NHL Power Rankings: Unexpected Upsets and Rookie Revelations Shake Up the Season

The NHL season is creeping closer to that pivotal 20-game threshold — you know, the moment when the “newcomers” stop feeling so fresh-faced and start proving whether they belong or not . It’s the perfect time to pause, take stock, and dish out some real talk on how these players — from late-season debut rookies to seasoned vets — are shaking up The Rankings. What’s working? Who’s surprising us? And who’s maybe still finding their footing? Meanwhile, shaping this list has been no easy feat. Honestly, the middle pack is a chaotic clash of contenders and pretenders — so tight you might think names were tossed out of a hat for spots seven through 27. But rest assured, integrity is the backbone here, and we’ve held the line. Dive in as we break down the latest power rankings and spotlight the game-changers making waves across the league. LEARN MORE

No NHL team has yet played 20 games, but we’re getting close enough — that means “the new guys” aren’t quite so new.

That also makes it a good time for a set of progress reports. Which fresh faces are impacting The Rankings, for better or worse? We included rookies who made their NHL debuts late last season, but plenty of vets are in the mix, too.

Also, a word about our silly little list: In five-ish years of doing this, we can’t remember the middle of the rankings being this much of a mosh pit. You could draw names out of a hat for the seventh through 27th spots and get away with it. Is that what we did? Of course not. At the end of the day, integrity is all we have.

1. Colorado Avalanche, 12-1-5

Last week: 1
Sean: 1
Dom: 1

Last season, the Avalanche had a major second-pair problem; with Josh Manson and Sam Girard on the ice, Colorado was outscored 26-16. Enter a very old, very large solution: Playing primarily alongside Manson, 41-year-old Brent Burns is handling business to the tune of a 57 percent goal share and a 63 percent expected goal share. Those aren’t particularly great numbers for the Avs, but they’re more than good enough.

2. Dallas Stars, 11-4-3

Last week: 9
Sean: 2
Dom: 2

There wasn’t much changeover on this roster. Give bottom-six center Justin Hryckowian some credit, though; opponents are scoring just 1.55 goals per 60 with him on the ice, among the Stars’ best. Does he move the needle much offensively? Nope — but he’s gotten an opportunity, and he’s doing something with it.

3. New Jersey Devils, 12-4-1

Last week: 3
Sean: 3
Dom: 3

His hockey-card numbers don’t jump off the page (three goals, five assists in 17 games), but Arseny Gritsyuk — a 24-year-old winger playing his first non-KHL season — has been solid. The Devils control the run of play with him on the ice at five-on-five, and on Wednesday, he parlayed that into some time on a line with Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer. That’s the sort of quality depth every good team needs.

4. Carolina Hurricanes, 11-5-0

Last week: 4
Sean: 4
Dom: 4

With Jaccob Slavin out since the second game of the season, K’Andre Miller has had to take on a much bigger load. He’s used to tough matchups from his time in New York, and while it’s probably not the ideal spot for him, Miller has handled them well with a 55 percent expected goals share. Also a nice surprise: his work on the power play. With Shayne Gostisbehere on the shelf, Miller took over on the top unit and cooked. In 11:55 with Sebastian Aho on the power play, the duo scored 15.1 goals per 60.

5. Anaheim Ducks, 11-5-1

Last week: 2
Sean: 5
Dom: 5

Turns out Chris Kreider still has the juice — especially on the power play. After scoring just six power-play goals last year in 65 games, Kreider already has five in 13 games for the Ducks this season. Anaheim’s power play has jumped from 32nd to 11th this year, and Kreider is a big reason why.

How the Anaheim Ducks morphed into a high-scoring, fun-to-watch, surprise team https://t.co/XMHOT7H8H4

— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) November 11, 2025

6. Utah Mammoth, 10-7-0

Last week: 8
Sean: 6
Dom: 6

Utah has found the Goldilocks zone with Nate Schmidt. Matchup minutes in Vancouver and to start in Winnipeg? Too hard. Sheltered minutes in Florida and to finish in Winnipeg? Too easy. Second pair in Utah? Just right.

Schmidt is translating last year’s great work on Florida’s third pair into a bigger role, and that’s making a mammoth difference for Utah. With 61 percent of the expected goals, Schmidt has been one of the best under-the-radar offseason adds.

7. Los Angeles Kings, 9-5-4

Last week: 19
Sean: 7
Dom: 8

No team was better equipped to absorb the “congrats on losing the Stanley Cup Final” jokes that come attached to Corey Perry: “Does that mean we get past the Oilers in the first round? Great.”

A few months later, Perry, at 40, has seven goals for the Kings, and he’s gotten there in minimal minutes; his goal rate (2.35 goals per 60) is fifth in the league. He’s also leading Los Angeles in average Game Score. Not bad for an old guy.

8. Ottawa Senators, 9-5-4

Last week: 23
Sean: 8
Dom: 11

We’re not going to bang the table for every undersized, offensively gifted third-pair defenseman to play huge minutes. We’ve been hurt before. But Jordan Spence is producing at a 70-point pace, more per 60 than all but four defensemen in the league. It’s probably time for Ottawa to keep him in the lineup.

