Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

8. Anaheim Ducks (23-44-10)

Last week: 7

Eight straight losses, all in regulation, have dropped Anaheim back into the basement of the division standings and of our rankings. We doubt Ducks fans are too upset about it, though.

They did give a desperate Calgary Flames team a scare on Sunday, holding a 4-3 lead in the third period, but ultimately lost, 5-4. Frank Vatrano scored a pair of goals in the game, and in doing so recorded the second 20-goal season of his career.

This week: VS EDM, @ ARI, VS COL

7. San Jose Sharks (22-39-15)

Last week: 8

The Sharks are moving up a spot after winning all three games they played last week.

They shut out a Winnipeg Jets team battling for their playoff lives, 3-0. They beat a Vegas Golden Knights team battling for the top spot in the Western Conference, 4-3 in overtime. To cap off the week, Noah Gregor scored his first career hat trick in a 7-2 demolition of the Arizona Coyotes.

It was a devastating week for San Jose’s hopes of landing Connor Bedard, though, as they went from dead last in the league standings to fourth last.

This week: VS COL, VS COL, VS EDM

6. Vancouver Canucks (34-35-7)

Last week: 6

The Canucks started the week with back-to-back overtime losses, 6-5 to the St. Louis Blues and 5-4 to the Flames. That actually extended their point streak to five games before it was snapped with a 4-1 loss to the LA Kings on Sunday.

2019 seventh-round draft pick Aidan McDonough recently made his NHL debut and scored his first career goal in just his second game against Calgary last Friday.

This week: VS SEA, VS CHI, VS CGY

5. Calgary Flames (36-26-15)

Last week: 5

A four-game winning streak has breathed some life back into Calgary’s playoff hopes.

Yes, they’re still two points back of the Jets for the second Wild Card in the Western Conference. Each team has five games left and the Jets have the tiebreaker, but the Flames have a chance to really help their own cause in a massive game in Winnipeg coming up on Wednesday, and have an otherwise soft remaining schedule.

Michael Stone played the unlikely hero for Calgary on Sunday, scoring one of the team’s biggest goals of the season when he gave the Flames a late 5-4 lead over the Ducks. The six goals he’s scored in 47 games this season are his most since scoring six in 75 games for the Coyotes back in the 2015-16 season.

This week: VS CHI, @ WPG, @ VAN

4. Seattle Kraken (41-26-8)

Last week: 4

The Kraken went 1-2-0 last week, dropping games by scores of 5-1 to the Minnesota Wild and 3-1 to the Kings, but defeating the Ducks, 4-1. They seem destined to finish fourth in the Pacific and land a Wild Card.

Daniel Sprong has scored in four of the last six games. He’s set career highs this season with 20 goals and 40 points in just 59 games so far.

This week: VS ARI, @ VAN, VS ARI, VS CHI

3. LA Kings (45-22-10)

Last week: 2

The road trip got off to a tough start for the Kings, as they dropped back-to-back games in regulation to the Flames and Edmonton Oilers and scored just one goal. They bounced back with wins over the Kraken and Canucks, though, in doing so clinching a playoff spot and recording the sixth 100-point season in franchise history.

Unfortunately, though, the late-season injuries are mounting. Mikey Anderson left the game against the Oilers after being hit into the boards by Connor McDavid and has missed the team’s two games since then. Kevin Fiala sat out Sunday’s game in Vancouver with a lower-body injury he’s been battling in recent weeks. Then, Alex Edler left the first period of Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury and didn’t return.

Alex Iafallo missed significant time due to injury earlier in the season, but he’s healthy now and might be getting hot heading into the playoffs. He scored twice in the win in Vancouver on Sunday and has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the last seven games.

This week: VS EDM, @ VGK, VS COL

2. Edmonton Oilers (45-23-9)

Last week: 3

The Oilers followed up a 5-4 victory over the Coyotes with wins over the other top teams in the Pacific in the Golden Knights and Kings, then crushed the Ducks 6-0 on Saturday. They’re 9-0-1 in their last 10 games, haven’t allowed a goal in their last two games, and have officially clinched a playoff spot.

Edmonton is a volatile team, but at times they can look as scary as any team in the league. With the playoffs nearing, that’s now they’re looking right now.

Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick in the blowout win over Anaheim, reaching the 50-goal mark for the third time in his career in the process.

The Oilers and Kings look like they may be on course to face each other in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year and Tuesday’s game in LA could end up deciding who gets home-ice advantage.

This week: @ LA, @ ANA, @ SJ

1. Vegas Golden Knights (47-22-7)

Last week: 1

Their week started with a loss to the Oilers and an overtime loss to the Sharks, but the Golden Knights bounced back on Saturday with a 4-1 win over a red-hot Wild team that is suddenly challenging them for first place in the Western Conference.

Michael Amadio has scored in three of the last five games for Vegas. The former King has put up career-high totals with 14 goals and 24 points in 62 games so far this season.

This week: @ MIN, @ NSH, VS LA, @ DAL

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