1-32 poll, plus every team’s season in one word

The 2022 NHL trade deadline has come and gone, with a flurry of deals helping to shape the rush for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While we issue a new set of Power Rankings this week, we also distill the entire season to this point into one word for each of the 32 teams.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors rates teams against one another — taking into account game results, injuries and upcoming schedule — and those results are tabulated to produce the list featured here.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the last edition, published on March 16. Points paces are through Tuesday’s games.

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 0.754
Next seven days: vs. VAN (March 23), vs. PHI (March 25), @ MIN (March 27), @ CGY (March 29)

In a word: Electric. Nazem Kadri. Cale Makar. Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche are packed with top-end talent, skill and raw confidence that draws fans in — and then out of their seats. Colorado is the league’s live wire, always unpredictable and maybe a little scary (especially to opponents).

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 0.726
Next seven days: @ MTL (March 24), @ OTT (March 26), @ TOR (March 27), vs. MTL (March 29)

In a word: Dominant. Florida is no flash in the pan. The Panthers have won 40-plus games; have the league’s highest goal differential; average the most goals per game; and boast an enviable depth of offense (now including Claude Giroux), a solid backend (now including Ben Chiarot) and an elite netminder (in Sergei Bobrovsky). Florida is all things.

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 0.664
Next seven days: vs. PIT (March 25), vs. BUF (March 27), @ PIT (March 29)

In a word: Balanced. New York embodies that “even-keeled” cliché every other team loves. They get exceptional goaltending from Igor Shesterkin, of course, but otherwise, New York is just solid all around. The Rangers can score goals and defend against them well. Special teams are consistent. New York is physical but not…