NHL Power Rankings: Stars Shoot Past Rangers For No. 1 Spot

The Cowboys and Giants have a longstanding football rivalry, but NFL fans might soon have to make way for an NHL version of the Dallas-New York enmity.

The Dallas Stars and New York Rangers have held up their ends of the bargain so far and entered Wednesday's games not only first in their respective conferences but also in the 1-2 spots in this week's edition of our rankings.

Only one point separated them after panel-wide balloting, during which the Rangers took three of five first-place votes but ceded the top position because Dallas had three second-place votes while New York was placed second and fourth by others.

They lead a top five rounded out by the Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche. Last week's No. 2, the Vancouver Canucks, drop to sixth; and the Florida Panthers plunged from a tie for fifth (with Boston) all the way to eighth.

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, April 3.

Previous Ranking: 32

Overall Record: 17-49-8

The Sharks have a good chance to snatch the first overall draft choice, but they also picked up an important piece in a low-profile trade that brought tough guy Klim Kostin from Detroit.

The 24-year-old, a first-round pick in 2017, has eight points in 12 games with San Jose after having just four in his first 33 with Detroit.

Previous Ranking: 31

Overall Record: 22-48-5

There have been myriad problems for the Blackhawks this season, but difficulty winning on the road is one of the biggest.

A 2-1 loss in New York against the Islanders on Tuesday dropped Chicago to 7-30-1 away from home—a .197 points percentage that's the worst in the league. The team's 1.89 road goals per game is also ranked 32nd.

Previous Ranking: 30

Overall Record: 25-47-4

When wins are rare, each one feels particularly good. That was the case for the Ducks on Tuesday in Calgary, where they beat the Flames, 5-3, to end a five-game skid that had prolonged a stretch of 12 losses in 13 games (1-11-1).

"It's nice, especially at the end of the road trip to go home with a good feeling," forward Alex Killorn said.

Previous Ranking: 29

Overall Record: 25-38-12

A 2-1-0 week probably locks up the No. 29 spot overall for the Blue Jackets, who were 10 points up on 30th-place Anaheim and five points behind No. 28 Arizona at the start of Tuesday's games.

Goalie Daniil Tarasov made his latest case for a more frequent place in the starter's net with 46 saves in a win over Colorado.

Previous Ranking: 28

Overall Record: 31-38-5

Their efforts are cosmetic in a season that will end without a playoff berth for the fourth straight time, but rookies Josh Doan and Logan Cooley have to be providing hope for Arizona's future.

Doan—son of franchise legend Shane Doan—had five points in his first three NHL games, while Cooley had seven points in his last five entering Wednesday.

Previous Ranking: 26

Overall Record: 29-33-12

They won't make the playoffs but getting to a 50/50 points percentage is a real possibility for the streaking Canadiens, who have won four of five to get to .473 after a home defeat of Florida on Tuesday.

It was Montreal's first win over Florida since the 2021-22 season, a stretch of seven games that had included six regulation losses.

Previous Ranking: 27

Overall Record: 33-37-4

It's been a long and frustrating season in Canada's capital city, but the homestretch had one highlight at least thanks to the five-game win streak the Senators put together before Tuesday's loss at Minnesota.

Ottawa outscored its foes, 21-9, in the run while beating two teams (Edmonton and Winnipeg) that will be in the Western Conference playoffs.

Previous Ranking: 24

Overall Record: 34-35-5

Six losses in seven games, including a home defeat against lowly Anaheim on Tuesday, has Calgary players discussing intangibles such as effort and care for the guy alongside you in the locker room.

"I know that there's a lot of guys in this room that can play better for that next guy beside you," defenseman MacKenzie Weegar said.

Previous Ranking: 25

Overall Record: 31-30-13

It came too late for a legitimate playoff run, but 2022 No. 4 overall pick Shane Wright chipped in his first NHL goal of the season in a Monday defeat of San Jose.

He'd not played with the Kraken since November 13 following a stint in the AHL with Coachella Valley. It was his second goal in 12 games across parts of two seasons with Seattle.

