Welcome to the 14th and final edition of theScore's 2018-19 regular season NHL Power Rankings. Below, we assess how each team wrapped up their recent campaigns.
1. Tampa Bay Lightning (62-16-4)
What a run for the Lightning, who matched an NHL record with 62 wins. They're the runaway favorites to win the Stanley Cup for good reason, but the health of blue-line stalwart Victor Hedman is imperative for the club's title aspirations.
Previously: 1st
2. Calgary Flames (50-25-7) ▲
The Flames improved 23 points in the standings this season and earned home ice throughout the Western Conference playoffs. It's unclear who will start Game 1 in goal for Calgary but the good news is both Mike Smith and David Rittich were capable of winning games down the stretch.
Previously: 3rd
3. Boston Bruins (49-24-9) ▲
From Jan. 1 onward, the Bruins went 28-10-5 while ranking sixth in goals for (148) and seventh in goals against (109). They face a daunting Atlantic Division draw again this spring, but Boston is a legitimate Cup threat.
Previously: 5th
4. Washington Capitals (48-26-8)
The title defense is officially on for the Capitals, who pulled away from the pack in the Metropolitan and earned their fourth consecutive division title.
Previously: 4th
5. Nashville Predators (47-29-6) ▲
The Central Division crown was ripe for the taking throughout March and April, and the seasoned Predators won seven of their last 10 games to capture it. Now, Nashville has home ice and gets an easier opponent in Round 1 to get its playoff run started.
Previously: 13th
6. New York Islanders (48-27-7) ▲
The Islanders shattered expectations to finish fifth in the entire league, and it will be fascinating to see if head coach Barry Trotz can get his troops to make some noise in the playoffs - perhaps enough to set up a second-round match up with his former Capitals squad.
Previously: 11th
7. St. Louis Blues (45-28-9) ▲
St. Louis was tied for 29th place at Christmas. It ended up missing the division title by a single point. Watch out for the Blues.
Previously: 16th
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (46-28-8) ▼
An inconsistent Frederik Andersen and a swath of injuries led to some shaky play from the Maple Leafs to close out the regular season. Still, the 2018-19 campaign was about playoff progress from the get-go, and Toronto earned its chance at redemption versus the Bruins.
Previously:6th
9. Pittsburgh Penguins (44-26-12)
Not to say seeding doesn't matter, but for a team as experienced as the Penguins, full health is more important than first-round opponents. It goes without saying that Pittsburgh getting Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang back into the lineup prior to the playoffs makes this club as dangerous as any.
Previously: 9th
10. Carolina Hurricanes (46-29-7) ▼
The Hurricanes' playoff push enthralled the hockey world, and it's safe to say the hype train will go off the rails if Carolina puts a scare into, or beats the Capitals. Let's see what this bunch of jerks can do.
Previously: 8th
11. San Jose Sharks (46-27-9) ▼
The Sharks stumbled into the playoffs with a 3-8-1 record in their last 12 games to claim their lowest spot on our power rankings since Dec. 10. The team's biggest question mark all season has been between the pipes with Martin Jones. The netminder is coming off his worst season but does boast a stellar playoff resume.
Previously: 2nd
12. Winnipeg Jets (47-30-5) ▼
The Jets also dragged their way into the postseason, but injuries were certainly a contributing factor - specifically on the blue line. Dustin Byfuglien, who skated in just 42 contests this season, returned for a five-game tuneup before the playoffs. Meanwhile, Josh Morrissey hasn't played since Feb. 24 and his status for Game 1 is uncertain.
Previously: 10th
13. Columbus Blue Jackets (47-31-4) ▲
The Blue Jackets won seven of their final eight games to punch their postseason ticket. Sergei Bobrovsky was spectacular down the stretch, going 10-3 with a .946 save percentage and four shutouts. He'll need to be just as sharp in the playoffs for Columbus to upset Tampa Bay.
Previously: 15th
14. Vegas Golden Knights (43-32-7) ▼
The Golden Knights mustered together just one win in their last eight games to cap the worst season in franchise history. Marc-Andre Fleury was absent for most of those contests, though. He returned for the last two games after missing nearly a month, but is that enough to get ready for a playoff run?
Previously: 7th
15. Dallas Stars (43-32-7) ▼
The Stars squeaked into the playoffs despite owning the third-worst offense in the entire league. Simply put, Ben Bishop's brilliance will have to continue for Dallas to stand a chance.
