NHL Power Rankings: Early overreactions for each team
This is the first in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2024-25 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.
In this edition, we offer an early overreaction based on each team's performance thus far.
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1. Dallas Stars (5-1-0)
Previous rank: 3
The Stars boast the NHL's best goalie tandem. Jake Oettinger is off and running in his bid for a bounce-back season, having allowed just six goals on 128 shots in four starts for a .953 save percentage. Casey DeSmith has also been solid in his two appearances as the backup, allowing only three goals on 51 shots for a .941 clip, including a 25-save shutout in his Dallas debut.
2. Winnipeg Jets (5-0-0)
Previous rank: 14
82-0-0, baby! The Jets are perfect through five games for the first time in their history. (Remember, they're the old Atlanta Thrashers, not the Jets that became the Coyotes). Winnipeg is firing on all cylinders and can surely keep this up for another 77 contests.
3. New York Rangers (4-0-1)
Previous rank: 4
Igor Shesterkin deserves a $15M AAV. There's been plenty of talk in recent weeks about Shesterkin's desire to become the highest-paid goalie in league history, but that's thinking too small. Based on his play so far this season, Shesterkin should be the highest-paid player.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning (3-1-0)
Previous rank: 13
Nikita Kucherov is going to make history. With seven tallies in his first four games, the Lightning superstar is on pace for around 143 goals this season. That is totally achievable. We say he smashes Wayne Gretzky's previous record of 92.
5. New Jersey Devils (5-2-1)
Previous rank: 6
Jake Allen is the true No. 1 goalie. Jacob Markstrom was New Jersey's shiny offseason acquisition, but only one of the Devils' netminders is undefeated so far with a .974 save percentage - and it's not the former Flame.
6. Florida Panthers (4-2-1)
Previous rank: 2
Sam Reinhart will score 60 goals. After racking up 57 in 2023-24, the Panthers forward is on pace for 58 with five in seven games. He's shooting 26.3% (up from last season's 24.5), so regression may be inevitable. But only one of Reinhart's tallies in 2024-25 has been on the power play after he led the league by far with 27 in the last campaign.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-0)
Previous rank: 8
Auston Matthews has already lost the "Rocket" Richard. After winning the trophy three times in the last four seasons, his campaign for another is already over. Matthews only has two goals in his first five games and is on pace for a mere 33.
8. Utah Hockey Club (4-1-1)
Previous rank: 20
Utah will finish in the top three of the Central Division. Most projections had the club challenging for a wild-card spot this season at best, but they were wrong. Every single one of them.
9. Vegas Golden Knights (3-2-1)
Previous rank: 12
The Golden Knights' scoring prowess isn't sustainable. Vegas came into Sunday ranking sixth in the NHL with 3.83 goals per game, but the club's leading scorers are Ivan Barbashev, Victor Olofsson, and Brett Howden. The Golden Knights ranked fifth last in shots per game, so their star-studded core needs to generate more chances.
10. Calgary Flames (4-0-1)
Previous rank: 31
The Flames are a lock for the playoffs. The rebuild is officially over. Calgary is clearly a fearsome force in the Western Conference. Hyperbole aside, the underdog Flames have been a delightful story to start the season.
11. Minnesota Wild (3-0-2)
Previous rank: 19
The Wild will never lose in regulation. Minnesota hasn't trailed in 300 minutes of regulation hockey this season, which will obviously be super easy to maintain.
12. Boston Bruins (3-2-1)
Previous rank: 7
Swayman held out too long. After months of hoopla surrounding a lengthy contract standoff, Boston's top netminder has posted pedestrian numbers in four appearances. That eight-year deal is off to an irreversible start.
13. St. Louis Blues (4-2-0)
Previous rank: 23
Joel Hofer's made Jordan Binnington expendable. Despite Binnington's solid 2023-24 campaign, Hofer's strong start has kicked the veteran out of the Blues' crease for good. The 24-year-old is 3-0-0 so far with a .932 clip.
14. Washington Capitals (3-1-0)
Previous rank: 15
Tom Wilson is a sniper now. Maybe Bruins star David Pastrnak was onto something in 2020 when he wrote, "In my opinion, Tom Wilson is the best goal-scorer in the league." The Capitals pest has scored five times in four games, so he's got 78 contests to bury 19 more and tie the career high he set in 2021-22.
15. Seattle Kraken (4-2-0)
Previous rank: 25
Jordan Eberle will keep up his torrid pace. The newly appointed Kraken captain already has five goals in six games thanks to a bonkers 55.6 shooting percentage. There's no way he's going to regress.
16. Vancouver Canucks (2-1-2)
Previous rank: 10
Elias Pettersson will never score again. The Canucks forward's struggles to start the year are certainly concerning - he's only got two helpers through his first five outings. But we're going to take it one step further and say that, after three straight 30-goal seasons, Pettersson's scoring days are over.
