Super 16: Final tune-ups for playoffs highlight power rankings

The field for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is slowly settling and before you know it, we'll be in the throes of the best time of the sports year.

The regular season ends in a week. The playoffs begin April 19. Teams are still jockeying for positioning and trying to clinch, but many are already working on their final tune-ups before the bright lights turn on.

The Super 16 this week deals with those tune-ups for all 16 teams, which largely relate to health or finding a way to get their games in order.

For example, the Carolina Hurricanes have lost three in a row, tumbling from No. 5 to No. 9 this week. They have to stop the slide to feel right going into what is expected to be a first-round series against the New Jersey Devils.

The Montreal Canadiens are red-hot, winners of six straight and speeding closer to clinching a playoff berth. They can't be satisfied. Neither can the Ottawa Senators, who clinched Tuesday.

What are those teams and the 13 others in the Super 16 thinking now, doing now, worried about now as the playoffs close in on them?

Read on to find out.

As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the 14 voters this week put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like and a point total is assigned to each, with the team selected first given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on.

Here is the tune-up edition of the Super 16:

1. Winnipeg Jets (53-21-4)

Total points: 223

Last week: No. 1

"As the Jets enter the final stretch of the regular season, the big focus is getting a few key players healthy. Nikolaj Ehlers missed a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Monday, but it was encouraging that the forward at least took the morning skate. Coach Scott Arniel said defenseman Neal Pionk (12 games, lower body) and forward Gabriel Vilardi (seven games, upper body) are close to returning. Could any of the three be in the lineup against the Dallas Stars on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, TSN3)? If they are, or if they can play any of their final four games, it certainly would go a long way toward helping the Jets hold off the Stars for first in the Central Division and Western Conference. If they aren't available, it's not the worst thing. It's far more important that those key pieces be at as close to full health as possible for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

2. Washington Capitals (49-19-9)

Total points: 195

Last week: No. 2

"Alex Ovechkin's record chase, which culminated with him scoring his 895th goal Sunday to pass Wayne Gretzky for first in NHL history, overshadowed some late-season concerns. The Capitals will try to find their top level again in their final five games after going 2-4-1 in their past seven. They also hope that two significant players -- No. 1 goalie Logan Thompson (upper body) and forward Aliaksei Protas (lower body) -- can get healthy in time for the start of the playoffs." --Tom Gulitti, senior writer

3. Dallas Stars (50-22-6)

Total points: 194

Last week: No. 3

"Considering their past three games, holding on to leads is probably big for the Stars right now. They've gone into the third period of their past three games with a lead and are 0-1-2. The toughest loss was when the Vancouver Canucks scored five third-period goals, including three in the final minute, to defeat the Stars 6-5 in overtime Tuesday, when Dallas led 3-0 going into the third. "Thankfully it's not a playoff game," Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. "Hopefully we learn from it." The Stars are in great shape in the standings but their recent inability to hold third-period leads is something they need to learn from. Fast." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

4. Vegas Golden Knights (47-22-9)

Total points: 185

Last week: No. 4

"The Golden Knights just need to get healthy. Seven points behind the Jets for first in the Western Conference, six points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division, they're locked into their spot. They know they will likely play the first wild card in the West. Center Jack Eichel is day to day with an upper-body injury, and defensemen Nicolas Hague and Alex Pietrangelo have been ill. Those three missed a 3-2 shootout loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. The most important thing right now is being physically and mentally ready for the start of the playoffs." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

5. Colorado Avalanche (48-27-4)

Total points: 168

Last week: No. 6

"The Avalanche need to simply stay the course. Since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off, they are tied for the NHL lead in goals-against (2.14) and their power play is first (35.1 percent). They are tied for third in points percentage (.727; 15-5-2), sixth in goals per game (3.59), second in shots on goal per game (31.4) and tied for third in shots allowed (24.0). Then there's the potential return of Gabriel Landeskog, a forward and the captain who hasn't played since Colorado won the Stanley Cup in 2022. It's looking like the Avalanche will play the Stars in the Western Conference First Round, so nothing will come easy, but they're certainly playing the right way, right now." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (48-26-4)

Total points: 154

Last week: No. 7

"On the surface, the Maple Leafs' objective heading into the final week of the regular season clearly is winning the Atlantic Division in what has been a three-team dogfight against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning all season. Do that, and you get home-ice advantage for the first two rounds (if you make it that far) starting with a first-round matchup against a wild-card team. After Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Panthers tightened things up, the Maple Leafs responded with a 4-3 overtime win against the Lightning on Wednesday that moved them three points ahead of Tampa Bay and six ahead of Florida." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (45-26-7)

