NHL Power Rankings: The final 16
This is the 13th edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2024-25 campaign and the first for the playoffs. Check back after Round 1 for updated rankings.
In this edition, we rank the 16 postseason teams.
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CAR | COL | DAL | EDM | FLA | LAK | MIN | MTL | NJD | OTT | STL | TBL | TOR | VGK | WPG | WSH
1. Winnipeg Jets (56-22-4)
Previous: 1
The Jets hardly slowed down all season after opening their schedule with 15 wins in 16 games, and they enter the playoffs fresh off claiming the Presidents' Trophy. While the top regular-season team rarely wins the Stanley Cup, Winnipeg has all the pieces to go on a long run - as long as Connor Hellebuyck exorcises his recent playoff demons.
2. Vegas Golden Knights (50-22-10)
Previous: 4
With arguably the league's best center depth, a blue line that features plenty of size and mobility, and a goalie who's proven he's able to get hot at the right time, the Golden Knights are perfectly built for playoff hockey. Vegas also enters the postseason on an 11-2-2 heater with a clean bill of health.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs (52-26-4)
Previous: 7
It's understandably difficult to trust the Maple Leafs come playoff time, but there's no denying that things have aligned quite well for them. They finally get a matchup with a wild-card team after winning their division for the first time in a non-pandemic season since 1999-2000. Brad Treliving has built a bigger, stronger team, and Craig Berube has them playing a simpler, playoff-style game. Toronto enters the postseason 14-5-1 since the trade deadline, tops in the Eastern Conference.
4. Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4)
Previous: 5
The Avalanche have a difficult path to the Stanley Cup through the Central Division, but Colorado is one of the few teams in the West with championship pedigree. Betting against Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar when the stakes are highest just doesn't feel right.
5. Washington Capitals (51-22-9)
Previous: 2
The Capitals drop on our rankings after stumbling down the stretch with a 4-7-1 record. It's fair to wonder if Washington can keep the puck out of its own net. No. 1 goalie Logan Thompson hasn't played since April 2, and backup Charlie Lindgren struggled with an .882 save percentage in his absence.
6. Dallas Stars (50-26-6)
Previous: 3
Miro Heiskanen's injury was already a significant hit to the Stars' chances against the Avalanche. Now Jason Robertson is week-to-week after being injured in Dallas' meaningless regular-season finale. It will be a tall task to overcome Colorado without two of the most impactful players on the roster, but if the Stars can hang in the series, Dallas remains a Cup contender at full strength.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (47-27-8)
Previous: 8
The Lightning lost their chance at the Atlantic Division title but finished the season with the best goal differential in the Eastern Conference at plus-75. The Bolts' top forwards, along with Andrei Vasilevskiy seemingly being back on top of his game, make Tampa Bay an extremely dangerous team.
8. Florida Panthers (47-31-4)
Previous: 9
A sleeping giant, or is the toll of back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances catching up with the Panthers? Florida enters the postseason 3-6-1 in its last 10 games. The caveat, of course, is numerous players have been rested in that stretch, plus Matthew Tkachuk and Aaron Ekblad have been out of the lineup. The opening two games versus Tampa Bay without Ekblad could ultimately decide the series.
9. Los Angeles Kings (48-25-9)
Previous: 11
It's put up or shut up time for the Kings. After losing to the Oilers in Round 1 in each of the last three years, this is Los Angeles' best chance at finally getting past Edmonton. The Kings need their No. 2-ranked defense to play like it in the postseason and slow down Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as much as possible.
10. Edmonton Oilers (48-29-5)
Previous: 12
The Oilers endured a miserable stretch of injuries to end their schedule but enter the playoffs having won seven of 10 despite a jam-packed injured reserve. Redemption from last year's Stanley Cup Final loss has likely been on Edmonton's mind all season. Now is the time to make it count.
11. Carolina Hurricanes (47-30-5)
Previous: 6
Carolina has a relatively easy path to the Eastern Conference Final in a Metropolitan Division that's arguably the league's weakest. But the Hurricanes are faced with legitimate concerns. Are they big and physical enough for a deep playoff run? Will they get enough saves from the duo of Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, who both posted sub-.900 save percentages this season? Time will tell.
12. Ottawa Senators (45-30-7)
Previous: 13
The Senators are playing with house money after snapping a seven-year postseason skid. But don't expect Ottawa to go down quietly in the playoffs. Travis Green has his squad playing the type of structured, defensive hockey that bodes well when the games get tighter. Linus Ullmark has series-stealing ability between the pipes.
13. St. Louis Blues (44-30-8)
Previous: 10
The Blues pieced together a miraculous run to make the postseason, much like they did in 2019 en route to winning the Stanley Cup. St. Louis is a long shot to upset the Jets, but as they say, anything can happen in the playoffs.
14. Minnesota Wild (45-30-7)
Previous: 15
The Wild needed a last-minute Joel Eriksson Ek goal versus the Anaheim Ducks just to make the playoffs. Minnesota limped through much of the second half while Kirill Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek spent time on the shelf. It will take a superstar showing from Kaprizov and lights-out goaltending from Filip Gustavsson to knock off the Golden Knights. It's not an impossible recipe for an upset, but it's certainly a long shot.
15. New Jersey Devils (42-33-7)
Previous: 14
A healthy Jack Hughes would completely change the Devils' outlook. Simply put, it's nearly impossible for a team to go on a run without its best player. Jonas Siegenthaler remains sidelined as well, and Dougie Hamilton got one regular-season contest to ramp up before Game 1. The Hurricanes consistently make it past the first round, so it would be a surprise to see this New Jersey team be the one to eliminate Carolina in Round 1.
16. Montreal Canadiens (40-31-11)
Previous: 20
The Canadiens have been one of the best teams in the league since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off in late February, and their young core provides an exciting element to this year's playoff bracket. If Montreal's top players can perform as they did down the stretch, the Habs could be a handful for the top-seeded Capitals.