Power Rankings and Playoff Predictions

Bonus Award Predictions

As the 2024 season dwindles and the final wild-card spot races heat up, here are some rankings and predictions.

POWER RANKINGS

1. Flyers 13-0-1 and 25-2-2 in their last 29 games. Let that set in. Crazy

2. Oilers  - After some huge trade week trades, this roster has been nothing short of dominant. 11 wins in a row and undefeated in 15 at 14-0-1.

3. Flames  - The loss of McAvoy and Lindholm has been felt, the Flames have clinched a playoff birth but the loss of 2nd leading scorer Keller for 6 games to a suspension isn't going to help as the team tries to keep hold of the pacific crown for a 2nd season in a row.

4. Devils - Sorokin has been amazing and their solid roster has the Devils riding high just behind the Flyers.

5. Stars - The unexpected rise of the Stars has been fun to watch. While the Coyotes seemed to have the Central all wrapped up about a month ago, the Stars have flown past the Wild and are now neck and neck with the Coyotes as the season is on its final legs.

6. Coyotes - Is this the team that led the league in Points for the majority of the season or is this the team that has looked quite ordinary over the last several weeks? This is a team that needs its goaltending to play at the highest of levels as they struggle on offense. No playoff team has scored fewer goals than the Coyotes this season.

7. Capitals - Swayman and Kreider have led this team to the verge of the playoffs as they fight for one of the final wild card spots. 

8. Hurricane - Imagine if Carolina had their 1st round pick months back, they would have sold the farm and cruised to a top lottery pick, thankfully for them they didn't as they turned the season around and have looked like a team that could make some noise come playoff time.

9. Sabres - After a long winning streak, the Sabres have come back down to earth. It has to be a little frustrating knowing that the Bruins will get the Senators while the Sabres will be taking on probably either the Capitals or Blue Jackets.

10. Predators - Honestly, who gives a rat ass. Every team in the league should be hoping they miss the playoffs, it's a damn shame when teams are abandoned.

11. Blue Jackets - One of the biggest surprises of the season. Active at deadline and is an underdog who you can get behind if you love upsets.

12. Wild - The Wild have had a great 2nd half of the year and have looked like a potential contender at times which is not what this team looked like to start the season.

13. Golden Knights - Makar and Markstrom are on top of their game and have brought this extremely top-heavy roster to heights that no one thought they would get to this year. While playoffs were thought to be a possibility, the Knights have been near the top of the Pacific all season long thanks to this duo.

14. Kings - A season mixed with promise and disappointment has the Kings fighting to be a wild card. With arguably the best roster in the league this continues to be a team that no one wants to face come playoff time though.

15. Avalanche - Josi has played fantastic this season and has had Colorado fighting for a playoff spot the majority of the year, unfortunately, the crappy Predators have gone on a run and have the Avalanche on the outside looking in.

16. Bruins  -  In all the other divisions the Bruins would realistically not be a playoff team. That being said, they are going to have the luck of playing the Senators in the 1st round, and if Fleury can spin some magic, who knows what kind of upsets the Bruins can pull off.

17. Islanders  - Possibly the only surprise this year is the Islanders not making the playoffs, but some would say it's karma for the Tkachuk trade.

18. Jets  -  This is a team that tried to sell off and tank but has had a nice run to finish the season but is still looking unlikely they scrape their way to that last wild card spot. 

19. Sharks  -  Playing Vasilevskiy 60 games in a row and the team not being taken care of for the majority of the season has this Perennial Cup favorite only a couple of weeks from missing the playoffs, even a trade deadline blockbuster bringing in McAvoy and Lindholm in a last-ditch effort to claim a playoff berth doesn't seem like it's going to work.

20. Senators  -  It's a shame when the Islanders are probably going to miss the playoffs and yet have 14 points more than the Sens. This makes me want the best 8 in each conference back for playoffs.

PREDICTIONS

Stanley Cup - 7 Game thriller between the Flyers and Oilers. If this comes true, they deserve some OT in game 7. I'm taking the Oilers because of Anderson in between the pipes.

Conn Smythe - Anderson wins what he should have the year before.

Hart - Makar, Runners Up Hintz, Oettinger

Norris - Makar, Runners Up Pietrangelo, Fox

Vezina - Oettinger, Runners Up Sorokin, Markstrom

Calder - Knyzhov, Runners Up Powers, Johnston

Coach of Year - Cooper, Runners Up, Montgomery, Cassidy

Art Ross - Miller, Runners Up Barkov, Robertson

All in all, it's pretty hard to argue with how the Sim has worked this season, the teams that should suck, suck and the teams that should be good are good. One can argue that the Islanders should be better than the Blue Jackets or that the Kings juggernaut should be leading the West but besides those couple of things, it feels like everything is as it should be.