. It’s time to predict which two have the best chance of advancing to round three.

#5 Florida Panthers v. #2 Toronto Maple Leafs

Florida looks forward to testing the health of Toronto’s captain and star scorer Auston Matthews.

Florida and Toronto impressed viewers with their first round wins. While the Maple Leafs finally played like a championship caliber team unfazed by challenges, the Panthers snapped into playoff mode and made fast work of their Sunshine State rival. This could be the most fun series of the second round as many expect the winner to represent the eastern conference in the Stanley Cup finals.

While the Maple Leafs took mature steps to beat the best teams in their conference, there’s no doubt which one is favored in this series. The Panthers have everyone back healthy and from suspension. That means Toronto has to find answers for defenseman Aaron Ekblad, newcomers Seth Jones and hated rival Brad Marchand, and Florida’s relentless (brother of Ottawa’s captain) Matthew Tkachuk. The Maple Leafs will be a championship threat, just not this year.

Prediction: Panthers win series 4-1

#4 Carolina Hurricanes v. #1 Washington Capitals

Whichever team gets the best goaltending will advance to the eastern conference finals.

This is the hardest series to predict because of prior injuries to both starting goaltenders last round. Washington has the most injuries while Carolina has to make sure backup goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is better prepared to play at some point in the series.

As noted in prior discussions, a big development will be how Capitals head coach Spencer Carberry adjusts and plays his lines since this is his first time leading a team in the postseason. Rod Brind’Amour is no stranger to leading the Hurricanes in the playoffs whether he was team captain or as a coach. Unless Frederik Andersen and injuries take a toll for Carolina, it will be hard to see how Washington can win four games against Brind’Amour’s deeper roster. The Capitals struggled with Montreal more than expected last round. Expect the Hurricanes to implement similar tactics but with more hungry veterans wanting to return to the conference finals.

Prediction: Hurricanes win series 4-2

Eastern conference first round playoffs record: 2-2

2025 NHL Eastern Conference First Round Playoff Predictions

jminx943 Comments

This could not be a more polarizing first round in the eastern conference. There are thrilling state and provincial rivalries, and then there are two simpler matchups. Despite the Washington Capitals being the best team in the east, their brilliant coach has never led a franchise into the postseason. The Carolina Hurricanes again have pressure to make it past the first round faster than their future opponents. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators look to upend everyone’s predictions while Florida and Tampa Bay make another push to return to the championship round. Most teams have their hands full against deep rosters wanting a conference finals appearance. It’s time to break down which four teams have the best chance of advancing to the second round.

#7 New Jersey Devils v. #4 Carolina Hurricanes

Injuries to star players put more pressure on the rest of the roster (like forward Jesper Bratt) to do more against the tough Hurricanes.

This is the most lopsided NHL first round series. New Jersey won’t have center Jack Hughes, defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, and forward Timo Meier due to injuries. Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic has been benched due to conflicts with coach Sheldon Keefe. Carolina has the conference’s best home record, and their offense yearns to run the score up against a top five defense. This will be a fast series and an ugly end to the season for the Devils.

Prediction: Hurricanes win series 4-1

#8 Montreal Canadiens v. #1 Washington Capitals

Despite the one seed v. eight seed matchup, Washington v. Montreal will be violent and full of fights. Special teams will determine how fast the series ends.

Montreal remarkably went from the NHL’s second worst team to start 2025, to clinching the last playoff seed in either conference earlier this week. The Canadiens have a passionate, young and talented core coached by former Hall of Fame champion Martin St. Louis. They’re smart and constantly adapt to whatever situations are thrown their way.

Unfortunately, that won’t be enough against the top seeded Capitals. Washington had a top three offense and a top ten defense. Coach Spencer Carberry may the weakest link since he has not seen the playoffs as a coach before, but veteran team leaders Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, Dylan Strome and Charlie Lindgren easily out-match Montreal’s young and inexperienced core.

Prediction: Washington wins series 4-2

#6 Ottawa Senators v. #2 Toronto Maple Leafs

The Battle of Ontario returns to the postseason for the first time in 21 years.

The Battle of Ontario could be the most important first round series in either conference. The winner not only plays the winner of the Battle of Florida series, but could wind up going to the conference finals depending on next round’s opponent.

Ottawa’s return to the postseason since their 2017 eastern conference finals appearance brings renewed vigor to the nation’s capital and the franchise’s fandom and ownership. Toronto has improved on defense and has the offensive firepower to outscore almost anyone, but the Senators are on another level when it comes to their provincial rivals. Usually, one wouldn’t pick the regular season series winner to replicate their success in the playoffs. However, the temptation to pick Ottawa wins out because they swept the regular season five game series against the Maple Leafs. Toronto tried to beat the Senators in different ways, but none were successful. If they had played each other three times, the Maple Leafs would be favored. Five straight losses to rising Ottawa shows how this series will turn out.

Eastern conference upset prediction of the first round: Senators win series 4-1

#5 Florida Panthers v. #3 Tampa Bay Lightning

Despite injuries and revamped rosters, the new round of the Battle of Florida will be fun to watch. Viewers want a nasty, seven game series.

If it’s not the Battle of Ontario winner, the Battle of Florida winner will determine who advances to the Stanley Cup finals in the eastern conference. The Sunshine State has represented the conference in the last five championship appearances. There’s a great chance the streak continues.

