Power Rankings: who are the top 15 teams in hockey ahead of the playoffs?

With the NHL playoffs just around the corner, we decided to take a look at the top 15 teams in hockey with a view to who could be taking home the Stanley Cup in a couple of months.

The Islanders have played themselves into the playoffs over the past couple of months, and now look like their hot streaks are good enough to at least make them competitive in a playoff series.

The Kings have been battling for the third in the Pacific for some time, but with a late-season surge, they look to have locked it up.

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The Knights have gone 6-3-1 in their last 10, but haven’t been able to overhaul the Kings in the Pacific. As CBS Sports notes, however, trade deadline acquisition, Tomas Hertl, should give them a boost come playoff time.

“This is a group most teams probably don't want to face,” per Chris Bengel for CBS Sports. We tend to agree, given their recent playoff experience.

The Predators have locked up the Central Division wildcard spot and were on an incredible hot streak, but a recent downturn in form knocks them a few spots in our rankings.

Could it finally be the Leafs’ year? Probably not, but any team with Auston Matthews has a shot. His 66 goals comfortably lead the league, per ESPN.

The Jets have overtaken the Avs for the number two spot in the Central. As Chris Bengel writes, “Defenseman Josh Morrissey has been dominant on both ends of the ice,” giving them some star power come playoff time.

The Panthers dealt with injuries to Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad, derailing their early season. Now, with a healthy roster, they look like they can beat anyone, and as Sportsnet points out, they are opening the playoffs with home-ice advantage.

Connor McDavid has been dealing with a minor injury during recent games, per CBS Sports, so perhaps we’ll see him given some rest before the playoffs begin.

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The Avs lost control of the number two spot in the Central and have been struggling to close out games in recent weeks. A 3-5-2 stretch isn’t what any team is looking for heading into the playoffs.

A little like the Avs, the Canucks have lost some of their dominance in recent times, but with a fired-up Elias Lindholm ready for the playoffs, per NHL media, they are looking dangerous still.

The Bruins are a hard team to beat, and with David Pastrnak thriving in recent games, they look like a team that can beat anyone.

The Canes started the season badly, but following a 4-1 win over Ottawa in December, they, “completely turned its season around and has the best points percentage in the league (.750) since,” per Sportsnet.

The Rangers have been one of the best teams in the NHL all year, and a recent 7-3-0 run sees them sitting in first place (for now) in the Metro and the presumptive President’s Trophy winners.

The Stars were one of the early-season favorites to lift the Stanley Cup, and over the past 81 games have shown why. They have talent, depth, and in Jake Oettinger, a young goalie who looks to be getting hot at the right time.

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