The regular season is done, and we now know who all the playoff teams and what the matchups are. There weren’t a lot of changes from last week, other than:
- Florida won the President’s Trophy as the team with the best record in the NHL
- Carolina clinched 1st place in the Metropolitan Division
- Nashville and Dallas both clinched wildcard spots in the Western Conference
- Los Angeles clinched a playoff spot by finishing 3rd in the Pacific Division
- Vegas and Vancouver were eliminated from playoff contention in the Western Conference
Four of last week’s top 5 teams in the McDonald NHL Power Rankings remain in the top 5, but Carolina moved into the top 5 while Florida dropped out. Colorado remained the top team, as they have been for most of the season. Toronto (yes, THAT Toronto) moved up into second place after winning their final two games. Carolina jumped from 6th up to 3rd, Calgary dropped down from 3rd to 4th, and St. Louis went from 2nd to 5th. Despite winning the President’s Trophy, Florida dropped out of the top 5, moving down to 6th.
At the bottom end, sadly, last year’s Stanley Cup finalist Montreal finished the regular season ranked last in the NHL. They also sported the worst record in the league, going 22-49-11 for 55 points, 2 points behind 2nd-worst Arizona. As some wag pointed out on Twitter, Montreal is the first team in the history of the NHL to finish 32nd!
On to the playoffs! Expect a McDonald NHL Power Ratings Playoff Preview soon, as the playoffs start on Monday, May 2nd.
The top 5
1. Colorado Avalanche (1601, ▼4)
Record: 56-19-7, 1st in Central Division
Chances of:
- Making the playoffs: ✔
- Winning the President’s Trophy: — (▼1)
- Winning the Stanley Cup: 14%
Last week: 1-1-1
- April 26: Won 5-3 vs. St. Louis Blues (5th, 1582)
- April 28: Lost in SO 5-4 vs. Nashville Predators (17th, 1512)
- April 29: Lost 4-1 @ Minnesota Wild (7th, 1575)
- End of regular season
2. Toronto Maple Leafs ▲3 (1598, ▲10)
Record: 54-21-7, 2nd in Atlantic Division
Chances of:
- Making the playoffs: ✔
- Winning the President’s Trophy: —
- Winning the Stanley Cup: 11% (▲2)
Last week: 2-0-0
- April 26: Won 3-0 vs. Detroit Red Wings (24th, 1432)
- April 29: Won 5-2 vs. Boston Bruins (11th, 1559)
- End of regular season
3. Carolina Hurricanes ▲3 (1593, ▲11)
Record: 54-20-8, 1st in Metropolitan Division
Chances of:
- Making the playoffs: ✔
- Winning the President’s Trophy: —
- Winning the Stanley Cup: 11% (▲3)
Last week: 2-0-0
- April 26: Won 4-3 @ New York Rangers (8th, 1564)
- April 28: Won 6-3 vs. New Jersey Devils (30th, 1392)
- End of regular season
4. Calgary Flames ▼1 (1586, ▼10)
Record: 50-21-11, 1st in Pacific Division
Chances of:
- Making the playoffs: ✔
- Winning the President’s Trophy: —
- Winning the Stanley Cup: 11% (▼1)
Last week: 1-1-1
- April 26: Won in OT 5-4 @ Nashville Predators (17th, 1512)
- April 28: Lost in OT 3-2 @ Minnesota Wild (7th, 1575)
- April 29: Lost 3-1 @ Winnipeg Jets (20th, 1505)
- End of regular season
5. St. Louis Blues ▼3 (1582, ▼16)
Record: 49-22-11, 3rd in Central Division
Chances of:
- Making the playoffs: ✔
- Winning the President’s Trophy: —
- Winning the Stanley Cup: 7% (▼3)
Last week: 0-2-0
- April 26: Lost 5-3 @ Colorado Avalanche (1st, 1601)
- April 29: Lost 7-4 vs. Vegas Golden Knights (16th, 1515)
- End of regular season
Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.