Total points: 131

Last week: No. 8

"The Lightning are full steam ahead toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They were 5-1-1 in their previous seven games and 8-3-1 in their previous 12 before Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Toronto. Their best offensive player, Nikita Kucherov, has 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in his past 17 games and is battling Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon for the Art Ross Trophy given to the player who leads the League in points at the end of the regular season. For the Lightning, it would seem, the playoffs can't start soon enough." -- Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

8. Los Angeles Kings (44-24-9)

Total points: 126

Last week: No. 9

"The Kings are probably not going to win the Pacific Division, so the next order of business would be finishing second, higher than the Oilers so they can have home-ice advantage in a likely matchup against the team that has eliminated them from the playoffs three straight seasons. Areas that could use work prior to the playoffs are the power play (28th in the NHL, 15.9 percent) and scoring in general (tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for 18th in goals per game, 2.94)." -- David Satriano, staff writer

9. Carolina Hurricanes (46-27-4)

Total points: 120

Last week: No. 5

"The Hurricanes are thinking about getting healthy and likely facing the New Jersey Devils in the first round. Forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing four and two games, respectively, but Jesperi Kotkaniemi is out at least a week with an undisclosed injury, coach Rod Brind'Amour said. If the Hurricanes can get everyone healthy, they could be dangerous in the playoffs. Perhaps the best thing going for them right now is they have pretty much known they will face the Devils, so I'm sure they have scouted them extensively." -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

10. Florida Panthers (45-29-4)

Total points: 97

Last week: No. 10

"The Panthers know who they are and what they can do. They are the Stanley Cup champions and can win when the odds are stacked against them. They aren't trying to fix or tinker with anything. They are just trying to get to the finish line. Matthew Tkachuk is out for the remainder of the regular season and likely joined by Sam Bennett. Brad Marchand is coming back from an injury. Aleksander Barkov is nicked up. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad is suspended through Game 2 of the first round. Though the Panthers are sliding down the Atlantic Division and likely to start the playoffs on the road, they're not concerned. Two seasons ago, they reached the Final as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They know what it takes and know, when healthy, they are capable of doing it." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

11. St. Louis Blues (43-30-7)

Total points: 89

Last week: No. 11

"The Blues will tinker with little areas of their game, like all teams do, but they don't have to do anything major before the playoffs begin. Yes, they're hoping forward Dylan Holloway, week to week with an upper-body injury, gets healthy in time to play Game 1. Overall, the Blues have to close the regular season strong to continue to feel good about their game. They only have two games left, at the Seattle Kraken on Saturday and home against the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday. Fine tune, stay healthy, and then get a few practices in before they play Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round, likely against the Golden Knights. They're in a good place." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

12. Edmonton Oilers (45-28-5)

Total points: 74

Last week: No. 12

"The Oilers are limping into the playoffs and need to get healthy to make an extended run. They concluded a four-game road trip losing 3-2 at the Anaheim Ducks on Monday without forwards Connor McDavid (lower body), Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed), defensemen Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed), John Klingberg (lower body), and goalie Stuart Skinner (head). Forward Trent Frederic, acquired from the Boston Bruins in a three-team deal involving the Devils on March 4, has played one game for Edmonton since his arrival and is out again nursing a high-ankle sprain. Forward Evander Kane has been out all season recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia and a knee injury. They did get McDavid back Wednesday against the Blues, and the captain sparked a 4-3 win with three assists, including setting up the game-winner by Connor Brown in the final minute. The Oilers are expecting Draisaitl and the rest back for the playoffs, including Kane, giving them a much different look to start the postseason." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

13. Ottawa Senators (42-30-6)

Total points: 52

Last week: No. 15

"Nothing related to the Senators right now is more important than Brady Tkachuk's availability for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round. Ottawa's captain may not return before the playoffs because of an upper-body injury, but that may be precautionary because general manager Steve Staios indicated Wednesday it's likely that Tkachuk would play if Game 1 was tomorrow. It's not, so with four games left and the Senators clinching a playoff berth Tuesday it makes sense to give Tkachuk time to get healthy. The Senators have the Montreal Canadiens on their heels, three points behind them for the first wild card in the East, and play Montreal on Friday. Tkachuk likely won't be in uniform, which is OK. The Senators need him for Game 1." -- Rosen

