NHL Power Rankings: A ‘dramatic’ question for all 32 teams
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Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporter
Another week, another new No. 1 team atop the Power Rankings!
Beyond the rankings, we’ve noticed a lot of drama around the NHL this week, from all the takes regarding William Nylander‘s contract extension to everyone having an opinion on the circumstances of Cutter Gauthier‘s trade from the Flyers to the Ducks. So along with our updated rankings, we’re asking a “dramatic” question for each team heading into the second half.
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 list here.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Jan. 5. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 73.17%
Next seven days: vs. PHI (Jan. 13), vs. NYI (Jan. 16)
Can the Jets maintain their defensive excellence? Winnipeg soared atop the standings last week in typical under-the-radar fashion. Make no mistake, though; these Jets are defensive-minded demons on a mission. They’ve been airtight since early November with a league-leading 2.00 goals-against per game, and are stifling teams off the rush. Winnipeg honing those habits into the second half could have them primed for a long spring.
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.24%
Next seven days: @ BUF (Jan. 13), @ CBJ (Jan. 15), vs. ARI (Jan. 18)
When (and for how much and how long) should the Canucks re-sign Elias Pettersson? Vancouver is having a season for the ages. So that leaves room to focus on what superstar Elias Pettersson’s next contract should look like, and when the Canucks might get it done. The pending restricted free agent is playing his way into a big-time payday, and the better Petterson’s second half is, the greater chance that average annual value climbs. Strategy is everything here for Vancouver.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 69.51%
Next seven days: @ STL (Jan. 13), vs. NJ (Jan. 15), vs. COL (Jan. 18)
Can the Bruins quit blowing late leads? Boston’s first half was strong in many categories. It was easy to overlook the Bruins’ tie for a league lead in overtime losses (five) after leading opponents through two periods. Coach Jim Montgomery has chalked that discrepancy up to a learning curve for the Bruins’ personnel discovering how to manage 6-on-5 scenarios, but suffice it to say, Boston can’t afford to regularly let points slip away.
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.86%
Next seven days: @ TOR (Jan. 13), @ MTL (Jan. 15), @ OTT (Jan. 16), @ BOS (Jan. 18)
Will goaltending break the Avalanche? Colorado is excellent in most areas but inconsistent in net. Alexandar Georgiev had a strong start that rapidly unraveled, right up until he blanked Vegas this week in what coach Jared Bednar deemed a “perfect” performance. Huh. Can the Avalanche rely on Georgiev to stay on track from here? Because backup Ivan Prosvetov hasn’t been steady, either. If the Avalanche expect to go far this spring, they’ll need a goalie tandem up to the task.
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 68.29%
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Jan. 13), vs. ANA (Jan. 15), vs. DET (Jan. 17)
Is Matthew Tkachuk finally back? Florida’s sensational first half could be topped by only a Matthew Tkachuk resurgence. The feisty forward had a fine opening act coming off his broken sternum, and Tkachuk appears to be finding more juice the deeper Florida gets into its season, including a hat trick this week. A revitalized Tkachuk would make the Panthers only more dangerous — a scary prospect for the league’s other 31 teams.
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 67.50%
Next seven days: @ WSH (Jan. 13), vs. WSH (Jan. 14), vs. SEA (Jan. 16), @ VGK (Jan. 18)
Will the Rangers’ defense be its downfall? New York can score goals. The problem is how many it gives up. The Rangers have allowed four or more goals in nine games since Dec. 1, and they average nearly 30 shots against in that stretch. It’s impossible to continuously outscore such issues, particularly in the postseason. New York has to batten down the back end to make the most of its offensive prowess.
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 64.10%
Next seven days: vs. COL (Jan. 13), vs. DET (Jan. 14), @ EDM (Jan. 16), @ CGY (Jan. 18)
Are the Maple Leafs dialed in enough on defense? Toronto has offensive talent to spare. Its defense — and, by proxy, goaltending — is under the microscope. The Leafs’ ambitions for this season won’t easily come to fruition while averaging more than three goals against and clinging to veteran Martin Jones carrying a heavy workload in net. The Leafs might need to explore blue-line upgrades before the March 8 trade deadline.
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 66.25%
Next seven days: vs. NSH (Jan. 12), @ CHI (Jan. 13), vs. LA (Jan. 16), @ PHI (Jan. 18)
How will the Stars manage without Miro Heiskanen? Dallas bore the brunt of losing starting goaltender Jake Oettinger by having Scott Wedgewood stepping up in his stead. Who will do the same while star defenseman Heiskanen is week-to-week because of a lower-body injury? The Stars have options, but Heiskanen’s role is vast — he plays over 25 minutes per game, and seemingly everywhere at that — so it will require a collective effort on Dallas’ part to fill the void while staying competitive until Heiskanen is back.
