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2025-26 NHL Power Rankings (The Hockey Writers)

NHL 2025-26 Power Rankings: Week 11

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Eugene Helfrick | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 1:31 PM ET

The end of December is always a bit of a weird time on the NHL calendar. With the roster freeze in place from December 20th through December 28th, there is more than a week where you simply have to make due with the players you have on your roster for a few games. There’s also a pause in the schedule, as no games will be played December 24th through the 26th, meaning there won’t be a lot happening on or off the ice after games wrap on Tuesday.

Despite the week ahead looking a bit slow on paper, the week prior has been an exciting one with last-minute trades and unexpected winning and losing streaks shaking up the standings. Many of the teams I thought would be sellers at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline are starting to find form, while others who looked like contenders have slipped out of the race.

To be honest, I feel like we know less about the season leading up to the Holiday Break than back at American Thanksgiving. There are just so many question to consider, with races wide-open for division titles and postseason positions.

With all of these changes hitting the NHL, I’m genuinely excited to discuss Week 11 of THW’s 2025-26 NHL Power Rankings. This week was so much fun on the ice, and it might have been my favorite stretch of hockey this season so far.

32-20: Canucks and Penguins Show Blockbuster NHL Trade Potential

32. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously: 19)
31. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously: 29)
30. Winnipeg Jets (Previously: 28)
29. Seattle Kraken (Previously: 30)
28. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously: 31)
27. Vancouver Canucks (Previously: 32)
26. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously: 21)
25. Utah Mammoth (Previously: 26)
24. St. Louis Blues (Previously: 24)
23. Calgary Flames (Previously: 23)
22. San Jose Sharks (Previously: 20)
21. Nashville Predators (Previously: 22)
20. Buffalo Sabres (Previously: 25)

It’s common to judge a trade as soon as it happens, but it often takes months or even years to see the full picture. However, sometimes a painful blockbuster can lead to an immediate shift in culture, which appears to be happening for the Canucks. Yes, they gave up Quinn Hughes, but they got some genuinely great pieces back in the deal that made an immediate impact on their roster.

Suddenly, the moribund franchise has a spark for the first time in months, and while it may be too little too late, you can’t help but be excited for the future if their winning ways continue. Overall, this deal may be a win-win for both sides.

Marco Rossi, Vancouver Canucks. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

On the other hand, since the Penguins dealt Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers last week, they have been utterly unwatchable. The team lost eight straight games before eking out a win on Sunday, and have seen all of the goodwill from a hot start to the season evaporate. There’s not much to be said here other than they look like the team we all thought they would be at the start of the season.

Oh, and Jarry suffered an injury three games into his Edmonton tenure, so he’s going to be out for a bit as well. So, this may have been a perfect lose-lose trade for both sides.

I also can’t stress enough just how poorly things are going at the bottom of the Rankings right now. The Maple Leafs are utterly collapsing, the Blackhawks are back at the bottom of the standings again after a strong start to the season, the Jets have only won three games in their last 16 played, the Kraken and Blue Jackets have just three wins or fewer in their last 10 games played, and the Mammoth and Sharks can’t step over the line to relevance.

However, the Sabres and Predators deserve some praise for solid play in recent weeks. Buffalo, in particular, saw a change in leadership this week that was long-awaited by fans, spurring hope that positive change is coming. Maybe this time, this change will lead to the playoffs, but a six-game winning streak has set them in the right direction in a weak Atlantic Division.

19-9: Flyers’ Return to Earth

19. Los Angeles Kings (Previously: 14)
18. New Jersey Devils (Previously: 18)
17. New York Rangers (Previously: 17)
16. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously:11)
15. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously: 10)
14. Ottawa Senators (Previously: 27)
13. Boston Bruins (Previously: 7)
12. New York Islanders (Previously: 6)
11. Florida Panthers (Previously: 16)
10. Montreal Canadiens (Previously: 13)
9. Edmonton Oilers (Previously: 15)

One of the big surprises from the first 30 games of the 2025-26 NHL season were the Flyers, who went on a few genuinely good runs to pull themselves into the playoff conversation in a somewhat top-heavy metropolitan division. However, in recent weeks, they haven’t been able to maintain this level of play, causing them to slip down the Rankings with a 3-3-4 record in their last 10 games played.

With the power of the loser point, however, they are still hanging onto a playoff spot, but you can’t help but look at the last few weeks as a missed opportunity for the team to take a step and lock down their place in the postseason, especially with rivals like the Islanders regressing as well.

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Bobby Brink celebrates his goal with his teammates against the Montreal Canadiens (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

I also, once again, have to discuss the mediocrity of the Atlantic Division. This is the most balanced division in the sport right now, but I don’t think that’s a good thing. The Lightning are crashing out due to injuries, the Bruins seem to swing between winning and losing streaks with no real momentum, the Canadiens are still rebounding from a rough November, the Panthers are back to form, and the Senators are back in it again with a four-game winning streak, so who knows what next week may bring?

8-1: Red Wings Finding Their Game

8. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously: 4)
7. Washington Capitals (Previously: 8)
6. Anaheim Ducks (Previously: 9)
5. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously: 2)
4. Detroit Red Wings (Previously: 12)
3. Minnesota Wild (Previously: 3)
2. Dallas Stars (Previously: 5)
1. Colorado Avalanche (Previously: 1)

For the better part of a decade, the hockey world has been waiting for the Red Wings to be back in contention after being stuck in a rebuild that felt like it would never end. The team would take a step forward, then two back, leading some to call for Steve Yzerman to step down as general manager after a disasterous 2024-25 season.

However, patience seems to be paying off, as the Red Wings are getting hot and starting to establish themselves as the class of the Atlantic Division. With a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 games played, including big wins over the Capitals in back-to-back games, it’s starting to look like Detroit may finally be in the conversation for not only the playoffs, but maybe even going on a deep run.

The Detroit Red Wings celebrate after a goal scored by left wing James van Riemsdyk (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images)

Some other notes from the top of the standings. The Avalache still only have two regulation losses on the season. The Hurricanes blew two three-goal leads in Florida this weekend. Also, Hughes has looked solid for the Wild, and has already posted three points in five games played while logging big ice time.

Overall, it feels like more of the same at the top of the standings. I haven’t felt the need to shake things up too much in recent weeks, as I feel like the top 3-5 teams have been consistently great, and even when there is a slip up, they rebound quickly. Overall, I don’t see this top changing a lot in the coming weeksm but we shall see.

Enjoy the NHL Holiday Break

With the Holiday Break upon us, it’s important to remember to enjoy your time this week, whether it is with your family, friends, or even just on your own doing something you enjoy.

Once we get back from break, it’s going to be a busy few weeks. Between the 2026 Winter Classic, the Olympic Games, and the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, it will be a busy few months. So, be ready to lock in after a few days off, because the hockey world will be spinning in the coming days and weeks!