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Although the National Hockey League trade deadline is still a full four days away — give or take a couple hours — there have already been blockbusters aplenty ahead of the Friday, March 7 cutoff. A little earlier in 2025, Mikko Rantanen was shockingly traded to Carolina, JT Miller reunited with the New York Rangers, and Mikael Granlund was shipped from California to Texas. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Over the last 72 hours, the deals have continued to come fast and furious across the league. Ryan Lindgren is now a member of the Colorado Avalanche, Gustav Nyquist is the newest addition in the State of Hockey, and Seth Jones finally got his wish, being shipped from one of the worst teams in the league to the defending champion Florida Panthers on Saturday night.
Needless to say, chaos has already been ensuing in a big way this season. On deadline day in 2024, 33 different players got a change of scenery. And the way things are going, are there going to be any players left on trade boards come Friday? Of course, there are still a ton of big names who are waiting to be dealt between now and the deadline. If you don't believe me, just take a look at the featured image for the latest edition of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings.
It's expected that deadline day will still be frantic in 2025. Probably not as wild as 2022, when 32 trades were made involving 52 players and 26 draft picks. Or 2020, when the same amount of deals were agreed to, including 55 players and 22 picks. But it's not impossible that we could see similar numbers this time around; there are still quite a few intriguing names on the block.
We've studied the trade boards for months, and GMs across the league have not been hesitant to turn phone calls into trade calls in 2024-25. Let's hope that continues over the next 96 hours. As we keep on learning deadline day after deadline day, (almost) no one is safe come trade szn — whether you're on a Stanley Cup contender or a bottom-feeder. And Friday figures to be another memorable one in the hockey world.
But with four sleeps to go until the big day — and no trades on Monday, yet — let's first get caught up on the latest edition of CP's PR's after another eventful week in the National. As always, thanks for reading, and let's hope that none of your favorite players are traded this week.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Winnipeg Jets (+1)
After a couple weeks out of the top spot, the Jets are back in a big way after winning a franchise record 11 games between January 22 and February 26. Just a dominant stretch for a terrific Winnipeg team, and although Week 20 ended with back-to-back 2-1 losses to a couple of non-playoff teams in the Predators and Flyers, Scott Arniel's group has done enough to be back at the top of the NHL Power Rankings. With 21 games left in their regular-season, the Jets are a league-best 42-15-4, and have opened up a four point lead on the Capitals in the President's Trophy race — with a game in hand. We won't soon forget that this roster won eight games in a row to end the 2023-24 campaign before being easily handled by the Avalanche in Round 1. This is the year for the Jets to finally make some noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If not now, when the squad is this dominant, then when? It'll be intriguing to see what GM Kevin Cheveldayoff does between now and Friday.
2. Dallas Stars (+1)
It seems like it's been the Jets and Capitals in the top two NHL Power Rankings slots for most of the 2024-25 campaign, but entering Week 21, we have a new contender. And it's a Stars team that is just filling the net as of late. Even without Miro Heiskanen and Tyler Seguin, Dallas has won two games in a row, five of six and 10 of 13 since January 24. Just a phenomenal stretch for a team that looks well-positioned to battle for back-to-back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Final in 2025. Of course, anything can happen in the postseason, but with Granlund now in the fold, and Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston all playing some of their best hockey of the year, this is a squad nobody wants to see in the first round. With a ridiculous 32 goals scored over their last six, there have been rumblings that GM Jim Nill will be going “big game hunting” ahead of the deadline. That hasn't happened yet, but it looks like a prime Stanley Cup contender is going to get even better. And this is already a scary roster from top to bottom.
3. Washington Capitals (-2)
The goals keep coming for Alex Ovechkin in 2024-25, but the same can't be said for the rest of Washington's roster as of late. The Capitals have lost three games in a row, all at Capital One Arena. And the group has scored just four goals in that span. For that reason, it's finally time to take the Caps out of a top-two spot in the NHL Power Rankings for the first time in well over a month. Although those three consecutive defeats came on the heels of four wins in five games, the Stars have done enough to finally leapfrog the Eastern Conference's best team. On a more positive note, the excellent tandem of Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren is locked up for the foreseeable future, with the latter signing a three-year extension to remain in the nation's capital last week. The play of the two netminders has been one of the key reasons Washington has been so potent this year, and the club still has a 10-point cushion on the second place Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division. Ovechkin has an incredible 31 goals in 44 games this season, scoring at a 58-goal pace at 39 years old. He opens Week 21 just 11 goals back of Wayne Gretzky's record, and with 22 tilts left, I say he breaks it before the postseason.
