NHL Power Rankings: Each team's key player for the stretch run
This is the 12th edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for 2019-20. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.
In this edition, we look at each team's key player over the final stretch in the race toward the playoffs.
1. Boston Bruins (41-13-12)Previous rank: 2
The key for another deep playoff run by the Bruins is depth scoring. We know the "Perfection Line" is going to do its thing, but Boston's bottom nine needs to contribute offensively. Enter Jake DeBrusk. After a 27-goal sophomore campaign, the 23-year-old hasn't taken the strides many expected in his third season. With no goals in his last 10 games, DeBrusk needs to start putting the puck in the net in order for the Bruins to secure home-ice advantage for the postseason.
2. St. Louis Blues (39-17-10)Previous rank: 7
With such a balanced attack, St. Louis has shown it can withstand an injury to one of its premier forwards, but blue-liner Alex Pietrangelo is invaluable. The Blues captain led the club in ice time while chipping in 19 points during its Stanley Cup run last spring and is on pace for a career-best 61 points this season.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning (41-19-5)Previous rank: 1
The Lightning gave up a haul to acquire Blake Coleman before the trade deadline. With Steven Stamkos expected to be out for at least the rest of the regular season, it's time for Coleman to show why he was so coveted by the Bolts' brass. No, he's not going to replace Stamkos, but he needs to play like the impact, two-way forward he is.
4. Colorado Avalanche (39-18-7)Previous rank: 6
Let's not overthink this one. Nathan MacKinnon's dominance never wavered when the Avalanche lost co-star Mikko Rantanen and captain Gabriel Landeskog to long-term injuries earlier this season. MacKinnon rarely has an off night, and when the 24-year-old is at his best, the Avs can stick with any team.
5. Washington Capitals (40-19-6)
Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 3
The Capitals are a juggernaut offensively, but their play between the pipes will likely dictate how far they go. Braden Holtby will look to rediscover his 2018 postseason form, which saw him help Washington capture its first Stanley Cup with a .922 save percentage. Ilya Samsonov has been terrific this season, but relying on a 23-year-old rookie goaltender come playoff time is never ideal, especially when you have a talent like Holtby who's done it all before.
6. Vegas Golden Knights (36-23-8)Previous rank: 15
All eyes are on Robin Lehner. He won his Golden Knights debut Friday, stopping 32-of-34 shots. It remains unclear if Lehner or Marc-Andre Fleury will man the crease this postseason, but all signs are pointing toward the newly acquired Lehner taking the helm as the season winds down.
7. Philadelphia Flyers (38-20-7)Previous rank: 12
Sean Couturier has taken his elite two-way game up another level this season. The 27-year-old leads the club in Corsi For percentage (56.52%) and the Flyers own a team-best 56.04% share of expected goals for at five-on-five when Couturier is on the ice. He's also chipped in 21 goals and is on pace for his third consecutive 70-plus point season.
8. Dallas Stars (37-21-7)Previous rank: 5
If the Stars had received league-average goaltending this season, who knows where they'd be. The club ranks 24th in league scoring and is last among Western Conference playoff teams. Dallas needs the tandem of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin to continue to stifle opponents between the pipes in order to make a deep playoff push.
9. Pittsburgh Penguins (37-21-6)
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 4
Sidney Crosby has just one point during the Penguins' six-game losing streak. Pittsburgh owns a 4-9-1 record when the two-time Hart Trophy winner is held off of the scoresheet but is 12-0 when he records two or more points in a game. The proof is in the numbers - when Sid gets buzzing, the Penguins follow suit.
10. Toronto Maple Leafs (35-23-8)Previous rank: 9
Frederik Andersen may be an obvious answer here, but more than anything, Toronto's blue line has to step up in front of its netminder. Perhaps no defenseman is more important to the Leafs' success right now than Travis Dermott, who's been thrust into a top-pairing role with both Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin sidelined. Dermott has excelled in sheltered minutes the past two years, but he needs to prove he's capable of more responsibility.
11. New York Islanders (35-21-8)Previous rank: 10
Mathew Barzal may be the Islanders' most talented player, but Brock Nelson checks every box in terms of winning hockey games. The 28-year-old pivot has scored a team-high 23 goals for the Islanders - five of them game-winners - and plays a significant role on the team's power play and penalty kill.
12. Edmonton Oilers (34-23-8)Previous rank: 11
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have gotten all the attention in Edmonton, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been on a tear as of late. Since Dec. 31, Nugent-Hopkins has the fourth-most points in the league with 33. The secondary scoring has been a delight, and he'll need to continue to be a key source of offense as the Oilers surge toward the playoffs.
13. New York Rangers (35-26-4)Previous rank: 17
Artemi Panarin has been the Rangers' most valuable player, but unlike the club's play between the pipes, his production hasn't wavered. New York's season did a complete 180 when Igor Shesterkin emerged as a dominant presence in net. With the rookie puck-stopper now sidelined with a broken rib, netminder Alexandar Georgiev will need to step up in a big way for the Rangers to complete their comeback season and clinch a playoff berth.
14. Carolina Hurricanes (35-24-5)Previous rank: 14
With defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce out of the lineup, Jaccob Slavin has never been more valuable to the Hurricanes. The 25-year-old has seen increased ice time over the last several games and will continue to be tasked with handling other teams' top talents. He's also arguably the top penalty killer for a Hurricanes unit that's allowed just three goals in its last 28 times shorthanded.
15. Columbus Blue Jackets (32-21-14)
Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 13
The goal-starved Blue Jackets aren't going to clinch a playoff berth by outscoring their opponents down the stretch, making netminder Joonas Korpisalo all the more important - especially with rookie phenom Elvis Merzlikins sidelined with a concussion.
