For this week’s edition of the power rankings — closing out the regular season — we’re comparing each club’s preseason expectation (using the standings point over/under totals from ESPN BET as a proxy) to their actual number of standings points on April 12. How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and […]
Continue readingAnaheim Stars: No question, Frank Vatrano is enjoying the most successful season of his NHL career and it isn’t close. After piling up a previous-best points total of 41 (just last year), the 30-year-old is knocking it out of his own personal park in nearing 60 by campaign’s end, including 33 goals and counting. A […]
Continue readingThese are the driving factors that make the remainder of the NHL regular season so compelling. Perhaps the only things more compelling than what happens to these teams are the players whose efforts will play such a massive role in shaping their teams’ short- and long-term futures. This week, our NHL Power Rankings take a […]
Continue readingThere are some captivating players we all have our eyes on when it comes to the potential wheeling and dealing over the next few weeks. This week as part of our NHL Power Rankings, we’ve identified one player from each team that is under the closest watch — whether it’s a player that could be […]
Continue readingMore Teams. More Games. Pat McAfee breaks down Ty Schmit’s takeover at the Vegas Golden Knights game and how he helped end the Oilers’ 16-game win streak. (1:42) The Oilers finally lose, Nathan MacKinnon’s impressive point streak comes to an end, Elias Lindholm already has two goals in his pocket with his new Vancouver squad, […]
Continue readingBeyond the rankings, this week we have identified a reason for hope for all 32 NHL fan bases — whether it’s a current player or group, or perhaps a savior to arrive via the 2024 draft. How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors each send in a 1-32 poll […]
Continue readingBarkov was hurt when he was hit by Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe on Friday night in the Panthers’ 2-1 win. LaCombe initially was assessed a five-minute major after the play; the penalty was downgraded to a two-minute minor for tripping after review. Barkov needed help getting off the ice and immediately went to the locker room […]
Continue readingElsewhere, the Calgary Flames are hoping to extend their win streak against the fumbling New York Islanders. A visibly happier Jonathan Huberdeau scored his first game since the season’s opening week against the Vancouver Canucks Thursday, while Elias Lindholm racked up three points. The Minnesota Wild are hoping the weekend’s stint in Sweden will help […]
Continue readingFor this week’s Power Rankings, we tried to distill each team’s season thus far into a single word — whether good, bad or somewhere in between. How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors each send in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master […]
Continue readingHow long this absence will be is still unclear. Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters after the team practiced in Detroit on Wednesday that the reigning Eastern Conference champions aren’t sure on the prognosis for Bennett, Florida’s fourth-leading scorer in last season’s playoffs. Bennett missed the first seven games of this season with a lower-body […]
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