NHL Top 10: March 22

Story posted March 22, 2023 in CommRadio, Sports by Anthony Desher

There are just three weeks left in the 2022-23 NHL regular season. Every point counts as we approach the finish line, but what teams have seen success up to this point?

10. Colorado Avalanche

No team is hotter right now than Colorado. Winners of their last six, it’s that time of year when the Avalanche get ready for another deep playoff run. Recently, head coach Jared Bednar received an extension that will keep him signed through the 2026-27 season.

A team as hot as this would certainly have all their players, right? Well, captain Gabriel Landeskog has been out all year recovering from an off-season surgery. Nathan MacKinnon has missed over 10 games this season but still leads the team with 89 points.

9. Minnesota Wild

Speaking of hot teams, the Wild have been tearing it up recently. They are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games, and this is without Kirill Kaprizov too. They’ve collected a point in 16 of their last 17 games.

Goaltender Filip Gustavsson has been phenomenal for Minnesota, posting a 2.04 goals against and a .932 save percentage. Both stats are second in the league when it comes to goalie stats.

8. Dallas Stars

The Stars are the first in the Central Division with a three-headed monster leading the offense. Jason Robertson has 41 goals, Jamie Benn and Roope Hintz both have 30+. Miro Heiskanen continues to dominate the blue line with 61 points on the year.

Jake Oettinger has been great in the crease all year long, winning 30 games and saving 91% of the shots he’s faced.

7. Los Angeles Kings

Over their last 10 games, the Kings have not lost in regulation. They’ve had success rolling all four lines, and when the playoffs arrive, that is a key to success. Adrian Kempe has the most goals on the team with 34, and Kevin Fiala leads the points category with 68.

Joonas Korpisalo has looked great between the pipes since getting traded. He currently has a .921 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs

A rough 7-2 loss to the Islanders has the Leafs slipping down the list. Mitch Marner has been so fun to watch this season, scoring 90 points over the 60 games he’s played this season. The top six have been solid for Toronto, but the real question is who will be in the net for when the playoffs roll around?

Samsonov and Murray have been a good tandem, but do the Leafs go with a playoff-experienced goalie in Murray, or ride the goalie who has been better as of late with Samsonov?

5. New York Rangers

The Rangers have been another one of those hot teams that have gotten contributions from multiple positions on the ice. Mika Zibanejad puts himself on the scoresheet on a nightly basis, and Igor Shesterkin has looked like his award-winning self.

Winning the division might be a long shot right now, but when the playoffs get here, you know the Rangers are ready to make some noise.

4. Vegas Golden Knights

They’re back and won’t be missing the playoffs. Jack Eichel has found himself a home during his first full season with Vegas. They’ve been able to roll each line and get positive results. Jonathan Quick has looked comfortable with his new team, and Logan Thompson continues to impress in his rookie campaign.

3. New Jersey Devils

The youth continues to roll every night led by Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt. The addition of Timo Meier has boosted the offense and Dougie Hamilton is playing with a ton of confidence.

An inexperienced team might raise some questions in the playoffs, but taking the Devils lightly is a bad idea.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

It’s impressive to see Carolina continue to win even without one of their best scorers in Andrei Svechnikov. Martin Necas has been a force to be reckoned with and Sebastian Aho has been fun to watch.

Recently, Carolina broke a record, winning its 100th point in the 69th game of the season, the fastest the club has ever done that.

1. Boston Bruins

What else is there to say about the Bruins, except how historically great they’ve been. There’s no weakness with the team. Anything less than a cup win would be extremely disappointing at this point of the season.

Anthony Desher is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email acd5698@psu.edu.