Pacific Division Power Rankings

Photo Credit: Hockey Royalty

The Flames become the first Pacific team to clinch, the Canucks lose their captain, and the LA Kings are back in control of their fate.

8. Seattle Kraken (24-44-6)

Last week: 8

Playoff odds: 0%

It’s looking like it’s going to be hard to out-tank the Arizona Coyotes, who’ve been outscored 38-7 over the course of their last six games, all regulation losses. Arizona is five points back of Seattle and looks like they may not get five more points the rest of the season.

Whether the Kraken get some lottery luck or not, they’re going to have another high draft pick to add to the core they’ll look to build around. The biggest piece of that core so far is Matt Beniers, last year’s second-overall pick who made his NHL debut this week and has a goal and an assist to show for his first two games.

This week: VS OTT, VS COL, @ MIN, @ DAL

7. San Jose Sharks (29-34-12)

Last week: 7

Playoff odds: 0%

The Sharks were officially eliminated from playoff contention while their winless streak grew to 10 games last week. It’s the first time in franchise history they’ve missed the postseason in three straight years.

Three of their four losses last week did come in overtime or a shootout, so at least they’re playing somewhat competitive games, I guess? I think everyone in San Jose is probably just ready for this season to be over. Maybe even Timo Meier, despite how great he’s been.

This week: VS CBJ, VS STL, VS CHI, @ VGK

6. Anaheim Ducks (30-33-14)

Last week: 6

Playoff odds: 0%

Official elimination has also come for the Ducks, who will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. That’s also their longest playoff drought in franchise history. They’ll have a chance to play spoiler this week with two games against the LA Kings, who are looking to avoid missing the playoffs for a fourth straight year themselves.

Which means the Kings are going to have to find a way to contain Troy Terry. He just hasn’t stopped scoring all year, now up to 36 goals on the season after scoring twice in Anaheim’s 6-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

This week: VS LA, @ LA, VS STL

5. Vancouver Canucks (37-28-10)

Last week: 5

Playoff odds: 4.7%

Vancouver is refusing to bow out of the race quietly. Their winning streak is up to five games after a 5-4 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights and a 7-1 spanking of the Coyotes.

The Canucks did let the Golden Knights tie that game with less than a minute left, and that was a game where they really could have used a regulation win. (The Kings would have liked to have seen that, too.) An even bigger blow to their playoff hopes than allowing Vegas to get a point out of that game, though, was a lower-body injury suffered by captain Bo Horvat while blocking a shot in the win over Arizona. The team says he’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, meaning he won’t return in the regular season.

This week: VS DAL, VS OTT, @ MIN, @ CGY

4. Vegas Golden Knights (41-30-5)

Last week: 3

Playoff odds: 35.9%

Despite crushing the division-leading Calgary Flames 6-1, it wasn’t a great Western Canadian road trip for the Golden Knights. In addition to that overtime loss in Vancouver, they suffered a 4-0 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. That loss took the Knights’ playoff hopes out of their hands. It’s now possible, if unlikely, that winning out wouldn’t get them into the playoffs.

Vegas is the fourth team in the last two seasons for former King Michael Amadio, but perhaps he’s found a home. He’s set career highs with 10 goals and 17 points so far this season.

This week: VS NJ, VS WSH, VS SJ

3. LA Kings (40-27-10)

Last week: 4

Playoff odds: 80.7%

The news of Drew Doughty undergoing season-ending wrist surgery was a gut punch, to be sure. It certainly hurts the Kings’ hopes of doing much of anything in the playoffs, but they will have no one to blame but themselves if they fail to get there at all. Their fate is in their hands and their remaining schedule is as soft as they could have asked for.

Doughty may not be coming back, but Dustin Brown has looked good since returning from a 14-game absence. He’s picked up three points in three games, including the opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Blue Jackets.

This week: @ ANA, VS CHI, VS ANA

2. Edmonton Oilers (44-26-6)

Last week: 2

Playoff odds: 99.8%

It’s been a rollercoaster of a season in Edmonton, but they’re playing great hockey at the right time. The Oilers are 15-3-2 over their last 20 games and are coming off back-to-back 4-0 shutouts of the Nashville Predators and the Golden Knights to close out the week.

That 4-0 win over Vegas came in spite of neither Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl recording any points. Edmonton got offense from some unlikely sources on Saturday, none more so than Kris Russell.

This week: VS DAL, VS COL, @ CBJ

1. Calgary Flames (46-20-9)

Last week: 1

Playoff odds: 100%

The Flames are the first Pacific Division team to secure their spot in the playoffs. They’ve also clinched home-ice advantage in the first round and their magic number to clinch the division — points either they pick up or the Oilers leave on the table — is six.

Johnny Gaudreau is up to 105 points (36-69-105) on the season after contributing two goals and two assists to Saturday’s 9-1 demolition of the Coyotes, the 14th time this season he’s had three or more points in a game.

They’ve got a playoff run to focus on first, but, unsurprisingly, they plan on doing everything they can to keep Johnny Hockey in Calgary beyond this season.

This week: @ CHI, @ NSH, VS DAL, VS VAN

(Main photo credit: Hockey Royalty)

Tags:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *