Super 16: Surging Panthers hold steady at No. 1 in power rankings 

The Florida Panthers are No. 1 again.

That makes four straight weeks that the Panthers are the top team in the NHL.com Super 16 power rankings.

It's hard to debate it. The Panthers are 18-3-0 in 21 games since Jan. 22. They were 7th in the Super 16 on Jan. 26 and up two spots to No. 5 one week later. They dropped to No. 6 on Feb. 8, but jumped to No. 3 the following week, and have been No. 1 since Feb. 22.

So much has gone right for the Panthers this season, and particularly in the past eight weeks. Not much has gone wrong. Eighteen wins in 21 games tells you that.

But there are always things to nitpick at, big or small, just as you can always find the good. And that's what the Super 16 this week is about, with participating writers attempting to answer two questions for each ranked team, including the Panthers:

What is going right?

What is going wrong?

As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the voters 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 right and wrong edition of the Super 16:

1. Florida Panthers (45-17-4)

Total points: 206
Last week: No. 1

"It's tough to nitpick anything when it comes to the Panthers, but I'll repeat what coach Paul Maurice recently offered in that the team must continue to dictate game flow no matter the opponent and no matter the style. A perfect example was in the 4-3 win at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday; they trailed 3-0 but never lost focus on what needed to be done to win. Florida has a lot going for it right now, can win games in different ways, so the key will be to just harness that energy and structure to remain consistent." -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

2. Vancouver Canucks (42-17-8)

Total points: 186
Last week: No. 2

"The Canucks have recovered from a slump, winning four in a row, allowing three total goals against in March, prior to a 4-3 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. They had lost six of seven (1-5-1) from Feb. 17-29. But the Canucks also won't have goalie Thatcher Demko potentially for the rest of the regular season because of a lower-body injury. Demko is week to week, but coach Rick Tocchet said he is not worried about the goalie's availability for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They'll want Demko to return before that so he can play in a few games as a way to ramp back up, but that is the unknown right now. Demko is 34-13-2 in 49 games, tied for the NHL lead in wins, is tied for sixth in save percentage (.917), and eighth in goals-against average (2.47) among goalies who have played at least 20 games. His five shutouts rank third and he is third in games (49) and ice time (2896:09), and fifth in shots faced (1,427)." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

3. New York Rangers (43-18-4)

Total points: 175
Last week: No. 3

"Igor Shesterkin has been the best goalie in the NHL for more than a month. Shesterkin is 9-1-1 with a 1.63 goals-against average, .951 save percentage and three shutouts, including two in a row, since Feb. 9. It's a far cry from the Shesterkin that struggled in January, going 4-5-1 with a 3.25 GAA and .863 save percentage. That's the good. The not so good is the fact that Mika Zibanejad has one 5-on-5 goal in 32 games since Dec. 23. Yes, it came in a 3-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Monday, ending a 30-game streak without a 5-on-5 goal for the Rangers' top center, so that's good. Zibanejad has to find a level of consistency at 5-on-5. He does so many things well for the Rangers, but they need him to score, too." -- Rosen

4. Winnipeg Jets (41-19-5)

Total points: 156
Last week: No. 4

"The best thing going for the Jets is the best thing they've had for the past decade and that is goalie Connor Hellebuyck. He has 30 wins and is second among qualified goalies in save percentage (.921) and third in goals-against average (2.33). The area they are struggling is on special teams, ranking 24th on the power play (18.1) and tied for 22nd on the penalty kill (77.4) entering Wednesday. Special teams can determine games, and the Jets want to get that fixed prior to the Stanley Cup Playoffs." -- David Satriano, staff writer

5. Dallas Stars (40-18-9)

Total points: 154
Last week: No. 5

"The best thing going for the Stars is their production. Dallas is scoring 3.61 goals per game, second in the NHL to the Colorado Avalanche at 3.71 per game entering Wednesday. If there's a struggling point for Dallas, it could be in goal. Jake Oettinger hasn't been to the level of last season, when he was 37-11-11 with a 2.37 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and five shutouts in 62 games (61 starts). This season he's 25-12-4 with a 2.98 GAA, .899 save percentage and one shutout in 42 games (41 starts)." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

6. Colorado Avalanche (42-20-5)

Total points: 145
Last week: No. 8

"The Avalanche have won a League-best 26 home games and taking 52 of a possible 64 points at Ball Arena, while having a League-best 137 goals for and a whopping plus-56 goal differential on home ice. It's way different on the road. Colorado is 16-14-5 with a minus-8 goal differential. Not ideal for a team that could open the playoffs on the road." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

7. Boston Bruins (38-14-15)

Total points: 139
Last week: No. 7

"What's going right for the Bruins? David Pastrnak. The forward is up to 94 points (41 goals, 53 assists) in 67 games this season, including 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his past eight games. Meanwhile, the Bruins are struggling with consistency. They came out hard and determined in a four-game stretch in which they were 3-0-1 in games against the Toronto Maple Leafs (two), Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins and then they fell 5-1 to the St. Louis Blues, a team eight points out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They need to find their stride as the season wears down." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

