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NHL Power Rankings: Team Needs Edition - Senators trending up

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / Getty

1. Nashville Predators (Last Week: 1)

Team Need: Win the Central

It'll have to be a wire-to-wire in the division for the Predators to avoid the arduous task of having to oust either the Blackhawks or Blues in round one.

Though they've passed every test so far, one has to wonder about Mike Ribeiro and Matt Cullen's ability to match wits through center with the likes of David Backes, Paul Stastny, Jonathan Toews and Antoine Vermette.

2. St. Louis Blues (Last Week: 2)

Team Need: A healthy Kevin Shattenkirk

Though they've braced his loss with an 8-5-1 record since he went out with an abdominal injury, Shattenkirk's absence is felt.

St. Louis owned the league's best goal differential at the time of his injury, but they've been outscored since.

3. Montreal Canadiens (Last Week: 5)

Team Need: Rental scoring

With goaltender Carey Price on pace to play the position better than anyone over the last 16 seasons, the time is now for the Canadiens.

However, they'll need to improve on a 20th-ranked goal-per-game output and the league's 6th-worst power play to take advantage of their goalie's genius.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning (Last Week: 3)

Team Need: A reliable defenseman

Oh, whoa. Maybe not for that price though.

Ah hell, Stanley Cups aren't won with Mark Barberio playing 16 minutes a night.

5. Chicago Blackhawks (Last Week: 4)

Team Need: Seize this opportunity

They don't seem to need this advice, but we'll give it anyway: 

Chicago can add a heaping amount of overflow payroll to its postseason roster thanks to Patrick Kane's regular season-ending injury. If they survive two rounds - which isn't at all out of the question - the league's best player through five months can rejoin a roster stacked with added money and additions like Vermette.

6. New York Rangers (Last Week: 7)

Team Need: Announce that Zuccarello deal

Even if he has no future with the Blueshirts (though it appears he does), treat him as a free rental.

Mats Zuccarello was afforded the third-most ice among forwards and finished with the second-best plus-minus in New York's run to the Cup final last spring. There's no reason to give up such an important postseason asset out of fear of losing him for nothing.

7. Detroit Red Wings (Last Week: 6) 

Team Need: Right-handed defenseman

Detroit has been fine deploying six defenseman wielding lefty blades, but rookie Alexey Marchenko illustrated quite vividly what a right-handed shot can do in a conventional position. Is he ready for postseason primetime?

8. Pittsburgh Penguins (Last Week: 9)

Team Need: All the bubble wrap

The Penguins beat the market, acquiring a top-line winger to Sidney Crosby's left in David Perron and ancillary parts in Max Lapierre and Daniel Winnik. Now, to maintain health and avoid the liberty-taking Blue Jackets.

9. Minnesota Wild (Last Week: 13)

Team Need: Stay unconscious

Don't look at Twitter. Don't pick up the phone. Don't turn on the TV. You already made the biggest move six weeks ago. 

10. Anaheim Ducks (Last Week: 12)

Team Need: To be bold

The Ducks have been just dumping quarters into the slot machine since acquiring Ryan Kesler.

Four separate trades have seen Anaheim land Rene Bourque, Eric Brewer, Jiri Sekac and Tomas Fleischmann. Tweaks like that just ain't gonna cut it. 

11. New York Islanders (Last Week: 10)

Team Need: A Johnny Boychuk extension

As great as they've been in their final season on Long Island, it's about the future - not necessarily right now. It'll look much brighter with Boychuk extended in a Nick Leddy-like long-term fashion. 

12. Los Angeles Kings (Last Week: 8)

Team Need: Bottle the Jonathan Quick of last week

Quick was 8-1 with a .946 save percentage in nine starts before receiving the hook Sunday versus the Jets.

He just makes all the difference in Los Angeles.

