Tag: nhl

January 2025 NHL Power Rankings: The Big Apple’s Championship Hopes Rotted to the Core

jminx945 Comments
Florida celebrates a goal in a 5-3 home wing versus the Rangers while starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin pouts in his last game of 2024.

Every NHL analyst said at the beginning at the 2024-2025 regular season the New York Rangers were a top five team to both reach and win the Stanley Cup finals. New York had everything on paper to punch their playoff ticket and get to the second round. A top franchise goaltender? Check. A championship winning coach? Yep. A tough, defensive captain? Of course. Scoring, grit and top five special teams units? Absolutely. There were few teams favored to eliminate the Rangers in a best of seven series.

Now? New York won’t pass the lowly Islanders or Sabres in the standings. Unlike last article with the Nashville Predators, the problem for New York wasn’t the organization signing and putting together veteran, championship players with pressure to win now. Their problem is managerial mistrust. It’s a WMD that takes down any franchise on the cusp of getting to a championship.

Owner James Dolan and general manager Chris Drury executed a masterclass in how to alienate top league talent and destroy trust for any sports team. Most of the blame goes to Drury, who insisted and pushed to re-sign starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin for a whopping, league-high eight year, $92 million contract. That’s a staggering number for someone who doesn’t sniff accolades to either Sunshine State netminders (who both eliminated the Rangers in previous postseasons). Drury then had to decide who was worth keeping before Shesterkin’s signature dried on the dotted line.

There was daily chaos in New York’s locker room before Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension. Key offensive players like Mika Zibanejad weren’t playing well. After the extension players were openly upset and frustrated. Captain Jacob Trouba was pressured by Drury to drop his no-trade clause so he could be moved. Trouba wound up going to Anaheim for Ducks defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth round pick.

That deal has ripple effects. The NHLPA and scores of players have complained that the Rangers front office should have put the former captain on waivers because Trouba had a no-trade clause for some teams, but didn’t have a no-move clause. According to Remy Mastey, that would mean New York should not have forced a trade. The Rangers did all this to their captain. It wasn’t surprising the roster’s played worse after the trade. The same was done to former captain Ryan McDonagh last decade, and we know how that worked out.

No one in the organization outside Shesterkin is safe. That was shown again when former 2019 second overall pick Kaapo Kakko openly criticized coach Peter Laviolette after a beatdown against St. Louis saying, “I know we’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to take the young guy and put him out.” Kakko was one of the better defenders on the Rangers penalty kill and five-on-five after Thanksgiving. While Laviolette could have been right for taking Kakko out, the timing of when the former second overall pick said this leaves one to wonder if it was his way of telling Drury he wanted out. Who could blame him? Kakko found out about Trouba going to Anaheim at a hotel sauna in Dallas.

Not even 24 hours after Kaapo Kakko’s response to being pulled against St. Louis, he was traded to Seattle for defenseman Will Borgen and two draft picks. New York’s played worse during all three of these major stories. The worst performance of the season was a blown, 3-0 lead at home to Dallas before the Rangers lost in overtime last Tuesday. New York never trailed until forward Jason Robertson scored the overtime winner. The players also had a closed door meeting about their displeasure in general manager Chris Drury during their last winning streak.

We’re getting closer to seeing which NHL teams won’t make the playoffs. It’s stunning when analysts on Sportsnet, TSN, the NHL Network and ESPN all agree how there’s little hope for an organization reaching the playoffs due to shattered trust. No one will be surprised when players like Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox and Vincent Trocheck get dealt in 2025. The Rangers more than deserve this product.

Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (86) posterized goaltender Igor Shesterkin with a goal minutes into a lopsided home win in Tampa December 28th. Shesterkin was pulled after giving up five goals.

Time for the first power rankings of 2025. These show where all 32 teams objectively stand going back to December. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)

The NHL has to stop forcing Connor Bedard and this awful Blackhawks team on national viewers. Real hockey has Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov or Sidney Crosby leading their teams to the playoffs, not top five in another horrifying draft lottery process.

#31 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 29)

Meanwhile, this season’s first overall pick Macklin Celebrini should be rookie of the year. Celebrini is tied for third in points with 28 and second in goals with 13 for San Jose. The Sharks are in another rebuilding year and are almost last on every side of the puck. They need to add more scoring and defensive depth this offseason.

#30 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 22)

It’s been another rough season for the Sabres as they became the only team to post multiple losing streaks of 13 games three times in at least 50 years. While Buffalo’s won five of their last eight games, NHL Network’s Steve Konroyd and Mike Johnson pointed out a big reason the Sabres struggle is due to the lack of physical play, especially around the net. Buffalo has to toughen up and take more chances.

#29 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 19)

Sometimes a slow start can derail an entire season, especially the closer teams get to the trade deadline. Nashville won four games in December but they were all against playoff favorites (yes, even the Rangers at that time). While the Predators lost to a good number of quality teams in their division, losses to Montreal, Calgary and Pittsburgh negated a lot of positives. Nashville should feel some relief January is an easier month and can make up some ground. They’re on a good start after winning their first two of three games to start the month.

#28 New York Rangers (last ranking: 5)

I said in previous power rankings that if a team ever falls more than ten spots, it’s deserved. There are many factors into why it’s happened; good or bad. New York absolutely deserves this 23 team drop. It’s a nosedive many audiences haven’t seen in years, if not a decade. The Rangers have no hope nor a chance of getting back to the top of the standings. That’s on ownership and management.

That said, it was SportsNet’s Ron MacLean with this jaw-dropping stat on December 28th after the Rangers lost to Tampa Bay: Igor Shesterkin allowed the most five or more goal performances of all netminders in 2024 with eleven. This is what general manager Chris Drury let go of Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko and probably much more for by extending Shesterkin.

#27 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 18)

At some point there has to be criticism towards general manager Ron Francis for how Seattle’s played the last two years. Teams adjusted to playing the Kraken after their unexpected postseason run in 2023, but Dave Hakstol wasn’t holding the roster back. Dan Bylsma struggles to get consistent scoring and defense from this roster. Bylsma isn’t a rookie coach either, he’s been successful for decades. Francis hasn’t replicated the magic he had with Carolina.

#26 New York Islanders (last ranking: 21)

What a terrible time to live in New York and be an NHL fan. The best team in the state is still last on the power-play and penalty kill. Their head coach also committed one last blunder of 2024 by…pulling their goalie on a defensive zone draw against the Toronto Maple Leafs down 2-1. Worth saying yet again this is the genius of general manager Lou Lamoriello after firing Barry Trotz.

