RADIO
NHL Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First, Read NHL Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First
NHL Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First
The 2025 NHL Season will begin on Tuesday, when the Florida Panthers host the Chicago Blackhawks. Later in the evening, we will see Mike Sullivan and the Rangers face the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Colorado Avalanche travel to Los Angeles to face the Kings.
Before the action begins, let’s rank all 32 teams heading into the new season. Who are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup? Let’s dive in!
No. 32 - Chicago Blackhawks
Sitting at the bottom of this list are the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. Last season, they sat at the bottom of the Central Division and figure to do the same once again. Their lone bright spot is young superstar Connor Bedard, who will continue to lead the offense. Last season, he scored 67 points but held a poor -36 +/-.
No. 31 - San Jose Sharks
While the Sharks tallied the fewest points in the Western Conference last season, they could take a step forward this season. Leading their offense is Macklin Celebrini, who scored 25 goals in his debut season. He will now be joined by No. 2 overall pick Michael Misa, who could immediately play a significant role in the offense.
No. 30 - Nashville Predators
The Predators had high expectations in 2024 but fell short, tallying just 68 total points and only finishing above the Blackhawks in the Central Division. While they still have players such as Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, they lack the depth to compete this season. They will need goaltender Juuse Saros to bounce back after posting a .895% SV in 2024, his lowest mark since his rookie season.
No. 29 - Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are also in the midst of a rebuild, but they showed signs of improvement at times during the 2024 season. Despite finishing at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division in 2024, their top prospect, Matvei Michkov, showed potential to be a franchise cornerstone. In his debut season in the NHL, the former seventh overall pick found the back of the net 26 times and added 37 assists.
No. 28 - Seattle Kraken
After a deep playoff run in the 2023-2024 season, the Kraken took a significant step back last season. They finished only above the Sharks in the Pacific Division and allowed the second-most goals in the division. However, in he offseason, they were able to acquire Mason Marchment, who should provide some much-needed path to their offense. They will need a Jared McCann to return to his 40-goal form to compete in the Western Conference.
No. 27 - Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres hold the longest playoff drought in American sports, and with their current roster, it does not seem they are poised to snap this streak. Their offense revolves around superstar center Tage Thompson, who is coming off a 44-goal season, which was his second time reaching the 40-goal plateau. On defense, Rasmus Dahlin figures to lead the way. Their biggest weakness remains in net, with either Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Alex Lyon having the ability to serve as a No. 1 netminder.
No. 26 - Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins will look very different this season with longtime head coach Mike Sullivan now behind the bench in New York. As a result, the Penguins will likely begin to provide opportunities for their younger players as they look to turn the page in their franchise history. While Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty will be given ample opportunities to emerge as foundational pieces on offense alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust, their lack of depth on the blue line will keep them low on this list.
No. 25 - New York Islanders
The Islanders sit just above Pittsburgh primarily due to their goaltending. Despite their lack of offensive firepower, Ilya Sorokin can keep this team afloat. In 2024, Sorokin appeared in 61 games and posted a strong 2.71 GAA with a .907% SV%. Another name to monitor on this team is first overall pick Matthew Schaefer, who should open the season in a starting role.
No. 24 - Calgary Flames
While the Flames lack the firepower on offense, they have one of the sport’s rising stars in net who could lead them to the postseason. In his rookie season, Dustin Wolf was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2024, after posting an elite .91-0% SV with a 2.64 GAA. Over his final 12 starts, he picked up seven victories and lost only two games in regulation. If Wolf can take a step forward in Year 2, expect the Flames to be in the Wild Card race all winter.
No. 23 - Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks appear ready to “finally” take the next step in their rebuild. In the offseason, the Ducks brought in veteran forwards Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund and opted to move young forward Trevor Zegras to Philadelphia. The Ducks hope forwards Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish can take the next step in their development. In net, Lukas Dostal figures to see the majority of starts with John Gibson now in Detroit.
