Here are the top 10 teams in the NHL right now:
1. Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg is still the top team in these rankings, but it’s becoming more of a 1A, 1B situation with Washington. The Jets have the upper hand when it comes to defense, and they’ve impressively carried their momentum consistently all the way from the start of the season till now. They have not once dropped from the top spot in these rankings. They remain my top pick to win the Stanley Cup, but they are no longer the obvious pick. Additionally, other top teams made some serious moves to bolster their squads before the trade deadline.
2. Washington Capitals
Washington and Winnipeg seem to be the best teams in the league right now. While the Jets have had the better defense to this point, the Caps have had the better offense. They are continuing to gain considerable momentum as we head towards the playoffs, and they are currently rocking a 4 game win streak. You can tell the Caps want it badly, and when all is said and done- whether or not it’s Ovechkin lifting up the Stanley Cup this year- you can bet they’ll have left nothing on the ice.
3. Dallas Stars
As if Dallas wasn’t good enough before, they went and added one of the NHL’s best players: Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen already has 3 points in his first 2 games with the Stars, 2 of which were power play points. This is a great sign for Dallas and shows that he’s having immediate chemistry with Wyatt Johnson and Jason Robertson on their top line. They are clearly all in on winning the cup this year and they are doing everything they can to try and make it happen.
4. Florida Panthers
After adding Seth Jones to help improve their defensive ranks last week, the defending champions have now added the tenacious Brad Marchand to their offense. With an impressive combination of physicality and skill, Marchand should help to fill the role for Florida’s offense that Matthew Tkachuk is known and feared for. Tkachuk is expected to return from the Injured Reserve at some point in the playoffs, so this move was key for Florida to bridge the gap between now and then. Of course, once Tkachuk returns, opponents will have to deal with both him and Marchand. It’s not going to be easy preventing the Panthers from pouncing on another Stanley Cup victory. After doing so last year for the first time ever, they’ve clearly developed a taste for it.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning notably added Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde to their attacking ranks. These two players make Tampa Bay’s already elite offense even deeper and more intimidating. There may not be a hotter team in the game right now, as the Lightning have won 10 of their last 12 games. They look ready to win it all.
6. Colorado Avalanche
The departure of Mikko Rantanen earlier this year cast uncertainty around the rest of the season for the Avs, but Colorado added a ton of talent at the deadline. Martin Necas has been a revelation for them on the top line while Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle should work wonders centering their 2nd and 3rd lines, respectively. Colorado also added Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey to their defensive corps, which will only improve a defense that they had already improved by acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood to tend their net. The Avalanche are now riding a 5 game win streak and look extremely dangerous. Dangerous enough to win the cup.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs traded for some offensive depth in Scott Laughton as well as the talented defenseman Brandon Carlo. These are smart additions for Toronto that should theoretically help to fortify the team all around. They are riding a 3 game losing streak and are looking a little cold right now but it could take a bit for the new additions to mesh with the rest of the squad. On paper they look excellent and are absolutely capable of winning it all.
8. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights didn’t do much to improve their team at the deadline, which is why they’ve fallen down a spot here in the rankings. That said, they still look very strong and have been performing very well of late, winning 3 of their 4 March games so far. Their complacency at the deadline makes it clear that the Vegas front office believes in the team they have, and indeed they are 5th in the standings and have definitely been one of the best performing squads this year. The question is, will their confidence prove to be overconfidence or prophetic of a Stanley Cup victory?
9. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are still just as dangerous but many of their opponents have improved dramatically. Edmonton did acquire the talented defenseman Jake Walman from the Sharks, but that was it for them for the deadline. Defense is the area of need, so this was a good move, but will it be enough? They have won 3 of their 4 games so far in March, including victories against the Hurricanes and most recently against the Stars, which bodes well. Perhaps I’m overthinking it and Edmonton will win it all this year anyway. If anyone can make an offense so good that it won’t really matter how well their defense performs, it’s guys like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
10. Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes traded Mikko Rantanen for Logan Stankoven and some draft picks, which indicates that Carolina is peeling back on this year and prioritizing the future. Stankoven is an excellent young player with substantial upside but he has about a third of the goals that Rantanen has this year and it all amounts to a definitive downgrade for Carolina in the present season. The Hurricanes still have a lot of talent and are currently sitting 6th in the standings, so it’s definitely possible that they’ll be able to go all the way this year, but it’s looking more unlikely now than it did before.
