Super 16: Panthers claw way into power rankings; Bruins remain No. 1

The Florida Panthers had just ended a four-game losing streak hours before the Super 16 came out last week. They were nowhere to be found in the power rankings, unranked by all 13 participating staff members.

They haven't lost since and the Panthers, winners of four in a row and in position to be the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, are getting credit for it.
Florida is No. 14 this week with 30 voting points. It was ranked by every contributor, as high as No. 13 by one.
The Panthers knocked out the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were No. 16 last week and did not receive a voting point this week.
The Edmonton Oilers are the big movers this week, up four spots to No. 6. The Vegas Golden Knights are up two spots to No. 4. The Tampa Bay Lightning are also up two to No. 10.
But the theme for the Super 16 this week is less about the teams and more about the players, specifically one player to watch from each ranked team and why he will be so important down the stretch in the final eight days of the regular season.
From David Pastrnak to Mathew Barzal, here is the Super 16 with each contributing staff member giving a thought or two on who they're watching.
As a reminder, to come up with the Super 16 each week, the 13 voters put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like. A point total assigned to each with the team selected first is given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on down the line.
Here it is:

1. Boston Bruins (60-12-5)

Total points: 208
Last week: No. 1
"I'm always watching David Pastrnak. But I'm watching the forward even more closely right now, with the chance to hit 60 goals this season. Pastrnak's previous NHL career high was 48 in 70 games in 2019-20 when the COVID-19 shortened season cost him the chance to top 50 goals and 100 points, finishing with 95. This year, in a magical season in Boston, Pastrnak has blown past that and stands at 56 goals in 77 games. The Bruins have five games remaining, which means there's absolutely a chance that Pastrnak could add his name to the 60-goal scorers list, especially with the tear he's on. He has scored seven goals in the past five games, including a hat trick against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. So yeah, I'm watching Pastrnak." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

2. Carolina Hurricanes (50-18-9)

Total points: 192
Last week: No. 2
"The player I'll be watching over the Hurricanes' final five regular-season games is goalie Frederik Andersen. It appears Andersen will be the Hurricanes' starter in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but how long will he keep the job? Carolina needs Andersen to be at his best to take the next step in the playoffs and get past the second round for the first time since 2019 and a 21-save performance in a 2-1 win against the New York Islanders on Sunday was a good sign. But Andersen had a .892 save percentage in 11 games prior to that victory. With Antti Raanta returning last week after missing nearly a month with a lower-body injury, the Hurricanes have another option to consider. Raanta is 15-0-2 with a 2.11 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and four shutouts since Nov. 17, but he'll need to prove he can stay healthy."-- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

3. New Jersey Devils (49-21-8)

Total points: 165
Last week: No. 4
"One player for the Devils I'll be closely watching down the stretch is forward Jack Hughes, and for two reasons. First, New Jersey fans want to see their 2023 NHL All-Star center continue his consistent level of productivity so that he's in prime form to begin the playoffs. Hughes has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past seven games. He has 91 points (40 goals, 51 assists) in 74 games this season. Second, the 21-year-old is nine goals and six points from becoming the all-time leader in a single season in each category in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts history. Brian Gionta scored a record 48 goals in 2005-06, and Patrik Elias had 96 points in 2000-01." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

4. Vegas Golden Knights (48-22-8)

Total points: 155
Last week: No. 6
"Jonathan Quick will be the focus of many during the final week of the season. The goalie, obtained in a trade last month as cover at a position decimated by injuries, is trying to show he is capable of handling playoff duties. He has started eight games for the Golden Knights and has turned in a sub-.900 save percentage in four of them while going 5-2-1. Vegas has used five goalies this season and both Laurent Broissoit and Logan Thompson are trying to fight their way back from injuries and stake a claim to the starting job. Quick, who won the Stanley Cup twice with the Los Angeles Kings, will be trying to make a favorable impression here down the stretch and prove he is up for the task of leading a team on a long playoff run."-- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

5. Colorado Avalanche (46-24-6)

Total points: 151
Last week: No. 3
"Nathan MacKinnon has reached 100 points in a season for the first time. The Avalanche center is averaging an NHL career-high 1.54 points per game, and this is a guy who averages 1.32 points per game in the playoffs. Among players with more than 37 games, that's third in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (1.84) and Mario Lemieux (1.61). He had 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 20 games when Colorado won the Stanley Cup last season. What will he do for an encore as they try to repeat?"-- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

6. Edmonton Oilers (47-23-9)

Total points: 144
Last week: No. 10
"Who else? Connor McDavid, of course. With three games left, chances are slim that he'll reach 70 goals. He has 62, but we never know. With 148 points, he'll probably surpass the 150-point mark. That would be a first in 27 years since Mario Lemieux had 161 points in 1995-96. He would be the sixth different in the history to accomplish the feat, after Wayne Gretzky (nine times), Lemieux (four times), Steve Yzerman, Phil Esposito and Bernie Nicholls. As the main attraction in the NHL, No. 97 should be on every hockey fan's radar, especially come playoffs time." -- Robert Laflamme, LNH.com senior writer

7. New York Rangers (46-21-11)

Total points: 130
Last week: No. 5
"Patrick Kane
talked to me last week
about his comfort level getting settled in New York, and essentially using the 21 regular-season games he'll have played with the Rangers after they acquired him on Feb. 28 as a way to ramp his game up for the playoffs. It's been a mixed bag with Kane since his arrival, some really good and some just so so, but he knows why he's here and it's not for a game at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. That is, of course, if Kane is even able to play in that game at Enterprise Center on Thursday. He sat out the Rangers game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday because of a lower-body injury. Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said they're being cautious with Kane and did not express concern that he would miss any meaningful time. He's here for the playoffs, but the Rangers need Kane feeling good and on top of his game going into Game 1 of the first round. He needs to get back in the lineup before Game 1. He's the player I'm watching." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (46-21-10)

Total points: 122
Last week: No. 9
"All eyes will be on goalie Ilya Samsonov as the regular season winds down for the Maple Leafs. Toronto already knows that it will play the Tampa Bay Lightning again in the Eastern Conference First Round, and with that comes yet another series against Andrei Vasilevskiy, who it says here is the best goalie in the game. Samsonov will have to at least keep his team in the series and give the Maple Leafs a chance. As such, he needs to carry momentum into the playoffs by excelling in the final few games. I never bought into the notion that there was even a debate about who should start for Toronto. Samsonov has outplayed Matt Murray this season, and now Murray (upper body) is banged up again. This is Samsonov's team."-- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

9. Los Angeles Kings (45-23-10)

Total points: 106
Last week: No. 7
"The Kings are battling for the Pacific Division title, and the player I'm looking at in the final week to help them win it is Adrian Kempe. He's at 36 goals after scoring 35 last season and could hit 40 for the first time. He leads the Kings with a plus-22 rating and is tied for the team lead with nine power-play goals. Kempe doesn't have a goal in five games since having four in a three-game span, but has scored in bunches and has been one of their most exciting players all season." -- David Satriano, staff writer

10. Tampa Bay Lightning (45-27-6)

Total points: 95
Last week: No. 12
"As we've seen in years past, the higher the stakes, the better Brayden Point performs. With the playoffs quickly approaching, the Lightning forward has multipoint efforts in two of his past four games. Tampa Bay is loaded with clutch players, but Point is the one I'm keeping an eye on with only a handful of games remaining in the regular season." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

11. Minnesota Wild (44-23-10)

Total points: 90
Last week: No. 8
"Where would the Wild's scoring come from when Kirill Kaprizov sustained a lower-body injury March 8? Well, don't look now, but since March 9 no NHL player has scored more goals than Minnesota forward Matt Boldy with 13 (in 12 games). How important has the 22-year-old been for the Wild? The next highest scorers for Minnesota during that span are Frederick Gaudreau, Ryan Reaves and Ryan Hartman with four goals each. Kaprizov has begun skating again, but it's unknown if he'll play again during the regular season, so the Wild will need Boldy to stay hot if they have any chance of winning the Central Division or at least finishing second to have home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

12. Dallas Stars (42-21-14)

Total points: 80
Last week: No. 11
"Any chance I get to watch Jason Robertson is a treat. The 23-year-old leads the Stars with 101 points (43 goals, 58 assists) in 77 games, becoming the first player in Stars/Minnesota North Stars history to pass 100 points since Dino Ciccarelli had 103 in 1986-87. It seems a sure thing that Robertson will pass Ciccarelli on the franchise list for points in a single season. Can he reach Bobby Smith, who has the franchise record with 114 points in 1981-82? Trying to do it with five games remaining it seems unlikely on paper, but Robertson has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his past three games. So, I wouldn't bet against him."-- Tracey Myers, staff writer

13. Seattle Kraken (43-26-8)

Total points: 51
Last week: No. 14
"I'll be watching Jared McCann, who might be the most under-the-radar player in the League right now. If he can score three more goals in the final five regular-season games, he will hit 40. In a season of big surprises and big performances for the Kraken, who are on the verge of clinching a playoff berth in only their second season, McCann may be the biggest."-- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

14. Florida Panthers (40-31-7)

Total points: 30
Last week: Unranked
"It's Matthew Tkachuk all day every day. How can you not tune into a Panthers' game and not just turn your attention to Tkachuk? With due respect to Aleksander Barkov, it's Tkachuk who is the Panthers' heart and soul. He has six points (four goals, two assists) in Florida's active four-game winning streak that put it into position to be the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. He needs four goals to set a new NHL career high for goals in a season and two points to set his personal best for points. Tkachuk has 39 goals and 103 points. He had 42 goals and 104 points with the Flames last season. The Panthers are on his back; now watch him carry them into the playoffs." -- Rosen

15. Winnipeg Jets (43-32-3)

Total points: 27
Last week: No. 15
"Kyle Connor doesn't get near enough credit for the player he is and the numbers he puts up. But like most Jets players, it's been a bit of a slog for Connor since late January. Like his team, Connor has shown signs of coming out of a rare scoring slump. He extended his goal streak to three games in a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Connor had four goals in his previous 27 games. The Jets look like they're going to hang in and secure a wild card spot. If they want any chance in a first-round series, Connor has to be a major contributor." -- Rosen

16. New York Islanders (39-30-9)

Total points: 19
Last week: No. 13
"The Islanders have missed Barzal and it's starting to show. The forward hasn't played since Feb. 18 with a lower-body injury and after going 9-1-1 in the first 11 games without him, they've lost four of six (2-3-1). New York has scored seven goals in its past five games and is clinging onto the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the East. Barzal is a playmaker who has 51 points this season, including 19 on the power play, where New York is 30th in the NHL (16.0 percent). He's began skating and would be a huge addition to the Islanders lineup for their playoff push in the final four games of the season." -- Satriano
Others receiving points:Nashville Predators 3
Dropped out:Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 16)
HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM
AMALIE BENJAMIN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Tampa Bay Lightning; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Florida Panthers; 15. New York Islanders; 16. Winnipeg Jets
BRIAN COMPTON
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Edmonton Oilers; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Florida Panthers; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. New York Islanders
NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. Colorado Avalanche; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. Nashville Predators; 16. Florida Panthers
TOM GULITTI
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. New Jersey Devils; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Edmonton Oilers; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. New York Islanders
ADAM KIMELMAN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Toronto Maple Leafs; 8. Edmonton Oilers; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Florida Panthers; 14. Seattle Kraken; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. New York Islanders
ROBERT LAFLAMME
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Edmonton Oilers; 8. Los Angeles Kings; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. New York Islanders
MIKE G. MORREALE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Los Angeles Kings; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. New Jersey Devils; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Edmonton Oilers; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. Florida Panthers
TRACEY MYERS
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Edmonton Oilers; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. New York Rangers; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. New York Islanders
BILL PRICE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. Edmonton Oilers; 5. Vegas Golden Knights; 6. Colorado Avalanche; 7. New York Rangers; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Los Angeles Kings; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Winnipeg Jets; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. New York Islanders
SHAWN P. ROARKE
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. New Jersey Devils; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. New York Rangers; 10. Dallas Stars; 11. Minnesota Wild; 12. Los Angeles Kings; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Nashville Predators
DAN ROSEN
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. Edmonton Oilers; 4. Colorado Avalanche; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Los Angeles Kings; 9. Minnesota Wild; 10. Tampa Bay Lightning; 11. Toronto Maple Leafs; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Florida Panthers; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. New York Islanders
DAVID SATRIANO
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Carolina Hurricanes; 3. New Jersey Devils; 4. New York Rangers; 5. Edmonton Oilers; 6. Vegas Golden Knights; 7. Los Angeles Kings; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Colorado Avalanche; 10. Minnesota Wild; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Tampa Bay Lightning; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. Florida Panthers; 15. Winnipeg Jets; 16. New York Islanders
MIKE ZEISBERGER
1. Boston Bruins; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Edmonton Oilers; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. New Jersey Devils; 6. New York Rangers; 7. Vegas Golden Knights; 8. Toronto Maple Leafs; 9. Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Los Angeles Kings; 11. Dallas Stars; 12. Minnesota Wild; 13. Seattle Kraken; 14. New York Islanders; 15. Florida Panthers; 16. Winnipeg Jets