After Wayne Simmonds retired last month, there are currently 34 black players in the NHL. Some notable players and starters include former 2020 second overall pick Quinton Byfield, K’Andre Miller and Seth Jones. A good number such as Ryan Reaves, Matt Dumba, Jordan Greenway and Kyle Okposo are found on third or fourth lines to provide stronger, physical presences or defend on the penalty kill.
There’s one who stands out the last five years in a class of his own. That would be forward Anthony ” “The Duke” Duclair. Duclair’s been on eight teams (including two this season) and has impressed on each one. From setting a franchise scoring record in 2019 with Ottawa to making a Stanley Cup finals appearance last year in Miami, Anthony Duclair is a hot name because of what teams look for and want in a forward.
After last year’s finals appearance with the Florida Panthers, Duclair was traded to San Jose for Steven Lorentz and a fifth round draft pick. Most NHL teams in a long-rebuild don’t trade draft picks unless it’s for a quality player. Anthony Duclair was a bright spot for San Jose despite the team’s offensive and defensive woes. He tallied 16 goals and eleven assists, averaging 16 minutes of ice time in 56 games on the worst team in the league. Cup contenders took note of Duclair’s efforts and many hockey news outlets had him going somewhere needing both scoring depth and veteran presence for deep playoff runs. Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois traded Jack Thompson and a 2024 third round pick for San Jose’s only quality player (who wasn’t injured) a day before the trade deadline.
The Lightning made one of the best trades at the deadline. Anthony Duclair has scored five goals and added four assists in the ten games played since March seventh. Coach Jon Cooper put Duclair on the first line with MVP favorite Nikita Kucherov and phenom center Brayden Point. They’ve won all but two games since the move, and one of the losses took overtime in Los Angeles. When coach Cooper was asked by the TNT panel before Tampa’s 3-1 home win against Boston on March 27th about what Duclair brought to the team Cooper replied, “He (Duclair) slots all the guys in spots they should be.” The most tenured coach in the NHL added that the Lightning looked at and heavily considered trading for him months ago. The decision has Tampa Bay six points back of Toronto for third in the Atlantic and at fifth place in the eastern conference. If the playoffs were held today, the Lightning would play the Leafs and possibly take the series to seven games.
It’s a big deal Anthony Duclair is coveted by multiple playoff contenders wanting a finals appearance. I wrote at the beginning there are 34 black players in the NHL, and while some of them are or will become stars, none of them have the unique career trajectory as Duclair. Quinton Byfield will probably be a star, but right now he’s injured while Los Angeles sputters. K’Andre Miller takes a backseat to multiple stars in New York while Ryan Reaves is known for physical play and fighting. There’s Seth and Caleb Jones, who are afterthoughts in Chicago. Most black players such as the aforementioned Okposo, Greenway and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare are depth players. Matt Dumba is the closest to receiving similar attention as Duclair, but he’s also on Tampa Bay and takes a backseat to defenseman Darren Raddysh.
Many black viewers have wanted to watch ice hockey for a long time but sadly haven’t been able to watch someone who looks like them elevate a team’s performance the way Matthew Tkachuk or Valeri Nichushkin have on Florida or Colorado. It’s why Anthony Duclair is a big deal. He’s been on title contending teams, makes everyone around him better while growing his game and sometimes sets a record. The NHL’s return to ESPN and ABC means more audiences are finally watching the first black hockey star in over a decade. Duclair’s 28 years old, so expect continued, growing interest from all kinds of viewers.
Here’s the April 2024 power rankings. These will be the last power rankings for the season due to the playoffs starting April 20th.
#32 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 31)
Many knew San Jose would be awful this season with a continued roster teardown. We’re witnessing a full rebuild that will take at least five years to construct. The Sharks best players are Logan Couture and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and they might not be around after 2024 with how San Jose needs high draft picks. This will be a long, painful process for northern California hockey fans.
#31 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)
Chicago’s had one of the best power-plays since March began. Number one overall pick Connor Bedard returning is a big factor for the team’s improvement, but Ryan Donato and Philipp Kurashev are peaking at a good time. Coach Luke Richardson might have saved his job for the rest of the calendar year.
