The St. Louis Blues are currently on a hot streak, winning seven consecutive games, which has secured them the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

On the other hand, the Chicago Blackhawks have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth consecutive season, highlighting ongoing struggles for the franchise.

As the NHL playoffs approach, the Power Rankings highlight significant movement, with the Los Angeles Kings rising from 11th to 5th and the St. Louis Blues climbing from 17th to 12th in the standings.

Meanwhile, the Kings are performing well, currently sitting second in the Pacific Division and seventh overall in the league as they enter the final stretch of the season.

The Nashville Predators are showing slight improvement with two wins in their last three games, contrasting with the Philadelphia Flyers, who are on a six-game losing streak that is jeopardizing their playoff chances.

In a strong showing, the Winnipeg Jets secured their playoff spot after defeating the Washington Capitals, positioning themselves as potential Stanley Cup contenders.

Buffalo Sabres' coach Lindy Ruff celebrated his 600th win with the franchise, becoming only the second coach in NHL history to achieve this milestone with one team.

In contrast, the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning have seen declines in the rankings, dropping four and three spots respectively after recent losses.

In that game, Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals scored his 889th career goal, bringing him closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record and further solidifying his legacy.

However, the New Jersey Devils face uncertainty regarding their playoff prospects due to inconsistent performances from goalie Jacob Markstrom.

This season, the Western Conference is particularly competitive, with four of the top five teams in the NHL's overall standings hailing from this conference.

As of March 27, 2025, the San Jose Sharks sit at the bottom of the standings with a record of 19-42-9, although they recently ended a losing streak against the Boston Bruins, marking their first win over them since the 2016-17 season.