2025-26 season · through the last game

NHL power rankings 2025-26: final

All 32 teams, ranked by how good each is once the luck is adjusted for: the goals a game it would beat an average team by on neutral ice. The Avalanche finish No. 1 at +0.99 goals, the Hurricanes No. 2 (+0.94), the Golden Knights No. 3 (+0.64).

Biggest climb since last week: the Kings, up 4 to No. 9. Biggest drop: the Penguins, down 4 to No. 12. The Bruins have 100 points with +18.9 of luck in them, so they rank below what the standings say. The Golden Knights have lost −7.5 points to luck and rank above their standing. The same ratings make our predictions.

#	Move	Team	Record	Pts	Rating	This season	Last season	Luck
1	–	Avalanche	55–16–11	121	+0.99	+0.95	+0.03	+4.0
2	–	Hurricanes	53–22–7	113	+0.94	+0.90	+0.04	+4.0
3	▲1	Golden Knights	39–26–17	95	+0.64	+0.60	+0.04	−7.5
4	▼1	Lightning	50–26–6	106	+0.58	+0.55	+0.03	+0.9
5	–	Senators	44–27–11	99	+0.41	+0.41	+0.01	−0.7
6	–	Stars	50–20–12	112	+0.39	+0.36	+0.03	+9.9
7	–	Mammoth	43–33–6	92	+0.21	+0.20	+0.01	−1.7
8	▲1	Sabres	50–23–9	109	+0.19	+0.21	−0.02	+13.6
9	▲4	Kings	35–27–20	90	+0.15	+0.13	+0.02	−3.3
10	–	Wild	46–24–12	104	+0.15	+0.15	0.00	+10.8
11	▲1	Capitals	43–30–9	95	+0.15	+0.13	+0.02	+2.8
12	▼4	Penguins	41–25–16	98	+0.14	+0.16	−0.02	+4.8
13	▲2	Flyers	43–27–12	98	+0.11	+0.11	−0.01	+8.1
14	–	Blue Jackets	40–30–12	92	+0.09	+0.12	−0.03	+0.9
15	▼4	Oilers	41–30–11	93	+0.08	+0.04	+0.04	+1.4
16	–	Devils	42–37–3	87	+0.06	+0.04	+0.02	+1.3
17	▲1	Canadiens	48–24–10	106	+0.02	+0.04	−0.02	+18.2
18	▲1	Panthers	40–38–4	84	0.00	−0.04	+0.05	−1.3
19	▼2	Jets	35–35–12	82	−0.01	−0.05	+0.04	−4.7
20	–	Red Wings	41–31–10	92	−0.03	−0.03	0.00	+7.2
21	–	Ducks	43–33–6	92	−0.08	−0.04	−0.05	+8.5
22	–	Blues	37–33–12	86	−0.11	−0.11	0.00	+2.2
23	▲2	Rangers	34–39–9	77	−0.29	−0.29	−0.01	−2.0
24	–	Islanders	43–34–5	91	−0.31	−0.30	−0.01	+12.8
25	▼2	Bruins	45–27–10	100	−0.31	−0.30	−0.01	+18.9
26	–	Predators	38–34–10	86	−0.36	−0.36	0.00	+7.9
27	–	Kraken	34–37–11	79	−0.51	−0.48	−0.02	+5.2
28	–	Maple Leafs	32–36–14	78	−0.53	−0.55	+0.02	+6.6
29	▲1	Sharks	39–35–8	86	−0.54	−0.46	−0.09	+13.2
30	▼1	Flames	34–39–9	77	−0.55	−0.52	−0.03	+4.3
31	–	Blackhawks	29–39–14	72	−0.79	−0.71	−0.08	+2.7
32	–	Canucks	25–49–8	58	−0.88	−0.87	−0.01	−3.0

Rating: goals a game better than an average team on neutral ice. This season and last season add up to it: this season’s goal and expected-goal margins, rated against the opponents played, and the start from last season’s final rating. Luck: points above what the team’s play was worth, every game replayed 4,000 times. Goalie starts and injuries are left out.

Questions

Who is No. 1 in the NHL power rankings for 2025-26?

The Colorado Avalanche, rated +0.99 goals a game better than an average team on neutral ice, from a 55–16–11 record. Next: the Hurricanes (+0.94) and the Golden Knights (+0.64).

How are these power rankings made?

From this season’s goal margins (capped at four goals) and expected-goal margins, each rated against the opponents played, and last season’s rating, which fades as games are played. Expected goals carry most of the weight because they say more about the games ahead than goals do. The rating is the goals a game a team would beat an average team by on neutral ice; the same ratings make our predictions.

Why is a team with more points ranked lower?

Because points carry luck: shooting and save percentages that won’t last, and overtimes and shootouts that are close to coin flips. A team is rated on how it played, like the Bruins: 100 points, +18.9 of them luck, ranked 25.

Other seasons: 2026-27 week 1

Predictions · Luck rankings 2025-26 · Standings adjusted for luck · How the replays work