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Wednesday Top 5: NHL Power Rankings

Wednesday Top 5: NHL Power Rankings

 

By Matt Quinn

As we get closer to the NHL trade deadline, some teams are beginning to separate themselves from the pack. In Washington, Alex Ovechkin is still continuing his chase to reach the Great One, In Edmonton, the Oilers are trying to manage life without Conor McDavid for three games, and Minnesota ended a three game slide this week. Lots of storylines abound in this NHL season so far, so let’s see how the top 5 teams are faring at this point in the season.

 

  1. Minnesota Wild

 

The Wild haven’t had the best stretch lately, losing three straight games before the game against the Avs, in which they bounced back with a 3-1 win. Without potential MVP candidate Kirill Kaprizov in the lineup due to injury, the Wild have struggled to find a rhythm. Their dependence on the solid tandem of goalies Filip Gustavsson and veteran future Hall of Famer Marc Andre Fleury have kept them afloat for the most part. They currently sit at 4th overall in the Western Conference and trail the Jets by five points in the Central division. All things considered, they are still in good shape heading into the second half of the season and should continue to be a tough team to beat as we get closer to the playoffs.

 

  1. Edmonton Oilers

 

The Oilers have made the headlines for the wrong reasons lately, as their star captain Connor McDavid begins his three game suspension after the cross checking incident in their last game. They were unable to hold off the Capitals in their first game without McDavid, losing 3-2 despite outshooting the Capitals 32-14. The Oilers are now 7-3 in their last ten games and if they can continue to play like they have before the McDavid suspension, they’ll be once again a huge threat to win the cup in the playoffs.

 

  1. Toronto Maple Leafs

 

It almost seems like a fool’s errand to talk about Toronto in the regular season. Though they are having a tremendous season so far, sitting at first place in the Atlantic Division and trail only the red hot Capitals in the conference overall. The issue with Toronto has been lack of success in the playoffs. Just a few years ago the Maple Leafs won the President’s Trophy for best record in the regular season, only to be bounced in the first round of the playoffs. They are a highly talented team, with outstanding Captain Auston Matthews returning to the lineup and scoring seven goals in his first seven games back, but until they have success in the playoffs there will be question marks surrounding this team.

 

  1. Winnipeg Jets

 

The Jets lead the Western Conference right now and have been consistently one of the best teams in the NHL this season to this point. They haven’t had the best ten game stretch though, going just 4-4-2 in those games. But as long as stud goalie Connor Hellbuyck is between the pipes, they will always have a chance to win games. They have a three point cushion with a game in hand over the second place Golden Knights, who you could make the argument, deserve a spot on this list also. As it stands now, however, the Jets are in great shape as we head to the second half of the season and barring any major injuries or setbacks, should be right there at the end when talking about potential Stanley Cup favorites.

 

  1. Washington Capitals

 

What a time to be a fan in the Nation’s Capital right now. Between the NFL’s Commanders getting to their first NFC Championship game in 32 years, to the ageless wonder that is Alex Ovechkin chasing greatness, it truly must be fun to be a fan in Washington right now. As far as the Capitals go, it truly is remarkable the kind of season they are having. Of course Alex Ovechkin is the big story, but it has been a collective effort from this team this year. When Ovechkin was out for several weeks due to a lower body injury, the Capitals didn’t miss a beat. They have maintained this form all season, regardless of who is out there and alot of it can be contributed to the immense growth of young netminder Logan Thompson. He has been great this season, coming up huge in their last game against the Oilers. He saved 30 of the 32 shots that he faced and despite the Caps only shooting 14 shots, they still managed to put three behind the goalie and snatch another win in their 5th straight game. 

 

 

It’s been a fun season so far in the NHL, and the race to the Cup will surely be entertaining as well. There’s alot of teams that were not discussed in this top five that could also make some noise in the playoffs in a few months. The journey there will be surely epic.