8. Edmonton Oilers (40-21-3)

Total points: 122
Last week: No. 6

"The Oilers are getting the job done with defense, which is surprising considering the amount of offensive talent on the roster. Yet, since Kris Knoblauch took over as coach from Jay Woodcroft and Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey was brought on as an assistant, Edmonton has been among the best defensive teams in the League. It starts in goal with the play of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, but Coffey has also worked wonders with the Oilers defensemen. Perhaps as surprising has been the struggles of the Edmonton power play. The Oilers are still scoring on 1-of-4 opportunities (26.7 percent), but it has not put fear into teams the way is has for the past two seasons with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl pulling the strings, including setting an NHL record with a 32.4 percent success rate last season." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

9. Carolina Hurricanes (39-20-6)

Total points: 120
Last week: No. 9

"What is the best thing going for the team right now? In 10 starts since Feb. 8, goalie Pyotr Kochetkov has allowed more than two goals only twice and is 6-4-0 with a 1.78 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and two shutouts. With Frederik Andersen 2-0-0 with a 1.51 GAA and .933 save percentage since returning from a blood clotting issue and Spencer Martin and Antti Raanta in reserve, goaltending is a strength. What is the team struggling the most with right now? It might not qualify as a struggle, but forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel, who were each acquired before the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on Friday and coming off lengthy layoffs, will need some time to fit into the Hurricanes' system and find their top levels." -- Tom Gulitti, Staff Writer

10. Toronto Maple Leafs (37-19-8)

Total points: 87
Last week: No. 10

"Ilya Samsonov's sample size of quality play is growing, a positive sign for the Maple Leafs as they gear up for the playoffs. Samsonov is 12-2-0 with a 2.33 GAA and .913 save percentage in 14 games since Jan. 21. In 16 games prior, he was 5-3-6 with a 3.88 GAA and .863 save percentage. He is coming off a 29-save performance in a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. But the Maple Leafs' power play has gone missing for the past few weeks, going 1-for-16 in seven games since a 2-for-2 effort in a 4-3 win against the Avalanche on Feb. 24. The Maple Leafs have to be happy that Samsonov's play has stabilized, but they can't let the power play be a lingering problem." -- Rosen 

11. Nashville Predators (38-25-4)

Total points: 75
Last week: No. 12

"What is right about the Predators? A lot of late, but maybe most important, at least other than goaltending from Juuse Saros, is they haven't been carried by one player or one line or, in their case, one defenseman. It's been all about a team game, with speed, offense coming from multiple lines, special teams that are better than they were in the first half of the season and, yes, excellent goaltending. They've been scoring the first goal often, too. What's not so right about the Predators? This is more nitpicking right now than anything, but they haven't been a particularly good comeback team. They are 9-17-2 when giving up the first goal and 3-13-1 when they trail after the first period. Get up and the Predators are OK. But they need to be able to recover too." -- Rosen

12. Los Angeles Kings (33-21-11)

Total points: 61
Last week: No. 13

"Keeping pucks out of their net has been the Kings' talent all season, and it is still what they do best. Cam Talbot and David Rittich have both been solid in goal. The Kings have the League's best penalty kill (86.5 percent), have allowed the third fewest goals per game (2.60) and have not lost a game in regulation when leading after two periods (24-0-3). On the downside, Los Angeles' offensive production has fallen from 3.15 goals per game before Jim Hiller took over as coach on Feb. 2 to 2.65 in 16 games since. Unsurprisingly, the Kings don't have a scorer in the top-40. You can't have it all, but at least they are in a comfortable enough spot where they don't need any heroics to carry them into the playoffs." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

13. Vegas Golden Knights (35-23-7)

Total points: 59
Last week: No. 11

"The Golden Knights have used late rallies in the third period to win two games in a row after a 2-8-1 stretch. They scored twice in the final 7:37 of regulation and then got one from Jack Eichel in overtime to win 5-4 against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday after Jonathan Marchessault scored twice in the final 2:44, including an empty-net goal, in a 5-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. The problem is the Golden Knights have needed the late rallies to pull out of a slump. They still aren't doing enough earlier in the game to make things somewhat easier on themselves. And they've still allowed five goals in the third period in the two wins. Seattle scored three goals in less than 10 minutes to take a 4-2 lead with 8:30 remaining. Detroit tied the game twice in the third period before Marchessault scored." -- Rosen