Florida and Tampa Bay look even to the average fan. To be fair, this is a 50/50 pick. For those who enjoy watching film, there are variables that decide who advances. The Panthers were battered with injuries to start 2025. Losing big name players like defenseman Gustav Forsling and forward Matthew Tkachuk were recent blows to Florida’s chances of winning the Atlantic division. Both are expected to play at some point, and the return of defenseman Aaron Ekblad (was suspended due to illegal substance use) are pluses. While this sounds good, it puts the Panthers at an early disadvantage against the determined and red-hot Lightning.

Tampa Bay is top three in total offense and defense. They know how to find every team’s weaknesses and play their best against championship contenders. The Lightning’s roster is fully healthy, focused and better coached this time. They also have the home ice advantage. Additional pressure on the Panthers to repeat last year’s championship run tilts this in Tampa Bay’s favor.

Prediction: Lightning win series 4-2

Regular season eastern conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2

2025 NHL Western Conference First Round Playoff Predictions

jminx941 Comment

The NHL’s western conference was the first to have every playoff spot clinched. Seeding was final after last weekend. Many wonder if either of last year’s conference finals participants can replicate their success and represent the west in the conference championship. No western team wants to go two years in a row without winning the Stanley Cup. President’s Trophy winners Winnipeg Jets improved this season but drew a difficult first round opponent. Los Angeles and Vegas have the capabilities to make deep playoff runs. Finally, the Colorado Avalanche have returned to their Stanley Cup champion selves after serious roster moves at the trade deadline. Only four teams will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.

#6 Edmonton Oilers v. #4 Los Angeles Kings

Los Angeles’ 5-0 shutout win in Edmonton last Monday could be a preview for what happens in this first round series.

For the fourth year in a row, the Kings and Oilers face off in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Edmonton won the previous three matchups in seven, six and five games. This time Los Angeles is in the best position to win the series.

The Kings wound up with the best home record in the NHL and coach Jim Hiller has improved the roster’s playing style. Hiller’s decision to have a five forward look after the acquisition of forward Andrei Kuzmenko is brilliant and makes Los Angeles nearly unstoppable.

The Oilers have been inconsistent since Four Nations ended, and the health of star players has been their biggest issue. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm will miss the entire first round. Forwards Zach Hyman, Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane won’t be fully healthy. By contrast, the Kings’ five forward rotation preserves the health of defensemen Drew Doughty and Joel Edmundson. Los Angeles’ success coupled with the Oilers continuous struggles means the Kings should finally get past their rivals into the second round.

Prediction: Kings win series 4-2

#5 Colorado Avalanche v. #3 Dallas Stars

If Dallas has any chance of winning this series, depth players like defenseman Thomas Harley (55) have to play their best, all-around hockey.

Two months ago, we saw this as the best first round series in any conference. Dallas went all-in at the trade deadline for former Colorado forward Mikko Rantanen. The Stars’ seven game losing streak has them in panic mode and coach Peter DeBoer has no answers.

Meanwhile, the Avalanche are back to their dangerous selves and got some extra rest after a Sunday win in Anaheim. Their new goaltending duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood will fluster Dallas’ already frustrated offense and power-play units. Colorado also has better coaching and higher confidence.

Prediction: Avalanche win series 4-1

#7 Minnesota Wild v. #2 Vegas Golden Knights

Forward Matt Boldy’s played more games without scoring depth than he probably imagined and wanted to this year.

Many believe this series has the potential to be the NHL’s best and longest in the first round. As goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s legendary career draws to a close, the Wild finally have all their star players back and healthy for the playoffs. Unfortunately, they drew one of Fleury’s former teams for the first round. Vegas knows how to beat Minnesota in many ways. Unless the Golden Knights suffer serious injuries, the Wild don’t have a chance of winning this series. Vegas has a lot of former champions, scoring depth, shutdown defensemen and great coaches. These veterans won’t be phased by Minnesota’s last hurrah for Fleury, a goaltender they originally acquired in their 2017 expansion draft.

Prediction: Golden Knights win series 4-1

#8 St. Louis Blues v. #1 Winnipeg Jets

2025 Jordan Binnington is playing like the legend he was in 2019. That’s bad news for Winnipeg.

We’ve been here before. Of course the President’s Trophy winning Jets drew the most challenging first round opponent for any team. Coach Jim Montgomery made sure St. Louis clamped down on defense and improved on both offense and the power-play. This Blues team is eerily similar to the 2018-19 championship team that also faced Winnipeg in the first round of the playoffs.

The Jets won the regular season series but they’ll be without forward Nikolaj Ehlers for most of the first round. Winnipeg also has a lot of pressure to win a series after last year’s jaw-dropping collapse against Colorado. St. Louis has no pressure and is riding all kinds of highs after early season struggles. If that isn’t daunting enough, the superb play of Four Nations champion starting goaltender Jordan Binnington has been stellar. Binnington’s aggressive style will further frustrate the Jets offense and special teams deep into the series.

Western conference upset prediction of the first round: Blues win series 4-3

Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2

March 2025 NHL Power Rankings: Boston Has Officially Hit the Bear Market

jminx943 Comments
Mitch Marner’s OT winner in Boston February 25th sealed a three-goal comeback win by Toronto and pushed the Bruins closer to elimination from postseason contention.

