Skating Towards the Stanley Cup
02/07/2023
By: Jeff Yoder
Analyzing the Post-All-Star Break NHL Hierarchy With 30 Games to Play
The 2023 NHL All-Star break is in the books, and now we’re back to your regularly-schedule hockey programming. As teams refocus and retool, the league’s trade deadline is March 3. We’ll likely see a few clubs push their chips in a shot at a deep run, but 25 out of 32 teams are still postseason hopefuls. A whopping 14 of the 16 Eastern Conference teams are .500 or better (can you believe that?). Ten of the 16 teams in the West are, too. Math is weird when you factor in the NHL’s overtime system. All that to say, expect the next 60 days to produce some wildly important hockey.
Metro Is Wide Open
The Hurricanes (76 points) have a comfortable lead on the rest of the Metropolitan Division, but seven of the eight teams are still in the playoff hunt. The Devils (68 points have a strong hold on second, but the Rangers, Capitals, Penguins, Islanders and Flyers are all separated by just six games.
Atlantic’s 3-Headed Monster
The Bruins (83 points) have been the NHL’s top team, but the Maple Leafs (70 points) and Lightning (65 points) are also dominating much of the league. For reference, no team in the West has more than 70 points. There will be a dogfight for the fourth and final spot in the Atlantic with four teams separated by six points — Sabres, Panthers, Senators and Red Wings.
The Wild Wild West
Who even knows? The entire Western Conference is a complete toss-up down the stretch. Ten teams currently sit between 49-66 points with no clear favorites. The Jets (65 points) are the only team with 30-plus wins, but the Stars (66 points) lead the West. The Avalanche (57 points) and Oilers (60 points) have the best records over their last ten games, and they might boast the best star power, too. Anything goes out west.
With just over 30 games left in the regular season, how the next 60 days pan out will set the stage for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Additional Storylines
ESPN: Ranking Every NHL All-Star Player’s Second-Half Impact
SportsNet: 30 NHL Trade Candidates to Watch Ahead of the Deadline
NHL: Let’s Make A Deal: Top Storylines Before NHL Trade Deadline
Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images