#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 30)
General manager Pat Verbeek has a lot to consider once the season ends (if owner Henry Samueli doesn’t fire him). Many expect starting goaltender John Gibson to finally be traded, but who else will go before the 2024 draft? Coach Greg Cronin is probably done and free agency always has a lot of valuable talent wanting to sign with warmer climate teams. Anaheim has to get better than this season’s disaster.
#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 29)
Like the Ducks, Columbus will be a name to watch in the draft. As written last month, a new general manager means a new vision and ideas. The Blue Jackets could retool most of the roster centered around rookie center Dmitri Voronkov. We’ll find out what kind of revamp Columbus will have at the start of free agency.
#28 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 27)
This is a good time to look back to the 2018 draft where Montreal picked Jesperi Kotkaniemi ahead of Brady Tkachuk. How big was that move? To start, Kotkaniemi isn’t with the Canadiens anymore while the younger Tkachuk brother is Ottawa’s captain. It didn’t matter when Montreal made the 2020-2021 Stanley Cup finals, but every season besides that one shows how the Canadiens could use the extra goal scoring. Montreal is currently 27th in goals scored with 201. Ottawa is 15th with 235, and Tkachuk is the leading scorer with 33. If we wanted to transfer all 33 over, it would give Montreal 236 and place them between Vegas and Ottawa. The Canadiens would have more goal scoring than the Capitals, Penguins, Flyers, Wild, Kings, Jets and hilariously, one more than the Senators. They’d also be closer in the playoff race.
#27 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 28)
It’s a shame Arizona had a winless February. The Coyotes could’ve ended some conference rivals playoff chances with their play in March. Instead they have to add more scoring depth while bolstering the defensive lines. Maybe we’ll look back a year or two from now and consider February 2024 a turning point for a more competitive team clinching a playoff berth.
#26 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 26)
Management has to be careful about who to move once the season ends. If we were to start a list by position on who the Senators should keep we’d start with:
- Defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Jake Sanderson.
- Centers Shane Pinto, Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris and Ridly Greig.
- Forwards Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson, Brady Tkachuk and Boris Katchouk.
- Goalie Mads Sogaard
If new management decides to keep these players while adding roster depth and doubles down better defensive play, then more free agents will see Ottawa as an attractive destination. Most of the Senators listed are still young and seen as high-grade offensive playmakers eager to make the postseason.
#25 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 23)
That eight game losing streak pretty much eliminated the Kraken from postseason contention. Bummer for a top ten scoring defense that got little help. Seattle scored four goals once during the slump and averaged one goal a game in seven of the eight losses. General manager Ron Francis still has an ongoing plan for how this team should look, but it still feels disappointing after last year’s postseason success.
#24 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 18)
Trading Jake Guentzel to Carolina ended their season. There are more difficult decisions that will be made after the season ends from who to keep, who to trade and if there will be a retooling versus a rebuild. It will be a long offseason.
#23 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 20)
Another team that has a lot of hard decisions to make once the regular season ends. While the Flames had an ok March, they didn’t have enough to close the gap in the wildcard race. That could lead to goaltender Jacob Markstrom getting traded in the offseason. If Calgary moves Markstrom, then the team could regress at a pace many expected before the 2023 season began.
#22 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 25)
Buffalo’s nemesis for the second straight year is the number of remaining games on their schedule. The Sabres are close to being a playoff team but can’t pull out big wins when it matters most. It’s not all on coach Don Granato either, but management could stick him with the blame once the season ends. A lingering issue Buffalo has to address is the struggling play from rookie and younger players when they’re brought up from minor league systems compared to their opponents.
#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 21)
The trade for goalie Jake Allen could work well next season. Right now there aren’t enough games nor easier opponents for New Jersey to get many quick points over and leapfrog into the eighth seed. It would be smart to retain interim coach Travis Green for next season and implement more of his schemes with a young, determined roster.
#20 New York Islanders (last ranking: 24)
New York started March hot and then reality set in. They’ve lost eight of the last eleven and all were ugly. Three were shutouts and then an angry Red Wings getting captain Dylan Larkin back drove home how poor the Islanders decisions have been the past few years. The genius of Lou Lamoriello will cost them another shot at the playoffs.
