In today's post, we rank the NHL's (current) top-5 teams factoring in record, recent performance, roster talent, underlying numbers and more.
Todd Cordell
1. Washington Capitals (39-12-7)
The Capitals continue to chug along without the dynamic Andre Burakovsky piling up points in their bottom-6. The Caps have won 38 of 52 (73%) games that weren't decided in a shootout and look the part of a Stanley Cup favorite.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins (36-14-8)
Of late, they've dealt with injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Conor Sheary, and Justin Schultz, among others, yet they've lost in regulation just once in their last 10 games and continue to sit within striking distance of the Caps for top spot.
3. Minnesota Wild (39-13-6)
The Wild have great goaltending, a very deep roster and they've won 75% of their home games. Who wants to play them in the 1st round?
4. New York Rangers (38-19-1)
They can score, and skate, with anyone and Henrik Lundqvist's play is trending upwards. If they upgrade their blue line at the deadline -- I expect they will -- and give Brady Skjei the minutes he deserves this team will be a tough out come playoff time.
5. Florida Panthers (28-20-10)
This ranking is a nod to their recent play. They just played @ Nashville, @ San Jose, @ Anaheim, @ Los Angeles and @ St. Louis. All five of those teams hold playoff spots and the Panthers swept them. With Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov back in the lineup, they look like a completely different team.
Peter Tessier
The undisputed, irrefutable power rankings as I see it.
5- Blue Jackets. Oh, we all thought the team would melt down like Torts at some point but the volatile coach still keeps taking his Phil Jackson zen pills. 5-4-1 has them slipping just a bit
4- Rangers. "If I was King for just one day I'd give it all away" said the Thompson Twins but instead the Rangers are getting stingy with goals allowed. At at 7-3-1 with a win over the Caps the Rags are looking like royalty again.
3- Penguins. Aside from Malkin playing a 'head-on' game the rest of the team is doing pretty well too. Fleury seems to be auditioning for someone and give them a bit more depth and 6-1-3 could be standard down the stretch.
2- Wild. The thing about the Wild is that no one really seems to ever give them credit or point to some star player. Super, Parise, Granlund- who is the spirit animal on this team that is bringing them together? Perhaps Boudreau. OF COURSE IT'S Bourdreau. What a screw up by the Ducks.
1- Capitals. Aside from them basically shutting everyone down (except the Rangers) is there anything else they cannot do? They are 7-2-1 and it's not even Ovi who is drive the bus, can Backstrom gets some love already? Smooch!
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