NHL power rankings: Avalanche have finally been dethroned… who takes top spot?
With Hunter Crowther
Well that was fun, wasn’t it? After a two-and-a-half week break watching some thrilling international hockey, highlighted by a gold-medal showdown which saw the United States finally best Canada on the big stage, we now shift our focus back to the NHL just as the regular season gets interesting again. There’s no slowing down, as the trade deadline is less than two weeks away and then we follow the playoff race until April, so let’s see which teams are looking good at such a vital point of the season.
Hunter Crowther 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. Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 37-14-4, +59
Last Week: 2nd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Scott’s Rank: 1st
Scott: Ladies and gentlemen, it’s finally happened. We have a new team in the top spot, as the Avalanche have been dethroned. It’s clearly because of me, as Hunter is still one of the sheeple who thinks they can’t be touched, and I’ll address why that’s the case in a moment. But the Lightning have been deserving of the top spot for a while, they just haven’t been as close in record until recently. They’ve played at such a high-end level at both ends of the ice, and they’re finally getting healthy (save for an update on Victor Hedman after his injury at the Olympics). Now that they’ve caught up in the standings, the best of the best is no longer a one-horse race.
2. Colorado Avalanche
Record: 37-9-9, +74
Last Week: 1st (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Scott’s Rank: 3rd
Scott: The Avalanche find themselves lower on my list because of their recent skid, but it’s not just because of the skid. Their 6-7-2 record in their last 15 games is far from abysmal, but it’s enough to allow the Lightning, Hurricanes and Wild to get closer in points. With the five-point rule no longer in effect for these teams with Colorado, Tampa and Carolina passed them on my list. This has actually been the case for a month or two now, as a poor power play has weighed down an otherwise elite team. It feels nitpicky, especially when Tampa and Carolina are also mid on the power play under the hood, but it’s just enough to dethrone the Avalanche.
Side note: what levels of pissed off are we going to see from Nathan MacKinnon for the rest of the season? He’s arguably the most competitive player in the league, and not only did he lose out on gold, he is a large reason for it after failing to bury his big chance. We may see a new level from him in these final months of the season.
Hunter: That’s what you get for all that short-term thinking. The sheeple still put the Avs in the top spot for what they’ve already done; the real ones keep the Avs in the top spot for what they’re going to do, and that will be led by MacKinnon, who would likely follow the early career path of Tiger Woods’ father if someone didn’t teach him how to tie skates.
Part of me is also predicting that the return of Gabriel Landeskog, who played well for Sweden in Milan, will get this Colorado group back on track going into the final quarter of the season.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 36-15-6, +34
Last Week: 3rd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Scott’s Rank: 2nd
Hunter: The Hurricanes had a player on each of the three medal-winning countries in men’s hockey: Sebastian Aho leading Finland to a bronze with four goals; Jaccob Slavin was an anchor for the U.S. on their gold-medal blue line, and Seth Jarvis was also there, for … I want to say Canada? Maybe?
As for the team itself, Carolina is 12-1-3 in their last 16 games, looking like one of two legitimate threats in the East. In fact, now that it appears the Panthers are happy taking a year off to regenerate, the Hurricanes might be hockey’s best chance at the Stanley Cup not winding up in the non-traditional market of Florida, instead landing in the hockey hotbed of North Carolina.
Oh, and the club signed rookie netminder Brandon Bussi to a three-year extension during the break. That’s tidy work for a team looking to find a reliable option in the crease.
Scott: That Bussi extension is great work from Carolina. Very cap-friendly if he continues this play, but also buriable if he doesn’t.
4. Dallas Stars
Record: 34-14-9, +33
Last Week: 4th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Scott’s Rank: 4th
Hunter: The Stars come back from the Olympic break with a six-game winning streak and have climbed within six points of the Avalanche for the division lead. Sure, the Avs have two games in hand and will snap out of the funk they closed out January with, but that doesn’t mean Dallas won’t be one of the more active teams ahead of the March 6 deadline.
With Tyler Seguin likely done for the year, his $9.85 million cap being put on the shelf will create an opportunity for the Stars to acquire a potential game changer. Would the Blues trade one of Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou or Brayden Schenn to a division opponent? For the right price, why wouldn’t you?