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 62.20%
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Jan. 13), vs. LA (Jan. 15)
Do the Hurricanes need a goalie upgrade? Carolina has the makings of a top-tier team — aside from one looming grey cloud around goaltending depth. Rookie Pyotr Kochetkov has done well taking over as the Hurricanes’ No. 1 after Frederik Andersen was sidelined by blood clots. Antti Raanta has performed poorly behind Kochetkov, though, and if Andersen can’t return, will Carolina pin its playoff hopes on a rookie goalie? The trade deadline might loom large here.
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 63.10%
Next seven days: vs. CGY (Jan. 13), vs. NSH (Jan. 15), vs. NYR (Jan. 18)
Are the Golden Knights burnt out? Vegas started the first half strong following its Stanley Cup win. Slowly, the Golden Knights have begun to show cracks. They went on a recent 3-7-0 streak, and got shutout at the NHL’s marquee Winter Classic to open 2024. It could be a sign that, after a short summer, Vegas is feeling the fatigue. If that’s the case, what rejuvenation tactics can the Golden Knights explore for the second half?
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 63.16%
Next seven days: @ DET (Jan. 13), @ CAR (Jan. 15), @ DAL (Jan. 16), vs. NSH (Jan. 18)
How will the Kings handle adversity? Los Angeles enjoyed a smooth ride through the first half — only to lately encounter some speedbumps. The Kings are losing leads, dropping tight games and winding up on the wrong side of previously right outcomes. And so, L.A. enters this second half with some trepidation and likely a new appreciation for how quickly things can swing out of favor. The Kings’ response to their waves of hardship will define the next few months.
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 59.21%
Next seven days: @ MTL (Jan. 13), vs. TOR (Jan. 16), vs. SEA (Jan. 18)
Can the Oilers’ keep this up? Edmonton went from basement dweller in October to producing the NHL’s second-best record (by points percentage) since Kris Knoblauch replaced Jay Woodcroft as head coach on Nov. 12. Connor McDavid? Unstoppable again. Leon Draisaitl? Finding his groove. Edmonton overall? Vastly improved. The second half is where Edmonton shows whether this is a flash-in-the-pan response to turnover — or it has actually tapped back into the team’s full power.
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 58.54%
Next seven days: @ MIN (Jan. 12), @ WPG (Jan. 13), @ STL (Jan. 15), vs. DAL (Jan. 18)
Are the Flyers good enough to make the playoffs? Philadelphia finished its first half holding the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot — something few pundits could have predicted. The Flyers have a chance to prove it’s no fluke by staying the course and, instead of dealing away players at the trade deadline, maybe even adding somewhere to give themselves a true run toward the postseason.
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 58.54%
Next seven days: @ NSH (Jan. 13), @ MIN (Jan. 15), @ WPG (Jan. 16)
Can the Islanders sharpen up? New York is in a precarious place with its goaltending. Semyon Varlamov is on injured reserve, so Ilya Sorokin has been playing every game. The Islanders aren’t helping Sorokin bear that burden, giving up the second-most shots on net this season. That can be helped by a recommitment to defensive excellence in the second half, giving Sorokin a better chance of keeping New York afloat in net.
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 57.69%
Next seven days: @ FLA (Jan. 13), @ BOS (Jan. 15), vs. MTL (Jan. 17)
Can the Devils survive — and thrive — without Jack Hughes? New Jersey is lacking its superstar for the foreseeable future, as Hughes nurses a lower-body injury. That’s going to make the second half even tougher on these Devils, who are already mired in the mushy middle of the wild-card race. How New Jersey rises — or deflates — during Hughes’ absence could define its whole campaign.
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 56.41%
Next seven days: vs. NYR (Jan. 13), @ NYR (Jan. 14), vs. ANA (Jan. 16), vs. STL (Jan. 18)
Should the Capitals go all-in toward the playoffs? Washington deserves credit for fighting through early-season adversity to remain in the postseason mix. Now we’ll see if that correlates to GM Brian MacLellan upping the ante with trade deadline acquisitions to help the Capitals’ chances of staying there. Washington is poised to become healthier, too, with Charlie Lindgren and T.J. Oshie returning — and oh yeah, Alex Ovechkin is rolling again, too. This could be the Capitals’ time to push forward.