No. 22 - Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a difficult team to project heading into 2025. While they will be without Brad Marchand for the first full season and appear to be trending toward a “retool”, even though they have key playmakers at several positions, like forward David Pastrnak. Pastrnak has scored at least 40 goals in four straight seasons and is more than capable of leading the Boston offense. In net, Jeremy Swayman eyes a bounce-back season after posting a disappointing 3.11 GAA in 2024.
No. 21 - Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks finished outside of the playoff picture in 2024 but should be in a good spot to compete in 2025. Superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes remains the focal point of the franchise, coming off his second straight season in which he averaged more than a point per game.
Their success this season could depend on goaltender Thatcher Demko. After performing as one of the top goaltenders in 2023, he took a step back in 2024, seeing his GAA rise from 2.45 to 2.90.
No. 20 - Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets surprised many last season, as they remained in the playoff hunt throughout the final week of the regular season. As a result, this young team could be poised to compete for a top-3 position in the Metropolitan Division. Breakout star Krill Marchenko should lead the scoring department, coming off a 31-goal campaign. On defense, Zach Werenski headlines the blue line, coming off a Norris finalist season in which he tallied a career-best 82 points.
No. 19 - Utah Mammoth
The Utah Mammoth are an intriguing sleeper team ot monitr this season. In the offseason, they made a big swing by acquiring JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabers, who will join a budding forward unit alongside Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka could be the difference between them sneaking into the postseason, as he enjoyed a career season in 2024, posting a 2.58 GAA with a .904% SV.
No. 18 - New York Rangers
The New York Rangers were one of the most disappointing teams in 2024, particularly after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in the previous season. However, with two-time Stanley Cup Champion Mike Sullivan behind the bench, the Rangers could bounce back very quickly.
While they will be without franchise icon Chris Krieder, they have enough players to make an impact on offense. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin is also more than capable of leading this team to the postseason on his own.
No. 17 - Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators have their sights set on returning to the postseason in 2025. However, they did not make many significant moves in the offseason, outside of re-signing forward Claude Giroux. Forward Brady Tkachuk remains the heartbeat of this team. Despite tallying just 54 points last season, he led the way with 228 hits and 33 blocked shots.
In net, Linus Ullmark looks to follow up an impressive debut season with the club, where he held a 25-14-3 record.
No. 16 - Montreal Canadiens
Another surprise playoff team from the previous season was the Montreal Canadiens. Their most impactful move of the offseason was acquiring Islanders defender Noah Dobson. However, the success of their team will be dependent on the production of their emerging young forward group, led by Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky.
No. 15 - New Jersey Devis
The Devils were one of the most dominant teams in the first half of the 2024 season, but suffered numerous injuries. The most impactful was center Jack Hughes, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after 60 games. However, with Hughes slated to be a full-go for the regular season and the Devils extending his brother, Luke Hughes, expect the Devils to be competing for a top spot in the Metropolitan Division once again.
No. 14 - St. Louis Blues
The Blues narrowly secured a spot in the postseason and will run it back with a similar roster in 2025. On offense, Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, and Jordan Kyrou figure to do most of the heavy lifting, while Colton Parayko leads the way on the blue line. In net, Jordan Binnington is coming off one of his better campaigns and will need to show similar production to keep this team in the playoff race.
No. 13 - Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings have been waiting to take the next step under Steve Yzerman. However, after finally acquiring a No. 1 goalie in John Gibson, the Red Wings seem poised to not only snap this playoff drought but also emerge as contenders in the Eastern Conference. On offense, Alex DeBrincat is expected to serve as the focal point, especially coming off a 39-goal season.
No. 12 - Minnesota Wild
While the Wild brought in veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko to play in the top-6, their most important move was to re-sign forward Kirill Kaprizov. Earlier in September, the winger signed the largest contract in the sport, which will keep him in Minnesota for likely the remainder of his career.
In net, the Wild will once again turn to Filip Gustavsson, who is coming off a strong season and should keep the Wild near the top of the conference.
No. 11 - Tampa Bay Lightning
Even though the Lightning are not the powerhouses of the Eastern Conference they once were, they remain in the playoff race every season. In the offseason, they were able to extend Yanni Gourde to a six-year deal, and he should continue to hold a top-6 role. With one of the most prolific top lines in the sport, led by Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, and Nikita Kucherov, expect them to remain near the top of the Atlantic Division and near the top in overall scoring.