5. Minnesota Wild
Record: 34-14-10, +27
Last Week: 5th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Scott’s Rank: 5th
Scott: As far as an entire team outlook goes, there may not be an NHL team who is a bigger winner at this tournament than the Wild. They had three players win gold with the United States, a team that Bill Guerin formed and will possibly help encourage more players to join the Wild (Vincent Trocheck, anyone?). On top of that, they also had two of the better goaltenders in the league in Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt going into the tournament, and now they know their AHL starter in Samuel Hlavaj can play against NHL competition after his performance with Slovakia. Really, the only loss was Gustavsson had a bad couple games and lost his starting gig for Sweden. Now they enter the last stretch of the regular season in second in a tight Central Division, could add big at the deadline, and may finally make some noise in the playoffs.
Hunter: Oh god, you’re right about Trocheck. Is Guerin going to go full 1994 New York Rangers and acquire every former Oiler Team USA skater for their Cup run at the Trade Deadline?
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 29-15-12, +23
Last Week: 7th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 7th
Scott’s Rank: 6th
Scott: The Wild may have been the biggest winner of the Olympics, but there may not be a bigger loser coming out of the Olympics than the Penguins. While we don’t know the full scope of Sidney Crosby’s injury, you have to imagine it would be a serious one for him to sit out for the last two games of Canada’s run. If he’s out long term, that makes a huge difference in the Penguins’ playoff chances in these last couple months, especially when they only sit five points ahead of a red-hot Blue Jackets team. Crosby has been vital to the Penguins’ success this season, so losing him for a decent chunk of time could sink their season.
7. Vegas Golden Knights
Record: 27-16-14, +12
Last Week: 8th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 6th
Scott’s Rank: 7th
Scott: On one hand, Golden Knights fans can get excited about Mitch Marner shaking off the “not clutch” narrative with his overtime goal in the quarterfinal against Czechia, and look at it as a sign he’ll show up in the playoffs for him this year. But at the same time, he also did the same thing last year for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and still didn’t show up in crunch time for the Leafs, and Canada won that year. Vegas will certainly need Marner to finally have his playoff moment if they want to win a Stanley Cup, so maybe this time he’s unlocked something.
On the flip side, Shea Theodore had several ugly moments in this tournament. Vegas will need more from him down the stretch as well.
Hunter: I allowed myself to love Marner again at the start of the tournament, and those feelings that peaked before those final years in Toronto came back after his goal against Czechia. But it wasn’t meant to be, and you should never get your hopes up in life, because it will always end in misery. Lordy, I feel like one of the nihilists in The Big Lebowski.
Screw it, dude. Let’s go bowling.
8. Montreal Canadiens
Record: 32-17-8, +12
Last Week: 10th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 8th
Scott’s Rank: 9th
Hunter: One team that may come out of the Olympic break full of piss and vinegar is the Canadiens. They won four of five games before the three-week pause, and two of their most important pieces — captain Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky — had great performances in Italy, especially Slafkovsky, who at just 22 may already be the greatest single men’s hockey player in Olympic history.
Also, I’m curious about how Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson, both highly productive skaters left off the American roster, react after they were left at home. Sure, the U.S. came away with gold and USA Hockey executive Bill Guerin may look smart for now, but both Caufield and Hutson will want to play for the team at the World Cup in 2028 and Olympics in 2030. It’s up to them to leave no doubt over the next four seasons.
9. Detroit Red Wings
Record: 33-19-6, -1
Last Week: 6th (-3)
Hunter’s Rank: 9th
Scott’s Rank: 8th
Hunter: The Red Wings lost five of seven games going into the Olympic break and had run John Gibson into the ground, starting him in 16 of their last 18. No team needed a three-week break like them. Detroit is still on the inside track for their first playoff berth in 10 years, but they’re going to need to rack up points in order to avoid a late-season sweat. Seven of their next nine games are on the road, which carries beyond the Trade Deadline, and I can’t envision a scenario where GM Steve Yzerman doesn’t try to acquire a big name. Both the players and fans deserve it.
10. Buffalo Sabres
Record: 32-19-6, +19
Last Week: 11th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 10th
Scott’s Rank: 13th
Hunter: After winning five straight towards the end of January, the Sabres lost three of four before the Olympic break. Don’t worry, they still hold on to the No. 1 Wildcard spot and are at least five points ahead of any non-playoff team chasing them. Still, you’d like to see GM Jarmo Kekalainen make a trade to reward this lineup for their improved play, and it feels like we’ve moved past “Trade Alex Tuch for assets” and shifted towards “Sign Alex Tuch to a contract.”
11. Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 29-20-7, +2
Last Week: 18th (+7)
Hunter’s Rank: 13th
Scott’s Rank: 10th
Scott: The Blue Jackets are a whopping 10-1 since firing Dean Evason and hiring Rick Bowness and are now in the heat of the playoff race again, sitting just four points shy of the Bruins for the last playoff spot with a game in hand. Since the coaching change, Columbus has also been one of the best defensive teams in the league, sitting fifth in 5v5 xGA/60 with 2.42, a far cry from the defensive mess they’ve been the past several seasons. All signs point to Bowness just being a temporary hire to steady the ship while the Blue Jackets find a better candidate, but if this continues and they make the playoffs, do they keep him around next year? Does he even want to be around next year?
12. Washington Capitals
Record: 29-23-7, +12
Last Week: 15th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 12th
Scott’s Rank: 11th
Hunter: Tom Wilson wound up being a reliable forward for Canada at the Olympics, and despite them not winning gold, he proved to doubters who don’t regularly watch the Capitals that he’s a highly valuable player who’s in the midst of a career year. Now he returns to a Washington group that’s been streaky throughout the season and finds itself four points out of a Wildcard spot. The Caps will need Wilson to carry that Olympic momentum into the first quarter of the season if they want to play beyond mid-April.
Alright, let’s watch that hit on Dylan Larkin one more time. It’s like watching a retelling of Wendel Clark’s hit on Bruce Bell, but with visors.
Tom Wilson lowers the BOOM on Dylan Larkin 😳
13. Boston Bruins
Record: 32-20-5, +13
Last Week: 12th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 14th
Scott’s Rank: 12th
Hunter: I’ve doubted the Bruins many times this season, and only now have I accepted that it was just wishful thinking on my behalf, a vain pursuit of seeing them nosedive in the standings and take three or four years off to rebuild. Nope, they’re a decent hockey team whose goaltender in Jeremy Swayman has shaken off whatever cobwebs tangled him up last season and is back to being one of the league’s best.
Scott: Who knows, missing the playoffs could be as easy as a puck getting lost in the boards and passing you by.
Hunter: I STILL can’t believe that happened.
14. Edmonton Oilers
Record: 28-22-8, +4
Last Week: 9th (-5)
Hunter’s Rank: 11th
Scott’s Rank: 15th
Scott: Oh boy. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Poor Connor. Leon Draisaitl may have gotten the chirp from the Tkachuk brothers about always being the bridesmaid, but McDavid IS the bridesmaid. He now has a Conn Smythe and Olympic MVP without winning a Stanley Cup or gold medal. Someone check on him, I’m concerned for his well-being at this point. At the very least, I’m very curious about what we see from McDavid post-Olympics, and just how pissed off he’s going to be.
Hunter: I hope he continues to lay the body and ramp up his psychopath behavior, right in time for the playoffs. I don’t want to live in a world where he’s the individual version of the ‘90s Buffalo Bills.
15. Utah Mammoth
Record: 30-23-4, +26
Last Week: 14th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 15th
Scott’s Rank: 14th
Hunter: The Mammoth have the sixth-best goal differential in the NHL and perform well in front of their new fans in Salt Lake City, going 17-8-2 at home. But they play in a division that’s too damn good. Utah has nearly $20 million in cap space, and while few would pick Utah to win a seven-game series against any one of the Avalanche, Stars or Wild, GM Bill Armstrong will likely try to tinker with the edges and give this team a taste of a late-season playoff push.
16. New York Islanders
Record: 32-21-5, +7
Last Week: 16th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 17th
Scott’s Rank: 16th
Scott: Spending the last two weeks watching Olympic hockey, particularly Canada, made me realize just how much they were missing Matthew Schaefer. Canada clearly lacked more mobility on that blueline beyond Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Thomas Harley, and Schaefer certainly would have provided that. Regardless, the Islanders will certainly be glad all their star players beyond Bo Horvat are well-rested for this final stretch for the playoffs, they’re going to need it.
Oh, and speaking of Canadian defenders, if Canada really wanted a defensive defenseman for the Olympics, they should have taken Adam Pelech over Colton Parayko or Travis Sanheim.
17. Ottawa Senators
Record: 28-22-7, +7
Last Week: 20th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 16th
Scott’s Rank: 17th
Scott: In their last 13 games before the Olympic break, the Senators were 8-3-2, a much-needed run after how the beginning of the new year was treating them. They now find themselves just six points out of a playoff spot, but you have to wonder if the break came at the wrong time for them. Will that have disrupted the flow they were in during that 13-game run, or will the rest be a much-needed reset? At the very least, Tim Stutzle looked fantastic for Germany at the Olympics, and Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson will be extra motivated after winning gold.
