– Last Updated on February 23, 2016 6:25 am
Where Do Teams Stand in the NHL?
It’s once again NHL Power Rankings time! There are roughly 30 games left in the NHL Regular Season and the stakes couldn’t be higher for a surprisingly large number of teams that will be fighting tooth and nail down the stretch to claim one of the 16 playoff spots available.
There are only a handful of teams that are locks to make the postseason as of now!
The NHL Power Rankings are as fluid as ever as we prepare for the stretch drive.
So where does your team stand heading into the week? Let’s take a look.
Bi-Weekly Cappers Picks NHL Power Rankings
1. Washington Capitals
(40-10-4) Two Weeks Ago: #1 in our NHL power rankings.
The Caps maintain top spot in the Rankings. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games overall and now have a five point lead atop the NHL Overall standings. They are averaging 3.3 goals per game and they have the best power play and best goal differential in the game.
For those non-believers, it’s time to get on board – Washington is legit!
2. Dallas Stars
(37-15-5) Two Weeks Ago: 4
The Dallas Stars enter the week on a four game win streak – whatever was ailing this team a few weeks ago seems to have gone away.
All they did last week was beat Washington and Chicago in consecutive games thanks to the league’s best offense. Defense may be an issue in the playoffs but right now, Dallas is an easy #2 in the Rankings.
3. Chicago Blackhawks
(37-18-5) Two Weeks Ago: 2
The Hawks have gone just 5-5-0 in their last 10 games and entered the week on a three game losing streak. They battered the Leafs on Monday night to prove that the world isn’t falling. Chicago is still elite!
4. St. Louis Blues
(32-17-9) Two Weeks Ago: 5
The Blues are in the midst of a mini-surge right now – 6-2-2 in their last 10 games and 2-0-1 last week. They have a goal differential of just +5 which is middle-of-the-pack but are still considered one of the toughest teams in the game to suit up against.
Nine straight wins on home ice also has them in the top 5 this week.
5. New York Rangers
(32-18-6) Two Weeks Ago: 10
The Rangers seem to be over their unflattering stretch and are top 5 in the Overall standings once again thanks to a 7-2-1 run over their last 10 games. Henrik Lundqvist is the major reason why – he was pedestrian in January but has been lights out in February.
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New York is back where they belong – near the top of the NHL Power Rankings.
6. Los Angeles Kings
(33-19-3) Two Weeks Ago: 3
The Kings have gone just 4-6-0 in their last 10 games and are just 8-8-1 in 2016. The offense has dried up once again for the Kings – nothing new for this team but they may find it harder to bounce back this time because of Marian Gaborik’s injury.
If there is one thing that we all have learned however and that is that we can never, ever count out the Kings.
7. Florida Panthers
(33-18-6) Two Weeks Ago: 6
The Panthers keep hanging around but slip a spot due to losses in four of their last five games overall as we enter the week. Still, they are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games overall.
I predicted a slide a month or so back and a 6-6-2 stretch over their last 14 is proof that they may fall out of the top 10 sooner than later.
8. Boston Bruins
(30-20-6) Two Weeks Ago: 11
The Bruins have been lurking and finally jump into the top 10 on the heels of a 6-3-1 stretch in their last 10 games. They can thank Brad Marchand for their uptick – he has 13 goals in his last 13 games and is single-handedly propelling his team.
9. Detroit Red Wings
(29-19-9) Two Weeks Ago: 8
Detroit is also 6-3-1 in their last 10 games – they captured seven of eight possible points last week and now sit second in the Atlantic – within three points of Florida for first. Pavel Datsyuk has been sizzling as has the Wings entire offense.
Some defense would be nice however.
10. Tampa Bay Lightning
(30-21-4) Two Weeks Ago 7
Tampa Bay hasn’t been great lately – they have lost three of their last four games ahead of this week and they did lose key defenseman Jason Garrison to injury. Two of those losses came against teams going the wrong way in the standings – Montreal and Ottawa.
Tampa is still a darkhorse to make some noise in the playoffs although they barely hold a top 10 spot in this week’s Rankings.
11. New York Islanders
(30-19-6) Two Weeks Ago: 9
The Isles have won four of their last five games overall – so why the slide in the Rankings? The fact that they are just 5-4-1 in their last 10 is why! John Tavares has woken up for this team which is a good sign and Jaroslav Halak looks as healthy as he’s been in a while.
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A win Monday night against the Wings is a nice surprise.
12. Anaheim Ducks
(28-19-8) Two Weeks Ago: 18
The Ducks enter the week as the hottest team in the game – 8-1-1 in their last 10 games overall. Suddenly this team is inside a playoff spot and lurking as one of the more overlooked teams in the game right now.
It took longer than anyone expected but the Ducks are a threat again.
The rest of the teams in our NHL power rankings.
13. New Jersey Devils (29-21-7) Two Weeks Ago: 13
14. San Jose Sharks (29-20-5) Two Weeks Ago: 14
15. Pittsburgh Penguins (28-19-8) Two Weeks Ago: 16
16. Nashville Predators (26-21-10) Two Weeks Ago: 19
17. Colorado Avalanche (29-26-4) Two Weeks Ago: 12
18. Carolina Hurricanes (25-21-10) Two Weeks Ago: 21
19. Montreal Canadiens (27-26-4) Two Weeks Ago: 20
20. Philadelphia Flyers (24-21-10) Two Weeks Ago: 24
21. Arizona Coyotes (26-24-6) Two Weeks Ago: 17
22. Vancouver Canucks (22-21-12) Two Weeks Ago: 23
23. Minnesota Wild (23-22-10) Two Weeks Ago: 15
24. Ottawa Senators (25-26-6) Two Weeks Ago: 22
25. Winnipeg Jets (25-27-3) Two Weeks Ago: 27
26. Calgary Flames (25-27-3) Two Weeks Ago: 25
27. Buffalo Sabres (23-28-6) Two Weeks Ago: 28
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (23-28-6) Two Weeks Ago: 30
29. Edmonton Oilers (22-29-6) Two Weeks Ago: 29
30. Toronto Maple Leafs (20-26-9) Two Weeks Ago: 26
What do you think about our NHL power rankings this week? Leave us a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.
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