NHL power rankings: Hurricanes join three-team race for top spot
With Hunter Crowther
The NHL is back in action after the nearly three-week Olympic break, and it certainly did so with absolutely no controversy whatsoever. Nope, there certainly were no politics involved last week!
Regardless, there’s no time to rest, as we’re only getting a couple days of action before the Trade Deadline. We saw some small moves happen last week, but what will happen this week? Which players will be on the move? Where? Which teams should be selling? Which ones should be buying? Perhaps teams should use the list below as a reference for which direction they should go, because Hunter and I never get anything wrong here!
Hunter and I navigate through the season with another year of our co-op power rankings. I have my same old system in which I aggregate six stats (points %, 5-on-5 goal differential, 5-on-5 xGF/60, 5-on-5 xGA/60, power play xGF/60, and shorthanded xGA/60, all coming courtesy of Natural Stat Trick) to come up with a list that eliminates my own biases, along with a rule that no team can be above a team that’s more than five points ahead of them in the standings, regardless of where the aggregate places them. On the other hand, Hunter goes off his own intellect and pure vibes, and together we find a way to combine it and meet in the middle.
1. Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 38-15-6, +38
Last Week: 3rd (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 1st
Scott: The Avalanche had a long-running chokehold in this year’s power rankings, but like Arsenal in a Premier League title race, they may be letting it slip from their grasp, and now the top spot is a three-horse race.
Last week it was the Lightning, but this time around, it’s the Canes who shine. They only played two games coming out of the break, but they were strong ones, besting the Lightning in a fast-paced game on Thursday before handedly beating the Red Wings. We aren’t ones to decide rankings based on one game here at Daily Faceoff, but Carolina’s win over Tampa Bay was a decisive one (at least for me), as whichever team won was the one who would remain within five points.
Hunter: I feel the same way as my partner in crime. I’ll admit that I’ve been a Hurricane hater for most of the season, mostly based off a lack of playoff finish in previous seasons, as well as me not trusting their goaltending, but they’ve shown as much as anyone in the league that they’re legitimate, and despite the lack of a true blue superstar, they will beat you six ways to Sunday.
2. Colorado Avalanche
Record: 39-10-9, +75
Last Week: 2nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 2nd
Hunter: There was quite a ruckus created on Hockey Twitter last week (I’ll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I call it X), a ruckus that led to plenty of back and forth between different parties and arguments that got personal. That’s right, I’m talking about the Avalanche dropping from the No. 1 spot in our weekly power rankings. I know, it was quite the kerfuffle.
Colorado won two of three games in their first week back, but it was their one defeat that may have left the biggest impact, losing 5-2 to the division rival Wild. Matt Boldy continued to break the brains of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, scoring twice and adding two assists. Hey, at least Martin Necas finished the week with three goals and three assists.
Scott: Here’s a fun fact (unless you’re an Avalanche fan): the Avs’ power play has operated at 1.9% since Jan. 1. Their power play may be the worst aspect of not just any Cup contender’s game, but of any playoff team, which is impressive considering the talent on this team. I guess they’re missing Mikko Rantanen somewhere…
Hunter: I’m sure a big part of that is MacKinnon not being able to fini- (smashes computer into a thousand little pieces)
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 38-16-4, +56
Last Week: 1st (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 3rd
Scott: As I mentioned with the Canes, the difference between being first and third on this list for me was the matchup between the two, which the Lightning fell short in. That said, they also did not look great in their 6-2 loss to the Sabres, which was Andrei Vasilevskiy’s first regulation loss since Dec. 18 (18 games) and Nikita Kucherov’s first pointless game since Jan. 13 (12 games). At the very least, the break did wonders for Brayden Point, who played excellently with three goals and five points in the first two games before going pointless against Buffalo.
4. Dallas Stars
Record: 36-14-9, +37
Last Week: 4th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 4th
Scott: There aren’t a lot of takeaways from the Stars’ game since returning from the break, as they’ve only played twice, and both contests were against middling competition in the Kraken and Predators. Dallas won both games, so they at least took care of business.
