In just a few weeks’ time, the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs will begin.
Yes, if you can believe it, the NHL regular season is almost over. It feels like just yesterday that we were looking at a clean slate across the board for all 32 teams. But somehow, nearly six months have come and gone and now, the playoffs are in sight.
But first, we have nearly two more weeks left of games to play. And there are a lot of things riding on these next few weeks, from the order of the upcoming NHL draft to the seedings for the playoff matchups to come. For some teams, their stories will continue on through April and late into the spring. For others, however, this will likely be the last time we talk about them in depth for some time.
MORE NHL: Every Pride jersey worn by NHL teams this season.
So, with that being said, let’s buckle up and get ready for a wild ride to the end of the season. Here are our NHL power rankings as April begins.
32
Columbus Blue Jackets (23-43-8)
Last ranked: 31
The race to the NHL’s basement is getting real crowded. Right now, I still believe the Blue Jackets will finish out the season in last place, mostly because the team has one of the hardest strength of schedules remaining. It’s been a hard road this year for Columbus, but thankfully it’s almost over.
31
San Jose Sharks (20-39-15)
Last ranked: 29
The Sharks have put themselves in great position to draft high this spring. March was an absolutely abysmal month as things finally unravelled for San Jose, with the team allowing over 60 goals in 13 games played. This feels like rock bottom for the Sharks, but things should be looking brighter this offseason with a top draft pick and, hopefully, a plan for the future.
30
Anaheim Ducks (23-41-10)
Last ranked: 30
The Ducks are the only NHL team to have a negative triple-digit goal differential this year. Anaheim has good pieces to build around in the seasons to come, but the team has a lot of work to do this offseason to get the team back on track. Having Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, and Connor Bedard down the middle would be quite a sight though, I have to say.
29
Chicago Blackhawks (24-44-6)
Last ranked: 32
Chicago’s plan to jettison any movable pieces at the trade deadline has paid off, as the Blackhawks have all but solidified a top spot in the draft. Trust me, you know it’s rough when Taylor Raddysh’s 20 goals leads the team in scoring. But, the pain is all part of the plan for the Blackhawks, who are no doubt looking toward the offseason as their rebuild continues.
28
Montreal Canadiens (30-40-6)
Last ranked: 24
February and March could not have been two more different months for the Canadiens. Montreal won six games in a short February and seemed to separate themselves from the league’s worst teams. Now, however, a March swoon has the Canadiens sitting with top-five NHL draft odds entering the final few weeks of the season. Probably not the way the Canadiens front office expected March to go, but if it nets them a big name at the draft, they won’t be too upset.
27
Detroit Red Wings (33-33-9)
Last ranked: 20
This recent slump really did the Red Wings in. Detroit had a slim path to possibly make the playoffs before the trade deadline, but that has since completely evaporated. It’s been a rough year for the Red Wings, who have dealt with unfortunate injuries and drops in production from players across the board. Steve Yzerman, rightfully, sold at the trade deadline, but this offseason should be an active one for Detroit as they look to improve this summer.
26
Philadelphia Flyers (29-32-13)
Last ranked: 25
The recent firing of general manager Chuck Fletcher and the retirement of Comcast Spectacor chairman Dave Scott should be good news for Flyers fans. Not only that, the team likely isn’t finished restructuring its front office either. Changes are finally coming for the Flyers, who have been stagnant for way too long and have hemorrhaged fan support as a result. It’s been a tough season for Flyers faithful, but hopefully these moves are just the beginning of a change in culture down in Philly.
25
Arizona Coyotes (27-36-13)
Last ranked: 28
While the Coyotes may not have been good this season — and likely aren’t going to be for some time — they really have something fun cooking at Mullett Arena. At home this season, the Coyotes have gone 20-12-4, which is pretty respectable given how poor their record is otherwise. Even though many dunked on the temporary move to a college arena, it seems as if it’s turning into something positive for the club after one season. Like I said, the Coyotes aren’t likely turning the corner here anytime soon, but the success of Mullett Arena is at least something to build upon in the years to come.
