Canucks take biggest drop in pre-trade deadline Power Ranking

It will be an exciting week in the NHL with the trade deadline coming up on Friday. What better way to kick it off than with our latest edition of Power Rankings as teams are gearing up for the last seven weeks of the season?

When we last checked in, before the 4 Nations break, the Winnipeg Jets ranked first on our list.

The good news for Jets fans is that their team is in first place in the NHL in both points and points percentage. That said, we have them third on our list as the Tampa Bay Lightning have emerged as a team to be reckoned with down the stretch. The Lightning are a perfect 4-0-0 since the break and have outscored their opponents 14-3 in the process.

The Jets, 3-1-1 since returning from the break, rank first in goal differential but 11th in expected goal differential. In comparison, the Lightning sit third and second respectively.

Our model likes the underlying numbers in Tampa Bay. However, the Jets have shown throughout the season they can finish and have the best goalie in the world between the pipes. Expect Winnipeg to continue to push for top spot on our list.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are up eight spots, from 14th to sixth, in our Power Rankings. The Leafs have won five straight games since returning from the break and look as dangerous as any team in the NHL right now.

Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll are one of the top goaltending duos in the league. Toronto ranks sixth in goals saved above expected (- 25.7). If the Maple Leafs can strengthen their team by adding a centre and depth defenceman ahead of the trade deadline, they should have as good a chance as any team in the Eastern Conference of finally achieving some playoff success.

Down seven spots, from sixth to 13th, the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers snapped their five-game losing streak with a win Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes and now trail the Vegas Golden Knights by four points for the top spot in the Pacific Division.

Edmonton struggled in just about every conceivable area during the losing streak and will look to get back to its dominant puck possession and transition game in the weeks to come.

Speaking of snapping five-game losing streaks, the Ottawa Senators got a much-needed win Saturday against the San Jose Sharks. The Sens' recent skid has them dropping from 13th to 19th on our list.

Our model has been bullish on the Senators for much of the season, however, time is running out for the Sens to solidify themselves as a playoff team. Ottawa sits two points behind Detroit for the final playoff spot in the East as it continues to jockey for positioning with the Wings, Bruins and Montreal Canadiens.

Don’t look now but the Canadiens are just one point back of the Sens and three points out of a playoff spot. The Habs are up nine spots, from 29th to 20th, on our list and are one of four perfect teams (4-0-0) since the NHL returned to action following the 4 Nations break.

Montreal has done well limiting chances and goals during the streak, cutting its goals against down to 1.75 per game while allowing 38 per cent fewer shots from the inner slot, compared to its season average.

The Calgary Flames are up one spot from 25th to 24th. The Flames (2-2-1 since the break) are having a tougher time than usual scoring goals lately. Calgary has managed just one goal in its past three games as generating quality shots continues to be an issue for the Flames.

The second-lowest-scoring team in the NHL, Calgary ranks top 10 in shot attempts and shots on goal. However, the Flames sit bottom-10 in slot shots, inner-slot shots and expected goals. Until the Flames find a way to generate more quality offensively, they will struggle to produce enough goals to win at a higher rate.

Lastly, the Vancouver Canucks are down 11 spots, from 15th to 26th, on our list.

The Canucks, tied with the Flames with 65 points, sit just outside of a playoff spot. Vancouver has one win in five games since returning from the break and, like the Flames, struggles to generate offence. The Canucks rank last in the NHL in slot shots and rush chances, 28th in expected goals and 26th in goals per game.

Our model does not believe Vancouver will be a playoff team come mid-April.

NHL Power Ranking - March 3