The Avs scored three times in the third period. (0:52) With less than two weeks left until the NHL trade deadline, GMs are watching their teams closely to determine whether to trade away players or make additions before the playoffs start. We identified a particularly tough stretch for every club between now and the end of the regular season in the NHL power rankings. How we rank: A panel of commentators, analysts, reporters and editors rate teams against one another, and those results are used to produce the list featured here. The last edition was published on March 2. The points pace is through Tuesday. 1 was the previous ranking.
Points percentage: 0.750
Next seven days: @ CAR (March 10), vs. CGY (March 13), @ LA (March 15)
1. Colorado Avalanche
March 27 to April 5 are dangerous. There are five teams. 10 days. It doesn't sound like a lot of work. Colorado is facing Minnesota andCalgary on the road, and then hosts San Jose and Sidney Crosby in a home and away game. A potential team in the hunt? Tough sledding.
The previous ranking was 3.
Points percentage: 0.728
Next seven days: vs. PHI (March 10), @ LA (March 13), @ SJ (March 15)
Beware of March 13 and 27. Is there no home cooking for two weeks? When you have won more games in your barn than anyone else this season? It is amazing. The competition will be no slouch either. Florida goes west to see L.A., San Jose, Vegas and Anaheim, and then goes north to meet Montreal, Toronto, andOttawa.
The previous ranking was 2.
Points percentage: 0.741
Next seven days: vs. COL (March 10), vs. PHI (March 12), @ PIT (March 13)
March 20 and 29 are dangerous. Is it possible to see the bay twice in a short time? Not good. Carolina has a lot of work to do coming up with games. The stretch? The Rangers, Bolts, Stars and Blues are at home, followed by the Blues, Caps, and Bolts on the road. The teams that made the playoffs. All the time.
The previous ranking was 4.
Points percentage: 0.714
Next seven days: @ CGY (March 10), @ EDM (March 12), @ VAN (March 13)
Beware of April 4-14. The NHL playoff race is close. If that holds, there will be a spirited period through early April. The Lightning will play Washington, Boston, Buffalo, Dallas and Anaheim in their next seven games. The others should be jockeying for position just to stay alive as the Sabres are no easy out. It was fun!
The previous ranking was 5.
Points percentage: 0.670
Next seven days: vs. TB (March 10), vs. DET (March 12), @ COL (March 13)
March 26 to April 6 are dangerous. It's not unusual for another chapter in the Battle of Alberta to start a challenging run. The Flames start by hosting the Eskimos, followed by Colorado, Los Angeles, and St. Louis before heading down to visit the Kings and Ducks. That is a busy schedule.
The previous ranking was 8.
Points percentage: 0.675
Next seven days: @ STL (March 10), @ DAL (March 12), vs. ANA (March 15)
March 19 and 29 are dangerous. Does any team want to face Carolina and the other teams in back-to-back nights? Stress is pure. The Rangers played their Tri-State rivals in New Jersey on the way home, followed by two games against Pittsburgh in five nights. The Sabres were sandwiched in. Oof!
The previous ranking was 6.
Points percentage: 0.684
Next seven days: vs. ARI (March 10), @ BUF (March 13), vs. DAL (March 15)
March 27 to April 7 are dangerous. This is a difficult block to highlight for the Leafs. Twice in Florida. Boston, Dallas, and Tampa are all on the road. Philadelphia and Winnipeg were mixed in. Toronto is currently sitting in the playoff picture, but a rough 12 days could affect that.
The previous ranking was 10.
Points percentage: 0.664
Next seven days: vs. VGK (March 11), vs. CAR (March 13), @ NSH (March 15)
March 29-April 9 are dangerous. Send your good vibes to the team. Their toughest block starts against the Rangers, feeds into road games at the Wild and Colorado, followed by a meeting with the Avs and Rangers, and ends against the rival Caps. The stuff of nightmares! And playing hockey.
The previous ranking was 7.
Points percentage: 0.634
Next seven days: vs. NYR (March 10), @ NSH (March 12), vs. WPG (March 13)
Beware March 10-22. The Blues are getting into it. The Rangers will be in town to start, and then St. Louis has some of the best teams in the league, including Nashville, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Washington. They are getting their toughest stretch out of the way early.
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The previous ranking was 14.
Points percentage: 0.612
Next seven days: vs. SJ (March 10), @ SJ (March 12), vs. FLA (March 13), vs. COL (March 15)
March 10-19 are dangerous. If San Jose starts winning a lot, it could make the playoffs. The Kings have three games in a week against their Pacific Division rivals. Florida, Colorado and Vegas are below L.A. in the table. Buckle up.
