NHL Power Rankings: 1 word to summarize each team
This is the eighth 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 pick one word to sum up each team's season so far.
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1. Washington Capitals (33-11-5)
Previous: 2
Unexpected. Many thought the Capitals would take a step back after making the playoffs with a minus-37 goal differential last season. Instead, Alex Ovechkin is scoring goals like he's 29, not 39, and Washington is at the top of the league.
2. Winnipeg Jets (34-14-3)
Previous: 3
Stingy. The Jets rank second in the league in goals against per game (2.43) and first in save percentage at five-on-five (.933). The driving force behind those figures is star netminder Connor Hellebuyck. Maybe we should've said "Vezina" instead, but technically that isn't a real word.
3. Edmonton Oilers (31-15-3)
Previous: 6
Spotlight. Step aside, Connor McDavid. It's your superstar teammate's turn to take center stage. Leon Draisaitl leads the league with 35 goals in 49 games while ranking second with 74 points. The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, and Hart Trophy could all belong to him by the end of the season.
4. Carolina Hurricanes (30-16-4)
Previous: 8
Blockbuster. The acquisition of Mikko Rantanen completely changes the Hurricanes' outlook. A consistent knock against Carolina was the lack of a top-tier, offensive game-breaker. The team has that now in Rantanen, even if it only ends up being for one playoff run.
5. Dallas Stars (31-17-1)
Previous: 5
Steady. The Stars are coming off back-to-back trips to the conference final, and few will be surprised if they get there for a third straight time. Dallas is excelling thanks to Jake Oettinger's revival in goal, a balanced offensive attack with seven players in double digits for goal-scoring, and a defensive group that's been solid despite the departure of Chris Tanev.
6. Vegas Golden Knights (31-15-4)
Previous: 1
Vengeance. Vegas has that other V-word on its mind after getting bounced in the first round last spring. The Golden Knights are playing like a determined team this season, and Jack Eichel has been the most laser-focused of Vegas' skaters, putting himself on the fringes of the Hart Trophy race.
7. Los Angeles Kings (26-14-6)
Previous: 7
Defense. The Kings are the NHL's best defensive unit, with or without Drew Doughty in the lineup. Los Angeles is fourth in goals against per game (2.46) but leads the league with just 2.09 expected goals against per 60 at five-on-five.
8. Florida Panthers (29-19-3)
Previous: 12
Impressive. No team has played more hockey than the Panthers over the last two-plus seasons. Florida made consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final and won it all last June. The Cats should be showing signs of fatigue, but they've been near the top of the Atlantic Division for most of the campaign.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs (30-18-2)
Previous: 9
Patience. The Maple Leafs are used to regular-season success, but the team has had some growing pains under new head coach Craig Berube, and it will be a few more months until fans see if any improvements translate to a better postseason.
10. Minnesota Wild (29-17-4)
Previous: 4
Adversity. The fact that the Wild are doing this well is somewhat surprising. On the ice, they're dealing with injuries. Off the ice, they're dealing with unique cap constraints that limit general manager Bill Guerin's ability to improve his roster. Nothing has come easy for the Wild this season.
11. New Jersey Devils (28-17-6)
Previous: 11
Two-faced. Before the holiday break, the Devils owned a dazzling 23-11-3 record and ranked seventh in the league in goals per game (3.35). They've since gone 5-6-3 and sit 30th in goals per game (2.36) over that span. Will the real Devils please stand up?
12. Colorado Avalanche (29-20-2)
Previous: 10
Trades. It's been a busy campaign for general manager Chris MacFarland. He's already made five deals this season, and the Rantanen blockbuster completely reshaped the franchise. MacFarland was also aggressive in overhauling his team's goaltending. Colorado has been wheeling and dealing, and it doesn't look like they're done, either.
13. Calgary Flames (24-17-7)
Previous: 14
Awoooooo! Rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf has been the story of the season for the Flames. He's brushed aside any concerns over his size and has taken the reins as Calgary's starter. With a splendid 18-7-2 record on the campaign, Wolf is the biggest reason the Flames are in the wild-card mix.
14. Ottawa Senators (26-20-4)
Previous: 18
Progress. After years of languishing in a stalled rebuild, the Senators appear to finally be turning the corner. Ottawa is fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and might have a franchise goalie in Leevi Merilainen.
15. Boston Bruins (25-20-6)
Previous: 21
Crossroads. The Bruins have had an up-and-down campaign which has left president Cam Neely unsure of which path to take by the time the March 7 trade deadline rolls around. Boston is currently in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but there are plenty of other teams in the hunt. This is going to be a pivotal stretch for the franchise.
16. Tampa Bay Lightning (26-19-3)
Previous: 13
Reinvention. The Lightning made the choice to not re-sign longtime captain Steven Stamkos in the summer, ushering in a new era in Tampa Bay. Despite the change, the Bolts are firmly in the playoff race and have a strong chance of taking one of the top three spots in the Atlantic Division.