4. Florida Panthers (no change)
The Panthers have been excellent over the last couple of weeks, holding firm in the No. 4 spot for the third straight edition of the NHL Power Rankings. But the team received the devastating news that superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk will be out until the playoffs with a groin injury — at least. One of Florida's most important players was put on LTIR last week, and there's no guarantee he'll be back for Round 1, Game 1. On the bright side, the Cats have been winning prolifically without him, managing five victories in their last six games to keep pace with the surging Maple Leafs and Lightning at the top of the Atlantic Division. The big news in Sunrise this week was the addition of Seth Jones, who made it clear he wanted to win, and knew he wouldn't be doing that anytime soon in the Windy City. He should be a great add to the blue line, although giving up Spencer Knight and a first-round pick was quite a price to pay. GM Bill Zito said on Monday that he probably isn't done making moves, and expect the Panthers to get even better as they try to win back-to-back championships for the first time since Tampa Bay did it in 2020 and 2021.
5. Vegas Golden Knights (no change)
Like the Panthers, the Golden Knights are also eyeing a deep playoff run after a disappointing Game 7 loss to the Stars in Round 1 of the 2024 postseason. And Vegas is heating up at the perfect time, with five wins in their last six on the heels of a miserable four-game skid. Although a ton of consideration was given to Toronto and Tampa, Jack Eichel and co. are holding onto a top-five spot in the NHL Power Rankings for at least one more week. The Knights are another top team to watch on the trade market ahead of Friday's deadline, and depending on how long Shea Theodore is out, GM Kelly McCrimmon might have even more cap space to add a ringer for the stretch run. Vegas is no stranger to manipulating the old LTIR, and it wouldn't be surprising if Theodore was rested until the postseason. A great test against the team just below them on the leaderboard awaits on Wednesday night.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (+3)
The Maple Leafs and Lightning have been two of the hottest teams in the National over the past couple of weeks, and both are getting a significant jump up the NHL Power Rankings in Week 21. If there was ever a time for Toronto to go all in, it would be now. Mitch Marner and John Tavares are at the end of their respective contracts, and for the first time in what feels like forever, the goaltending has kept up. Anthony Stolarz has been just terrific this season, and he looks ready to man the crease for another crucial postseason in the Six. Add one of the best defensive players in the league in Chris Tanev to the equation, and Toronto is looking scary. The Leafs have won five games in a row and eight of nine, vaulting into first place in the division. You know this roster would love to avoid Tampa or Florida in the first round, and those two franchises are probably thinking the exact same thing. Winning the Atlantic is a big deal in 2024-25, and this roster looks like it has a great chance to do that. It would be the first time that's ever happened after three top-three finishes in a row (not counting when they won the North Division in 2020-21). They'll look to keep the good times rolling against the Golden Knights on the strip on Wednesday, but first, a visit from the league-worst Sharks on Monday night.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (+4)
It was nearly impossible to decide who to give the edge to in Week 21, and although it's the Leafs this time around, it very well could be Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning in seven days. Tampa Bay has racked off eight wins in a row and picked up at least a point in each of their last 10 going back to January 30. Andrei Vasilevskiy is so, so back, and although he almost certainly won't win the Vezina, he's probably the biggest challenger to Connor Hellebuyck in 2024-25. This is looking a lot like the team that advanced to back-to-back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals between 2020-22, and they're back in the conversation to win the Atlantic because of it. The division is a gauntlet, with the Bolts, Panthers and Leafs all laser-focused on finishing No. 1. Tampa is four points back of Toronto with a game in hand, and their last 23 games are going to be interesting.