#25 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 30)

Former third overall pick Trevor Zegras is on pace for 23 points this season after last year’s down year of 40. What kind of progression is this? What is going on with Anaheim’s development programs where one of the most treasured scoring phenoms becomes an afterthought?

#24 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 24)

The Red Wings needed a coaching change after Christmas. General manager Steve Yzerman didn’t waste time and fired Derek Lalonde on the 26th. Interestingly, Todd McLellan was chosen to succeed him and he did not hold back his thoughts of the roster after a one sided loss to Toronto. Detroit’s undefeated in 2025 after his objective rant at practice a day after losing to the Leafs.

#23 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 25)

He won’t win coach of the year but John Tortorella deserves a lot of credit for making the Flyers competitive. Philadelphia has one of the league’s worst rosters, a terrible power play and are a bottom five team on offense and defense. Yet the Flyers are still in the playoff race and have crucial wins over Columbus and Detroit. Philadelphia could fizzle out, but that won’t be in another month or two.

#22 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 31)

That was a stunning December for Montreal. The Canadiens closed out 2024 with three dominant wins over Florida, Tampa Bay and Vegas in total goals at 12-4. Then Montreal won thrillers over Colorado, Vancouver and Washington to start January. A big reason for the Canadiens’ hot streak is the better development of duo Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky under Martin St. Louis. SAP Coaching Insights revealed that of the age 21 or younger duos this season, Hutson and Slavkovsky are second in combined points this season with 54. There’s more roster building to do but the core of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Jake Evans and Hutson makes the team better.

#21 Utah Hockey Club (last ranking: 23)

It’s been an uncharacteristically quiet scoring season for Nick Schmalz. He had no goals and 17 assists until Utah’s 6-0 shutout of Vegas to end November. He four goals and six assists in December. If Schmalz gets hot this month or February, it would put the Hockey Club’s playoff chances in an interesting position.

#20 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 28)

The biggest winner from the Rangers tanking is Mike Sullivan. Not only are media outlets and division rivals not talking about how much time he has left in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins are just outside the postseason standings, tied for fourth in the metropolitan division despite giving up the most goals. New York’s fall means division and conference rivals will be closer in the playoff race than many assumed before the start of November.

#19 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 12)

Injuries to star forward Elias Pettersson (and formerly captain Quinn Hughes) explain some of Vancouver’s stall, but the rumours on a rift between Pettersson and center J.T. Miller are more serious. It’s why the Canucks didn’t play energized most of 2024. It could get uglier before the trade deadline.

#18 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 27)

There’s a golden opportunity for both coach Dean Evason and Columbus’ roster to be nominated for various awards. The Blue Jackets were considered a dark-horse postseason threat in the last power rankings. Now they’re tied for the eighth seed with Pittsburgh. The big question for Columbus would be how active they are at the trade deadline when general manager Don Waddell was hired to fix a lot of mistakes from previous trades.

#17 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 17)

Give credit to Calgary; they hung around with top teams in 2024 and seem to be a good litmus test for which western conference teams are serious about making the playoffs. As discussed in the last rankings, it’s unclear how much longer the Flames keep this up. They’re a bottom three scoring offense and penalty-killing team. That won’t go away unless there are major roster moves.

#16 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 26)

Jim Montgomery was the best hire at the right time. Despite a .500 December, St. Louis has hope for a strong playoff run. They’ll pass Calgary at some point and probably Vancouver (if the Canucks remain uninspired). The Blues would be a worst case scenario for the one seed in the west.

#15 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 20)

Ottawa should be one of the league’s better season stories. Unfortunately, injuries to both goaltenders Anton Forsberg and Linus Ullmark soured the great December the Senators had. They’ve lost five of their last six games despite not playing for almost two weeks. Ottawa cannot fall back into old, bad defensive patterns with Forsberg back in net.

#14 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 13)

Don’t be fooled by the standings. Boston remains stuck despite firing Jim Montgomery. Currently riding a six game losing streak, the Bruins still have a bottom three power-play and a bottom ten offense with Joe Sacco behind the bench. That’s Boston’s worst losing streak since last decade. There won’t be change until general manager Don Sweeney is humbled.

#13 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 15)

General manager Joe Sakic trading goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to San Jose for Mackenzie Blackwood (and then extending his contract) was perfectly timed. Blackwood will play more games than expected after Buffalo’s Zach Benson injured Scott Wedgewood in January 2nd’s game. Colorado’s defense has improved after the trade and that should carry over into the second half of the season.

#12 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 4)

That Tuesday overtime win in New York is a season highlight no matter how far Dallas goes in the playoffs. The Stars never led that game and still found a way to win. Even better, captain Jamie Benn had a three game goal streak and the offense is starting to play better.

#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 11)

There’s a high chance Tampa Bay surpasses Boston in the standings (they have five more games to play) and joins the race for top seed in the atlantic division. The Lightning have played the least amount of games in the eastern conference and are in-sync on every side of the puck. They just can’t lose to teams like Anaheim, San Jose or Montreal again.

#10 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 16)

Last power rankings had the prediction Edmonton would get hot later in the regular season. The Oilers aren’t there yet, but they’re gaining ground. Like Tampa, Edmonton’s eyebrow raising losses stand out. Yet the defense has fixed most of the issues that cost them wins the first two months of the season.

#9 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 10)

The big reason Los Angeles is a much better and consistent team this year is because of their dominance at home. They’re 14-2-1, score three and a half goals a game while giving up two on defense, and the power play is near 24%. The Kings were seen as a better road team in 2023 before the December collapse. Jim Hiller has done a great job fixing last year’s mistakes.

#8 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 2)

That was a rough month for what many considered the best team in the eastern conference. The only quality win was a weekend split against New Jersey on the 28th. It’s rare to say that every loss a team took for one month will affect their postseason chances, but that’s what happened to the Hurricanes.

#7 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 14)

The recent slump and roster inexperience keeps New Jersey from being a top five team. The Devils also played the most games in the eastern conference, and that means they’ll be passed in the standings by Carolina. There’s nothing else to critique because coach Sheldon Keefe has this young core playing their best. He should be a coach of the year nominee.

#6 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 9)

Like Ottawa, Minnesota was rolling and would probably be the talk of January had potential MVP candidate Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon not fallen to injuries. The Wild are one of the league’s best stories this year, but there’s concern those injuries might place Minnesota behind Colorado if they have an average month.

#5 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 7)

It might’ve been a mistake for Toronto to transfer the team captaincy from John Tavares to Auston Matthews this year. Jonas Siegel of The Athletic reported Matthews is unsure if he’ll be able to fully move past his injury this season. Meanwhile, Tavares tied Evgeni Malkin Tuesday night for most seasons of 20+ goals among active players with 15. It wouldn’t surprise many viewers if Tavares is still seen in Toronto’s locker room as the de facto captain the rest of this season.

