The Columbus Blue Jackets were not supposed to have any kind of success in 2024-25. With unimaginable tragedy hanging like a dark cloud over the franchise, Dean Evason's team was widely expected to miss the NHL playoffs for a fifth consecutive campaign. Patrik Laine being traded didn't help the outlook; neither did captain Boone Jenner suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery early in October. And considering the club was coming off back-to-back last place finishes in the Metropolitan Division, the preseason predictions made sense.

But the Jackets have turned into one of the great stories of the National Hockey League season, sitting 22-17-7 through 46 games — good enough for the top wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. Zach Werenski is a Norris Trophy frontrunner, with a team-leading 51 points in 46 games, while Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan are both scoring at above a point-per-game pace. The youth revolution of Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger is arriving as well. Even without league-average goaltending, the Blue Jackets are in a playoff spot near the end of January.

There's no team easier to root for than Columbus, and the squad just continues to find ways to defy the odds this season. Although the East is a bloodbath, with seven teams within eight points in the wildcard race, this group looks like it at least has a shot to still be playing meaningful hockey at the end of April. And that could be as inspiring a story as there will be in hockey this year.

Heading into Week 16 — beginning with Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States — it's the week of goalies in the NHL. Alex Nedeljkovic is fresh off becoming the first netminder in history to score a goal and an assist in the same game, while two veteran backstops in Frederik Andersen and Jonathan Quick are approaching impressive milestones. The Dane is two away from 300 wins, while the American sits just a single victory away from No. 400.

As the stretch run continues, every single point is crucial for teams with playoff aspirations — and there are still a ton of them with under three months left. As usual, the movement in ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings is momentous. Scroll down for the updated list.

Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. Washington Capitals (no change)

Never has it been easier to justify putting the Capitals at the top of the NHL Power Rankings leaderboard. Currently riding a four-game winning streak — and with points in 10 straight dating back to December 31 — Washington is beginning to separate from the pack at a remarkable 31-10-5. Logan Thompson not being selected to Team Canada is looking worse and worse by the day; he's given up just six goals over his last six starts and posted shutouts in two of them. One of those was a 1-0 triumph over the Senators on Thursday, with Alex Ovechkin sniping the overtime winner on his 179th different goaltender in rookie Leevi Merilainen — the most in National Hockey League history. Nothing can slow down this wagon right now, but a five-game West Coast road trip that begins against the high-flying Oilers on Tuesday will certainly test the mettle of Spencer Carbery's club.

2. Edmonton Oilers (+1)

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman John Klingberg (3) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Toronto Maple Leafs at the American Airlines Center.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

For the first time in the history of CP's NHL Power Rankings, the Oilers are into the top-two. With eight victories in 10 tries since New Year's Eve, Edmonton is beginning to look indistinguishable from the team that came within one win of capturing Lord Stanley last June. Adding John Klingberg to the blue line — probably the Oil's weakest position — was a savvy move by general manager Stan Bowman, and the veteran Swede will have a chance to revive his NHL career in Alberta. The Oilers play three times in Week 16, and likely won't have Connor McDavid for at least one of them after he cross checked Conor Garland in the face in the waning seconds of a 3-2 loss to the Canucks on Saturday night. Despite that, it's another well-deserved bump up the leaderboard for one of the Western Conference elites.

3. Winnipeg Jets (+1)

Connor Hellebuyck for the Hart Trophy? The 31-year-old is now leading across every major goaltending category, posting a sparkling 1.97 goals-against average and .929 save percentage along with six shutouts. He's the primary reason why the Jets are 31-13-3 and continuing to remain at the top of league standings. He allowed just two total goals over back-to-back-to-back wins over the Avalanche (3-0) on Saturday, Canucks (6-1) on Tuesday and Kraken (2-1) on Thursday. Although the week ended with Calgary beating Winnipeg 3-1 — Eric Comrie was between the pipes for that one — the Jets remain in first place in the conference, and just two points back of the Capitals in the President's Trophy race. That's going to be a thrilling finish.

4. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)

Tough week for the defending champions once removed. The Golden Knights have lost three games in a row, all on the road — and a pair against two of the league's worst teams. Vegas lost 5-3 to Nashville, 3-2 to Carolina and 5-3 to Chicago, a brutal stretch for Jack Eichel and company that has them tumbling in the NHL Power Rankings. The squad will be thrilled to get back to T-Mobile Arena, where they'll play one game against the Blues on Monday before heading right back out on the road for a back-to back set against those same Blues on Thursday, and Stars on Friday. Now ousted from the top spot in both the Pacific Division and Western Conference, and with five losses in six tries, this is a critical week on the strip for the slumping Knights.

5. Colorado Avalanche (no change)

The Avalanche were one of the hottest teams in the National at the end of December, but they're standing pat in Week 16 after rotating wins and losses since January 2. Colorado has won five and lost four since then, which certainly isn't bad, but we know this roster is capable of even more. To this team's benefit, there hasn't been a single easy game on the schedule in the last nearly two weeks, with the Jets, Rangers, Oilers and Stars all on the other side of the ice. The Avs are going to be even better once Valeri Nichushkin is ready to return, but they're currently eight back of first place in the Central Division. That's going to be a tough hill to climb — especially with Dallas and Minnesota both in between Colorado and Winnipeg — but this roster is capable. A big rivalry matchup with the Wild is currently underway at Ball Arena; puck dropped at 3:00 ET.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)

The Maple Leafs have been quietly climbing up league standings — they've been near the top for most of the year — and after a 7-3 shellacking of the surging Canadiens, they're only seven points out of the President's Trophy race. Toronto hasn't finished as the top regular-season team in the NHL since 1962-63, and although they have a long way to go, this is undoubtedly one of the better regular seasons in recent memory. Even without Anthony Stolarz, the Leafs just continue to win, and have managed an excellent 29-16-2 record through 47 games. They're back home to welcome the Lightning and Blue Jackets to Scotiabank Arena before heading to Ottawa for another Battle of Ontario on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday.