17. Carolina Hurricanes (2-2-0)
Previous rank: 11
Shayne Gostisbehere will lead this team in goals. With three tallies in four games already, Carolina's under-the-radar defensive signing is turning back the clock to his rookie year. There is no slowing him down.
18. Ottawa Senators (3-2-0)
Previous rank: 18
The Senators' power play is incredible. Ottawa has converted a whopping 38.1% of its opportunities with the man advantage this season, going eight for 21. That's one of the best success rates in the league. Not bad for a team that ranked 23rd at 18% in 2023-24.
19. Edmonton Oilers (2-4-0)
Previous rank: 1
They'll never get over losing Game 7. Stanley Cup hangovers are fine when you're the champions, but finalists aren't supposed to be this sluggish to start a new campaign.
20. Los Angeles Kings (3-1-2)
Previous rank: 16
The Kings will never have stability in the crease again. Los Angeles was blessed with Jonathan Quick for two championship runs well over a decade ago, and has suffered between the pipes ever since. This year's trio of Darcy Kuemper, David Rittich, and Pheonix Copley certainly won't right the ship.
21. New York Islanders (2-1-2)
Previous rank: 17
It's time for Lou Lamoriello to call it a career. Honestly, it's been a long time coming, especially after the numerous ill-advised long-term deals the Islanders general manager handed out last summer. This roster and its core have underachieved for too long now. Not even creative and fiery head coach Patrick Roy can restore the Isles' status as a legitimate contender.
22. Colorado Avalanche (2-4-0)
Previous rank: 5
The Avalanche can't stop a beach ball. Colorado ranks dead last in the NHL with an .810 team save percentage. That's bad, and there's no "that's good" coming here. Alexandar Georgiev has already been pulled from multiple games, and Justus Annunen has been only marginally better in more limited action.
23. Pittsburgh Penguins (3-4-0)
Previous rank: 24
Evgeni Malkin will win the Art Ross. Would a scoring title at 38 years old - and the third of his career - be enough to give Malkin the respect he deserves in the all-time ranks? Time will tell.
24. Detroit Red Wings (2-3-0)
Previous rank: 22
Giving Lucas Raymond that megadeal was a mistake. The Red Wings handed the forward an eight-year, $64.6-million deal in September, but the 22-year-old hasn't scored a goal through Detroit's first five games after notching 31 last season. Raymond may find his touch eventually, but perhaps his new contract is weighing on him.
25. Chicago Blackhawks (2-3-1)
Previous rank: 28
The Blackhawks never should have let Teuvo Teravainen go. After reuniting with the winger via free agency, he's tied for the team lead in goals (three) and points (seven). Just imagine where this franchise could be if they didn't deal him to the Hurricanes in 2016.
26. Anaheim Ducks (2-2-1)
Previous rank: 29
Cutter Gauthier is a bust. The Ducks prospect has been held off the scoresheet completely in five games with Anaheim this season after the Philadelphia Flyers granted his trade request in January. The Ducks don't exactly have a lot of firepower, but he's been playing in the top six precisely because of that. Time to start producing, Cutter.
27. Montreal Canadiens (2-3-1)
Previous rank: 27
Caufield will easily clear 50 goals. He's on pace for 82 after six in his first six games, but Montreal's diminutive sniper will reach the prestigious plateau of 50 without breaking a sweat. It doesn't matter that he failed to hit 30 over his first three seasons.
28. Buffalo Sabres (2-4-1)
Previous rank: 21
The Sabres will never score a power-play goal. Buffalo is 0-for-21 on the man advantage this season and has surrendered one shorthanded tally. Are you allowed to decline a power play? The Sabres better hope the answer is yes because it's been a waste of time so far.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets (2-3-0)
Previous rank: 30
Yegor Chinakhov will be an All-Star. Columbus' first-round pick from 2020 showed signs of a breakout last season but is ready to explode this time around. He's already up to seven points while averaging over 19 minutes per night.
30. Philadelphia Flyers (1-3-1)
Previous rank: 26
Matvei Michkov is the only reason to watch these guys. The Flyers have gotten poor goaltending and rank near the NHL's basement in goal-scoring so far. Their only real bright spot has been Michkov, who's collected two goals and two assists through five contests in his pursuit of the Calder Trophy.
31. San Jose Sharks (0-4-2)
Previous rank: 32
Oh no, it's happening again. Sharks fans, take care of yourselves. No one should have to endure back-to-back sub-20 win campaigns. That has to violate some kind of code.
32. Nashville Predators (0-5-0)
Previous rank: 9
The Predators will stay winless. Despite its splashy offseason, Nashville is about to go 0-82-0. But really, did anyone predict that the Preds would start their season like this? Quick, someone book and then cancel a trip to Vegas' Sphere.