Sports viewers have certain absolutes until they officially end. Some in the U.S. include Gregg Popovich coaching the San Antonio Spurs. Buffalo is forever cursed in the sports world. The unluckiest score in Atlanta, GA is 28-3. The best American college football rivalry is Ohio State and the University of Michigan.

One could say the NHL’s Boston Bruins making the playoffs every year due to veteran leadership and consistent play was a guarantee. It certainly seemed so, until this year. Boston has had a mediocre season since game one back in mid-October. The Bruins were so average, they fired coveted coach Jim Montgomery less than a month into the regular season.

There was a small winning streak after Montgomery’s firing, but there’s been no positive impact. If forward David Pasternak doesn’t score or get a point in a game, Boston probably loses. The Bruins are bottom ten in total offense and defense at five-on-five. The power-play is bottom five because of the anemic talent level. Every team penalty-killing against Boston knows who will get the on-goal shots and who’s the biggest scoring threat: Pasternak. The lack of offensive creativity was a problem before Halloween. Now discipline is a factor since Boston is tied for most penalty minutes.

But wait, it gets worse for Bruins fans. Two of their top scorers were dealt at the trade deadline. Former captain Brad Marchand had the second most points with 47. He had 21 goals and 26 assists before general manager Don Sweeney dealt him to last year’s Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Marchand was upset about this in his opening press conference. He’s right to be emotional. No NHL viewer can picture Marchand without him wearing the black, white and yellow wheeled B jersey. He was there for 16 years and helped the franchise win their first title of the 21st century. Marchand was a key player when Boston returned to the finals twice after winning a championship. The Bruins and Brad Marchand were a perfect pairing that equaled success. Sweeney traded him for a 2027 second round pick.

Marchand wasn’t the only trade piece Don Sweeney unloaded the last calendar year. At the deadline, Sweeney traded once coveted center Charlie Coyle to Colorado. The Avalanche struggled with roster depth until early March when general manager Joe Sakic made this move. Colorado is now in position to make a run at the one seed in the western conference. Don’t forget last offseason’s drama regarding which goaltender Boston would trade away. Former starter Linus Ullmark was dealt to Ottawa for their starting goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and forward Mark Kastelic. Many expected Ullmark would be moved but trading him to a rising playoff contender and division rival wasn’t a good idea. Right now the Senators are the seventh seed and Linus Ullmark has solidified their defense. On the other side, Korpisalo hasn’t played much this season and Kastelic’s still buried on a thin depth chart.

There were criticisms against Boston’s front office, general manager and owner back in (at least) the 2010s. Serious hockey analysts compared Don Sweeney to former Detroit Red Wings general manager and executive vice president Ken Holland. While Holland lasted longer and won more titles, the all-out trades to win a championship paired with no future roster depth developed in minor league programs mirror each other. Holland was lauded for his moves in Detroit as they almost set a record in playoff appearances. Almost. Tell me how that has worked out for them the last nine years.

It’s easy to say Sweeney and owner Jeremy Jacobs are the problems. The latter has always been an easy media target for his economic views. Sweeney has overstayed and done everything possible to keep his power. There’s no doubt the Bruins must begin a long, agonizing rebuild once the season ends. David Pasternak, Jeremy Swayman, Charlie McAvoy, Morgan Geekie, Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm are trade pieces Boston can use to get a haul of draft picks, aging talent and role players to help cushion the incoming fall. For the rebuild to succeed, Don Sweeney cannot return and meddle in the assessment of talent. He’s done enough damage.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney made aggressive trades to keep Boston a top team in the NHL for a decade. Now the Bruins will be aggressive in a re-build after those trades failed to result in a championship.

Here’s the final 2024-25 NHL regular season power rankings.

#32 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 32)

The rookie of the year race is filled with four impressive names and San Jose’s first overall pick center Macklin Celebrini is one of them. Celebrini’s tied on the Sharks for most points and became the ninth player in NHL history to score 20 goals before the age of 19 on March 7th. While his optimism isn’t enough to drag San Jose out of last place, the team has improved. The Sharks have played harder compared to March 2024. Even if Celebrini doesn’t win rookie of the year, San Jose has a lot to look forward to the next few seasons.

#31 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 31)

It would’ve been interesting to see how better the Sharks were had they kept center Ryan Donato. Donato leads Chicago in goals scored and is third in team points and assists. Letting go of Ryan Donato cost San Jose a chance of getting further ahead in their rebuild.

#30 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 30)

From defenseman Rasmus Dahlin being asked by reporters if he wants a trade, to The Athletic ranking Terry Pegula the worst owner in the NHL, it has been a forgetful year for Buffalo. It wouldn’t be a surprise if both Dahlin and veteran star forward Tage Thompson push to leave this offseason. If former center Dylan Cozens was relieved get out after he felt he lost the love for the game (he’s not the first to say this within the last decade), that says a lot about how awful the organization is on and off-ice.

#29 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 29)

General manager Barry Trotz took the safe option and didn’t deal the franchise stars or top scorers. That appers to be a good decision since the first line of Luke Evangelista-Ryan O’Reilly-Steven Stamkos are finally playing well. It’s too little, too late for the Predators to make a playoff run, but this bodes well for next season if Trotz doesn’t make drastic changes.

