{"id":543700,"date":"2026-04-06T12:24:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T12:24:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/543700\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T12:24:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T12:24:42","slug":"nhl-power-rankings-two-teams-make-coaching-changes-down-stretch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/543700\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL power rankings: Two teams make coaching changes down stretch"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The competition to nail down a playoff berth is intense, so much that two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/sports\/nhl\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:NHL;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;NHL&quot;}\" class=\"link \">NHL<\/a> teams have fired their coaches down the stretch.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/vegas-golden-knights-fire-coach-223346699.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Bruce Cassidy was the first to go;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Bruce Cassidy was the first to go&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bruce Cassidy was the first to go<\/a>, with the third-place <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/hockey\/nhl\/teams\/vegas-golden-knights\/33447\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Vegas Golden Knights;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Vegas Golden Knights&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Vegas Golden Knights <\/a>replacing the 2023 Stanley Cup winner with John Tortorella on March 29 with eight games to go. That followed a 1-4-2 slide that since has been turned down around.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Then the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/hockey\/nhl\/teams\/new-york-islanders\/4965\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:New York Islanders;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;New York Islanders&quot;}\" class=\"link \">New York Islanders<\/a> made their bid for a coaching change bump on Sunday, April 5, with four games left. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nhl\/islanders\/2026\/04\/05\/islanders-fire-patrick-roy-pete-deboer-new-coach\/89476475007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Patrick Roy is out;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Patrick Roy is out&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Patrick Roy is out<\/a> and veteran Peter DeBoer is in following a four-game losing streak. The Islanders were in third place at the time of the announcement but dropped below the playoff line on the same day. DeBoer, who took the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/hockey\/nhl\/teams\/dallas-stars\/4962\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Dallas Stars;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Dallas Stars&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Dallas Stars<\/a> to the last three <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/article\/why-stars-coach-pulled-goalie-053523934.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Western Conference finals;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Western Conference finals&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Western Conference finals<\/a>, makes his Islanders debut on Thursday, April 9.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the latest USA TODAY NHL power rankings with 10 days left in the regular season:<\/p>\n<p>1 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0px;\">Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals&#8217; Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens&#8217; Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bea329e5a6adaf581117a2389014348a.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>1 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0px;\">Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals&#8217; Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens&#8217; Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/a6b6d4de1210f9fb6233994a5eafccb1.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>2 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Feb. 28: The Ottawa Senators&#8217; Brady Tkachuk (7) battles along the boards with the Toronto Maple Leafs&#8217; Brandon Carlo in the second period at Scotiabank Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/21b3418f687db94874330500b7547ab8.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>3 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Feb. 28: The Nashville Predators&#8217; Filip Forsberg hits the boards alongside the Dallas Stars&#8217; Nils Lundkvist during the third period at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3e2a9ed982606e20390770e59009dbef.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>4 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Feb. 5: The Florida Panthers&#8217; Matthew Tkachuk (left) and Tampa Bay Lightning&#8217;s Victor Hedman fight during the second period at Benchmark International Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/b5401185f0d70dc0775f9da2f6d1209a.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>5 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Feb. 4: The St. Louis Blues&#8217; Brayden Schenn fights with the Dallas Stars&#8217; Justin Hryckowian during the second period at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/54c43e54bfff6101b043ca4a2f918160.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>6 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Feb. 1: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman fight during the second period of the 2026 Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bc281d74db3827c4f5e986bac41bdf02.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>7 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Jan. 29: St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (left) fights Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer during the second period at Enterprise Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fe4c5c6757c6f023dbf646511c53ee0b.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>8 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Jan. 27: Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) fights with San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren during the second period at Rogers Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/08a5ad84de61b35ab5cbe086b6bee702.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>9 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0;\">Jan. 19: San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (left) fights Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/763fcadc1d81e6853d17ea92b4554323.