Super 16: Avalanche surge up power rankings; Bruins remain No. 1
Stars drop 4 spots as part of wild ride in Central Division
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NHL.com @NHLdotcom
On the flip side, the Dallas Stars are falling, down four spots to No. 10.
The Minnesota Wild are even at No. 9.
It's been that kind of a wild ride in the Central Division and those three teams that are battling for first place might continue to jockey for position in the standings and the Super 16 for the rest of the regular season.
The rest of the Super 16 is fairly predictable, with the top four teams remaining the same, the Boston Bruins again a unanimous No. 1. The Los Angeles Kings are up two spots to No. 6, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are down two to No. 7.
The Florida Panthers got in this week at No. 16, replacing the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were No. 14 last week but did not receive even a single voting point this week.
As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the 13 voters put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like. A point total assigned to each with the team selected first is given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on down the line.
Here it is, with some thoughts on each ranked team from the participating voters.
1. Boston Bruins (55-11-5)
Total points: 208
Last week: No. 1
"I could sum the Bruins up with four words: They're really freaking good. OK, stating the obvious, but their success rate has been staggering. A three-game slide (0-2-1) from Jan. 26-29 would probably qualify as their biggest 'slump' this season. Their penalty kill is No. 1 in the NHL (85.4 percent) and they also have allowed the fewest goals-against per game (2.11). Linus Ullmark has the clear track to the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL. Honestly, the Bruins remind me of the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks, the way they come at you in waves and have incredible depth. The big exception: Boston is showing that dominance in an 82-game season, whereas Chicago did it in 48 games before winning the Stanley Cup. Will the Bruins' incredible season end with a championship? You never know with the craziness of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it wouldn't be surprising." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
New Amsterdam Vodka: Super 16
2. Carolina Hurricanes (46-16-8)
Total points: 190
Last week: No. 2
"It was in Rod Brind'Amour's postgame media scrum after a 3-2 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday when I said to Carolina coach, "Typical Hurricanes game." It was meant as the ultimate compliment. Gutsy and grinding. Those two words best describe how they play. Things looked a little bleak a week and a half ago; they lost forward Andrei Svechnikov for the season because of knee surgery and were shut out in back-to-back games by the Vegas Golden Knights (4-0) and New Jersey Devils (3-0). Carolina is 3-2-0 since, including comeback wins against the Philadelphia Flyers (5-4) and the Rangers, prior to a 2-1 loss to New York on Thursday. It's not going to be easy without Svechnikov and forward Max Pacioretty (Achilles), but the Hurricanes are arguably the best team in the NHL at trusting their style of play to find ways to get wins." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
3. New Jersey Devils (45-19-8)
Total points: 174
Last week: No. 3
"One of the most impressive aspects of the Devils' ascension this season has been their stellar play away from home, with an NHL-low six road losses (26-6-4). The Devils don't have a lot of postseason experience on their roster, although the addition of forward Ondrej Palat as a free agent brought in a player with three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances and two Stanley Cup titles with the Tampa Bay Lightning. But the fact they've been so good on the road shows they can thrive in hostile environments, a key at playoff time. It symbolizes the composure of their young core led by centers Jack Hughes Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer and forward Jesper Bratt, a trait they'll need next month, especially if they play the rival Rangers in the Eastern Conference First Round, a distinct possibility." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
4. Vegas Golden Knights (45-21-6)
Total points: 150
Last week: No. 4
"We thought goaltending could be an issue for the Golden Knights before the season. It has become one of their strengths. Logan Thompson and Adin Hill did well. So has newcomer Jonathan Quick since he was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 2. But it's time to tip our hat to the defensemen and the team play in general. The Golden Knights are tied for ninth in the NHL in goals-against per game (2.76). That speaks volumes for coach Bruce Cassidy's system and the steadiness of the six regulars on the blue line: Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, Brayden McNabb, Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud." -- Robert Laflamme, LNH.com senior writer
5. Colorado Avalanche (42-23-6)
Total points: 142
Last week: No. 11
"Getting caught up in the moment, it's all too easy to give up on a great team that trips over its own feet in November and December. The Avalanche are reminding us just how shortsighted that can be. Despite being plagued with injuries all season, the defending Stanley Cup champions have been crushing it since Jan. 13, going 22-6-3 in 31 games since, with three separate winning streaks of at least six games. Colorado is tied for third in scoring (3.74) and fourth in goals-against (2.52) during that stretch. Getting players' bodies and minds ready for playoff hockey is their biggest priority, but winning the Central Division is all of a sudden a strong possibility too." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer
6. Los Angeles Kings (41-20-10)
Total points: 138
Last week: No. 8
"There's a line in the song 'Freedom' by Rage Against the Machine that I think of when it comes to the Kings: 'Anger is a gift.' Because I think there was some significant anger in the dressing room when Quick, a franchise stalwart, was traded to the Blue Jackets on March 1. Since then, Los Angeles is 7-0-2 and has outscored teams 36-16. Are the Kings better with goalie Joonas Korpisalo, acquired in the Quick trade? Well, he has a .921 save percentage in four games; Quick was .876 in 31 games prior to the trade and had lost playing time to Pheonix Copley. Quick clearly was a beloved teammate, not to mention the backbone of two Stanley Cup championships (2012, 2014). They certainly didn't want to see him leave, but Korpisalo provided a needed upgrade in goaltending. And if a little anger directed the right way came along with it, well, that's quite a gift." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (43-19-9)
Total points: 135
Last week: No. 5
"The Maple Leafs are 5-2-1 in their past eight games, but ultimately will be judged on their playoff performance, having not won a postseason series since before there was a salary cap in the NHL (2004). They have a tough remaining 11 regular-season games that should have them prepared for the playoffs: two games against the Panthers and one each against the Rangers, Hurricanes, Bruins and Lightning." -- David Satriano, staff writer
8. New York Rangers (42-20-10)
Total points: 126
Last week: No. 7
"It was starting to feel like the Rangers weren't going to give up another goal this season before the Hurricanes scored three in the third period Tuesday. The good news is New York gained some retribution with a 2-1 win at Carolina on Thursday. There is a lot for the Rangers to be happy about, including scoring 16 unanswered goals from the third period of 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins last Thursday through shutout victories against Pittsburgh on Saturday (6-0) and the Nashville Predators on Sunday (7-0) before Carolina finally broke through Tuesday. With trade deadline additions such as forwards Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko feeling more comfortable, New York scored 22 goals during a four-game winning streak that ended Tuesday. Kane and Tarasenko each had four points (one goal, three assists) during that stretch." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
9. Minnesota Wild (41-22-9)
Total points: 116
Last week: No. 9
"I can't say that I expected that without their leading scorer, Kirill Kaprizov (39 goals, 74 points), the Wild would start scoring like crazy. And yet, here we are. In the seven games without the forward, projected out 3-4 weeks since his last game March 8, the Wild are 4-1-2, scoring 30 goals. They've relied on players up and down the lineup, all of which bodes well for a playoff run, when it's expected they'll get Kaprizov back. I've got to hand it to forward Matt Boldy and crew, they're doing exactly what they need to be doing under less-than-optimal circumstances." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
10. Dallas Stars (39-19-14)
Total points: 99
Last week: No. 6
"Do the Stars have enough to hold off the hard-charging Avalanche and Wild in the Central Division? I don't think so. It's conceivable that Dallas could fall to third in the division and not have home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. And it may not be through any fault of its own. The Stars are elite at every position. Jason Robertson is one of the best forwards in the game. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen should be in the Norris Trophy conversation. Goalie Jake Oettinger has proven the past calendar year that few can equal him when he's on his game. And forward Wyatt Johnson was the first rookie to 20 goals this season. Yet, the Wild and Avalanche each have been better the past six weeks. If that continues, the road through the Western Conference playoffs becomes much more difficult." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
11. Tampa Bay Lightning (42-25-6)
Total points: 86
Last week: No. 10
"The Lightning are still within striking distance of second place in the Atlantic Division, five points behind the Maple Leafs with nine games remaining. Let's face it, they're one team no one wants to face in the playoffs because of their great success the past three seasons. Sure, they may not exhibit the dominance they had in their back-to-back championship years (2020 and 2021) or even in reaching the 2022 Stanley Cup Final before losing in six games to the Avalanche, but they're deep in offensive firepower with centers Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos and Anthony Cirelli and forwards Brandon Hagel, Nikita Kucherov, Tanner Jeannot and Alex Killorn. They also have Victor Hedman on defense and one of the finest and most experienced playoff-tested goalies in the NHL, Andrei Vasilevskiy. It's a combination not many playoff-bound teams can say they possess." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
12. Edmonton Oilers (41-23-8)
Total points: 74
Last week: No. 12
"There is no disputing how talented the Oilers are up front, but as we all know, you can't win in the playoffs without quality goaltending. Stuart Skinner has obviously been a wonderful story, but Jack Campbell has arguably been the biggest mystery in the NHL this season after signing a five-year, $25 million contract. He has allowed at least four goals in each of his past six starts but must be ready to play if needed should something happen to Skinner in the postseason. Edmonton needs him to find the Jack Campbell who was so solid for the Maple Leafs last season." -- Brian Compton, managing editor