#28 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 28)

Sometimes we should take the inept roster building from the general manager Ron Francis conversation aside and think about what else burdens Seattle. There is good roster depth, but no star player or top end talent who can propel the Kraken into a serious playoff run. If your top goal scorer is Eeli Tolvanen, that’s a serious problem. Francis believed former first round pick Matty Beniers was supposed to be that star. Beniers is average at best and shouldn’t be a first line center.

#27 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 25)

It’s not often you say an in-season trade winds up a quick failure but Philadelphia found a way. Many believed trading veterans Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost for Andrei Kuzmenko was redundant. A veteran forward and center for a struggling forward was an odd swap, but then trading Kuzmenko for a 2027 third rounder looks dumb. The Flyers either have no idea what they’re doing, or they are committed to a longer rebuild. It could be both.

#26 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 26)

Rest in peace to the hopes that Marc-Andre Fleury would reunite with Pittsburgh to finish his career. Even if Fleury were traded back to the Penguins at the March eighth deadline, the scoring defense is still the league’s second worst. The second all-time winningest goalie in NHL history deserves a better finish. Now if those takes were about the Vegas Golden Knights, that would’ve been more acceptable.

#25 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 27)

I don’t know what’s more amazing; the fact Anaheim was somehow in the playoff race this long despite having the second worst offense in the league, or John Gibson with the save of the year. We’re going to look back at both the Ducks season and Gibson’s career and wonder how both lasted this long together.

#24 New York Islanders (last ranking: 21)

The next few weeks will be interesting for backup goaltender Marcus Hogberg. The 30 year old net minder’s had a brief, average career. With Semyon Varlamov out the rest of the year, Hogberg has to play more since New York has a lot of upcoming games. If he can steal some wins before the start of April, general manager Lou Lamoriello could trade him to a team needing goaltender depth this offseason.

#23 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 19)

It’s unfair to pin a lot of the Bruins issues on interim coach Joe Sacco. At the same time, Sacco has done nothing to show he is the coach Boston needs moving forward or a coach who can turn around an NHL team. Don’t be surprised if he’s an assistant somewhere else next season.

#22 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 16)

As former coach Rick Bowness said last Sunday on TNT, Detroit has to go 11-3 or 12-2 in their next 14 games in order to make the playoffs. It’s likely they miss the postseason a ninth straight season after self-inflicted losses the last few weeks. The Red Wings also have the hardest remaining schedule in the NHL. It leaves a bitter taste as Detroit heads into their third straight offseason knowing red hot starts fizzled out the last two months of the regular season despite a high caliber offense leading the way.

#21 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 18)

Calgary has to stop taking penalties if they want to make the playoffs. They’re bottom five in penalty minutes and the penalty kill. That helps explain why the Flames have a -24 goal differential.

#20 Utah Hockey Club (last ranking: 22)

One of the reasons Utah’s in the playoff race is their top 15 power-play. There are no news stories of relocation, no pressure to close out the season wondering where they’ll play next year, and Andre Tourigny keeps proving why he’s a great coach in the league. It’s fair to pick the Hockey Club to upset both Vancouver and Calgary, and clinch the eighth seed. However, they aren’t the favorite due to another central division foe surging at the same time.

#19 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 17)

NHL Network’s Steve Konroyd said on Monday night most of Columbus’ regular season success came from playing carefree and not worrying about the playoff race. Now that the postseason is close, the Blue Jackets are starting to show some panic, fatigue and inexperience. It would be a shame if Columbus missed out on the playoffs because they got in their own way.

#18 New York Rangers (last ranking: 20)

The saddest part of New York’s drama-filled season is long-time t.v. play-by-play broadcaster Sam Rosen retiring after the Rangers are eliminated. Don’t expect New York to make the playoffs with their difficult schedule. After all the work Rosen poured in with the franchise, his reward is one of the worst PR disasters of a season from almost everyone in the organization. What an awful parting gift.

#17 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 24)

Former 2019 third overall pick Kirby Dach was placed on injured reserve March second because he needed season ending right knee surgery. Dach’s played 60+ games twice in his six year career and missed all but two games last season. What a painful career going from Chicago almost in a full re-build to season ending injuries in Montreal.

#16 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 14)

Captain Quinn Hughes is back to full health and center Elias Pettersson has played better this month. While Vancouver still struggles to score, the most important player right now is goaltender Kevin Lankinen. Starter Thatcher Demko got injured again and that means someone has to play their best in net every night if the Canucks have any hope of clinching a playoff spot.

#15 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 23)

This is a new team since play resumed. St. Louis is 10-2-2 in their last 14 games, averaging four goals a game, 2.7 goals against, and have a 30% power-play. It would be a shock if St. Louis doesn’t make the playoffs with these numbers.

#14 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 15)

So yes, I was critical of general manager Steve Staios trading forward Josh Norris to Buffalo for forward Dylan Cozens. Norris is a dangerous scoring threat when healthy and also plays center well. After Ottawa’s dramatic 2-1 home win against Detroit March 10th on Amazon Prime, it was easier to see why Staios made the trade. Cozens leads the team in scoring chances and slot shots and is second best in offensive zone puck recoveries and puck battles won (via SportsNet). The Senators have the most goals since December 13th and could upset the playoff picture with a deep run.