The previous ranking was 17
Points percentage: 0.598
Next seven days: vs. NYR (March 12), @ TOR (March 15)
March 15 and 24 are dangerous. Dallas has not been a great road team. The Stars have only 13 home games left. The next road trip will begin in Toronto and go through Montreal, the Islanders, Washington and Carolina, with a home date against the Eskimos thrown in. All teams are playing for pride and a spot in the playoffs.
The previous ranking was 11.
Points percentage: 0.640
Next seven days: vs. CHI (March 10), vs. ARI (March 12), @ CHI (March 15)
April 19 and 29 are dangerous. The Bruins are going to run to the finish. Dropping in on St. Louis and Pittsburgh, home to greet the Rangers, back out to Montreal, welcome in Florida and Buffalo, wrap up things in Toronto. It will take 11 days to get into the playoffs.
The previous ranking was 12.
Points percentage: 0.586
Next seven days: @ BUF (March 10), @ PIT (March 11), @ CBJ (March 13), @ WPG (March 15)
March 17 and 24 are dangerous. Vegas has a lot of Pacific Division clubs with which to deal later in the schedule. Florida and Los Angeles enter the Fortress first, followed by the Golden Knights and then Nashville. It's a stretch, to say the least.
The previous ranking was 13
Points percentage: 0.607
Next seven days: vs. ANA (March 10), vs. STL (March 12), @ MIN (March 13), vs. PIT (March 15)
Beware April 17-28. Nashville is on the bubble. There is a chance of a storm in a month. Six of the final seven games are against top-tier clubs, including a visit to Colorado. During a late-season playoff push, that is a hard path to tread.
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The previous ranking was 16.
Points percentage: 0.612
Next seven days: @ EDM (March 9), @ VAN (March 11), vs. NYI (March 15)
March 28-April 10 are dangerous. Washington has had a rough start to the calendar. A five-game stretch in April includes a trip to see the Pittsburgh Penguins. A test of Washington's readiness for the playoffs? No question.
The previous ranking was 9.
Points percentage: 0.627
Next seven days: @ DET (March 10), @ CBJ (March 11), vs. NSH (March 13)
Beware April 2-12. The schedule of the Wild is fast-paced almost to the end. The early days of April could be difficult for a team that has been average away from home. After taking on the East Coast, Minnesota goes to see division rivals Nashville and St. Louis before returning to take on the West Coast. Heavy travel and competition.
The previous ranking was 15.
Points percentage: 0.561
Next seven days: vs. WSH (March 9), vs. TB (March 12), vs. DET (March 15)
Beware of April 3-16. So. Much. Jockeying! The first few weeks of April could be decisive in where the Oilers end up. It begins in Anaheim, San Jose and L.A., then goes through Colorado, Minnesota, Nashville and Vegas. There are a lot of key points up for grabs.
The previous ranking was 21.
Points percentage: 0.534
Next seven days: @ NSH (March 10), @ NJ (March 12), @ NYI (March 13), @ NYR (March 15)
Beware of April 3-14. Anaheim is losing ground in the playoffs. Keep an eye on this window of the schedule if it is still in it by April. The Ducks start in the Pacific against the Eskimos and then travel to see Philadelphia, Carolina, Florida and Tampa. Anaheim should be ready for some heavy hitters with a lot on the line.
The previous ranking was 19
Points percentage: 0.544
Next seven days: vs. MTL (March 9), vs. WSH (March 11), vs. TB (March 13), vs. NJ (March 15)
March 23 and 30 are dangerous. Hope the diet of the Central contender is steady. The four-game road swing will be a test for the Canuck's drive up the table. There is a home and home with Vegas on the other end. There is a chance to gain ground.
The previous ranking was 20.
Points percentage: 0.526
Next seven days: @ NJ (March 10, @ NYI (March 11), @ STL (March 13), vs. VGK (March 15)
Beware from April 15 to 24. There is a chance that the Jets will do some damage if they make the playoffs. The schedule makers have not made it easy for them to do that. After four road games, the Jets will play Colorado at home before the end of the season. If the Jets can get through that with a positive record, they will be in the playoffs.
The previous ranking was 18.
