March 5, 2025
By Tab Bamford

CHICAGO, IL — With phones charging and caffeine keeping fans and writers alike glued to their social media platform of choice from coast-to-coast until Friday afternoon’s NHL Trade Deadline, we’ve already seen some big-time trades. And some big injuries hitting late in the week might impact the plans of teams around the playoff picture (I’m looking at you, New Jersey).

So, let’s take a lap with a final pre-trade deadline Power Rankings for the NHL.

I’m sure we’re going to make some fans smile and some shake their fist at the sky, so feel free to let us know what we got right and where we’re terribly, horribly wrong.

32. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pens are 2-6-2 in their last ten, which is right there with what the Blackhawks and Sharks have done. The Sharks and Blackhawks have the worst two-point percentage in the league. The difference between San Jose and Chicago and Pittsburgh? You can see a bright future at some point for the Sharks and Hawks. Sorry, Sid.

31. Nashville Predators

Entering Wednesday night’s action, the Preds have the same goal differential thru 61 games as the Blackhawks (minus-45). Then you look at the rosters and wonder how that happens.

30. Boston Bruins

Just go ahead and cancel the postgame show at this point. The moved one valuable trade chip already for a modest return and might have a few more bodies leaving town with their captain on the shelf.

29. Seattle Kraken

They’re one of six teams in the league with a sub-.500-point percentage entering Wednesday, so it’s lottery time in Seattle. They pulled a nice haul out of Tampa in a big trade on Wednesday afternoon, adding some much needed draft capital. 

28. San Jose Sharks

In Macklin Celebrini we trust, right? Now, about their goaltending next year...

27. Chicago Blackhawks

Getting Spencer Knight and a first-round pick for Seth Jones is a fabulous, old school actual hockey trade that should help everyone involved. Knight was incredible in his Chicago debut, stoning the Kings in a 41-save victory.

26. Buffalo Sabres

There will come a day when they find a direction… right? I’ve been told that eventually happens? Maybe?

25. Philadelphia Flyers

This season has had its moments for the Flyers, but they haven’t had enough to comfortably say they’re playoff chasing. And yet, with the way the rest of the Eastern Conference is playing, they have a chance.

24. New Jersey Devils

The Devils were 4-6-0 in their last 10 games before announcing Jack Hughes’ season (and postseason) is over. They might scramble to try to replace him but that’s a big blow to a team that was struggling with Hughes in the lineup.

23. St. Louis Blues

They aren’t selling and aren’t necessarily buying because why not pick between 12-16 in the draft again this year?

22. Anaheim Ducks

Quietly, the Ducks are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and are a couple teams losing games from being somewhat interesting in the Western Conference.

21. Utah Hockey Club

If not for the injuries that plagued them to start the season (and a surprisingly bad home record) the Utes might feel really good about putting postseason tickets on sale soon. They still have an outside shot at making the playoffs.

20. New York Islanders

It’s nearing the trade deadline so of course the Islanders go on a little run and give everyone pause about making the roster changes that have needed to happen for a few years.

19. Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games and their biggest addition thus far has been an injured Trent Frederic. They have not been good since the break.

18. Vancouver Canucks

At least Elias Pettersson admitted he’s been bad this season and it isn’t the media’s fault?

17. Detroit Red Wings

Every time you think the Wings are going to grab a playoff spot and run away, they do the exact opposite.

16. Ottawa Senators

Every time you think the Sens are going to grab a playoff spot and run away, they do the exact opposite.

15. New York Rangers

Every time you think the Rangers are going to grab a playoff spot and run away, they do the exact opposite.

14. Montreal Canadiens

Every time you think the Habs are going to grab a playoff spot and run away, they do the exact opposite.

13. Calgary Flames

The Kings’ three-game skid has kept the door ajar for the Flames to look at that playoff spot with a sense of hope.

12. Los Angeles Kings

They overwhelmed the Blackhawks on Monday night and somehow lost the game 5-1. They’ve got some work to do before the bell rings on Friday afternoon.

11. Columbus Blue Jackets

God bless ‘em in Columbus! The Stadium Series game was everything the Winter Classic failed to be. The Blue Jackets are 20-6-4 at home.

10. Carolina Hurricanes

So... anybody wanna rent a Rantanen for a couple months?

9. Vegas Golden Knights

At 5-3-2 in their last 10, they may be too comfortable on top of the Pacific Division right now.

8. Minnesota Wild

At 5-5-0 in their last 10 games, the Wild have unfortunately allowed the Avs to sneak up behind them in the Central.

7. Colorado Avalanche

When it happened, I’m not sure how many people thought the Avs could emphatically win the Rantanen trade but it appears they have. They’re 7-3-0 in their last 10.

6. Dallas Stars

You know the top of the league is hot right now when the Stars, who are 7-2-1 in their last 10, don’t’ crack the top five.

5. Washington Capitals

Don’t let Ovi chasing Gretzky’s record take away from the fact that the Capitals have been fantastic this season. But, recently they need a little shot of adrenaline because 5-3-2 in their last 10 isn’t great.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs

If it’s possible for the Leafs to quietly be 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and have the fifth-best point percentage in the league, they’re doing that right now.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning

They made their big move on Wednesday afternoon with Seattle and now look to chase another deep postseason run. They were 9-1-0 in their 10 games before the trade.

2. Florida Panthers

We’ll see if the Seth Jones experiment is what they needed on the blue line, but they still need to replace Matthew Tkachuk up front.

1. Winnipeg Jets

Still the kings of the league with a six-point edge on the rest of the Western Conference, the Jets are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and boast a league-leading plus-70 goal differential.