Overall Ratings
1 Colorado Avalanche 1601 (▼4) 2 Toronto Maple Leafs (▲3) 1598 (▲10) 3 Carolina Hurricanes (▲3) 1593 (▲11) 4 Calgary Flames (▼1) 1586 (▼10) 5 St. Louis Blues (▼3) 1582 (▼16) 6 Florida Panthers (▼2) 1581 (▼13) 7 Minnesota Wild 1575 (▼4) 8 New York Rangers 1564 (▼14) 9 Edmonton Oilers 1561 (▲3) 10 Tampa Bay Lightning 1560 (▲4) 11 Boston Bruins 1559 (▲7) 12 Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1) 1540 (▼3) 13 Los Angeles Kings (▲1) 1534 (▲7) 14 Washington Capitals (▼3) 1530 (▼22) 15 Vancouver Canucks 1525 (▲6) 16 Vegas Golden Knights (▲2) 1515 (▲9) 17 Nashville Predators (▼1) 1512 (▼5) 18 Dallas Stars (▼1) 1509 (▲1) 19 New York Islanders 1508 (▲8) 20 Winnipeg Jets 1505 (▲19) 21 Buffalo Sabres 1468 (▼7) 22 Ottawa Senators 1452 23 Columbus Blue Jackets 1450 (▼1) 24 Detroit Red Wings (▲1) 1432 (▲4) 25 San Jose Sharks (▼1) 1431 (▼13) 26 Anaheim Ducks (▲1) 1420 (▲4) 27 Seattle Kraken (▼1) 1409 (▼9) 28 Arizona Coyotes (▲3) 1401 (▲24) 29 Chicago Blackhawks (▲1) 1396 (▲11) 30 New Jersey Devils (▼1) 1392 (▼9) 31 Philadelphia Flyers (▼3) 1385 (▼19) 32 Montreal Canadiens 1382 (▲23)
Chances of Winning Division
Metropolitan Division
1 Carolina Hurricanes ✔ (▲7) 2 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲1) — 2 (tie) New York Islanders (▲1) — 2 (tie) New York Rangers — (▼7) 2 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▲1) — 2 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲1) — 2 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1) — 2 (tie) Washington Capitals (▲1) —
Atlantic Division
1 Florida Panthers ✔ 2 (tie) Boston Bruins — 2 (tie) Buffalo Sabres — 2 (tie) Detroit Red Wings — 2 (tie) Montreal Canadiens — 2 (tie) Ottawa Senators — 2 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning — 2 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs —
Central Division
1 Colorado Avalanche ✔ 2 (tie) Arizona Coyotes — 2 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks — 2 (tie) Dallas Stars — 2 (tie) Minnesota Wild — 2 (tie) Nashville Predators — 2 (tie) St. Louis Blues — 2 (tie) Winnipeg Jets —
Pacific Division
1 Calgary Flames ✔ 2 (tie) Anaheim Ducks — 2 (tie) Edmonton Oilers — 2 (tie) Los Angeles Kings — 2 (tie) San Jose Sharks — 2 (tie) Seattle Kraken — 2 (tie) Vancouver Canucks — 2 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights —
Making the Playoffs
Metropolitan Division
1 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes ✔ 1 (tie) New York Rangers ✔ 1 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins ✔ 1 (tie) Washington Capitals ✔ 5 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets — 5 (tie) New York Islanders — 5 (tie) New Jersey Devils — 5 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers —
Atlantic Division
1 (tie) Boston Bruins ✔ 1 (tie) Florida Panthers ✔ 1 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning ✔ 1 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs ✔ 5 (tie) Buffalo Sabres — 5 (tie) Detroit Red Wings — 5 (tie) Montreal Canadiens — 5 (tie) Ottawa Senators —
Central Division
1 (tie) Colorado Avalanche ✔ 1 (tie) Dallas Stars (▲4) ✔ (▲7) 1 (tie) Minnesota Wild ✔ 1 (tie) Nashville Predators (▲3) ✔ (▲2) 1 (tie) St. Louis Blues ✔ 6 (tie) Arizona Coyotes — 6 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks — 6 (tie) Winnipeg Jets —
Pacific Division
1 (tie) Calgary Flames ✔ 1 (tie) Edmonton Oilers ✔ 1 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▲2) ✔ (▲1) 4 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▲2) — 4 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▲2) — 4 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲2) — 4 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▲1) — (▼1) 4 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights — (▼9)
Winning the President’s Trophy
1 Florida Panthers ✔ (▲1)
Florida won the President’s Trophy.
Winning the Stanley Cup
1 Colorado Avalanche 14% 2 (tie) Calgary Flames 11% (▼1) 2 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▲4) 11% (▲3) 2 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▲3) 11% (▲2) 5 Florida Panthers (▼2) 9% (▼2) 6 (tie) Minnesota Wild (▲2) 7% (▲1) 6 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▼2) 7% (▼3) 8 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▲1) 6% (▲1) 8 (tie) New York Rangers (▼1) 6% (▼1) 10 (tie) Boston Bruins 4% 10 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning 4% 12 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▲2) 3% (▲1) 12 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1) 3% 14 Washington Capitals (▼4) 2% (▼2) 15 (tie) Dallas Stars 1% 15 (tie) Nashville Predators 1% 17 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▲2) — 17 (tie) Arizona Coyotes (▲2) — 17 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲2) — 17 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▲2) — 17 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲2) — 17 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▲2) — 17 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▲2) — 17 (tie) New York Islanders (▲2) — 17 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▲2) — 17 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▲2) — 17 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲2) — 17 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▲2) — 17 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲2) — 17 (tie) Vancouver Canucks — (▼1) 17 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights — (▼1) 17 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲2) —