This is the 11th in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.
In this installment, with the trade deadline now in the books, we look at one player on each team who needs to step up down the stretch.
1. Florida Panthers (44-17-4)
Previous rank: 2
Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers chose to address the forward group rather than the blue line at the deadline, so they'll need their defensemen to step up if they want to reach the Stanley Cup Final again. It begins with Ekblad, who's had a tough season battling injuries. He began the year on LTIR and exited Florida's last game.
2. New York Rangers (41-18-4)
Previous rank: 1
Kaapo Kakko. Many Rangers fans are ready to cut ties with Kakko, but at just 23 years old, it's too early to completely write him off. If the 2019 No. 2 pick could find his confidence down the stretch, it would lengthen New York's lineup nicely.
3. Vancouver Canucks (42-17-7)
Previous rank: 3
Elias Lindholm. It can't possibly feel good for Lindholm to hear the rumors that the Canucks were looking to trade him shortly after acquiring him in an attempt to land Jake Guentzel. However, there'd be no better way for Lindholm to prove his worth to Vancouver by shifting into beast mode ahead of the playoffs.
4. Boston Bruins (38-13-15)
Previous rank: 4
Jake DeBrusk. In a contract year, there should be no shortage of motivation for DeBrusk. He's starting to produce more as of late, and if he's playing with an edge come playoff time, he can be extremely valuable.
5. Dallas Stars (40-17-9)
Previous rank: 5
Jake Oettinger. The Stars have arguably the deepest forward group in the league and a stellar blue line - especially after the addition of Chris Tanev. But they'll only go as far as Oettinger takes them. If his playoff performance is anything like his play this season, then it won't be very far. He's rocking a .900 save percentage and a minus-2.97 goals above expected.
6. Carolina Hurricanes (39-19-6)
Previous rank: 7
One goalie. Frederik Andersen, Pyotr Kochetkov, Spencer Martin, or even Antti Raanta - it doesn't matter who, but the Hurricanes need one of their many goaltenders to be "the guy" by the time the postseason rolls around following the team's addition of Guentzel.
7. Colorado Avalanche (40-20-5)
Previous rank: 9
Gabriel Landeskog. Like, as in his recovery. The Avalanche will need their captain at 100% come playoff time to give them the best chance at being the last team standing in the Western Conference. The Knights loaded up, the Stars beefed up their defense, and the Oilers have those two freaks. A healthy Landeskog would give Colorado an extra edge.
8. Winnipeg Jets (40-18-5)
Previous rank: 6
Cole Perfetti. The sophomore struggles have been real for Perfetti of late. He has just two assists in his past 21 games and has been relegated to the fourth line. The 22-year-old rediscovering his form heading into the playoffs would transform Winnipeg's depth up front.
9. Edmonton Oilers (39-21-3)
Previous rank: 10
Darnell Nurse. The Oilers didn't address the blue line at the deadline, so they'll need the internal options to step up. The Ekholm-Bouchard pairing is money, but they need Nurse to be an anchor on the No. 2 pair. Nurse has fared better since being paired with Vincent Desharnais, which is a good sign.
10. Toronto Maple Leafs (37-19-8)
Previous rank: 8
John Tavares. The Maple Leafs captain is producing at the lowest goal and point rate since his rookie season in 2009-10. He has fewer five-on-five points than Max Domi and rookie Matthew Knies. That's simply not good enough from the $11-million center.
11. Nashville Predators (37-25-4)
Previous rank: 16
Cody Glass. The 2017 No. 6 pick was trending in the right direction last season after finally returning to health and was a solid secondary scorer. But this season has gone more like the rest of his career: inconsistent and injury-riddled.
12. Los Angeles Kings (32-20-11)
Previous rank: 15
Pierre-Luc Dubois. The much-maligned forward's first season in L.A. has been lacking in Hollywood glamor: Dubois has mustered just 28 points in 63 games and is a team-worst minus-19. The Kings will need him to step up to make it out of the playoffs' opening round for the first time since 2014.
13. Vegas Golden Knights (34-23-7)
Previous rank: 14
The goalies. Yeah, this is technically two players in Adin Hill and Logan Thompson, but Vegas has lost nine out of its last 12 games and lost ground in the playoff picture. Since the start of that skid on Feb. 12, Hill owns an .881 save percentage, while Thompson is at .882.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-25-6)
Previous rank: 12
Andrei Vasilevskiy. The talented goalie always has a lot on his plate, but he'll be even more vital to the Bolts down the stretch as they attempt to hang on to their playoff spot. Further complicating things is the absence of D-man Mikhail Sergachev, as GM Julien BriseBois was unable to find a suitable replacement. We hope you're well rested, Vasy.
15. New York Islanders (29-20-14)
Previous rank: 25
Anders Lee. The captain isn't quite leading by example amid his least productive season since 2015-16. With a $7-million price tag, that won't cut it if the Islanders want to sneak into the playoffs.