24
Ottawa Senators (37-33-5)
Last ranked: 22
I don’t want to say “I told you so”, but the Senators really folded under the pressure these last few weeks. After being a playoff darling post trade deadline, the Senators went on a 3-7-1 stretch to completely capsize their postseason chances. It was always going to be a tough road for the Senators to make the playoffs in a brutal Eastern Conference, but they gave it as good of an effort as they could considering how many talented opponents they faced. Now, at least, the team can focus up on the offseason ahead to get them back into contending shape.
23
Washington Capitals (34-33-9)
Last ranked: 23
Trade rumors are once again swirling around Evgeny Kuznetsov. This season, the Capitals are set to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and it seems as if changes may be coming to Washington in short order. Kuznetsov denied the rumor that he had requested a trade, but given the Capitals are set for a retool this summer, the 30-year-old forward may be a prime target to move. The Capitals will be an interesting team to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses, as the team is one of the oldest in the league and seems destined for a shake up.
22
St. Louis Blues (34-34-6)
Last ranked: 27
The Blues played much better in March, even after completely gutting their roster at the trade deadline. Jordan Kyrou passed the 30-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career, which bodes well for the Blues’ hopes of retooling quickly this offseason. It’s going to be a lot of work, however, especially since St. Louis was pretty efficient in cutting up its former Stanley Cup winning roster these last few years.
21
Vancouver Canucks (34-34-7)
Last ranked: 26
Much like Bruce Boudreau did for this Canucks team last season, Rick Tocchet has given this team a boost since his midseason hiring. Of course, we know how things ended with Boudreau, so the Canucks clearly cannot be trusted just yet with this roster. Plus, the Canucks aren’t even going to be cap compliant for the 2023-24 season if they keep their current roster as is, so changes will definitely be coming this offseason. This surge is a nice little reprieve from the horrors of this past season, but the Canucks must hit the ground running on improving this team immediately once the offseason begins.
20
Buffalo Sabres (36-31-7)
Last ranked: 16
Alas, the poor Sabres and their playoff hopes. We had a good run, but unfortunately it was not to be. Sure, the Sabres are still technically alive in the playoff race, but the odds are very slim and they haven’t been playing great these last few weeks. A big reason for the Sabres’ recent slip has been Tage Thompson’s cold streak in the month of March, which happened at the most unfortunate time. Buffalo’s playoff hopes were always long shots, but it would have been fun to see them make the postseason as a real dark horse. Thankfully, the future is looking pretty bright in Buffalo, all things considered!
19
Calgary Flames (35-26-15)
Last ranked: 17
The wild card race in the West is really… heating up as April begins. Bad puns aside, the Flames still have a chance to make the postseason, but boy have they really bungled this season overall. Darryl Sutter could very well be on his way out this offseason given how the Flames underperformed this year, but Calgary may elect to stay the course and change out coaching personnel elsewhere. While I don’t believe the Flames will be able to claw their way back into the playoff race, there are some favorable matchups on the schedule (Anaheim, Chicago, Vancouver, and San Jose) to close out the season.
18
Florida Panthers (38-31-7)
Last ranked: 19
The Panthers went from having the deadliest offense in the NHL last year to sitting on the playoff bubble as April begins. Florida’s offense still ranks in the top five this year, but their goaltending has let them down tremendously. And yet, the playoffs are still in reach with just a handful of games left on the schedule thanks to the Penguins falling over themselves at the finish line (and we’ll get to them in just a minute). If the Panthers want to make it to the playoffs, however, Sergei Bobrovsky has to play his best hockey of the season starting now.
17
Nashville Predators (37-29-10)
Last ranked: 21
The Predators are giving general manager David Poile one incredible send-off. While it’s unlikely Nashville makes the playoffs, they’re doing a great job of nipping at the heels of Winnipeg and Calgary to make things interesting out west. Poile is set to retire this summer, with Barry Trotz replacing him as general manager, so hopefully this is just the start of a new chapter for the Predators. Still, anything can happen in the final weeks of the season, and if Juuse Saros continues to shut the door on his opponents, this race might be closer than expected.