Previously: 14th
16. Colorado Avalanche (38-30-14) ▲
In addition to a well-earned playoff berth, Colorado could net the first overall pick courtesy of the Senators' incompetence. The Avs' top-end talent makes them a dangerous team to face, but a lack of scoring depth could lead to an early exit.
Previously: 23rd
17. Montreal Canadiens (44-30-8) ▲
The Canadiens were simply in the wrong conference. They finished with more points than the Stars, Golden Knights, and Avalanche, but won't be heading to the postseason. Nonetheless, this season should be viewed as a positive, as many projected them as a lottery team in October.
Previously: 18th
18. Arizona Coyotes (39-35-8) ▼
If the league handed out a team award for perseverance, the Coyotes would be this year's winners. Arizona suffered an unimaginable amount of injuries but remained in the thick of the playoff hunt until the final few games. However, it's clear this team needs an injection of offense if it wants to take the next step.
Previously: 12th
19. Florida Panthers (36-32-14)
The Panthers could be in for a busy offseason. They've already hired Joel Quenneville as their next head coach and have been linked to pending free agents Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. With plenty of high-end talent already on the roster, a couple of key additions could finally get Florida over the hump.
Previously: 19th
20. Minnesota Wild (37-36-9)
Paul Fenton's first year as Wild general manager didn't go as planned. Their six-year postseason streak was snapped, and the midseason Nino Niederreiter-for-Victor Rask trade looks horrendous. More moves are surely on the way in Minny.
Previously: 20th
21. Chicago Blackhawks (36-34-12)
The Blackhawks will obviously be disappointed to have missed the playoffs, but they should take some solace in how well they played down the stretch to vault back into the hunt. Despite some lingering issues, Chicago should enter next season with a positive outlook.
Previously: 21st
22. Vancouver Canucks (35-36-11) ▲
Speaking of an encouraging outlook, the Canucks certainly have one despite how their season concluded. Vancouver gave prized defensive prospect Quinn Hughes a handful of games before wrapping things up, and the club has reason for optimism going forward with Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser anchoring a promising core.
Previously: 25th
23. Detroit Red Wings (32-40-10) ▲
Winning seven out of 10 is a nice way to end the regular season, but the Red Wings' roster still has plenty of holes heading into 2019-20.
Previously: 31st
24. Philadelphia Flyers (37-37-8) ▼
Despite Carter Hart's emergence, this season was unquestionably a failure for the Flyers, who learned they'll need more than the talented, young goaltender and two good lines to become a truly competitive club again.
Previously: 17th
25. Edmonton Oilers (35-38-9) ▼
Connor McDavid's frustration boiled over a bit down the stretch, and then he got hurt in the Oilers' regular-season finale. Needless to say, he and the rest of the club would clearly like to put this campaign behind them.
Previously: 22nd
26. Anaheim Ducks (35-37-10)
The lesson for the Anaheim this season is that John Gibson needs a lot more help. The Ducks have to improve the NHL's worst offense and get better at limiting shots and scoring chances. They're unlikely to do that if they continue to be one of the league's oldest teams.
Previously: 26th
27. New York Rangers (32-36-14)
Alexandar Georgiev has proven capable of being the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist whenever King Henrik decides to call it a career, but it's going to be a while before the Rangers are real contenders again.
Previously: 27th
28. Buffalo Sabres (33-39-10) ▼
A second-half nosedive doomed Phil Housley, as the now-former Sabres head coach got the ax Sunday. Buffalo clearly has plenty of room to grow, but expectations will always be high with Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin in the fold. Jeff Skinner still needs a new contract, too.
Previously: 24th
29. New Jersey Devils (31-41-10) ▼
Getting Taylor Hall signed long term will be priority No. 1 for the Devils this summer. New Jersey will also have a shot at a very high pick in the upcoming draft, so general manager Ray Shero has an important offseason ahead.
Previously: 28th
30. Los Angeles Kings (31-42-9) ▼
The Kings will have the second-best odds at winning the first overall pick, but not even Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko can fix Los Angeles' problems on their own.
Previously: 29th
31. Ottawa Senators (29-47-6) ▼
A nightmare of a season on and off the ice is finally, mercifully over for the Senators, but hey, at least they have the lottery to look forward to. Oh, wait ...
Previously: 30th
