The NHL season is underway and after a couple weeks, there are some teams who are playing great, some underachievers and some over achievers. These are the current power rankings heading into a new week:
1. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights have started off the season 5-3 and are currently riding a 3 game win streak. Starting keeper Aiden Hill has been battling an injury and just had his 1st win this past game, finally looking more like himself. The fact that the Golden Knights have done this well despite the struggles of their starting keeper is very encouraging. They look like one of the most dangerous teams offensively so far, with Jack Eichel seemingly in line for a career year and Mark Stone with a whopping 11 apples already. However, a big part of this team being able to sustain their success this season will likely depend on the Stone’s ability to stay healthy, as he is already nursing some kind of injury.
2. Colorado Avalanche
After losing their first two games, the Avs have impressively won four of their past five games, leaving them an encouraging 5-3 to start the season. Two of their losses were to the Stars and the other was to the Golden Knights- both teams who they will no doubt see in the playoffs. One thing that is especially nice to see is the strong play of Scott Wedgewood, who is filling in for injured starting keeper Mackenzie Blackwood. He’s won and allowed just one goal in 5 of the 6 games he’s played.
3. Winnipeg Jets
The Jets have started off the young season strong, winning all but one of their six games. They look like they are in midseason form already, and are clearly out to prove that their regular season success last year was no joke.
4. Carolina Hurricanes
The Canes lost their first game to the Predators before going on to win their next five games. They have looked amazing, though their schedule has been relatively soft so far. That all changes this week, as they will be put to the test against Vegas, Colorado and Dallas.
5. Dalas Stars
The Stars are 4-2, winning their first four games before losing their last two. They are once again looking like one of the strongest teams in the NHL this season, and seem locked in already.
6. Florida Panthers
The defending champs no doubt expect to run it back this 2025-26 season. Their first couple weeks went well enough, as they won four of their five games. However, they promptly lost all four of their games this past week, leaving them 4-5 to start the season. They should be able to right the ship in short order and get themselves back on the path to another potential championship.
7. New Jersey Devils
New Jersey has won five of seven games so far, and with notable wins against Tampa Bay, Florida and Edmonton. They have looked very strong offensively, and defensively they’ve arguably looked even better with Jake Allen filling in for the injured Jacob Markstrom in net. They will be a team worth following this year.
8. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have started off the season a very disappointing 2-6. Last season they started off slowly before skyrocketing up the standings and finishing just shy of the cup, but this can’t be how they were hoping to begin this year. Are they a tad overrated as a team or is this just a fluke start like last year’s proved to be? My guess is mostly the latter.
9. Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay started off the season with an impressive 5-2 win over the defending champions, but have gone on to lose 6 of their past 7 games, leaving them 2-6. They seem to be getting a tad unlucky, as 4 of those losses were by just a goal, but this is still a very disappointing beginning. They just have not been clicking yet, though that could change in a heartbeat. The Lightning have the Blackhawks and Ducks coming up this week, so it’ll be a good chance for them to gain some traction.
10. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have lost five of their eight games so far. Amusingly (if you aren’t a Leafs fan), four of those five losses have been to the Red Wings. They are no doubt feeling the loss of Mitch Marner, though they still have enough talent to be a strong team once again this year.
11. Washington Capitals
The Capitals are rocking a four game win streak after losing twice to the Bruins. The NHL all-time leading goal scorer and the rest of the team now sit 5-2 and look like they are in store for another exciting season.
12. St. Louis Blues
The Blues have won five of their seven games so far, beating Dallas their last time out. They look like a team that is ready to ascend into the top ten, carrying forward their momentum from the second half of last season.
13. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings were expected to make a big jump forward coming into this season and that is precisely what they have done. Detroit has won all but one of its eight games so far, with impressive wins against Toronto (x4!), Florida, Tampa Bay, and Edmonton. Can they sustain this play or is this a bit of a flash in the pan?
14. Utah Mammoth
The Mammoth have excitingly won six of their eight games, though their schedule will get harder in the coming weeks. They have some serious talent and look playoff bound if they can keep it up.
15. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings have had a depressing start to their season, winning just two of their eight games so far. That said, they’ve had some pretty close games, and both Anze Kopitar and Darcy Kuemper are currently out with injuries, so they should be able to bounce back once everyone’s fully healthy.
16. Minnesota Wild
Minnesota won their first two games before losing four of their next five, and now sit 3-4. They fell off about mid-way through last season and have been very off and on so far on a game to game basis this season. They will need to find a way to reignite and gain some momentum in order to keep themselves from floundering.
17. Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have won five of their seven games, two of which were against the Oilers and the Stars. Starting goalie Thatcher Demko looks healthy and locked in and a bounceback season could very well be in the making.
18. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa has won just three of its eight games so far this season. While their offense has looked strong enough, their defense is tied with the Sharks so far for surrendering the most goals per game in the NHL.
19. Boston Bruins
What to make of Boston? They came out on fire, winning their first five games but have cooled off significantly, losing their next three. This no doubt had to do with facing the Lightning, the Golden Knights, and then the Avalanche this past week, though the first two of these three were very close games. All in all, they have looked like a much stronger team so far this season.
20. New York Rangers
The Rangers are 3-6 to start the season. The good news is that Igor Shesterkin looks phenomenal. The bad news is that most of the rest of the team is lagging very much behind.
21. Montreal Canadiens
Montreal lost its first two games but has now won four of its last five. They’ve had a pretty soft schedule so far, but there is reason for optimism this season with some rising talent.
22. Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus had increased expectations coming into this year after their ascent in the rankings last season but have so far disappointed, losing four of their six games so far. Kirill Marchenko at least looks like he might be turning into a superstar, which is obviously great news for the Blue Jackets, but they will need guys like Sean Monahan and Kent Johnson, who were great last year, to step their play up as well.
23. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins wasted no time trying to start the season on the right foot, winning their first four games. They sit 6-2 now and look far better overall than they did last year. With all their starters healthy and both Triston Jarry and Arturs Silovs looking pretty solid in net, Pittsburgh could continue to rise in the rankings.
24. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken have won four of their six games so far, with notable wins against the Oilers, the Golden Knights, and the Maple Leafs. They don’t have much talent that really stands out, though the play of Jaden Schwartz and starting goalie Joey Daccord has been particularly encouraging thus far.
25. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks have won half of their games so far, though two of those wins were against the lowly Sharks. It’s too early to tell if Anaheim will be able to make some noise this year, but there is a good amount to be excited about with young talent like Leo Carlsson and Mason MacTavish centering the top two lines and Chris Kreider looking like he could return to form this year.
26. New York Islanders
The Islanders have won half of their games so far. The good news is their offense looks great! The bad news is that their defense does not.
27. Nashville Predators
All hopes for a bounce back season have been put on hold so far for Nashville fans. While the Predators won their first two games, including an overtime victory against Carolina, they have gone on to lose four of their next five. Steven Stamkos still looks like a shadow of his former self, though defender Roman Josi and goalkeeper Juuse Saros have looked a lot better so far. They will need everyone on the team to rally to prevent the hopes of their fans from extinguishing.
28. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres started off miserably, losing five straight games before winning their last two. They have looked a lot better in these last two, and were able to beat strong opponents in Ottawa and Florida. They have some exciting talent, but it might take a while for everything to come together fully in Buffalo.
29. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers have started off 3-4 though they’ve had a pretty tough schedule. Interestingly, their wins were against New Jersey, Florida, and Minnesota- all very good teams. Expectations coming into the year were pretty low, however, so we’ll need to see more in order to have a better idea of what’s in store.
30. Calgary Flames
The Flames have depressingly started off the young season 1-7. They should be better than this, but things aren’t looking great right now to say the least.
31. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks have unsurprisingly started the season with mostly losses, losing seven of their eight matchups. Amusingly their only win was against the Golden Knights, who sit atop these rankings. They should be better this year, hopefully, but still figure to be a cellar dweller.
32. Chicago Blackhawks
While Chicago does have some exciting young talent, including Spencer Knight in net who has looked phenomenal, they still suck right now. They lost their first five games but have at least looked better in their past few. They sit 2-6 to start this 2025-26 season.
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