A week from today we'll be sifting through the ashes of another regular season and salivating at first-round playoff matchups that could include a renewed Battle of Alberta, a reignited Battle of Ontario and another installment of the Battle of California. Until then, here are the penultimate Power Rankings of the 2016-17 regular season.
1. (Last week: 1) Washington Capitals, 52-18-8
The Capitals have pretty much sewn up the top spot in the Eastern Conference after their win Sunday over the Columbus Blue Jackets and are on the verge of a second consecutive Presidents' Trophy. The real drama is in trying to figure out which unlucky foe will end up drawing Washington, the NHL's most complete team, in the first round.
2. (2) Chicago Blackhawks, 50-22-7
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks have created significant separation when it comes to penciling in a possible Western Conference champion. It's not a stretch to suggest that Chicago is No. 1 -- and then all seven other playoff teams in the West are on a pretty even playing field.
3. (10) Edmonton Oilers, 44-25-9
The Oilers are on fire as they head toward their first playoff berth since 2006 and might yet win the Pacific Division. Connor McDavid continues to put distance between himself and everyone else in the race for what will be his first NHL scoring title. Is a Hart Trophy far behind for Edmonton's young captain?
4. (4) Pittsburgh Penguins, 48-19-11
Sidney Crosby probably won't get to 50 goals this season, but he's going to win the Rocket Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer in the league. Can the Pens get healthy enough to mount a serious title defense? That's the $64 question.
5. (3) Columbus Blue Jackets, 49-21-8
The Blue Jackets might have seen their offense go south of late, but goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has all but locked up the Vezina Trophy and will get some MVP love too. The biggest issue left to solve during the final week is whether Columbus or the Penguins will get home ice in what is a most likely first-round matchup. The two will square off in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
6. (7) Montreal Canadiens, 45-24-9
The Habs have kind of become the forgotten team in the Eastern Conference, but they have ramped-up their play again down the stretch, with four consecutive wins, to regain a comfortable lead atop the Atlantic Division. Montreal must feel pretty good about how it matches up against its likely first-round opponent, the New York Rangers.
7. (9) Anaheim Ducks, 43-23-13
What a battle atop the Pacific Division, as the Ducks have not lost in regulation for 11 consecutive games (8-0-3) after knocking off the Calgary Flames on Sunday. Anaheim is going to be a handful when the playoffs start. Goalie John Gibson has returned from a long stint on the DL, but is this Jonathan Bernier's team now?
8. (13) St. Louis Blues, 43-28-7
Speaking of handfuls, the Blues still have an outside shot at earning home-ice advantage in the first round -- although their more immediate concern is staying ahead of the Nashville Predators and drawing the slumping Minnesota Wild in the first round. The Blues are 12-1-2 in their past 15 games, including a big win over the Preds on Sunday.
9. (14) Toronto Maple Leafs, 38-24-15
Try to wrap your head around the fact that the young Leafs might end up with home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Auston Matthews is now the odds-on favorite to win rookie of the year and Mike Babcock has to be considered a front-runner for coach of the year.
10. (13) New York Rangers, 47-26-6
The Rangers are treading water as they wait for the end of the regular season. It's not a good look for them, as they meander their way toward a first-round clash with Montreal. Even a win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night didn't instill enormous confidence. New York will need more from everyone, including goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
11. (5) Minnesota Wild, 46-25-8
Speaking of meandering ... that's probably too nice a word for what has been happening with the Wild, who have just five wins in their past 18 games.
12. (8) Calgary Flames, 44-31-4
The Flames' biggest challenge this week is to stay ahead of Nashville and thus avoid playing Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. Calgary closes out its schedule with three on the road, visiting Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose.
13. (16) Boston Bruins, 43-30-6
Never mind the false goaltending debate regarding Tuukka Rask versus Anton Khudobin; the Bruins will go as far as Rask takes them, although Khudobin has been impressive in spelling him of late. The B's have won five in a row and still have designs on home-ice advantage in the first round.
