NHL power rankings: The Panthers are in a tailspin at the worst possible time
Remember when we were going to get an exciting playoff race down to the final days of the season? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Unfortunately, the chances of an entertaining finish to the season seem quite low now that six points separates the eighth and ninth place team in both conferences. It’s not official, especially since there’s still some games in hand, but the recent runs of the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues seems to have locked up that narrative.
Hunter Crowther and I continue to navigate through the results so far this season with another week of our co-op power rankings. I have my same old system in which I aggregate six stats (points %, 5-on-5 goal differential, 5-on-5 xGF/60, 5-on-5 xGA/60, power play xGF/60, and shorthanded xGA/60, all coming courtesy of Natural Stat Trick) to come up with a list that eliminates my own biases, along with a rule that no team can be above a team that’s more than five points ahead of them in the standings or has clinched a playoff spot when they haven’t, regardless of where the aggregate places them. On the other hand, Hunter goes off his own intellect and pure vibes, and together, we find a way to combine it and meet in the middle.
1. Winnipeg Jets
Record: 52-21-4, +81
Last Week: 1st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 1st
Scott: It wasn’t exactly the best week for the Jets, only winning one of their three games, and Connor Hellebuyck had an even worse week with .842 and .889 save percentages in his two starts. If you’re Winnipeg, you really have to hope that this isn’t the start of his decline/fatigue that has come around this time of the year, with the playoffs right around the corner. And if not for the Stars blowing two third period leads over the weekend, the Jets might not have even been first in the Central right now, and set with a first round rematch with the Avalanche. I still like this team better than the past couple of seasons, but I wouldn’t be sleeping well right now if I was a Jets fan.
Hunter: There is a cruel, cruel irony in having been ride or die with the Jets for nearly the entire season, and now losing faith in the final weeks of the year. There were instances against Utah HC where you thought, “That’s a missed assignment, that’s a bad turnover,” errors you seldom see through the season. At this point, if you’re a Winnipeg fan, you have to clinch the conference so you can face a middling Wild group instead of a red-hot Blues squad.
2. Dallas Stars
Record: 50-22-5, +66
Last Week: 3rd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 3rd
Hunter: Two wins and two losses this past week, one of those defeats coming at the hands of a Sidney Crosby hat trick. Sometimes you can’t beat greatness. One thing to keep an eye on is how they respond as a group after being dominated by the Wild on Sunday (don’t let the 3-2 overtime final fool you). Thomas Harley continues to rack up major minutes and has only been a negative plus-minus in one in his last 12 games. It may be an antiquated statistic, but when you play nearly half the game and almost never finish with a negative plus-minus, you’re doing something right. Just wait until Miro Heiskanen returns.
Scott: Except now the talk is that Heiskanen might not return until the second round. If that’s true, my fading confidence in this team’s defensive ability goes right down the tube, especially against Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. That makes this final stretch all the more important for Dallas, as they’d fare a lot better in the first round if they overtook the Jets for first and had to face a wild card team.
3. Vegas Golden Knights
Record: 47-22-8, +52
Last Week: 4th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 2nd
Scott: Apparently the recent trend for me in these final weeks is forgiving a team for their sins this year, and this week, it’s the Golden Knights. Sure, the 8-2-0 record in their last 10 is the sexy stat that will get most people’s attention, but for me, it’s the fact that they’re finally playing like an elite offensive and defensive team. In fact, they were actually the only team to rank in the top 10 in all six categories I use this week. Even if they get matched up against the Blues in the first round, they’re going to be a nightmare to play against.
4. Washington Capitals
Record: 49-19-9, +66
Last Week: 2nd (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 4th
Scott: Alex Ovechkin finally did it. The mad lad had one hell of a weekend, with a two-goal performance on Friday in the Capitals’ 5-3 win over the Blackhawks to tie Wayne Gretzky. Ovi then scored the lone goal in Washington’s 4-1 loss to the Islanders to break the record. Now, the all-time goal record is his (for now). So the next question with Ovi: he’ll obviously hit 900 goals, maybe even this season, but if he has a similarly good season next year and puts himself in the 940 total before the end of 2025-26, does he stick around to hit 1,000? I know he’s said that he might play in the KHL after his contract expires next year, but I wonder how much that milestone calls to him.