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>10 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Jan. 15: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy (5) fights with Calgary Flames left wing Joel Farabee (86) during the second period at United Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/b3f82acb1077c28941fd5a18a95bbb0f.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>11 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Jan. 15: Boston Bruins center Alex Steeves (21) and Seattle Kraken center Ryan Winterton (26) fight during the third period at TD Garden.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1416f1660dd518256fcd52e9c6420eae.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>12 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Jan 10: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) checks Seattle Kraken right wing Kaapo Kakko (84) during the first period at Lenovo Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/f98da772ce9935e44a0f39741b2c2773.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>13 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Dec. 30: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) fights with New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) during the third period at Scotiabank Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/e7d0e3afea15a8b5da1aaae72350236e.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>14 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Dec. 20: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Nicolas Deslauriers (44) and New York Rangers left wing Brennan Othmann (78) are separated by officials and teammates after a fight during the second period at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3adf796e164881738a596b955674fafb.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>15 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Dec 8: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua (81) and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier (24) fight during the third period at Scotiabank Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/dac9c4b0eea207c8e6be9bf92c49d9b2.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>16 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Dec. 4: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Bokondji Imama (14) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) fight in the first period at Benchmark International Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/5a58f961f98344a96e444980d0200902.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>17 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Dec. 1: New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (71) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) fight during the second period at Prudential Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/f019a2177793342f53e3605a40affa10.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>18 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 28: New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen (11) and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/788ee69fc7f65df4cc8f5ce3d1d0a8dd.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>19 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 28: Philadelphia Flyers right wing Garnet Hathaway (19) checks New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) during the second period at UBS Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/89f58b0384b5228281e15ac1e1894afb.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>20 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 28: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (19) checks Carolina Hurricanes center Justin Robidas (46) during the first period at Lenovo Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/719897cdc056ae9f870b6034d386156d.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>21 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov 24: Members of the New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings fight at the end of the third period at Prudential Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aad6d78fb23c589ae6ec517b17f24b3b.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>22 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 22: Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) and Edmonton Oilers center Trent Frederic (10) fight during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cfc8525fec517edfc1e8d1401e8dc4b7.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>23 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Utah Mammoth center Jack McBain (22) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) fight during the third period at Delta Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1132fc2b21646b393ec18cfebe4c74aa.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>24 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 16: The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings engage in a major scrum after their game at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2da86c80b0aa0ea2960266a289f5641f.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>25 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0;\">Nov. 6: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) fights Minnesota Wild center Tyler Pitlick (19) after his hit injured Carolina&#8217;s Jalen Chatfield.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/b336039989d2b20535660a5525d91c57.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>26 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 6: Los Angeles Kings right wing Corey Perry (10) and Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) fight during the third period at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/76f42a06228094111424b232e5d8b481.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>27 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 6: Buffalo Sabres center Josh Dunne (44) and St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/437901ddb0f850966799fef12b64b07c.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>28 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov 4: New York Islanders and Boston Bruins players get in a scrum after Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) was roughed by Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov (91) during the second period.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4f405a6931e3adedceb8379628d9dacf.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>29 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 1: Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Mathieu Olivier (24) fights St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) in the first period at Nationwide Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/37d0946fc4741fb53d2c3d10203eed9d.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>30 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov 1: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov (9) hits St. Louis Blues right wing Jordan Kyrou (25) along the boards in the third period at Nationwide Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/d12ec41233d9c993bae0664e1f53acf3.