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2025-26 NHL Power Rankings (The Hockey Writers)

NHL 2025-26 Power Rankings: Week 15

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Eugene Helfrick | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 10:15 AM ET

15 weeks into the 2025-26 NHL season, we have our first admission of defeat. After entering the season looking to rebound from a disastrous 2024-25, the New York Rangers instead continued rolling off the proverbial cliff, leading general manager Chris Drury to issue a statement to fans to expect a roster retool in the coming weeks. Or, in as few words, we’re going to trade some players you, the fan, probably like.

When statements like these are issued, it really puts the season into perspective. With only a few weeks before the 2026 Olympic Games, the NHL season is about to go into overdrive, with teams trying to jump the queue on the trade market. It’s important to remember that from Feb. 4th through 22nd, a roster freeze will be in place, meaning there will be only 12 days left before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline once the roster freeze is lifted.

So, as you start to line up the dominoes, you can see why Drury may look to deal a star player on an expiring contract like Artemi Panarin now, instead of waiting all the way until March, as this condensed schedule will certainly raise the likelihood of injuries.

However, this is all speculation at the moment. I certainly didn’t expect two blockbuster deals to go down in December, and now that I’m expecting trades in January, watch nothing happen. So, as the trade speculation and Olympic hype continues to build, let’s not waste any more time and get right into Week 15 of THW’s Power Rankings.

32-21: Kings Questioning NHL Contention Window

32. Vancouver Canucks (Previously: 32)
31. Winnipeg Jets (Previously: 30)
30. New York Rangers (Previously: 25)
29. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously: 24)
28. New Jersey Devils (Previously: 29)
27. Los Angeles Kings (Previously: 20)
26. St. Louis Blues (Previously: 28)
25. Calgary Flames (Previously: 26)
24. Anaheim Ducks (Previously: 31)
23. Ottawa Senators (Previously: 32)
22. Seattle Kraken (Previously: 21)
21. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously: 27)

One of my blind spots this season have been the Kings, as I really expected them to be the same team from the last four seasons. As we all know, this is the franchise that made the playoffs from 2022 through 2025, but lost in the first round in an increasingly more frustrating fashion to the Edmonton Oilers. In order to make the playoffs, though, you still have to have a good enough regular season, which L.A. always managed to pull off.

The 2025 offseason, however, was an active one for L.A., where they replaced their general manager and made some truly baffling big-money signings. After back-to-back losses to the Ducks this week, the Kings are on a four-game losing streak, and if not for 13 overtime points plus a weak Pacific Division, they would be well into selling territory at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.

Los Angeles Kings defensemen Joel Edmundson and Cody Ceci and center Alex Turcotte help goaltender Darcy Kuemper defend the goal against the San Jose Sharks (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

The other big news from the bottom of the Rankings this week comes from the Blue Jackets, who became the first NHL team to fire their head coach during the 2025-26 NHL season. This move was largely unexpected (even by Dean Evason, who was ‘blindsided’ by the firing), but when you look at the results, it makes some sense.

Expectations for the 2025-26 season were that the franchise would build on the momentum from 2024-25 and hopefully take over at least third place in the Metropolitan division. Not only did this not happen, but they have been at the bottom of the league, with only the retooling Rangers and floundering Devils consistently below them in the division. With this perspective, you can understand why a change was needed, especially since they are on a four-game winning streak thanks to our old friend, the dead-cat bounce.

20-9: How Real Are the Bruins?

20. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously: 12)
19. Washington Capitals (Previously: 17)
18. Florida Panthers (Previously: 18)
17. Nashville Predators (Previously: 19)
16. Edmonton Oilers (Previously: 16)
15. Dallas Stars (Previously: 9)
14. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously: 14)
13. San Jose Sharks (Previously: 11)
12. Utah Mammoth (Previously: 22)
11. New York Islanders (Previously: 8)
10. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously: 10)
9. Boston Bruins (Previously: 15)

One of my not-so-bold claims from the start of the 2025-26 NHL season was that the Bruins would be back in the playoffs after missing out in 2025. This team has the pieces needed to be successful on the ice, after all, and I didn’t believe they would stay bad two years running.

At times, my prediction has looked very wrong, but you also have moments like now, when the team is on a six-game winning streak with an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 games played. In a less competitive division, this would have catapulted Boston to the top of the standings, but it just so happens that every team in the Atlantic is on a heater right now, which is keeping them on the Wild Card bubble instead.

Vancouver Canucks forward Drew O’Connor reacts as Boston Bruins forward Casey Mittelstadt and forward Fraser Minten celebrate after a goal by Minten (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Now, for a team exceeding their expectations, the Mammoth have gotten out of their December funk and are back looking like the team that dominated play in October and early November. With a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 games played, Utah looks like a team that should contend for the playoffs in an extremely top-heavy Western Conference. If you haven’t watched one of their games this season, I highly recommend taking the time to do so, as they are just a blast.

Finally, I have two teams sliding hard down the Rankins this week. First are the Flyers, who have just run out of steam in recent games, as they’ve dropped their last six games while watching their chance at the Metropolitan Division slowly slipping away.

When it comes to the Stars, however, I can’t figure out what’s going on most nights. A hot start to the season is covering up a miserable month-plus of hockey in Dallas, where the team just can’t find consistency at either end of the ice. I feel like I say this every week, but I expected this franchise to be a contender. In January, however, they look like a below-average team that just so happens to be top five in the league points-wise.

8-1: Golden Knights Finding Their Championship Form

8. Buffalo Sabres (Previously: 6)
7. Minnesota Wild (Previously: 7)
6. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously: 13)
5. Montreal Canadiens (Previously: 5)
4. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously: 3)
3. Detroit Red Wings (Previously: 4)
2. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously: 2)
1. Colorado Avalanche (Previously: 1)

While every game counts the same in the standings during the regular season, there are always matchups you circle on your schedule. This week, we had one such match-up between the Golden Knights and Maple Leafs thanks to star forward Mitch Marner. You all know the story, and the game itself had the air of a postseason bout. And despite being down on multiple occasions, the Golden Knights pulled off the big comeback to steal the win in overtime.

This is something that Vegas has done all season, as they just keep fighting and finding ways to grind out points from lost situations. Even before their current seven-game winning streak, they seemed like the class of the Pacific Division, and now it looks like they will cruise to another division title this season.

Vegas Golden Knights Pavel Dorofeyev celebrates with Mitch Marner and Tomas Hertl after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

Elsewhere at the top of the Rankings, the Lightning tied a franchise record with an 11-game winning streak before losing in overtime to the Blues. Normally, this sort of streak would put you well in front of your division, but as previously mentioned, the Red Wings and Canadiens are keeping pace with Tampa Bay because the Atlantic is a madhouse.

2026 NHL Trade Season Kicking Off?

While I was prepping this article, the next big shot was fired in the lead-up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. In a repeat of history, the Golden Knights acquired a star defenseman from the Flames, this time being the top target available, Rasmus Andersson.

With one of the big names off the trade board, general managers only have a few weeks before the Olympic roster freeze to jump in front of the trade market or hold off to see if prices go down. It’s going to be a fascinating time for sure, and if another big trade goes down, we will make sure to cover it here at THW’s 2025-26 NHL Power Rankings!