#4 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 8)

The spotlight is on Alex Ovechkin as he continues closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s total goals record, but the best Capital of 2024 was coach Spencer Carbery. Not only is Washington all-in with his system and tactics, they’re the best team in the eastern conference. The defense mirrors the 2018 championship season where Barry Trotz had the defense playing sharp. The offense is also back to the dangerous levels many hockey fans remembered.

#3 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 3)

This might be the only ranking readers push back on. The first half of December wasn’t what many wanted to see from Florida. While the Panthers beat Seattle and Philadelphia, they were shutout in consecutive games by Vancouver and Calgary.

Yet the second half of December is why Florida isn’t knocked down. The Panthers won a thriller in Edmonton in their first matchup since game seven of the finals. After that win, Florida dominated Minnesota, St. Louis and split with Tampa Bay. The Panthers might be where Tampa Bay was in 2022; ready for the postseason, but stuck with a lot of remaining games in the regular season. They could be distracted every other week. Until there’s a significant rough patch, don’t expect the Panthers to drop out of the top five.

#2 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 1)

Many expected some cooling for Winnipeg before 2025 started. The Jets are still tied for the best record and had impressive wins in December. There are teams Winnipeg struggles against, but there’s a few months of regular season hockey left and coach Scott Arniel has a lot of time to make those changes.

#1 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 6)

Vegas recorded a cool stat with their 3-1 home win over Anaheim on December 23rd: They’re the only team this season to be undefeated at home against their division. The Knights also won their first three games in 2025. Usually a fully healthy team back to playing championship level hockey takes care of their divisional rivals at home. Coach Bruce Cassidy has the Golden Knights playing like their old selves.

Vegas trading for San Jose forward Tomas Hertl (48, center) last year is paying off this season. His 11 goals make the Golden Knights offense one of the league’s top five units.

December 2024 NHL Power Rankings: Nauseous in Nashville- How the Predators Became Prey

jminx941 Comment
Nashville starting goaltender Juuse Saros takes a stick to the face in a shutout loss to Calgary earlier in the month.

General manager Barry Trotz had a hard decision to make on March eighth earlier this year: should he trade Nashville’s core talent after a hot winning streak or keep everyone together and try for a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs. It was a hard decision. The Predators were one of the NHL’s most dangerous teams last spring and pushed well-coached Vancouver to a thrilling six game series in the first round of the postseason.

Many serious viewers believed Nashville would be one of the top western conference teams when the season began in October. They signed Tampa Bay’s franchise scoring leader and long tenured captain Steven Stamkos and former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault. They added defenseman Brady Skjei after trading Ryan McDonagh back to the Lightning. Barry Trotz was already a contender for general manager of the year before the Predators played a regular season game.

The free agency period could be the highlight of Nashville’s year. The Predators were one of two teams to not win a game until the end of October. They’ve won the same number of games in November as they’ve been shutout. While the team’s leading goal scorer is Filip Forsberg, the acquisition of Jonathan Marchessault is a dud. Marchessault has three goals and seven assists after two months. This is a forward who was the core of many successful Golden Knights offenses once they grabbed him in the 2017 expansion draft.

The former Stanley Cup finals MVP isn’t the only one struggling. Former Conn Smythe winner Ryan O’Reilly is having a hard time after last year’s solid season. While O’Reilly and Marchessault both have 12 points as of this writing, at least the former plays better defense. Still, that’s a problem when two of the team’s best signings the last two years went from MVP of a champion winning team to non-existent on offense and the power-play.

This is where most of the struggles are for the Predators. They’re bottom five in goals scored and bottom ten in goals against. No player has gotten double digit goals in almost two months, and former Vezina candidate Juuse Saros is giving up an average two and a half goals a game. Part of Saros’ issues stem from doing too much when the offense can’t score. Five-on-five has been this team’s worst area, and it doesn’t look like a one or two month slump. Captain Roman Josi said at the beginning of November to FanSided’s Nashville page Predlines that, “there’s a hard time breaking out. We’re having a hard time on the backcheck, we’re not playing as a five-man unit and we’re not playing as a team right now. It’s almost like every guy is on their own page.”

This leads us back to Trotz and how he re-tooled the roster the last year and a half. Sports journalist Scott Maxwell wrote an honest opinion on why the Predators are struggling this early. He believes Barry Trotz spending just under $31 million for super stars was the “Plan A” the franchise had in mind. That’s one third of the team’s salary cap before a regular season game. Maxwell also addresses free agent signings the year before and how Nashville needs more center depth than star scorers.

Finally, many say this is also on coach Andrew Brunette. The calls to fire Brunette are constant, but he’s lucky Nashville is unlike many NHL teams where they don’t fire coaches just because there’s a slump. The Predators front office will give Andrew Brunette as much time as possible to fix the ongoing issues throughout the season. If this is just a slow start, there should be an uptick in production. Unfortunately for him, there isn’t much time left until 2025 begins.

Every game in the NHL is hard, and Nashville’s schedule is rife with playoff bound opponents. December has Toronto, the Rangers, Dallas, Colorado, Los Angeles, Winnipeg, Minnesota and a resurgent St. Louis. Barry Trotz could make some harder decisions before the next trade deadline if the Predators are just as bad these last two months.

The Predators struggle to score especially at close range. If Nashville wants to improve, they’ll have to play better offense and score more on second chance opportunities.

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 Chicago Blackhawks (final ranking last season: 31)

It shouldn’t be a surprise the worst team in the NHL is the one that can’t score and is second to last in assists. It should surprise viewers that they’re bottom five in shots on the power-play at 0.9. It’s an early season warning when an offense struggles to find time to get shots on net with a one man advantage.

#31 Montreal Canadiens (final ranking last season: 28)

RG’s Marco D’Amico reported veteran Stanley Cup winning defenseman David Savard could be traded before the March deadline. It’s possible Savard gets dealt before the new year if Montreal’s defense continues the downward spiral.

#30 Anaheim Ducks (final ranking last season: 30)

If there was one play that sums up starting goaltender John Gibson’s career in Anaheim, Friday night’s overtime loss to Buffalo had one. Gibson made a highlight reel save against two Sabres scorers and no help. However the save bounced to the front of the net and forward Jiri Kulich scored his second goal of the season up high when John Gibson was sitting in front of the net. No defender came close to stopping Kulich’s shot and there was no way Gibson could make another save given how he made a spectacular one not even five seconds before the game winner.

