As the NHL regular season nears its end, playoff spots are being clinched nightly. The Ottawa Senators are the latest team to secure a postseason berth, marking their first appearance since 2017 and the culmination of their rebuild.
For several years, the Senators have been building towards playoff contention. This season, their young roster has finally delivered, with a core of young players stepping up to fulfill the team`s promise.
Led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, and Jake Sanderson, all under 27, Ottawa has shaken up the Eastern Conference hierarchy. Capitalizing on the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins` decline, the Senators have claimed a coveted playoff spot.
A key factor in the Senators` success is goaltending stability. The acquisition of Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark last offseason, paired with Anton Forsberg, has provided above-average netminding, allowing the team to solidify their play in front of them.
With the Senators heading to the playoffs and poised to be a disruptive force, here are the updated NHL Power Rankings:
Biggest Movers
6 Maple Leafs
7 Hurricanes
NHL Team Power Rankings
| Rank | Team | Analysis | Change | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avalanche | Charlie Coyle has been a great addition for the Avs, fitting perfectly into the third-line center role with strong five-on-five play. | — | 48-27-4 |
| 2 | Golden Knights | Adin Hill`s improved performance since February, with a .917 save percentage, is a key reason for Vegas holding off the Kings. | 2 | 47-22-9 |
| 3 | Stars | Mikko Rantanen is excelling in Dallas, contributing significantly to the Stars` offense and outscoring opponents when on the ice. | 3 | 50-22-6 |
| 4 | Maple Leafs | Matthew Knies` increased goal production adds depth to Toronto`s offense, potentially making them harder to defend in the playoffs. | 6 | 47-26-4 |
| 5 | Jets | Mark Scheifele is having a career season at 32, proving to be a valuable long-term investment for the Jets. | — | 53-21-4 |
| 6 | Lightning | Nikita Kucherov`s outstanding season, with 115 points and exceptional five-on-five impact, makes a strong case for MVP consideration. | 5 | 45-26-6 |
| 7 | Kings | Darcy Kuemper`s impressive .922 save percentage in his first season with Los Angeles highlights the success of the trade for him. | — | 44-24-9 |
| 8 | Capitals | Alex Ovechkin`s record-breaking goal milestone and continued high level of play are reasons for excitement as the playoffs approach. | -6 | 49-19-9 |
| 9 | Blues | Despite a snapped 12-game win streak, St. Louis is a team no one wants to face in the first round, reminiscent of their 2019 Stanley Cup run. | 3 | 43-29-7 |
| 10 | Hurricanes | Taylor Hall has been a significant addition to Carolina, providing valuable depth scoring and proving to be more than an afterthought in the Rantanen trade. | -7 | 46-27-4 |
| 11 | Senators | Ottawa`s playoff return after a long drought is largely due to the strong goaltending duo of Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg. | 2 | 42-30-6 |
| 12 | Devils | New Jersey`s playoff offense raises questions, particularly with Jack Hughes injured, needing others like Dawson Mercer to step up. | 3 | 41-30-7 |
| 13 | Panthers | Florida faces injury concerns with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk, creating uncertainty as they head into a likely first-round matchup with Tampa Bay. | -5 | 45-29-4 |
| 14 | Oilers | Edmonton`s scoring has dipped without Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman`s recent scoring drought adds to their challenges heading into the playoffs. | -5 | 44-28-5 |
| 15 | Canadiens | Montreal`s exciting young team, boosted by the debut of Ivan Demidov, is making a playoff appearance that promises to be captivating. | 2 | 39-30-9 |
| 16 | Flames | Calgary`s playoff hopes hinge on their matchup against the Wild, needing to capitalize on Minnesota`s recent struggles. | — | 37-27-13 |
| 17 | Wild | Minnesota`s scoring woes and injuries to key players like Kirill Kaprizov are making their playoff push difficult. | -3 | 42-29-7 |
| 18 | Hockey Club | Barrett Hayton`s strong two-way play and career-high points total are bright spots for Utah as they look towards the future. | 1 | 36-30-12 |
| 19 | Canucks | Vancouver`s dramatic comeback win highlights their fight for playoff contention, although their playoff chances remain uncertain. | -1 | 36-29-13 |
| 20 | Islanders | New York`s likely playoff miss may be necessary for change, as their current core seems to have reached its ceiling. | — | 34-32-11 |
| 21 | Rangers | Alexis Lafreniere`s step back in performance this season is a concern for New York after a promising previous year. | — | 36-34-7 |
| 22 | Sabres | Buffalo`s late-season win streak is hurting their draft lottery odds, arriving too late to impact their playoff chances. | 3 | 35-36-6 |
| 23 | Red Wings | Rookie Marco Kasper`s solid performance and strong expected goals share are positives for Detroit`s future. | 3 | 36-34-7 |
| 24 | Ducks | Frank Vatrano`s scoring drought is a concern after his recent contract extension, following a 37-goal season. | — | 34-35-8 |
| 25 | Blue Jackets | Mathieu Olivier`s surprising goal surge this season could make him a valuable asset for Columbus. | -3 | 35-33-9 |
| 26 | Kraken | Shane Wright`s approaching 20-goal rookie season and the development of young players are key for Seattle`s future. | 2 | 34-39-6 |
| 27 | Penguins | Sidney Crosby`s continued brilliance at 37, highlighted by a hat trick, is keeping Pittsburgh competitive. | -4 | 32-35-12 |
| 28 | Flyers | The John Tortorella experiment in Philly ends prematurely, as patience ran out despite the initial promising pairing. | 2 | 31-37-9 |
| 29 | Bruins | Morgan Geekie`s unexpected 30-goal season is a rare bright spot in a challenging year for Boston. | -2 | 32-38-9 |
| 30 | Predators | Jonathan Marchessault`s scoring struggles in Nashville are a stark contrast to his previous 42-goal season. | -1 | 28-42-8 |
| 31 | Blackhawks | Chicago is giving young defensive prospects Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel NHL experience, hinting at a promising future defensive pairing. | 1 | 22-46-10 |
| 32 | Sharks | Macklin Celebrini`s recent goal drought and Lane Huston`s emergence may impact Calder Trophy race, but Celebrini`s debut remains promising. | -1 | 20-47-10 |
