Ranking the 2025/26 Eastern Conference Teams (NHL)
The East is never short on storylines, and there’s no reason to believe the 2025/26 season should be any different.
The teams that feature near the top of our list are entering the new season as heavyweights with their eyes on another deep playoff run. In contrast, others will be desperate to prove they belong in the conversation and indeed make a mockery of our rankings.
This ranking takes stock of all 16 Eastern Conference teams, weighing recent performance, roster shifts, and overall direction. From clubs chasing the Cup to those still building toward tomorrow, here’s how the East stacks up heading into the new season.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Last year’s 80-point finish for the Penguins marked a second straight playoff miss, and an ageing core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang can no longer carry the load as they once did. Penguins fans won’t like to see us ranking their team so lowly, but don’t shoot the messenger; it’s simply a sign of the times.
Even Erik Karlsson’s high-profile arrival failed to reverse the team's decline. With speculation concerning how long the trio will remain together, Pittsburgh faces the reality of a looming rebuild. New GM Kyle Dubas is restocking the pipeline, but a thin roster leaves little margin. Without a late-career surge from the veterans, another tough season awaits.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are still very much in a rebuild phase, finishing last season with 76 points, tied for the fewest in the East. Change is underway, though, beginning with the hiring of franchise icon Rick Tocchet as head coach.
Philadelphia also made news by acquiring Trevor Zegras, a 24-year-old playmaker expected to boost the attack. Prospect Matvei Michkov, who has developed himself in the Russian leagues, is viewed as one for the future. While questions linger at the center, in net, and on a young defence, GM Danny Brière has built a strong prospect pool. With veterans like Travis Konecny leading the way, progress is within reach.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres enter the 2025/26 season still chasing an end to the NHL’s longest active playoff drought, which dates back to 2011. Last year’s 79-point finish was another disappointment despite a core led by Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Tage Thompson. Instead of making some major moves that might seek to change the narrative, Buffalo moved out JJ Peterka in an offseason trade, raising questions about what is really in store for the team this season.
Goaltending remains unsettled, and depth beyond the top line is thin. Dahlin’s Norris-level play and Thompson’s scoring can keep them competitive, but without consistency and defensive growth, Buffalo risks another season outside the playoff picture and an extension of their drought.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins head into 2025–26 aiming to recover from a shocking collapse that saw them finish last in the Atlantic with 76 points. The retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci left a void that proved difficult to overcome, but Boston still has two elite players in David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy.
Pastrnak remains one of the NHL’s top scorers, while McAvoy anchors the blue line. Additions like Elias Lindholm down the middle and a healthy Hampus Lindholm on defence provide support, with goalie Jeremy Swayman also key to any rebound. Boston sits mid-pack but retains bounce-back potential.
New York Islanders
The Islanders enter the season once again on the playoff bubble after finishing with 82 points and missing out last year. Scoring remains their biggest weakness, though new GM Mathieu Darche has already made bold changes.
Trading Noah Dobson to Montreal for draft picks shocked fans but signalled a commitment to the long game, while the signing of Jonathan Drouin adds some needed creativity. Ilya Sorokin holds the team as one of the NHL’s top goaltenders, with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat driving the offence. The Islanders are difficult to play against, but without more firepower, progress may be limited.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus exceeded expectations last year, staying in the playoff hunt until the final week before finishing with 89 points, a major leap from their last-place showing the season prior. Zach Werenski held the blue line with a Norris-calibre season, while Kirill Marchenko and other young forwards added scoring depth.
The Blue Jackets strengthened their roster with veterans Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to bring spirit and two-way play to a young group. A bounce-back from Johnny Gaudreau and a healthy Patrik Laine are crucial. Goaltending remains uncertain, but if stable, Columbus has the pieces to challenge for a playoff spot.
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit’s playoff drought stretched to nine years after finishing 39-35-8 for 86 points, just short of a wild-card berth. GM Steve Yzerman addressed a major need by acquiring veteran goalie John Gibson, hoping to stabilize a position that has plagued the team for a very long time now.
With Gibson in net, Detroit’s young core of Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and captain Dylan Larkin has more support, while Alex DeBrincat adds proven scoring punch. The Red Wings were close last year, and the gap is narrowing. If their stars take another step and goaltending holds, Detroit has a real chance of breaking through.
New York Rangers
The Rangers endured a stunning collapse in 2024–25, tumbling from Cup contender to a 39-36-7 record and missing the playoffs. Offence dried up as Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière struggled, leaving only Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin producing at their expected levels.
Mike Sullivan takes over behind the bench, tasked with bringing structure and accountability. The roster also shifted, with K’Andre Miller traded and Vladislav Gavrikov added on defence. Igor Shesterkin remains a Vezina-calibre anchor in goal. If the stars rebound and Sullivan’s system takes hold, New York has the pieces to return to contention.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal surprised last season by grabbing the final wild-card spot with 91 points, led by rookie defenseman Lane Hutson’s electrifying 65-point debut. His offensive spark quickly made him an example, and management doubled down by trading for Noah Dobson and signing him long-term.