Previous Ranking: 20

Overall Record: 36-35-4

Two losses in a row to begin the week and a pedestrian 5-5-0 record in their last 10 games wasn't the way for the Devils to try to secure the playoff magic their fans assumed they'd be feeling after last season's third overall finish.

New Jersey entered Wednesday six points below the Eastern cutline and had four teams between them and the second wild-card spot.

Previous Ranking: 21

Overall Record: 36-35-5

The Sabres will have a real chance to play Eastern Conference spoiler down the stretch. Buffalo handled Washington, 6-2, on Tuesday and will face Philadelphia, Detroit and Washington across their next four games.

Tuesday's defeat of the Capitals was Jeff Skinner's 1,000th NHL game, making him the first player from the 2010 draft to hit the mark.

Previous Ranking: 23

Overall Record: 33-27-15

Just when it seemed safe to shovel dirt on the Islanders' chances, it's not.

New York's defeat of Chicago on Tuesday was its third win in four games for the week and moved it within a point of Washington for the East's second wild-card spot.

The Capitals have a game in hand, and the Islanders have three games remaining (out of seven) against current playoff teams.

Previous Ranking: 22

Overall Record: 34-30-11

The Penguins' playoff hopes are on life support, but they are still there after a five-goal third period yielded a 6-3 win at New Jersey on Tuesday.

That extended a recent hot streak to 4-0-2 for Pittsburgh, which climbed to within three points of the second Eastern wild-card slot. It has scored 25 goals in the six games (4.17 per), well above its season-long average of 2.99.

Previous Ranking: 15

Overall Record: 36-29-11

A 0-2-1 week leaves all options on the table for the Flyers, including a third-place finish in the Metropolitan, the East's second wild-card berth or a flat-out tournament miss.

Philadelphia has won just twice in 10 games (2-5-3) while seeing its goals-against average balloon to 4.30, second-worst in the league since mid-March.

Previous Ranking: 16

Overall Record: 36-28-10

The Capitals worked their way into a playoff spot with a red-hot March, but they've gone equally cold since, dropping a 6-2 decision at Buffalo for their third straight loss.

They are tied with Detroit at 82 points but have a game in hand and have two more regulation wins (28 to 26) for tiebreaking purposes. They'll visit the Red Wings for a big one on Tuesday.

Previous Ranking: 19

Overall Record: 36-29-9

It's "keep hope alive" time in Minnesota, where the Wild's 2-1-0 week kept them on the fringes of the Western race, six points behind Los Angeles for the second wild card with 10 games to play, including a final duel with the Kings on April 15.

A defeat of Ottawa on Tuesday made Marc-Andre Fleury the second active goalie to win 50 games with three teams.

Previous Ranking: 17

Overall Record: 36-29-7

The Red Wings kept themselves relevant in the late-stage chase for an Eastern playoff berth with a 4-2 win at Tampa Bay that ended a four-game skid (0-2-2) in which they'd scored just five goals and been shut out twice.

They have three more games with teams that were in playoff spots entering Tuesday's games.

Previous Ranking: 18

Overall Record: 40-31-4

They may not qualify for the tournament, but the Blues are apparently determined not to go quietly.

A 7-2-1 run across their last 10 games got them within three points of the Western cutline entering Tuesday, and only three of their final seven games are against teams currently in playoff positions.

Previous Ranking: 11

Overall Record: 38-25-11

Goaltender Cam Talbot will be a significant player for the Kings down the stretch and likely into the playoffs, but there's still a question over which version they'll get.

He was 6-3-1 with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in March, but he allowed four goals on 32 shots in his first start in April, a 4-3 loss at Winnipeg.

Previous Ranking: 9

Overall Record: 43-28-4

Did the Predators peak too early? That may be the vibe around Nashville these days after the team lost 3-0 to visiting Boston, making it three straight losses since a scintillating 16-0-2 stretch.

The Preds are still comfortable in the West's first wild-card spot, three points ahead of No. 2 Los Angeles, but it can't help but temper some of the streak-inspired optimism.

Previous Ranking: 13

Overall Record: 41-26-7

Tampa Bay's 9-2-1 record across 12 games from March 1 through Tuesday was tops in the East in points percentage (.792), and it's been fueled by the prolific efforts of forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.