16. Philadelphia Flyers (33-24-8)
Previous rank: 13
The defense. The Flyers lost Sean Walker at the trade deadline, while the likes of Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Drysdale, and Nick Seeler are all hurt. Philadelphia will need to ask a lot of its rag-tag blue line heading into the postseason.
17. Washington Capitals (30-23-9)
Previous rank: 23
Alex Ovechkin. Just keep scoring goals, Ovi. The franchise icon has 10 in his last 16 contests, including a six-game streak. Maintaining that level down the stretch is hugely important not only for his chase of Wayne Gretzky but also for the Capitals' pursuit of a wild-card spot.
18. Seattle Kraken (28-24-11)
Previous rank: 21
Matty Beniers. The reigning Calder Trophy winner has taken a notable step back. On pace to score 21 fewer points than in his rookie season, the 21-year-old needs to regain his confidence.
19. Detroit Red Wings (33-25-6)
Previous rank: 11
Alex Lyon. The magic is starting to wear off for Lyon, who owns an .880 save percentage in his last 12 games after rocking a .924 look in his first 20. Ville Husso ain't it, and James Reimer is a true backup at this stage of his career. For the Wings to get into the playoffs, Lyon needs to drag them there - as he did with the Panthers a year ago.
20. Minnesota Wild (31-27-7)
Previous rank: 18
Filip Gustavsson. The Swede had a breakout campaign last year with a whopping .931 save percentage. That's fallen all the way down to .894 in his second year in Minnesota. Top prospect Jesper Wallstedt is knocking on the door and will soon be challenging him for the starting role.
21. Calgary Flames (31-28-5)
Previous rank: 17
Literally everyone. Maybe this is cheating, but if the Flames are going to ride their underdog narrative all the way into the playoffs, they'll need to do it by committee. They've lost Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin, but they're still hanging around in the wild-card race.
22. St. Louis Blues (32-29-3)
Previous rank: 19
Pavel Buchnevich. The Russian winger is having a good season, but he's also a strong candidate to get traded in the summer. A hot end to the campaign would boost his trade value and potentially net the Blues a greater return.
23. New Jersey Devils (31-29-4)
Previous rank: 20
Jake Allen. The Devils' odds of making the playoffs are low, but they aren't zero. Hopes are largely going to rest on Allen's shoulders. No, he isn't Jacob Markstrom, but maybe the veteran Stanley Cup champ can provide some much-needed stability and calm in the crease.
24. Buffalo Sabres (30-30-5)
Previous rank: 26
Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres are without a captain after trading Kyle Okposo to the Panthers. Dahlin can continue building his case as the most logical successor to don the "C" by helping his team close out a disappointing campaign on a high note.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins (28-27-8)
Previous rank: 24
Mike Sullivan. No, not a player, but the seasoned head coach needs to find some way of getting through to every single Penguin not named Sidney Crosby. They look lost, and it'll be up to Sullivan to pull them out of this passionless funk.
26. Montreal Canadiens (24-30-10)
Previous rank: 29
Juraj Slafkovsky. It's been a much better sophomore campaign from the 2022 No. 1 pick, but he still has plenty of room for growth. Continuous improvement from Slafkovsky is vital for Montreal's long-term outlook.
27. Arizona Coyotes (26-34-5)
Previous rank: 27
Logan Cooley. The rookie had some flashy moments early, but overall his freshman campaign has been OK at best. Cooley heating up in the final few weeks would create excitement for the Coyotes amid a rough second half.
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (22-32-10)
Previous rank: 28
Johnny Gaudreau. The 30-year-old is scoring at a career-low rate in another lost season in Columbus. Finishing the campaign strong and carrying positive momentum into the summer is important for the Blue Jackets star.
29. Anaheim Ducks (23-38-3)
Previous rank: 30
Trevor Zegras. Between drawn-out contract negotiations, underwhelming play, injury woes, and trade rumors, it's been a messy season for the 22-year-old. He'll want to finish his tumultuous season on a positive note when he returns from a broken ankle.
30. Ottawa Senators (25-33-4)
Previous rank: 22
Joonas Korpisalo. It's been an abysmal season for Korpisalo, who's sporting an .887 save percentage. That's not how anyone hoped the season would go after he inked a five-year, $20-million contract in the summer. Penciled in as one of Ottawa's goalies next season due to the contract, the Sens need Korpisalo to end the year on a high to give him some good mojo going into 2024-25.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (17-43-5)
Previous rank: 32
Connor Bedard. The Blackhawks really don't have much else going on, so it'll be on the 2023 first overall pick and likely Calder Trophy winner to continue providing the entertainment in the Windy City down the stretch. Sorry, kid.
32. San Jose Sharks (16-40-7)
Previous rank: 31
Literally no one. Keep losing! Maybe landing Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick at the 2024 draft will help soften the blow of losing Tomas Hertl. Probably not, though. That guy seems like a gem.
(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)