#13 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 10)

The losses of franchise star forward Jack Hughes to a shoulder injury and defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler are big blows to New Jersey’s playoff hopes. The Devils go from potentially taking any eastern playoff contender to a full seven game series to hoping they don’t miss the postseason. Montreal and Ottawa won’t fall out of the race anytime soon, and that easily makes New Jersey the weakest of the top eight eastern teams. Let’s see if they can hang on to any of the lower three spots.

#12 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 13)

Andrei Kuzmenko getting to play on a first line with Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar will be interesting to watch the next month. Los Angeles needed another game changing forward who’s confidence will grow among two of the team’s best players. It would be a shock if Kuzmenko doesn’t play better before mid-April on any of the Kings four lines.

#11 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 8)

NHL Network has kept track of Minnesota’s record their last 38 games and it’s eye-opening. The Wild started the season at 20-6-4, and gave the league best Winnipeg Jets some trouble. Their last 38 games? 18-19-1. Injuries to star players are mostly to blame for the downturn but it’s bizarre how far Minnesota has fallen.

#10 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 7)

It’s also eye-opening how average Edmonton has played once the Four Nations tournament ended. Outside of MVP favorite Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers are mediocre and won’t threaten serious playoff contenders. If Edmonton drew Vegas or Colorado in round one today, they’d be eliminated in five games. No one thought this a month and a half ago.

#9 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking; 11)

Tampa Bay was bound to be in the top ten at some point since they’ve been 12-3-2 since the start of February (that’s an NHL best .82 points percentage during that span). Between an eight game winning streak, captain Victor Hedman playing some of his most complete hockey the last few months, former team champion forward Yanni Gourde coming back and getting an additional forward with Oliver Bjorkstrand at the trade deadline, almost every team in the eastern conference will struggle with the Lightning once playoffs begin.

#8 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 9)

I don’t know how many other people caught this but Toronto’s February 25th 5-4 comeback overtime win in Boston was poetic given the Maple Leafs past struggles against the Bruins in the playoffs. The urge to say it was a regular season win was valid until Boston traded captain Brad Marchand and made it clear there’s an incoming rebuild. How fitting Toronto got karma for their 2013 game seven blunder to end the Bruins reign of playoff consistency in almost the exact same way.

#7 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 12)

It’s almost unbelievable this is the second time Colorado’s been in the top ten for this seasons power rankings. General manager Joe Sakic turned a stale roster into a dangerous team few contenders want to face in the playoffs. How much longer can Sakic get away with this?

#6 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 5)

A lot of regular season stats are eye-roll worthy, but some stick throughout the season. A team’s record at home versus on the road is one of them. Carolina has the NHL’s best home record at 27-7-1. Outside Raleigh they’re 14-15-3. The Hurricanes can’t afford to lose home ice advantage especially to a team like Tampa Bay.

#5 Dallas Stars (last ranking; 4)

Trading forward Logan Stankoven to Carolina for forward Mikko Rantanen screams all-in for winning a championship this year. There are four teams in the western conference that could both go to the finals and win the championship. Only Dallas has all the pressure to win or see the season as a failure.

#4 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 6)

For everything said about Boston this season, one imagines somewhere in a dark corner of Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy’s mind, he’s sitting back and laughing with his 2023 championship ring. While the Bruins flounder in mediocrity, the Golden Knights lost their first home game to a division rival this month and had three shutout wins the last two weeks. Vegas has a case they’re the best team in the western conference, the NHL, and are the biggest postseason threat.

#3 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 2)

Had Florida not lost to Montreal and the Islanders back-to-back, they would’ve had the number one spot on these rankings. Despite getting former Bruins captain Brad Marchand and goaltender Vitek Vanecek at the trade deadline, this is where the loss of star defenseman Aaron Ekblad hurts most. Fortunately, Ekblad will miss only two postseason games. If the Panthers dip in the standings, it leaves the Atlantic division race open for Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto to steal one of the top seeds.

#2 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 3)

Last ranking I lauded Washington’s top line for leading the team to first place in goal scoring. This month it’s the Capitals second line stepping up. Since play resumed, the line of Connor McMichael, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson has scored 13 goals, and scoring chances v. chances allowed is 3-1 in their favor. Washington’s rising at the best time and they will be one of the hardest teams to eliminate in the playoffs.

#1 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 1)

Originally I swapped Florida and Winnipeg because of consistency until last weekend. The Jets dominated the win-now Stars and shook off a trap game in Seattle two days later. If their only lull of were losses to Philadelphia and New York, that says how great Winnipeg’s been this season.

Josh Morrissey (44) and Kyle Connor hug after a dominant home win against Dallas last Friday. Connor’s two goals and an assist helped make Winnipeg’s win look easy.

2024-2025 NHL First Half Analysis, Questions, Power Rankings and the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets!

jminx946 Comments

It’s been a fun first half of the season. The Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals have the most points and the best records in their conferences. Alexander Ovechkin gets closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals scored record each week. The MVP race is a toss-up and every playoff spot is up for grabs in the eastern conference. There should be a wild finish to the second half of the regular season. Here’s the top takes, questions and answers as the Four Nations tournament takes place.

