CALGARY — In one month's time, the NHL's regular season will end. Most of the best teams in the league loaded up at the trade deadline, and the ones that didn't might wish they had.
It's time to rank the top contenders in the league, which isn't easy. Although the standings might say otherwise, there really isn't one or two teams that stand out above the rest. The gap between the best team and the eighth-best team isn't all that wide, and that's what will make these playoffs so fascinating.
1. Florida Panthers
This isn't going out on a limb, but the team that won it all last year is still pretty darn good. The Panthers added both Brad Marchand and Seth Jones at the trade deadline without giving up a roster player. Granted, they'll be without one of their top defensemen down the stretch, but Aaron Ekblad will only miss two playoff games.
Like most teams, they have some questions marks. Is Matthew Tkachuk going to be back (and healthy) for the playoffs? And how much gas do they have left in the tank? They've played a lot of hockey the previous two seasons. That could catch up to them.
2. Dallas Stars
Avert your eyes, Avalanche fans. This team had no trouble scoring and they just added Mikko Rantanen, who will fit in far better with them than he did in a Carolina system that doesn't promote skill. This team is deep up front and has one of the better goalies in the world. If they don't get Miro Heiskanen back, they're ripe for the picking, though. Even with him in the lineup their defense is easily their biggest question mark.
3. Colorado Avalanche
The deadline additions make them really deep down the middle, but it all hinges on Valeri Nichushkin. If he's in the lineup come playoff time, they'll be difficult to stop. We all know the record when he's not there, though. It's fair to question if they're good enough beyond the top pair on defense, but one thing that has already been overlooked is the fact that neither of their goaltenders has playoff experience. That might not matter in the end, but it will be something to watch.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
They just won't go away. Just when you think they'll drift off into mediocrity they find a way to extend their window. The summer addition of Jake Guentzel was huge. While Yanni Gourde was a nice add, it's Oliver Bjorkstrand who makes them better. He's one of the more underrated players in the league. The scariest part about this team is that Andrei Vasilevsky is starting to look a lot like the Vasilevsky of old.
5. Winnipeg Jets
Unless they blow it in the first round against what should be the weakest team in the playoffs in the West, they seem likely to face Dallas or Colorado in the second. That's not a bad spot. Their deadline additions didn't move the needle much. If anything, that defense didn't need to get slower and they did by bringing in Luke Schenn. Which Connor Hellebuyck shows up in the playoffs? That determines how far they go.
6. Vegas Golden Knights
A massive surprise they did nothing at the deadline to improve their team. They probably have an easier path to the conference finals because Edmonton is slipping and Los Angeles is a step below some of the other West contenders. Although I rank them below some other West teams, it's not by much and no one wants to play these guys in the playoffs because they'll grind you down.
7. Edmonton Oilers
They've struggled since the 4 Nations break but they still have two of the best players in the world. No one wants to deal with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a seven-game series. Jake Walman is a solid add to their blue line but you're not likely to find many people that believe in Stuart Skinner getting the job done in the playoffs.
8. Washington Capitals
Yes, they might be the best team in the East this season, but I'm not convinced. They have one of the better young coaches in Spencer Carbery who seems to be pushing all the right buttons, even if their roster isn't the most impressive. Their big advantage is an awful division. If they play their cards right, they could walk to the conference finals.
What I'm hearing
—With Jonathan Drouin on the top power play unit, the Avalanche were dominating, but they decided to switch it up this week and replace Drouin with Brock Nelson. For as good as they were with Drouin opposite MacKinnon, he's not as much of a threat to shoot, so it's easier for other teams to defend.
Nothing is set in stone and there will likely be other combinations tried over the last month of the season.
"We don't have a lot of season left, although we have a significant amount, we want to see what that power play looks like there," Bednar said. (Nelson's) a shooter, so it's nice to have another shooter on the flank."
—A lot of talk around the NHL circles about the Avalanche's depth down the middle, with some saying it might be comparable to the 2022 team. Nelson isn't having a comparable season to Nazem Kadri, but he brings some real size and speed to the lineup. The additions of Nelson and Charlie Coyle pushes Jack Drury down to the fourth line, a role for which he's well suited.
"I don't think we had that strength down the middle since (Kadri) left," Erik Johnson said.
What I'm seeing
—Great first episode of Gabriel Landeskog's docuseries, "A Clean Sheet." The entire score was performed by Colorado resident Nathaniel Ratteliff.
“This series depicts a journey of self discovery through challenges and hardship. Much like my music, we tell these stories to remind each other that we are not alone, that moments of darkness are temporary," Rateliff said in a statement about the series.
—It's only been two games, but Parker Kelly looks like he's been unleashed playing wing. He's had to learn the center position this season and, if you're going to play center, you must play more controlled. In the two games he's played at the wing since the deadline he's been fantastic and really thrown his body around.
What I'm thinking
—The locker room for the Avalanche is so different now compared to the start of the year. It started with the goaltending swap, as both of Blackwood and Wedgewood are chatty guys, but the team has added some real personalities to the team. There's more energy in the locker room and on the ice. They lost a great personality in Mikko Rantanen but have added some to make up for it.
—Speaking of Rantanen, he'll return to Ball Arena on Sunday, sooner than anyone would have expected a month ago. My guess is he'll get a nice ovation when they give him a video tribute. But judging by the reaction of fans on social media, there will also likely be some booing. On the "Spittin Chiclets" podcast, Gabriel Landeskog said some of the team will go out to dinner with Rantanen Saturday night to hash things out.
Rantanen is paying, of course.
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