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 56.25%
Next seven days: @ CAR (Jan. 13), vs. SEA (Jan. 15)
Can the Penguins claw their way into the playoffs? Pittsburgh has a playmaker any team would covet in Sidney Crosby. He plays like a Hart Trophy finalist and will carry the Penguins on his back, but Crosby alone won’t get Pittsburgh to the postseason. The Penguins have embraced a more physical approach that has generated momentum. If Pittsburgh keeps leaning into that winning mindset, it could still push past the competition into a wild-card slot.
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 54.88%
Next seven days: @ DAL (Jan. 12), vs. NYI (Jan. 13), @ VGK (Jan. 15), @ LA (Jan. 18)
Can Juuse Saros find elite form again? Nashville has relied on its No. 1 goaltender too heavily in the past. This season, it has been the Predators at large (particularly the forward group) helping to prop the team up against Juuse Saros’ waning numbers in net. Nashville’s workhorse hasn’t been his usually stunning self — the Predators’ defensive lapses don’t help — but seeing Saros soar again would take pressure off Nashville’s offense in a potentially stronger second half.
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 54.88%
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Jan. 13), @ PIT (Jan. 15), @ NYR (Jan. 16), @ EDM (Jan. 18)
Is Joey Daccord the real deal? Seattle’s biggest hurdle has been finding a reliable goaltender. And then appeared one Joey Daccord. He shut Vegas out in the Winter Classic to put the league on notice of his arrival, and Daccord has only continued to ascend right past the Kraken’s other goalies. If Daccord’s trajectory keeps up, he gives Seattle higher hopes for their second-half prospects in the standings.
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 54.88%
Next seven days: vs. LA (Jan. 13), @ TOR (Jan. 14), @ FLA (Jan. 17)
What’s the Red Wings’ biggest problem defensively? Detroit has its issues keeping pucks out of the net. The Red Wings are eighth worst in goals-against per game (3.40), and no amount of rotating defensemen or other tinkering by coach Derek Lalonde has produced the desired improvements. Identifying — and fixing — whatever is causing the Red Wings’ defensive woes will be paramount to their second-half success.
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 52.50%
Next seven days: @ MIN (Jan. 13), @ CGY (Jan. 16), @ VAN (Jan. 18)
Will the Coyotes’ offense ignite again? Arizona has surprised this season with some solid runs of good hockey. Lately, the Coyotes’ offense has sputtered, and they need that to change — fast. Arizona has scored two goals or fewer in 10 games since early December, and it is giving up over 31 shots per game. That’s a poor combination. Adding some firepower back up front will help tip the scales back in their direction.
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 54.65%
Next seven days: vs. ANA (Jan. 13), vs. MIN (Jan. 18)
Will the Lightning miss the playoffs? Tampa Bay had two Stanley Cup wins and one Cup Final appearance during six consecutive postseasons. But the Lightning left this first half on the outside looking in. It’s a tight race (at the moment) for the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference wild-card spots. The Lightning’s streaky season to date has to stabilize fast — into stretches of sustained success — to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 51.19%
Next seven days: @ VGK (Jan. 13), vs. ARI (Jan. 16), vs. TOR (Jan. 18)
Is it time to explore a rebuild? Calgary hasn’t established a real identity this season. Will that signal the start of a new chapter? Pending free agents including Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev haven’t re-signed yet, and GM Craig Conroy must decide whether the Flames’ next step involves keeping those veterans or prioritizing draft position and prospects to put Calgary on a different path for the future.
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 53.75%
Next seven days: vs. BOS (Jan. 13), vs. PHI (Jan. 15), @ WSH (Jan. 18)
Will the Blues bloom with confidence under their new coach? St. Louis pulled off its Stanley Cup run in 2019 following a coaching change. Well, now Craig Berube is out and Drew Bannister is in, and the Blues have, once again, shown some real life. Can they sustain that growth into the second half? St. Louis is still in the playoff hunt, and with Jordan Binnington excelling and his teammates beginning to thrive, it’s reasonable to believe in the Blues making strides.
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 48.78%
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Jan. 13), vs. COL (Jan. 15), @ NJ (Jan. 17), @ OTT (Jan. 18)
Can Nick Suzuki win the Selke Trophy? Montreal won’t be making the playoffs, but there’s a chance one of its top players takes home some hardware based off this second half. Nick Suzuki has emerged as a front-runner for the league’s award honoring a top defensive forward, and it would be a real feather in the Canadiens’ cap to see their captain have that type of finish to his campaign.