Points percentage: 0.518
Next seven days: @ NYI (March 10), vs. MIN (March 11), vs. VGK (March 13)
Beware of March 29-Apr. 7. This is the quirkiest run remaining for Columbus. There were six games and 10 nights. The Islanders, Bruins and Flyers are all Columbus' opponents. Is this an advantage? Is it a disadvantage? We can't wait to find out.
The previous ranking was 22.
Points percentage: 0.491
Next seven days: @ LA (March 10), vs. LA (March 12), vs. FLA (March 15)
March 31-Apr. There are 12. There is no sugar coating the remaining schedule of the Sharks. It is difficult all around. The run goes through Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton,Calgary, Vancouver and Nashville, which is especially brutal given San Jose's quest to claw up the points. It will be difficult to get the big points here.
The previous ranking was 23.
Points percentage: 0.474
Next seven days: vs. MIN (March 10), @ CGY (March 12), @ EDM (March 15)
Beware of April 14-21. Nothing gets the juices flowing like a run through the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Detroit went toe-to-toe with Carolina, the Rangers, Florida, and then Florida again. This will be a good test for the Red Wings stable of young, rising talent.
The previous ranking was 24.
Points percentage: 0.472
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (March 10), vs. WPG (March 11), vs. ANA (March 13), @ WSH (March 15)
Beware of March and April. 1. The schedule is brutal because of a delayed home slate and the COVID-19 pause problems. There are five games in seven nights and two back-to-back games. The opponents? Boston, Columbus, and the Rangers. It was a bad day.
There will be 103 exclusive regular-season games this season, and more than 1,000 out-of-market games will be available on Disney's streaming service, Disney+.
• How to watch
• Subscribe to ESPN+
• Stream the NHL on ESPN
The previous ranking was 25.
Points percentage: 0.412
Next seven days: vs. WPG (March 10), vs. ANA (March 12), @ VAN (March 15)
Beware of March 15-23. The state of New Jersey will be getting its miles in. A trek through the western Canadian teams includes a stop inCalgary and a back-to-back with the Rangers and Maple Leafs. Better rest now!
The previous ranking was 27.
Points percentage: 0.431
Next seven days: @ BOS (March 10), @ OTT (March 12), vs. BOS (March 15)
March 15-26 are dangerous. The competition will be better for the Hawks than it was for this mid-March blip. Chicago and Boston come to town, and then they go to Minnesota, Anaheim, Los Angeles and Vegas. That could make for some fun nights of hockey for the team looking to play spoiler.
The previous ranking was 31.
Points percentage: 0.379
Next seven days: vs. VGK (March 10), vs. TOR (March 13)
The week of April 7-13 is Beware. The last big road trip of the season is by the Sabres. Carolina and Florida are on a back-to-back. Buffalo will have a little rest after that run.
The previous ranking was 26.
Points percentage: 0.411
Next seven days: @ FLA (March 10), @ CAR (March 12), vs. MTL (March 13)
March 22 and 29 are dangerous. There were eight nights in five cities. It was spicy! Philadelphia is on the road for stops in Detroit, St. Louis, Colorado, Nashville and Minnesota. You will not find much tougher spans than that.
The previous ranking was 28.
Points percentage: 0.402
Next seven days: vs. SEA (March 10), vs. CHI (March 12), vs. ARI (March 14)
Beware of April 9-16. The road has not been a good place for Ottawa this season. It will be put to the test again with meetings at the Rangers, Detroit and Boston, plus home games against Winnipeg and Toronto. A real fight.
The previous ranking was 29
Points percentage: 0.330
Next seven days: @ VAN (March 9), vs. SEA (March 12), @ PHI (March 13), vs. ARI (March 15)
Beware of March and April. 2. The Canadiens have turned things around. They could show their newfound confidence against the best. The Florida and Toronto teams are in town, and the Montreal team will see the other teams on the road over the course of five nights. All of that youthful strength will be tested.
The previous ranking was 30.
Points percentage: 0.331
Next seven days: @ OTT (March 10), @ MTL (March 12)
Beware of March and April. 1. This set of four games is a tough one because Seattle has only four wins against Pacific Division teams this season. Los Angeles and Vegas are two teams that will be happy to pad their spots in the race, unless Seattle has something to say about it.
The previous ranking was 32.
Points percentage: 0.339
Next seven days: @ TOR (March 10), @ BOS (March 12), @ OTT (March 14), @ MTL (March 15)
Beware of March 25-Apr. 1. Arizona gets to spend some time with its former Pacific Division friends. There will be a back-to-back with San Jose and Anaheim in there for good measure. The stretch can tell the team a lot if they want to know where they stand.
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