NHL Power Rankings: Scorching Panthers and Rangers Rise as Slumping Canucks Fall

There's a lot of talent in the NHL.

So no matter how good the record or prolonged the roll, the most prudent teams realize the next big challenge is never too far away.

And it's rarely been more true than the last few weeks.

The New York Rangers have reestablished themselves as a playoff favorite in the East with an 8-1-1 run across their last 10 games, including wins in their last eight straight. As commendable as their run has been, though, they've managed to gain zero points on the reigning conference champions, the Florida Panthers.

Coach Paul Maurice's team has won six in a row and gone 9-1 in its last 10 to take over first place in both the Atlantic Division and the B/R Power Rankings, where they swept the voting and vaulted from fourth over the Bruins and Dallas Stars to unseat the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks, amid a rare bit of adversity in the form of a three-game losing streak, maintained enough voter support to remain second, while the surging Rangers leapt two spots from fifth to third.

Boston is down a spot from third to fourth and the elite quintet is rounded out by the Winnipeg Jets, whose three fifth-place votes, one sixth and one seventh were enough to stay ahead of a muddled pack at No. 5.

Scroll through to see where your favorite team wound up and drop a thought of your own in the comments.

*Statistics were up to date and votes tallied before games on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Previous Ranking: 31

Overall Record: 15-35-5

It's more of the same for the Sharks, who have dropped four of their last five and were blanked 4-0 by visiting Vegas on Monday, their ninth shutout loss of the season.

It's the most in franchise history for San Jose, whose goal total (116) and goal-differential (-95) are last in the league.

Previous Ranking: 32

Overall Record: 15-38-3

Teenage phenom Connor Bedard missed 14 games with a broken jaw, but he's been back to his productive self since returning. He's produced two goals and six points in his first three games with linemates Philipp Kurashev and Nick Foligno.

Bedard led all rookies in goals (17) and points (39) through Tuesday's games.

Previous Ranking: 30

Overall Record: 20-33-2

It's not a Cup-contending season by any stretch in Anaheim, but the Ducks showed some signs of resilience on Monday when they rallied from a second-period deficit to win in Buffalo two days after a 9-2 drubbing by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"We weren't happy with it, had a good practice (Sunday) and kind of put it behind us," forward Frank Vatrano said.

Previous Ranking: 29

Overall Record: 17-27-10

GM Jarmo Kekalainen was shown the door last Thursday amid another subpar season in middle Ohio, and it's a mystery whether goalie Elvis Merzļikins will follow.

He's signed for three more seasons at $5.4 million per but went public with a trade request in January.

Previous Ranking: 25

Overall Record: 23-28-4

The Coyotes aren't getting blown out every night, but they're making just enough mistakes to keep from winning.

They led Edmonton 3-2 in the third period Monday but gave up three goals in 2:03 and dropped a 6-3 decision, their 10th loss (0-9-1) in a row.

"It's tough in the room right now. We've got to figure it out, and it's very frustrating," forward Nick Bjugstad said.

Previous Ranking: 28

Overall Record: 23-27-3

The Senators have beaten powerhouses Toronto and Tampa Bay during a 5-3-2 run over their last 10, but they also lost to lesser lights such as Anaheim and Chicago.

A season that began with playoff aspirations is dragging these days with them 15 points below the East's cutline.

Previous Ranking: 26

Overall Record: 22-25-8

The Canadiens are playing themselves into prime draft position with a 3-7-1 stretch entering Wednesday, but their most recent No. 1 pick is playing well.

Teenage forward Juraj Slafkovský assisted on a goal Saturday, and he has six goals and six assists during a career-long eight-game point streak.

Previous Ranking: 27

Overall Record: 24-27-4

The most optimistic of Sabres fans had to be feeling down during a 4-6-0 streak that left the team 12 points off the Eastern playoff pace through Tuesday.

Buffalo was in the middle of the pack in goals allowed (tied for 14th, 170) but just 23rd in goals scored (161). Through February 20 last season, the Sabres had scored 200 goals.

