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NHL Power Rankings Week 23: Down the Stretch They Come

This week, Buffalo's surge begins to appear while San Jose's return to the top of the Pacific coincides with a rise here.

The Power Ranking Rating is arrived at through a formula which includes the teams' adjusted points per game (regulation wins count for two while games going to overtime, regardless of outcome, count for one point) and Score-Adjusted Fenwick. The two are weighted, giving strong preference to Score-Adjusted Fenwick, while also factoring in how successful a team has been at winning games in 60 minutes.

At the end is each team's magic number - the number of games they must win to clinch a playoff berth - according to playoffstatus.com.

Here we go:

Eastern Conference

This Week Last Week Rationale
Rating
Penguins_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Penguins_medium" />
1 1 The Penguins are going to have to wait until the summer to fil their need for a backup goalie. (Clinched) 1.040
Rangers_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Rangers_medium" /> 2 2 New York realizes how important it is to win the Atlantic, if for no other reason than avoiding the Flyers in the first round. (Clinched) 1.032
Flyers_medium 3 3 The Flyers are going to be without Ilya Bryzgalov, who has a bone chip in his foot. But it's supposedly not serious. (Clinched) 0.998
Bruins_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Bruins_medium" /> 4
4 Boston is creating a mock-80s sitcom revolving around their mascot. The preview looks amazing. (Magic Number - 1) 0.954
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Senators_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/513675/Senators_medium.png" /> 5
5 The Senators, despite having a very good year, can't stop marveling at former-goalie Brian Elliott. (Magic Number - 4) 0.867
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Panthers_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/752407/Panthers_medium.png" /> 6
6 Florida offered Jason Garrison $2.5 million, but he rejected it. Is he worth $4 million per? He thinks so. (Magic Number - 3) 0.864
Devils_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Devils_medium" /> 7
8 The Devils are debating whether they should give up their 1st round pick as part of their Kovalchuk punishment this year. (Magic Number - 2) 0.845
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Capitals_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/513703/Capitals_medium.png" /> 8
7 Washington came out flat against Buffalo in a battle for 8th place, losing 5-1. (Tragic Number - 5) 0.838
Sabres_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Sabres_medium" /> 9
11 The Sabres have come all the way back and are now in control of their own playoff destiny. (Magic Number - 5) 0.800
Jets_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Jets_medium" /> 10
9 Winnipeg is just the latest team struggling to understand why Randy Jones continues to get ice time. (Tragic Number - 3) 0.790
Hurricanes_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Hurricanes_medium" /> 11
10 The Hurricanes need Jeff Skinner to stay on the ice and out of the box. (Tragic Number - 1) 0.769
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Lightning_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/752411/Lightning_medium.png" /> 12
12
Tampa Bay won the J.T. Brown sweepstakes, but he's going to be a free agent again next summer. (Tragic Number - 2) 0.739
Maple_leafs_medium 13
13
The Maple Leafs appear to already have checked out, which makes sense since they're eliminated. (Eliminated) 0.698
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Islanders_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/513651/Islanders_medium.png" /> 14 14 New York is taking an early look at who they could target in the draft. Can't blame them. (Eliminated) 0.692
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Canadiens_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/513719/Canadiens_medium.png" /> 15 15 The Canadiens have a 90% chance of getting a top-3 pick this year. What are they going to do with it? (Eliminated) 0.663

Western Conference


This Week Last Week Rationale
Rating
Blues_medium 1 1 The Blues no longer have a spot for B.J. Crombeen. Looking at his fall. (Clinched) 1.149
Red_wings_medium 2 2 Detroit has a truly amazing player in Pavel Datsyuk. Even his interviews are fantastic. (Clinched) 1.054
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Canucks_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/513755/Canucks_medium.png" /> 3
3 The Canucks are asking their fans not to riot. This is both good and sad. (Clinched) 1.033
Blackhawks_medium 4
4 Chicago lost Duncan Keith for 5 games as a result of his elbow to the head of Daniel Sedin. (Magic Number - 2) 0.960
Sharks_medium 5
7 The Sharks are going from out of the playoffs to division leaders after what seems like each game. (Magic Number - 4)
0.896
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Predators_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/752447/Predators_medium.png" /> 6
5 Nashville is benefiting from Maritn Erat's great, possibly even career, year. (Clinched) 0.887
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Kings_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/752464/Kings_medium.png" /> 7
6 The Kings still have a difficult path ahead of themselves. (Magic Number - 5) 0.884
Stars_medium 8
8
Dallas doesn't miss Nicklas Grossmann, arguing that they have actually improved since trading him. (Magic Number - 4) 0.843
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Coyotes_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/513787/Coyotes_medium.png" /> 9
9 The Coyotes are getting Shane Doan back for the final stretch of games. (Magic Number - 5) 0.823
Flames_medium 10
10
Calgary is going to use the rest of this season as a snapshot of their recent, poor history. (Tragic Number - 4) 0.810
<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=Avalanche_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/513767/Avalanche_medium.png" /> 11
11
The Avalanche have retained their GM and their coach for next season. (Tragic Number - 4) 0.788
Ducks_medium
12
12
Anaheim is asking whether Teemu Selanne will play one more year. Teemu Selanne should play one more year. (Tragic Number - 1) 0.736
Oilers_medium 13
13
The Oilers lost Taylor Hall to shoulder surgery, an injury he has had for years. (Eliminated) 0.665
Wild_medium 14
14
Minnesota is looking at a high draft pick again. (Eliminated) 0.598
Blue_jackets_medium 15 15 The Blue Jackets finally signed a goalie! Shawn Hunwick went from Michigan to backup NHL goalie the same day. (Eliminated) 0.503