17. Columbus Blue Jackets (24-19-7)
Previous: 19
Heartwarming. Everyone should be rooting for the Blue Jackets on some level. Their community was shattered after the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, but the team has rallied its way into the wild-card conversation just past the midway mark of the season. That has to feel good.
18. Montreal Canadiens (24-20-5)
Previous: 17
Petit. Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson fell in their respective drafts due to their lack of size, and both are rewarding the Canadiens for taking a chance on them. Caufield already has 25 goals and is well on his way to a career year, while Hutson has been a joy to watch as a rookie and is firmly in the race for the Calder Trophy.
19. New York Rangers (24-21-4)
Previous: 26
Seesaw. Its been a roller-coaster campaign for the Rangers, who started off the season 12-4-1 before plummeting back down with a 5-15-0 record in their next 20 games. New York has pulled out of its nosedive by picking up seven wins in its last 12 outings, but whew, the whiplash.
20. Vancouver Canucks (21-17-10)
Previous: 16
Drama. Rumors continue to swirl regarding the future of J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. That uncertainty will weigh on the Canucks until general manager Patrik Allvin pulls the trigger on a trade.
21. New York Islanders (21-20-7)
Previous: 22
Mid. The Islanders have dealt with injuries to stars Mathew Barzal, Ilya Sorokin, and Noah Dobson, but the reality is this roster just isn't good enough to compete in the playoffs. New York has pending free agents in Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, and the decision that general manager Lou Lamoriello makes as we get approach the trade deadline will be telling for the future of the franchise.
22. Detroit Red Wings (23-21-5)
Previous: 15
Repetition. Frankly, this whole thing the Red Wings are doing is getting pretty old. Detroit isn't too far out of the wild-card race thanks to the parity of the Eastern Conference, but the Wings are near the bottom of the Atlantic Division yet again, and unlike the Senators, they haven't shown real progress in their rebuild.
23. Nashville Predators (18-23-7)
Previous: 30
Catastrophe. Yes, the Predators have fared much, much better as of late. But they still rank among the worst teams in the league after a horrific 7-16-6 start to the campaign and aren't what anyone expected after their electric offseason.
24. Utah Hockey Club (21-21-7)
Previous: 23
Hope. Utah is still finding its footing on the ice, but this season has been a breath of fresh air for the present and future of the relocated franchise. While there's still a ways to go in its quest to become competitive, playing in front of more fans in Salt Lake City with a far more competent ownership at the helm is a huge upgrade over the club's forgettable past.
25. St. Louis Blues (23-23-4)
Previous: 20
Disappointing. The Blues showed a bit of improvement after Jim Montgomery took over behind the bench, but they remain mediocre, even after adjusting to the new head coach's system. They have a bunch of teams to leapfrog if they want to make the playoffs. Management surely expected a bigger turnaround when it dismissed Drew Bannister.
26. Philadelphia Flyers (22-22-6)
Previous: 25
Insufficient. Calder Trophy contender Matvei Michkov and leading scorer Travis Konecny are bright spots for the Flyers this season, but their contributions haven't been enough. Philadelphia needs more from its current group and maybe some outside help to take a step forward.
27. Seattle Kraken (22-25-3)
Previous: 27
Sieve. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer has appeared in 20 games for the Kraken this season and won just five times. On the flip side, Joey Daccord owns a 17-11-2 record in 32 appearances. Grubauer almost has as many losses (15) as Daccord has wins. Please find Daccord another running mate.
28. Pittsburgh Penguins (20-23-8)
Previous: 24
Frustrating. Does anyone want to watch Sidney Crosby spend the last years of his career like this? The Penguins seem primed to miss the playoffs for a third straight season, which must be agony for Sid the Kid. At least Crosby can play on a competitive team at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
29. Anaheim Ducks (20-23-6)
Previous: 28
Dull. The Ducks are last in goals per game and trending in the wrong direction. Since 2021, Anaheim has posted fewer goals per game than it did in the previous season despite adding highly drafted, skilled young players to the lineup over that span.
30. Buffalo Sabres (18-26-5)
Previous: 29
Unserious. As Logan Roy would say, the Sabres "are not serious people." The Atlantic Division cellar-dwellers were hoping to make legitimate strides toward a playoff spot in 2024-25, but bringing back head coach Lindy Ruff hasn't brought them any closer to the postseason.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (15-29-5)
Previous: 32
Bedard. It's pretty clear Connor Bedard is the only thing the Blackhawks have going for them. The 19-year-old phenom leads a rag-tag group of teammates by wide margins in assists and points. It's well-known that he's the franchise cornerstone, but he hasn't had much help.
32. San Jose Sharks (14-32-6)
Previous: 31
Promise. The Sharks are last in the NHL, yet many agree the future is bright in San Jose. That's largely thanks to the commendable play of rookie Macklin Celebrini, who looks the part of a legit franchise star.
(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)