The NHL is back! We are all set for another campaign of scintillating stick-smashing, helmet-butting, and ice-gliding as the Florida Panthers embark on their Stanley Cup defence.
Table of Contents:
There are no major new changes to the rules, but there are some that are worthy of consideration. They include:
While team rankings can provide valuable insights into a team's overall performance, you can only refer to them up to a point. There are various other factors that come into play during the playoffs, such as injuries, momentum, and matchups.
If key players are sidelined due to injury, the chances of success plummet, especially against a lower-ranked team with fewer injuries that are able to capitalize on this advantage.
Don’t underplay the importance of momentum, either. A team that has been consistently performing well leading up to the playoffs may have a better chance of success, regardless of their initial ranking.
Every week, the NHL power rankings are updated to reflect the teams in form and the ones that are struggling for consistency and form.
The most important factor in determining power rankings is a team's performance. This includes their win-loss record, goal differential, and recent streaks. Teams that consistently perform well and have a high winning percentage will typically rank higher in power rankings.
Statistics also play a significant role in ranking NHL teams. These include metrics such as goals per game, shots on goal, penalty kill percentage, and more. Teams with strong statistical performances will often receive higher ranks in power rankings.
In addition to performance and statistics, the overall strength of a team is also considered in power rankings. This includes factors such as depth of roster, key players' health status, and overall team chemistry. A strong team with depth in all positions will typically rank higher than a team that relies heavily on one or two star players.
Full List
Edmonton Oilers
Florida Panthers
New York Rangers
Dallas Stars
Colorado Avalanche
Carolina Hurricanes
Nashville Predators
Vancouver Canucks
New Jersey Devils
Toronto Maple Leafs
Boston Bruins
Vegas Golden Knights
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets
Los Angeles Kings
The Oilers consistently make the post-season over recent times and are perennial top two finishers in the regular season,
They are led by the prodigious talents of Connor McDavid, the team’s captain and superstar forward, who is widely considered one of the best attacking players in the world and one of the best in his position of all time.
A slow start to the 2024/25 season shouldn’t put off potential suitors - they’re likely to be involved in the post-season conversation.
The Panthers broke their Stanley Cup duck by lifting the trophy in the 2023/24 season and are aiming to make it three finals in a row this season.
Watch out for the mercurial talents of Samson Reinhart, who has been in stellar form this season, building on his stellar scoring run of his last campaign. He bagged 57 goals in the regular season - the second-highest in the division.
Can he lead his team to more glory?
It wasn’t an ideal start to this season. But the New York Rangers are too big a team to write off. They have reached the playoffs in four of the previous five seasons.
They have won the Stanley Cup four times, though it’s now been more than 30 years since they last lifted the trophy (1994).
The Stars are well within the picture for the playoffs after a strong start to the campaign. They are the nearly-men of recent years, having lost in the Conference Finals in the previous two years (2-4 vs Golden Knights in 22-23 and 2-4 vs Edmonton Oilers in 23-24).
They have only won one Stanley Cup in their history, but you wouldn’t bet against them making it two this season.
The typically free-scoring Avalanche haven’t enjoyed the best start to the campaign, but you can always expect an enjoyable and exciting affair when they take to the ice.
The 2022 Stanley Cup champions can rely on the peerless talents of Nathan MacKinnon to score goals and propel his team forward.
In the hunt for a coveted spot in the top tier of NHL teams, there are several contenders vying to break through. The Carolina Hurricanes have shown strong potential with their dynamic offense and solid goaltending, but lack consistency in their overall performance.
Similarly, the Nashville Predators have a talented roster and excel defensively, but struggle to find consistent scoring production. The Vancouver Canucks have made strides this season with young stars leading the way, but need to improve their defensive game to truly compete with the elite teams.
As for the New Jersey Devils, they possess an impressive group of young players and a veteran presence on defense, but need to develop more depth throughout their lineup. Lastly, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a star-studded lineup, but face challenges with their team chemistry and defensive structure.
Boston Bruins
Vegas Golden Knights
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets
Los Angeles Kings
All of the teams above can cause any team an issue on their day, but have to work on ironing out some kinks.
The Boston Bruins have a solid defense and a skilled goaltender in Jeremy Ryan Swayman, but they struggle with consistency on offense. The Vegas Golden Knights surprised everyone with their success in their first year as an expansion team, but they will need to address their lack of depth at the center position. The Tampa Bay Lightning possess one of the most talented rosters in the league, but their inconsistency in goalkeeping has been a major challenge for them.
Similarly, the Winnipeg Jets have a formidable offensive line led by players like Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, but their defense can be shaky at times. The Los Angeles Kings have a strong core of veteran players, but their age may become a factor in their ability to keep up with the fast pace of the game.
All eyes have been on the surging performances of the Minnesota Wild, who topped the Western Conference after 24 games played, while the Washington Capitals are also performing above pre-season predictions.
A lot of the cause for optimism for the Wild is the stellar form of Kirill Kaprizov, who is looking to break the 100-point barrier for the second time in his fledgling career. He’s been unstoppable in the early part of the season.
For the Capitals, meanwhile, some smart acquisitions have helped them off to a better-than-anticipated start. The likes of Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jakob Chychrun, Andrew Mangiapane and Logan Thompson have been excellent signings, while Matt Roy, Jakub Vrana, Taylor Raddysh and Brandon Duhaime were added as free agents and have had a great impact.
Both could be in the mix as serious post-season contenders.
The Chicago Blackhawks are having a campaign to forget.
It’s understandable. They made a clear pivot towards rebuilding, heavily relying on young players like Connor Bedard to lead the team. While Bedard has shown flashes of brilliance, the overall roster still lacks depth, and the team is growing through the pains of development.
Like the Blackhawks, the San Jose Sharks are in a rebuilding phase. With key veteran players traded away, the roster is filled with younger or less experienced players, which leads to struggles in both the offensive and defensive zones, and so far it’s showing.
Team rankings are influenced by win-loss record, goal differential, player performance, injuries, and strength of schedule.
The New Jersey Devils have shown significant improvement, with stronger team play and standout performances from young stars.
The Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings rank among the most successful, based on Stanley Cups and historic performance.
Goaltenders are ranked based on save percentage, goals-against average, and consistency in high-pressure situations.
Strength of schedule affects rankings by indicating how well a team performs against tougher opponents compared to weaker teams.
Yes, a lower-ranked team can make a deep run, often due to strong goaltending, momentum, or underdog performances.