NHL Power Rankings: Panthers and Jets Tight at the Top

If anyone tells you it's easy to pick this season's Stanley Cup winner, they're lying.

Exactly 10 of the NHL's 32 teams have 40 or more wins entering Thursday's games, and eight teams have earned at least 65 percent of their available standings points, meaning there are fanbases in several cities with realistic hopes for a celebratory parade.

The tumult in the league's upper tier has filtered into the B/R Power Rankings, where three teams received first-place votes this week—resulting in a flat-footed tie for the top spot involving the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets.

Both the Panthers and Jets received one first-place vote each, with Florida also getting two seconds and two thirds, while Winnipeg added two seconds, a third and a fifth.

The Boston Bruins actually got each of the remaining three first-place votes but wound up third overall because the other two voters had them sixth and ninth, respectively. Colorado and Vancouver took fourth and fifth in the rankings and the Carolina Hurricanes were just a point shy of a top five finish with a second, a fourth, two sixths and a seventh.

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.

Previous Ranking: 32

Overall Record: 16-45-7

There's not much to say about the Sharks these days. A 2-1 lead through 30 minutes at Nashville on Tuesday ended in an 8-2 loss and pushed them to 1-12-2 in their last 15. "We can't sustain successful stretches," coach David Quinn said, "and our bad is too bad."

Previous Ranking: 31

Overall Record: 19-45-5

Three wins in a five-game stretch yielded 19 goals for the Blackhawks, but the two losses have been a different story, coming by 5-0 and 6-2 margins against Los Angeles. "That's two games in a row that they showed us why they're where they are," coach Luke Richardson said.

Previous Ranking: 30

Overall Record: 23-43-3

Trades have been made. Impact players have exited. And that leaves a tough final stretch for the Ducks, whose loss to Minnesota on Tuesday was their seventh in a row since the deadline. "Trying to keep up the mood is not easy [after] losing seven games in a row," forward Frank Vatrano said. "It's not fun."

Previous Ranking: 29

Overall Record: 23-34-12

The losses are coming in all shapes and sizes for the skidding Blue Jackets, whose 4-3 defeat at Detroit on Tuesday was their fifth in six games (1-3-2). Columbus allowed the tying goal with 13 seconds left and lost in OT. "I thought we were going to win that game, to be honest," forward Alexandre Texier said.

Previous Ranking: 27

Overall Record: 25-31-12

Losing on a power-play goal in OT was particularly painful for the Canadiens in Edmonton on Tuesday and dropped their record to 1-3-2 in their last six. Still, assistant coach Trevor Letowski was focusing on the good. "It's one of the best games that we've played all year," he said, "so a lot of positives."

Previous Ranking: 26

Overall Record: 28-35-4

It wasn't supposed to be this way for the young and hungry Senators, who've lost nine of 12 (3-8-1) to fall to 15th in the 16-team Eastern Conference and 28th overall. Ottawa has averaged just 2.17 goals per game (31st in the league) during the tailspin while allowing 3.83 (26th).

Previous Ranking: 28

Overall Record: 28-35-5

It's been a solid bounce-back month for goalie Karel Vejmelka, who stopped 37 shots in a Saturday win at New Jersey to get to 3-2-0 in March after he'd gone 0-8-0 across January and February and hadn't won a start since December 23 against Colorado.

Previous Ranking: 19

Overall Record: 28-27-12

The Kraken have drifted closer to mathematical elimination for the second time in three seasons amid an overall five-game skid that's seen them outscored 20-8. In fact, Monday's 6-2 loss to visiting Buffalo was the franchise's first to the Sabres after five consecutive victories.

Previous Ranking: 25

Overall Record: 30-29-9

The free-falling Penguins can barely beat anyone, especially New Jersey, these days. A Tuesday loss to the Devils dropped Pittsburgh to 2-5-1 in its last eight games overall and 0-6-1 in the last seven against New Jersey, whom the Penguins last beat in February 2022.

Previous Ranking: 17

Overall Record: 29-24-15

The Islanders may need a refresher on how this playoff chase thing works. New York had taken advantage of a skidding Detroit team to get into a wild-card position last week but has since gone 0-4-1 and been outscored 20-6 while falling three points off the cut-line pace.

Previous Ranking: 24

Overall Record: 33-32-4

There's nothing like a visit from Pittsburgh to spike the mood for the Devils, who'd lost two straight and seven of nine before handling the Penguins on Tuesday. Jake Allen stopped 36 shots in the second of two straight starts. He's 2-1-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average with New Jersey.

Previous Ranking: 21

Overall Record: 33-32-5

It's a pressure-packed welcome back for 22-year-old goalie Devon Levi, who made 31 saves on Tuesday in his first game since January 24. "You can feel it a bit, but that's what makes it fun, that's what makes this game meaningful," he said. The former seventh-round pick is 9-8-2 in 21 games with the Sabres, who are five points off the Eastern playoff pace.

Previous Ranking: 22

Overall Record: 36-30-3

Add the Blues to the short list of teams making things a trifle more interesting around the Western cut line. St. Louis won its first three during the rankings week before falling to Colorado and is just four points behind Vegas for the second wild-card position.

Previous Ranking: 20

Overall Record: 33-25-9

A 7-2 loss at Edmonton last week was a wake-up call for the Washington defense, which tightened significantly while allowing just four total goals in subsequent victories over Seattle, Vancouver and Calgary. Goalie Charlie Lindgren stopped 78 of 82 shots (.951 save percentage) in those wins, well above his .915 rate over 36 games.