However, the bigger news coming out of Dallas was the announcement that Tyler Seguin was placed on season-ending long-term injured reserve. While it sucks to see him miss a significant chunk of a season for the third time in six seasons, it also frees up his overpriced contract for the Stars to not just replace him in the lineup, but also maybe get Thomas Harley a better defense partner. Keep an eye on GM Jim Nill this week.
5. Minnesota Wild
Record: 35-16-10, +25
Last Week: 5th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 6th
Hunter: We’ve talked about it in the past, but hockey is such a funny sport. The Wild come out of the Olympic break, fresh off three of their players winning Olympic gold with the U.S. (Boldy, Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber) and defeat the league’s top-ranked team in the Avalanche, thanks to a 44-save performance from Filip Gustavsson. Of course, they follow that with regulation losses to the Mammoth and Blues. Go figure. Anyway, expect Bill Guerin to make one more big move before this Friday’s Trade Deadline.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 31-15-13, +30
Last Week: 6th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 5th
Scott: Kyle Dubas needs to be stopped. The man just can’t stop winning trades, and somehow he won the Tristan Jarry deal even more almost three months later by trading one of the assets (Brett Kulak) for a good offensive defenseman with some upside left in him in Samuel Girard and another second-round pick. And that’s assuming Stuart Skinner isn’t also shipped within the next week. Girard does intrigue me, as I wonder what he looks like when given a larger role (particularly on the power play), but it’s another great move by Dubas. Between these two moves and the Yegor Chinakhov trade, Dubas has made a living out of buying low on complementary players for the Pens’ veteran core and usually winning.
7. Detroit Red Wings
Record: 34-20-6,-3
Last Week: 9th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 7th
Scott: The Red Wings came out of the break splitting their two games, but that’s not the biggest story with them right now. The Canucks have scratched Tyler Myers recently for trade-related reasons, and Detroit is supposedly the team doing the most negotiating right now. I have to ask: is Steve Yzerman blind? Does he know what a good defenseman looks like? How can you watch Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson play hockey vs. Ben Chiarot and Travis Hamonic and think, “more of the latter please”? Every defenseman Yzerman hasn’t drafted has been slow and unable to actually play defense, and yet Yzerman keeps going after them. If this is his big move and the Red Wings slip out of the playoff picture, he shouldn’t even be given the legacy grace of “mutually parting ways.” He should be fired on the spot.
Hunter: Why settle for Myers when Yzerman could have Justin Faulk? Why go after someone who may be a healthy scratch in the playoffs when you could go after Rasmus Ristolainen? For god’s sake, take a stab at Dougie Hamilton.
8. Buffalo Sabres
Record: 35-19-6, +25
Last Week: 10th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 9th
Scott’s Rank: 8th
Scott: The Sabres are beginning to feel like the Bruins last season, although for the exact opposite reason. Last season, everyone was anxious to say the Bruins were truly bad until they were mathematically out of the playoffs, as they always found some way to beat the odds and make it. It’s the same with the Sabres: we want to get excited about this team and say they’re going to make the playoffs, but this is Buffalo. The rug could be pulled out from underneath them at any moment until they’ve clinched a spot. They have my full support, but I’m not crazy, they gotta prove it to me.
Side note: I loved how Tage Thompson accidentally did a reverse-Josh Allen this week. While Allen loves to talk about winning a championship in Buffalo, Thompson said the opposite by saying he’s never going to visit the White House again like he did celebrating the United States’ gold medal win.
Hunter: The Avalanche have the most regulation wins in the league with 36, but there’s three teams tied for second with 29: the Stars, the Lightning and the … Sabres? The Buffalo freaking Sabres?! OK, maybe they’re better than we gave them credit for.
9. Montreal Canadiens
Record: 33-17-9, +15
Last Week: 8th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 10th
Hunter: It wasn’t a great return from the Olympic break for Sam Montembeault, who allowed four goals in an overtime loss to the Islanders to start the week. Jakub Dobes calmed things down with a 27-save performance in a 6-2 win over the Capitals days later. If the Canadiens are serious about making a run in the playoffs, they’ll need to ask themselves if they think this duo — along with Jacob Fowler in the minors — is enough to contend.