18. Florida Panthers
Record: 29-25-3, -17
Last Week: 19th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 19th
Scott’s Rank: 18th
Scott: For some teams that have been underperforming, the Olympic break was a great opportunity to reset and, aside from a few players participating in the tournament, relax and maybe heal from some bumps and bruises. The Panthers are not one of those teams, as they had 10 players go to Milan, and seven of them played six games in the tournament. Considering they’ve already had shortened offseasons in three straight seasons due to Cup Final appearances and have had close to half of their roster (including most of the top players) not rest during the one “break” in a condensed schedule, I don’t blame Florida if they just continue to stay outside of the playoff picture this season and bounce back next year. They need the rest.
Hunter: Here we have an example of the “modern” dynasty, where teams will happily take a year off between Stanley Cup and Conference Final runs. The Blackhawks and Kings did it through the 2010s, the Bruins did it, the Golden Knights (kind of) did it once they entered the league, and now it’s the Panthers’ turn.
Do we have early odds for 2027? If so, bet the Cats.
19. Anaheim Ducks
Record: 30-23-3, -10
Last Week: 17th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 18th
Scott’s Rank: 21st
Hunter: The Ducks won nine of their last 11 games and return from the Olympic break with a seven-game homestand, a massive benefit for a group that is 17-8-1 at the Honda Center. Lukas Dostal allowed three or fewer goals in his previous nine NHL starts, and his performance at the Olympics nearly gave Czechia an upset victory over Canada in the quarterfinals. If Anaheim wants to clinch their first playoff berth since 2018, Dostal will be the key.
20. Los Angeles Kings
Record: 23-19-14, -15
Last Week: 13th (-7)
Hunter’s Rank: 20th
Scott’s Rank: 20th
Scott: A lot has happened to the Kings since we last got together. They made potentially the biggest splash of the trade deadline (or at the very least, the pre-Olympic roster freeze deadline) by acquiring Artemi Panarin, who gives them a much-needed boost to their offense. For a split second, it was beginning to look like Los Angeles was poised to be more than an easy first-round exit for the Oilers.
And then the Olympics happened, and Kevin Fiala became this year’s example of, “This is why owners are hesitant to let players go to the Olympics” after a leg injury in the preliminary round ended his season. Because of this, Panarin now essentially replaces Fiala’s offense instead of adding to it, at least for this season. That’s still an upgrade, but it’s a tough break for a team who was trying to finally take a big swing. I guess we’ll see if they have anything else up their sleeve before the deadline in a couple weeks.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 25-20-11, -13
Last Week: 22nd (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 22nd
Scott’s Rank: 19th
Hunter: The Flyers were 22-12-7 on Jan. 7, third in the Metropolitan Division and showing flashes of a team getting better. Dan Vladar was playing so well that you could see Philadelphia, at the very least, compete for a playoff spot. But since then, they’ve gone 3-8-4 in their last 15, are now sixth in the Metro and would need the combination of A) an absolute heater and B) terrible performances from the Bruins, Blue Jackets, Capitals and a few others to even sniff a playoff spot. But hey, at least Rick Tocchet led Canada to a silver medal. Great stuff, coach!
Scott: Maybe he was the one who benched Sam Reinhart? Sam needs to improve his conditioning!
22. Seattle Kraken
Record: 27-20-9, -3
Last Week: 21st (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 21st
Scott’s Rank: 24th
Hunter: After snapping a losing skid in mid-January, Seattle went 6-2-0 in their last eight games before the Olympic break and snuck into a top-three spot in the Pacific Division. Matty Beniers was playing the best hockey of his career, recording 10 goals and 19 points in 20 games to close out January. If he maintains that production, and if both Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord keep winning in the crease, the Kraken may be legit.
23. Nashville Predators
Record: 26-24-7, -29
Last Week: 24th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 24th
Scott’s Rank: 22nd
Scott: The Predators have to be super excited with how the Olympics went for Juuse Saros. The Finn was stellar in net and helped his country sans-Barkov to a bronze medal, which may just be the kind of stretch he needed to turn around his season and step up his play for a potential playoff run for Nashville. We’ll see in the coming weeks if that was the case.