Is there any consistent, great team or does it vary by month?

Winnipeg celebrates a shutout home win over Carolina February 4th. The Jets have the most points this season.

It’s hard to choose which team is the best this season and too soon to say. While Winnipeg’s easily the best and most complete team, their previous playoff blunders makes analysts second guess how good they’ll be when it matters most. Washington’s the top team in the eastern conference, but this will be Spencer Carbery’s first season he coaches a team into the playoffs. Vegas, Florida, Carolina, Dallas, Edmonton and Toronto had some slumps the first few months. It’s likely most of the playoff contenders are waiting for rivals to slip up once play resumes and make a more determined push. We’ll find out which teams are for real in the March power rankings.

It seems the MVP race is cluttered, but is there a clear Jack Adams (coach of the year) set of finalists?

Columbus’ Dean Evason is a top three pick for the Jack Adams award.

Most pundits believe Washington’s Carbery, Winnipeg’s Scott Arniel, and either Ottawa’s Travis Green or Vegas’ Bruce Cassidy will be the Jack Adams nominees. The Senators are the only team of the four mentioned to not be in the top three of their conference. Therefore, the winner could be chosen by how well their team does in the playoffs.

My three are different. The Jack Adams award should be for the best coach regardless of talent. Columbus’ Dean Evason should be first. No one had the Blue Jackets near the eighth seed, especially once their best player was tragically killed in the offseason. New Jersey’s Sheldon Keefe has excelled where predecessor Lindy Ruff fell short and the Devils defense has improved in every aspect. Finally, I’ll take St. Louis’ Jim Montgomery as the third option. As readers know from previous rankings, Montgomery was fired from Boston one month into the regular season and hired a few days after by the Blues. The Bruins haven’t fixed the offensive issues after firing him, but St. Louis is eight points out of the eighth seed and is one of the most underrated teams in the league after hiring Montgomery.

If I had to pick one of the three choices given, Dean Evason’s the easy winner for coach of the year.

How many big trades will there be once play resumes? Will there be any teams selling to re-build?

Colorado’s blockbuster trade of Mikko Rantanen sent shockwaves through both conferences. It may not be the last before the deadline.

The eastern conference (more on them later) is loaded with star players and depth that won’t sniff the postseason. By contrast, the western conference has a few surprising playoff favorites that disappointed. It’s unknown which team starts the upcoming trade frenzy, but Nashville, New York and Pittsburgh are big names to watch. The first two have stars they can unload for additional cap space and draft picks. I expect a lot of teams in both conferences to make moves the last week of the trade deadline given how close most are in the standings.

Speaking of close teams, what’s going on with Vancouver? Are they a favorite to go far in the postseason? Is there any way they can get back to last year’s form?

The J.T. Miller v. Elias Pettersson riff ended with Miller traded to the Rangers. General manager Patrik Allvin’s move will be analyzed at every angle years from now.

This is the best question asked so far. Real hockey fans wondered how Vancouver played lifeless once the regular season began. That’s uncommon for Rick Tocchet coached teams. It turns out assistant captain J.T. Miller and the most talented player on the team Elias Pettersson had a rift behind closed doors. While Pettersson is their most coveted player, Miller spent six seasons holding the Canucks together no matter the problems. At one point during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was the only player on the team to not fall ill. His leadership kept Vancouver a contender even when Pettersson struggled to score.

Team president Jim Rutherford made the situation worse when he told the media that no matter what happened in negotiations, there were only short-term solutions. A few analysts thought dealing both players to separate teams could be a good move. There wouldn’t be a bias to either and it would help the Canucks re-group some talent without causing a fuss. This is Vancouver, so they did the opposite and dealt an assistant captain to a team that also backstabbed player leadership within the last few months.

There are more issues like the fragile goaltending situation when Thatcher Demko continued to miss time and came back around the holidays. The defense has regressed and captain Quinn Hughes struggled. Now Hughes is out due to an undisclosed, lower body injury. The Miller-Pettersson issue was one more thing to deal with and the organization hasn’t handled these issues well. If you want to feel bad for anybody, it should be Rick Tocchet. This is the second time he’s coached a team where upper management’s botched trades and roster talent.

It’s definitely a sad topic to read on. However for every low, there’s a high. Vancouver might have it rough, but some of the younger teams and eastern conference squads look really good. Which of these teams are for real and will make the playoffs?

There’s a trio of good, young teams and they’re all in the eastern conference. New Jersey, Ottawa and Detroit are the hottest names to play against for any playoff contender. From new coaches to defensive additions and scoring depth, all three should make the postseason with how well they play compared to Boston, Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers. Montreal is a close fourth, but they’re still re-tooling the roster and played tired after a long winning streak. It’s likely they miss the playoffs.

To take it further, I see this question as which of the three teams will go further in the postseason. Most likely, Detroit draws the winner of the metropolitan or atlantic division, and be easily eliminated (unless that hilariously becomes Ottawa). It then comes down to which veteran teams draw the Senators or Devils. The reigning champion Panthers and the rising Maple Leafs would struggle more with New Jersey while Ottawa could keep it close with almost every team. I’d go with the Devils because of their combined experience and how they’ve fixed more long-term mistakes this season.