Hunter: The hockey romantic in me wonders if Ovechkin looks to how Sidney Crosby handles the next few seasons: if Crosby continues to play at the highest level and dominate, does Ovechkin want to stay in the league? Or is the Russian winger done with North America and just wants to take his money and records and set up shop with Moscow Dynamo and call it a day? Side note: this team has lost five of their last seven and need to sharpen their knives before the regular season ends and they face the Canadiens in Round 1.
5. Los Angeles Kings
Record: 44-23-9, +37
Last Week: 6th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 5th
Scott: The Kings have completely locked in down the stretch with wins in 13 of their last 16 games, including their current four-game win streak. I’m still hesitant to feel the utmost confidence in this team considering last year, but it’s hard to deny that they still look so, so good this year. The fact that they actually have consistent goaltending this season gives them an even better look, and it’s not like they’ve overworked Darcy Kuemper more than what he has done before (he played 57 games before winning the Cup with the Avalanche in 2022, and has only played 46 this year). With a .922 SV% that is tied for third in the league, I wonder how much Vezina recognition Kuemper will get this year.
6. Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 44-26-6, +70
Last Week: 8th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 6th
Scott: It was a tough end to the week with close losses to the Sens and Sabres, and with the Leafs winning both of their games last week, the Lightning are seeing the chances of winning the division slip away. At the very least, they might not even be punished for it with a matchup against the Panthers, who are playing so poorly lately that the Senators might overtake them. I’d like that matchup a lot more for the Lightning.
Hunter: No!! It was supposed to be the Battle of Ontario and Battle of Florida. To quote Todd from Boogie Nights, “ I got a plan, I got a very good plan.” Just let us have the proper first round we all deserve.
7. Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 46-26-4, +40
Last Week: 7th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 8th
Scott: It was a tough weekend to be a Hurricanes goaltender, as Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen allowed four and five goals to weaker teams in the Red Wings and Bruins, respecitvely. Andersen has at least been the better goaltender recently, but you have to wonder who will get the start come playoff time. Also, here’s a wild stat: Mikko Rantanen and Mark Jankowski have both played 13 games for the Canes this season, and Jankowski has more goals (seven) than Rantanen had points (six) in that stretch. That’s hockey, baby!
8. Colorado Avalanche
Record: 47-27-4, +44
Last Week: 9th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 10th
Scott’s Rank: 7th
Scott: It’s safe to say that Cale Makar has probably locked up the Norris trophy after scoring his 30th goal of the season last week, the first to do so since Mike Green in 2008-09. Quinn Hughes has been just as good, but he’s been injured a bit too much, and Zach Werenski has seen his production slip as of late, so Makar appears to stand alone at this point. He also has 91 points with four games left on the Avalanche’s schedule. Does he hit 100 points?
Hunter: I’m reaching a point as a hockey fan where I don’t know what else Makar can do to earn a Hart Trophy nomination. Forget that Chris Pronger was the last defender to win in 1999-2000, he was the last guy nominated, and I can’t believe that the likes of Nicklas Lidstrom, or mid-2010s Erik Karlsson, or the duo of Makar and Quinn Hughes aren’t at least one of the three-to-five best players in the league. I’m not doubting that Leon Draisaitl and Nathan MacKinnon and even Connor Hellebuyck aren’t worthy, but there isn’t a player I enjoy watching more than Makar.
Scott: I think the fact that MacKinnon exists will always hinder his chances of winning a Hart. Yes, it should also work the other way, but voters will always lean towards a forward in those instances. That said, I think we see a season in the next five years where MacKinnon misses a good chunk of the season, and Makar’s play gets him at least a nomination.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 47-25-4, +29
Last Week: 11th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 9th
Scott’s Rank: 9th
Scott: It would be quite on brand for the Leafs to play over their heads all year to finally win the Atlantic Division in the era of this current core, and finally avoid the matchup of doom between the second and third seeds in that division, only for the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers to fail their way into the first wild card spot and give the Leafs a tough matchup anyways. At least since the trade deadline, they’ve been a top-10 defensive team in terms of expected goals against. The only problem is that they’re a bottom-10 team at generating them, so bad that they still sit at an expected goal share below 50%. Considering the Leafs’ offensive concerns in past playoffs, you can already see how this year will go.