16. Vancouver Canucks (34-25-6)Previous rank: 8
Jacob Markstrom was in the midst of a Vezina-worthy season before going down with an injury in late February. Now that he's out for at least another couple of weeks, goaltender Thatcher Demko will need to step up big time to keep the Canucks' playoff hopes alive. In the three games since Markstrom went down, Demko has gone 1-2-0 while allowing 10 goals on 93 shots.
17. Nashville Predators (32-24-8)Previous rank: 19
A Matt Duchene redemption run to end the season would benefit a Predators team teetering on the fringes of the playoff race. The 29-year-old pivot has underwhelmed in Nashville since inking a splashy 7-year, $56-million offseason deal. If Duchene can begin producing at the level the Preds are paying him, they'll have a good shot at continuing their season deeper into the spring.
18. Calgary Flames (34-26-7)Previous rank: 18
After a sluggish start to the year, Johnny Gaudreau has seemingly found his game. With three goals and eight assists in his last 10 games, Gaudreau will need to keep things clicking on the Flames' top line as Calgary enters the home stretch.
19. Florida Panthers (33-26-7)Previous rank: 16
It's an obvious answer, but it couldn't be truer: Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida's $70-million man, is integral to the Panthers' postseason hopes. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner has struggled mightily this season, but he's going to have to earn his paycheck if the Panthers are going to make the playoffs.
20. Minnesota Wild (32-26-7)
Jamie Sabau / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 22
Alex Stalock has posted a 7-1-1 record with a .932 save percentage in the month of February to launch the Wild from deadline sellers to postseason candidates. The 6-foot puck-stopper has given the club new life and could be the difference between Minnesota sneaking into the playoffs or narrowly missing out.
21. Arizona Coyotes (32-27-8)Previous rank: 21
Taylor Hall has played well since his arrival in Arizona earlier this season. He's managed nine goals and 16 assists in 32 games and will need to continue to provide consistent offense for the Coyotes, who rank 22nd in the league in goals scored.
22. Winnipeg Jets (33-28-6)Previous rank: 20
The Jets' resiliency in 2019-20 following a difficult offseason is an embodiment of their captain. Blake Wheeler's never-say-die attitude will be critical for Winnipeg in the thick of a tight Western Conference playoff race, particularly with star winger Patrik Laine nursing a lower-body injury.
23. Chicago Blackhawks (29-28-8)Previous rank: 24
Patrick Kane has gone consecutive games without a point for just the third time this season. The Blackhawks' chances at a playoff spot this season are quickly fading, and any late-season surge would require an all-world stretch from "Showtime" himself.
24. Montreal Canadiens (30-28-9)Previous rank: 23
Although they're not mathematically eliminated from the postseason, the Canadiens will need a bit of a miracle to make the playoffs. A lot would need to go right, and that includes Max Domi, who has eight points in his last seven games, staying hot. Domi hasn't replicated last season's success, but a strong finish would increase the likelihood of Montreal committing long term to the pending restricted free agent.
25. Buffalo Sabres (29-28-8)
Kevin Hoffman / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 25
This key player comes with a caveat. With nothing to lose at this point in the season, the Sabres might as well give Sam Reinhart an audition as the club's second-line center for the rest of the season. Reinhart was moved to the wing after struggling at center early in his career, but as a more mature player now, it's possible he could fill a massive organizational need for the Sabres down the middle. If not, then at least they know for sure. At the very least, moving him away from Jack Eichel would limit his production during a contract year.
26. New Jersey Devils (26-27-12)Previous rank: 28
If the Devils want to deal P.K. Subban this offseason, they need him to play well down the stretch to get his trade value up. If they want to keep him, he needs to finish strong to gain confidence going into the summer. Either way, it's beneficial if he plays well in the last 17 games.
27. Anaheim Ducks (26-31-8)Previous rank: 27
The Ducks made a gutsy move by dealing Ondrej Kase and bringing in Danton Heinen from the Bruins. In three games with Anaheim, Heinen has potted a goal and added an assist. The Ducks will be hoping to see their gamble pay off with a strong close to the year from Heinen, who's an impending restricted free agent.
28. San Jose Sharks (28-33-4)Previous rank: 26
Leading the team in goals with 22, Evander Kane has shown that the seven-year, $49-million extension he signed in 2018 is paying off. He helps bring grit to the Sharks' lineup with a whopping 118 penalty minutes and is also a big offensive threat. With San Jose looking to bounce back next year, Kane will need to carry over his confidence into the summer and next season.
29. Ottawa Senators (23-31-12)Previous rank: 30
The Senators are giving prospect Josh Norris an audition centering the team's first line between Brady Tkachuk and Bobby Ryan. With no clear-cut future No. 1 center in the organization, Norris, who was acquired from San Jose in the Erik Karlsson trade, has a glorious opportunity to prove himself down the stretch.
30. Los Angeles Kings (25-35-6)Previous rank: 29
Despite a wildly disappointing season from the Kings, Anze Kopitar has continued to play at an elite level. Leading the team in points by a wide margin, Kopitar has shown that he isn't going to mail it in during his team's rebuild. He will need to finish the year strong and carry his play into next season to keep Los Angeles' morale up.
31. Detroit Red Wings (15-47-5)Previous rank: 31
With last place in the NHL all but locked up, there's no "key player" for Detroit during the stretch run. What's key for the Red Wings is having the lottery balls fall their way once the season ends. Anything outside of the first overall pick and the rights to select Alexis Lafreniere would be extremely disappointing after what's been a disastrous season.
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