The top teams are staying consistent, with only one new team in the top 10 of this week’s rankings. One of those top teams just got a lot better. We’ll talk about that and more in the new edition of our power rankings.
1. Colorado Avalanche
Record: 23-2-7
Last Week’s Ranking: 1
We may not be to the halfway point of the season, however, I am ready to say that it will be a major shock if the Avalanche don’t take home the President’s Trophy this season. This team has basically no weaknesses. If the power play can be a little bit more consistent, we are potentially one of the greatest teams of all time.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 21-9-2
Last Week’s Ranking: 3
Rookie Brandon Bussi’s emergence as Carolina’s top goaltender has been one of hockey’s best stories this season. Bussi, having won 11 of his first 12 starts in net, should be the top guy in Raleigh moving forward. His play has been extremely important considering the offense’s recent slump. Sebastian Aho is pointless in his last five games.
3. Dallas Stars
Record: 21-7-5
Last Week’s Ranking: 2
The Stars are led by their prolific power play unit, as they score about a third of the time on the extra man advantage. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson have combined for 20 power play goals in 33 games. Dallas doesn’t give up many goals either, with a top ten penalty killing unit and one of the league’s best goaltender duos.
4. Vegas Golden Knights
Record: 16-6-9
Last Week’s Ranking: 9
The Golden Knights have won six of their last seven games, and have reasserted themselves atop the Pacific Division. Jack Eichel has broken out over the last week, with nine points in his last five games. Carter Hart has also provided some stability goaltending wise for Vegas. Once they get healthier, they are right in Western Conference contention.
5. Minnesota Wild
Record: 19-9-5
Last Week’s Ranking: 8
It’s unfathomable the Wild are in this position considering they started the season 3-6-3. They just added one of three best defenseman in hockey, former Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes, to an already loaded roster that’s ready to win. Hughes made his presence known with a goal in his Minnesota debut Sunday. Hughes joins one of the league’s best power play units, and will significantly help a struggling penalty killing unit.
6. New York Islanders
Record: 19-11-3
Last Week’s Ranking: 15
One of the biggest surprises in the Eastern Conference this season, the Islanders currently sit second in the Metropolitan Division standings. Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich have both been outstanding the last few weeks, and the Islanders penalty killing has given them plenty of support. Matthew Schaefer is exactly what this team needed on the blue lines, and his contributions both offensively and defensively have been a welcome site on Long Island.
7. Anaheim Ducks
Record: 19-12-1
Last Week’s Ranking: 7
The Ducks continue to have no problems scoring. They’ve got three players with at least 30 points, and their even strength play has overall been solid. Their goaltending is a real question mark, as they’ve used four different players at that position this season. Lukas Dostal has been the most consistent player there, but can he be relied on to help this team end their seven year playoff drought?
8. Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 18-11-3
Last Week’s Ranking: 4
The Lightning are extremely top heavy, relying on Nikia Kucherov and Jake Guentzel offensively, along with fabulous goaltending to help them win games. It’s working beautifully right now, as Andrei Vasilevskiy has defied father time and Kucherov has eight points in his last four games. Vasilevskiy, who has missed the last week with an injury, should be back at some point within the next week.
9. Washington Capitals
Record: 18-10-4
Last Week’s Ranking: 5
There are two reasons the Capitals sit in the position they currently sit in: Logan Thompson and even strength production. Thompson is a Vezina candidate with a .922 save percentage in 23 starts. No skater who has seen the ice for Washington this season has a negative on the plus/minus scale. The rest of the numbers, quite simply, don’t look pretty. But if those two factors stay consistent, they should make the playoffs in a weak Metro Division.
10. Montreal Canadiens
Record: 17-11-4
Last Week’s Ranking: 6
The Canadiens are led by their ferocious power play unit, led by Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Suzuki has 18 power play points this season. However, Montreal’s goaltending continues to be a massive liability, and if they want to compete in a loaded Atlantic Division, they need to find an answer in net.
