Updated: February 22,2016, 12:12PM,EST
By Pierre LeBrun (posted Feb. 22,2016)
Will the Washington Capitals ever lose a game again? Are the white-hot Anaheim Ducks going to win the Pacific Division? How amazing would a New York Rangers-New York Islanders
first-round playoff series be? Why am I asking all these questions? As
always, my rankings are based on this simple formula: If the playoffs
started today, here's how I rank my Cup contenders, with some
consideration for current form but also realistic season-long
trajectory.
| 2015-2016 Power Rankings: Week 20 | ||||
| RANK | TEAM / RECORD | TRENDING | COMMENTS | |
| 1 |
--
Last Week: 1 | Oh, baby, next Sunday's matinee matchup at Chicago has potential Stanley Cup finals preview written all over it. The rolling Caps have to play the Coyotes, Canadiens and Wild before that, though. | ||
| 2 | 1 Last Week: 3 | So how about this: Could Bruce Boudreau go from the coach everyone thought would be fired in the first half of the season to a Jack Adams Award nominee by the end of the second half? He certainly deserves consideration for helping turn around this season. | ||
| 3 | 1 Last Week: 2 | The reigning Cup champs were thrashed 6-1 on national TV in the outdoor game Sunday by the Wild. The Predators are the Blackhawks' next opponent, on Thursday. The Preds better brace themselves. | ||
| 4 | 2 Last Week: 6 | Already down top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues now lose Selke-worthy forward Alex Steen long term. They've won five in a row and are surging but now the Blues will really be tested. | ||
| 5 | 1 Last Week: 4 | The Kings' offense is suddenly sputtering with just four goals in their past four games. The Flames, Oilers and Sabres visit Staples Center this week. | ||
| 6 | 1 Last Week: 5 | Three losses in a row and 13 goals given up in the past two games for the Stars. Home-and-home with the Jets on deck. | ||
| 7 | 3 Last Week: 10 | A date with the rival Devils in Newark on Tuesday followed by tough Central Division visits to the Blues and Stars this week. More chances to evaluate where this Rangers team is at. | ||
| 8 | 1 Last Week: 7 | Hats off to Jaromir Jagr, who passed Brett Hull for third on the career goals list Saturday night. Imagine where he would have been had he not spent a few years in the KHL. Then again, Jagr has said his time in Russia got him in better physical shape, which in turn I suppose might have helped elongate his career. | ||
| 9 |
--
Last Week: 9 | Three wins in a row for a Bolts team that seems to have gotten its act together. One player who has taken another step with his game is J.T. Brown; the 25-year-old has really been noticeable over the past few weeks. | ||
| 10 | 2 Last Week: 12 | The Sharks win the Roman Polak sweepstakes with Monday's trade. And I'm serious, there were a number of contenders interested in the veteran, rental D-man. Nice pickup by the Sharks. Nick Spaling will be a useful add-on too. | ||
| 11 |
--
Last Week: 11 | The B's go a respectable 4-2-0 on their road trip through Winnipeg, Minnesota, Detroit, Columbus, Nashville and Dallas, capping it with an emphatic 7-3 win at Dallas on Saturday night. Trap game Monday night at home to Columbus? | ||
| 12 | 1 Last Week: 13 | The Isles are on the road with games next in Minnesota, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg and then across town at MSG to cap the trip on March 6. | ||
| 13 | 5 Last Week: 8 | For whatever reason, the Red Wings are only 20th in goals per game. That's a head-scratcher to me. | ||
| 14 |
--
Last Week: 14 | It has been great to see a healthy Kris Letang, who is playing like the Kris Letang of old. He is fifth in defensemen scoring with 45 points (9-36) in 48 games. | ||
| 15 | 8 Last Week: 23 | Four wins in a row since the coaching change, including an emphatic outdoor game victory over the Blackhawks on Sunday. | ||
| 16 |
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Last Week: 16 | Goalie Pekka Rinne had back-to-back solid performances. Is he back on track, finally? | ||
| 17 | 1 Last Week: 18 | The Avs' power play has gone 1-for-17 in the past five games. | ||
| 18 | 3 Last Week: 15 | Three losses in a row for a Devils team that's three points out of a wild-card spot. | ||
| 19 | 2 Last Week: 17 | The Hurricanes need to make a decision on captain Eric Staal. And Eric Staal needs to make a decision on Eric Staal. | ||
| 20 |
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Last Week: 20 | The Flyers are five points out of a playoff spot. The run must start now. They're at Carolina on Tuesday followed by a six-game homestand. If they're for real, it happens now. | ||
| 21 |
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Last Week: 21 | Are the Sens making their annual move? Three wins in a row for a team that needs a serious run to make it. | ||
| 22 | 3 Last Week: 19 | Decision day is nearing on captain Andrew Ladd -- sign him or trade him? | ||
| 23 | 1 Last Week: 22 | The win over the Flyers calms down a frenzied market. Nerves are frayed, big time, around this team. | ||
| 24 |
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Last Week: 24 | The Coyotes begin a five-game trip out East with stops in Washington, Tampa Bay, Florida, Philly and Pittsburgh. Will Mikkel Boedker be on the plane home after this trip or to another team? | ||
| 25 |
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Last Week: 25 | Well, if anything, the injury to Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed for the Jackets to get a close look at Joonas Korpisalo, who has a .927 save percentage this month in eight games. For the season, he's at .920. | ||
| 26 |
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Last Week: 26 | The Canucks know the playoffs are a long shot. Time to continue that rebuild on the fly. | ||
| 27 |
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Last Week: 27 | Priority No. 1 from now to July: Find a guy who can stop the puck. | ||
| 28 |
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Last Week: 28 | Priority No. 1 from now to July: Beef up that blue line. | ||
| 29 |
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Last Week: 29 | Priority No. 1 from now to July: See Sabres entry. | ||
| 30 |
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Last Week: 30 | The selling off continues with Shawn Matthias going out the door Sunday to the Avs and then Roman Polak and Nick Spaling dealt to the Sharks on Monday morning. More to come! | ||
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