13. Seattle Kraken (39-24-8)
Total points: 49
Last week: No. 13
"It looks like the Kraken are going to make the playoffs for the first time. They're on pace for 100 points, which would be a whopping 40-point improvement over last season, their first in the NHL as an expansion team. But let's think bigger. They hold the first wild card in the West, one point ahead of the Winnipeg Jets. But they're four points behind the Oilers for third in the Pacific with a game in hand. Can they move up down the stretch? Can they not just make the playoffs, but win at least a round and really get Seattle excited?" -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
14. New York Islanders (37-27-9)
Total points: 34
Last week: No. 16
"The Islanders are sneaky good and could be a dark horse team that goes a long way in the playoffs, provided they get there, of course. It's looking good with the Islanders on a four-game point streak (3-0-1) and going 10-4-3 in their past 17 games. They have been without forward Mathew Barzal since Feb. 18 due to a lower-body injury but are hoping he can return before the end of the regular season. Should they qualify for the playoffs, don't be shocked if the Islanders pull off a first-round upset; they have the goaltending, defense, strength down the middle and depth to be a dangerous opponent -- if they get in." -- Rosen
15. Winnipeg Jets (41-29-3)
Total points: 25
Last week: No. 15
"Man, did the Jets need that 2-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes at home on Tuesday. The Coyotes were rolling coming into the game, winners of four straight and six of seven (6-0-1), doing a solid job of playing spoiler when possible. The Coyotes also appeared to have the Jets where they wanted them, reeling and wondering, but the Jets got ahead 2-0 and hung on. What does it really mean in the long run? Winnipeg is not playing great, and it's not just a slump or a blip; the Jets are 12-15-2 in their past 29 games. Maybe the latest win against Arizona, followed by a 3-2 victory at the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, will get the Jets going in a better direction. They're not out of the woods, with the Nashville Predators and Calgary Flames trying to push them for a playoff spot. Winnipeg's cushion is five points with nine games left." -- Rosen
16. Florida Panthers (36-29-7)
Total points: 19
Last week: Unranked
"There's a good and a very slight bad here with the Panthers. The good is obvious. They were 6-0-1 in seven games from March 4-20. Their season-long struggle to find some consistency, particularly in goal, seemed to finally be coming to an end. The offense was surging (4.57 goals per game, 39.7 shots on goal per game) and the defense was strong (2.71 goals per game, 27.6 shots against per game). Forward Matthew Tkachuk played his way into the Hart Trophy conversation, although that pretty much starts and ends with Oilers center Connor McDavid anyway. But then came a 6-3 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, followed by a 6-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Thursday. Blip? We'll find out. If I was a betting man, I'd say yes; Florida has played its way into the wild card race and has to keep winning. In the loss at Philadelphia, the Panthers played well enough to win, but they didn't. And that can't happen again." -- Rosen
Others receiving points: Nashville Predators 2, Arizona Coyotes 1
Dropped out:Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 14)
HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM
AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Los Angeles Kings; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. Florida Panthers
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. Florida Panthers
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Nashville Predators
TOM GULITTI
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Winnipeg Jets
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Winnipeg Jets; 14. Florida Panthers; 15. Seattle Kraken; 16. New York Islanders
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Florida Panthers
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Los Angeles Kings; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. Florida Panthers
TRACEY MYERS
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Minnesota Wild; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Los Angeles Kings; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. New York Rangers; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Winnipeg Jets
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Los Angeles Kings; 4. New Jersey Devils; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Florida Panthers; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Arizona Coyotes
DAN ROSEN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Los Angeles Kings; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Winnipeg Jets
DAVID SATRIANO
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. New York Rangers; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Minnesota Wild; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Winnipeg Jets
PAUL STRIZHEVSKY
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Los Angeles Kings; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Dallas Stars; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Nashville Predators
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. New York Rangers; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Seattle Kraken; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. Florida Panthers
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