Blues remain best in NHL Power Rankings

The Blues' only loss in the past six games came in a game in which they outshot the Wild 42-19, and the last three wins have been shutouts. That kind of defensive stinginess has to please head coach Ken Hitchcock.

Key Injuries: D Kevin Shattenkirk (abdominal).

One regulation loss in the past nine games, getting healthier and G Corey Crawford is playing as well as he ever has. Sure, they'd like to have Patrick Kane, but everything else seems to be moving in the right direction for Chicago.

Key Injuries: RW Patrick Kane (clavicle).

As Lightning rookie winger Jonathan Drouin gets more playing time (14:05 ATOI in March) due to injuries, it's worth noting that he's in a rare group of forwards who have at least 25 assists and fewer than five goals.

Key Injuries: D Braydon Coburn (lower body), LW Ondrej Palat (foot).

One regulation loss in the past 18 games is a remarkable run for a team that lost its reliable star goaltender to injury. Props to Cam Talbot (and Mackenzie Skapski for the Buffalo scrimmages) for taking care of business in King Henrik's absence.

Key Injuries: G Henrik Lundqvist (vascular), D Kevin Klein (arm), RW Martin St. Louis (knee).

One regulation win in the past 11 games is hardly befitting a team at (or near, depending on the day) the top of the standings. Since the All-Star break, their offence has been led by a defenceman who has 23 points in 27 games, while C Mike Fisher is second on the team with 17 points. That defenceman? Roman Josi.

Key Injuries: RW James Neal (upper body).

Getting healthier helps them move up, but the Ducks' big guns are having trouble offensively. Right wingers Corey Perry and Jakob Silfverberg are the team's top scorers since the All-Star break, with 16 points in 24 games.

Key Injuries: None. 

In four straight losses, the Islanders have managed a total of four goals, on 120 shots. Is it just a case of hitting hot goaltenders (Cam Talbot, Andrew Hammond, Carey Price and Corey Crawford), a random blip, or the start of bigger offensive concerns. That the Islanders are still generating a lot of shots is a positive.   

Key Injuries: C Mikhail Grabovski (concussion), D Nick Leddy (lower body), G Jaroslav Halak (lower body).

Since hitting a 20-20-6 record on January 20, the Wild have won 19 of 24 games. That puts them into playoff position, but it's not easy to climb any higher than they currently sit in the Central Division. 

Key Injuries: LW Jason Zucker (collarbone), LW Matt Cooke (lower body), D Marco Scandella (oblique).

Outscored by a cumulative 9-1 score in three straight losses, and the power play is 1-for-22  (4.5%) in the past eight games, a stretch during which the Penguins have two regulation wins. With injuries depleting the forward ranks, in particular, there has been a lot of line juggling going on and the results have been hit-and-miss.

Key Injuries: RW Pascal Dupuis (blood clot), D Olli Maatta (upper body), C Evgeni Malkin (lower body), RW Patric Hornqvist (back).

Three wins in nine games this month, and only one of those wins (a 2-0 win at Arizona) occurred in a game in which the Canadiens allowed fewer than 35 shots against. The weight of all these shots against starts to add up.

Key Injuries: None.

Saturday's loss to Nashville was the Kings' only regulation loss in the past seven games, a stretch during which they have not allowed more than 25 shots in a game, yet the Kings are just barely clinging to a playoff spot. What a dreaded matchup they are going to be in the first round. 

Key Injuries: D Slava Voynov (suspension), LW Tanner Pearson (fibula), D Alec Martinez (concussion).

Rebounded from a drubbing in Philadelphia, their fourth loss in five games, to earn a big win at Pittsburgh, but then news comes that Pavel Datsyuk is out. He's still the engine that drives Detroit's offence, leading the team with 23 points in 21 games since the All-Star break.

Key Injuries: LW Johan Franzen (concussion), LW Darren Helm (oblique), C Pavel Datsyuk (lower body).

Andrew Hammond has been a revelation in goal as the Senators have suffered one regulation loss in the past 14 games, to climb within four points of a playoff spot. That's a long climb.

Key Injuries: LW Clarke MacArthur (concussion), G Craig Anderson (hand), G Robin Lehner (concussion).

Alex Ovechkin is the straw that stirs the drink for the Capitals, but rookie Evgeny Kuznetsov is an interesting player down the stretch and into the playoffs. Since the All-Star break, only Ovechkin and centre, Nicklas Backstrom, are the only Capitals with more points than Kuznetsov's 14 (4 G, 10 A) in 25 games.

Key Injuries: D Brooks Orpik (lower body).

Scored five goals in the past four games, going 0-for-14 on the power play, yet came out with a 2-1-1 record. With a four-point lead on Ottawa, Thursday's matchup looms large.