14. (15) Nashville Predators, 40-28-11
The Predators took a step back in their fight to avoid a first-round matchup with Chicago with a 4-1 loss to St. Louis on Sunday. Viktor Arvidsson has been Nashville's unsung hero this season, with 29 goals.
15. (11) San Jose Sharks, 44-28-7
The Sharks are in free-fall after looking like they might take a run at top spot in the conference a few weeks ago. San Jose's offense has gone dry, and there are questions about whether Aaron Dell should usurp Martin Jones in goal. But, like the Boston situation, such talk is much ado about nothing.
16. (18) Tampa Bay Lightning, 39-29-10
The Lightning continue to hold on to faint playoff hopes and have a huge tilt against Boston that might ultimately decide their fate. Still, Tampa Bay pretty much needs to win out to sneak in. If the Bolts do somehow make the postseason, Nikita Kucherov will get some Hart Trophy love.
17. (12) Ottawa Senators, 41-27-9
The Sens built themselves enough of a cushion that they should still be playing beyond next week. But they can't afford to slide into a second wild-card spot, which would spell almost certain first-round doom against Washington. The schedule does favor Ottawa, which has the Detroit Red Wings twice and the New York Islanders among its last five games.
18. (17) New York Islanders, 37-29-12
The Isles are still alive -- but barely, even in spite of Sunday's win over Buffalo. Good on coach Doug Weight's crew for gutting out with a nice win after learning that captain John Tavares is likely gone for the rest of the regular season at least after injuring a hamstring.
19. (20) Philadelphia Flyers, 38-33-8
Kudos to Dave Hakstol, Philadelphia's second-year coach, whose squad could have tossed in the towel a month ago but kept fighting and were only officially eliminated from playoff contention by Sunday's loss to the Rangers.
20. (21) Carolina Hurricanes, 35-29-14
The Canes suffered a killer loss to the lowly Dallas Stars on Saturday, followed by a loss the next day to Pittsburgh to crush any realistic hopes of a last-gasp run to the postseason. But Bill Peters' plucky young squad certainly made things interesting the past few months. The future looks bright in Raleigh.
21. (19) Winnipeg Jets, 37-35-7
The Jets have won four in a row -- which was far too little, far too late. It's kind of the mantra for this hard-luck franchise, which is still looking for its first-ever playoff win.
22. (22) Los Angeles Kings, 37-34-7
Significant changes coming in Los Angeles, as the Kings headed toward a second playoff miss in the past three years. (And they got bounced in the first round last year.)
23. (26) Dallas Stars, 32-36-11
In the same vein, I have to believe we're witnessing the final days of the Lindy Ruff era as head coach in Dallas, where the Stars have gone from winning the Central Division a year ago to a playoff afterthought this season.
24. (25) Buffalo Sabres, 30-32-12
The Sabres continue to find ways to come up just short. It has been the story of their season.
25. (29) Arizona Coyotes, 29-41-9
The Coyotes have actually showed spirit down the stretch and you wonder if the play of young goalie Louis Domingue is giving management pause over whether to expose him in the expansion draft. My guess is he will be protected.
26. (24) Detroit Red Wings, 31-35-12
It's the end of the playoff streak. The end of the Joe Louis Arena era. And the end of a shockingly difficult season for a Red Wings team that has much, much work to do to get back into the top eight.
27. (28) New Jersey Devils, 27-37-14
This ugly season can't end soon enough for a team that is 3-11-2 in its past 16 games. Hats off to the classy -- and in some ways underappreciated -- Patrik Elias, who announced his retirement last week.
28. (27) Vancouver Canucks, 27-35-13
The Canucks have mailed it in down the stretch, earning just four wins in their past 16 outings.
29. (23) Florida Panthers, 33-34-11
It's hard to believe that this team won the Atlantic Division a year ago. What a pitiful fall from grace -- and one that has undone so much hard work in this marketplace.
30. (30) Colorado Avalanche, 21-54-3
What a mess. The Avs' minus-110 goal differential, the worst in the league by a whopping 49 goals, pretty much sums it up. Is there anyone who deserves to keep their job in this organization?