10. Vegas Golden Knights
Record: 28-18-14, +8
Last Week: 7th (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 10th
Scott’s Rank: 9th
Hunter: Not the best week for the Golden Knights, who dropped two of three in regulation and lost captain Mark Stone to an upper-body injury. In previous years, I would be extra jaded and say this would just give the Golden Knights another $9.5 million in cap space to play with, but with the league’s new rules negating that advantage, a long-term injury up front might hurt Sin City’s chances of making a deep playoff run.
Scott: You know what, I’m subscribing to this narrative. The best way for karma to strike Vegas for signing Carter Hart is for them to die by the sword they’ve wielded for so long. It’s not out of the realm of possibility either, as Vegas was only 6-5-5 during Stone’s previous prolonged absence. That said, they’ll still find some way to pull off a shocking trade at the deadline.
11. Boston Bruins
Record: 33-21-5, +13
Last Week: 13th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 12th
Scott’s Rank: 11th
Scott: The Bruins were a bit sluggish coming off of the Olympic break. While they did beat the Blue Jackets to start off the partial week, Boston was outplayed significantly, and then they had the same performance again on Saturday, but with a loss. They’re still in a solid spot in that final Wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, but their playoff spot is far from guaranteed. Is this when we finally see it slip from their grasp?
12. New York Islanders
Record: 35-21-5, +10
Last Week: 16th (+4)
Hunter’s Rank: 13th
Scott’s Rank: 12th
Hunter: It’s time for my favorite game: heaping much-deserved praise on Matthew Schaefer! The 18-year-old defender scored his 20th goal of the season over the weekend, marking the first time in NHL history that the first rookie to hit the 20-goal mark was a defenseman. I know we praise Schaefer all the time, but it’s absurd to think how he just walked into the best league in the world, effortlessly faced the best competition each night and handled No. 1 responsibilities with ease. What a treat to watch on a nightly basis.
13. Washington Capitals
Record: 31-24-7, +11
Last Week: 12th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 11th
Scott’s Rank: 14th
Scott: The Capitals came out of the break on a good note, taking care of business against the Flyers and Golden Knights to start the week, but ended on a much more sour note with a 6-2 loss to the Canadiens. Washington is only two points behind the Bruins for that final playoff spot, but they’ve also played three more games. I’m very intrigued to see how “all-in” they go at the deadline, but maybe that depends on whether we’re witnessing the final games of Alex Ovechkin.
14. Ottawa Senators
Record: 29-22-8, +9
Last Week: 17th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 15th
Scott’s Rank: 13th
Hunter: The Senators got off to a good start in their return from the Olympic break. They outplayed the Red Wings, but despite outshooting them 27-20 and winning in expected goals, John Gibson stood tall in a 2-1 win. Still, Ottawa responded with an absolute beatdown of their provincial rival in the Leafs, coming out with a 5-2 win. They might be five points back of the No. 2 Wildcard spot going into this week, but they’re on the right track.
Scott: I witnessed that beatdown in person, and man, I know I’ve hyped up the Sens’ defensive game, but that was an absolute clinic. That might have been the Leafs’ worst game of the season, but that shouldn’t take away from how well Ottawa played.
15. Edmonton Oilers
Record: 29-24-8, +9
Last Week: 14th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 14th
Scott’s Rank: 16th
Scott: Do the Oilers need to trade for a goaltender again? Their return from the Olympic break has been underwhelming, even with an 8-1 win over the Kings in the middle of it (and let’s be real, the Kings are one of the biggest trainwrecks in the league right now, that’s not a feat). Jarry allowed five goals on 25 shots and was pulled while the game was tied. Connor Ingram was fine in relief and against the Kings, but then he allowed five goals on 33 shots against the Sharks on Saturday. Since the Oilers acquired Jarry, his .864 save percentage is the sixth-worst in the league among goalies with 10+ starts. How did Edmonton mess up their goalie situation even more than they already had?
16. Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 39-21-8, -1
Last Week: 11th (-5)
Hunter’s Rank: 16th
Scott’s Rank: 17th
Hunter: The Olympic break couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Blue Jackets, having won seven straight games and 11 of 12 before pausing their schedule, then losing two games out of the break. While they’re still within five points of a Wildcard spot, it’s hard to envision any trade putting them over the top or another massive winning streak coming in the next 20 or so games.
17. Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 27-21-11, -12
Last Week: 21st (+4)
Hunter’s Rank: 19th
Scott’s Rank: 15th
Hunter: The Flyers won two of three last week, with everyone’s favorite disgruntled Russian winger in Matvei Michkov scoring twice in a 3-2 OT win over the Rangers, including the game winner in Madison Square Garden. But it’s the reaction from head coach Rick Tocchet when Michkov scored that really put the cherry on top. You can tell part of him was thinking, “that mother …”
They may not make the playoffs, but Dan Vladar has been among the better goaltenders in the league this season, posting a 12.6 5v5 goals saved above expected, which ranks sixth in the league. If there’s one positive for the Flyers to take from this season, it’s that they have found their starting goalie.
Scott: I think starting goalie may be a stretch there. While he’s had an excellent year, he had just one other season with a positive 5v5 GSAx entering this season. He may be a good 1B or temporary 1A while you find the guy, but I wouldn’t bet on him as a long-term option as a starter.
Hunter: Scott Maxwell: Good Story Hater ©
Scott: I’m a non-fiction writer for a reason.
18. Anaheim Ducks
Record: 33-23-3, -7
Last Week: 19th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 17th
Scott’s Rank: 19th
Scott: The Ducks have hovered around in mediocrity for a couple months now, but they’re getting hot at the right time. While the rest of the Pacific Division playoff contenders are tumbling, the Ducks are climbing with five wins in a row (including three out of the break) and have won 12 of their last 14 games. They’re one point behind the Golden Knights with a game in hand, so as far as winning the division goes, they control their destiny there.
19. Utah Mammoth
Record: 31-25-4, +23
Last Week: 15th (-4)
Hunter’s Rank: 18th
Scott’s Rank: 18th
Scott: The Mammoth are one of many teams in the Western Conference who have to clamp down and pile up the points, but they haven’t done that coming out of the Olympic break. While their 5-2 win over the Wild was a well-rounded performance, it was bookended by losses to the Avalanche (not overly surprising) and the Blackhawks (significantly more disappointing). Considering how Bill Armstrong has turned into a cowboy since the team moved to Utah, I’m curious if he makes any big splashes in the next few days – like Robert Thomas.
20. Florida Panthers
Record: 30-27-3, -15
Last Week: 18th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 21st
Scott’s Rank: 20th
Hunter: You have to hand it to the Panthers: Despite half their lineup taking part in the Olympics, and the team itself coming out of the break being eight points back of the second Wildcard spot in the East, they pummelled the Leafs 5-1 in their first game back, just for the hell of it. That’s the type of pettiness you would only see from 50 Cent, and I respect it.
21. Los Angeles Kings
Record: 24-21-14, -22
Last Week: 20th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 20th
Scott’s Rank: 21st
Scott: It’s not often you see a head coach fired this late in the season, but the Kings are hellbent on getting Anze Kopitar at least four more playoff games, and they already made a big trade, so firing Jim Hiller was next. It was a bit of a surprise to see him return after last season, especially with Ken Holland taking over, but I guess Kenny still fully sold on Hiller being the wrong guy until he saw him up close.
The real question is: why right now? If you were this torn on Hiller as a head coach, why not fire him before the Olympic break to give the new guy some time to get situated, even if it’s just the assistant coach as the interim? Were the two losses in three games really that big of a deal breaker? Why fire Hiller after a shutout win? Speaking of D.J. Smith, what changes is he going to make? Is this really the solution? The Kings are a mess right now, but maybe Holland is just chucking a hail mary and hoping the new-coach bump will salvage this season and give the Kings the playoff appearance they need this season. But let’s be real, they need a rebuild at this point. Great timing, Artemi!
22. Nashville Predators
Record: 27-24-8, -28
Last Week: 23rd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 22nd
Scott’s Rank: 22nd
Hunter: The Predators had just two games last week, beating the Blackhawks and then blowing a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 in overtime to the Stars. They come out of the week with three of a possible four points and are just three points back of a playoff spot in the West. It may be difficult to get ahead of teams like the Kraken or Sharks or Kings, but Nashville fans would love to see their team compete for just their second playoff berth in four seasons.