14. Philadelphia Flyers (34-24-8)

Total points: 29
Last week: No. 16

"Special teams is both the best and worst parts of Philadelphia's game right now. The penalty kill continues to be dependable, ranking near the top of the NHL and a frequent threat to score short-handed, especially with Travis Konecny returning to the lineup March 7 after the forward missed six games because of an upper-body injury. The power play, however, remains among the worst in the NHL. Even assistant coach Rocky Thompson, who oversees that area, said, 'It's been a work in progress all year.' Different players have been shuffled into different spots on the two units but there's been little sustained success. Thompson said there's hope the addition of forward Denis Gurianov in a trade with the Predators on Friday could bring a spark. Gurianov scored seven power-play goals with the Stars in 2021-22 and has displayed a powerful one-timer from the flanks in his two games with Philadelphia." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

15. New York Islanders (29-21-14)

Total points: 27
Last week: Unranked

"The Islanders hit a slight bump when they were shut out by the Kings on Monday to end a six-game winning streak, but you have to like Patrick Roy's willingness to try new things and shuffle the lines to create offense, even if it meant shifting Brock Nelson from center to left wing. But the power play has only been in the middle of the pack since New York began its turnaround Feb. 26, with a 19.1 percent success rate. That will need to improve down the stretch." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

16. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-25-6)

Total points: 25
Last week: No. 15

"The Lightning's penalty kill has been a source of strength since allowing three power play goals in a 9-2 loss to the Panthers on Feb. 17. They are 85.7 percent on the PK in nine games since, 24-for-28, including eight consecutive kills in the past three games. However, it's going to get harder for the Lightning in all areas, including the penalty kill. Seven of their next 10 games are against teams ranked ahead of them in the Super 16 starting against the No. 3 Rangers on Thursday. They also play the No. 1 Panthers, No. 13 Golden Knights, No. 12 Kings, No. 7 Bruins, No. 15 Islanders and No. 10 Maple Leafs. The gauntlet is here for the Lightning, who are only 4-4-1 in the nine games with their penalty kill being a source of strength." -- Rosen

Others receiving points: Detroit Red Wings 1, Minnesota Wild 1

Dropped out: Red Wings (No. 14)

New Amsterdam Game of the Week 

Each week, NHL.com will highlight one game that features two teams in the Super 16. In this edition, it's a rivalry matchup between the No. 15 Islanders and the No. 3 Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday (1 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT, SN360, TVAS).

This could be an Eastern Conference First Round preview. And that would be special. The New York teams haven't played against each other in the playoffs since 1994, when the Rangers swept the Islanders in the first round en route to winning the Stanley Cup. The Rangers won the only game between them this season, 6-5 in overtime in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 18. This is the first of three meetings between them before the end of the regular season, including April 9 and 13.

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED ’EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

1. Florida Panthers; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. New York Rangers; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Boston Bruins; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Philadelphia Flyers

BRIAN COMPTON

1. Florida Panthers; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. New York Rangers; 4. Dallas Stars; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Boston Bruins; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. New York Islanders

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

1. Florida Panthers; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Boston Bruins; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. New York Islanders

TOM GULITTI

1. Florida Panthers; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Boston Bruins; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Tampa Bay Lightning

ADAM KIMELMAN

1. Vancouver Canucks; 2. Florida Panthers; 3. Dallas Stars; 4. New York Rangers; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. Boston Bruins; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Los Angeles Kings

MIKE G. MORREALE

1. Florida Panthers; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Carolina Hurricanes; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Vegas Golden Knights; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Nashville Predators; 14. Tampa Bay Lightning; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. New York Islanders

TRACEY MYERS

1. Florida Panthers; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Boston Bruins; 4. New York Rangers; 5. Dallas Stars; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. New York Islanders

BILL PRICE

1. Florida Panthers; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Vancouver Canucks; 4. Boston Bruins; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Colorado Avalanche; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. Philadelphia Flyers; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. New York Islanders

SHAWN P. ROARKE

1. Florida Panthers; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Edmonton Oilers; 4. Vancouver Canucks; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Carolina Hurricanes; 7. Winnipeg Jets; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Tampa Bay Lightning; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Detroit Red Wings

DAN ROSEN

1. Florida Panthers; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Vancouver Canucks; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Winnipeg Jets; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Nashville Predators; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Philadelphia Flyers

DAVID SATRIANO

1. Florida Panthers; 2. Vancouver Canucks; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. New York Rangers; 5. Winnipeg Jets; 6. Dallas Stars; 7. Boston Bruins; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Nashville Predators; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. New York Islanders; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Philadelphia Flyers; 16. Minnesota Wild

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

1. Florida Panthers; 2. New York Rangers; 3. Winnipeg Jets; 4. Vancouver Canucks; 5. Boston Bruins; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. Dallas Stars; 8. Carolina Hurricanes; 9. Edmonton Oilers; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Nashville Predators; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Philadelphia Flyers; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Tampa Bay Lightning

DEREK VAN DIEST

1. Vancouver Canucks; 2. Florida Panthers; 3. Edmonton Oilers; 4. Winnipeg Jets; 5. Boston Bruins; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Dallas Stars; 9. Carolina Hurricanes; 10. Toronto Maple Leafs; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. Nashville Predators; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Tampa Bay Lightning; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Philadelphia Flyers