#19 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 10)
Wow. Sometimes a player can be what holds a team together but nobody thought Detroit would tumble without captain Dylan Larkin. General manager Steve Yzerman’s plan was revealed when Larkin wasn’t playing: continue developing young talent in the minor leagues while finding who works best with the current roster.
#18 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 17)
Nashville’s ascent probably sinks Minnesota’s season. The Wild have to play Colorado twice and face Vegas, Winnipeg and Los Angeles one more time. Minnesota needs a lot of help to get into the eighth seed. The Wild have San Jose twice and Chicago in their remaining games but it won’t be enough.
#17 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 19)
The Blues are five points ahead of Minnesota and three behind Los Angeles for the last wildcard spot. They’re 25-1-0 in games where they score four or more goals, and 16-3-4 in one goal games (with a win percentage over .700). Finally, the Blues have the second highest winning percentage when scoring first this season at .882 (behind only Winnipeg). St. Louis has a good chance at squeaking into the eighth seed with the Kings falling apart. If the Blues make the playoffs, it will be a headache for whoever has the top seed in the west.
#16 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 13)
Washington will surpass Philadelphia in the standings if the Flyers keep playing down to their competition. Coach John Tortorella already let his players and media know the last two weeks have been awful. Philadelphia needs to improve on defense and create better scoring chances on the power-play. Bringing in goalie Ivan Fedotov after the Russian KHL rescinded his contract could bring spark the change Tortorella’s looking for.
#15 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 22)
All the thought pieces on captain Alex Ovechkin being too old to break Wayne Gretzky’s goal record and Washington being eliminated from the playoffs were useless. As I wrote in previous power rankings, no team in the east wants to face the Capitals if they somehow clinch a playoff berth. Well, they’re a top eight team in the east and are one of the hottest since the trade deadline. Washington has the fifth best winning percentage when scoring first this season at .759 and the highest win percentage in one goal games at 17-2-10. The Capitals are also playing their best against the hardest part of their schedule. Coach Spencer Carbery should be considered for coach of the year.
#14 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 16)
Los Angeles was in a better position to seal a playoff berth until their current three game losing streak. It would be disheartening for one of the league’s best defenses to miss the postseason due to a second half collapse. The Kings also can’t play down to their competition. They’re under a lot of pressure to have a strong finish when many didn’t expect them to be in this position at the start of 2024.
#13 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 11)
It’s easy to make excuses for Vegas regarding their health, defense and roller coaster performances but remember, this was the last team to lose a game starting the 2023-2024 regular season. The Golden Knights were the best team in the league for almost two months. They’ve followed up impressive wins with deflating losses. Yes, Vegas is a big name contender if they make the postseason, but they haven’t played like the reigning champions enough and probably wouldn’t be favored in a first round matchup against any of the central division teams trying to clinch the first seed.
#12 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 9)
Toronto’s in a sticky spot. Right now they’re the atlantic’s third seed, which is great until one factors the Maple Leafs will play either the Bruins or Panthers in the first round. Given how Boston is 7-0 against Toronto (with total goals being 25-13) in their last seven games, Toronto’s lost the last eight of nine games at TD Garden, and the first round game seven PTSD against the Bruins lingers over a decade, this isn’t a matchup the franchise wants. However the Maple Leafs would get mauled by Florida if they decide playing the Panthers is the better option. One could say if Toronto lost a good amount of games to drop down to the seventh seed, that would improve their postseason outlook. That means Auston Matthews could miss the 70 goal mark to remain a top MVP candidate. No matter the choice made, the result won’t end well.
#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 14)
If you wanted to know how better Anthony Duclair has made Tampa Bay’s offense, here’s a comparison with him being on the first line with Kucherov and Point compared to when Brandon Hagel was partnered with the duo during the Lightning’s March 14th 6-3 home win against the Rangers:
with Hagel
- Time on ice: 4:40
- 0-4 on shots
- 0-2 on slot shots
- 0-2 on goals
With Duclair
- Time on ice: 4:43
- 7-1 on shots
- 5-0 on slot shots
- 3-0 on goals
Brandon Hagel’s a good player, but he’s doesn’t elevate a playoff veteran offense versus some of the league’s best teams like Duclair will.