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 47.50%
Next seven days: vs. PHI (Jan. 12), vs. ARI (Jan. 13), vs. NYI (Jan. 15), @ TB (Jan. 18)
What can the Wild do at full strength? Minnesota is oh-so-close to having all of Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin and Filip Gustavsson back from injury (as for Jared Spurgeon, well, he’s out a little longer). It has been a difficult season injury-wise for the Wild, but having a healthy-ish roster at last? Music to their ears — and a potential signal to their Central Division foes that the battle-tested Wild are ready to make a move up the standings.
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 47.62%
Next seven days: vs. VAN (Jan. 13), vs. SJ (Jan. 15), vs. CHI (Jan. 17)
Is Don Granato in the hot seat? Buffalo was meant to make playoffs this season. That’s not happening without a miraculous surge up the standings. If the Sabres fail to get there, will it spell the end for head coach Don Granato? It’s not entirely on Granato that Buffalo has failed to reach expectations, but that situation hasn’t saved other coaches’ jobs in years past.
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 41.67%
Next seven days: vs. SEA (Jan. 13), vs. VAN (Jan. 15)
Is it time to move Elvis Merzlikins? Columbus has waited to see the best of the netminder. And while he has improved since last season, it’s still not the perfect partnership of player and team that the Blue Jackets hoped for when they signed him. There could be an opportunity ahead of the deadline, with a number of teams looking to add goalies to their rotation. Columbus should take a long, hard look at whether there’s a suitor out there with a solid return to give them — and Merzlikins — a fresh start.
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 37.84%
Next seven days: vs. SJ (Jan. 13), vs. COL (Jan. 16), vs. MTL (Jan. 18)
Will the Senators add or subtract during trade season? Ottawa has undergone enormous change in the first half — and it might not be done yet. The Senators are pivoting in a new direction, and that could include trading off some organizational stalwarts in favor of adding new players to the lineup. Expect GM Steve Staios to start really putting his fingerprints on the team.
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 35.37%
Next seven days: @ TB (Jan. 13), @ FLA (Jan. 15), @ WSH (Jan. 16)
Should the Ducks trade Trevor Zegras? Anaheim has a way to go in its rebuild. It’s possible that moving Zegras, who is currently injured, would help speed the process along. GM Pat Verbeek’s vision for the Ducks might not fit with Zegras’ style in the long term, and if that’s a concern, then Verbeek might well explore options for a mutually beneficial parting with Anaheim’s rising star.
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 30.95%
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Jan. 13), vs. SJ (Jan. 16), @ BUF (Jan. 17)
Will the Blackhawks crumble without Connor Bedard? Chicago did score a victory over Calgary in its first outing since the rookie phenom broke his jaw. It remains to be seen how great an impact losing Bedard has on the Blackhawks long term, though. Will it push them closer to another draft lottery win or be a rallying point for the team to build around?
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 27.38%
Next seven days: @ OTT (Jan. 13), @ BUF (Jan. 15), @ CHI (Jan. 16)
Will the Sharks remain bad enough to get the first pick? San Jose is the only team not to hit 10 wins by the halfway point. So, the Sharks are certainly on track for a 32nd-place finish. Perhaps a victory in the upcoming draft lottery would cushion the blow of losses continuing to pile up.
It all comes down to this. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets host the St. Louis Blues in the 200th Game 7 in Stanley Cup playoffs history Sunday (7 p.m. ET, TBS).
One team will advance to the second round, while the other will get an early start to the offseason — and try to fix what went wrong.
For the Blues, this is the club’s 19th all-time Game 7, the most of any non-Original Six team. They have gone 10-8 in Games 7s, with the most recent one being the 2019 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, which they won 4-1.
This version of the Jets has much less Game 7 history on which to draw; their only Game 7 was a second-round victory over the Nashville Predators in 2018.
Who wins this one? We’ve gathered the ESPN hockey family to identify the key players to watch in the contest — as well as their final score predictions.
Who is the one key player you’ll be watching in Jets-Blues?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: If he plays, it’s Mark Scheifele. The hit in Game 5 from Brayden Schenn and/or Radek Faksa generated quite a bit of conversation about what is arguably the most physically demanding series in the first round. Scheifele’s play this season and this series prior to the hit reinforces what makes him a legit top-line center in this league. We saw how the Jets maneuvered around his absence for the final two periods of Game 5, while Game 6 proved why they need contributions from everyone if he can’t go.