Oh yeah, it’s been so long since we did an NHL power rankings, the Barry Trotz news actually happened after we last met. To the surprise of no one, I’m glad he’s stepping down for the Predators trade deadline, as he seemed to have the anti-Midas touch with just about every move he made. But it is nice Trotz and the Predators are handling it in a way which won’t completely taint his legacy with the team. He was still a great coach for the club; this era was just a forgettable reunion attempt.
24. Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 27-21-9, -6
Last Week: 25th (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 23rd
Scott’s Rank: 25th
Scott: Leafs fans had to be sweating after Marner scored the overtime winner against Czechia. Okay, most of them were cheering for Canada, so they were probably thrilled, but after that, they were sweating, afraid they’d have to admit that maybe Marner wasn’t as bad as they kept saying he was.
But if there’s any solace for them in a Canada loss, it’s that they can a) not admit they were wrong about Marner and b) possibly get excited about a narrative shift regarding Auston Matthews. He wasn’t exactly “elite goal scorer” Matthews in the tournament, but he was still excellent, and maybe they get that version of him in the playoffs… if they make it.
Hunter: As I said earlier re: Marner, I was happy to see him succeed while wearing the Maple Leaf. I think some relationships have expiration dates, and that was one of them. Although, he did lose in the big game … so … ahem …
And Scott’s right about the potential narrative shift for Matthews, who was far and away the best defensive forward in the tournament and had flashes of the all-world center Leaf fans have seen in the last decade. I’m also saying this as someone who was happy to see Mats Sundin wear the “C” for his country and help them win a gold medal in 2006. At least Matthews did it before he turned 35.
25. New Jersey Devils
Record: 28-27-2, -29
Last Week: 23rd (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 25th
Scott’s Rank: 23rd
Hunter: About an hour after Jack Hughes scored the golden goal for the U.S., I texted a friend a die-hard Devils fan, congratulating him on the moment and jokingly adding, “Hey, maybe the Hughes brothers reunion is still alive!” He responded with: “Yeah somewhere else ….. (expletive) Jack’s contract has four years left.” Good lord, how bad is it in New Jersey?!
*looks at Eastern Conference standings*
Oh, right.
Scott: Good for Hughes honestly, he’s certainly dealt with his fair share of criticisms, and he was in the doghouse at points in the tournament, especially coming off a forgettable 4 Nations performance. He got his moment, and it will likely be the biggest goal of his career, and will be the type of goal that will significantly impact the future of hockey in the United States. I’d say it could launch him to superstardom like 4 Nations did with the Tkachuks, but Jack already has a claim to fame as Tate McRae’s boyfriend.
Hunter: Oh you mean TRAITOR McRae?! The performer who was trained by the publicly funded Alberta Ballet then decided to bolt south, take money from NBC and promote the U.S. Olympic teams?!
“Y’all know I’m Canada down,” she said. Whatever. I’m not mad, I’m not mad!
26. San Jose Sharks
Record: 27-24-4, -22
Last Week: 26th (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 27th
Scott’s Rank: 26th
Scott: Is there a team happier about how the Olympics went for one of their players than the Sharks? We’ve gone on and on about how incredible Macklin Celebrini has been this season, and he was more than deserving of a spot on Canada based on his performance at the tournament. Now, he comes back to San Jose with important experience and some mentorship from the likes of McDavid, MacKinnon and Crosby, as well as the confidence to carry the Sharks to a potential playoff spot, and, if they make it, be a playoff performer right out of the gate. At the very least, all of Canada is now very much aware of how talented this guy is.
27. Calgary Flames
Record: 23-27-6, -27
Last Week: 29th (+2)
Hunter’s Rank: 26th
Scott’s Rank: 29th
Hunter: Hey, remember when the Flames beat the Oilers in a fairly even matchup right before the Olympic break? Of course not! With two weeks before the NHL Trade Deadline, Calgary already moved their most valuable piece in Rasmus Andersson, and there’s a good chance one or both of Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri get dealt. Coleman told reporters last week that “I’m a Flame until I’m told I’m not,” which indicates his time with the club will soon be up.
28. Winnipeg Jets
Record: 22-26-8, -15
Last Week: 27th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 28th
Scott’s Rank: 28th
Scott: Connor Hellebuyck finally did the damn thing. Not only does he have a legitimate hockey accomplishment in his trophy case, he EARNED it with his performance against Canada. After so many years of hockey pundits doubting his performances in the big moments, he finally pulled it off.
In a normal season for the Jets, this would be great news, as they could carry that momentum into the playoffs and finally go on a deep run themselves. Unfortunately, they are nowhere close to the playoff race this year, so all this newly gained confidence for Hellebuyck will have gone to waste. Maybe next year.
