NHL Power Rankings: Flyers on the Rise

Thank god those awful bye weeks are over. Heck we even took a week off from the power rankings due to a lite NHL schedule. With the NHL schedule back in full swing, teams in the playoff picture are looking to bolster their lineup. Over the past two weeks, we have seen Toronto, Pittsburgh, and Nashville bolster their lineup. Let’s go inside the latest NHL Power Rankings to see where teams stands after the break.

NHL Power Rankings: Flyers on the Rise

1. Tampa Bay Lightning – At this point, the Tampa Bay Lightning should be guaranteed a spot in the Eastern Conference Final based on consistency alone.
2. Calgary Flames – The Flames are sit atop the West, a position they have not been in since the team won the Stanley Cup in 1989.
3. Winnipeg Jets – Patrik Laine is not playing up to his standards. That needs to change soon. Winnipeg will give teams difficulty in the playoffs.
4. San Jose Sharks – The Sharks are not even close to hitting their ceiling. With their big names not hitting their peak, look for the Sharks to go even higher.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs – Jake Muzzin was a great addition. Locking up Auston Matthews to five years even. Next on the list winning a Stanley Cup.
6. New York Islanders – Barry Trotz has given the Islanders credibility and legitimacy. The Isles are in first place, the fight is on to stay there.
7. Nashville Predators – As Nashville gets healthier, look for the Predators to keep the race in the Central tight with the Jets.
8. Pittsburgh Penguins – Adding Jared McCann and Nick Bjugstad will help this team down the middle. Getting more consistent would help.
9. Montreal Canadiens – This underdog team continues to keep pace with the top teams in the Atlantic.
10. Boston Bruins – Hard to get a read on the Bruins. One thing is for sure if Tuukka Rask continues his trend upward so are the Bruins.
11. Washington Capitals – Even though Washington ended their seven game losing streak, they still have things to fix.
12. Vegas Golden Knights – Vegas is playing really well at the moment. The Golden Knights picked up a nice win over the top team, let’s see if they can keep it going.
13. Dallas Stars – The Stars are such a volatile team. Really good on home ice, but lousy on the road. Dallas needs to figure it out quickly to hold their spot in the Central.
14. Minnesota Wild – What a huge blow to the Wild’s lineup. Losing Mikko Koivu puts Minnesota in a tough position in the Central Division.
15. Philadelphia Flyers – The Flyers are the hottest team in hockey. With a record of 8-0 and Carter Hart in net, the Flyers are inching closer to a playoff spot.
16. St. Louis Blues – With the stars stepping up and Jordan Binnington playing so well, the Blues are going all in and making a push towards the playoffs.
17. Columbus Blue Jackets – Time to start thinking where Artemi Panarin is going to end up. He has made it clear he wants to part of Columbus.
18. Carolina Hurricanes – The Hurricanes might be one of the biggest teases in the league. Wonder what Carolina will get for Michael Ferland?
19. Vancouver Canucks – Vancouver is just one or two pieces away from taking the next step. Will they go for it now or wait until next year?
20. Buffalo Sabres – It is a bit surprising the Buffalo Sabres are falling this quickly out of playoff contention with the talent on that roster.
21. Chicago Blackhawks – As the Blackhawks continue to go in the right direction, Patrick Kane deserves consideration for the Hart Trophy.
22. Colorado Avalanche – Having only one line that can score is not helping when the rest of the team continues to struggle.
23. Arizona Coyotes – Even though the effort is there, the wins are not coming. Eventually Arizona has to get this right.
24. New York Rangers – While getting a win over Boston is nice, it is building towards the future time to unload and focus on the rebuild.
25. Florida Panthers – Getting Derick Brassard back in the Bjugstad trade was nice. Too bad it won’t last, as he will be shipped out at the deadline.
26. Detroit Red Wings – Staying out of the cellar is always a good thing. With the deadline looming where will Jimmy Howard land?
27. New Jersey Devils – With one domino falling in Brian Boyle, three more needs to go. The Devils just need to get as many assets as possible.
28. Los Angeles Kings – With Muzzin now gone, let’s see what the Kings have up their sleeves next in terms of trades.
29. Edmonton Oilers – There needs to be a shakeup in Edmonton because it is embarrassing. How many prime years of 97 and 29 will the Oilers waste?
30. Anaheim Ducks – All season long, John Gibson was the answer. Unfortunately, every night seems to be an All Star Game reprise.
31. Ottawa Senators – With the deadline looming, what players are leaving the Canadian capital for greener pastures.

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Photo Credit: By Michael Miller (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons