Super 16: Needs ahead of Trade Deadline for teams in NHL.com power rankings

Needs are being filled in advance of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on Friday at 3 p.m. ET, but not all of them.

Wednesday was an active day on the trade market with key players such as Vladimir Tarasenko (Ottawa Senators to Florida Panthers), Adam Henrique (Anaheim Ducks to Edmonton Oilers), Sean Walker (Philadelphia Flyers to Colorado Avalanche) and Alex Wennberg (Seattle Kraken to New York Rangers) all moving.

There will be more activity Thursday and certainly Friday, and that's what the Super 16 this week is all about; needs that exist for each of the 16 teams ranked, the same 16 that were ranked last week, and who they could get.

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 fifth and final trade deadline edition of the Super 16:

1. Florida Panthers (43-16-4)

Total points: 207
Last week: No. 1

The rich got richer Wednesday when the Panthers acquired forward Vladimir Tarasenko from the Ottawa Senators. He was skating on the top line with Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart at the Panthers' morning skate Thursday. Reinhart moved to the left wing to accommodate Tarasenko, who is a left-handed shooter that has always played right wing. Carter Verhaeghe, who had been the left wing with Reinhart and Barkov, moved to the second line to play left wing with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk. Nick Cousins, who was the left wing on the second line, was dropped to the fourth line. Tarasenko had 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 57 games with the Senators this season. The Panthers don't necessarily need anything else, but they have the cap space to add to their overall team depth if they want to do it.

2. Vancouver Canucks (40-17-7)

Total points: 178
Last week: No. 3

The Canucks made the first big move of the trade deadline season by acquiring Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames on Jan. 31. Lindholm has played to mixed results in Vancouver so far with six points (four goals, two assists) and a minus-5 rating in 15 games. Could he be in play again? Vancouver still needs 5-on-5 scoring help, preferably in its top six forward group. It has Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller to fill the center spots. Lindholm is a luxury as a top-six center playing on the Canucks' third line. They're fine with him, but they may be better off with a goal-scorer on the wing instead. That's still a need for a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations.

3. New York Rangers (40-18-4)

Total points: 172
Last week: No. 2

Season-ending injuries to Filip Chytil and Blake Wheeler created two specific holes the Rangers needed to fill; third-line center and first-line right wing. A goal-scorer (Frank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks, Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins) would be ideal to put on the top line to play with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. The Rangers landed a third-line center Wednesday when they acquired Alexander Wennberg from the Seattle Kraken. But the Rangers should get greedy and go for the hat trick by also acquiring a left-handed defenseman with more physicality and snarl to his game than Erik Gustafsson. Fill all three spots and they'd be right there with the Panthers as the top team in the East.

4. Winnipeg Jets (39-17-5)

Total points: 171
Last week: No. 4

The Jets made their big move by acquiring Sean Monahan from the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 2. It has worked out well for them. Monahan has eight goals in 13 games, three on the power play. He's centering the second line and he's given the Jets better options in their top six. If Winnipeg adds before the deadline Friday it'll likely be to address its defensive depth. It's hard to categorize that as a need, but injuries happen and adding a veteran with playoff experience (Erik Johnson?) could benefit the Jets in the long run.

5. Dallas Stars (38-17-9)

Total points: 145
Last week: No. 6

The Stars made their big move by acquiring defenseman Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames eight days ago. He made his Dallas debut on Tuesday, playing 17:34 and finishing plus-1 in a 7-6 win against the San Jose Sharks while paired with Esa Lindell. The Stars will continue to juggle things around to determine where Tanev fits best, but they don't have a specific need anymore, especially with the emergence of rookie Logan Stankoven, who has eight points (five goals, three assists) in six games. Stankoven is giving the Stars the added scoring punch they might have otherwise looked for on the open market. They accomplished what they wanted to accomplish by getting Tanev and Stankhoven's play is allowing Dallas to feel good about what it has going into the deadline.

6. Edmonton Oilers (38-20-2)

Total points: 143
Last week: No. 10

The Oilers acquired Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. They went for strength up the middle with depth that could spread to the wing. They have five clearcut top-six forwards with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman and Evander Kane. Hyman is the only right wing in the group. Henrique, it appears, will start as the left wing on the second line with Kane moving to the right wing and Draisaitl in the middle. That was the look the Oilers had at their morning skate in Columbus on Thursday. If needed, Toronto could move Henrique to the third-line center spot, Kane back to left wing and bring up Mattias Janmark, Corey Perry, Ryan McLeod or Warren Foegele to play in the top six. They weren't done, though. The Oilers then added defenseman Troy Stecher from the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. Stecher is a depth defenseman for Edmonton. He could be their No. 7.

7. Boston Bruins (36-13-15)

Total points: 142
Last week: No. 5

The Bruins should be in the market for a center, ideally someone who can play in their top six. Their top two centers, Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle, have combined for 12 points (six goals, six assists) in the past 13 games. It's hurting the rest of the lineup. Brad Marchand has one goal and five assists in that same stretch. The problem is getting a center to play in their top six will be difficult. Chris Johnston reported Tuesday about discussions the Bruins have had with the Canucks about Lindholm going to Boston in a three-way trade that would also include Guentzel going to Vancouver. Lindholm would certainly fill the Bruins need at center.

8. Colorado Avalanche (39-20-5)

Total points: 134
Last week: No. 7

The Avalanche were busy Wednesday re-jiggering their roster with two big trades. They were busy Thursday filling out their depth. On Wednesday, they first got defenseman Sean Walker from the Philadelphia Flyers, trading a first-round pick and forward Ryan Johansen. Then they replaced Johansen by getting center Casey Mittelstadt from the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Bowen Byram, who became somewhat expendable because they got Walker. Mittelstadt instantly becomes Colorado's No. 2 center behind Nathan MacKinnon. Walker replaces Byram. On Thursday, the Avalanche added Brandon Duhaime from the Minnesota Wild and Yakov Trenin from the Nashville Predators, improving their overall forward depth. In addition, they will add Valeri Nichushkin to the lineup soon. He's been practicing and is expected to be cleared to play shortly after spending time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. There is also a chance Gabriel Landeskog might be able to come back in the playoffs. He's missed two full regular seasons because of knee surgeries. There's still a chance they address their backup goaltending, but Justus Annunen has shutouts in his past two starts, so maybe he's filling the need in that spot.

9. Carolina Hurricanes (36-19-6)

Total points: 105
Last week: No. 8

The Hurricanes are usually conservative around the deadline, but they could also use another front-line scorer. Guentzel would fit perfectly, but are the Hurricanes willing to pay the price to get him? The same can be said about Pavel Buchnevich. The St. Louis Blues forward is signed through next season. He makes sense for Carolina too given his ability to score goals and play a two-way game. Guentzel plays a two-way game too. The Hurricanes scored six goals in four games against Florida in the Eastern Conference Final last season. They didn't have Andrei Svechnikov. They do now. But adding another scorer would be a huge boost to their chances of scoring enough to win in the playoffs. We already know they can defend well enough.

10. Toronto Maple Leafs (36-18-8)

Total points: 91
Last week: No. 9

The Maple Leafs added a second defenseman by acquiring Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals on Thursday for a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. They previously acquired Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks. They have clearly targeted depth on defense at the deadline this season. Lyubushkin is a right-handed shooter and Edmundson is a lefty. Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, TJ Brodie, Simon Benoit, William Lagesson and Mark Giordano are also lefties. Toronto is lefty heavy on the back end, but the depth is stronger now with Lyubushkin and Edmundson than it was previously. That was a big need for Toronto and it has been filled. The Maple Leafs might be done as their cap space appears to have run dry.

11. Vegas Golden Knights (33-22-7)

Total points: 65
Last week: No. 11

The Golden Knights have done what they always seem to do, add in a big way to bolster their Stanley Cup chances. This season, it's a repeat chance. They acquired Noah Hanifin from the Flames on Wednesday after filling a big need, quite literally, by getting 6-foot-5, 234-pound forward Anthony Mantha from the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. The Capitals retained 50 percent of Mantha's $5.7 million AAV, allowing the Golden Knights to get a 20-goal scorer at half price and giving them the ability to add another impact player, which they turned into Hanifin on Wednesday. They can do this because Mark Stone is expected to be on long-term injured reserve for the rest of the regular season. Stone's AAV is $9.5 million, but Vegas can use that cap hit if Stone isn't going to be back. And the Golden Knights may not be done. They could still be in the market for another forward. It's hard to categorize that as a straight need, but it would be a luxury if they can make it happen cap-wise. There's the potential for a reunion with Reilly Smith, an original Golden Knight who was traded to the Penguins in the offseason. But other options could include Guentzel and Vatrano, among others. Never sleep on the Golden Knights around the deadline.

12. Nashville Predators (35-25-3)

Total points: 60
Last week: No. 13

The Predators have two needs. They need a forward who can help ignite their 5-on-5 offense and a forward who can boost their penalty kill. They are in the bottom third in the League in both statistical categories. But the penalty kill is arguably more important because failures on it in the playoffs will burn the Predators. They can stay in games with a combination of limited 5-on-5 goals and some power play production, but giving up power play goals will force them to chase too often.

13. Los Angeles Kings (31-19-11)

Total points: 54
Last week: No. 16

The Kings have gotten 11 goals from defensemen not named Drew Doughty this season. Doughty has 14. Two of the goals are from rookie Brandt Clarke, who has played in nine of 11 games since Feb. 15 averaging only 12:37 of ice time. Clarke has a bright future but the Kings can't rely on his offense down the stretch and in the playoffs. Adding a defenseman with some offense to his game would be beneficial. It's a need.

14. Detroit Red Wings (33-23-6)

Total points: 47
Last week: No. 12

Depth. That's it. Depth. The Red Wings could add down the middle, on the wing, in the top six or bottom six, or on defense, and it would benefit them as they try to end a seven-year playoff drought. They don't have one particular need, which opens the door for general manager Steve Yzerman to scan the entire market and try to get the best skater available at his price. The Red Wings could move a goalie to do it, but the market for goalies on selling teams isn't exactly hot so it's unlikely they do that. But if the Red Wings can get a player or players with term remaining on their contracts would be ideal. They look like a playoff team in an Eastern Conference that isn't particularly crowded with contenders below them, but the Red Wings aren't ready to move out key assets for rentals.

15. Tampa Bay Lightning (33-24-6)

Total points: 27
Last week: No. 15

The Lightning need a defenseman to replace Mikhail Sergachev, who is out for the remainder of the season following leg surgery. They reportedly wanted that defenseman to be Hanifin. Hanifin reportedly was ready to be that defenseman for the Lightning. He won't be. He's going to Vegas. So the Lightning have to adjust. They still need a defenseman, and an upgrade in their middle-six forward depth too.

16. Philadelphia Flyers (32-23-8)

Total points: 22
Last week: No. 14

The Flyers won't add a rental because they do not want to subtract from their future. Though they need another front-line scorer who can help their anemic power play (12.9 percent), but that kind of help isn't coming to Philadelphia this season. The Flyers don't believe that's Johansen. He was placed on waivers after they acquired him. But the Flyers are in the market to add a younger player with term on his contract. They traded Walker to the Avalanche on Wednesday and got a first-round pick plus Johansen. It leaves a hole on the back end but it adds an asset that they could use to fill that hole right now to help them this season and beyond.

Others receiving points: New York Islanders 5

Dropped out: None

New Amsterdam Game of the Week

Each week, NHL.com will highlight one game that features two teams in the Super 16. Next week, it's a battle of the top two teams, the No. 4 Jets against the No. 2 Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, CITY)

It'll be interesting to see what these teams look like when they meet up for a key Western Conference showdown Saturday. They were the first two teams to add big pieces in advance of the deadline; the Jets with Monahan and the Canucks with Lindholm. Now each are bolstering for the stretch run to lead into what they hope will be long playoff runs. Winnipeg won 4-2 in Vancouver on Feb. 17. The Jets and Canucks also end their regular seasons against each other in Winnipeg on April 18.

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. Toronto Maple Leafs; 10. Carolina Hurricanes; 11. Los Angeles Kings; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Detroit Red Wings; 14. Nashville Predators; 15. Tampa Bay Lightning; 16. Philadelphia Flyers

BRIAN COMPTON

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

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

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

TOM GULITTI

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

ADAM KIMELMAN

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

MIKE G. MORREALE

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

TRACEY MYERS

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

BILL PRICE

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

SHAWN P. ROARKE

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

DAN ROSEN

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

DAVID SATRIANO

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

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

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

DEREK VAN DIEST

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