14. New Jersey Devils (41-30-7)

Total points: 33

Last week: No. 13

"If the Devils learned anything from an uninspiring 7-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday it was that they can't win playing an average game. The urgency, structure and compete needs to be present all the time. Despite the loss, New Jersey remains in a good mindset entering the final week of the regular season. Players appear excited for the opportunity and just need to remain focused and healthy. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton (lower body) has been skating on his own the past two weeks and might be ready for the start of the playoffs, per coach Sheldon Keefe." -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

15. Montreal Canadiens (39-30-9)

Total points: 32

Last week: No. 16

"'What's next?' This is the new slogan from Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis. The Canadiens are always thinking about the next step. With six wins in a row, they're almost assured of a playoff spot and waiting for forward Ivan Demidov. The No. 5 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft was released from the final six weeks of his contract with SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League and signed his entry-level deal with Montreal on Tuesday. Demidov should be playing one or two games before the end of the season." -- Jean-Francois Chaumont, journalist principal LNH.com

16. Minnesota Wild (43-29-7)

Total points: 29

Last week: No. 14

"The Wild got Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek back in their lineup against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. They combined for six goals, four from Eriksson Ek and two from Kaprizov, in an 8-7 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks. Kaprizov had the OT winner. So that's all good and obvious how important they are to the Wild. Now it's about making sure they can fully load up in time to start the playoffs. The Wild have to clinch, which is paramount to anything, but they're in position to do so, especially with arguably their two most important forwards back in the lineup. Kaprizov particularly makes such a big difference because he's one of the most dynamic players in the NHL. The Wild have scored more than a half a goal per game more with Kaprizov in the lineup this season. They have 116 goals in the 38 games he played (3.05 per game) and 101 in the 41 games he missed (2.46). They can feel as close to whole again with him and Eriksson Ek back. That was on display, at least offensively, on Wednesday. Now it's just about locking up a playoff berth." -- Rosen

Others receiving points: Calgary Flames 2

Dropped out from last week: None

Enterprise Team of the Week: The Canadiens, up one spot to No. 16 this week, extended their winning streak to six consecutive games with a 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Since the Super 16 ran last week, the Canadiens have defeated the Bruins 4-1, the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2, the Nashville Predators 2-1 and the Red Wings 4-1. They're on the verge of clinching a playoff berth, which didn't seem plausible when the season paused for the 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 10. Montreal was 1-7-1 in the nine games preceding the 4 Nations break. It is 14-4-4 in 22 games since. -- Rosen

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Washington Capitals; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. St. Louis Blues; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Florida Panthers; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. New Jersey Devils

JEAN-FRANCOIS CHAUMONT

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Florida Panthers; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. St. Louis Blues; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. New Jersey Devils

BRIAN COMPTON

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Tampa Bay Lightning; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Florida Panthers; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Minnesota Wild

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Calgary Flames

TOM GULITTI

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Los Angeles Kings; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. New Jersey Devils

ADAM KIMELMAN

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Vegas Golden Knights; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Florida Panthers; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. New Jersey Devils; 13. St. Louis Blues; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. Minnesota Wild; 16. Montreal Canadiens

MIKE G. MORREALE

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Florida Panthers; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. St. Louis Blues; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. New Jersey Devils; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. Montreal Canadiens; 16. Minnesota Wild

TRACEY MYERS

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Tampa Bay Lightning; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Florida Panthers; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Montreal Canadiens

BILL PRICE

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. Minnesota Wild; 15. Montreal Canadiens; 16. New Jersey Devils

SHAWN P. ROARKE

1. Dallas Stars; 2. Winnipeg Jets; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Washington Capitals; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. St. Louis Blues; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. New Jersey Devils; 13. Montreal Canadiens; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Minnesota Wild

DAN ROSEN

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. St. Louis Blues; 8. Los Angeles Kings; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Washington Capitals; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Ottawa Senators; 13. Montreal Canadiens; 14. Edmonton Oilers; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Minnesota Wild

DAVID SATRIANO

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Toronto Maple Leafs; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Tampa Bay Lightning; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Montreal Canadiens; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Minnesota Wild

DEREK VAN DIEST

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Washington Capitals; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. St. Louis Blues; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. Florida Panthers; 13. Minnesota Wild; 14. Ottawa Senators; 15. New Jersey Devils; 16. Calgary Flames

MIKE ZEISBERGER

1. Winnipeg Jets; 2. Vegas Golden Knights; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. Washington Capitals; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Florida Panthers; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Edmonton Oilers; 12. St. Louis Blues; 13. Ottawa Senators; 14. New Jersey Devils; 15. Montreal Canadiens; 16. Minnesota Wild