NHL Top 10: March 29
The finish line is closer than ever and the divisional and wild card races are heating up as you read this. There are a lot of hot teams right now, but how does the top 10 shape out with all these teams clicking at a high level?
10. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers and their high-powered offense have been firing on all cylinders recently. 8-1-1 in its last 10, Edmonton is gearing up for a push for the top Pacific Division spot. Connor McDavid has been nothing less than insane tallying 143 points in 75 games.
If the Oilers can work out their goalie situation, playing them in the playoffs could be a tall mountain to climb for an unlucky team.
9. Minnesota Wild
Even without Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild are still a favorite for the Central Division. As mentioned, there are A LOT of hot teams right now, and Minnesota is certainly one of them. 7-1-2 in their last 10, the Wild are getting scoring from the younger players on the team.
Matt Boldy just continues to find twine, netting nine goals in his last five contests, and Joel Eriksson Ek has been registering a lot of points in that stretch as well.
8. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are racking up point after point after point. They had a recent stretch where they went 10-0-2 and with the Western Conference being as tight as it is, a streak like that can really help out in the long run.
Kevin Fiala has been a great addition to the team, and Anze Kopitar continues to lead the way. The Kings are in a great spot as long as the goaltending continues to stay consistent.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs have clinched a spot in the playoffs again, but will they finally get past the first round? That core of Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander and Auston Matthews has been strong. The blue line was reinforced with the addition of Luke Schenn. All signs point to a better playoff run, but who really knows at this point.
6. Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche are back and doing what avalanches normally do, destroy everything in their path. Nathan MacKinnon is doing Nathan MacKinnon things and so are Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. That group is a big reason why Colorado is 9-1 over its last 10 games.
5. New York Rangers
In the city that never sleeps, there is a team that seems to never lose. 8-1-1 in their last 10, the Rangers are keeping themselves in the conversation for the Metropolitan Division winner. Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko look very comfortable in their new city, and Artemi Panarin continues to be a force in Manhattan.
4. Vegas Golden Knights
Injuries have been a problem for the last few years in Las Vegas, but unlike last year, the Knights are putting together a strong 2022-23 campaign. Jack Eichel has been in and out of the lineup due to injury, but when he’s healthy, he’s been nearly a point-per-game player. Chandler Stephenson has been great for Vegas as well, carrying 56 points in 74 games.
3. New Jersey Devils
The youth movement has been paying off for the Devils. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt have been getting on the scoresheet almost every night. Dougie Hamilton has been arguably one of the more underrated defenseman this season. New Jersey is right on Carolina’s tail in terms of the Metro lead, so it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes still have a small cushion above the Devils even after suffering the loss of Andrei Svechnikov due to a knee injury. Even without Svechnikov, the Hurricanes still have a strong roster that can still compete for a championship.
1. Boston Bruins
They are still on that historic pace at 57-12-5. There seem to be no weaknesses when it comes to the Bruins. They finally have the ability to roll all four lines, which is very important come playoff time. The blue line is very deep as well with the addition of Dmitry Orlov. If the Bruins don’t win something this year, don’t be surprised if the season is called a complete failure.
Anthony Desher is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email acd5698@psu.edu.
