RADIO
NHL Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First (Pre NHL Draft). Read RotoBaller's updated NHL Power Rankings Ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
With the 2026 NHL Draft just a few hours away, it's time to take a look at where each of the 32 NHL clubs stands ahead of this critical moment of the offseason. The Stanley Cup Finals are complete, and some teams have already begun reshaping their rosters after a major trade went down this past weekend.
Where do each of the 32 NHL clubs stand?
Let's dive in!
No. 32 - Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks were at the bottom spot for the majority of the 2025-26 regular season and will remain in this position ahead of the draft. Last season, nothing went right in Vancouver, which tallied just 58 points, the only team in the sport to be below the 75-point mark. Overall, they won just 25 games.
In free agency, they will likely see veteran Evander Kane walk as he is on an expiring contract. The name to watch is Elias Pettersson, as he could be on the trade block if the team embarks on a full-fledged rebuild. They will look to find their next franchise icon with the No. 3 overall pick.
No. 31 - Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks showed some promise early in the 2025 campaign but endured some significant injuries and setbacks down the stretch. Top center Connor Bedard led the way with a career-best 75 points over 69 games of action. The other bright spot on the roster was former top prospect Spencer Knight, who appeared in a career-high 55 games and posted a strong .902% SV% despite playing behind a weak defense.
The Blackhawks will add another budding star to their system with the No. 4 overall pick and are well-positioned to take the next step in 2026.
No. 30 - Seattle Kraken
The Kraken fell short in the playoff race in 2025, tallying 79 points and finishing just below the .500 mark with a 34-37-11 overall record. Offense remained a major weakness of this club, as they scored just 226 goals, the fifth-lowest in the sport, and sat near the middle of the pack in terms of goals allowed.
This team could be headed for an even worse 2026 campaign, as many key veterans could opt to test the open market, as winger Jaden Schwartz, winger Eeli Tolvanen, and defender Jamie Oleksiak are all unrestricted free agents.
No 29 - Calgary Flames
The Flames finished near the bottom of the Western Conference (and second-to-last place in the Pacific Division), totaling 77 points with a 34-39-9 record. While they finished below the Kraken in the league standings, given that Seattle won just two of the 10 games, Calgary will be given the slight edge in this ranking.
Scoring was a major weakness for this club in 2025, but their defense and goaltending were somewhat strong points. Netminder Dustin Wolf endured some regression in relation to his 2024 breakout season but still held his own, carrying a .899% SV% over a season-high 57 games played.
No. 28 - New York Rangers
It was a tough debut season as head coach of the Rangers for Mike Sullivan, as the Blue Shirts tallied just 77 points with a 34-39-9 record, the worst in the Eastern Conference. While they fell below expectations, the lone bright spot remained superstar goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
Shesterkin posted a dominant 2.50 GAA with a .912% SV% despite playing behind this team. The Rangers will pick fifth overall in the 2026 NHL Draft and have a prime opportunity to kickstart their retool.
No. 27 - Toronto Maple Leafs
Like the Ranges, the other major disappointment in the Eastern Conference was the Toronto Maple Leafs. Typically, the Leafs fell well short of expectations in their first season without Mitch Marner. Toronto totaled just 78 points (second-worst in the East) with a tough -46 GD.
However, they will have a prime opportunity to bounce back, as they made a significant trade to acquire breakout defenseman Darren Raddysh from the Lightning and will select first in the 2026 NHL Draft, likely taking Penn State superstar Gavin McKenna.
No. 26 - St. Louis Blues
Despite sitting towards the bottom of the Western Conference for most of the winter, the Blues enjoyed a late-season surge and nearly claimed the No. 2 Wild Card spot from the Los Angeles Kings. Overall, the Blue finished with 86 points and held a strong 6-31 record over their final 10 games.
Over their final 23 games, breakout rookie Jimmy Snuggerud made his name known, totaling 27 points (with 11 goals). This team could be a likely fringe playoff contender in 2026, with two first-round picks (11 and 16) and by not opting to move Robert Thomas at last year's deadline.
Pure FILTH from Jimmy Snuggerud to set-up Robert Thomas’ hat-trick goal 🤮 #stlblues pic.twitter.com/qzKQBK1m86
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) April 6, 2026
No. 25 - Nashville Predators
Like the Blues, the Predators just missed out on a ticket to the postseason, earning 86 points, just two points out of the final No. 2 Wild Card. Despite some inconsistencies over the season, the Predators finished the 2025-26 campaign with a solid 38-34-10 record but held an underwhelming -22 rating.
However, given how this team performed over the second half, they should remain firmly in the postseason race if they can avoid a sluggish start once again. They will have a prime opportunity to add a blue-chip prospect to their system as they will hold the 10th overall pick in the opening round.
No. 24 - Los Angeles Kings
The Kings snuck into the postseason bracket, earning the No. 2 Wild Card in the Western Conference. However, their playoff run did not last long as they took a 4-0 sweep at the hands of the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. This team was a heavy underdog in this series, and this result was not overly surprising.
However, despite making the playoffs once again, this team could take a step back in 2026 as they have many question marks on their roster. They lost longtime center and franchise staple Anze Kopitar to retirement and will look to receive a much-needed spark from newly-named HC Peter Laviolette.
No. 23 - Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings appeared locked into a playoff spot for most of the 2025-26 season, but hit a skid at the opportune time, which pushed them out of the playoff bubble. They would finish the 2025-26 regular season with the 16th-most points in the sport (92) and just seven points out of the No. 2 Wild Card.
In free agency, the Red Wings will have no opportunity to inject some more youth into the bottom six of their roster, as Patrick Kane and David Perron could test the open market, as well as 34-year-old blue liner Erik Gustafsson. However, the looming question is whether Captain Dylan Larkin will be playing for a new team in October.
No. 22 - New York Islanders
The Islanders entered the 2026 campaign in a retool phase. However, they nearly clinched a spot in the postseason, most of which was due to the Vezina-level goaltending by Ilya Sorokin and breakout rookie Matthew Schaefer. The former first overall pick exceeded all expectations in his debut campaign, totaling 23 goals and 36 helpers in 82 games.
They will have some decisions to make in free agency, with Anders Lee leading the pack of UFAs. However, with an experienced mind behind the bench in Pete DeBoer, this team should be in the heat of the playoff debate throughout the season.
No. 21 - Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were one of the hottest teams in the sport to begin the regular season, but hit a tough roadblock and never recovered. While they only finished four games out of the Wild Card, their rough play in the middle of the winter kept them out of the postseason race.
The major question on this roster remains two-time Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck took a step back in 2025 (to his standards), posting a 2.86 GAA with a .895% SV%. A recent report suggests the netminder's name has been passed around trade circles. The Jets would signal a rebuild very clearly if they were to part ways with their franchise icon.
No. 20 - San Jose Sharks
The Sharks surprised many during the 2025 season. Entering the campaign, this team had low expectations, as they were among the youngest teams in the sport. However, led by near-MVP winner Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks remained in the Wild Card throughout much of the spring but ultimately fell just short.
Celebrini emerged as a legit superstar in the sport, totaling 115 points over 82 games played in his sophomore season (age 20). The Sharks will add another elite prospect at the No. 2 overall pick to join Celebrini, Will Smith, and Michael Misa to form one of the strongest young cores in the sport.
No. 19 - Washington Capitals
Just one year after claiming the No. 1 spot in the entire Eastern Conference, regression was expected from the overperforming Capitals. While they appeared to be emerging from a rebuild, they were unable to sustain this success in 2025-26, falling short of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
This past season, the Capitals fell from 111 points to just 95, putting them three points behind the Flyers for the No. 3 spot in the Division. While this team does have many emerging young players, the elephant in the room is Alex Ovechkin's status. The future Hall of Famer is an unrestricted free agent and has yet to come to a decision on whether he will return for his age-41 season.
However, the team has already begun to take strides to improve for 2026, by acquiring St. Louis winger Jordan Kyrou.
No. 18 - New Jersey Devils
Despite having a talented roster on paper, the Devils were unable to qualify for the 2025 postseason. One of the major reasons was the health of superstar center Jack Hughes. For the third-straight year, Hughes played in fewer than 63 games but remained just as dominant on a per-game basis, totaling 77 points over 61 contests.
The other major weakness on this roster is the goaltending. Jacob Markstrom, the team's "No. 1" option, posted a rough 3.07 GAA over 35 games, a stark drop from the 2.50 GAA he held the year prior. If they can see steady goalkeeping in 2026, they should be set up well to contend for a top-3 spot in the Metropolitan Division.
No. 17 - Ottawa Senators
The Senators reached the playoffs this past spring but were dealt an early exit at the hands of the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. During the regular season, the Senators tallied 99 points (ninth-most in hockey) with a 44-27-11 record. They were both considered above-average in offense and found and carried a strong +32 rating.
However, this week, the Senators took part in a blockbuster trade, moving captain Brady Tkachuk to the Panthers in exchange for three first-round picks. While the Ottawa management has made it clear they will look to use these picks to find a solution "now", as it currently stands, their roster has many glaring weaknesses.
They have already begun to turn these assets into players as they acquired San Jose's William Eklund earlier this week.
No. 16- Columbus Blue Jackets
The Rick Rick Bowness-led Blue Jackets early snuck into the postseason following an impressive showing in the second half. While a late-season stumble prevented them from punching their ticket, this club appears to be trending in the right direction ahead of the 2026 season.
Overall, they tallied 92 points, putting them just six behind the Flyers for the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division. The name to watch is young netminder Jet Greaves. Greaves put together a breakout season, posting a 2.60 GAA with a 26-19-9 record. If he can take another step forward, this team can compete next winter.
No. 15 - Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers took a major step back in 2025-26 in relation to preseason expectations. This is a team that matched up against the Stanley Cup Finals in each of the last two seasons, but not only fell to the No. 2 in the Pacific Division this season, but also failed to get out of the opening round as they took a series loss to the Ducks.
Earlier this offseason, it was reported that the Oilers are closing in on hiring former Red Wings HC Mike Babcock as the new voice behind the bench, in hopes of providing a spark to this club. With no long-term answer in net and Connor Ingram's contract set to expire, the Oilers could be in store for even more regression in 2026, even with their two superstars lighting up the scoreboard.
No. 14 - Pittsburgh Penguins
Like their neighboring team in the state, the Penguins also surpassed expectations in the previous campaign. After falling short of the postseason over the past few years, it appears this franchise was headed towards an entirely retool period. However, Sidney Crosby and company brought this team back into the playoffs thanks to a 98-point season.
On offense, this was among the best units in the sport, as they put 293 pucks behind opposing nets, which trailed only the Avalanche and Hurricanes. With ample cap space and draft capital, Kyle Dubas has the ability to add another impact player to this team to make another run at the Cup.
No. 13- Philadelphia Flyers
Another team that was expected to be in a "re-tool" phase in 2025-26 was the Philadelphia Flyers. However, the Flyers not only surpassed those expectations but returned to the postseason. In their opening-round series, they got the better end of the Battle of Pennsylvania (defeating the Penguins in six games) before being swept by the Stanley Cup Champions.
The Flyers management, led by former NHL winner Daniel Briere, will have ample work this free agency period as Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale headline their large group of restricted free agents.
No. 12 - Utah Mammoth
The Mammoth enjoyed a strong showing in 2025-26 and earned a postseason berth. While their season would end in a first-round exit to the eventual Western Conference Champions, they remained a steady force in the Western Conference for the next season. They spotted a strong +28 rating and allowed the sixth-fewest goals in the sport.
Much of this is due to the emergence of Karel Vejmelka. The young netminder took on a hefty workload and performed quite well, posting a 2.75 GAA. With a young forward core of Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther, this team should remain a contender in a top-heavy Central Division.
No. 11 - Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks entered the 2025-26 season in a rebuild but quickly emerged from it and punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Overall, their 92 points put them in the No. 3 spot in the Pacific Division. They would upset Connor McDavid and the Oilers in Round 1 but fall to the Golden Knights in Round 2.
Defense and goalkeeping remain a major weakness, but scoring is a major strength. The Ducks put 273 pucks behind the net in 2025-26, but allowed an even worse 288. The Ducks will need a steadier blue liner and more consistent efforts from netminder Lukas Dostal (3.10 GAA) to emerge as serious contenders in the Western Conference.
No. 10 - Boston Bruins
The Bruins surprised many during the 2025-26 season by not only punching their ticket into the postseason but claiming the No. 1 Wild Card in the Eastern Conference with 100 points. Despite playing their first full season with Brad Marchand, the "re-tooling" Bruins looked more than capable in a tough Eastern Conference.
Aside from the 39-goal effort by winger Morgan Geekie, the main reason for their productivity was Jeremy Swayman's bounce-back. Following a down year in 2024, the netminder posted a dominant .907% SV% and even posted a .920% SV% over the final 16 games of the regular season. While their playoff bid was cut short in Round 1, this team should once again remain firmly in the playoff bubble in the Atlantic Division.
MORGAN GEEKIE JUST SCORED A GOAL FROM CENTER ICE 😱
WHAT IS GOING ON 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dTEylZ4aP7
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 22, 2026
No. 9 - Florida Panthers
The Panthers were unable to compete for a three-peat in 2025 due to numerous injuries on their roster. However, this team is still very strong on paper and recently took a big swing to position themselves for another deep postseason run. On Sunday, the Panthers shipped three first-round picks to acquire star winger Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators.