8. Colorado Avalanche (-1)
Considering the potency of the two Eastern Conference teams above them, the Avalanche were destined to be going the wrong way in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 21. Colorado has won four of six, but suffered a pair of regulation defeats to two non-playoff teams in the Predators and Blues last weekend. The Avs currently occupy the top wildcard berth in the West, but the way the Wild have been playing, they have a great chance to leapfrog their Central Division rivals over the last 21 games. That would set them on a collision course with the Stars in Round 1, and it goes without saying that that is not a great matchup. Dallas has beaten Colorado in the second round twice in the past five years, and you almost wonder if this team would rather finish in a wildcard spot and play a team like the Golden Knights or Jets instead. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how Lindgren performs on the blue line in Denver, although the league's best D pair in Cale Makar and Devon Toews should continue seeing upwards of 28 minutes each per night. Despite being one of the league's busiest GMs in 2024-25, Chris MacFarland is probably looking to add another piece or two ahead of Friday's deadline.
9. Minnesota Wild (-3)
Playing without Kirill Kaprizov has been a tough go for the Wild, but without Joel Eriksson Ek as well, things have just gone off the rails in the State of Hockey. Minnesota had lost three games in a row before squeaking out a 1-0 win over the Bruins on the back of a Filip Gustavsson shutout on Sunday afternoon. Adding Gustav Nyquist to the equation should help plug some holes, but this offense still leaves a ton to be desired without Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek. GM Bill Guerin said he won't be kicking his feet up after bringing the veteran to town, and it's likely the Wild will be getting even better ahead of the deadline. They're going to need to improve the on-ice play if they hope to hold off Colorado in the Central. And if that doesn't happen, this squad will be in real jeopardy of missing the playoffs again. Right now, they're only nine points up on the Canucks and Flames with 21 games left in the regular-season.
10. Edmonton Oilers (-2)
It's hard to believe that Connor McDavid has one of the worst plus-minuses in the National Hockey League since February 5. Although he was the hero for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, he's been anything but for a flailing Oilers team as of late. Edmonton had lost five games in a row before finally getting back in the win column in a 3-1 victory in Carolina on Saturday, and that has the team barely holding onto a top-10 spot in the NHL Power Rankings. Leon Draisaitl continues to drive the bus this year, and the No. 1 player in fantasy hockey — and league leader in goals — has a great chance to win his second Hart Trophy in 2024-25. If the playoffs started today, it would be a fourth straight Oilers-Kings matchup, and I think hockey fans are a little bit sick of seeing those two teams play in Round 1. The Golden Knights are just four points ahead at the top of the Pacific, but McDavid and co. will need to be much better if they hope to win the division. Shockingly, that hasn't happened since they captured the Smythe Division before winning the Stanley Cup all the way back in 1986-87.
11. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)
Rantanen has finally woken up in Raleigh, managing four points in his last five games since the 13-day 4 Nations break. It's still not what'd you'd expect from a player of his caliber, but it's certainly better than the three points he chipped in over his first nine contests. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes have struggled despite the Finn's production, losing six of their last nine games and falling to a full 10 points back of the Capitals in the divisional race. The Devils are also just two points back and not providing any kind of breathing room. It would be shocking if Rantanen was traded again before the deadline, but if the front office doesn't believe it can re-sign him in the offseason, they may have no choice. This is still a Stanley Cup contender, although the play the last couple of weeks has certainly left a lot to be desired. The Canes are in Detroit to play a desperate Red Wings team on Tuesday night.
12. Columbus Blue Jackets (+3)
The 2025 Stadium Series was just fantastic. And it was a treat for the 95,000 fans in attendance at Ohio Stadium on Saturday night — the second largest crowd for an outdoor game in NHL history. It was an incredible moment for the city of Columbus and the Blue Jackets franchise, and Johnny Gaudreau was honored in multiple ways. The game itself was also exciting, with the Jackets beating the Red Wings 5-3 in a tilt that had serious playoff implications for both squads. The Jackets have now won four games in a row, vaulting to the top of the wildcard race in the Eastern Conference and sitting just four points back of the Devils with two games in hand. They're rightfully above them in the NHL Power Rankings, with Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko both making significant impacts since returning from their respective injuries. And with Yegor Chinakhov set to return from his long-term ailment on Tuesday in Tampa Bay, there is a ton of belief that the league's best story in 2024-25 will continue into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You'd be hard-pressed to find a hockey fan (not counting those in Michigan) who isn't cheering on this club the rest of the way.