#29 San Jose Sharks (final ranking last season: 32)

San Jose’s 7-8 since their second, league record-setting nine straight losses to start the season. The Sharks have also beaten playoff hopefuls the last month and play hard. This could be a one month resurgence, but it’s another reminder there are no easy wins in the NHL.

#28 Pittsburgh Penguins (last season’s final ranking: 24)

When both Stu Grimson and Dave Reid subtly suggested on NHL Network for the first time it was time for Pittsburgh and general manager Kyle Dubas to move in a different direction on coach Mike Sullivan, it was like watching a marathon runner reach the final mile on a race. It’s a matter of time before the Penguins decide to let Sullivan go and bring in a fresh face. The big decision the organization must decide before Sullivan goes is what they should do with the roster. As Mike Johnson said not even 24 hours after, Sidney Crosby must be involved. If that means Crosby wants a trade, then it’s time for a re-build.

#27 Columbus Blue Jackets (final ranking last season: 29)

Columbus will be a dark-horse playoff contender. They already have impressive wins against Colorado, Toronto, Edmonton, Boston (where coach Jim Montgomery was fired after the loss), Carolina and a high-scoring thriller over Tampa Bay. Coach Dean Evason’s getting top ten league scoring with players who wouldn’t make first or second lines for most NHL teams.

#26 St. Louis Blues (last season’s final ranking: 17)

All the trade rumors and roster issues St. Louis had went out the window late Saturday night when general manager Doug Armstrong fired Drew Bannister and immediately hired Jim Montgomery. The defense gave up eight goals in a game twice in November and has a bottom five offense. Armstrong wants the Blues to remain a playoff contender and admitted he made the move this fast because of Montgomery’s excellent decision making and the defensive improvements he’s coached to every team. A dominant win against the Rangers in Jim Montgomery’s debut backed it up.

#25 Philadelphia Flyers (last season’s final ranking: 16)

Starting goaltender Samuel Ersson landing on injured reserve puts a bottom five scoring defense further behind. Coach John Tortorella is known for getting the most out of defensive depth but even this is too much for him.

#24 Detroit Red Wings (last season’s final ranking: 19)

One could argue Detroit should be lower in the rankings, but the two things stopping that is the amount of roster talent and how worse the other eight teams are. However we can agree head coach Derek Lalonde’s on the hot seat and viewers are impatient with the Red Wings slow start.

#23 Utah Hockey Club (last season’s final ranking as the Arizona Coyotes: 27)

If you take out the four wins out of their first six games, Utah’s lost 11 their last 15. Since the relocation to another state could finally be on everyone’s mind, it’s ok to excuse some of the play for now. Remember, this is mostly a young roster that’s been outmatched most of the last five years.

#22 Buffalo Sabres (last season’s final ranking: 22)

Is it possible the game’s passed coach Lindy Ruff? He’s excellent with improving offenses wherever he’s gone, but the run-and-gun style creates problems for his defenses as many saw in New Jersey. Buffalo is plus three in goal differential and has given up five or more goals to Pittsburgh, Columbus, Florida, Montreal and Philadelphia. The Sabres need a lot of help in net the next five months.

#21 New York Islanders (last season’s final ranking: 20)

General manager Lou Lamoriello’s master plan of transforming the roster with Patrick Roy as coach features one of the worst offenses a viewer could lay eyes on, the second worst power-play in the league, the second worst penalty kill and the most blown third period leads with six. Islander fans shouldn’t be upset though. At least they have the fewest penalty minutes two months into the season with 121.

#20 Ottawa Senators (last season’s final ranking: 26)

One topic under-discussed is how decimated the Senators goaltending depth is again. This time it’s coming from minor league systems. Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg will be relied on the next month or two in every game. Fortunately for them, coach Travis Green is known to stay a few steps ahead and is balancing when their play. This will show how much the defense improves against playoff contending opponents.

#19 Nashville Predators (last season’s final ranking: 10)

Nashville has too much talent to be a bottom ten team in the rankings. This is after all, an objective analysis of where teams stand almost two months into the regular season. There will be few times where an NHL or NBA team skyrockets ten spots or higher.

That said, the Predators do have some positives left they can use to claw back into the playoff race. Special teams is a big reason there’s still hope. Nashville’s great on the power-play and has the best penalty killing unit. While you could argue that won’t last long, ask how confident you’d be with that thought if the Predators start playing as a team.

#18 Seattle Kraken (last season’s final ranking: 25)

Seattle’s painfully mediocre, which is surprising given how general manager Ron Francis’ hiring of Dan Bylsma excited everyone. Still, painfully mediocre is better than what the other 14 teams behind the Kraken have right now.

#17 Calgary Flames (last season’s final ranking: 23)

Calgary fans won’t be happy with this ranking. Yes, they’re ahead of Edmonton, Colorado, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Dallas. However, this is an objective ranking. There’s no debate Dallas and Los Angeles are complete teams. The Oilers, Avalanche and Canucks will also have winning streaks at some point because of scoring depth, talent and coaching. When that happens, there’s not much leading scorers Rasmus Andersson, Matt Coronato, MacKenzie Weegar and Andrei Kuzmenko can do to counter.

#16 Edmonton Oilers (last season’s final ranking: 9)

Still, that doesn’t exempt neither the Oilers nor Avalanche for their early season sputters. Edmonton had an exhausting run to the finals last season and hasn’t played with the same energies similar to when Jay Woodcroft was fired last year. Kris Knoblauch balancing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s minutes could give this team the extra push when spring starts.

#15 Colorado Avalanche (last season’s final ranking: 7)

As for Colorado, they’re in trouble if there’s no solid goaltending. Alexandar Georgiev is struggling and all Avalanche netminders combine for second worst in goals against. This puts more pressure on the the offense to out-score opponents in high scoring games. Don’t be surprised if general manager Joe Sakic is forced to trade for a netminder before Christmas.

#14 New Jersey Devils (last season’s final ranking: 21)

Everything written on this site about the Devils has been accurate. The defensive improvements have made New Jersey a playoff contender nearly two months into the season. Their highlight and earliest test was a five-on-three penalty kill on the road at Florida, November 12th. Not only did they shut down the Panther power-play, they won 4-1. The Devils won again in a higher scoring game two nights later 6-2. The coaching and goaltender changes make New Jersey a top team this season.

#13 Boston Bruins (last season’s final ranking: 5)

General manager Don Sweeney fired Jim Montgomery because of an 8-9-3 start. Montgomery had 41 losses in 184 games. That might be the dumbest move Sweeney’s made in a long time. If Boston continues to play average the next two months, it will be a firesale at the trade deadline.

#12 Vancouver Canucks (last season’s final ranking: 4)

Surprisingly the Canucks are better in net to start the season than many expected. Vancouver must improve their five-on-five play if they want to be taken seriously. That shouldn’t be a problem once winter begins.