13. Washington Capitals (Last Week: 11)

Team Need: A real top-line winger

No, not Curtis Glencross. Someone who can play on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

14. Winnipeg Jets (Last Week: 15)

Team Need: Return to hibernation

After years of self-effacing inactivity, the Jets have lost themselves just a bit - along with the strategy that effectively stocked the cupboards full of prospects.

Jiri Tlusty we can stomach - but Lee Stempniak? Really?

15. Vancouver Canucks (Last Week: 14)

Team Need: De-blur the lines

Aside from the Sedin twins, the Canucks have 10 forwards you could sort, mix and match in any such way, really.

Of them, Shawn Matthias, Brad Richardson and Derek Dorsett are free to walk at the end of this season and should be moved, while Chris Higgins, and possibly even the injured Kevin Bieksa, could present useful adds for a contender. Unless the Canucks decide they are, in fact, one.

16. Calgary Flames (Last Week: 16)

Team Need: Move Dennis Wideman

If he's willing.

Keith Yandle and the Rangers proved that offensive defenseman are held in considerably high regard at the deadline. Maybe this is the spot to dump $5.25 million off the annual payroll.

17. Boston Bruins (Last Week: 17)

Team Need: A load off

Just a collective, organization-wide deep breath. You don't have to win every year. It's really okay.

18. Ottawa Senators (Last Week: 23)

Team Need: Recoup control

The distribution of power is just a touch too spread out in Ottawa.

It's great having players who want to stay, but in keeping rentals and signing veterans that could have potentially become the next wave of Mike Hoffmans, Mark Stones and Curtis Lazars - is really what's best for the Senators?

19. Philadelphia Flyers (Last Week: 18)

Team Need: Do the opposite of what you're reportedly trying to do

Okay, okay. That's a reeeaaally nice haul for Braydon Coburn. But...

Michael Del Zotto in his current role: Fine.

Del Zotto logging Drew Doughty minutes for a team that sent away all their defenseman at last season's trade deadline? Not so much.

20. San Jose Sharks (Last Week: 19)

Team Need: A white flag to wave

Today should (but likely won't) mark the end of the regular season-dominant, postseason-disappointing Sharks as we know it.

21. Florida Panthers (Last Week: 21)

Team Need: 2005-06

You know, the season Jaromir Jagr and Dany Heatley combined to score 104 goals and 126 points.

22. Colorado Avalanche (Last Week: 20)

Team Need: Trade Ryan O'Reilly

If he's not in your future plans.

A season removed from unrestricted free agency, O'Reilly may be the perfect piece to exploit a desperate team feeling left behind at the trade deadline track meet.

23. Dallas Stars (Last Week: 24)

Team Need: Capable puck-stopper (x2)

What subverts the development of a retooling team more effectively than bad goaltending?

Ask the Stars and Oilers, who are the only teams stopping pucks below .900.

24. Carolina Hurricanes (Last Week: 26)

Team Need: Keep dealing

Seriously. You traded a defenseman ranked in the bottom 10 in Goals For at 5-in-5 for a 4th-round draft pick and a warm body. Just keep going.

25. New Jersey Devils (Last Week: 25)

Team Need: Less grey

The Devils traded a 43-year-old and STILL CARRY A MEAN AGE OVER 30.

They're the only team that does. Also, sorry for yelling.

26. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last Week: 27)

Team Need: Another miracle

Stat.

27. Columbus Blue Jackets (Last Week: 22)

Team Need: Deeper Pockets

Because we wouldn't wish David Clarkson on our own worst enemy.

28: Edmonton Oilers (Last Week: 28)

Team Need: Fewer legacy positions

The 'ol boys club is resistant to change on and off the ice. They did, however, find a good home for Jeff Petry, but he didn't seem to have his price inflated by the flurry of deals well before the deadline.

29. Arizona Coyotes (Last Week: 29)

Team Need: Sell the living daylights out of Domi-Duclair

The few thousand people do attend the games and those who don't need to understand what they have here. This duo is a combination that could send a Canadian market into absolute hysteria.

30. Buffalo Sabres (Last Week: 30)

Team Need: Must we?

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