Hunter: This team has looked better defensively and Anthony Stolarz looks like he’s earned the coach’s trust in getting the No. 1 spot for Game 1 of the postseason. Maybe it’s the high of seeing a Toronto sports team lock up a franchise superstar, but I feel like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will go on their own McDavid-Draisaitl run like they did last spring, carrying the Leafs offensively. Of course, the Panthers could shut them down quickly, and nothing matters.
Scott: And maybe it’s the low of seeing my fantasy hockey team choke in the playoffs AGAIN, but considering what this core has shown us in seasons past, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.
10. Edmonton Oilers
Record: 44-27-5, +20
Last Week: 10th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 10th
Scott: Should Oilers fans be concerned about this Oilers team after a 3-0 loss to the Kings, their likely first round opponent? Considering that they were without Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Stuart Skinner, I wouldn’t exactly say that game was a preview of what’s to come, but it does show their issues with their depth this year. It would be funny to see how those depth problems could come back to bite them if they went on a late run, grabbed the top spot in the Pacific, and then got a matchup against Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, and the Blues.
11. Florida Panthers
Record: 44-29-4, +29
Last Week: 5th (-6)
Hunter’s Rank: 11th
Scott’s Rank: 11th
Hunter: Some conspiracy theories are so outlandish, there’s no chance there could be truth to them. But sometimes, you’ll hear one and find yourself nodding. Right now, the Panthers have lost five straight and are just two points ahead of the Senators in the Atlantic Division. Are they intentionally tanking so they can face the Maple Leafs in the first round? Probably not. But maybe…? Either way, the return of a healthy Matthew Tkachuk and Aaron Ekblad feels unfair. Oh God, they’re going to beat the Leafs in Toronto in Game 7, aren’t they?
Scott: If I had to choose between playing a much-improved Lightning team that has the experience and pedigree or a Maple Leafs team that is playing way above their heads and has a history of tripping over their own feet in the playoffs, I know who I’d want to face.
12. New Jersey Devils
Record: 41-29-7, +30
Last Week: 12th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 12th
Scott’s Rank: 12th
Scott: The more I sit back and reflect on this current Devils’ core, the more I think they might be more cursed than the Leafs or the Oilers. The first three years after drafting Jack Hughes saw them attempt to solve their goaltending problems, only to get a combined 10 games out of Corey Crawford and Jonathan Bernier. They end up getting one good season out of Vanecek and go to the second round in 2023, only to get goaltending problems again in 2024, and then when they finally solidify it enough to make a good playoff run this year, they lose Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton for the year. Just horrible luck all around as a good chunk of their core already finds itself in that 26-30 range.
13. St. Louis Blues
Record: 43-28-7, +20
Last Week: 14th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 13th
Scott’s Rank: 13th
Hunter: You have to give this Blues group a ton of credit for setting a new franchise record for their longest winning streak with 12, breaking the 11-game mark set during their Stanley Cup-winning season in 2019. They’ve played some duds during that span, including the Penguins, the Predators three times, the Blackhawks and Ducks, but beating the Avalanche twice is no small task. This team is buzzing; now let’s see if they can make some noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
14. Minnesota Wild
Record: 42-29-7, -12
Last Week: 13th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 14th
Scott’s Rank: 14th
Hunter: Ending the week with losses in three of four games is nothing to brag about, but give the Wild credit, they earned points in three of those four games, and still hold on to a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. One of the Jets or Golden Knights will likely face them in round one, so let’s ask the question: do they have a chance? Does the potential additions of Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek get them a win or two? Does Filip Gustavsson go nuts and steal them a game? Next season, with a healthy group and dead cap space off the books, I’d like to see how they perform in a crowded Central Division.