#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last season’s final ranking: 11)

What a difference a healthy Andrei Vasilevskiy makes for Tampa. The Lightning have a top ten defense and have won at least a dozen games over playoff hopefuls because he’s started most of them. Their dominant home win of Winnipeg made Vasilevskiy the fastest goaltender in NHL history to reach 300 wins. If the offense and special teams can have a better December, Tampa Bay could be near the top of the eastern conference standings.

#10 Los Angeles Kings (last season’s final ranking: 14)

This and the next two team placements won’t be popular given how well all three teams have played to start the season. Remember, these are objective rankings. Los Angeles started hot last year and cooled down to where Jim Hiller took over as coach. Right now they’re unpredictable despite the veteran talent. Another month will show us what we can expect of the Kings.

#9 Minnesota Wild (last season’s final ranking: 18)

It’s almost criminal how there’s little conversation on Minnesota. If Winnipeg didn’t have a historic start, everyone would be praising forward Kirill Kaprizov’s play and Filip Gustavsson’s goaltending. Regardless of conversation, the Wild learned last year’s lessons and had a great start in October. Their mental confidence should keep the stellar performances consistent.

#8 Washington Capitals (last season’s final ranking: 15)

After forward Alex Ovechkin surpassed Gordie Howe for second most goals scored all-time, I made the prediction he could be the first NHL player to score 1,000 goals. He’s going to shatter Wayne Gretzky’s goal record this year and get 900 (outside of missing four to six weeks with a fractured fibula). 1,000 is easily the next barrier he gets to and should surpass.

#7 Toronto Maple Leafs (last season’s final ranking: 12)

In some ways center John Tavares is still team captain with Auston Matthews’ slow start to the season. That’s helped the Leafs keep a top ten offense while the defense has injury issues. It’s early, but replacing Sheldon Keefe with Craig Berube at coach looks like a win.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights (last season’s final ranking: 13)

There’s a difference between Vegas and Los Angeles’ hot starts from last year. The Golden Knights grew tired after winning a championship and scraped into the postseason. The Kings sputtered and needed a new coach. Vegas’ start this year is similar to last season’s minus the fatigue. It’s fascinating to see how they haven’t missed a beat after losing Jonathan Marchessault to free agency.

#5 New York Rangers (last season’s final ranking: 1)

New York’s already one of the best teams due to their goaltending tandem of Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick. They’ll be on another level once center Mika Zibanejad gets hot. When that happens, this could be the best team in both the metropolitan and the eastern conference.

#4 Dallas Stars (last season’s final ranking: 2)

I was hesitant to have Dallas back in the playoffs due to how much the central division improved in free agency. The Stars still dominate every side of the puck while younger players like Mason Marchment and Logan Stankoven get better. No one expected Matt Duchene to lead the team with eleven goals two months into the season. All credit goes to coach Peter DeBoer for how he keeps improving the players.

#3 Florida Panthers (last season’s final ranking: 6)

Coach Paul Maurice talked about how the mentality of facing everyone’s best actually came last year after Florida won the President’s trophy. Two months into the season, it’s hard to tell if that’s true. The Panthers have lost four straight but still look like the team to beat. Florida needs more consistency on defense and to stop taking dumb penalties. Only serious injuries and mistakes could derail a deep Panthers postseason run.

#2 Carolina Hurricanes (last season’s final ranking: 3)

During Carolina’s eight game home winning streak, the Hurricanes have:

  • scored 41 goals (four plus goals in each game during streak)
  • given up 16 goals on defense
  • have a 36.4% power-play
  • have an 85% penalty kill

Good luck to the future road teams playing in Lenovo Center.

#1 Winnipeg Jets (last season’s final ranking: 8)

The top spot shouldn’t surprise anyone. 18 wins in 22 games should make almost every team number one in the rankings. Winnipeg doesn’t have a bad loss after two months. That’s something no other team can brag. Coach Scott Arniel found another gear previous coaches didn’t think possible.

Winnipeg’s Vezina winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck makes one of his 26 saves against the Lightning earlier this month.

2024-25 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picks

jminx941 Comment

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

It’s time to break down which four teams in each division can make the push back to or surprise a lot of people in making the 2024-25 playoffs.

Metropolitan

Carolina Hurricanes

True hockey fans empathize with Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen: Thank goodness hockey is back.

Starting with the easier division, Carolina’s a quick pick. From center to goaltender, the deep Hurricanes should roll through the regular season.

New York Rangers

The Rangers first line should have another stellar season.

The Rangers did their best until eventual champion Florida eliminated them in the conference finals. New York was top ten on offense, defense and the power-play. That shouldn’t change throughout the year.

New Jersey Devils

New Jersey added more defense and has a new coach who will develop the young roster.

This sites prediction about New Jersey was accurate last year. Goaltending, team defense and injuries held back a young, talented core. General manager Tom Fitzgerald addressed that by signing Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen in the offseason. The defense got upgrades with Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jakub Zboril and Colton White signing in free agency. Finally, new coach Sheldon Keefe was a perfect hire for this young, talented team. The Devils should be much better.

Washington Capitals

Washington’s captain Alex Ovechkin has the chance to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record this season…and get closer to 1,000.

It was hard to pick the fourth team. The Islanders didn’t add much in the offseason and kept Patrick Roy as their coach. Pittsburgh could get in if drastic changes are made by the trade deadline. Washington was the best choice with their offseason additions and how well they played for coach Spencer Carbery last year. Defense will be the focus again this season, but the offense should improve after trading for Jakob Chychrun, Andrew Mangiapane and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The needed roster and scoring depth will make the Capitals hard to beat throughout the year.

Atlantic

Florida Panthers

The Sunshine State is the yet again the state of hockey and champions.

The reigning champs head into the regular season with most of last year’s deep, Stanley Cup winning roster. It should be fun to watch them defend their title.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto may have named Auston Matthews the new captain, but no one’s more important to the Leafs than William Nylander.

The Leafs were great the last two years. Now they have Craig Berube as their new coach. For the first time in decades, Toronto should be a Stanley Cup contender.

Detroit Red Wings

This is the year Detroit breaks out and gets better the whole season.

At last the franchise is a playoff contender. General manager Steve Yzerman’s roster isn’t finished yet, but the depth, talent and hunger to make the postseason means this is a pivotal year for Detroit. There shouldn’t be a drop-off at any point, even if captain Dylan Larkin gets injured again.

Tampa Bay Lightning

As long as Andrei Vasilevskiy stays healthy, Tampa Bay is a constant championship threat.