But again, that’s if Scheifele plays. He skated Saturday in a tracksuit, with Scott Arniel saying the center will be a game-time decision Sunday.
Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Connor Hellebuyck is the obvious answer here for me because he’s been “Vezina” at home (especially Game 2) and “Vezina from Temu” on the road.
Hellebuyck has allowed four or more goals in seven straight road playoff games, which ties the second longest such streak in Stanley Cup playoff history. But Game 7 is at home. The pressure is on but he’s in comfortable confines, surrounded by a “Whiteout.” Which version of Hellebuyck do we get Sunday night?
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Connor Hellebuyck, of course. Has there been a Jekyll/Hyde performance like this in recent years?
The Vezina finalist can play lights-out at home and like a fish out of water on the road. Does that trend continue in Game 7? What version of the goalie shows up for this one?
But as a bonus, I’ll toss Pavel Buchnevich into this equation. He’s been driving the Blues’ offense, and if Hellebuyck is on his A-game then St. Louis is going to need Buchnevich to channel his hat trick energy from Game 3 to help the Blues pull off a stunning road win.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: Jordan Binnington renewed his title as one of the NHL’s most clutch goaltenders with his 31-save performance in Team Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship win over the U.S. — including six saves in overtime. He first earned it in 2019, backstopping the Blues to the Stanley Cup with Game 7 wins over Dallas and Boston.
Now he’s got a chance to reestablish those credentials.
Binnington had a 0.82 goals-against average and a .968 save percentage in those prior Game 7s. While Hellebuyck has been terrible in St. Louis, Binnington hasn’t been much better in Winnipeg, generating an .861 save percentage and a 3.44 goals-against average and giving up four goals in two of the three games. But as 4 Nations showed, Binnington can meet the moment. (Although this time, Kyle Connor will actually be in the lineup for the opposition. Not that we’re bitter or anything.)
The final score will be _____.
Clark: 4-3 Jets. There have been a few themes in this series. The first being that offense hasn’t been an issue — the teams have combined to score more than six goals in all but one game. The second is that the home team has won every game; I say that continues, and the Jets advance.
Öcal: 6-5 Jets. Hellebyuck doesn’t have his best game, but the Jets outscore that challenge, and Kyle Connor scores another third-period goal in this series to win it.
Shilton: 5-4 Jets. The Jets have been too good on home ice to let this one slip away. That’s not to say a St. Louis win would be surprising, but even if Hellebuyck is off, Winnipeg’s offense should be able to provide enough buffer that the Jets can squeak through with a narrow victory to advance.
Wyshynski: 5-3 Jets. The Jets would be toast if this game were played in St. Louis because it’s a demonstrable fact that Hellebuyck is a disaster on the road in the playoffs. He’s slightly below replacement at home in the postseason, but Winnipeg will take that considering his three removals on the road.
The Blues are first in the playoffs in 5-on-5 offense and goals-for percentage at home. But Winnipeg is second in both categories. Hellebuyck calms down, and the offense gets ratcheted up at home, especially now that Nikolaj Ehlers has a game under his belt, having not played since April 12 due to a foot injury.
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Ryan S. Clark
Many of Mikko Rantanen’s greatest moments have come in a Colorado Avalanche sweater. It’s just that the most defining moment of his career came at their expense.
It wasn’t enough that the Dallas Stars were trailing by two goals. It was also the fact that Rantanen scored a hat trick in a string of four unanswered goals that saw his current team, the host Stars, eliminate his old team, the Avalanche, in a 4-2 win Saturday in Game 7 of the Western Conference quarterfinals at the American Airlines Center.
“Obviously, the feeling was incredible to win a series,” Rantanen said in his postgame media availability. “This series was not exactly what I expected. I expected a seven-game series, even before Game 1. The ups and downs in the series. … Belief was there with the group the whole time. Obviously, I was able to make a pay to get the first one and the crowd started to roll.”
The Stars, attempting to reach the conference finals a third straight time, will advance to the semifinal round in which they will await the winner of series featuring the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets. That encounter will be decided Sunday in Game 7 in Winnipeg.
Soon, the Stars’ collective focus will shift to another Central Division foe. But for now? The attention before, during, and after the game, was on Rantanen.
Part of what made the Avalanche-Stars series arguably the most intriguing first-round series in either conference was the fact it placed two 100-point teams that are in championship window against each other. But, it also came with several subplots with the notable being the team that traded quite a bit to land Rantanen — with the hope he could win them a Stanley Cup now — needed him to defeat the team that he won a championship with back in 2022.