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>31 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Nov. 1: Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) and Buffalo Sabres left wing Jordan Greenway (12) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/180785d17edac4d1f8ff198a164bd024.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>32 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 24: Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley (64) fight in the first period at Canada Life Centre.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cbbcac2ed03bec1470bcb51db97903e7.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>33 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 23: Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) fights with Anaheim Ducks left wing Ross Johnston (44) during the second period at TD Garden.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/34493eb2f9fb4897445cebb563040436.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>34 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 21: Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) and Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) fight during the third period at Bridgestone Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/e18c184f66476c4bc2fab16f5379a85a.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>35 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0;\">Oct. 18: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) is held back by a linesman after scuffling with Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Marchand is holding Dahlin&#8217;s helmet and later pulled off the straps in the penalty box.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/04fec905f7dc31a7bc806da3e48b4716.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>36 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 18: Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Mathieu Olivier (24) fight during the first period at Nationwide Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4f5ad6ba1e988847df038294c3bc77fd.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>37 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 16: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) checks Boston Bruins center Michael Eyssimont (81) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/fedcf8444e91f1f7745d48cfbc085497.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>38 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct 14: Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) checks Minnesota Wild center Yakov Trenin (13) during the first period at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/b6555c083c2e4c7f34044fbae6aee034.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>39 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 11: Calgary Flames left wing Ryan Lomberg (70) and St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) fight during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/705efe2397f46d476375e6041fab407d.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>40 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 11: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) checks New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/38b85dfdd25510f7f9dd4e8611ddb321.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>41 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 11: Los Angeles Kings left wing Jeff Malott (39) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Luke Schenn (5) fight during the first period at Canada Life Centre.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/5cb3885b6315265db9ded9f5c7ba2a19.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>42 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 9: Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) checks San Jose Sharks center Philipp Kurashev (96) at center ice during the third period at SAP Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/f4a93ae9ab5edc7a536c499b506b8543.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>43 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 9: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) and Ottawa Senators left wing Kurtis MacDermid (23) fight during the first period at Benchmark International Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1653ca8202ebc497e28c1aca102bd899.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>44 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 9: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) checks New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) during the third period at Lenovo Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/930a5da5213c904c8a97058bb9933b3a.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>45 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 9: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) checks New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) as he goes after a loose puck during the second period at KeyBank Center.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/32cc28d7b956fcab0386197b1dc7718b.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>46 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct 7: Los Angeles Kings left wing Jeff Malott (39) points to Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) after he finished fighting Josh Manson during the first period at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/29ae3a93dd45702b4cf29225546eff3d.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>47 \/ 47<\/p>\n<p>NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits<\/p>\n<p>Oct. 7: Chicago&#8217;s Nick Foligno fights with Florida&#8217;s A.J. Greer during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena.<\/p>\n<p>NHL power rankings<\/p>\n<p>All statistics and standings information are through April 5. Figure in parentheses is the change from the <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/nhl-power-rankings-half-playoff-181017637.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:most recent power rankings;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;most recent power rankings&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">most recent power rankings<\/a> two weeks ago.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>1. Colorado Avalanche (0)<\/p>\n<p>Defenseman Brent Burns has played in 1,001 consecutive games, just the second NHL player to reach an ironman streak of 1,000 games. The recordholder is Phil Kessel (1,064).<\/p>\n<p>2. Tampa Bay Lightning (+4)<\/p>\n<p>The Lightning lead the Atlantic Division heading into the week after a 7-1-2 run. They face the second-place Sabres on Monday, April 6 and third-place Canadiens on April 9.<\/p>\n<p>3. Carolina Hurricanes (0)<\/p>\n<p>The Hurricanes are in position to clinch a division title for the first time since 2023. They missed an opportunity to do so on April 5 and their next chance is on Wednesday, April 7.