The Nashville Predators, with an 11-0-1 record since Feb. 19, are No. 1 in NHL.com's Super 16 power rankings for the second consecutive week.
The Predators are one of five teams from the Central Division to be ranked this week, including the Colorado Avalanche, who are back in the Super 16 for the first time since Feb. 8. The Avalanche, who are on an eight-game point streak (5-0-3), are No. 11. The Columbus Blue Jackets, winners of five straight games and No. 14 this week, are back in the Super 16 for the first time since Jan. 18.
To create the power rankings, each of the 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.
1. Nashville Predators (45-14-10)
Total points: 223Last week: No. 1 Hit: The Predators got to 100 points in their 69th game. It's the fifth time in their history they've reached 100 points in a season, and it's the fastest they've gotten there (73 games in 2006-07). Miss: Forward Calle Jarnkrok sustained an upper-body injury in the third period of a 3-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Nashville didn't practice Wednesday, so no update was given on his status.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning (48-18-4)
Total points: 204Last week: No. 2 Hit:J.T. Miller has nine points (five goals, four assists), including a hat trick in a 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, in seven games since the Lightning acquired him in a trade from the New York Rangers on Feb. 26. Miss:Andrei Vasilevskiy has a 3.69 goals-against average and .894 save percentage in nine games, all starts, since Feb. 17, including a 5.00 GAA and .874 save percentage in four starts since March 3.
3. Boston Bruins (44-16-8)
Total points: 194Last week: No. 3 Hit:David Pastrnak has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 12 games since Feb. 19. He has 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) in 68 games this season. Miss: The Bruins didn't practice Wednesday, so there was no word on the status of forward Jake DeBrusk and defensemen Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug. Each left with an injury in the third period of a 6-4 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. The Bruins should provide an update following their morning skate ahead of their game at the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
4. Vegas Golden Knights (45-20-5)
Total points: 181Last week: No. 6 Hit:Forwards James Neal and Reilly Smith appear to be getting closer to returning to the lineup. Neal practiced in a non-contact jersey during the morning skate before an 8-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, and Smith skated afterward. Miss: Neal has missed eight consecutive games with a hand injury after missing three of the previous four because of an illness. Smith has missed the past four games with an undisclosed injury.
5. Winnipeg Jets (41-19-10)
Total points: 166Last week: No. 4 Hit:Patrik Laine has 23 points (16 goals, seven assists) in a 13-game point streak, the longest in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise history. Miss: Backup goalies Steve Mason (lower body) and Michael Hutchinson (upper body) each is dealing with an injury. The Jets recalled Eric Comrie on an emergency basis from Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins (40-26-5)
Total points: 163Last week: No. 5 Hit: Goalie Matt Murray (concussion) participated at the end of the morning skate Wednesday after practicing Tuesday, signs he could return to the Penguins net soon. Miss: Murray has missed eight games since he was injured in practice Feb. 26.
7. Washington Capitals (39-23-7)
Total points: 129Last week: No. 8 Hit:John Carlson had two assists in a 3-2 overtime win against the Jets on Monday to match his NHL career high of 55 points, which he had in 82 games in 2014-15. The defenseman, who has played in 69 games this season, is on pace for 65 points. Miss: Forward T.J. Oshie has no goals in 19 games since Feb. 2. He has six assists in that span.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (41-22-7)
Total points: 125Last week: No. 9 Hit: Center Auston Matthews is practicing with the Maple Leafs again, albeit in a non-contact jersey. He has a shoulder injury but is getting closer to returning to the lineup and says he feels good. Miss: Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev has missed the past two games with an illness.
9. Minnesota Wild (39-24-7)
Total points: 106Last week: No. 7 Hit:Devan Dubnyk's next win will be the 200th of his NHL career. He has 129 wins with the Wild since being acquired in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 15, 2015. Dubnyk is second in the NHL in wins since, nine behind Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (138). Miss: Defenseman Jared Spurgeon will miss at least four weeks with a partial tear of his right hamstring. He was injured in a 5-1 loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday.
10. San Jose Sharks (38-23-9)
Total points: 99Last week: No. 12 Hit: Forward Joonas Donskoi has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past seven games after he had four (one goal, three assists) in his previous 19 games from Jan. 16-Feb. 25. Miss: Defenseman Brent Burns had no goals in 12 games and one in 18 since Feb. 6.
