1
Bruins
The Bruins slipped all the best way all the way down to No. 2 for a number of weeks, however they’re again atop the ability rankings after eight straight wins. Trade deadline acquisition Dmitry Orlov is already paying dividends. The Bruins simply can not miss lately.
1
48-8-5
2
Hurricanes
Carolina might wish to take into account giving Antti Raanta extra of a glance down the stretch. Raanta has solely performed in three video games over the past month, however he nonetheless ranks ninth within the NHL with 5.03 targets saved above common in that point, per Natural Stat Trick. Freddie Andersen has been slightly inconsistent, and Raanta has been glorious.
1
39-12-8
3
Devils
The Devils did not actually need anymore assist this season, however they acquired it on Sunday. New Jersey acquired Timo Meier from the Sharks, and it is going to be a variety of enjoyable to observe him work with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt up entrance. Without Meier, N.J. pulled off a formidable 7-5 win over the Avalanche on Wednesday.
1
40-15-5
4
Maple Leafs
Either the Maple Leafs are planning to make one other important transfer earlier than the commerce deadline, or they plan on enjoying with 4 defensive pairs in each playoff recreation. At the second, Toronto has 9 defensemen on its NHL roster. Some Leafs detractors mentioned they wanted to beef up their protection, however I do not suppose that is what they meant.
3
38-16-8
5
Avalanche
The Avalanche had received six straight video games earlier than the aforementioned loss to the Devils. They now sit 4 factors behind the Dallas Stars. The Western Conference has been huge open for a lot of the season, and it is going to be tight the remainder of the best way.
3
34-20-5
6
Rangers
Given the truth that the Rangers had been counting each nickel and dime coming out and in of the group over the past week, I’m prepared to excuse a few of their latest struggles. Patrick Kane will make his debut on Thursday evening, and I’m actually wanting ahead to watching this ahead group at full power.
3
35-18-9
7
Golden Knights
If the Golden Knights want something forward of the commerce deadline, it is depth scoring. Since Jan. 1, Chandler Stephenson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith have mixed for six targets. That will not get it executed, particularly with Mark Stone on LTIR.
2
36-19-6
8
Lightning
The Lightning have hit a little bit of a skid, at the very least by their requirements, and Andrei Vasilevskiy has turned in a few subpar performances. Something tells me that will not final, and Tampa shall be making a push again towards the highest of the ability rankings by the tip of the common season.
2
37-19-5
9
Wild
Filip Gustavsson is forcing his manner into the Vezina Trophy dialog. Over the final two months, Gustavsson leads the NHL with 13.96 targets saved above common, in accordance with Natural Stat Trick. His distinctive play has allowed Minnesota to maintain profitable regardless of a scarcity of offense.
4
35-21-6
10
Kings
Like a bizzaro Wild, the Kings are in a position to rating targets, however they can not get any saves. Anze Kopitar scored 4 targets towards the Jets on Tuesday evening, however the Kings needed to scrape out a shootout win towards the Jets as a result of Pheonix Copley struggled to make saves with regularity.
1
35-20-8
11
Stars
The Stars have received simply three of their final 10 video games, they usually have now misplaced a whopping 13 video games in additional time. The excellent news for Dallas is that playoff time beyond regulation consists of five-on-five till somebody scores. The unhealthy information is that the Stars are about to lose the highest spot within the Central Division to the Avalanche.
1
33-16-13
12
Oilers
Connor McDavid is nothing wanting absurd. He is on a four-game two-goal streak. In different phrases, he has scored two targets in 4 straight video games, and he scored his fiftieth purpose of the season on Feb. 27. His 115 factors lead the NHL by a large margin, and he’s on tempo to finish the 12 months with 67 targets and 155 factors. What extra must be mentioned?
2
33-21-8
13
Senators
After hammering the Red Wings in two straight video games, the Senators have an precise likelihood to make the playoffs. Five factors out of a wild card spot, Ottawa will want some assist alongside the best way, however it has video games in hand over the Islanders and Panthers. If nothing else, the final six weeks of the common season shall be a variety of enjoyable for Sens followers.
7
31-26-4
14
Panthers
The Panthers are a really attention-grabbing group with simply a few days till the commerce deadline. They might actually go both manner. Florida is within the playoff race, and the group is constructed to win now. However, the Panthers have some work to do to succeed in the postseason, they usually have some gamers that will be very interesting to different groups. We’ll see what method they take between now and Friday.
—
30-27-6
15
Jets
Welcome to the Wild Card race, Winnipeg. The Jets went 3-5-1 within the month of February, they usually had been overtaken by the Avalanche and the Wild within the Central Division standings. Winnipeg is not fairly in jeopardy of shedding its playoff spot in the meanwhile, however the group is heading within the unsuitable course on the unsuitable time of 12 months.
4
35-24-2
16
Sabres
The Sabres are inside hanging distance of their first playoff look in over a decade, however they are going to must earn it. Buffalo’s upcoming schedule is brutal. In the following two weeks, the Sabres play dwelling video games towards the Lightning, Oilers, Stars, and Rangers. They additionally go on the highway to face the Bruins, Islanders, Maple Leafs, and Capitals. If the Sabres need a playoff berth, they are going to must earn it.
2
31-25-4
17
Islanders
Even after buying Bo Horvat, the Islanders have been spinning their wheels. Luckily for them, so have the remainder of the groups within the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Isles want to seek out some extent of consistency as a way to lock up one of many two wild card spots.
2
31-25-8
18
Kraken
Seattle acquired a badly wanted win over St. Louis on Tuesday, however February was nonetheless a tough month for the group. The Kraken went 4-6-1 and managed simply 45.22% of the five-on-five anticipated targets, per Natural Stat Trick. Seattle is displaying indicators after coming again all the way down to Earth after sitting in a top-three spot within the Pacific Division for a lot of the season.
3
34-21-6
19
Red Wings
Coming into Monday evening, the Red Wings had a large back-to-back conflict with the Senators. If Detroit received each of these video games, its playoff outlook would enhance dramatically. Instead, the Red Wings misplaced each video games by a mixed rating of 12-3. Anyone keen on Tyler Bertuzzi?
2
28-24-9
20
Flames
Tuesday evening’s loss was a microcosm of Calgary’s season up to now. The Flames outshot the Bruins, 57-20, and out-chanced the Bruins, 60-24. They additionally generated 5.57 anticipated targets to the Bruins’ 2.21. Calgary misplaced the sport, 4-3, in time beyond regulation.
4
27-22-13
21
Penguins
Is there some mild on the finish of the tunnel for the Penguins? After struggling for many of February, Pittsburgh has now received three straight video games. Granted, two of these wins got here towards the Predators and Bruins after they began dismantling their groups, however the Pens will take no matter they will get on this playoff race.
—
31-21-9
22
Predators
The Predators have determined to rebuild, and they’re diving into these waters headfirst. Nashville has already traded Nino Niederreiter, Tanner Jeannot, and Mattias Ekholm up to now week, and there may be nonetheless time for the group to demo its present roster even additional.
2
30-23-6
23
Canadiens
The Canadiens had been anticipated to have a quiet commerce deadline, however they made a savvy transfer by buying and selling Evgeni Dadonov to the Stars for Denis Gurianov. A former No. 12 total choose, Gurianov appears to have all of the bodily instruments, however he simply hasn’t been in a position to put all of it collectively persistently. Gurianov is a worthwhile funding for a rebuilding group just like the Canadiens.
4
26-31-4
24
Blues
With the Oilers and the Kings each seemingly out of the Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes, Blue normal supervisor Doug Armstrong might wish to step up and make a suggestion. If St. Louis can purchase Chychrun from Arizona, he would considerably enhance the group’s blue line for the following a number of years. That’s the sort of transfer the Blues have to make as a way to execute a rebuild speedrun.
1
27-29-5
25
Coyotes
Congratulations to the Coyotes on buying Patrick Kane. I’m sorry, it seems they solely acquired 25% of Kane’s wage in his commerce to the Rangers. He joins an elite group of gamers who’ve had a portion or all of their wage retained by Arizona. That listing contains names like Pavel Datsyuk, Chris Pronger, Shea Weber, and Marian Hossa.
2
21-31-9
26
Capitals
The Capitals made the clever choice to start out promoting off a few of their pending free brokers, they usually have already benefited from that technique. Washington took the first-round choose it acquired from Boston within the Dmitry Orlov deal and Erik Gustafsson and traded them to the Maple Leafs for Rasmus Sandin. Just 22-years-old, Sandin tasks to be a top-four defenseman for fairly some time.
4
30-27-6
27
Blackhawks
It’s the tip of an period in Chicago. The Blackhawks traded Patrick Kane to the Rangers on Tuesday, and the roster has been torn all the way down to the studs, which is ironic given the shortage of studs on this roster. It’s laborious to think about the Hawks being any worse than they have been to this point this season, however towards all odds, they could simply pull it off.
1
21-35-5
28
Canucks
There has been increasingly more commerce buzz round J.T. Miller of late, however it’s laborious to see any group taking over his contract. After posting 99 factors final season, Miller signed a seven-year contract price $56 million within the offseason. The 2022-23 marketing campaign has been a wrestle for Miller, and that extension hasn’t even kicked in but. Forget the acquisition value. Just including Miller’s contract could be a giant gamble for any group.
1
24-32-5
29
Sharks
With Timo Meier gone, all eyes are on Erik Karlsson in San Jose. This could also be the most effective likelihood the Sharks must do away with at the very least a part of Karlsson’s $12.5 million cap hit. The concern is that there’s a small marketplace for Jakob Chychrun lately, which implies the marketplace for Karlsson could be even smaller.
1
18-32-12
30
Ducks
John Gibson might have performed his manner onto the radar of groups in want of goaltending. Over the final month, Gibson has performed in seven video games and saved 3.54 targets above common, per Natural Stat Trick. Gibson hasn’t performed at his peak lately, however possibly he might discover that kind once more behind a greater roster.
2
20-34-8
31
Flyers
The Flyers have been awfully quiet forward of the commerce deadline, and it could be fairly disappointing in the event that they attain Mar. 4 with out having gained any significant draft capital or prospects. James van Riemsdyk is the obvious commerce candidate, however what does the marketplace for him appear to be at this level?
1
23-28-11
32
Blue Jackets
After scoring 40 targets final season, Johnny Gaudreau is on tempo for 21 this 12 months. It’s been a wrestle for Gaudreau in his first 12 months with Columbus, however he hasn’t been in a great state of affairs. If the Blue Jackets land a top-two choose within the 2023 draft, that might change in a rush.
1
20-35-6