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>4. Dallas Stars (-2)<\/p>\n<p>The Stars are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nhl\/2026\/04\/04\/nhl-playoff-picture-stars-wild\/89468824007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:trending toward playing the Wild;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;trending toward playing the Wild&quot;}\" class=\"link \">trending toward playing the Wild<\/a> in the first round, but their hold on home-ice advantage has shrunk because of a 2-5-2 slide. They play Minnesota, which is two points back, on April 9.<\/p>\n<p>5. Buffalo Sabres (-1)<\/p>\n<p>The Sabres have <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/buffalo-sabres-record-nhl-playoff-191724439.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:ended their 14-season playoff drought;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;ended their 14-season playoff drought&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ended their 14-season playoff drought<\/a>, a league record. The team started surging after changing general managers but have gone through a 2-3-2 mini-slump heading into their April 6 game against the Lightning.<\/p>\n<p>6. Montreal Canadiens (+1)<\/p>\n<p>The Canadiens&#8217; eight-game winning streak came to an end when they were shut out by the Devils. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki combined for 31 points during the streak.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>7. Minnesota Wild (-2)<\/p>\n<p>Kirill Kaprizov has hit the 40-goal mark for the fourth time in the last five seasons and added a hat trick on April 5. Matt Boldy also has 40 goals for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n<p>8. Pittsburgh Penguins (+1)<\/p>\n<p>The Penguins have pulled closer to ending a three-season playoff drought after they outscored the Panthers 14-6 in a weekend sweep.<\/p>\n<p>9. Boston Bruins (-2)<\/p>\n<p>David Pastrnak needs three points to record his fourth consecutive 100-point season.<\/p>\n<p>10. Ottawa Senators (+5)<\/p>\n<p>Brady Tkachuk scored twice in an April 5 win against Carolina as the Senators held onto the second wild-card spot in the East. Two days earlier, he was fined $2,500 for slashing an opponent from the bench.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>11. Philadelphia Flyers (+5)<\/p>\n<p>Victories against the Islanders and Bruins allowed the Flyers to jump from out of a playoff position to third in the Metropolitan Division. Porter Martone scored his first NHL goal in overtime to seal the win against Boston.<\/p>\n<p>12. Utah Mammoth (+1)<\/p>\n<p>The Mammoth are trending toward finishing in the first wild-card spot in the West. If they do, they would go through the weaker Pacific Division in the first two rounds of the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p>13. Edmonton Oilers (+6)<\/p>\n<p>The Oilers have gone 5-3 without injured No. 2 scorer Leon Draisaitl to move into the Pacific Division lead. Connor McDavid has 12 points in that stretch.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>14. Columbus Blue Jackets (-4)<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/rick-bowness-know-blue-jackets-233510143.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Rick Bowness coaching bump;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Rick Bowness coaching bump&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rick Bowness coaching bump<\/a> has been slipping away with the Blue Jackets going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. They have the fewest regulation wins, the <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/nhl-playoffs-start-2026-bracket-153044326.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:first tiebreaker;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;first tiebreaker&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">first tiebreaker<\/a>, of the teams within two points of the final playoff spot in the East. Damon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dispatch.com\/story\/sports\/nhl\/columbus-blue-jackets\/2026\/04\/03\/blue-jackets-defenseman-damon-severson-shoulder-surgery-hnl-hockey\/89451157007\/?gnt-cfr=1&amp;gca-cat=p&amp;gca-uir=true&amp;gca-epti=z117775p117450l004350c117450e1199xxv117775d--80--b--80--&amp;gca-ft=236&amp;gca-ds=sophi\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Severson had season-ending shoulder surgery;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Severson had season-ending shoulder surgery&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Severson had season-ending shoulder surgery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>15. Anaheim Ducks (-3)<\/p>\n<p>The Ducks have lost four in a row as Edmonton passed them for the Pacific Division lead on a tiebreaker. They remain in good position to end a seven-season playoff drought.<\/p>\n<p>16. Vegas Golden Knights (+2)<\/p>\n<p>The Golden Knights have won three in a row under coach John Tortorella after the firing of Bruce Cassidy. That includes a 5-1 win against the Oilers that pulled Vegas within a point of the Pacific Division lead.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>17. New York Islanders (-6)<\/p>\n<p>The Islanders dropped from third in the Metropolitan Division to out of a playoff position on April 5. New coach Peter DeBoer has four games to try to get the team into the postseason.<\/p>\n<p>18. Detroit Red Wings (-4)<\/p>\n<p>The Red Wings enter the week only two points out of a playoff spot but have lost six of their last eight games. They are trying to end a nine-season postseason drought, which is the NHL&#8217;s longest after the Sabres clinched a playoff spot.<\/p>\n<p>19. Washington Capitals (-2)<\/p>\n<p>The Capitals were in position to potentially move into a playoff position on April 5 before they were crushed 8-1 by the Rangers.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>20. Nashville Predators (0)<\/p>\n<p>The Predators moved into the second wild-card spot in the West after beating the Kings and Sharks in recent games. They face those teams once each down the stretch, including the Kings on April 6.<\/p>\n<p>21. New Jersey Devils (0)<\/p>\n<p>Jacob Markstrom picked up his first shutout of the season to end the Canadiens&#8217; eight-game winning streak.<\/p>\n<p>22. Los Angeles Kings (0)<\/p>\n<p>The Kings will try to move into the second wild-card spot with a win against the Predators on April 6. The team has gone 7-5-5 under interim coach D.J. Smith.<\/p>\n<p>23. San Jose Sharks (0)<\/p>\n<p>The Sharks followed a six-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak to move into the second wild-card spot, but they dropped out after a loss to the Predators.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>24. St. Louis Blues (+4)<\/p>\n<p>The Blues have pulled within three points of a playoff spot with a 6-1-1 run. Robert Thomas has 12 points in that span, including his first career hat trick.