13. New Jersey Devils (-1)
Everyone in Newark is holding their breath after Jack Hughes suffered what looked like a decently bad injury against the Golden Knights on Sunday night. If he's forced to miss any time, New Jersey could be in big trouble. The group hasn't won or lost two in a row since January 25, and that .500 pace is not doing them any favors; the Blue Jackets and Rangers are hot on the trail. It's been reported that the Devils are looking to add to the forward group before the deadline, and that seems like a necessity the way things have gone lately. A long five-game road trip finally comes to an end in Dallas on Tuesday night; NJ is back home on Friday, but things won't get any easier with the powerhouse Jets visiting Prudential Center.
14. Detroit Red Wings (-1)
The Red Wings got themselves back in the playoff race by racking off seven straight wins between January 23 – February 4, but after losing four of their last six, they're holding onto the second wildcard berth in the East for dear life. Back-to-back regulation losses to Columbus, one in Detroit and one in the Stadium Series, wasn't ideal, and the Wings are now just two points ahead of the Rangers, Senators and Bruins in the race. That's going to be a photo finish, and Detroit is desperate to get into one of those spots in the quest to break a long postseason drought. They'll need to get back in the win column quickly for that to happen; Carolina, Utah and Washington await in Week 21.
15. Los Angeles Kings (-1)
The Kings are having a rough time of it lately, suffering three consecutive losses to the Canucks, Stars and Blues, in that order. Although Los Angeles is still third in the Pacific, with the Oilers and Golden Knights both within striking distance, both of the Canucks and Flames are just five points back. They do have two games in hand, but they're going to need better play down the stretch to remain in a top-three spot in the division. A busy four-game week is on tap, with the Blackhawks, Blues (x2) and Knights at the other end of the rink between now and Sunday night. Drew Doughty has looked great since returning from a long-term injury, and he'll need to keep up that strong play down the stretch.
16. New York Rangers (+3)
Rangers GM Chris Drury did great work with Lindgren, recouping a second and a fourth-round pick from the Avalanche for a player who very well could have walked for nothing in free agency this summer. Although it's tough to lose a heart and soul defenseman like the 27-year-old, he's just not the same player without Adam Fox. Jimmy Vesey is also on his way to Denver, although New York added Juuso Parssinen to the equation. He should slot in at 3C for the rest of the season. The Blueshirts have started to heat up lately, with six wins in their last nine games dating back to February 2. They're still on the outside looking in, but are just a single win away from rectifying that. The rival Islanders visit Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
17. Vancouver Canucks (-1)
Since the blockbuster trade that sent JT Miller to the Big Apple, Elias Pettersson has managed zero goals and three points along with a minus-six rating. Miller, on the other hand, has amassed 12 points and looked like a great fit back with his old team. The Canucks are not looking good at all since the 4 Nations break, picking up only two of a possible 10 points over a long five-game road trip. That has Vancouver on the outside looking in despite being tied with the Flames at 65 points. There's just no ringers on this offense right now; Pettersson and Brock Boeser have both been much worse than last year, and without Miller, the forward core doesn't look playoff ready at all. If Quinn Hughes can't stay healthy, it's hard to see the Nucks being one of the last eight teams standing in the Western Conference come mid-April. They're finally back home for three games this week, welcoming the Ducks, Wild and Stars to Rogers Arena between now and Sunday. It'll be interesting to see if one of Boeser or Pettersson — or both? — get shipped out before Friday at 3 p.m. ET.
18. New York Islanders (+2)
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After a strong month of January, the Islanders have come back down to earth in a big way. New York had lost five of six before beating the Bruins (2-1) and Predators (7-4) to end Week 20. Still, they've fallen to second last in the Metropolitan Division and a full five points back of the final wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. With six teams between them and the final playoff spot, things are starting to look bleak on Long Island. Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri should both be getting traded between now and Friday, but knowing GM Lou Lamoriello, whether or not that will happen is completely up in the air. A crucial tilt awaits against the Rangers on Monday night.
19. Ottawa Senators (-1)
The Senators decided to choose the worst time possible to lose five games in a row. Once a fixture at the top of the wildcard race in the East, Ottawa has now fallen out of a playoff spot altogether. Although they're only two points back of the Red Wings, the roster needs to reverse this trend of futility, and fast. A 5-3 victory over the Sharks was a necessary victory to end Week 20, but things don't get any easier against the Capitals on the road on Monday night. With Brady Tkachuk and Josh Norris back in the lineup, the next couple of games will be crucial for a team looking to advance to the dance for the first time since 2016-17.