Previous Ranking: 19

Overall Record: 26-25-5

The clock is ticking on the Calgary blue line, with both Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev on the trading block ahead of the March 8 deadline.

Hanifin, 27, is in the final year of a six-year, $29.7 million deal, while Tanev, 34, is making $4.5 million in the final season of a four-year contract he signed in 2020.

Previous Ranking: 24

Overall Record: 23-21-11

The Kraken cruised into the playoffs with 100 points last season, but they're in the "every point is important" stage now, sitting three points off the West cutline entering Wednesday's games.

"The last few games have been good for us and we're heading in the right direction," forward Jared McCann said. "But every single game here is must-win."

Previous Ranking: 22

Overall Record: 26-24-6

The Wild have gotten hot at the right time, going 5-0-1 across six games and 6-3-1 in 10 to move within two points of the second Western wild-card spot through Tuesday.

"We're just trying to battle to get in the playoffs," defenseman Brock Faber said. "But if we were to get there, we are confident in the fact that we can go on a run from there."

Previous Ranking: 18

Overall Record: 24-21-8

General manager Kyle Dubas went public on Wednesday with what everyone was thinking: The skidding Penguins would consider dealing prolific forward and impending UFA Jake Guentzel before the deadline.

"We have to take stock with where we're at and be realistic about the fact that one of the issues we have is we need to get younger," he said.

Previous Ranking: 23

Overall Record: 25-21-8

Don't look now, but the Capitals are emerging from a recent slumber. They defeated New Jersey on Tuesday to string two in a row for the first time since mid-January.

Washington was six points off the Eastern playoff pace entering Wednesday's games and had gotten points in nine straight from Alex Ovechkin, who's 56 goals behind all-time leader Wayne Gretzky.

Previous Ranking: 21

Overall Record: 23-18-14

Blowing a two-goal lead in the third period but recovering to win in OT on Tuesday in Pittsburgh was little solace for the Islanders, who had managed just two points (0-1-2) in their previous three games.

"Picking up a point, then two and none every other night just isn't enough right now," defenseman Adam Pelech said.

Previous Ranking: 20

Overall Record: 29-25-2

Two straight wins—including a road triumph in Vegas—came at a good time for the Predators, who are also in a tight chase for playoff positioning in the West.

It was also a positive for goalie Kevin Lankinen, who made his first start since January and earned his seventh win of the season while giving workhorse No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros a night off.

Previous Ranking: 16

Overall Record: 28-23-4

Another game, another goaltending issue for the Devils, who saw recent AHL call-up Nico Daws surrender six on just 26 shots in a loss to Washington.

New Jersey's 3.45 goals-against average is seventh-worst in the league and the trio of Daws, Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid has a combined .893 save percentage.

Previous Ranking: 17

Overall Record: 29-24-2

Only four teams in the West have been better over the last 10 games than the Blues, whose 6-4 run had them in the second wild-card spot entering Wednesday's games.

The 33 goals they have scored since the stretch began on January 24 are tied for seventh in the league.

Previous Ranking: 13

Overall Record: 30-22-5

A run of six wins in eight games turned unsightly quickly for the Lightning, who allowed 13 goals across consecutive home losses to Florida (9-2) and Ottawa (4-2).

"We've come a long way, and in these last two we've taken a step backward," defenseman Victor Hedman said. "We've just got to make sure we stop the bleeding now."

Previous Ranking: 12

Overall Record: 29-20-7

Coach John Tortorella's team isn't the most talented, but it's probably not surprising they do the little things well.

The Flyers entered Wednesday second in the NHL in penalty-killing success (86.4 percent), first in shorthanded goals (13) and fourth in blocked shots (1,011).

Previous Ranking: 14

Overall Record: 29-20-6

There's one less decision for GM Steve Yzerman to make now that Michael Rasmussen, who would have been a restricted free agent in July, has signed a four-year, $12.8 million contract.

The 24-year-old forward was selected ninth overall in the 2017 draft and is on pace for a career-high 16 goals and 34 points this season.