11. Boston Bruins
Record: 19-14-0
Last Week’s Ranking: 14
Nearly halfway into the season, the Bruins remain the only team in the league without an overtime loss this season. The offense has taken a major step forward, scoring four or more goals in five straight games before a Sunday loss to Minnesota. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie are both red hot, and if this offense can continue to produce at the level it is, the Bruins may return to the playoffs sooner than we thought.
12. Detroit Red Wings
Record: 18-12-3
Last Week’s Ranking: 21
The Red Wings may be the toughest team in the league to figure out. Whether it’s their goaltending or it’s their power play, I genuinely have no idea what to make of this team. Goaltending wise, it looks like Detroit’s going to roll with John Gibson, as he has started four of the last five in net. This offense fluctuates between amazing and unwatchable.
13. Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 16-9-6
Last Week’s Ranking: 12
Despite a recent slump, the Flyers continue to hang around in the Eastern Conference playoff race. I have no idea where this offense would be without Trevor Zegras, as that trade looks to be a home run move from the front office. Dan Vladar has also been a massive bright spot, as the Czechia native has a .908 save percentage in 19 starts.
14. New Jersey Devils
Record: 18-14-1
Last Week’s Ranking: 10
The Devils continue to miss Jack Hughes dearly, as they have now fallen out of a playoff spot entirely in the month since their superstar went down with a freak hand injury. New Jersey will be without Hughes for several more weeks, and the offensive slump they’ve been in will likely continue. It just doesn’t appear the likes of Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt are enough to lead a productive offense on their own.
15. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 14-8-9
Last Week’s Ranking: 13
It’s hard to have as bad of a week as the Penguins just did. They lost all four of their games this week, with all four games taking place on home ice. Over the weekend, they blew a four goal lead to the Sharks and a three goal lead to the Mammoth on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Things don’t get any easier for Pittsburgh, as they face Edmonton Tuesday, Ottawa Thursday, followed by a weekend home-and-home with Montreal.
16. Los Angeles Kings
Record: 14-8-9
Last Week’s Ranking: 16
The Kings would be one of the worst teams in the league if not for Darcy Kuemper. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion is 10-6-6 in 22 starts with a .922 save percentage. Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ power play ranks dead last in the league, and injuries certainly haven’t helped either. I still think Jim Hiller is on the hot seat as we approach the midway point of the season.
17. Edmonton Oilers
Record: 15-12-6
Last Week’s Ranking: 23
The Oilers have slowly but surely climbed their way back into the playoff picture. Edmonton finally made a move at goaltender by sending Stuart Skinner to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry in a deal that included other pieces. Jarry looked solid in his first Edmonton start against Toronto, posting 25 saves on 28 shots.
18. Winnipeg Jets
Record: 15-15-1
Last Week’s Ranking: 22
While the Jets didn’t improve much from the previous week, I moved them up four sports because of one player: Connor Hellebuyck. The 2025 Hart and Vezina Trophy winner is back from injury, and sure enough Winnipeg won the first game their star goalie was back in net. In addition, Kyle Connor and Mark Schiefle are both on tears, and have helped an otherwise struggling offense.
19. New York Rangers
Record: 16-13-4
Last Week’s Ranking: 20
There is no doubt the competitiveness of the Rangers has improved with Mike Sullivan behind the bench. The Rangers have picked up points in eight of their last ten. They aren’t doing any particular thing objectively well, but this team has a chance to be dangerous once Adam Fox comes back.
20. Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 14-12-5
Last Week’s Ranking: 17
Things have not been going swimmingly in Toronto, largely due to the power play being one of the worst in the league all of a sudden. Considering all the talent on that top unit, that is a major disappointment for a team who was one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals last May. In addition, Toronto has used five different goaltenders already. Fortunately for Leafs’ fans, Joseph Woll appears to be nearing a return after an injury scare versus Carolina on December 4th.
21. Florida Panthers
Record: 16-13-2
Last Week’s Ranking: 24
The Panthers appear to be turning a corner at the right time. They’ve won four of their last five, and their playoff hopes are very much alive. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett are both coming alive, and this team will get Matthew Tkachuk back from injury within the next month or so.