20. Calgary Flames (-3)
The Flames are taking a significant hit in the NHL Power Rankings after losing three games in a row and six of eight since February 4. Although they remain right in the thick of the playoff race, things have started to fall apart in Alberta after a strong first half of the season. It'll be interesting to see if GM Craig Conroy makes a couple more moves before the deadline, although it's been reported he's still on the fence about whether to buy or sell before Friday. It's certainly a difficult decision, and the roster hasn't made that any easier as of late. Calgary is in Philadelphia and Dallas this week before welcoming the Canadiens to the Saddledome on Saturday night.
21. St. Louis Blues (+2)
Right when we thought the Blues were going to fade away in the Western Conference, they've won five of seven and returned to relevance in the playoff race. Brayden Schenn's 1,000th game in the NHL was a huge success, with St. Louis taking out Washington in a 5-2 final. And just like that, the Blues are just a point back of the Canucks and Flames — and looking much better than both Pacific Division dwellers. Whether or not they can keep this pace up over the last 20 games, they've at least convinced GM Doug Armstrong to hold onto Schenn and Colton Parayko past the deadline. Could the front office make a hockey trade that improves the roster in the short-term to avoid missing the postseason in back-to-back-to-back seasons? We'll find out shortly.
22. Montreal Canadiens (+2)
For the first time this season, the Canadiens have won four games in a row. Unfortunately, it came at the end of a brutal stretch that saw Montreal lose eight times in nine tries between January 23 – February 9. Still, the Habs are going the right way in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 21 for the first time in several weeks. Kirby Dach had right knee surgery and will miss the rest of the year, which is a tough blow, but the squad has already adjusted to life without the young forward. Cole Caufield's overtime winner against the Sharks at the Bell Centre on Thursday night was electric, and they ended the week with a 4-2 triumph over the Sabres in Buffalo. The magic number for a playoff spot is now just three points, but it's expected that a couple of roster players — specifically Jake Evans and David Savard — will be getting a change of scenery between now and Friday.
23. Anaheim Ducks (-2)
The Ducks continue to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race, but they didn't do themselves any favors in Week 20. Anaheim has lost three of four and fallen to six points back of the final wildcard berth. It's going to take a herculean effort over the last 23 games to get in, and with Lukas Dostal starting to struggle between the pipes, the challenge gets even harder. A John Gibson trade to the Oilers just makes sense at this point, although it seems like that's been a thing for years and never crossed the finish line. The Ducks have a solid young roster, but they're probably still a year or two away from being serious postseason contenders. Maybe the most interesting storyline is that of former first-rounder Trevor Zegras, who was suspended for three games but remains a top trade chip. Will GM Pat Verbeek move on from the former star forward amid another down year? According to one executive, getting him a change of scenery and an opportunity to play with a superstar player — which Anaheim is lacking — could be the answer.
24. Utah Hockey Club (+1)
The Utah Hockey Club is battling for its playoff life, and Karel Vejmelka has emerged into the guy between the pipes. He allowed just three total goals over back-to-back-to-back victories over the Canucks, Blackhawks and Wild to keep Utah in the race. Although he allowed three in a loss to the Devils to end Week 20, he's the best hope the team has of hanging around until the bitter end. Now 27-25-9 and just two points back of the Canucks and Flames, it's expected that GM Bill Armstrong will try to improve the roster between now and Friday. The odds are still stacked against them, but with six wins in their last nine games, the dream isn't over just yet in Salt Lake City.
25. Boston Bruins (-3)
Just two years after having one of the best regular-seasons in the history of the National Hockey League, the Bruins are muddling through one of their worst in recent memory. And the NHL Power Rankings is taking notice. Not having Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm in the lineup is devastating to this roster, and heart and soul captain Brad Marchand getting hurt makes things even more complicated. Although he's not expected to get traded by the deadline — and he's reiterated his desire to retire in Boston — the Bruins have lost six of seven and are quickly fading away in the playoff race. Without their top two defensemen, it makes sense that the squad is struggling mightily. And with just 20 games left, that could be a wrap for the dim postseason hopes. It looks like GM Don Sweeney realizes that, and this roster could look quite a bit different after 3 ET on Friday afternoon.