29. New York Rangers
Record: 22-29-6, -29
Last Week: 28th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 30th
Scott’s Rank: 27th
Hunter: There are a few bright spots for a Rangers squad that’s last place in the Eastern Conference by an eight-point margin. They traded leading scorer Artemi Panarin to the Kings for a measly return (save me your Liam Greentree emails until he plays a professional game), and there’s no timeline on Igor Shesterkin’s return from IR. Do you move on from Mika Zibanejad? Does Vincent Trocheck have some extra shine after winning gold in Milan? Do you want to get nuts and move off of Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox? Let’s find out!
30. Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 22-26-9, -31
Last Week: 31st (+1)
Hunter’s Rank: 29th
Scott’s Rank: 31st
Hunter: Pardon the football reference, but do you remember the 2016 NFL season? The league suspended Tom Brady four games for “Deflategate,” and all it did was motivate the New England quarterback to go on one of his greatest single runs of his eventual Hall of Fame career, finishing second in MVP voting and leading the Pats to a Super Bowl victory. Many refer to that year as Brady’s “Eff you” season to both the league and those who acted holier than thou throughout the faux controversy of “Deflategate.”
I bring this up because that’s how I envision Connor Bedard will react over the next four seasons before the 2030 Winter Olympics. I’m under no illusions of the Blackhawks having a shot at making the playoffs this spring, but the 20-year-old can take the 25 regular-season games and beyond to remind everyone why you don’t leave an offensive phenom at home.
Scott: I said this before the tournament, the last time Canada left a generational first-overall pick off of their team, it was Crosby in 2006, and they lost that tournament too. It’s crazy to say for a Canadian team loaded with talent, but their forward depth lacked some elite scoring punch, something that became even more apparent when Crosby was hurt and MacKinnon struggled to develop chemistry with other linemates that weren’t McDavid and Celebrini (which in turn limited their offense elsewhere and made them a one-line team).
It really felt like Canada could have used Bedard’s dynamic play in the lineup, and it goes to show why you need to bring those guys over the role players. Sam Bennett was a negative asset for Canada since the IIHF calls the rules differently, so would Bedard’s poor defensive play have hurt Canada that much more? If they really wanted defensive specialists, isn’t that where you just use guys like Marner, Reinhart and Stone so they can also be dangerous offensively? Regardless, Bedard will be there in 2030, and likely even the 2028 World Cup, so it’ll be exciting to see him represent Canada again.
31. St. Louis Blues
Record: 20-28-9, -56
Last Week: 30th (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 31st
Scott’s Rank: 30th
Hunter: For all the talk of Jordan Binnington being the weak link for the Canadian team, he held his own and was far from the No. 1 reason for Canada’s silver-medal result. Are his NHL numbers still horrendous and is he more likely than not going to revert to the .870 save percentage goaltending we got before February? Sure. But lucky for Doug Armstrong, Binnington’s trade value spiked tenfold, and someone’s going to take a shot at him.
Scott: Binnington certainly wasn’t bad for Canada and never really was the reason they were out of games, but I did not understand the confidence many had in him. He was shaky in net just as often as he was making stellar saves, and by the end of the tournament he was trying to move the puck as much as Mike Smith (which isn’t a compliment), and outside of the first game against Czechia, I wouldn’t say there was a game where I had no complaints with Binnington’s performance. I just hope the loss at least means he isn’t a lock for the starting gig in 2028 and I don’t have to deal with this discourse ever again.
32. Vancouver Canucks
Record: 18-33-6, -61
Last Week: 32nd (0)
Hunter’s Rank: 32nd
Scott’s Rank: 32nd
Scott: I’m not sure what Elias Pettersson’s future with the Canucks holds, especially as the trade deadline approaches, but the Olympics would have been a great opportunity for the old Elias Pettersson to return. While Sweden as a whole underperformed, Pettersson really only had one good game against Slovakia where he got his two goals, and returns to Vancouver the same player he’s been for almost two years now. He’s gotta be in there somewhere right?
On the bright side, Gavin McKenna just had an eight-point night over the weekend and is finally playing like the can’t-miss talent we expected from him at the collegiate level. The Canucks aren’t locks to get him at the moment (they still have to win a lottery), but he is certainly a silver lining in this dire season.
Hunter: Since McKenna is Canadian, please refrain from using the phrase “silver linings.” The wound is still too fresh.
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