Kucherov entered Wednesday with 33 points in his last 17 games, while Point had 10 goals and 17 points in his last nine.

Previous Ranking: 8

Overall Record: 45-24-6

Four wins in 10 games probably lock the Jets into third place in the Central, presuming they maintain a six-point gap they held on Nashville heading into Wednesday.

Special teams have been a recent issue, with the power play producing at 18.1 percent since March 13 and the penalty kill plummeting to 75 percent.

Previous Ranking: 14

Overall Record: 42-25-8

Don't look now, but a three-win week may be another sign of things to come for the defending champion Golden Knights, whose 6-3 win over Pacific leader Vancouver made it seven straight games (6-0-1) with a point.

Defenseman Noah Hanifin scored against the Canucks, his first goal in 13 games since joining from Calgary at the trade deadline.

Previous Ranking: 12

Overall Record: 43-22-9

It's looking like a weekend return is likely for forward Mitch Marner, who's not played since March 7 after a high ankle sprain.

He had 25 goals and 76 points in 62 games for the Maple Leafs, which had gone 3-0-0 for the week heading into Wednesday's trip to Tampa Bay.

The 2015 No. 4 overall pick was on pace for a career-high 101 points before the injury.

Previous Ranking: 5

Overall Record: 47-24-5

The Panthers will make the playoffs and presumably have home ice for the first round, but they're not hitting the homestretch in championship style given a 2-7-1 mark across their last 10.

And it's not particularly good news that defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who's played just 51 of 76 games, left Tuesday's loss to Montreal with an undisclosed injury.

Previous Ranking: 10

Overall Record: 45-23-5

Edmonton's performance across a four-game road trip will have a lot to say about its final playoff positioning.

The Oilers got a point with an OT loss at St. Louis on Monday, visited Dallas on Wednesday and will go to Colorado and Calgary for a Friday-Saturday back to back.

Their 27-8-4 record from January 1 through Tuesday was the best in the West.

Previous Ranking: 2

Overall Record: 46-21-8

Three losses in four games entering Wednesday's date in Arizona hadn't dropped the Canucks out of their first-place perch in the Pacific, but it can't be helping the optimism as the team prepares for its first postseason since 2020.

Vancouver hasn't won a division title since it captured the old Northwest five straight times from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

Previous Ranking: 4

Overall Record: 47-22-6

Colorado has been scuffling since its nine-game win streak ended in late March, going 1-2-1 across four games since and falling three points behind Dallas in the Central Division before Wednesday's games.

That would yield a first-round series with Winnipeg, which has won twice head-to-head (with one game remaining) by a combined 10-4 score.

Previous Ranking: 5

Overall Record: 44-17-15

The Bruins are presumably built for the playoffs with sound defense and good goaltending, and both were on display in a 3-0 win at Nashville in a game that was scoreless past the halfway mark of the third period.

"It's kind of a battle to see what team will break first," center Charlie Coyle said. "That's stuff we kind of talk about in between periods and on the bench."

Previous Ranking: 7

Overall Record: 47-21-7

The Hurricanes have been the Eastern Conference's best team since January 1 (27-8-3) and the stingiest in the entire league with a 2.08 goals-against average over the same time frame.

It may not be enough to catch the Rangers atop the Metropolitan, but it probably bodes well for a team with championship aspirations.

Previous Ranking: 1

Overall Record: 50-21-4

The Rangers reached Wednesday in the driver's seat in both the Metropolitan Division and overall standings races.

That's largely due to the season-long performance of former MVP finalist Artemi Panarin, whose 108 points in 75 games were third-most for a season in franchise history, trailing Jean Ratelle (109) and Jaromir Jagr (123).

Previous Ranking: 3

Overall Record: 47-19-9

He's an individual piece on a team loaded with depth across the roster, but defenseman Chris Tanev has been a particularly important piece since arriving from Calgary.

The Stars were 12-2-0 with him heading into a Wednesday date with Edmonton.

"When he was playing (with the Flames) everyone admired his courage and his durability," coach Pete DeBoer said. "His willingness to play through pain and block shots and do whatever it took."