23. Seattle Kraken
Record: 28-22-9, -6
Last Week: 22nd (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 23rd
Scott’s Rank: 24th
Hunter: I think when I praise a team in these power rankings, it jinxes them, something like the Madden cover or saying “shutout” when a goalie hasn’t allowed a goal. That’s what happened last week after giving some love to the Kraken, who lost to the Stars and Blues last week by a combined score of 9-2. At least they beat the Canucks over the weekend, and seven of their next eight games are at home.
Scott: Can you keep praising the Kraken then? They need to fall out of this playoff race and execute a proper rebuild like we need air.
Hunter: Well then, I actually think Ron Francis is a great talent evaluator …
24. New Jersey Devils
Record: 29-29-2, -31
Last Week: 25th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 24th
Scott’s Rank: 23rd
Hunter: How did it get to this point for the Devils? They came into the season with plenty of hope and talent, but they currently possess the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, and none of their players have even recorded 50 points. Sure, they were without Jack Hughes for more than 20 games, but Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier have been underwhelming, and Jacob Markstrom just hasn’t been good.
Many of these players will get a second chance next season, but the question now becomes: Will general manager Tom Fitzgerald and head coach Sheldon Keefe be afforded the same opportunity?
Scott: I loved Keefe in Toronto, but it’s hard to make a case for him to stick around after how this season has gone. That said, this mess falls more on Fitzgerald, so maybe you give Keefe another chance by blaming it on the roster construction.
Hunter: At least if Keefe gets fired, we know he’ll be coming to the cottage.
Record: 27-24-9, -15
Last Week: 24th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 25th
Scott’s Rank: 25th
Scott: Apparently the Leafs entered this week under the belief that they may not be sellers at the Trade Deadline. Hopefully last week was a wakeup call, because it’s clear they need to start moving out some pieces and salvage what they can from this season with some picks and prospects. All three games were lifeless performances, with the Senators game being one of the worst I’ve seen in recent times from the Leafs.
Now you may be wondering, why would trading away players for picks and prospects help them right now? Wouldn’t they be worse? Well, dear reader, A) it can’t get any worse, and B) nothing adds a bit of life to a team like calling up some young players like Jacob Quillan, Marshall Rifai and William Villeneuve and telling them they’re playing for spots next season.
Yes, Toronto could also fire the coach, but what’s the point? It’s not going to save the season, so just ride it out unless you think Craig Berube is going to cause irreversible damage to these players, and find a coach in the summer. Although I guess if you’re going after a guy like Pete DeBoer, it wouldn’t hurt to give him a head start with the star players.
Hunter: Might I offer a Berube firing so Peter Horachek can take over for the rest of the season?
I think what’s most frustrating about where the Leafs currently rank is how they put so much emphasis into trading for players like Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo — players I’ll concede I was all-in for acquiring — and now they’ll move them for pennies on the dollar, highlighting the type of mismanagement that sets teams back years.
Regardless of whom this team trades before 3:00 p.m. ET this Friday, one thing is certain: Leafs fans should pay this team neither their attention nor their actual money the rest of the season. They have provided you a less-than-serviceable product through the 2025-26 season, and while you’re unlikely to get any refunds for your tickets or merchandise, don’t give them another cent until they’ve shown they’re serious about winning.
26. San Jose Sharks
Record: 29-25-4, -23
Last Week: 26th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 26th
Scott’s Rank: 26th
Hunter: Scott asked last week if there was a team happier than the Sharks with how the Olympics turned out for one of their players — that player being Macklin Celebrini — and that remained true with two wins last week, including a 5-4 victory over the Oilers. San Jose is right there with the Kraken, Mammoth, Predators and Kings in the Wildcard race, and while those other teams may be more complete, hockey fans want to see Celebrini and co. get a taste of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey.
27. Winnipeg Jets
Record: 23-26-10, -16
Last Week: 28th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 27th
Scott’s Rank: 28th
Hunter: Each of the Jets’ first three games back from the Olympic break went to overtime, and they lost two of them. But let’s talk about what’s important: How hilarious is it that Connor Hellebuyck will receive the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom?!? There’s been plenty of digital ink spilled on the U.S. men’s team partying with the FBI director and shaking hands with the president, and much of it has been rightfully critical, but Donald Trump awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to someone who played one great game is something a child would come up with. It would be hilarious if it weren’t for, well, all the other stuff related to Trump.
Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Connor Hellebuyck. Names etched in history.
28. New York Rangers
Record: 23-29-7, -29
Last Week: 29th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 29th
Scott’s Rank: 27th
Scott: I see Adam Fox is continuing the tradition of “glaring Olympic roster omission is unhappy with his GM or coach because said GM or coach left him off the roster.” While he wasn’t as aggressive as when Martin St. Louis requested a trade from the Lightning in 2014, there was a lack of commitment in Fox’s comments when asked about his future with the Rangers. I’d still be a bit surprised to see him go considering he basically forced himself through two teams to get on the Rangers, but at the same time, I wouldn’t blame him for jumping off this sinking ship, especially when Rangers coach Mike Sullivan didn’t see Fox as worthy of the U.S. roster (even if they did win).
Hunter: At last year’s NHL Draft, we saw the Canadiens acquire Noah Dobson from the Islanders in a blockbuster trade, and I sense we’ll get a similar blockbuster deal with Fox. If the Rangers are actually going into a rebuild, imagine what a right-handed, Norris Trophy-winning defender could fetch you on draft night?
29. Calgary Flames
Record: 24-28-7, -27
Last Week: 27th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 28th
Scott’s Rank: 29th
Scott: The Flames stumbled out of the gate to achieve their mission, and by that I mean they only lost two of their last three games. Come on guys, don’t you want your first top-three pick in franchise history? You gotta play like you want it. Go all in, lose every game, don’t have so-called “good efforts” against the Sharks. Tank like you mean it!
30. Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 23-28-9, -31
Last Week: 30th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 30th
Scott’s Rank: 31st
Hunter: There was a point before Connor Bedard’s December injury where it really felt like the Blackhawks turned a corner. Maybe if he never got injured, Chicago would be in that Nashville-San Jose-Seattle tier of borderline playoff teams, and Bedard would have made the Canadian Olympic roster, and our boys would have actually won gold, and the world would feel a lot better than it feels right now.
Anyway … do you want to know the terrifying truth about hockey culture, or do you want to see Bedard rip top ched?
GOAL 25 FOR NO. 98 🚨
31. St. Louis Blues
Record: 22-29-9, -52
Last Week: 31st (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 31st
Scott’s Rank: 30th
Hunter: Alright, cards on the table: I think Robert Thomas is on his way out, as are Justin Faulk and Brayden Schenn. Goalies are a bit harder to read, and while it seems absurd that someone would trade for Jordan Binnington after the regular season he’s had, his performance in Italy — plus how obvious it is the Oilers need to do something — tells me he’s going somewhere.
Scott: Darren Dreger seemed to indicate at some point this week that Oilers ownership are still a bit salty about the Dylan Holloway/Philip Broberg offer sheets, which is a big reason why Binnington hasn’t really been an option for them. Montreal or Vegas though? Never say never.
32. Vancouver Canucks
Record: 18-34-7, -66
Last Week: 32nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 32nd
Scott’s Rank: 32nd
Scott: The Canucks’ first two games out of the Olympic ended exactly as they should have – with losses. They did slip a bit by only losing in overtime against the Jets, but a 5-1 blowout loss to the Kraken is exactly what Vancouver needs right now. Did you know that after they won their first three games post-Quinn Hughes trade, they’ve won in regulation just twice? That’s in a 25-game span by the way. The Canucks are reaching tanking levels not seen since the 2014-15 Sabres, and we still have a Trade Deadline to go through.
_____
PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL
The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th, from 11 AM-3:30 PM ET for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.
_____
Recent Power Rankings
- NHL power rankings: Avalanche have finally been dethroned… who takes top spot?
- Olympic men’s hockey power rankings: Canada remains on top after preliminary rounds
- Olympic men’s hockey power rankings: USA’s roster mismanagement leaves Canada favorites entering tournament
- NHL power rankings: Do the Panthers have enough juice to make the playoffs?
- NHL power rankings: Mitch Marner’s return a reminder of what Leafs are missing