15. Ottawa Senators
Record: 42-29-6, +7
Last Week: 15th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 15th
Scott’s Rank: 15th
Scott: The Senators could lock up their first playoff spot since 2017 as soon as today. I repeat, the Senators could punch their ticket to the playoffs today. Not only that, but after three straight wins (including ones over the Lightning and Panthers), they might not even be in a wild-card spot come playoff time. They sit just two points behind Florida, and four behind the Lightning with one more game played, and the only games they have against playoff teams left are against the Canadiens and Hurricanes. Hang on to your hats, folks; this Atlantic Division race is going to be interesting.
16. Calgary Flames
Record: 36-27-13, -23
Last Week: 22nd (+6)
Hunter’s Rank: 17th
Scott’s Rank: 18th
Hunter: I know the Flames are still in it, but they’re not earning enough points to really have a chance. The Blues going on a franchise-record winning streak and pulling away didn’t help, but neither did losses to Utah HC and the Golden Knights this week. There’s a lot to like about Calgary’s future, and it’s nice to see Dustin Wolf continue to have one of the league’s best seasons by a goalie, but it’s not happening this season.
17. Montreal Canadiens
Record: 38-30-9, -20
Last Week: 19th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 16th
Scott’s Rank: 19th
Hunter: I still can’t believe Nick Suzuki is the first Canadiens player to record 80 points in a season since Alex Kovalev 17 years ago. How??? They’ve gone on playoff runs and put together some strong teams, was no one able to score points??? Well, the Montreal captain is leading his team to what will be their first playoff spot since the 2021 Stanley Cup Final appearance. With five games to go and a six-point lead, their five-game winning streak has pulled them away. If they beat the Red Wings on Tuesday, that will basically clinch it. Oh, and Lane Hutson, who has 58 assists, has five games to break Larry Murphy’s NHL record for most assists by a rookie defenseman (60).
18. Utah Hockey Club
Record: 35-30-12, -16
Last Week: 21st (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 19th
Scott’s Rank: 16th
Hunter: Did you know Karel Vejmelka has started 20 consecutive games for Utah HC, dating back to Feb. 23? I doubt he’ll get anywhere close to Glenn Hall’s record of 502 consecutive starts by a goalie, but he’s had a strong season, with a record of 24-21-7 with a .906 save percentage (SV%) and 2.53 goals against average (GAA), with wins in three of his last four starts. His five-year extension at $4.75 million kicks in next season, and right now that looks like a great number.
19. Vancouver Canucks
Record: 35-29-13, -18
Last Week: 17th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 20th
Scott’s Rank: 17th
Hunter: With a heartbreaking last-minute loss to the Golden Knights on Sunday, the Canucks have lost four of their last five games and are now eight points back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. It’s felt like they’ve been out of it for a while now, but it was while watching Thursday night’s 5-0 loss to the Kraken where it really felt like it was over. There was a zoom-in on Rick Tocchet’s face after the third or fourth goal that screamed, “Get. Me. Out. Of. Here.” Don’t worry, the season is nearly done.
20. New York Rangers
Record: 36-33-7, -1
Last Week: 16th (-4)
Hunter’s Rank: 18th
Scott’s Rank: 21st
Scott: With a 3-5-1 record in their last nine games, the Rangers’ season is on life support as they sit six points back of the Habs for the final wild card spot. It’s impressive that they managed to get this far after how their season started, but for a team that always struggled at 5-on-5 and relied on their goaltending and power play, seeing one of those crutches go appears to have knocked the whole thing over. It’s clear that this team still has some changes to make, and I’d imagine their management knows that, but I’m curious what that looks like. Are Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad playing their last games as Rangers?
21. New York Islanders
Record: 34-32-10, -21
Last Week: 20th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 21st
Scott’s Rank: 23rd
Hunter: Yes, the Islanders still have a chance, but no, they do not have a chance. The issue with the NHL’s standings format (where do we begin?) isn’t just the two-vs.-three format or the two Wild Card spots, but how a team with eight more losses than wins can still be in the playoff race, just because 10 of those losses came in overtime or a shootout. The league can’t continue to reward mediocrity. At least the Islanders earned a regulation win after being on the receiving end of a historic moment.