Key Injuries: C David Krejci (knee), RW Brett Connolly (finger).

One regulation loss in the past six games and getting healthier, except for in goal, where it appears that Ryan Miller won't be ready for the start of the playoffs. The good news: Eddie Lack (.929 SV% in 16 games since the All-Star break), may be ready to handle that responsibility.

Key Injuries: G Ryan Miller (knee).

Locked in a battle for a playoff spot, the Jets' best bet may be to take the crossover from Calgary, and they do meet in the final game of the regular season, but the Jets have a more challenging schedule on the way there.

Key Injuries: LW Mathieu Perreault (lower body), D Dustin Byfuglien (upper body), C Bryan Little (undisclosed).

Too late to make serious charge, but the Stars have won five of seven and are getting a look at a their defence prospects -- a group that was already skewing young before injuries to Trevor Daley and John Klingberg.

Key Injuries: RW Valeri Nichushkin (groin), D Trevor Daley (knee), D John Klingberg (upper body).

What an unnecessary blowup between GM Doug Wilson and centre Joe Thornton. Wilson says they moved on from it quickly, but why would the GM even venture to criticize a centre who is his leading scorer, starts more shifts in the defensive zone and still drives play? Thank your lucky stars you have one of those.

Key Injuries: Raffi Torres (knee).

A four-game homestand against non-playoff teams figures to be crucial for the Flames, who have to keep an eye on the out-of-town scoreboard for Winnipeg and San Jose results.

Key Injuries: D Mark Giordano (biceps), RW Paul Byron (lower body).

It's looking like the Panthers aren't going to close the gap to reach the playoffs, but they have to be reasonably satisfied with the emergency goaltending they have received from Dan Ellis, who has a .922 save percentage in six games.

Key Injuries: G Roberto Luongo (upper body), G Al Montoya (lower body).

While many Flyers stumble towards the finish, RW Wayne Simmonds, with 11 goals and 20 points in 24 games since the All-Star break, is on his way to the most prolific goal-scoring season of his career, currently sitting two off of last year's career-high 29.

Key Injuries: D Michael Del Zotto (upper body), LW R.J. Umberger (hip).

He has modest scoring numbers (4 G, 13 A  in 33 GP), but C Jordan Staal has been phenomenal for the Hurricanes, with spectacular possession numbers effectively undermined by a 4.5% on-ice shooting percentage. Carolina is also 16-12-5 since he returned to the lineup.

Key Injuries: None.

He's likely to get overlooked, because the Devils haven't been anywhere near a playoff spot this season, but G Cory Schneider is turning in a season that ranks with the league's best this year.

Key Injuries: LW Ryane Clowe (concussion), D Bryce Salvador (lower body).

One loss in the past six games is a nice stretch, but is there a point? Avs are still six points out of a playoff spot, so they're going to need to keep winning to make a dent.

Key Injuries: LW Jamie McGinn (back), D Erik Johnson (lower body), C/RW Nathan MacKinnon (foot).

While there may have been questions about rookie winger Marko Dano's AHL production (10 G, 8 A in 37 GP), he's been an effective addition to the Blue Jackets' late-season lineup, putting up nine points (4 G, 5 A) and generating 41 shots on goal in the past 15 games,

Key Injuries: C Boone Jenner (back), RW Jeremy Morin (heart), RW David Clarkson (oblique), LW Matt Calvert (concussion).

The only Coyotes forward scoring better than half-a-point per game since the All-Star break is waiver pickup Mark Arcobello, who has eight points (3 G, 5 A) in 15 games.

Key Injuries: LW Mikkel Boedker (spleen), C Martin Hanzal (upper body).

One regulation win in the past 10 games and it came against a team that couldn't get a healthy goaltender in to the game. Knock out of a couple of centres from the everyday lineup and this is a team that could have totally challenged Buffalo for the bottom, if only they had started on this decline sooner.

Key Injuries: D Roman Polak (sports hernia), C Peter Holland (lower body), C Nazem Kadri (suspension).

The win over Toronto was comfortable, but let's not get too excited; it only ended a seven-game winless slide for the Oilers who, along with Arizona, are within three points of "catching" the Sabres.

Key Injuries: LW Taylor Hall (foot), D Nikita Nikitin (shoulder).

It's pretty great that the Sabres have a roster that is tank-tastic, yet they are still in a fight for 30th spot because, somehow, they find their way into unlikely hot goaltenders. Anders Lindback is the latest, following up Michal Neuvirth, to threaten Buffalo's push for the basement.

Key Injuries: C Zemgus Girgensons (foot), D Josh Gorges (lower body).