16
Pittsburgh Penguins (37-28-10)
Last ranked: 18
It’s safe to say Penguins fans are not at all happy with how this season has gone. Even if the Penguins do make the playoffs — and so far, they’re doing a bang-up job of backing into them — fans will still be calling for Ron Hextall’s job. Pittsburgh has a terrible habit of imploding in winnable games as of late, and right now they can hardly buy a save too. The Penguins have allowed three or more goals in six of their last eight games, not a winning formula with the team fighting for a wild card. Honestly, even if the Penguins do pull it together and make the playoffs, they feel primed for an early exit considering just how inconsistent this team is.
15
Winnipeg Jets (42-31-3)
Last ranked: 11
Winnipeg’s hold on its playoff spot is… tenuous to say the least. The Jets have not been impressive in their last 10 games, as they’ve been unable to wrap up a playoff spot thanks to a middling record. Their offense has run cold at the worst time (leading goal scorer Mark Scheifele had a five-game goalless streak during this time) and even the usually steady Connor Hellebuyck is coming off a rough month of March. Right now, the Jets have a leg up on their Western Conference wild card competition, but that could change at the drop of a hat with just a few more bad games.
14
New York Islanders (39-28-9)
Last ranked: 15
Right now, the Islanders are on track to play the Hurricanes in the first round. If you recall, the last time these two teams met was in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the Hurricanes sweeping the Islanders as a wild card seed. Obviously, the Islanders are hoping for a bit of that wild card magic this year, especially if Ilya Sorokin continues his strong play into the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is a real juggernaut this year and the Islanders aren’t what they once were, but as we’ve seen, hot goaltending can turn a series on its head. Still, this Islanders team isn’t in the same tier as the rest of the beasts in the East.
13
Seattle Kraken (40-25-8)
Last ranked: 14
The Kraken aren’t a strong playoff contender, but getting at least a few postseason games at home in their second year as a franchise is a definite win all the same. Look what it did for the Golden Knights, who seem to be near perennial contenders in the playoffs since the team’s inception. Seattle has surprising offensive pop, with top scorer Jared McCann hitting career highs across the board and leading the way for the rest of this Kraken crew. The big worry with this Kraken team is the goaltending, which keeps Seattle firmly in “good, but not great” territory.
12
Minnesota Wild (44-22-9)
Last ranked: 13
Maybe I’m not putting enough respect on the Wild’s name here, but I definitely view them as the weakest team of the Central Division contenders. While their goaltending tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury has been sublime this season, the offense has sputtered at times, in part thanks to a down year from Kirill Kaprizov. Honestly, I don’t expect the Wild to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Central when all is said and done this season, as they lack the finishing power the Stars and Avalanche have. Still, I’m willing to be surprised!
11
Dallas Stars (41-20-14)
Last ranked: 9
The Stars, meanwhile, bounced back nicely from a middling February to put themselves in contention for the top spot in the Central. It’s been fun to watch Jason Robertson assert himself as a top-10 scorer in this league, as he’s helped revitalize Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin from their early-30s slump. Also, 19-year-old Wyatt Johnston has put himself on the map in his rookie year with a 20-goal season. Dallas should be a fun team to watch in the playoffs, that’s for sure.
10
Tampa Bay Lightning (44-26-6)
Last ranked: 6
While it’s hard to count the previous back-to-back Stanley Cup winners out before the playoffs begin, the last few weeks haven’t been a showcase of the Lightning’s best. Tampa Bay’s stats have been down across the board, causing many to wonder if this is finally the year we see the Lightning get ousted early from the playoffs. There’s time for the Lightning to turn this around, as we all know the regular season isn’t what matters to this team anyway and betting against them often proves futile. And yet, all good things must come to an end sometime, right?
9
Los Angeles Kings (43-21-10)
Last ranked: 12
The Kings have really turned it on recently in their quest for the Pacific Division’s top spot. Not only has Los Angeles’ offense come alive, their trade deadline acquisition of Joonas Korpisalo has paid dividends so far. Yes, it was a cold move shipping out Jonathan Quick in the manner that they did, but hockey is a business and so far this seems to have been quite the shrewd move.