Detroit’s red-hot on every side of the puck and would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

Here’s the second power rankings of the year. This will be the third and last time you see this notification in the regular season. Here’s where all 32 teams objectively stand going back to January. Some have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 31)

Three teams are all but eliminated from playoff contention. San Jose is one and they’ve been dreadful since the calendar flipped to 2025. At least they got all their trades done early so there’s nothing to pay attention to the rest of the season.

#31 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)

Chicago’s the second team easily eliminated. Unlike the Sharks, the Blackhawks need to make more moves. The goaltending duo of Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom will be in high demand and Chicago must decide how deep they should go into their rebuild. They’re not competitive in the standings so it wouldn’t surprise many to see the Blackhawks veterans land on playoff favorites.

#30 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 30)

If you had Buffalo as the third team, congratulations. The Sabres are the only eastern conference team that won’t sniff the postseason given how many points they have to get after playing 54 games. It’s ok to wonder if owner Terry Pegula will let go of coach Lindy Ruff after the season. Ruff did a subpar job at best and it could be the end of his long coaching career if Pegula decides to move on.

#29 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 29)

By now, you’ve figured I won’t quit on Nashville because of who their general manager is, the roster he put together, and how there’s something to salvage. While I’m not changing that view, the Predators probably won’t make the postseason because they have 45 points after 54 games. What will be interesting is how Nashville plays when they come back from break. Will the Predators finally get it together and become the team no one wants to play, or will GM Barry Trotz pull the plug and get creative in trades and roster decisions before the playoffs? These could be the most pivotal two weeks for the franchise this decade.

#28 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 27)

It’s jaw-dropping how Seattle’s taken a few steps back after their postseason run two years ago. The steal of their first full roster was goaltender Philipp Grubauer after a trade with Colorado. Grubauer was put on waivers at the end of January. General manager Ron Francis has spectacularly failed to make the Kraken competitive and many will look at his expansion draft blunders in a different light because of it.

#27 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 25)

Until last week, Anaheim won 20 of 21 games this season when they scored three or more goals a game. The defense is ok but the offense is the league’s worst. That’s a shock.

#26 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 20)

Since both New York teams improved after the last rankings, attention returns to Pittsburgh and coach Mike Sullivan. The Penguins have the second worst defense and two 20+ goal scorers. One has to wonder when there’s a coaching change this year.

#25 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 23)

Give credit to coach John Tortorella for making Philadelphia competitive this season. The Flyers were predicted to be a bottom-dwelling team from start to finish (despite how Tortorella gets the most out of his rosters), and this is easily the worst in the metropolitan. It took four months for Philadelphia to run out of gas, but the Flyers are respectable given how hard they compete every week despite the lack of talent.

#24 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 22)

Montreal had an impressive winning streak to close out 2024 and extend into 2025. Unlike Detroit, Ottawa and New Jersey, the Canadiens don’t have the depth or experience to maintain long winning streaks late in the regular season. There’s a lot for Montreal to feel good about, but the roster needs more work. They’ll have an interesting offseason.

#23 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 23)

If there’s any case for Jim Montgomery winning coach of the year in St. Louis, look at the team stats versus where they are in the standings. The Blues are a bottom ten team in a lot of categories on every side of the puck (led by second worst penalty kill). Yet they’re out of the eighth seed by eight points. If St. Louis makes the playoffs, it forces analysts and voters to try and give Montgomery a case for the award.

#22 Utah Hockey Club (last ranking: 21)

To follow up from last month’s analysis, Nick Schmalz’s season slump makes forward Dylan Guenther a focal point in Utah’s offense. Guenther’s tied for the team lead in goals with 20 and tied for third most points on offense with 41. He’s only played 44 games. Dylan Guenther will be a key player in the Hockey Club’s rise.

#21 New York Islanders (last ranking: 26)

The strangest part about New York’s seven game winning streak wasn’t how great the team felt, it was conversation about how center Mathew Barzal is a bust after needing another surgery on his left kneecap and how general manager Lou Lamoriello wants to trade defenseman Noah Dobson. The Islanders could be one of the hottest teams in the league, but management again found a way to mess up the good mood.

#20 New York Rangers (last ranking: 28)

It’s been a rough season for the players in New York. That’s why Jonathan Quick’s 400th career win (the most for a U.S. born goaltender) is a season highlight. General manager Chris Drury could reward Quick for reaching that milestone by trading him once the Four Nations tournament ends.

#19 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 14)

General manager Don Sweeney’s almost out of moves after hiring former Stanley Cup champion team captain Zdeno Chara to a front office position. The firing of Jim Montgomery looks worse each week and Boston’s fallen behind Detroit and Ottawa. The Bruins should move assets near the trade deadline since there’s not enough on the team to make this year’s playoffs.

#18 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 17)

Whatever Calgary’s doing this season works. The Flames won’t go away despite the offensive and penalty killing woes. A three game losing streak somehow means they’re three points back of the eighth seed and Vancouver. Go figure.

#17 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 18)

If you need anymore convincing of how Dean Evason is coach of the year, look at defenseman Zach Werenski. Werenski’s tied with Hall of Famer Bobby Orr for the fourth longest home point streak in NHL history with 21. He also leads Columbus in assists and total points. There will be a lot of close award races but the Norris trophy (won by the best defenseman) is Zach Werenski’s to lose.