The lone question mark on the roster is the goaltender. Currently, the top option, Sergei Bobrovsky, is an unrestricted free agent, which leaves some uncertainty heading into the draft.
No. 8 - Dallas Stars
The Stars had a disappointing Stanley Cup Playoffs run and entered the offseason with a handful of burning questions. Given that they were in the Central Division, they were matched against the Minnesota Wild in the penultimate round and suffered an early exit despite being the higher seed (112 points).
Likely the most coveted name among RFAs this season will be star winger Jason Robertson. "Robo" put together a 45-goal campaign in 2025, just one shy of his career-high, and would be a major loss for this team as they look to stay afloat in what is potentially the game's most competitive division.
No. 7 - Buffalo Sabres
The Sabers snapped their lengthy postseason drought in dominant fashion. Last season, Buffalo was among the top teams in the league and ultimately finished atop the Atlantic Division and earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Their 109 points put them fourth in the entire league.
While they would fall in the second round to the Montreal Canadiens, this team is poised to make a lengthy postseason run in 2026-27. The lone question remains the goaltender position. Both Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon have struggled to put together consistent showings, which puts them just behind the top tier of the East.
No. 6 - Minnesota Wild
The Wild took a big swing in the middle of the season by acquiring superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. While this trade did play a major role in them taking down the Dallas Stars in the first round, they would fall to the Central Division Champion, Colorado Avalanche, in Round 2.
Entering 2026-27, the Wild are in a "win-now" mode. While a handful of role players like Nick Foligno, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Zach Bogosian are UFAs, this team has a crop of superstars, including Matt Boldy, Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, and young netminder Jesper Wallstedt.
No. 5 - Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights caught fire in the second half and nearly marched their way to their second Stanley Cup victory in team history with interim head coach John Tortorella. Their most impressive postseason showing came in the Western Conference Finals, when they took down the Presidents' Trophy-winning Avalanche in a demanding four-game sweep.
Despite having key players in place, this team enters the offseason with some uncertainty. First, they will turn to newly-hired head coach Ryan Craig and have several impact players set to enter July as UFAs, including defender Rasmus Anderson, Riley Smith, Colton Sissons, and Pavel Dorofeyev (RFA).
No. 4 - Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning had a disappointing result in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but remain firmly in the Cup contention ahead into the next season. During the regular season, the Lightning were dominant in the East, totaling 106 points with a stellar +59 goal differential, which put them second in the sport.
However, they drew a tough opening-round matchup against the then-red-hot Montreal Canadiens. With minimal high-impact players on the free-agent market, this team is built to make another run for Lord Stanley in 2026-27, led by superstar winger Nikita Kucherov and netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy.
No. 3 - Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche looked borderline unstoppable in the regular season and through the opening two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Presidents' Trophy winners were on pace to match records early in the season and would finish the campaign with a 55-16-11 overall record (121 points).
After taking down the Kings and Wild, they would see their run come to a screeching halt, as they were swept by the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. While it was a disappointing end to a historic season, this roster remains one of the best in the sport and should sit near the top of the league standings once again.
No. 2 - Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens took the next step as a franchise in a dominating fashion in 2025. After a few years in their "re-tool", Montreal enjoyed a lengthy run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and was one of the final four teams standing. While the eventual loss to the Hurricanes, this team is shaping up to be very competitive for years to come.
While they do have a handful of players who could test the open market or enter the offseason as RFAs, their core is firmly in place to remain competitive. On offense, this team is led by Cole Caufield (who is coming off a 51-goal season), two-way star center Nick Suzuki, and former first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky.
However, not to be outdone by that forward group of Norris candidates, Lane Hutson has two emerging netminders, Jakub Does and Jacob Fowler.
No. 1 - Carolina Hurricanes
The reigning Stanley Cup Champions. The Hurricanes carried a perfect 8-0 record through the opening rounds before running into some trouble in the Eastern Final (against the Canadiens) and the Stanley Cup Final (against the Golden Knights). However, they eventually overcame both opponents to lift the Stanley Cup and conclude the season.
In the regular season, this team was just as dominant, claiming the top seed in the Eastern Conference and totaling 113 points, trailing only the Avalanche. Even with netminder Frederik Anderson set to test free agency this summer, this team is well-positioned for another lengthy playoff run.
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