Previous Ranking: 9

Overall Record: 32-18-6

A team coming off a Stanley Cup hoist isn't likely to panic, but the Golden Knights' sudden three-game skid at home and losses in three of four overall isn't a good optic.

Neither is an injury to captain Mark Stone, who left Tuesday's loss against Nashville with an upper-body issue and didn't return. He played just 43 games last season before the playoffs.

Previous Ranking: 15

Overall Record: 28-16-1

Quinton Byfield has scored 26 goals in parts of four seasons since the Kings made him the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, but there have been none prettier than the tally to finish an end-to-end rush against Columbus on Tuesday.

"I could have held a camera and filmed it. It was a beautiful goal," linemate Pierre-Luc Dubois said.

Previous Ranking: 11

Overall Record: 30-16-8

The Maple Leafs had won four straight heading into Wednesday, but whether they're in the deadline market for a goalie might depend on Joseph Woll, who's been out since December but is headed to the AHL for a conditioning assignment.

He's 8-5-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in 15 NHL games this season.

Previous Ranking: 10

Overall Record: 33-17-5

It's tough to catch a team that's won eight straight, but the Hurricanes are on a tear of their own with eight wins in 10 games and three in a row.

Carolina trailed the Rangers by six points entering Wednesday's games thanks in part to stellar home play that has seen them go 18-6-4 at PNC Arena.

Previous Ranking: 6

Overall Record: 33-18-1

Veteran Corey Perry has made the most of a brief stay in Edmonton, which picked him up after his contract was terminated by Chicago.

The 38-year-old had four points and was a plus-2 in his first eight games, which included time on a line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

"It's pretty fun," Perry said. "They're two tremendous players, they see the ice really well."

Previous Ranking: 7

Overall Record: 35-18-4

It's two in a row and three of four overall for the Avalanche, but none were more important than Tuesday's 3-1 home win in a measuring-stick game against Western leader Vancouver.

"It's a really good team, and we had to play really well," coach Jared Bednar said.

Previous Ranking: 2

Overall Record: 34-15-8

The scoring touch has vanished at least temporarily for the Stars, who've scored just seven goals across consecutive losses to fellow elites Edmonton, Boston and the Rangers.

The skid comes on the heels of a three-game win streak in which Dallas had scored 16 times.

Previous Ranking: 8

Overall Record: 34-14-5

Winnipeg's pedestrian 4-5-1 over 10 games has seen it drop from first to third in a competitive Central Division, where the top three spots were separated by just three points through Tuesday. Still, the four wins have all come in the last five games.

"You can see the confidence growing," coach Rick Bowness said. "The puck's moving a bit, and great plays, and the puck's going in the net."

Previous Ranking: 3

Overall Record: 33-12-11

It feels like it's been a while since the Bruins have had some regular-season competition, but that's what's happening these days in the Atlantic Division.

Florida used its 9-1-0 run to pull a point past Boston and into first place heading into Wednesday's games.

The Bruins were 0-2-2 in four games before defeating Dallas on Monday.

Previous Ranking: 5

Overall Record: 37-16-3

It doesn't take a hockey genius to realize goaltending matters. And if you get Vezina-level goaltending, wins will typically follow.

Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick have done that for the Rangers, and when they've been on—allowing three or fewer goals—New York is 33-2-2.

Previous Ranking: 1

Overall Record: 37-15-6

It's a rare rough patch for the Canucks, who've dropped three straight in a variety of ways.

Vancouver scored a combined three goals in losses to Winnipeg (4-2) and Colorado (3-1) and scored seven but gave up 10 in an ugly loss to Minnesota on Monday.

Still, the Canucks were first overall heading into Wednesday and led the Pacific Division by 10 points.

Previous Ranking: 4

Overall Record: 37-15-4

Scoring is a significant part of winning games, and it's no surprise it hasn't been an issue for the Panthers lately.

Florida has netted 29 goals in its six-game win streak, including nine against in-state rival Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Its four-goal average (80 goals in 20 games) since January 1 is tops in the league.