Scott: I don’t know what’s funnier about them being the team that allowed Ovechkin’s historic goal, the fact that the goal was the first time he had scored on Ilya Sorokin in his career, or the fact that the Islanders were also the team that Gretzky scored on to get his 894th. We’d talked about how Ovechkin would probably do it at home or against the Penguins, but the Islanders were in front of us all along as the obvious candidate to be scored on.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 31-35-12, -57
Last Week: 24th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 25th
Scott’s Rank: 20th
Hunter: Did you know the Penguins, who have lost five of their last seven games, have the fourth-worst goal differential in the league with minus-57? Sometimes, you will see a stat and think, “Wait, what?” I know a lot of that can be assigned to bad goaltending – all three goalies who have at least 15 appearances have save percentages under .900 – but come on now. I won’t turn up the speakers and play a broken record, but changes need to be made in Pittsburgh. At least Crosby still has it.
Scott: Yeah, the Pens definitely have some defensive issues. The only reason my system is as high as they are on them is because of their offense, power play and penalty kill.
23. Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 34-33-9, -17
Last Week: 18th (-5)
Hunter’s Rank: 22nd
Scott’s Rank: 24th
Scott: The Blue Jackets aren’t officially out of the playoff hunt yet, but as they sit eight points back of the Canadiens with only six games left, they need a miracle to get in. It’s a shame to see one of the league’s best stories end a bit too prematurely. Still, this group has shown that they’re on the verge of being really, really good, especially if what we’ve seen from the likes of Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson are legit. Adam Fantilli, Dmitri Voronkov and Cole Sillinger have even more steps to take, this team will be a lot of fun to watch for a long time.
24. Buffalo Sabres
Record: 34-36-6, -15
Last Week: 27th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 24th
Scott’s Rank: 22nd
Hunter: Tage Thompson scored a hat trick Sunday night and is tied with Leon Draisaitl for the league-lead in even-strength goals with 36. After his 47-goal campaign in 2022-23 and only 29 last season, I came into this season expecting Thompson to hover in that 30ish range. Who knew he would be one of the lone bright spots with the Sabres this season? Also, James Reimer may have six straight wins, but no, he’s not the goalie for the future.
25. Detroit Red Wings
Record: 36-33-7, -20
Last Week: 23rd (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 23rd
Scott’s Rank: 25th
Scott: How is it that, among all the teams that have devolved towards a fringe chance of nabbing that last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Red Wings are tied with the Rangers for the closest chance of still getting in? It feels like their season has been over for weeks, and yet a 3-0-1 record in their last four games has kept them alive. Maybe getting a third starting goalie really was the key to fixing their defense!
Hunter: If they trip into the playoffs, I’m going to become The Joker. No, that’s too far. If the Red Wings make the playoffs, I’m going to laugh maniacally and bring chaos to Gotham. No, wait, that’s the same thing. Let’s just say: every team below the Senators in the East is bad, except potentially for the Panthers, because that makes no sense.
26. Boston Bruins
Record: 31-38-9, -54
Last Week: 25th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 26th
Scott’s Rank: 26th
Hunter: Hockey fans collectively used a wish from a monkey’s paw to see the Bruins fall out of playoff contention, but like all wishes from a monkey paw, it came with a catch: the Bruins are going to land the No. 1 overall pick in this June’s draft. As of April 7, they have a 9.5 percent chance of winning the top pick, but damn the odds: this is how the hockey universe works. Everyone wishes for a poor result for Boston, and they finally get it – with a chance. Do you think Matthew Schaefer will wear No. 48 for the Bruins?
Scott: In a draft where the top two is as close as it is, they have to go for a center if one of Michael Misa or James Hagens becomes available, don’t they?
Hunter: If they don’t get the No. 1 pick, then sure. But if you have a chance at a 24-minute-a-night defender for the next 15 years, then you have to take it, right?
Scott: You could say the same about a dynamic, skilled centerman, especially for a team that’s been desperate for a replacement for Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci for two years now.