<\/p>\n<p>25. Winnipeg Jets (+1)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/olympics\/2026\/02\/24\/who-is-connor-hellebuyck-nhl-career\/88852873007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Olympic hero;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Olympic hero&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Olympic hero<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/article\/winnipeg-jets-connor-hellebuyck-mvp-230052675.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:reigning MVP;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;reigning MVP&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">reigning MVP<\/a> Connor Hellebuyck is still looking for his first shutout of the season after getting a league-best eight last season.<\/p>\n<p>26. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)<\/p>\n<p>The Maple Leafs&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nhl\/2026\/04\/05\/toronto-maple-leafs-changes\/89475353007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:nine-season playoff streak is over;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;nine-season playoff streak is over&quot;}\" class=\"link \">nine-season playoff streak is over<\/a>. Before they were officially eliminated, they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nhl\/2026\/03\/30\/toronto-maple-leafs-fire-general-manager-brad-treliving\/89395393007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:fired general manager Brad Treliving;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;fired general manager Brad Treliving&quot;}\" class=\"link \">fired general manager Brad Treliving<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>27. Florida Panthers (-2)<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/no-three-peat-florida-panthers-235611960.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Panthers&#039; championship run is over;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Panthers&#039; championship run is over&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Panthers&#8217; championship run is over<\/a> as they were eliminated on Saturday, April 4, after a season-long <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/brad-marchand-injury-panthers-star-235246492.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:crush of injuries;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;crush of injuries&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">crush of injuries<\/a>. They had reached the last three Stanley Cup finals and won the last two.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>28. Seattle Kraken (-4)<\/p>\n<p>The Kraken were in a playoff spot heading into the Olympics, but have gone 5-11-2 since to drop six points back.<\/p>\n<p>29. New York Rangers (+1)<\/p>\n<p>The Rangers have been eliminated from the playoffs but have won five of their last six games.<\/p>\n<p>30. Calgary Flames (-1)<\/p>\n<p>The Flames were crushed 9-2 by the Avalanche and lost 6-3 to the Golden Knights, then played spoiler with a win against the Ducks.<\/p>\n<p>31. Chicago Blackhawks (0)<\/p>\n<p>Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, has set career highs with 30 goals and 71 points despite missing 12 games with a shoulder injury.<\/p>\n<p>32. Vancouver Canucks (0)<\/p>\n<p>The Canucks have clinched 32nd overall in the NHL, giving them the best draft lottery odds. They have an 18.5% chance of winning outright and 25.5% odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick. Being last didn&#8217;t help last year when the <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/article\/york-islanders-win-nhl-draft-235515489.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Islanders won the lottery;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Islanders won the lottery&quot;}\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Islanders won the lottery<\/a> with 3.5% odds.<\/p>\n<p>This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nhl\/2026\/04\/06\/nhl-power-rankings-playoff-drive-coaching-changes\/89479511007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:NHL power rankings: Playoff drive includes coaching changes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;NHL power rankings&quot;}\" class=\"link \">NHL power rankings: Playoff drive includes coaching changes<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The competition to nail down a playoff berth is intense, so much that two NHL teams have fired&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":543701,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5105],"tags":[233,71,95,536,1772,762,26,265,29,96,971,144,230,508,1171,155,147,2178,93,146,57,5,512,348,186,537,370,189,20426,799,161,38,231,151,159,35,4,975,25,2219,861,2168,56,100,1885,1482,1108,168,234,84,540,92,5168,5167,31,3154,27,39,109,18],"class_list":{"0":"post-543700","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tampa-bay-lightning","8":"tag-anaheim-ducks","9":"tag-blues","10":"tag-boston-bruins","11":"tag-brady-tkachuk","12":"tag-brent-burns","13":"tag-bruce-cassidy","14":"tag-calgary-flames","15":"tag-canadiens","16":"tag-carolina-hurricanes","17":"tag-chicago-blackhawks","18":"tag-cole-caufield","19":"tag-colorado-avalanche","20":"tag-columbus-blue-jackets","21":"tag-connor-bedard","22":"tag-connor-hellebuyck","23":"tag-connor-mcdavid","24":"tag-dallas-stars","25":"tag-david-pastrnak","26":"tag-detroit-red-wings","27":"tag-edmonton-oilers","28":"tag-florida-panthers","29":"tag-hockey","30":"tag-jacob-markstrom","31":"tag-john-tortorella","32":"tag-kings","33":"tag-kirill-kaprizov","34":"tag-leon-draisaitl","35":"tag-lightning","36":"tag-losing-streak","37":"tag-matt-boldy","38":"tag-minnesota","39":"tag-minnesota-wild","40":"tag-nashville-predators","41":"tag-new-jersey-devils","42":"tag-new-york-islanders","43":"tag-new-york-rangers","44":"tag-nhl","45":"tag-nick-suzuki","46":"tag-ottawa-senators","47":"tag-pacific-division","48":"tag-peter-deboer","49":"tag-phil-kessel","50":"tag-philadelphia-flyers","51":"tag-pittsburgh-penguins","52":"tag-playoff-berth","53":"tag-robert-thomas","54":"tag-sabres","55":"tag-san-jose-sharks","56":"tag-seattle-kraken","57":"tag-st-louis-blues","58":"tag-tampa-bay","59":"tag-tampa-bay-lightning","60":"tag-tampabay","61":"tag-tampabaylightning","62":"tag-toronto-maple-leafs","63":"tag-utah-mammoth","64":"tag-vancouver-canucks","65":"tag-vegas-golden-knights","66":"tag-washington-capitals","67":"tag-winnipeg-jets"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=543700"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543700\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/543701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=543700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=543700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=543700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}