Power Rankings: Avs are NHL’s best team coming out of All-Star Break
We are back!
The unofficial second half of the season is officially underway now that the All-Star break is over. Here are the power ratings to kick things off…
the Elite Eight
1. Colorado Avalanche (32-8-4)
In one of the most shocking results of the 2021-22 season so far, the Coyotes ended Colorado’s 10-game winning streak just before the All-Star break. Yet despite the upset, the Avs are still the best team in the league.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (31-9-2)
The Hurricanes move up to second place on a four-game winning streak that they lead into the All-Star break. Carolina has a test ahead of them as they face Toronto, Boston and Minnesota.
3. Florida Panthers (32-10-5)
Once Carolina is done with that roster, we’ll see them take on the Panthers, who have some extra time after the All-Star break. Florida had won four in a row before losing to Rangers before the break.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (29-10-3)
A series will have to end. The Leafs are rolling, have won five in a row before the break, and they will start their second half against the Hurricanes.
5. Minnesota Wild (28-10-3)
The last time the Wild didn’t score at least one point in a game was when they were away at Target Field on Jan. 1. Since the Winter Classic, they have gone 9-0-1.
6. Tampa Bay Lightning (30-10-6)
We have a possible glimpse of the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals as the Avs host the Lightning on Thursday. Colorado won the last time these two teams met in October.
7. Pittsburgh Penguins (27-11-8)
The Penguins are doing their best to get off this list. After a streak in which they won 17 of 19 games, Pittsburgh went cold as they lost four in a row. They managed to get loser points in three of them, but getting dropped by Seattle and Detroit isn’t a good thing.
8. Boston Bruins (26-14-3)
Another team that has calmed down after a tear is the Bruins, who round out this week’s roster. Boston looked unbeatable in January, but they suddenly lost three of five. Tuukka Rask has been bombarded a few times and has an .844 save percentage in four games. What’s next for Rask and the Bruins?
To note…
The Vegas Golden Knights are heading to the Elite Eight. They had the gauntlet of a road trip before the All-Star break, passing through Washington, Carolina, Florida and Tampa, and they picked up wins over the Capitals and Lightning.
Vegas could also soon add a reinforcement to the lineup…
Jack Eichel was expected to potentially make his debut for the Golden Knights at the end of the Olympic break, which, of course, was filled with rescheduled games because NHL players wouldn’t travel to Beijing. The break would have ended on February 22, which seems optimistic for Eichel’s return.
The Golden Knights have a lot of work to do in terms of a salary cap before Eichel makes his debut. How are they going to add a $10.5 million cap to their roster? They will have to find a way to offload a bunch of salary during the season, which is not an easy task.