Hunter: They haven’t been the same since Zdeno Chara left! With a blue line that’s thinner than Walton Goggins hairline, having a chance at a franchise bluechip defender like Schaefer seems too good to pass up if you have the chance.
Scott: But at least they have some sort of top end talent on the blueline with Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm, and Mason Lohrei looks like a solid piece to build around as well. I’d take that bet and improve on Elias Lindholm and Casey Mittelstadt than the other way around.
Hunter: I would say we can agree to disagree, but I don’t agree with that. Don’t overthink it, take the best player available!
Scott: I’d agree with that point, except that isn’t really the case this season! Schaefer and Misa are considered to be close enough that you actually can choose based on positional need!
27. Anaheim Ducks
Record: 33-35-8, -35
Last Week: 26th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 27th
Scott’s Rank: 28th
Hunter: It was while watching the Ducks’ 4-3 shootout win over the Sharks – okay, I was flipping between the game and a Sex and the City rewatch with my girlfriend – that I realized, this current Ducks season is what the Blackhawks thought the 2024-25 campaign would be for them. Still not good enough to compete for a playoff spot, but a massive step forward from the year before, with major signs of growth in players like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason Mctavish and Jackson LaCombe. I wonder if they try to add a big name in a trade this summer.
28. Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 31-37-9, -47
Last Week: 28th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 28th
Scott’s Rank: 27th
Hunter: Just two games this week, and hey, look at Travis Konecny recording his 50th assist of the season in a 3-2 loss to the Canadiens! I’m not sure how many people use exclamation points in reference to a loss, but you take your positives where you can find them. Also nice to see Matvei Michkov now two points away from a 60-point rookie season, which he should do in the final five games of the year. I’ve watched more Flyers games than I’d like to admit this season, but I still can’t get a read on what type of team they are. Maybe they’re just a bad one?
Scott: I know that everyone said John Tortorella’s approach to Michkov this season was to help him learn from mistakes, but the fact that he has four goals and seven points in four games since Torts was fired can’t be a coincidence either.
29. Seattle Kraken
Record: 33-38-6, -12
Last Week: 29th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 29th
Scott’s Rank: 29th
Hunter: Yeah yeah, two nice wins for the Kraken against the Canucks and Sharks, which followed a pair of losses to the Stars, but here’s the real question: why did Seattle host Dallas in back-to-back games? Did the schedule makers make a mistake? Did they realize the two had to play one more game in Washington State and thought, “Eh, screw it, just add another after the March 30 game”? This is the minutia that’s worthy of spilled ink when you’re in the final weeks of the NHL regular season.
30. Nashville Predators
Record: 27-42-8, -60
Last Week: 30th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 30th
Scott’s Rank: 30th
Scott: Mark my words, with a little bit of offseason tinkering and a potential center for the future in Misa or Hagens, this team will be fighting for a playoff spot next season with how they’ve played in the second half of the season. It feels weird saying that after they just lost their sixth straight game, but if anything that’s helping them out with this retool plan by increasing their draft lottery odds.
31. Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 22-35-10, -69
Last Week: 31st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 31st
Scott’s Rank: 31st
Hunter: Connor Bedard hit the 40-assist mark Sunday and is now one point back from tying his rookie season total of 61. I know it’s been a difficult year for the Blackhawks, and the lack of true top-line talent to surround their 2023 No. 1 pick may have stunted his development. But if you want my unsolicited advice – why else are you reading this column? Overpay for a coach this offseason and teach this team how to play like an NHL franchise. Forget about rebuilding and prospects: play like a team that deserves to play in this league.
32. San Jose Sharks
Record: 20-36-10, -94
Last Week: 32nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 32nd
Scott’s Rank: 32nd
Scott: With five straight losses, the Sharks are continuing to lock down the best odds for the first overall pick, with a four-point gap on the Blackhawks, although San Jose does have one more game to play than Chicago to potentially “catch up to them”. All six of the Sharks’ remaining games are against teams with something to play for at this point with the Flames, Wild, Oilers, Flames, Canucks, and Oilers left, so they’ll be up against teams looking to get any points that they can. Anything can happen, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they lost all six games.
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