March 13, 2023
By Tab Bamford

CHICAGO, IL — We’re now more than a full week past the trade deadline. Players are getting used to their new threads, lineups are starting to figure out who goes where, and coaches in some cities are more easily remembers the names of their players (maybe not in Chicago and Nashville still).

As we slide into the middle of March, the playoff races are still fascinating in both conferences and the Battle for Bedard is worth watching on a nightly bases as well. This season has given us plenty of highlights and fun performances, and we have a month left.

So, let’s jump into our updated Power Rankings. As always, please feel free to let us know what we got right and where we’re terribly wrong.

32. Columbus Blue Jackets

Losers of four in a row with a minus-75 goal differential in 75 games, they’re now three points clear of the Blackhawks and Sharks for the bottom. The Jackets are only 13-20-2 on home ice this season.

31. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks have won only six of 33 games on home ice this season and are 2-7-1 in their last 10 starts. Their minus-64 goal differential is the fourth-worst in the NHL.

30. Montreal Canadiens

Losers of their last six and now 14-16-3 in Montreal, the Habs have fallen on hard times. They have not backed up the excitement we saw early in the season, largely because of injuries.

29. Chicago Blackhawks

Say what you will about their trades at the deadline, first-year head coach Luke Richardson has them competing every single night. The wins aren’t there – the Blackhawks are 3-6-1 in their last 10 – but look at where the offense is supposed to come from right now…

28. Anaheim Ducks

Owners of the league’s worst goal differential (-99), the Ducks have allowed 271 goals in 67 games and are on the cusp of having a triple-digit deficiency. They’re only 11-19-7 on the road.

27. Philadelphia Flyers

The upheaval began in Philly last week with the pink slide hitting the General Manager’s office after a disappointing trade deadline. They’ve lost three in a row and are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.

26. Buffalo Sabres

With four straight losses, the Sabres are sliding the wrong direction if they wanted to make a playoff run this season. They’re still 19-10-2 on the road but their 13-18-3 home record is the big problem.

25. Arizona Coyotes

If you’re looking for baby steps in the desert, there have been some signs that things are heading in a somewhat positive direction at times this season. The Yotes are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and are 17-11-3 on home ice.

24. Detroit Red Wings

With a 3-6-1 record in their last 10 games, the Wings have allowed the Eastern Conference playoff picture to become more distant since the trade deadline. They’re 13-15-5 on the road this season.

23. St. Louis Blues

The Blues’ minus-37 goal differential is ugly, as is their 3-5-2 record in their last 10. We’ll be interested to see how they retool this summer with the added draft capital they picked up before the deadline.

22. Vancouver Canucks

Winners of their last four and seven of their last ten, the Canucks are gently moving in a positive direction. While they still have a minus-29 goal differential, signs have been pointing up since the coaching change. But… they did last year, too.

21. Ottawa Senators

At 19-12-2 on home ice, the Senators have shown good improvement in the season’s second half (thus far). If they can improve on their 14-17-2 road record they’ll be in business.

20. Calgary Flames

At just 4-4-2 in their last 10, the Flames are part of the crowded group of teams in the Western Conference that kinda-sorta could be a playoff team but refuses to consistently act like they really want it.

19. Washington Capitals

They extended Trevor van Riemsdyk last week, which is a good step in helping their blueline for the next three years. But they need to be better than 4-5-1 in their last 10 to make another playoff season.

18. Winnipeg Jets

They’re only 3-5-2 in their last 10 and Josh Morrissey got banged up over the weekend. Once a team that looked dangerous to possibly win the Central, they’re now looking more like a wild card team.

17. Nashville Predators

While Winnipeg has slept, the Predators sold at the deadline and are still 7-2-1 in their last 10. They’re now six points back of the Jets with three games in-hand, which makes things more interesting in mid-March.

16. Florida Panthers

They needed overtime to beat the Blackhawks on Saturday and continue to be a confusing team. They have a plus-three goal differential on the year and are just 14-17-3 on the road.

15. New York Islanders

The only team that’s higher than the Isles on our Power Rankings this week that, like the Islanders, hasn’t reached 200 goals on the year is Minnesota. They’re a .500 road team and have climbed to 20-12-3 at home.

14. Pittsburgh Penguins

At 7-2-1 in their last 10, the up-and-down Pens are on a bit of a heater. They’re a strong 19-9-5 on home ice this season and hope the reinforcements added at the deadline can bolster their aging roster.

13. Seattle Kraken

The Kraken have benefitted from a Western Conference that refuses to put its collective act together for very long this season. They’re just 5-4-1 in their last 10 but are still in the playoff hunt in the pedestrian Pacific.

12. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts beat up the Blackhawks on Saturday but they’re just 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. Still, they’re 24-6-5 at home and have a plus-27 goal differential this season.

11. Colorado Avalanche

We’ve been waiting all year for the healthy Avs to start rolling and I think we’re getting there. Colorado is 6-3-1 in their last 10 and have games in-hand on the teams ahead of them in the Central.

10. New York Rangers

Patrick Kane has started contributing to the offense, but the Blue Shirts are just 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. The Rangers have an impressive 20-8-6 record on the road this season.

9. Edmonton Oilers

We’d like to see the Oilers with a better record than 16-12-5 in Edmonton, but their offense puts fear in their opponents every night. At least we don’t have to argue about who the league’s MVP is this season.

8. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have the worst goal differential (plus-seven) in our top ten but a 20-9-3 home record has helped them stay around the top of the Pacific into the middle of March. They’re 6-2-2 in their last 10.

7. Dallas Stars

One of four teams with a goal differential of at least plus-50, the Stars have only allowed 178 goals in 66 games. They have a team getting closer in the rearview mirror, however.

6. Minnesota Wild

The defense Minnesota is putting on the ice every night has been exceptional lately. The only team in our top ten that hasn’t scored 200 goals yet, the Wild are 7-0-3 in their last 10 and are now just one point behind Dallas for the top spot in the Central.

5. Carolina Hurricanes

It’s tough when a 6-4-0 stretch has you falling in our Power Rankings, but Carolina losing their last two opens the door for a couple other teams to move up this week.

4. Vegas Golden Knights

I guess the fountain of youth for Jonathan Quick was in Sin City? They have won their last three games and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Vegas is 20-7-5 away from Vegas.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

They’re a phenomenal 24-6-4 on home ice this season and have a plus-48 goal differential after a 7-3-0 stretch in their last 10. They have enjoyed the additions of Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty.

2. New Jersey Devils

Look at who’s now tied for a division lead? The improvement in Jersey this season has been remarkable, and they’re now streaking with a three-game win streak and a 7-2-1 record in their last 10. How about a 25-4-4 road record?

1. Boston Bruins

When you clinch a playoff berth on March 11, it’s been a really, really good season. They’re the only team in the league with a goal differential of better than plus-60 – and theirs is plus-103! They’re 23-7-2 on the road and a ridiculous 27-3-3 on home ice.