Avalanche
99.9% | Every part is beginning to click on for the Avalanche, and maybe most significantly, the goaltending is selecting up. Since Feb. 1, Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have mixed to avoid wasting 7.56 objectives above common whereas posting a .919 save share. What was as soon as a weak point has turn into a energy. 3 41-25-3
2

Hurricanes
99.9% | The Hurricanes have basically secured second place within the Metro due to their seven-game successful streak, and the protection has been main the way in which. Carolina hasn’t allowed greater than two objectives since March 1, and it hasn’t allowed greater than three objectives since Feb. 25. The opposite finish of the ice needs to be getting a lift with Andrei Svechnikov coming back from damage 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 formidable 4-1 win over Dallas on residence ice final weekend. That gave anybody doubting the Jets’ capacity to beat the division’s different two heavy hitters a little bit 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 recreation has dipped recently. Since Feb. 1, Dallas has an anticipated objectives 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 pattern 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, at the least so far as the common season is anxious, is whether or not Alex Ovechkin can break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time objectives document. He wants eight objectives within the last 15 video games. 3 45-15-8
6

Panthers
99.9% | The Panthers will get the prospect to go back-to-back, however the path to repeating is perhaps far more tough relying upon the place they end within the standings. Florida’s lead within the Atlantic is down to 2 factors, and will probably be and not using a few key gamers for the rest of the common season. Profitable the division means the distinction between taking part in a crew just like the Senators or going through 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 recently, Tampa might be the scariest crew within the Atlantic proper now. It is already robust sufficient to maintain up with the Lightning offensively, however when Vasilevskiy is anyplace close to his peak, that is while you get the recipe for back-to-back championship runs. The Bolts are the crew to beat on this division as issues stand right this moment. 2 39-23-5
8

Maple Leafs
99.8% | Toronto is the third crew 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 benefit from 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 recreation at five-on-five, Vegas has a plus-23 aim differential. With out him, that quantity tumbles to minus-8. Whereas the anticipated objectives numbers stay roughly the identical, that dip in precise outcomes is regarding, particularly looking forward to 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 to be like like Ottawa will attain the playoffs for the primary time since 2017. It actually helps that Dylan Cozens has are available and made a direct impression 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 means out of a paper bag. Twenty-one objectives in 9 video games this month is not an encouraging signal. 1 36-21-9
12

Oilers
99.2% | I have been very important of the Oilers’ depth (or lack thereof), however it is not essentially a deadly flaw due to who’s on the prime of their lineup. Leon Draisaitl now has an 18-game level streak that extends again to Jan. 27. In that span, he has 14 objectives and 13 assists. The depth stays a priority for Edmonton, however Drasaitl and Connor McDavid can drag this crew by means of 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 by means of the primary two months of the calendar 12 months, has put collectively a four-game level streak with three objectives and one help. — 37-26-6
14

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

Wild
91.7% | Barring a stunning 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 objectives 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, will probably 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 with the intention 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 last wild card spot within the West, and people two simply occur to play each other on Thursday evening. Video games do not get any larger than that, and gamers like Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser could have discovered a spark simply in time for Vancouver’s largest tilt of the season to this point. 3 32-25-11
18

Hockey Membership
12.9% | Such a season is what Utah wanted. The younger core acquired out of a nasty state of affairs in Arizona, and it is taking part in significant video games down the stretch. The issue right here is that the playoff math just isn’t in Utah’s favor. No matter what occurs, this franchise is about up for a giant summer time and quite a lot 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 as a result of their 14-2-11 document in one-goal video games. Calgary simply picks up factors in shut video games, and it has stored the crew within the race. The issue for the Flames is that they should begin selecting up two factors at a time extra typically. 2 31-25-11
20

Rangers
35.1% | Simply while you assume 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 residence. The truth that the possibilities 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 risk. 1 33-30-6
21

Blue Jackets
7.1% | Sadly, the Blue Jackets seem like they’re lastly working out of steam. Columbus has one aim in its final three video games, and it has been shutout 3 times in March. The Blue Jackets had been out forward of their skis for a lot of the season, and regression has reared its ugly head on the worst attainable time. The trail solely will get narrower with a really tough 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 depend the Isles out within the East as a result of all they do is discover a means into the postseason. 2 31-28-8
23

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

Geese
0.1% | Anaheim nearly got here type of shut to creating issues fascinating this season. On the one hand, that is a giant enchancment over latest years. On the opposite, it is in all probability a nasty signal that being nowhere close to a playoff spot with 14 video games left is an enchancment. Must be an enchanting 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 probably the most out of it by loading up on draft capital. If he manages the following 12 months or two properly, Pittsburgh may give Sidney Crosby one other swing at a Stanley Cup, and that needs to be the aim. 5 28-32-10
26

Sabres
0.0% | The Sabres’ playoff drought will hit 14 years. I actually do not know the way followers in Buffalo do it anymore. The NHL has a lot pretend parity {that a} franchise ought to be capable of luck its means into the playoffs at the least as soon as each decade. But, right here the Sabres are. 3 27-33-6
27

Bruins
0.9% | In a means, this is perhaps good for the Bruins. As a substitute of making an attempt to carry onto a championship window that was closing quickly, this mess may pressure 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 shortage of success could also be extra of a roster drawback than a training one. Regardless, the Kraken must 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 dangerous. Nashville higher hope this was a worst-case outlier and never a sign of the following 3-5 seasons. 1 25-34-8
30

Flyers
0.0% | The Flyers have been laborious to observe at instances this season, however they’ve Matvei Michkov. He’s very simple to observe, and he might be an electrifying participant for a very long time. That, plus the excessive draft choose that may 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 feel now’s the time for followers to leap on the bandwagon. Do not get me unsuitable. This isn’t a very good crew — at the least 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 certain the Blackhawks would love one other No. 1 choose, however they’ve paid a excessive value to be down right here. Chicago has proven no enchancment, and Connor Bedard has been making an attempt to breathe some life into this roster with no luck. The Hawks do not even look near being a aggressive crew. 1 20-39-9