Super 16: Sharks climb power rankings

The San Jose Sharks are winning and moving up the NHL.com Super 16 power rankings despite not having two of their most important players in the lineup.

The Sharks have won six games in a row without injured defenseman Erik Karlsson (groin) and forward Evander Kane (undisclosed). San Jose jumped the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames to move up to No. 2 this week after ranking No. 4 last week.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-1-2 in their past nine games, and Nashville Predators, who haven't won in regulation since Feb. 21, swapped spots. The Penguins moved up three to No. 7 and the Predators dropped to No. 10.
The 16 teams ranked this week are the same 16 that were ranked last week.
To create the power rankings, each of the 13 participating staff members puts together his or her version of what they think the Super 16 should look like. Those are submitted and a point total is assigned to each.
The team picked first is given 16 points, second gets 15, third gets 14 and so on down to No. 16, which gets one point.
Here is the latest Super 16:

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (53-13-4)

Total points: 208
Last week: No. 1
Hit:The Lightning need four points in their final 12 games to set a Tampa Bay record for most points in a season. They have 110 in 70 games, a 129-point pace. They set the record last season when they finished with 113 points.
Miss: Defensemen Anton Stralman and Dan Girardi missed the past two games, each with a lower-body injury. Neither is considered serious.

2. San Jose Sharks (43-19-8)

Total points: 190
Last week: No. 4
Hit:The Sharks lead the Calgary Flames by one point for first place in the Pacific Division and Western Conference.
Miss: It's unknown when Karlsson and Kane will return to the lineup.

3. Boston Bruins (42-19-9)

Total points: 182
Last week: No. 2
Hit: Patrice Bergeron has scored three shorthanded goals in his past five games, giving him an NHL career-high four this season. The center needs one point to reach 800 in the NHL. He's scored 315 goals with 484 assists in 1,017 games.
Miss:The Bruins have trailed in five consecutive games, including giving up the first two goals in three of them.

4. Calgary Flames (43-20-7)

Total points: 170
Last week: No. 3
Hit:The Flames lead the NHL with 103 goals in the third period, 11 more than the Winnipeg Jets. Calgary is plus-47 in third-period goal differential. The Toronto Maple Leafs are next at plus-22.
Miss: Goalie David Rittich has an .879 save percentage in his past four starts (15 goals against on 124 shots).

5. Washington Capitals (41-22-7)

Total points: 153
Last week: No. 6
Hit: The Capitals have a five-game home winning streak but play their next three games on the road before playing six of their final nine at home. They have a two-point lead on the New York Islanders for first in the Metropolitan Division.
Miss:They have to play the Lightning three times, including twice at Tampa Bay.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (42-23-5)

Total points: 132
Last week: No. 5
Hit: Seven of Toronto's next eight games are against teams not in a Stanley Cup Playoff position, including two against the Ottawa Senators, who are last in the NHL with 52 points.
Miss: Kasperi Kapanen missed the game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday with a concussion and there is no timetable for his return. The forward didn't play in a 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday because of precautionary reasons.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (38-23-9)

Total points: 119
Last week: No. 10
Hit:Sidney Crosby has 64 points at even strength this season (22 goals, 42 assists), tied for third-most in his NHL career (2016-17). The center needs eight even-strength points to tie his NHL career high of 72 (36 goals, 36 assists) from the 2009-10 season. Crosby has 90 points (33 goals, 57 assists) in 67 games, giving him 1.34 points per game, fourth in the NHL.
Miss: Defenseman Kris Letang has missed eight games with an upper-body injury sustained in the first period of the 2019 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series against the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 23.

8. Winnipeg Jets (40-25-4)

Total points: 116
Last week: No. 8
Hit:The Jets have scored 10 power-play goals on 35 chances in 10 games since Feb. 20 (28.6 percent). Only the Florida Panthers (13 in 11 games) have scored more power-play goals in that time.
Miss:They are 6-9-2 in 17 games since Feb. 5. Their 14 points in that span are tied for 24th with the Anaheim Ducks.

9. New York Islanders (40-22-7)

Total points: 109
Last week: No. 9
Hit: The Islanders have been shorthanded six times in their past five games; they're 6-for-6 killing them. They have been shorthanded 189 times this season, tied with the Senators for fourth-fewest in the NHL.
Miss:They are 0-for-20 on the power play in nine games since Feb. 23.

10. Nashville Predators (39-27-5)

Total points: 97
Last week: No. 7
Hit: The Predators are 3-0 in games that have gone to the shootout since Feb. 25.
Miss:The Predators have trailed 2-0 and lost in regulation in four of their past eight games. They also gave up a 2-0 lead in a 5-3 loss to the Jets on March 1.