9. Vegas Golden Knights, 7-4-5

Last week: 7
Sean: 12
Dom: 7

Among forwards, Mitch Marner is top-15 in Defensive Rating. League-wide, he’s 11th in assists (15) with a 57 percent expected goal share at five-on-five. Vegas, entering Thursday’s game, was winning his minutes 14-5. In other words, he’s been as advertised. Come May, they’ll hope that’s no longer the case.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning, 8-6-2

Last week: 11
Sean: 9
Dom: 10

Every year, the Lightning graduate some guy you’ve never heard of who somehow makes a difference. This year, that’s Dominic James, who has four points in nine games and a 65 percent xG rate. You take that every day of the week from a fourth-liner.

11. Winnipeg Jets, 10-7-0

Last week: 5
Sean: 11
Dom: 9

At the start of the season, one of the Jets’ big questions was whether Jonathan Toews 2.0 would play as a second-line center. He started Thursday with five five-on-five points and a goal share (actual and expected) below 40 percent — which, if you’re being charitable, is fourth-line stuff. Is that rust or age? Winnipeg had better hope it’s the former.

12. Montreal Canadiens, 10-5-2

Last week: 6
Sean: 10
Dom: 12

Remember when the Canadiens decisively won the Zack Bolduc-for-Logan Mailloux swap after Bolduc scored three goals in his first three games? Well, that’s technically still true — Mailloux has been that bad — but Bolduc has seriously cooled off since. He is pointless in his last seven and has just two in his last 13 games.

13. Florida Panthers, 9-7-1

Last week: 16
Sean: 13
Dom: 14

Folks, Jeff Petry is no Nate Schmidt. In easy minutes last year, the Panthers had a 58.1 percent xG with Schmidt on the ice, first among defensemen. With Petry in his place, that has dropped to 50.5 percent, ahead of only Uvis Balinskis, Petry’s most frequent partner. For the rest of the league, it’s nice to see the Panthers not get superstar results from a misfit toy — for once.

14. New York Rangers, 9-7-2

Last week: 22
Sean: 14
Dom: 13

The big selling point for Vladislav Gavrikov was his defensive game and, boy, has it been as good as advertised. He takes on tough minutes with Adam Fox, and that pair has given up very little so far, with just 2.22 xGA/60 and 1.42 GA/60.

15. Detroit Red Wings, 10-7-0

Last week: 13
Sean: 15
Dom: 15

Maybe John Gibson needs some time to fully adjust to playing behind a half-decent defensive team; he started Thursday’s rematch against the Ducks with an .882 save percentage and just-barely-above-zero GSAx. Is he still a likely upgrade on what the Red Wings would’ve offered otherwise? Sure. (He left Detroit’s win against his former team with an upper-body injury, though. Worth watching.)

16. Pittsburgh Penguins, 9-5-3

Last week: 12
Sean: 16
Dom: 17

A bunch of new guys have fueled Pittsburgh’s hot start — Anthony Mantha and the injured Justin Brazeau have given them goals and decent play-driving in the middle six, and Parker Wotherspoon is handling top-pair minutes. There are also some holdovers of note.

The biggest addition, though, is head coach Dan Muse. It’s been a few days, but this quote from Erik Karlsson — clearly not concerned about getting taken off Mike Sullivan’s Christmas card list — is worth re-upping: “The roles are starting to slot in. You know what’s expected of you. You do the things you’re good at, and not the things that someone tells you to do that you can’t do.”

17. Philadelphia Flyers, 8-5-3

Last week: 17
Sean: 17
Dom: 20

Trevor Zegras has been a point-per-game producer with the best play-driving numbers on the team, and he’s ingratiated himself with his teammates and coach. Sounds like a reasonable time to start talking about an extension, as Kevin Kurz wrote this week. Those guys aren’t getting any cheaper.

18. Edmonton Oilers, 8-7-4

Last week: 14
Sean: 22
Dom: 16

It was a bit of a surprise that it took so long for Jack Roslovic to find a home after he scored 22 goals last season. He’s a perfectly cromulent player and he’s fit like a glove so far with the Oilers, scoring 12 points in 17 games. Roslovic is prone to hot-and-cold stretches, so don’t expect him to finish with 60 points, but that’s a nice start. The Oilers desperately needed that kind of scoring depth.

19. Seattle Kraken, 8-4-5

Last week: 21
Sean: 21
Dom: 18

The Kraken deserve credit for pushing themselves into the wild-card discussion, but they’re going to have to start scoring some goals — they’re 31st in the league at 1.86 per 60 at five-on-five. Part of that is due to Mason Marchment‘s lack of production; one goal in 15 games while getting top-six minutes isn’t going to cut it.

20. Boston Bruins, 11-8-0

Last week: 18
Sean: 20
Dom: 19

We all laughed when the Bruins gave Tanner Jeannot a bajillion dollars this summer, but to his credit, he’s had a nice start. Eight points in 19 games is nothing to scoff at, and Jeannot has actually put up some decent possession numbers. Good for him!