The Hutson-Dobson duo gives the Montreal Canadiens one of the league’s most promising young blue lines. Up front, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovský headline a forward group still growing into consistency. Scoring depth and experience remain issues, but with a young core trending upward, Montreal looks set to stay in the playoff picture.
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa ended its playoff drought last season with a 45-30-7 record and 97 points, their first postseason trip since 2017. The young core led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, and Thomas Chabot took a major step, while Linus Ullmark’s arrival in net provided the stability that had long been missing.
This summer, the Senators largely stood pat, re-signing veteran Claude Giroux but otherwise betting on internal growth. Jake Sanderson, Josh Norris, and Drake Batherson are expected to keep progressing, and Ottawa’s offence already ranks near the league’s top third. The challenge is climbing in a tough Atlantic, but expectations are now firmly playoff-level.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils enter 2025–26 flooding with talent but still searching for consistency. Last season, they finished with 91 points and returned to the playoffs, only to bow out in the first round. A mid-season injury to Jack Hughes disrupted momentum, and the team never quite looked like the contender many expected.
This offseason was quiet, with management largely trusting the current core. Hughes and Nico Hischier lead a deep forward group, while Dougie Hamilton and rising star Luke Hughes hold the defence. Goaltending remains a question, like it does for a lot of teams, but if health and form align, New Jersey has the firepower to challenge the East’s elite.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning remain a perennial contender after finishing 47-27-8 with 102 points last season. A notable shift came with Steven Stamkos’ departure, but Jake Guentzel’s arrival brought fresh scoring fuel to an already potent lineup. Nikita Kucherov continues to dominate with 100+ point production, while Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy protect the back end.
Vasilevskiy, still elite at 31, ensures Tampa is always dangerous in the postseason. Brandon Hagel’s 90-point breakout showed the roster can evolve around its stars. With savvy management maintaining depth and proven leaders in place, the Lightning remain among the East’s most formidable playoff threats.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals staged a remarkable turnaround last season, finishing 51-22-9 for 111 points to claim the East’s top seed. Spencer Carbery’s offence flourished, with nine players scoring at least 14 goals and seven topping 20, while Alex Ovechkin made history by surpassing Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time goals leader.
At 40, Ovechkin still drives the attack, supported by Evgeny Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson, and Dylan Strome. Logan Thompson stabilized the crease with 31 wins, and the defence became a strength. Washington fell in round two, but with depth, experience, and Ovechkin’s pursuit of 900 goals, they remain a true contender.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs rolled through the regular season again, finishing 52-26-4 to top the Atlantic. Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares drove the offence, while Matthew Knies emerged as a breakout power forward and earned a long-term deal.
The offseason brought a seismic change with Mitch Marner’s departure to Vegas, leaving a void in Toronto’s “Core Four.” Management countered by strengthening the blue line and betting on depth scoring to fill the gap. With Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz providing steady goaltending, the Leafs remain a regular-season powerhouse. The challenge, as always, will be finally delivering in the playoffs.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes remain one of the East’s most consistent powers, finishing 47-30-5 for 99 points last season and once again proving their trademark defence and structure under Rod Brind’Amour.
Playoff struggles persist, often tied to scoring droughts, but Carolina addressed that with a major offseason splash by signing winger Nikolaj Ehlers to boost the attack. They also added K’Andre Miller to a blue line already led by Jaccob Slavin. With Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Martin Necas running the attack, plus steady goaltending from Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, the Canes remain contenders. The next step is finally breaking through in May.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers top our Eastern Conference ranking after capturing back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025. Last season, they finished with 98 points, proving they don’t need regular-season dominance to thrive when it matters.
Florida kept its championship core intact, re-signing Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand, ensuring depth across the roster. Matthew Tkachuk will miss the first half of the year with injury, but Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, and Marchand lead a strong forward group, while Ekblad and Brandon Montour lead the defence. Sergei Bobrovsky, fresh off two playoff runs of brilliance, keeps them firmly in contender status.
Eastern Conference Playoff Outlook
If these rankings hold, the East’s playoff race will blend proven powers with rising challengers. Florida, Carolina, Toronto, Tampa Bay, and Washington look like strong bets, while New Jersey, Ottawa, and Montreal aim to improve their place after recent progress.
The wild card chase could be fierce, with the Rangers and Red Wings pushing hard to unseat last year’s newcomers. Boston and Pittsburgh appear on the outside but could surprise with veteran surges. As always, injuries and breakout stars will shift the picture, but for now, the Cup path runs through Florida, Carolina, Toronto, and Tampa. Expect another unpredictable race.