The trades are starting! After weeks of speculation, chatter, and unfounded rumors, the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline is finally kicking into high gear. It started with the Dallas Stars bolstering their stout defensive corps by acquiring defenseman Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames, who was one of the best players available this deadline. Following this, the Toronto Maple Leafs grabbed a familiar face by acquiring Illya Lybushkin from the Anaheim Ducks.
While neither of these trades are blockbusters, they set a good standard for the week ahead. While the returns have been mixed in terms of talent swapped, cap-strapped teams will lean on third parties to broker deals by paying them to retain a little bit of cap space. I expect these deals to get more complex (and pricier) as that remaining cap space is soaked up.
The other big news this week came in the form of a signing. After literal years of discussions about his future, Elias Pettersson signed an eight-year extension with the Vancouver Canucks, paying him $11.6 million per season. For the Canucks, this is a big commitment to a star player that has been a recent face of the franchise through good and (mostly) bad times. For Pettersson, this commitment to Vancouver is a sign that he believes their success this season won’t be a one-off, and that he sees a bright future ahead with the franchise.
Overall, I think this is a big win for both Pettersson and Vancouver. Most importantly, it will put an end to the turmoil and trade rumors that have swirled around both parties all season. That would have only grown louder and more distracting as time went on, so it’s likely a big relief for Canucks’ fans to be able to just focus on their team again.
In many ways, the play on the ice felt secondary to all the discussions happening off it. Sure, there were a lot of important games played this week, but it’s almost impossible to focus on it when you know so much change could be coming by Friday. That doesn’t make every win or loss less impactful, however, as a few teams may have decided their future after another bad week. So, with much speculation and excitement in the air, let’s see what changes occurred throughout THW’s Power Rankings for Week 22!
32-20: Big Changes Coming to the NHL’s Bottom
32. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously 31st)
31. San Jose Sharks (Previously 30th)
30. Arizona Coyotes (Previously 32nd)
29. Montreal Canadiens (Previously 28th)
28. Ottawa Senators (Previously 22nd)
27. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously 27th)
26. Anaheim Ducks (Previously 29th)
25. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously 25th)
24. Seattle Kraken (Previously 24th)
23. New Jersey Devils (Previously 20th)
22. Washington Capitals (Previously 19th)
21. New York Islanders (Previously 26th)
20. Buffalo Sabres (Previously 23rd)
It’s time to welcome the Devils to the bottom section of the Rankings. I really wanted to see them continue their momentum from the 2022-23 season, but they simply haven’t been able to find any consistency this season. Injuries and poor goaltending have hampered their great roster, and they simply haven’t been able to string together enough wins to justify pushing for the playoffs. It’s hard to tell if they will be true sellers this deadline, but they should have everything on the table heading into Mar. 8th.
There’s also quite a race at the bottom of the Rankings this week. The Coyotes finally won a game against the Senators, which put an end to their miserable 14-game losing streak. Since the Sharks and Blackhawks lost seven and six straight, which gave me good reason to drop them both to the bottom again. Also, Ottawa and Montreal have been on a pretty miserable stretch of their own, but that might just be a reflection of an overall down-season.
Also, I’m annoyed with the Sabres again. They are 6-4-0 in their last ten games played, and they look like the team we thought they should be at the start of the season. If they had played like this since October they would have easily been in the playoff hunt. As it is now, it feels like they are going to have another stretch of 20-30 games where they flash so much potential before missing the playoffs anyway.
19-13: Sure, the Flames are Good Now
19. Minnesota Wild (Previously 14th)
18. St. Louis Blues (Previously 17th)
17. Calgary Flames (Previously 21st)
16. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously 16th)
15. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously 18th)
14. Los Angeles Kings (Previously 13th)
13. Colorado Avalanche (Previously 12th)
I don’t think there’s a team the entire NHL world has tried to write off more this season than the Flames, as we all knew exactly what their playbook would be. They were supposed to sell all of their expiring veteran talent for big returns, play like a rebuilding team, and end up with a chance at the first-overall selection in the draft lottery. Then depending on their returns, they could make a go of it in 2024-25 or continue retooling until their new stadium opens.
Instead, they still sold some of their key players, but are playing just well enough to stay in contention for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. A five-game winning streak this week kept their hopes alive, even if they should consider selling even more at the deadline.
Heading in the opposite direction are the Wild, and it feels like the wheels have started coming off their season. While they had largely pulled themselves out of their miserable start, a three-game losing stream this week really killed that momentum. They are still on that fringe where I could see them buying, but it would also make sense for them to retool by selling at the deadline to hopefully go on a run next year.
I also can’t stress how mediocre teams like the Lightning, Flyers, and Kings have been recently. They all are holding on to playoff positions, but it’s starting to feel like this is due to no one grabbing it from them instead of by their own efforts. It’s even hard to tell if all of these teams will be buying at the deadline, as Philadelphia was in trade rumors the entire season, yet are playing well enough that they realistically should make the postseason.
12-1: Just Take Away Their U2 Concert
12. Detroit Red Wings (Previously 10th)
11. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously 9th)
10. Edmonton Oilers (Previously 11th)
9. Boston Bruins (Previously 8th)
8. Nashville Predators (Previously 15th)
7. Vancouver Canucks (Previously 7th)
6. Dallas Stars (Previously 6th)
5. Winnipeg Jets (Previously 5th)
4. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously 3rd)
3. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously 4th)
2. New York Rangers (Previously 1st)
1. Florida Panthers (Previously 2nd)
When the story came out about the Predators canceling their plans to see a U2 concert during their trip to Las Vegas as punishment for their poor play after All-Star Weekend, I thought this was, at best, a misguided ploy to try and squeeze blood from a stone. Nashville, in my mind, wasn’t a true playoff threat, and even if they snuck into the final Wild Card position, they would be an easy out for the #1 seed.
Well, call myself a believer now. The Predators have rattled off eight straight wins, and suddenly find themselves in control of their own destiny with the first Wild Card in their possession. This team is firing on all cylinders, and with a relatively weak schedule ahead of them, they could easily win three of their next four games, further cementing themselves as a buyer this deadline. Heck, if things continue going this well, they might be hiring U2 for their Stanley Cup parade.
Elsewhere, things are starting to feel a little dire for the Canucks, Bruins, and Golden Knights. These three teams were the best the NHL had to offer for most of the season, yet in recent weeks they are struggling to maintain even average play on the ice. They can realistically coast to playoff contention given their strong play in the first half of the season, but you don’t want to be playing your worst hockey in March heading into April. This could be fascinating to watch as the final quarter of the season starts.
Also, I feel pretty good with my top five. I have the Panthers back on top, but realistically the Rangers, Hurricanes, Jets, and Maple Leafs could all make a claim for that spot. These teams are playing great most nights, and are the NHL’s gold standard right now.
Trade Deadline Will Bring Active Week Ahead
Well, this is the final Power Rankings before the trade deadline. While it feels like this season will be a bit calmer than in previous years, I’m still expecting a lot of action to take place in the coming days. The Stanley Cup race still feels wide open, which may entice teams to go for it instead of selling like normal.
Related: NHL Trade Bait List for 2024 Trade Deadline
Don’t be surprised if your favorite team makes an all-in push for a player you’ve never heard of, or if they go out and sell a veteran with term to a playoff contender. I think this is going to be the deadline remembered for odd deals no one expected that shifted the balance of power, similar to what we saw from the Lightning back in 2020. Either way, it will be a fun week ahead as we all wait for the next big move to take place!