Franchise great Steven Stamkos might’ve signed with Nashville in free agency, but general manager Julien BriseBois patched things up by signing Jake Guentzel and Cam Atkinson and trading for Ryan McDonagh. The deeper Lightning also have franchise goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy back to full health, something they didn’t have last year. Tampa Bay’s talent and coaching gets the nod over Boston (aging) and Ottawa’s (younger) roster.

2024-25 NHL Western Conference Playoff Picks

jminx941 Comment

What a year it was for the western conference. Edmonton was one win away from the conference’s third straight Stanley Cup championship. Many viewers wonder if the Oilers can make another run this year with coach Kris Knoblauch’s interim tag removed. Edmonton doesn’t have any serious injuries before the season begins, but a lot of teams built up depth and are also healthy. There will be competition and pushback from teams like Nashville, Colorado and Vegas. Los Angeles and Winnipeg have a lot to prove after last season’s playoff exits. A team like Minnesota 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 four teams in each division have the best chances to make the 2024-25 postseason.

Pacific

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes (C) had a lot of success and growth his first year as team captain. Year two should be better.

Let’s start with the easier western division. Vancouver is a sure pick to reach the playoffs with head coach Rick Tocchet back behind the bench, Kevin Lankinen replacing the injured Thatcher Demko in net, Quinn Hughes returning as captain, and roster depth at every position. The Canucks were fun to watch last year and played great start to finish. Don’t be surprised if they look better this season.


Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton was one game away from winning Canada’s first Stanley Cup in 30 years. Can the Oilers replicate their second half regular and postseason success this year?

It was a tale of two seasons for Edmonton. The team played better once Knoblauch became coach. The most important adjustments he made were improving the penalty-kill and getting additional scoring from the third and fourth lines. Those changes got the Oilers one win away from the Stanley Cup.

While some are unsure how Edmonton’s scoring and defensive depth will perform the whole season, having Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together again means a future playoff berth.

Vegas Golden Knights

After a first round elimination against Dallas, Vegas should be back to full health once the puck drops tonight.

It wasn’t a surprise Vegas struggled the last half of the season. Injuries and some fatigue kept the Golden Knights in a lower seed. Then they were eliminated in the first round to number one seeded Dallas. Vegas should rebound this season.

The Golden Knights might not have former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault anymore, but we’ll finally see a healthy Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin play together. The addition of forward Victor Olofsson should help center Jack Eichel score more this season.

Los Angeles Kings

Despite a second half sputter, there’s optimism in Los Angeles.

There’s a lot to love with the Kings this year. Los Angeles let goaltender Cam Talbot leave in free agency and traded for Darcy Kuemper to replace him. The former champion will be hard to score against, and even if he misses time, David Rittich and Pheonix Copley have enough to hold the Kings defense together.

Barring another mid-season collapse, Los Angeles should have a breakout year with the offensive depth at center and forward.

Central

Colorado Avalanche

Colorado almost back to full health means more one-on-one scoring chances for reigning league MVP Nathan MacKinnon (29).

This could be the year captain Gabriel Landeskog returns from his long sustained leg injuries. For now, reigning league MVP Nathan MacKinnon, top scorer Mikko Rantanen, top defender Cale Makar and top five coach in the league Jared Bednar are more than enough to push Colorado into the playoffs.

Winnipeg Jets

Regardless of wherever Winnipeg lands in the playoffs, they have the talent and depth to return.

There was disappointment in Manitoba after last year’s playoff flop to the Avalanche. Poor season finale aside, no team in the central has better depth scoring than Winnipeg. The offense should be one of the league’s best again. The Jets also have a two time Conn Smythe winning goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck with at least six quality defensemen to help. It’s up to coach Scott Arniel to find ways to win this postseason.

Minnesota Wild

All Minnesota needs to make the playoffs is a better start to the regular season. The Wild can’t end goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s career with a whimper.

Minnesota missing the playoffs last year was due to a poor start that got coach Dean Evason fired. A difficult two months led to inconsistent play. While interim John Hynes did his best getting the Wild to play better defense, scoring went down. This season should be different.

It’s important Minnesota has a better start. The division is still the most competitive in the conference and most of the eight teams feel there’s something to prove. It’s also the last season for legendary goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, so the Wild have to do well if he wants to win a final championship.

Nashville Predators

(Left to right ) Nashville’s captain Roman Josi, Juuse Saros and Robby Fabbro will be playoff favorites this season.

General manager Barry Trotz is a happy and busy man. After he chose to keep the Predators core unit together after last season’s trade deadline, Nashville finished hot and almost made the second round of the playoffs.

This year it’ll be more fun in Music City. Trotz signed former champions Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, and added defensive depth with Brady Skjei and Scott Wedgewood. The Predators want to play lockdown defense on one end and high-scoring offense the other. It would take a lot to keep Nashville out of the 2025 postseason.

2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals Prediction

jminx946 Comments

The finals are set. 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. Whoever wins the finals deserves the accolades and label of champion. It’s time to break down which team has the best chance of winning the finals and taking home both the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup.

#4 Edmonton Oilers v. #3 Florida Panthers

Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky must play the best series of his life against Oilers captain Connor McDavid if he wants to win the Stanley Cup…and maybe the Conn Smythe trophy.

There couldn’t be two, more different finals opponents. Edmonton has two league MVPs, a defensive minded coach still in his first season with an NHL team and one of the best season turnarounds this decade. Florida has the second oldest and most winningest coach who’s never won a championship, a two-time Vezina winner in net, and fulfilled expectations to repeat as eastern conference champions. The province of Alberta has its first team back in the championship since 2006 while a Florida team is back in the finals for the fifth straight year.

The Oilers love to play the middle of the ice, use speed to drive to the net, and enjoy disrupting opponents from settling into their offensive attacks. The Panthers excel at playing the middle of the ice on defense, wear down opponents with brutal forechecking and create offense with multiple scoring chances better than anyone.

Series deciding factor: Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers power-play v. Mattias Ekholm and the Oilers penalty-kill

Florida learned the valuable lessons in last year’s beat-down against Vegas. The Panthers have perfected the focused, disciplined championship mindset. It shows best on special teams, and will face its ultimate test against the best penalty killing team this entire playoffs. Edmonton gave up a shocking zero power-play goals in the conference finals against Dallas, single-handedly swinging the series in their favor. A big reason the Oilers penalty kill succeeded was coach Peter DeBoer’s stubborn mindset of having the offense pass the puck around and take shots on the outside. Too many outside shots means little rebounding opportunities for second or third scoring chances.