#10 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 15)
Until Arizona routed them last Thursday, Nashville had a franchise best run in points at 18 games going 16-0-2. Filip Forsberg had a seven game goal streak going until Saturday’s wild loss in Colorado, surpassing captain Roman Josi’s by three games. Goalie Juuse Saros has the second most shutouts in franchise history with 22 despite him being a starter less than five seasons. We’ll see how the Predators respond later into the month after three straight losses but right now, this is the team no one wants to face heading into the postseason. General manager Barry Trotz would be a solid pick at winning the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award.
#9 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 12)
Despite some mediocre streaks, the two players who have improved most since Kris Knoblauch’s taken over are Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard. We’re seeing Hyman’s improvement each week even if we looked past his career high 52 goals. He’s fourth in team points with 72 and has the team’s most shot attempts and game-winning goals. Bouchard has tied Paul Coffey’s 1984-85 franchise record for most game winning goals by a defenseman in a single season with six. He’s also ahead of Hyman in team points this season while anchoring an improving penalty-kill. Whoever Edmonton draws in round one will have headaches trying to contain them while defending captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
#8 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 3)
The NHL Network’s John Torchetti and Billy Jaffe made a great point on Winnipeg’s slump; the Jets have to start resting starters such as goalie Connor Hellebuyck before the postseason. Winnipeg’s dealing with both coach Rick Bowness coming back and finally snapping a six game losing streak. The Jets aren’t out of the central division race yet, but they should focus on preserving the health of their main core before the postseason begins. If nothing else, Winnipeg can see how good their depth and minor league stars are while trying to get as many points possible.
#7 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 6)
Famous goaltender and TNT panel guest Henrik Lundqvist had an eye-opening take in the middle of March: Colorado’s a great team at home (now having a record of 28-7-1), but on the road, they’re mediocre at best (posting a record of 18-15-5). It’s fine for one round if the Avalanche stay at three in the west, but that’s not an encouraging number if they play in a loud arena in Edmonton, Vegas or Nashville.
#6 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 1)
The Panthers clinched a playoff spot but you wouldn’t know it given how they’ve played the last eight of ten games. Poor performances led to coach Paul Maurice going on a tirade inside Florida’s locker room after an ugly loss to the Islanders. Then the Panthers lost in spectacular fashion against Montreal. There’s enough time to make a determined push but keep an eye on how well Florida plays the next week and a half.
#5 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 4)
Boston’s knocked down a spot due to a small goalie controversy regarding Jeremy Swayman being the long-term starting option and the other four teams ahead in the rankings. The Bruins also have a brutal remaining schedule and finish the regular season with one more game against Washington. If Boston struggles before April 20th, it might determine how they fare in the first round.
#4 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 2)
It would be a surprise if Rick Tocchet doesn’t win the Jack Adams award for best coach in 2023-2024 with how Vancouver wins. Starting goaltender Thatcher Demko is out the rest of the season with a knee injury and the Canucks went 8-4 in March with Casey DeSmith starting most of the games. They might not make it past the second round against teams that can take advantage of the goaltending weakness, but Vancouver’s offense can make a series just as difficult with their offense. It also depends on the opponent the Canucks draw in the first round (should they remain the second seed in the west).
#3 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 7)
The Hurricanes clinched their sixth straight postseason berth and goalie Frederik Andersen is gradually getting back to playing his best. There are a handful of teams that know how to slow down Carolina and none of them will face Rod Brind’Amour’s team in round one. The Hurricanes will be a hard out for whoever makes it to the later rounds.
#2 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 8)
The main concern with Dallas was how they would separate themselves from Jared Bednar’s Avalanche and the resurgent Jets later in the season. The Stars have been the most consistent of the three and is the only team that regularly pummeled the red-hot Predators. Dallas is peaking at the best time and they should clinch the top seed in the western conference.
#1 New York Rangers (last ranking: 5)
New York became the first team of the season to clinch a playoff spot and have more than 100 points. They finished March at 10-3-1 and averaged four goals a game while averaging three a game on defense. The power-play was over 31% and the penalty kill shut down opponents 85% of the time.
If you don’t find that impressive, then you must watch what the Rangers did to Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche in Ball Arena on March 28th. Goalie Igor Shesterkin made sure to shut the MVP favorite out of the scoring column, breaking his 35 home game point streak in over four periods of play. New York’s the team to beat unless injuries take a toll.
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