Panthers vault to No. 1 in Power Ranking after loading up at deadline

After a high-octane trade deadline that saw big names move and contenders load up, we got the first taste of players in their new sweaters over the weekend.

How did all that action affect the Power Rankings? Let’s dive in.

It’s been a tough stretch for the Jets, who have won just two of their past six games. They are no longer in sole possession of first in the NHL, now tied with the Capitals, and they fall to fifth in the Power Rankings as a result. Ahead of them are the Panthers, Stars, Lightning, and Avalanche, all of which made significant moves at the trade deadline.

Winnipeg did add Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn for some depth, but they were not able to upgrade their second-line centre spot, which was arguably their biggest need. Did they do enough to keep up in a Western Conference that loaded up in talent at the deadline?

With two wins this week – the first time they put together consecutive victories since the 4 Nations Face-Off – the Oilers jump back into the top 10 and are the second-highest-ranked Canadian team.

Hopefully this gets the Oilers back into a rhythm, because their underlying numbers are nothing short of elite. They have the best expected goal differential in the NHL, but still trail Vegas by four points for the Pacific Division lead.

Edmonton has a four-game road trip on the East Coast this week against the Jack Hughes-less Devils and three opponents below the playoff line – a perfect opportunity to build some momentum for the final stretch.

The Ottawa Senators are the third Canadian team in the top 10, jumping nine spots after a hard-fought week, with all three games requiring extra time.

Ottawa was aggressive at the deadline, with the most notable move being the Josh Norris-Dylan Cozens swap. Cozens lost no time making an impression with his new teammates, registering an assist and a career-high nine hits in his first game with the club.

The model has loved Ottawa all season, thanks to the ninth-best expected goal differential. It has helped them remain in the playoff hunt, as they currently occupy the final wild-card spot in the East. Will we finally see playoff hockey in the nation’s capital for the first time since 2017?

The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the biggest losers of this week’s rankings, falling from sixth to 15th after a three-game losing streak.

They dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the league-worst Sharks before losing to two top contenders, Vegas and Colorado, by a combined 12-6 score. The Leafs have the worst goal and expected goal differential of any Eastern team currently in the top three of their respective division.

We mentioned last week that the Leafs would ideally add a defenceman and a centre to bolster their roster and that’s exactly what they did, trading for Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton. They hope their improved roster can help them catch the Panthers at the top of the Atlantic.

During the 4 Nations break, Nick Suzuki asked his general manager, Kent Hughes, to keep the team together. Hughes’ answer was, essentially, go win games and show me why I shouldn’t sell. That is exactly what the Habs did, winning their first five out of the break.
Hughes extended Jake Evans but otherwise stayed quiet at the deadline. It was a big vote of confidence for the current group, but the team is still flawed, as we saw in their 1-0 loss to the Flames on Saturday.

If the top line isn’t scoring, there isn’t a lot of firepower in the rest of the lineup. Montreal lacks a true second-line centre, with Owen Beck filling that role in recent games. But he played less than 10 minutes a night on average since Kirby Dach was injured and was just sent down to the Laval Rocket.

Still, Montreal did enough with a 1-1-1 week to jump one spot in the rankings and they remain in the hunt for a playoff spot, currently three points away from Ottawa for the second wild-card.

After losing four of five after the break, the Canucks were able to put together a 2-1-0 week, enough to climb a handful of spots in the rankings and remain one point out of the last wild-card position.

The lack of offence is still a major concern, however. Vancouver hasn’t scored more than three goals in a game since Jan. 27. The Canucks also rank last in slot shots and rush chances per game and just 28th in expected goals. Not numbers that will put them in the model’s favour.

The lowest-scoring team in the NHL, Calgary put together their best offensive effort since Dec. 21 with a 6-3 win against the Flyers on Tuesday. But with only three goals in their next two games, including a Dustin Wolf masterpiece in a 1-0 win against the Canadiens, it wasn’t enough to fool the model.

They climb a couple of spots but are the lowest-ranked Canadian team this week. The Flames hang on to the final wild-card spot in the West, but for how long?