Florida doesn’t have that mindset. They will challenge defensemen Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard more than the trio faced at any point in previous series. The main question many wonder about is how the almost perfect Edmonton penalty-kill and coach Kris Knoblauch respond and adjust once Florida scores. Captain Aleksander Barkov has always been a bright-minded scoring threat. His added determination to break defenses in layers this season has decimated the league’s best goaltenders and most creative coaching minds. Barkov will have the league’s second best goal-scorer of 2024 in Sam Reinhart, playoff leading scorer Carter Verhaeghe, the ever-dangerous Matthew Tkachuk and either one of the best defensemen in Aaron Ekblad or former champion and star Vladimir Tarasenko each power-play opportunity.

The Panthers have shown both audiences and teams they’ve played how to dictate gamepace. It comes with brutal, physical checking into the walls and around the net while creating quality shots and rebounding opportunities in front of the goaltender. No one embodies this like former Flame and Oilers rival Matthew Tkachuk, who will have goaltender Stuart Skinner (and maybe Calvin Pickard?) on edge every minute Florida’s in the offensive zone.

Verdict: Coaching is one of the two major factors determining who wins the championship. Dating back to his Winnipeg days, Paul Maurice has played the Connor McDavid-led Oilers perfect in the postseason. No other coach has frustrated or even shut-out Edmonton in a way the Oilers appeared to quit. Maurice hasn’t coached Florida as hard as he did with the Jets for various reasons, but when he does, he’s the best voice anyone could listen to and learn from. He has a two time Vezina winning goaltender playing like his prime self again and even star goal-scorers such as Vladimir Tarasenko bought in 100% to his philosophy.

Panther right-winger Evan Rodrigues loves fore-checking opponents, using his body to shot-block and make opponents like Edmonton’s Warren Foegele (37) commit more turnovers before they settle into their offense.

The other factor will be which team physically batters the other. The Stars decided not to rough up the Oilers in the conference finals, and it might have cost them the series. Florida is one of the meanest teams on ice, baiting opponents and initiating fights. Captain Connor McDavid is not a star player who likes to fight nor get physically assaulted during a game. The Panthers will have plenty of opportunities to establish their dominance by causing altercations after the whistle. Florida fan-favorite Ryan Lomberg alone could throw half the Edmonton roster off their focus.

Prediction: Florida Panthers defeat the Oilers 4-1 and win their first championship in franchise history.

Conn Smythe Winner: Sergei Bobrovsky

2024 Total NHL playoffs record: 9-5

2024 NHL Western Conference Finals Prediction

jminx948 Comments

What a fun end to the second round. Edmonton barely beat a desperate Canucks team in seven games. Kris Knoblauch implementing better defensive schemes further shows why general manager Ken Holland made the right move in firing Jay Woodcroft early in the season. The Oilers stars are playing some of their best hockey and Stuart Skinner’s goaltending was better after a two game benching. In what could be a last gasp attempt to win and hold the Stanley Cup, Jamie Benn, Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin lead Dallas’ return to the conference finals. Both teams will have their hands full, and many believe whoever wins this series has a great chance to win the championship. Time to break down which one the best shot to win the western conference and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.

#4 Edmonton Oilers v. #1 Dallas Stars

Edmonton role players like Sam Carrick (39) will struggle to get past Jake Oettinger (29) and a suffocating Dallas defense.

Both teams have great offenses, stout defenses and dangerous special teams units. Both coaches are meant to counter the other (Kris Knoblauch’s defensive tactics counter a good number of Peter DeBoer’s offensive barrages). Edmonton’s power-play is always a threat to opposing defenses while Dallas’ scoring depth is a big reason they have home ice advantage.

At first glance, it appears both teams are equal. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The Oilers stole their second round series versus Vancouver with Brock Boeser injured after game six. Despite the Canucks playing without Boeser (their leading postseason scorer) and having a third string goaltender the entire series, Edmonton won by one goal. The Stars are well rested after eliminating Colorado in six games and don’t play their best players over 24 minutes a game like the Oilers. That’s a major factor if this series goes more than five games.

Dallas also has better depth scoring and defensive tactics. General manager Jim Nill made the best trade at the March eighth deadline, acquiring defenseman Chris Tanev from Calgary. Tanev shut down Jack Eichel (46:34) and Hart trophy (MVP) favorite Nathan MacKinnon (68:43) at five-on-five for a combined 115:17. Both Edmonton stars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have shown fatigue after two series and now have to deal with the physical, determined Tanev, and fellow Stars defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell.

Depth scoring cements who wins this series. Forwards Evgenii Dadonov, Ty Dellandrea, Radek Faksa, Mason Marchment and centers Sam Steel and Matt Duchene will be harder for the Oilers defense and goaltender Stuart Skinner to stop. Don’t be surprised if DeBoer’s veteran coaching tactics make this a quick conference finals.

Prediction: Stars win the western conference and the series 4-1

Western conference playoff predictions after two rounds: 3-3

2024 NHL Eastern Conference Finals Prediction

jminx94Leave a comment

What a round! The two best teams in the east are in the conference finals. On one side, the well designed, balanced and deep New York Rangers. Led by coach Peter Laviolette, captain Jacob Trouba and veteran forward Chris Kreider, the Rangers are the best and most complete of the remaining four postseason teams. Their opponent is last year’s eastern conference champion Florida Panthers. Defensive leader Aaron Ekblad, two time Vezina winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and captain Aleksander Barkov lead Florida’s return to the ECF. All three are Conn Smythe worthy after their team ousted two deep, well built division rivals. Both squads will have their hands full and many believe whoever wins this series is the favorite to win the championship. Time to break down who has the best chance to win the eastern conference and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.

#2 Florida Panthers v. #1 New York Rangers

This could be the best series in the entire 2024 NHL playoffs. Both teams have great coaches, great offenses and scoring depth, strong physical presences around the net and shutdown defenses. Florida and New York have some of the best special teams (power-play and penalty-killing) units in the league and make some of the quickest adjustments each game. Unlike last year’s conference finals matchup between the aforementioned Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes, this series shouldn’t be a four game sweep.

Physical play and depth scoring from talented players such as Florida’s Sam Bennett (left) and New York’s Barclay Goodrow (right) will determine who wins this thrilling series.

The Rangers drastically improved under coach Peter Laviolette and remain a threat even if they’re down three goals on the road. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin’s given up more than three goals in the postseason once in the last three years. A deep defense led by captain Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox makes this hard for the Panthers to consistently score.