8
Edmonton Oilers (43-23-9)
Last ranked: 10
Hockey fans are in for a real treat when the NHL’s leading offense takes on the playoffs. Led by Connor McDavid, the Oilers have four players who have posted above 70 points this year alongside a blistering power play that’s produced at nearly 33 percent. The biggest blemish is, as always, goaltending, with neither Jack Campbell or Stuart Skinner really inspiring much confidence this season. Edmonton’s defense is noticeably better with Mattias Ekholm back there, but the Oilers are no doubt looking to outscore all their problems come playoff time.
7
Colorado Avalanche (44-24-6)
Last ranked: 8
It took some time, but the Avalanche are finally starting to resemble their Stanley Cup pedigree. It’s been a rough season for Colorado with injuries, but the team’s been able to rally around some really special performances from Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon. And while he’s hardly been mentioned much, Alexandar Georgiev has had a real nice year for himself, bouncing back well in his first season with his new team. If the Avalanche can keep this up in the playoffs, they’ll definitely be a force to be reckoned with.
6
Toronto Maple Leafs (44-20-10)
Last ranked: 2
Maple Leafs fans, how are your anxiety levels? The regular season is winding down and all eyes are on Toronto as the team attempts to win a playoff round for the first time since 2004. We’ve known for some time that it will be Toronto vs. Tampa Bay in the first round, but now we’re really getting down to it. March was a mixed bag for the Maple Leafs due to missing some key players thanks to injuries, so these next few weeks should be about resting up and getting ready for the first round. After all, the playoffs are a marathon, not a sprint, and now has to be the time for the Maple Leafs to produce results in the postseason.
5
Vegas Golden Knights (46-22-6)
Last ranked: 7
The Golden Knights might not have the top-end heavy hitters many other contenders have, but they certainly come at you in waves. Right now, the Golden Knights are as hot as they were back when the season started, pushing them above the rest as the best team out west. We’ll see how the last few weeks of the regular season shake out for them — as they’ve got a tough slate of games ahead — but don’t be surprised if they’re still standing tall at the top of the West once the playoffs begin.
4
New Jersey Devils (47-20-8)
Last ranked: 3
March was a disappointing month for the Devils, insofar as the team hit a slump for the first time in some time. There’s no reason to be worried about New Jersey long-term, as they still clinched their first playoff since 2018 amidst a real fun season. Vitek Vanecek, at the very least, will have to rebound back from a tough March quite quickly as a date with the rival Rangers looms. Or, the Devils shock everyone and jump to first in the Metropolitan Division and get an easier first-round matchup. New Jersey definitely has the talent to make it happen.
3
Carolina Hurricanes (47-18-9)
Last ranked: 5
Andrei Svechnikov’s season-ending injury is brutal for the Hurricanes, but they’ll have to shoulder on regardless. At the very least, Carolina’s bread and butter of suffocating defense alongside stout goaltending remains a good foundation to lean upon. It’s hard not to wonder, though, if Svechnikov’s injury may be too much for the offense-light Hurricanes to overcome, especially in a really talented Eastern Conference. Regardless, the Hurricanes did dip a bit in March, but they still have control over the Metropolitan Division — and an easier first round matchup — as the last stretch of games comes into view.
2
New York Rangers (44-21-11)
Last ranked: 4
The Rangers have ground to make up in the Metropolitan Division race, but it really feels like this team is heating up at the right time. New York had big statement wins over Nashville and Pittsburgh in back-to-back nights, putting up 13 goals and allowing none in those two games. What should scare the rest of the playoff field, however, is Igor Shesterkin’s return to form. March was Shesterkin’s best month of the season, looking all too much like the Vezina-winning goaltender from last year. If Shesterkin can keep this up, the Rangers could make the Metropolitan race a real close one.
1
Boston Bruins (58-12-5)
Last ranked: 1
Once the Bruins took the No. 1 spot in these power rankings all the way back in November, they never relinquished their place at the top. With multiple NHL award winners likely from this team come spring, there should be no doubt that the Bruins have been the best team all season long. And if there were any skeptics, this is a reminder that the Bruins are just a handful of wins away from breaking the NHL’s record for wins in a season.
It’s going to be hard to stop this juggernaut Bruins team in the playoffs. Between Boston’s potent offense and stalwart goaltending, not many teams were even able to beat them in the regular season. Right now, it’s the Bruins world, and we’re just living in it.