26. Philadelphia Flyers (+1)
Although the Flyers are not expected to stay competitive for a wildcard spot, the squad has played some of its best hockey of the season as of late. Philly has won four of five and closed the playoff gap to just four points. Despite that, they're third last in the Metropolitan Division and have quite a few teams to leapfrog if they hope to get in. That probably won't happen, but Matvei Michkov is continuing to make his case for the Calder Trophy, with 10 points in his last six games. He's been excellent, and whether or not he ends up being Rookie of the Year, he will certainly be a finalist — along with Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson. The Flyers are 27-26-8, and with John Tortorella behind the bench, you know they won't be giving up with 21 games left.
27. Buffalo Sabres (-1)
The Sabres have long been out of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, but they started to create a little hail mary hope after winning six of seven games between the end of January and the end of February. But after back-to-back regulation losses to the Hurricanes and Canadiens in Week 20, they remain in last place in the Eastern Conference and all but assuredly won't be snapping the longest postseason drought in professional North American sports in 2025. There are a few top trade chips in Western New York, including Dylan Cozens, Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch. All three of those players would look great on a contender, but the price will not be cheap. It'll be intriguing to see if any of them end up getting shipped out by GM Kevyn Adams between now and Friday.
28. Seattle Kraken (+1)
The Kraken just cannot wait for the 2024-25 campaign to end — but they project as one of the more interesting teams on the trade market ahead of the deadline. There have been reports that there could be a fire sale out of the Emerald City, but none of the dominoes have fallen just yet. And there are quite a few of them. Yanni Gourde, Brandon Tanev and Jared McCann are at the top of the list, although nobody is safe on a middling Seattle team outside of the big free agency signings in Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson. With five losses in their last eight tries, regardless of what happens at the deadline, this roster is going nowhere fast the rest of the way.
29. Pittsburgh Penguins (-1)
The Penguins are free falling into the deadline, and although they can't really realistically fall any further in the NHL Power Rankings, the same can't be said for league standings. Mired in last place in the Metropolitan Division, they're just five points up on the Sabres, who have five games in hand. Buffalo has a real chance of getting out of the Eastern Conference basement, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if Pittsburgh ended up there. You know they've waived the white flag after Tristan Jarry was recalled from the AHL after going 6-5-1 with a .908 save percentage in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The big question is whether Erik Karlsson will get traded, and after Jones was moved to a contender, the Swedish star probably deserves a chance to win a Stanley Cup as well. It's clear that's not going to happen in Pennsylvania anytime soon.
30. Nashville Predators (no change)
With around a month and a half left in the 2024-25 NHL season, the Predators are locked into the No. 30 spot in the NHL Power Rankings. It's absolutely stunning that a player of Steven Stamkos' caliber hasn't recorded a single point in 13 games, and that's just a microcosm of one of the worst seasons in Nashville in recent memory. Nyquist has already been shipped out, and GM Barry Trotz should be looking to move anyone else he can, including Ryan O'Reilly. Defenseman Luke Schenn — who is also a trade candidate himself ahead of Friday — said it best: “I don't think I've ever been part of a group like this that literally can't score a goal.”
31. Chicago Blackhawks (no change)
Just as the Predators are locked into the No. 30 spot, the Blackhawks are likely not going anywhere in the NHL Power Rankings over the next six weeks or so. Connor Bedard doesn't have a point in five games, Jones was shipped out of town despite his massive contract, and Chicago is begging for the 2024-25 season to come to an end. It's just been another awful campaign in the Windy City, and not even a couple of free agent signings over the offseason could reverse the trend of futility. Taylor Hall is no longer part of the equation, and neither will the team's best player — yes, Ryan Donato — come Friday. There's only one thing left to play for, and that's staying ahead of the Sharks and out of the NHL basement. But in the quest to get back-to-back No. 1 overall picks, even that isn't realistic.
32. San Jose Sharks (no change)
The Sharks have been last in both league standings and the NHL Power Rankings leaderboard for what feels like the entire season, and without Granlund, things have gone from bad to worse. Well, that probably happened long before the trade. With eight losses in a row, San Jose has been stuck at 15 wins since January 17. It's honestly not too far-fetched to say that some of the top teams in the American Hockey League could probably hang around with this roster right now, and if a couple more pieces are moved ahead of the deadline, that will be especially true. At least Celebrini continues to produce, and his 44 points in 49 games could be enough to win the North Vancouver native the Calder Trophy.