Previous Ranking: 22

Overall Record: 33-30-5

Every point is crucial these days for the Flames, who won two of three but still found themselves eight points off the Western pace following a Monday loss to Washington in which they allowed two power-play goals and were 0-3 with a man advantage.

Previous Ranking: 16

Overall Record: 35-25-6

Eight losses in nine games don't help playoff possibilities, but the Red Wings showed some character Tuesday by tying Columbus with 13 seconds left and winning it in OT. Detroit entered Wednesday's games one point up on Washington for the final Eastern spot.

Previous Ranking: 18

Overall Record: 34-27-8

The chase remains on for the Wild when it comes to the Western playoffs, and their 4-0 win at Anaheim on Tuesday kept them in the mix, three points off the cut line. "We put ourselves in this situation, and we need to find some points somewhere," goalie Filip Gustavsson said. "Right now, we're doing our best to do that."

Previous Ranking: 14

Overall Record: 35-26-8

Each time it looks like the Flyers have regressed toward what they were expected to be this season, they rebound. That was the case with Tuesday's defeat of Toronto, which came after a stretch in which they'd lost three of four. "This was a huge one, especially at home," center Morgan Frost said. "I think our group really needed this one."

Previous Ranking: 12

Overall Record: 36-25-7

The undisputed trade-deadline champions have yet to see a noticeable transformation on the ice. Vegas was 1-2-0 during the rankings week and has gone a pedestrian 2-2 plus an OT win since March 8, scoring and allowing 17 goals.

Previous Ranking: 10

Overall Record: 38-20-9

The Maple Leafs will make the playoffs and probably face Florida, or perhaps Boston, in the first round. But they haven't hit their stride yet, as coach Sheldon Keefe suggested after a Tuesday loss in Philadelphia. "We weren't sharp mentally," he said. "Couldn't pass the puck, couldn't handle the puck, didn't defend, didn't compete. So, not a lot to like."

Previous Ranking: 15

Overall Record: 37-25-6

Maybe they're simply solidifying a bottom-tier spot in the East. Maybe they're girding for something more significant. Either way, the Lightning are playing well. A Tuesday win at Vegas was their fourth straight and moved them five points above the playoff cut line.

Previous Ranking: 11

Overall Record: 35-22-11

It's a nip-and-tuck race for third place in the Pacific, and the Kings maintained the upper hand on Tuesday with a win over Chicago that kept them two points ahead of Vegas. If the playoffs began today, Los Angeles would face Edmonton in the first round for the third straight year.

Previous Ranking: 12

Overall Record: 40-25-4

At some point soon, it'll be time to take the Predators a bit more seriously. Their 84 points are still well back of third place in the Central, but the fact that they've not lost in regulation since February 15 (13-0-2) has to be at least something of a concern to a first-round opponent.

Previous Ranking: 4

Overall Record: 41-19-9

Twenty-year-old Wyatt Johnston is winding up just his second NHL season, but he showed he can handle crunchtime with goals in four straight games from March 9 to 16. Saturday's goal against Los Angeles was his 50th in 151 career games. "This is the time of year where some young guys start to get worn down or pushed out a little bit," coach Pete DeBoer said. "Those guys are finding another level for us."

Previous Ranking: 8

Overall Record: 41-21-4

It wasn't a masterpiece, but Edmonton's overtime win over Montreal on Tuesday did yield points for the 10th time in 11 games and kept the Oilers within eight points of first place Vancouver with three games in hand. The team is 6-1-2 in March after a pedestrian 6-5-1 record in February.

Previous Ranking: 3

Overall Record: 45-20-4

The margins are thin for the Rangers, who are 6-3-1 in their last 10 but have seen their lead in the Metropolitan shrink to just two points over Carolina. Getting healthy is an immediate concern given the prolonged absences of defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba.

Previous Ranking: 9

Overall Record: 43-20-6

You can go ahead and call the Jake Guentzel trade a win for the red-hot Hurricanes, who've won four of five games in which the ex-Penguin has played and seven of eight overall. Guentzel has two goals and eight points since debuting with Carolina on March 12.

Previous Ranking: 2

Overall Record: 43-18-8

The Canucks have been atop the Pacific all season, and they won't be giving up that position easily if a 5-1-1 record through their last seven games is indicative. Vancouver is 6-2-2 in its last 10 games, losing just two points off a now-eight-point lead over surging second-place Edmonton.

Previous Ranking: 7

Overall Record: 44-20-5

Everyone knew the Avalanche were good, but what they may be discovering is just how dominant they can be when things are going well. Colorado is the league's hottest team with seven straight wins, a stretch in which they've outscored foes by a 31-13 margin.

Previous Ranking: 6

Overall Record: 41-14-15

Still waiting for the Bruins to fall to the wayside amid a new crop of powerful Eastern contenders? Don't hold your breath. Boston's 6-2 defeat of Ottawa on Tuesday got it to 7-1-2 over the last 10 games and back into first overall in the league with 97 points. "It's definitely fun when your game is on," forward David Pastrnak said.

Previous Ranking: 1

Overall Record: 45-19-4

It's been a rare stretch of adversity for the Panthers, who've trailed by three goals in three straight games and lost two in a row across this rankings week, prompting coach Paul Maurice to suggest the team needs to get its "mental edge" back.

Previous Ranking: 5

Overall Record: 44-19-5

Want to know what it could be like to deal with the Jets in the playoffs? Take a look at Tuesday's game in New York, where they got 38 saves from Connor Hellebuyck and three goals from Mark Scheifele in a 4-2 victory. Winnipeg has won three straight and is 7-3-0 in its last 10.