New York loves to play an aggressive 1-3-1 formation that overwhelms opposing defenses. It’s deadlier when New York’s on the power-play with their top scorers. However the Panthers defense has improved and gave up one power-play goal last series, frustrating the veteran Boston Bruins. A major reason comes from their brutally physical 2-1-2 style of play where an extra player is left higher/further up on the ice as an offensive option while the other four forecheck opponents at the walls. Florida’s mastered how and when to dump the puck into an offensive zone, hit an opponent near the boards, and pass it to an area close to the net giving a player a good shot on goal. This wears down an opponent over time faster than a typical bump-and-skate approach. The Rangers playing an aggressive version of 1-3-1 means a smarter veteran team like the Panthers can exploit more holes in the defensive end and play more transition offense once forcing more turnovers.

Florida has a major advantage over New York with not just their physical play, but their determined mindset. In both the playoffs and regular season, the Panthers lost only three games where they had a lead in regulation or went to overtime. That means their opponent has to score and overwhelm them early. While it can be done a few games at a time, doing it four times in a series is close to impossible. The Rangers have great roster depth, a tight playing style and a bastion of scoring options, but they don’t have the determination to play mean and physical like Florida. The longer this series goes (and it will be long), the more Florida breaks down New York in every facet.

Prediction: Panthers win the eastern conference and the series 4-2

Eastern conference playoff predictions after two rounds: 5-1

2024 NHL Western Conference Second Round Playoff Predictions

jminx941 Comment

The first round of the NHL playoffs intrigued and entertained many viewers. In the west, the reigning Stanley Cup champions were eliminated after a seven game series versus Dallas. After a wild game one 7-6 loss, Colorado crushed Winnipeg on every side of the puck. Vancouver keeps winning even if Thatcher Demko or Casey DeSmith doesn’t start in net, and the Oilers power-play stayed hot against one of the league’s best defenses in Los Angeles. Four fantastic 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 of advancing to the conference finals.

#4 Edmonton Oilers v. #2 Vancouver Canucks

Both Canadian teams play more physical while retaining a top ten offense.

Both western Canadian teams in this series have top ten scoring offenses and are dangerous on the power play. They’re both great on the penalty kill and play lockdown, physical defense. Vancouver proved last round they can hang with and play better against aggressive veteran teams like Nashville. The Canucks also won by getting depth scoring from players like Nikita Zadorov. Likewise, Edmonton’s progress under coach Kris Knoblauch continued after the regular season. The Oilers improved their 1-4 defensive “trap” coverage (a conservative forecheck strategy involving one forechecker in deep and four skaters along the blueline. The one center forechecker, pressures the puck while both forwards and defensemen hang back ready to defend. This formation is designed to prevent rushes and breakaways towards your goaltender), leading to a more aggressive defense. This frustrates opposing offenses used to playing at a faster pace. 

Despite the number of offensive playmakers on both teams, this should be a defensive series that again requires depth scoring from third and fourth lines. Both teams are aggressive, but Vancouver can switch their offensive tempo from fast to slow better than Edmonton. The Oilers have struggled against the better constructed Canucks before and after Knoblauch’s promotion. Coach Rick Tocchet also knows how to get the most out of his roster and get his team to switch up their coverages to maximize the defensive pairings. This should work well against the Oilers offense and special teams.

Prediction: Canucks win series 4-1

#4 Colorado Avalanche v. #1 Dallas Stars

Miles Wood (28) and the Avalanche struggled to score against Dallas’ Jake Oettinger (29) in the regular season.

This is the best matchup in the conference. Colorado surprised viewers with their scoring barrage against the best defense in the league last round. Dallas played one of the best series in the round one, knocking off the defending champs in a full seven games.

One of the best changes Avalanche coach Jared Bednar made in round one was having the offense play a north-south game against Winnipeg’s defense. Surrounding and boxing in the Jets defense led to a barrage of goals, half of which Vezina candidate Connor Hellebuyck couldn’t see. The defense around Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger can play with better spacing, but that technique won’t work on a defense that faced a more deeper, physical offense last round. Colorado needs more depth scoring from Zach Parise, Casey Mittelstadt, Ross Colton and former Star Andrew Cogliano to get past a more veteran Dallas defense.

Depth scoring could show which team wins this series. The above names are solid players, but the Stars had eight 20+ goal scorers for many reasons. This is the most balanced team on both sides of the puck remaining in the west and unlike Winnipeg, Dallas will make quicker changes to stay ahead of Colorado.

Prediction: Stars win series 4-2

NHL western conference first round playoff predictions: 2-2

2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round Playoff Predictions

jminx94Leave a comment

The first round of the NHL playoffs intrigued and entertained many viewers. The President’s trophy winning New York Rangers were the first team to advance to the second round after sweeping Washington (the only first round sweep). Boston became the first NHL team to win four straight game sevens over a single opponent. Florida won their first Battle of Florida matchup against Tampa Bay. Carolina proved they can take care of business with depth scoring and goaltender Frederik Andersen still finding his groove. 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.

#3 Carolina Hurricanes v. #1 New York Rangers

Mika Zibanejad (left) and Sebastian Aho (center) will have a lot of scoring opportunities this series.

Almost everyone who watches the NHL knew this would be a second round matchup once the Rangers clinched first in the Metropolitan. Obvious or not, Carolina versus New York will be one of the funnest series. Both teams are loaded with scoring and defensive depth, play well on special teams and are led by great veteran coaches. The Hurricanes and Rangers mostly mirror each other and are even in many categories.

The tipping point will be goaltending. Former Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin isn’t just the better of the two starting netminders in the series, he’s also the healthiest and plays better. The Hurricanes Frederik Andersen can steal wins and give Carolina a deep run, but he’s not playing at Shesterkin’s level and still needs to find his rhythm after missing half the regular season with deep-vein thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolisms.

Prediction: Rangers win series 4-2

#4 Boston Bruins v. #2 Florida Panthers

Despite a re-match from last year’s series, Florida is the stronger, deeper team.

This is a re-match of last year’s first round series where Florida overcame a 3-1 series deficit and shocked the sports world, pulling off the biggest upset in NHL history. This year the Panthers won the atlantic division and the Bruins are the underdogs.

Many believe this will be an easier series for Florida after they eliminated Tampa Bay. It’s important to remember Boston swept the Panthers in their four game regular season series. Yes, Florida brings a different level of physical play and has a better coach than Toronto, but the Bruins are the best veteran team remaining in the east that can counter the aggressive Panthers.

If Boston wants to make this a long, close series, they need to attack Florida’s defense in the first two periods each game. The Panthers have yet to blow a lead in the third period (regular or postseason) this season. They also play better if there’s overtime. Don’t be surprised if the Bruins tire easily after game four.

Prediction: Panthers win series 4-2

NHL eastern conference first round playoff predictions: 3-1

2024 NHL Western Conference First Round Playoff Predictions

jminx942 Comments

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