Super 16: Avalanche No. 1 for eighth straight week, Oilers return

The Colorado Avalanche are No. 1 in the NHL.com Super 16 power rankings for an eighth consecutive week, and the top five teams are in the same order as they were last week.

The first change is at No. 6, with the New York Rangers moving up one spot. The Pittsburgh Penguins are also up one to No. 7, with the Toronto Maple Leafs dropping two spots to No. 8.
The Washington Capitals (No. 11) and Nashville Predators (No. 12) are also up two spots.
The Edmonton Oilers returned to the Super 16 at No. 15 after dropping out last week. The Dallas Stars barely remain at No. 16 with one voting point more than the Vegas Golden Knights, who are out because of a five-game losing streak.
To create the NHL.com power rankings, each of the 14 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 assigned to each.
The team that is selected first is given 16 points, second gets 15, third 14, fourth 13, and so on down to No. 16, which gets one point.
Here is the Super 16:

1. Colorado Avalanche (43-13-5)

Total points: 220Last week: No. 1
Colorado leads the NHL with 51 goals from defensemen, two from its franchise record set by the 1992-93 Quebec Nordiques. The Avalanche have the most goals from defensemen by any NHL team since 2017-18, when the Nashville Predators scored 56 and the Columbus Blue Jackets scored 51. Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen with 21 goals.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (41-13-5)

Total points: 209Last week: No. 2
The Hurricanes are at 91.4 percent on the penalty kill (64-for-70) in 21 games since Jan. 25 despite averaging an NHL-high 5:49 per game on the penalty kill. They have been perfect in 16 of the 21 games.

3. Florida Panthers (41-13-6)

Total points: 199Last week: No. 3
The Panthers are 6-0-1 in their past seven road games and 10-2-1 in their past 13. They are two games into a season-long seven-game road trip, losing 3-2 in a shootout to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday before winning 3-2 in overtime against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning (39-15-6)

Total points: 181Last week: No. 4
Victor Hedman has scored six goals in his past six games, including two in a 4-1 win against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday. Hedman tied his NHL career high of 17 set in 2017-18, when he won the Norris Trophy voted as the best defenseman in the NHL.

5. Calgary Flames (37-16-7)

Total points: 159Last week: No. 5
The Flames have allowed two or fewer goals in 15 of 24 games and are 19-4-1 with an NHL-low 2.21 goals-against per game since Jan. 22 (a 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers).

6. New York Rangers (38-17-5)

Total points: 144Last week: No. 7
The Rangers have 20 comeback wins, one fewer than the Columbus Blue Jackets for most this season. Chris Kreider's next goal will make him a first-time 40-goal scorer in the NHL. The forward leads the NHL with 20 power-play goals, most by a Rangers player since Jaromir Jagr scored 24 in 2005-06.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (36-16-9)

Total points: 140Last week: No. 8
Sidney Crosby is on a 10-game point streak (13 points; six goals, seven assists). The center is the third Penguins player with a point streak of at least 10 this season, joining forward Jake Guentzel (13 games from Nov. 13-Dec. 6) and defenseman Kris Letang (10 games from Jan. 2-21).

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (38-17-5)

Total points: 129Last week: No. 6
Toronto's 4-0 win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday ended a six-game streak of allowing at least four goals. The Maple Leafs are 11-for-11 on the penalty kill in their past four.

9. Boston Bruins (37-19-5)

Total points: 122Last week: No. 9
David Pastrnak has scored 25 goals since Jan. 1, tied with Toronto forward Auston Matthews for most in the NHL. Jeremy Swayman had the best goals-against average (1.91) among the 70 goalies who played at least 13 games since then. He is 10-3-1 with a .932 save percentage.

10. St. Louis Blues (34-17-8)

Total points: 103Last week: No. 10
Vladimir Tarasenko has scored six points (one goal, five assists) in his past three games and eight (one goal, seven assists) in his past five. The forward has scored 54 points (20 goals, 34 assists) in 54 games. He scored 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 34 games combined the past two seasons, limited because of shoulder injuries.

11. Washington Capitals (33-18-10)

Total points: 80Last week: No. 12
The Capitals are 5-0-1 and averaging 4.00 goals per game and 2.67 goals against since March 3, the day after general manager Brian MacLellan said Washington might take a less aggressive approach toward the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline (March 21) because the Capitals were 8-12-1 in their previous 21 games and looking like a middle-tier team, not a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

12. Nashville Predators (35-21-4)

Total points: 64Last week: No. 14
The Predators are 5-1-0 and outscoring opponents 28-12 since March 5. Roman Josi scored 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in the six games and leads NHL defensemen with 69 points (17 goals, 52 assists).

13. Minnesota Wild (35-20-4)

Total points: 57Last week: No. 11
The Wild are 5-9-1 and allowing 4.40 goals per game since Feb. 16. No team has given up more goals than Minnesota (66), and only the Detroit Red Wings allowed more per game (5.30 in 10 games) in that time.

14. Los Angeles Kings (33-21-8)

Total points: 51Last week: No. 13
The Kings have been shut out in two of their past three games and scored at least two goals in regulation once in five games, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks on March 10. Los Angeles is 4-4-1 averaging 2.00 goals per game, 9.5 percent on the power play and 62.5 percent on the penalty kill since Feb. 28.

15. Edmonton Oilers (33-23-4)

Total points: 26Last week: NR
The Oilers have won three in a row, scoring 15 goals. Prior to the streak they scored 20 goals in an eight-game stretch when they were 2-5-1.

16. Dallas Stars (32-23-3)

Total points: 8Last week: No. 16
The Stars have lost three in a row by a combined score of 13-5 to the Predators, Rangers and Maple Leafs. They previously won four in a row and had a six-game point streak (5-0-1). This is their fourth losing streak of at least three games this season. They also have four winning streaks of at least four.
Others receiving points: Vegas Golden Knights 7, Vancouver Canucks 5
Dropped out: Golden Knights (No. 15)

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Calgary Flames; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Boston Bruins; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vancouver Canucks
TIM CAMPBELL
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Calgary Flames; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. St. Louis Blues; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Nashville Predators; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vegas Golden Knights
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Calgary Flames; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Dallas Stars; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Edmonton Oilers
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Calgary Flames; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Dallas Stars
TOM GULITTI
1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vancouver Canucks
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Florida Panthers; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Calgary Flames; 6. St. Louis Blues; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Washington Capitals; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vancouver Canucks
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Pittsburgh Penguins; 6. Calgary Flames; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Dallas Stars
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Florida Panthers; 5. New York Rangers; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. Calgary Flames; 8. Boston Bruins; 9. Washington Capitals; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Vegas Golden Knights; 16. Dallas Stars
TRACEY MYERS
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Florida Panthers; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. New York Rangers; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. Boston Bruins; 9. Calgary Flames; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vancouver Canucks
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Washington Capitals; 16. Edmonton Oilers
DAN ROSEN
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Florida Panthers; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Calgary Flames; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. St. Louis Blues; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vancouver Canucks
DAVID SATRIANO
1. Carolina Hurricanes; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. New York Rangers; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Calgary Flames; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Nashville Predators; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Vegas Golden Knights
PAUL STRIZHEVSKY
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. New York Rangers; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Calgary Flames; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Los Angeles Kings; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Dallas Stars
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Florida Panthers; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Calgary Flames; 6. Pittsburgh Penguins; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Washington Capitals; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Edmonton Oilers; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Los Angeles Kings; 16. Dallas Stars
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