With the 2021 NHL trade deadline in the rearview mirror, we now have a much clearer picture of what the final month of the season will look like. For this week's power rankings, we identified the "hinge" player for every team down the stretch -- as in, who could have the most outsized impact on the team in the last month?
How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1 to 31 -- taking into account game results, injuries and upcoming schedule -- and those results are tabulated in the list featured here.