11. Colorado Avalanche (37-24-8)
Total points: 62Last week: NR Hit:The Avalanche have scored at least one power-play goal each game during their point streak, going 9-for-33 (27.2 percent) in the eight games. They have scored at least five goals in four of the eight. Miss: Goalie Jonathan Bernier is again dealing with a head injury. Bernier, Colorado's backup, missed 10 games Feb. 18-March 8 with a concussion. He returned against the Coyotes on Saturday but had to leave in the third period after getting hit in the head with a shot. He didn't dress for a 5-1 win against the Wild on Tuesday.
12. Philadelphia Flyers (35-24-11)
Total points: 58Last week: No. 11 Hit:Claude Giroux needs two points to tie Eric Lindros for fifth on Philadelphia's all-time scoring list. Giroux, the Flyers captain, has 657 points (205 goals, 452 assists) in 726 games. Lindros had 659 points (290 goals, 369 assists) in 486 games with the Flyers. Miss: The Flyers are 1-5-1 in March. They were 10-1-2 in February.
13. Los Angeles Kings (38-26-6)
Total points: 53Last week: No. 15 Hit:Tanner Pearson has scored in back-to-back games and has four goals in the past six. Jeff Carter has six goals in eight games since Feb. 26. Miss: The Kings have a League-worst minus-26 goal differential (67-41) in the first period.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets (37-28-5)
Total points: 49Last week: NR Hit:Seth Jones has four goals in the past three games. Jones and defense partner Zach Werenski each has 14 goals, tied for third in the League among defensemen behind P.K. Subban of the Predators and Dougie Hamilton of the Calgary Flames (15 each). Miss: Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky has no points in 14 games since Feb. 14.
15. Dallas Stars (38-26-7)
Total points: 40Last week: No. 13 Hit: Goalie Ben Bishop, who has missed the past five games with a lower-body injury, skated Wednesday morning in full gear, an indication that he's getting closer to returning to the Stars net. Miss:Marc Methot has a hand injury and didn't play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. It's the latest injury setback for the defenseman, who has missed 43 games because of injury this season.
16. Anaheim Ducks (35-24-12)
Total points:16 Last week:No. 10 Hit:Center Ryan Getzlaf had two goals and 11 assists in a six-game point streak before being kept off the score sheet in a 3-0 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. Miss: Center Ryan Kesler has not scored in his past 14 games and has one assist in that span. Dropped out: New Jersey Devils (No. 14), Florida Panthers (No. 16) Others receiving points:Florida Panthers 14, New Jersey Devils 12, St. Louis Blues 6, Calgary Flames 4
HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM
AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. San Jose Sharks; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Columbus Blue Jackets; 16. Florida Panthers TIM CAMPBELL
1. Tampa Bay Lightning; 2. Nashville Predators; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Colorado Avalanche; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. Anaheim Ducks; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Calgary Flames BRIAN COMPTON
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. San Jose Sharks; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Dallas Stars; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. Calgary Flames; 16. Florida Panthers NICK COTSONIKA
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. San Jose Sharks; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Colorado Avalanche; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. St. Louis Blues LISA DILLMAN
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Columbus Blue Jackets; 10. Colorado Avalanche; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. San Jose Sharks; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Los Angeles Kings TOM GULITTI
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Washington Capitals; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Columbus Blue Jackets; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Los Angeles Kings ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Minnesota Wild; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Columbus Blue Jackets; 11. San Jose Sharks; 12. Philadelphia Flyers; 13. Florida Panthers; 14. Colorado Avalanche; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Dallas Stars ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Minnesota Wild; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. San Jose Sharks; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Philadelphia Flyers; 13. Colorado Avalanche; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Dallas Stars MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. San Jose Sharks; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Columbus Blue Jackets; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. Philadelphia Flyers TRACEY MYERS
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. San Jose Sharks; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. Florida Panthers; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Columbus Blue Jackets; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. New Jersey Devils BILL PRICE
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Boston Bruins; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Philadelphia Flyers; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. San Jose Sharks; 12. Colorado Avalanche; 13. Columbus Blue Jackets; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Dallas Stars SHAWN ROARKE
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Pittsburgh Penguins; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Minnesota Wild; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. Anaheim Ducks; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Colorado Avalanche; 16. Florida Panthers DAN ROSEN
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Columbus Blue Jackets; 10. San Jose Sharks; 11. Colorado Avalanche; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Dallas Stars; 16. New Jersey Devils MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Nashville Predators; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Washington Capitals; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Philadelphia Flyers; 12. Colorado Avalanche; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Anaheim Ducks; 16. Calgary Flames