22. Ottawa Senators
Record: 14-13-4
Last Week’s Ranking: 11
In just two weeks, the Senators have gone from a top ten team in the rankings to the bottom third of the league. Ottawa’s offense solely relies on their fourth ranked power play unit, and when they face disciplined teams, that strategy doesn’t work. When you have the worst goaltending in the league, along with the second worst penalty killing, it’s going to be tough to compete in a loaded Atlantic Division.
23. Utah Mammoth
Record: 16-15-3
Last Week’s Ranking: 25
What a start Utah had to their road trip, as they erased a three goal deficit to beat the Penguins in overtime. The Mammoth have killed penalties exceptionally, being the seventh best in the league at doing so. That has helped Karel Vejmelka, who has struggled with consistency the last few weeks.
24. Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 13-13-6
Last Week’s Ranking: 18
The Blackhawks lack of scoring depth behind Connor Bedard is finally being exposed, as Chicago has dropped four of its last five games. Spencer Knight is doing everything he can to keep this team in games, but if nobody else other than Bedard can produce some offense, it’s going to be a long second half for the young Blackhawks
25. San Jose Sharks
Record: 16-14-3
Last Week’s Ranking: 27
The Sharks have been one of the NHL’s feel good stories this season, and the future is looking bright in Northern California. The Sharks recent road trip included wins in Carolina, Toronto, and Pittsburgh, three of the toughest places to play in the East. Macklin Celebrini is without a doubt a future Hart winner in this league.
26. Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 13-13-6
Last Week’s Ranking: 19
The Blue Jackets seem like a high floor low ceiling team this season. They have a lot of contributors who are solid in what they do, but they will never be superstars in this league. Columbus will be in the playoff race, but I don’t see the upside in them as I do in other teams in the Metro. In addition, their penalty killing needs to be figured out, especially considering how well Jet Greaves is playing.
27. St. Louis Blues
Record: 12-14-7
Last Week’s Ranking: 30
The Blues have been waiting for an offensive spark, and they have finally gotten it over the last week with Robert Thomas, who has six points in his last four games. It also seems St. Louis has found an answer in net, as Joel Hofer is significantly outplaying Jordan Binnington right now.
28. Buffalo Sabres
Record: 14-14-4
Last Week’s Ranking: 27
The Sabres are without the best of the bottomfeeders in the league. They are surprisingly strong on special teams, especially their penalty killing, which ranks second in the league. Alex Lyon has also been outstanding in net. The Sabres will definitely play spoiler across the entire league during the second half. They won’t be an easy out for anyone.
29. Seattle Kraken
Record: 12-12-6
Last Week’s Ranking: 26
Seattle’s lack of scoring is finally coming back to haunt them. Not a single player has 20 points on the season. In addition, Seattle is home to the NHL’s absolute worst penalty killing group. You have to feel bad for their goaltenders, who have no help whatsoever right now with the way this team is playing.
30. Calgary Flames
Record: 13-16-4
Last Week’s Ranking: 29
The Flames have managed to play a lot better since a nightmare start. Calgary’s success runs through their two awesome goaltenders, as both Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley, specifically Cooley, have played extremely well. Calgary also claims home to hockey’s eighth best penalty killing.
31. Nashville Predators
Record: 12-15-4
Last Week’s Ranking: 31
It becomes one day closer every day to the massive firesale that’s about to happen in “Music City”. Barry Trotz has called out his locker room at points this season, and this team is completely broken right now. There are many former Stanley Cup champions and All Stars on this team who will be highly coveted at the deadline.
32. Vancouver Canucks
Record: 12-17-3
Last Week’s Ranking: 32
The Canucks’ one bright spot this season, captain Quinn Hughes, is now gone. You have to give credit to Vancouver for getting a massive haul in the trade, including a first round pick. However, with Hughes gone, expect a rough second half for the Canucks, who don’t appear to be going anywhere this year.