11. Vegas Golden Knights (38-27-5)

Total points: 79
Last week: No. 13
Hit:Center Paul Stastny has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in eight games since Feb. 22.
Miss: Jonathan Marchessault has scored one goal in 14 games since Feb. 9. After scoring at least one goal in eight of Vegas' first 21 games this season, the right wing has scored in seven of 49 games since Nov. 19.

12. Carolina Hurricanes (38-24-7)

Total points: 76
Last week: No. 11
Hit:The Hurricanes have 83 points in 69 games, the second-most points they've had in a season through 69 games in Carolina/Hartford Whalers history (98 points, 46-17-6, 2005-06).
Miss: Calvin de Haan sustained a right eye injury a 3-0 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. General manager Don Waddell said the defenseman is expected to make a full recovery.

13. St. Louis Blues (36-26-7)

Total points: 42
Last week: No. 12
Hit: Brayden Schenn has five points (two goals, three assists) in four games since returning from an injury that kept the forward out of the lineup for six games.
Miss: Vladimir Tarasenko has missed two games with an upper-body injury that could keep the forward out for at least four more. The Blues announced Sunday he would be re-evaluated in 10 days, which goes to next Tuesday, when they're home against the Edmonton Oilers. St. Louis is 0-1-1 without Tarasenko, who leads the Blues and is tied for seventh in the NHL with 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) since Jan. 5.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets (39-28-3)

Total points: 35
Last week: No. 15
Hit: Boone Jenner has scored four goals on six shots in his past two games. He had a hat trick on three shots in a 7-4 win against the Bruins on Tuesday. The forward didn't play in a 2-0 loss to the Islanders on Monday because of an illness.
Miss:The Blue Jackets play eight of their final 12 games on the road with three as the second half of back-to-back sets.

15. Montreal Canadiens (37-26-7)

Total points: 25
Last week: No. 14
Hit:Montreal is 87.0 percent on the penalty kill (40-for-46) in 17 games since Feb. 5.
Miss:The Canadiens have scored 11 goals in their past five games, including an empty-net goal. Their power play is 2-for-34 in 14 games since Feb. 14; Montreal is 6-8-0 in those games.

16. Dallas Stars (36-28-5)

Total points: 24
Last week: No. 16
Hit: Ben Bishop has three consecutive shutouts with 94 saves and an active NHL career-long shutout streak of 204:20.
Miss:Valeri Nichushkin has no goals in 49 games this season. It's the forward's first season in the NHL since 2015-16, when he scored nine goals in 79 games. He played the past two seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Others receiving points:Arizona Coyotes 16, Philadelphia Flyers 2
Dropped out:None

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. San Jose Sharks; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Winnipeg Jets; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Montreal Canadiens; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. St. Louis Blues; 16. Columbus Blue Jackets
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Calgary Flames; 3. San Jose Sharks; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Winnipeg Jets; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Montreal Canadiens; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. St. Louis Blues; 16. Dallas Stars
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. Vegas Golden Knights; 11. Winnipeg Jets; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Columbus Blue Jackets; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Montreal Canadiens; 16. St. Louis Blues
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New York Islanders; 9. Winnipeg Jets; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Carolina Hurricanes; 13. Columbus Blue Jackets; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. St. Louis Blues; 16. Dallas Stars
TOM GULITTI
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Winnipeg Jets; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Columbus Blue Jackets; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. St. Louis Blues; 16. Dallas Stars
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. San Jose Sharks; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. Nashville Predators; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Carolina Hurricanes; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Columbus Blue Jackets; 16. Arizona Coyotes
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Calgary Flames; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Nashville Predators; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Carolina Hurricanes; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. Montreal Canadiens; 16. Dallas Stars
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. San Jose Sharks; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Calgary Flames; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Nashville Predators; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Columbus Blue Jackets; 13. Carolina Hurricanes; 14. St. Louis Blues; 15. Montreal Canadiens; 16. Dallas Stars
TRACEY MYERS
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Calgary Flames; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Winnipeg Jets; 9. Nashville Predators; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. St. Louis Blues; 12. Carolina Hurricanes; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Arizona Coyotes
BILL PRICE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Calgary Flames; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Nashville Predators; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Carolina Hurricanes; 14. Arizona Coyotes; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Columbus Blue Jackets
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Calgary Flames; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. St. Louis Blues; 12. Winnipeg Jets; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. Arizona Coyotes; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Dallas Stars
DAN ROSEN
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. San Jose Sharks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Carolina Hurricanes; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Columbus Blue Jackets; 16. Arizona Coyotes
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. San Jose Sharks; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Washington Capitals; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Winnipeg Jets; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Montreal Canadiens; 13. Carolina Hurricanes; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. St. Louis Blues