PWH Power Rankings: Playoff Clinching Moments All Over
Bruins, Panthers, Rangers, Hurricanes and Stars all clinched spots on Thursday night
It’s that time of year when teams are seemingly clinching Stanley Cup playoff spots every few hours.
The New York Rangers were the first team to clinch a postseason spot, and then it was the Boston Bruins despite not even playing on Thursday night thanks to a Flyers loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
"We did a great job accomplishing that,” said Brad Marchand. “We need to be proud of that first step, but we can't get complacent. That's not what we set out to do...it's not the whole goal. There's still a lot we need to accomplish."
Interestingly, it’s just the Dallas Stars that have clinched in the West while the Bruins, Panthers, Rangers and Hurricanes have all punched their Eastern Conference tickets after rising to the top of the respective Atlantic and Metro Divisions. More clinching will come in the passing days, but here’s a snapshot of the Pucks with Haggs power rankings as we enter an Easter weekend full of games that will continue to clear up the playoff picture.
Here are the PWH power rankings:
1) New York Rangers (49-20-4) – The first team to clinch a playoff spot, the Rangers have been the best team in the NHL during the second half the season with a red-hot Artemi Panarin leading the way with 13 goals and 37 points in 24 games since the NHL All Star break.
2) Dallas Stars (46-19-9) – Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn have all been point-per-game players since the All Star break and lead a Dallas team that’s been extremely productive offensively. Will that be a formula for success in the playoffs? It remains to be seen.
3) Boston Bruins (42-17-15) – For those wondering about David Pastrnak’s candidacy for the Hart Trophy, look at the way he continues to carry the B’s offense since the NHL All Star break as other players have scuffled offensively. He may not repeat his 60-goal season from last year, but this season has been even more impressive offensively given some of the pieces missing around him.
4) Vancouver Canucks (45-20-8) – JT Miller still getting it done for the Canucks since the NHL All Star break, but a lot of other Vancouver players have quieted down, which continues to invite speculation that the Canucks could become a first-round playoff disappointment.
5) Colorado Avalanche (46-21-6) – The Avs are no longer on their monster winning streak, but they continue to look like a team that will be a handful in the Western Conference even if they have yet to clinch their playoff spot.
6) Florida Panthers (46-22-5) – The Panthers are rounding into form and Sergei Bobrovsky has been dominant between the pipes since the NHL All Star break. It still feels like this is the team to beat in the East now that they are getting healthy.
7) Carolina Hurricanes (46-21-7) – Fourteen points in 10 games for Jake Guentzel since being traded from the Penguins to the Canes. Not too shabby, at all. That could be the rare trade deadline deal that really does help tip the scales for a team in the postseason.
8) Edmonton Oilers (44-23-4) – Connor McDavid has an incredible 55 points in 26 games since the NHL All Star break and Zach Hyman has a crazy 21 goals in that time period as well. Plus, Hyman is involved in one of the stupidest controversies in all time while being lumped in with this infantile, petty analysis from one of the worst people working in the hockey media. As lame as it gets.
9) Winnipeg Jets (44-23-6) – The Jets have lost five in a row and are starting to look like the “pretender” playoff team that many had labeled them at points throughout the season. It feels like there just isn’t going to be enough offense when push comes to shove with this group.
10) Toronto Maple Leafs (41-22-9) – It’s largely been the Auston Matthews and William Nylander show for the Leafs since the All Star break, but one big development has been Tyler Bertuzzi emerging from his season-long slump. Still, none of it is going to matter if they don’t get better than the .898 save percentage goaltending they’ve had since the break.