21. Columbus Blue Jackets, 9-7-1

Last week: 24
Sean: 18
Dom: 21

In 11 games this season, Miles Wood has four goals, a 30-goal pace. At the moment, no other Miles Wood stats matter. That’s a great first month for a salary dump.

22. New York Islanders, 9-6-2

Last week: 25
Sean: 19
Dom: 22

When the Islanders signed Jonathan Drouin, it was fair to wonder what he’d look like riding shotgun with someone other than Nathan MacKinnon. He’s acquitted himself nicely, putting up 13 points in 16 games and playing well enough at five-on-five for the Islanders to win his minutes 9-5. Now, is he shooting the puck more frequently? At 4.43 shots per 60 … nope! Still, he’s added real value to the Isles’ top six.

Also, this fella has been pretty good. Watch out for him!

MATTHEW SCHAEFER 🗣️

He’s now tied with Cale Makar for the League lead in goals by a defenseman with six! pic.twitter.com/O4nyvdVJdt

— NHL (@NHL) November 14, 2025

23. Chicago Blackhawks, 8-5-4

Last week: 20
Sean: 23
Dom: 24

Do you want to watch André Burakovsky help deteriorate Connor Bedard’s defensive numbers further, or do you want to see them sock a few dingers!?

Should you care that they allow 3.7 xGA/60 when they’re on the ice together? Maybe. But right now they’re scoring 4.25 goals per 60 together, so who cares? Ride the wave!

24. Washington Capitals, 8-8-1

Last week: 15
Sean: 24
Dom: 23

It’s been a frustrating stretch for the Capitals — since Oct. 25, they’re 29th in the league with a shooting percentage of 9.11. Ryan Leonard continues to acquit himself well, though; Washington is winning his minutes, he’s producing nearly two points per 60 and he put seven shots on net against the Panthers on Thursday, partially on a line with Dylan Strome.

25. San Jose Sharks, 8-7-3

Last week: 27
Sean: 25
Dom: 25

The Oilers got some good minutes from John Klingberg last season, but those haven’t carried over to his new team. He’s got the worst expected goal share on the Sharks by a large margin (33 percent), and that’s not solely because of brutal defensive impacts.

26. Minnesota Wild, 7-7-4

Last week: 29
Sean: 26
Dom: 27

Zeev Buium is a work in progress defensively, but oh baby, can he run a power play — Minnesota is scoring 13.8 goals per 60 there with him versus 4.6 with Jared Spurgeon in that spot. He’s got seven power-play points himself, tying him with Cale Makar, Miro Heiskanen, Moritz Seider, Matthew Schaefer and Quinn Hughes for most in the league among defensemen.

27. St. Louis Blues, 6-8-3

Last week: 30
Sean: 27
Dom: 26

The good news: Pius Suter leads the Blues in points.

The bad news: Pius Suter leads the Blues in points.

28. Vancouver Canucks, 8-9-1

Last week: 26
Sean: 28
Dom: 29

It’s tough to think of a player whose stock has fallen further than Lukas Reichel’s over the last five years. He was drafted 17th in 2020 and made an impressive first impression in Chicago with 15 points in 23 games to close the 2022-23 season. Since then, though, he’s struggled massively at both ends of the ice — enough for the Blackhawks to ship him off to the Canucks last month at the first signs of a hot start.

Sometimes a change of scenery is all that’s needed, but that might not be the case here. Reichel has just one point in 10 games with the Canucks, and the same two-way issues that were present in Chicago remain. Reichel has a lot of work to do to prove he’s an everyday NHLer.

29. Toronto Maple Leafs, 8-8-2

Last week: 10
Sean: 29
Dom: 28

Matias Maccelli had a rough start to his Toronto tenure with a weak audition on the top line, but he’s quietly upped his game since. Going into Thursday’s game, Maccelli was among the team leaders in xG (52 percent) and goals percentage (59 percent) while scoring 2.56 points per 60. That level of efficiency is in line with the level he showcased during his breakthrough 2023-24 season. That’s one consolation to what’s been an extremely uninspiring start to the season for the Leafs.

30. Buffalo Sabres, 5-8-4

Last week: 28
Sean: 31
Dom: 30

No Sabres defenseman has limited scoring chances better than Michael Kesselring so far. It’s too bad none of Buffalo’s goalies can make a save while he’s on the ice, sporting an .870 save percentage in his minutes. Not great!

31. Nashville Predators, 5-9-4

Last week: 31
Sean: 32
Dom: 31

The Predators have been, and will likely continue to be, a real mess, but Matthew Wood gives them a nice, positive focal point. The 2023 first-rounder — a big, skilled winger — had a hat trick at Madison Square Garden this week, pushing himself up to 10 points in 11 games. His underlyings aren’t spectacular, but … he plays for the Predators. What can you do?

32. Calgary Flames, 5-12-2

Last week: 32
Sean: 31
Dom: 32

The NHL is a big-boy league, which is what makes Matthew Schaefer’s electric start so special. It’s rare, the exception to the rule. It’s a lot more common for a rookie defenseman to need training wheels, learning the ropes in a sheltered role. That’s Zayne Parekh so far. He may have only one point in 11 games, but he’s playing his easy minutes to a draw. Baby steps.