#16 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 24)

General manager Steve Yzerman picked the right interim coach. Todd McLellan’s hiring brings necessary discipline, accountability and freedom for Detroit to do what they want on every side of the puck. At one point the Red Wings had a 50% power-play and a 71% penalty kill. They’ve tallied impressive wins and put playoff contending teams on alert with their re-awakened vigor.

#15 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 15)

We’ve finally reached the point where Detroit and Ottawa will be close in the standings and rankings for a while. Both teams made Tampa Bay play at a Stanley Cup caliber level this past week despite the losses.

On the Senators end, they were impressive until their Sunshine State roadtrip. Ottawa’s not a Stanley Cup contender, but they’ll be hard to beat four times in a best of seven series should the defense not revert to bad habits.

#14 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 19)

If we put the loss to Dallas aside, Vancouver’s 3-1 after trading J.T. Miller January 31st. The lone loss against a resurgent Red Wings is fine. Shutting out Colorado and winning a heavyweight game against Toronto are plusses. A painful chapter closed and this is where coach Rick Tocchet can finally bring the best out of his players.

#13 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 9)

I get why Los Angeles fans could be upset but this ranking should show how good the other 12 teams are this year. The Kings are tied for the league’s best scoring defense and could be a sixth seed at best by April. Another example of how the NHL is the best sports league in North America and a cruel one.

#12 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 13)

The same applies with Colorado. The Avalanche don’t have the depth but coach Jared Bednar’s still got them as a top six seed. The goaltending duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood will be fun to watch the next few months.

#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 11)

I personally think both coach Jon Cooper and starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy took the upcoming games against Ottawa and Detroit personally given how Tampa Bay’s been stuck in the middle of the eastern conference most of the season and lost to both teams a few times in 2024. What better way to pull ahead before the trade deadline than smacking around two division rivals with confident coaches leading their teams back to playoff contention? The Lightning will be deadly the second half of the regular season.

#10 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 7)

Some New Jersey fans might be disappointed the Devils are ranked this low, but a good number might not be once I reiterate something NHL Network analyst Mike Johnson stated January 19th after a 2-1 loss to Ottawa. A lot of New Jersey’s early season success was from a power-play that got the Devils to quick leads. Five-on-five is the biggest area New Jersey has to fix. Despite injuries and illnesses, they can’t rely on the power-play to score and get early leads with the playoffs two months away. The Devils could make a move at the trade deadline.

#9 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 5)

On the contrary, while many Toronto fans might feel confident, a good number are nervous about how the Leafs could at best win the atlantic division or at worst, fall behind against Tampa Bay, Ottawa and Detroit. The Maple Leafs can get past the Lightning, but they’ve struggled against the Senators and Red Wings. A first round matchup against either young team could lead to a surprise exit given how both Ottawa and Detroit play physical and care-free.

#8 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 6)

They won’t win the central division but Minnesota’s impressive. Unfortunately that’s enough to get them a four or five seed in the postseason. It’ll be interesting to see if the Wild make any trades before the deadline to shore up their third and fourth lines.

#7 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 10)

If one of my coach of the year candidates didn’t seem passable, know Kris Knoblauch was fourth on my list. He knew back in October this was like running a marathon, and he managed the minutes of Edmonton’s best players well. Not only is forward Leon Draisaitl a leading MVP candidate, the Oilers are tied for both the pacific division lead and the second seed in the western conference.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 1)

The reason Edmonton hasn’t run away with the pacific division or the second seed is because Vegas played better the first four months. The Golden Knights have the second best power-play despite a slow January. Expect Vegas to go on a winning streak when play resumes. It’ll be a fun division race to watch.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 8)

Although Carolina’s 3-3 since trading for forward Mikko Rantanen, the Hurricanes did well in January. They surpassed New Jersey as expected and scored four or more goals in six games the last month and a half. Now they need to put together a winning streak of at least five games.

#4 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 12)

Trading for forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci were big moves. However analysts leaked Dallas is trying to trade for a big name player before the deadline. If the Stars land this supposed player, they could be the favorites to win the Stanley Cup (depending on who they draw in the playoffs of course).

#3 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 4)

Washington has the second best offense in the NHL and the first line is among the best. Center Dylan Strome is the team leader in assists and points while the captain Alex Ovechkin leads in goals. This is easily the best Capitals team since Barry Trotz wasn’t re-signed.

#2 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 3)

Much like Tampa Bay, Florida played some of their best hockey this season right before the break. The Panthers proved they’re saving their best for the second half of the regular season after a shutout against Los Angeles, a narrow win against St. Louis and a thrashing of Ottawa.

#1 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 2)

The most realistic answer to the first question asked at the beginning of this article is this ranking. The league’s best is the one with two eight game winning streaks in one season. That’s incredible since no one predicted this before October. Winnipeg’s also tied for first in scoring defense and has the best offense and power-play.

One could also say this ranking answers the second question asked earlier. Despite the cases for Dean Evason winning coach of the year, Scott Arniel is lauded for getting the Jets to play at a better competitive level and could get a unanimous win for the Jack Adams. All Winnipeg has to do is play like this in the postseason.

Josh Morrissey (white) celebrates after scoring an overtime winner in Washington February 1st.