The Lightning will continue to have one of the sport’s top goalies, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who could easily lead the league in wins and games played.
No. 10 - Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be an interesting team to follow this season. In the offseason, they lost star winger Mitch Marner to the Golden Knights, but were able to extend Matthew Knies, who is projected to be Auston Matthews’ new go-to option. While Matthew’s coming off a bit of a down season (to his standards), he remains a favorite to claim the Rocket Richard Trophy. In net, Anthony Stolarz figures to lead the way and is coming off a stellar campaign where he held a 2.14 GAA.
No. 9 - Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have been playoff disappointments in recent history, suffering numerous first-round exits (primarily to the Oilers). However, they remain one of the sport’s top defensive teams and should be a favorite to win the Pacific Division. While the Kings made a handful of depth signings in the offseason, like defenseman Brian Dumoulin, two names to note are Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere.
Both young forwards are coming off career years (in terms of goals) and could bring this offense to the next level if they take the next step.
No. 8 - Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche had a short run in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but should be well-positioned to remain a top contender in the Western Conference this season. Led by superstar Nathan MacKinnon, the Avalanche should boast one of the top offensive units in the league. Last season, MacKinnon posted his third-straight 100+ point campaign. On the blue line, Cale Makar should remain a Norris Trophy favorite.
No. 7 - Washington Captials
The Washington Capitals were one of the most surprising teams last season and will return a very similar roster. Future Hall of Fame Alex Ovechkin headlines the offense, following a 44-goal campaign. However, with emerging stars like Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael, this team is well-positioned to compete among the Eastern Conference’s heavyweights. In net, the Capitals will turn back to a committee between Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson.
No. 6 - Winnipeg Jets
Despite playing in the same division as the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche, the Jets were able to win the Central Division last season. In fact, their 116 points were enough to win them the Presidents’ Trophy.
However, they take a slight dip in the power rankings after losing forward Nikolaj Ehlers in the offseason (to the Carolina Hurricanes). Despite this, with the sport’s best netminder, Connor Hellebuyck, manning the crease, the Jets remain a top Stanley Cup Contender.
No. 5 - Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have yet to make a run to the Stanley Cup Final, but are well-positioned to enjoy their best season of the Rod Brind’Amour era, potentially. In the offseason, the Hurricanes brought in high-impact winger Nikolaj Ehlers on a massive six-year contract, who figures to play alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis. On defense, they added K’Andre Miller to join a defensive room led by Jacob Slavin.
No. 4 - Vegas Golden Knights
Coming in at the No. 4 spot are the Golden Knights. The Knights had one of the most productive offseasons by acquiring superstar winger Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marner will join a high-powered offensive group led by Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. With Adin Hill coming off a career-best season, the Golden Knights should make a strong push to claim the top seed in the conference and should be in a prime position to return to the Stanley Cup Final.
No. 3 - Edmonton Oilers
The reigning Western Conference Champions will take the third spot. While the Oilers did not have as productive an offseason as the Golden Knights, with the two-headed monster of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way, they remain top contenders. Even with concerns in net, the Oilers are poised to make another run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
No. 2 - Dallas Stars
This may be a bit of a surprise, but the Dallas Stars enter the 2025 season as the top team in the Western Conference. Although they were unable to get the job done in the postseason (resulting in the firing of head coach Pete DeBoer), they arguably have the deepest roster in the sport. Their forward group is led by Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Roope Hintz, and on defense, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell are expected to form the top pairing.
The Stars also have one of the top netminders in the sport, Jake Oettinger, who has tallied 35+ wins in three straight seasons. This is their year to take home the Stanley Cup.
No. 1 - Florida Panthers
Coming in at the top spot are the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. Even though they will be without tough center Alexander Barkov for the entire regular season due to a torn ACL and left wing Matthew Tkachuk sidelined through December, this team is built to make another deep playoff run. In the offseason, they were able to re-sign three key players, Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand, and Sam Bennett, who are expected to lead the way with Barkov and Tkachuk sidelined.
