Avalanche
99.9% | Every little thing is beginning to click on for the Avalanche, and maybe most significantly, the goaltending is choosing up. Since Feb. 1, Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have mixed to avoid wasting 7.56 targets above common whereas posting a .919 save proportion. What was as soon as a weak spot has grow to be a power. 3 41-25-3
2

Hurricanes
99.9% | The Hurricanes have primarily secured second place within the Metro because of their seven-game successful streak, and the protection has been main the way in which. Carolina hasn’t allowed greater than two targets since March 1, and it hasn’t allowed greater than three targets since Feb. 25. The opposite finish of the ice ought to be getting a lift with Andrei Svechnikov getting back from harm quickly. 5 41-22-4
3

Jets
100% | As I’ve famous earlier than, successful the Central is crucial for the Jets, and so they have that each one however sealed up now. Winnipeg did additionally simply rating a powerful 4-1 win over Dallas on dwelling ice final weekend. That gave anybody doubting the Jets’ skill to beat the division’s different two heavy hitters slightly pause. 2 47-18-4
4

Stars
100% | The Stars’ are undoubtedly Stanley Cup contenders, and so they is perhaps my choose to win all of it. Nevertheless, if I might play satan’s advocate, I might say their five-on-five sport has dipped currently. Since Feb. 1, Dallas has an anticipated targets share of 47.4% and an anticipated aim differential of roughly minus-3. That is not a sufficiently big pattern dimension for actual concern, however it’s a development price watching. 3 43-21-3
5

Capitals
100% | The Presidents’ Trophy race is right down to the Capitals and the Jets, which isn’t a sentence I anticipated to kind on opening evening. The one query left for Washington, no less than so far as the common season is worried, is whether or not Alex Ovechkin can break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time targets file. He wants eight targets within the closing 15 video games. 3 45-15-8
6

Panthers
99.9% | The Panthers will get the possibility to go back-to-back, however the path to repeating is perhaps way more troublesome relying upon the place they end within the standings. Florida’s lead within the Atlantic is down to 2 factors, and it will likely be with no few key gamers for the rest of the common season. Successful the division means the distinction between enjoying a workforce just like the Senators or dealing with one other Cup contender within the first spherical. 3 41-24-3
7

Lightning
99.7% | One of many groups chasing the Panthers is the Lightning. Given how Andrei Vasilevskiy has performed currently, Tampa might be the scariest workforce within the Atlantic proper now. It is already robust sufficient to maintain up with the Lightning offensively, however when Vasilevskiy is wherever close to his peak, that is whenever you get the recipe for back-to-back championship runs. The Bolts are the workforce to beat on this division as issues stand right this moment. 2 39-23-5
8

Maple Leafs
99.8% | Toronto is the third workforce within the combine within the Atlantic, and if I might admit some bias, I do need to see the Leafs end in first place. That is as a result of it might arrange a Battle of Florida within the first spherical. Will I get my want? Possibly if the Maple Leafs can make the most of a comparatively favorable schedule to shut out March. — 41-24-3
9

Golden Knights
99.9% | To ensure that the Golden Knights to go on a deep playoff run, their efficiency with out Jack Eichel on the ice should enhance. With Eichel within the sport at five-on-five, Vegas has a plus-23 aim differential. With out him, that quantity tumbles to minus-8. Whereas the anticipated targets numbers stay roughly the identical, that dip in precise outcomes is regarding, particularly waiting for the postseason. 3 39-20-8
10

Senators
95.6% | A six-game successful streak is all it took for the Senators to separate themselves from the remainder of the also-rans within the East wild card race. Now it appears like Ottawa will attain the playoffs for the primary time since 2017. It definitely helps that Dylan Cozens has are available and made an instantaneous influence with 4 factors in 5 video games. 4 36-26-5
11

Kings
99.4% | For the fourth straight season, the Kings are on a collision course with the Oilers. As soon as once more, they’ve an elite protection, however the query is whether or not they can rating their manner out of a paper bag. Twenty-one targets in 9 video games this month is not an encouraging signal. 1 36-21-9
12

Oilers
99.2% | I have been very crucial of the Oilers’ depth (or lack thereof), however it is not essentially a deadly flaw due to who’s on the high of their lineup. Leon Draisaitl now has an 18-game level streak that extends again to Jan. 27. In that span, he has 14 targets and 13 assists. The depth stays a priority for Edmonton, however Drasaitl and Connor McDavid can drag this workforce via a number of rounds. — 40-24-4
13

Devils
96.5% | Timo Time has come simply in time for the Devils. A Jack Hughes-less New Jersey was flirting with falling again into the wild card race earlier than successful 4 of its final 5 video games. Meier, who was ice chilly via the primary two months of the calendar 12 months, has put collectively a four-game level streak with three targets and one help. — 37-26-6
14

Blues
44.4% | I am slightly shocked this quantity is not larger as a result of the Blues are enjoying good hockey. Since Jim Montgomery took over, St. Louis is 25-16-6 with a 52.2% anticipated targets share at five-on-five. Jordan Kyrou is crimson scorching, Dylan Holloway is flourishing and the workforce is enjoying glorious protection. 2 34-28-7
15

Wild
91.7% | Barring a surprising collapse, the Wild are going to the playoffs, however they have not cemented that up but. Minnesota is 7-8-1 since Feb. 1, and its 31 targets in that span are lifeless final within the NHL. Accidents have decimated the Wild all season, and they’re sputtering to the end line. Even when Minnesota does get in, it will likely be badly outmatched within the first spherical. 4 39-25-5
16