With one assist through the first four games, there was a discussion about if the Stars could manage to win with a sputtering Rantanen on top of the fact they were already without two of their best players in defenseman Miro Heiskanen and forward Jason Robertson.
Rantanen responded with a three-point performance in Game 5, and a four-point performance in Game 6 only to then have a hand in each goal on Saturday. His first goal came on the power-play with 12:12 remaining in the third period when he found enough space to fire a wrist shot that beat MacKenzie Blackwood.
Then came the game-tying goal and the significance it carried. The Stars went on the power play went Avalanche forward Jack Drury was called for holding. Drury part of the trade package the Carolina Hurricanes used to get Rantanen in late January before they would trade him to the Stars.
Drury’s penalty opened the door for Rantanen to score a game-tying goal that might be one of, if not, his signature salvo. Rantanen skated into the Avalanche zone in a 1-on-3 before he split two players before going around the net for a wrap-around goal that went off the skate of Samuel Girard with 6:14 left.
Three minutes later, the Stars received another power-play opportunity that saw Rantanen along with another former Avalanche forward in Matt Duchene work together to find Wyatt Johnston for the game-winning goal.
In the final minute, the Avalanche pulled Blackwood in the attempt to grab a late goal and force over time. Instead? Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger withstood a barrage that officially ended when Stars forward Tyler Seguin got the puck out of the zone only for Rantanen to skate in on an open net for the hat trick with three seconds left.
“I couldn’t care less who scored for them, I really couldn’t,” Avalanche captain and left winger Gabriel Landeskog said when asked about what it was like to watch Rantanen score a hat trick. “Mikko is one of my best friends and I love him, but I couldn’t care if he scored or if somebody else scored.”
For eight full seasons, Rantanen was part of a homegrown movement that saw the Avalanche go from finishing with what was then the worst record in the salary cap era back in 2016-17 to become a perennial favorite to win the Stanley Cup, which did they did in 2023, while also becoming a model for the need to build through the draft.
Building through stars such as Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Landeskog and Rantanen allowed the Avalanche to become a success. As did the moves they made to get other key figures like Valeri Nichushkin and Devon Toews.
Like all teams in a championship window, the Avs were facing the prospect of possibly making a difficult decision. They had yet to agree to a new contract with Rantanen, who was a pending unrestricted free agent. Then, came the blockbuster trade that few throughout the league saw coming.
The Avalanche traded Rantanen in a three-team trade that saw them get Martin Necas and Drury along with two draft picks. Rantanen’s time with the Carolina Hurricanes was limited to just two goals and six points in 13 games.
Despite the fact the Hurricanes are also among that cadre of championship contenders, Rantanen struggled to find cohesion in Raleigh. Rather than run the risk of watching leave for nothing in free agency, the Hurricanes put out feelers to a few teams with the Stars being one of them.
A long-time admirer of Rantanen, the Stars packaged two first-round picks, three second-round picks and former prized prospect Logan Stankoven to get Rantanen. They then signed him to an eight-year contract worth $12 million annually.
“It’s two things: It’s where our team’s at, and it’s Mikko Rantanen,” Stars general manager Jim Nill told ESPN back in March.
Rantanen finished the regular season with five goals and 18 points in 20 games prior to the showdown with his former team.
Not only did Rantanen’s hat trick condemn his former team to their second first-round exit since winning the Stanley Cup, but it continued a theme of former Avalanche eliminating their previous employers.
The Avalanche and Stars faced each other in last season’s Western Conference semifinal that saw Duchene, a former Colorado first-round pick, score the game-winning goal.
A year later, it was another former Avalanche first-round pick who delivered the devastating blow.
“It seems pretty fitting,” Johnston said about Rantanen. “Obviously, we want to win for each other and I think that goes a little extra when it’s a guy like that who is such a big part of our team and was there for a long time and everyone knows the trade that went on. It’s so awesome. We’re so happy as a group for him.”
As if Rantanen scoring a hat trick in a four-goal comeback wasn’t enough, there’s also the fact that this is now the ninth consecutive Game 7 that Stars coach Peter DeBoer has won his career.
DeBoer’s nine wins in Game 7s broke a tie with Darryl Sutter for the most in NHL history. It was also DeBoer’s third game 7 wins with the Stars.
“I felt something was going to happen,” DeBoer said. “But I could not have predicted that.”
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