Canadiens
31.2 % | The Canadiens are a lot enjoyable. Their third-period comeback in opposition to the Senators on Tuesday made me need playoff hockey again within the Bell Centre, and Lane Huston is a future celebrity. Montreal nonetheless has work to do in an effort to lock up a wild card spot, and the underlying profile is troublesome, however this group by no means appears to expire of magic. 2 33-27-7
17

Canucks
34.7% | The Canucks and Blues are jockeying for that closing wild card spot within the West, and people two simply occur to play each other on Thursday evening. Video games do not get any greater than that, and gamers like Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser might have discovered a spark simply in time for Vancouver’s largest tilt of the season to date. 3 32-25-11
18

Hockey Membership
12.9% | Such a season is what Utah wanted. The younger core acquired out of a foul state of affairs in Arizona, and it is enjoying significant video games down the stretch. The issue right here is that the playoff math will not be in Utah’s favor. No matter what occurs, this franchise is ready up for an enormous summer season and loads of pleasure in 2025-26. 4 30-27-11
19

Flames
17.8% | Regardless of having the Twelfth-ranked aim differential within the West (minus-24), the Flames are on the doorstep of the playoffs. That is in all probability resulting from their 14-2-11 file in one-goal video games. Calgary simply picks up factors in shut video games, and it has stored the workforce within the race. The issue for the Flames is that they should begin choosing up two factors at a time extra usually. 2 31-25-11
20

Rangers
35.1% | Simply whenever you suppose the Rangers may need a shot to get in and profit from a recent begin, they drop a 13-shot clunker in opposition to the Flames at dwelling. The truth that the probabilities are even this excessive is a small miracle. At this level, New York wants Igor Shesterkin to go unconscious down the house stretch, which is inside the realm of chance. 1 33-30-6
21

Blue Jackets
7.1% | Sadly, the Blue Jackets appear like they’re lastly working out of steam. Columbus has one aim in its final three video games, and it has been shutout thrice in March. The Blue Jackets had been out forward of their skis for many of the season, and regression has reared its ugly head on the worst doable time. The trail solely will get narrower with a really troublesome remaining schedule. 6 31-28-8
22

Islanders
26.9% | Certainly the Islanders will not do that once more, proper? They will not cling across the playoff race and sneak in over the previous couple of weeks? They can not as soon as once more be rewarded for his or her mediocrity? I’ve seen this film earlier than, and I am not about to rely the Isles out within the East as a result of all they do is discover a manner into the postseason. 2 31-28-8
23

Pink Wings
7.3% | Lucas Raymond has one aim in his final 12 video games, and he is hit the skids proper because the Pink Wings try to finish their playoff drought. Detroit might solely be three factors out of a playoff spot, however it’s behind 4 different groups when it comes to level proportion. That is a steep hill to climb with so little hockey left. 6 32-30-6
24

Geese
0.1% | Anaheim nearly got here sort of shut to creating issues fascinating this season. On the one hand, that is an enormous enchancment over current years. On the opposite, it is in all probability a foul signal that being nowhere close to a playoff spot with 14 video games left is an enchancment. Needs to be a captivating offseason. 1 29-31-8
25

Penguins
0.0% | As a lot of a catastrophe as this season has been for the Penguins, I’ll say that GM Kyle Dubas made essentially the most out of it by loading up on draft capital. If he manages the subsequent 12 months or two effectively, Pittsburgh may give Sidney Crosby one other swing at a Stanley Cup, and that ought to be the aim. 5 28-32-10
26

Sabres
0.0% | The Sabres’ playoff drought will hit 14 years. I truthfully do not understand how followers in Buffalo do it anymore. The NHL has a lot faux parity {that a} franchise ought to be capable of luck its manner into the playoffs no less than as soon as each decade. But, right here the Sabres are. 3 27-33-6
27

Bruins
0.9% | In a manner, this is perhaps good for the Bruins. As an alternative of attempting to carry onto a championship window that was closing quickly, this mess would possibly drive them into an precise rebuild of some form. Let David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and maybe Jeremy Swayman be the cornerstone items as you revamp the remainder of the lineup. 2 30-30-9
28

Kraken
0.0 % | The primary 12 months of the Dan Bylsma tenure in Seattle hasn’t precisely been a rousing success. To be truthful, the dearth of success could also be extra of a roster downside than a training one. Regardless, the Kraken should return to the drafting board within the offseason. 1 30-35-5
29

Predators
0.0% | There was all the time going to be danger concerned when the Predators dropped a dump truck of cash on three veteran gamers and signed their veteran goalie to an enormous contract extension. I doubt anybody thought it might be this unhealthy. Nashville higher hope this was a worst-case outlier and never a sign of the subsequent 3-5 seasons. 1 25-34-8
30

Flyers
0.0% | The Flyers have been laborious to look at at instances this season, however they’ve Matvei Michkov. He’s very straightforward to look at, and he shall be an electrifying participant for a very long time. That, plus the excessive draft choose that can come out of it, made the 2024-25 season price it for Philly. 4 28-33-8
31

Sharks
0.0% | As somebody who has in all probability watched an excessive amount of Sharks hockey, I believe now’s the time for followers to leap on the bandwagon. Do not get me flawed. This isn’t a superb workforce — no less than not but — however the younger expertise in San Jose has proven a boatload of potential. 1 18-41-9
32

Blackhawks
0.0% | I am positive the Blackhawks would love one other No. 1 choose, however they’ve paid a excessive worth to be down right here. Chicago has proven no enchancment, and Connor Bedard has been attempting to breathe some life into this roster with no luck. The Hawks do not even look near being a aggressive workforce. 1 20-39-9