7. Dallas Stars (+2)

Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (21) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the shootout period at the Bell Centre.

Although they've lost three of five, the Stars are on their way back up in the NHL Power Rankings. After falling out of the top 10, Dallas has won nine of 12 games since December 29, rocketing back into second place in the Central Division — and just six points back of the Jets with a game in hand. Jason Robertson has finally remembered that he's a superstar, and along with Wyatt Johnston, the pair have led the way to a period of prolonged success in Texas. This is one of the league's best rosters, and should get even better once GM Jim Nill brings in another player or two ahead of the March 7 deadline. After beating the Red Wings at home in the last game of the week on Sunday night, the Stars will remain at American Airlines Center to welcome the Hurricanes and Golden Knights.

8. Los Angeles Kings (no change)

The Kings got a piece of monumental news on Monday. Drew Doughty can “see the finish line,” according to head coach Jim Hiller, and should be inserted back into the lineup in a couple of weeks. That's not a moment too soon for an LA team that has lost three of four directly after going on a five-game winning streak. Because of that, the Kings are standing pat in Week 16, although another seven-day stretch like that and it'll be tough to justify keeping this group in the top 10. Still, they remain 25-13-5 and third place in the Pacific Division, within striking distance of both the Oilers and Golden Knights. Both teams are six points ahead, but LA has three games in hand on each. There's still an avenue for this club to win the division, especially with Doughty's return on the horizon.

9. Minnesota Wild (-3)

Although the Wild have been near the top of league standings for most of the season, they've also been one of the NHL's streakiest teams. They've gone on four streaks of four games or more, two on the winning side and two on the losing side. But heading into a new week, they're on the downswing, with four losses in five tries dating back to January 9. They're currently in the middle of a tight divisional clash with the Avalanche; a win there would vault Minnesota over Dallas and back into second place in the Central Division. But a loss, and the Avs would surpass them, knocking them into a wildcard berth in the Western Conference. That's the margin of error right now. Getting Brock Faber back in the lineup is huge, but this is just nowhere near the same team without Kirill Kaprizov. The Russian superstar remains on IR despite skating, and his return can't come a moment too soon for the struggling Wild. Following the MLK day matinee in Colorado, Minnesota will return home to play Utah and Calgary later this week.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning (+1)

The Lightning probably deserve an even more significant jump up the NHL Power Rankings — they have won five of seven games, after all — but it's good to see Jon Cooper's team back in the top 10 after a couple of weeks out. Tampa Bay has played some endearing hockey as of late, with Nikita Kucherov up to third in league scoring with a ridiculous 68 points in 42 games. Andrei Vasilevskiy has also had a phenomenal regular-season — especially lately — which is encouraging considering his difficult 2023-24 campaign. Although they remain in third in the Atlantic, the Bolts have three games in hand on both the Maple Leafs and Panthers, and are still very much in the conversation to win the division come April. After back-to-back home wins over Anaheim and Detroit, Tampa is headed on the road for a busy four-game trip that has stops in Toronto, Montreal, Chicago and Detroit, all in the next six days.

11. Carolina Hurricanes (+2)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) comes out for the warmups before the game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Lenovo Center.
James Guillory-Imagn Images

Finally, Frederik Andersen is healthy. Although Pyotr Kochetkov has been serviceable between the pipes, the squad will be thrilled to get their starting netminder back into the fold. After undergoing knee surgery, the hope is that the Dane can build on his lights out first couple of games of the season. The veteran is injury prone, as we all know, but when healthy, he's still a top NHL goalie. And he's just two away from 300 wins. When it happens, he'll be the 42nd goalie — and first born in Denmark — to achieve the feat. As for the Hurricanes, they've won four of six and are fighting with the struggling Devils for second in the Metro. The way the Capitals are playing, that's probably the best Carolina will do in 2024-25, but there's still quite a bit of room for improvement in the NHL Power Rankings.

12. Florida Panthers (no change)

Slowly but surely, the defending champions continue to unravel. The Panthers remain in a sustained stretch of mediocrity, having gone 5-6-1 since December 23. For a team as talented as Florida, it just doesn't make sense. The Cats are struggling to score goals, with all of Sam Reinhart, Sasha Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk in the midst of a cold spell. They need to snap out of it, as the wildcard teams in the East are now just five points back. The week ended with a Spencer Knight shutout in a 3-0 home victory over the Ducks on Saturday, and another game against Anaheim beckons on Tuesday — this time in California. That begins a four-game road trip that will also take Florida through Los Angeles, San Jose and Las Vegas.

13. New Jersey Devils (-3)

After being one of the Eastern Conference's premier teams for the first half of the 2024-25 campaign, nobody saw a collapse of this magnitude coming for the Devils. New Jersey is floundering in a monumental way, with four losses in a row and nine in 11 tries going back to December 28. With that, Sheldon Keefe's team is on the verge of being passed by the Hurricanes, and the rest of the Metropolitan Division is closing the gap quickly. It makes no sense that a team this high-flying can have scored just six times in their last four games, and something badly needs to change to bust the slump in Newark. After a ghastly set of home losses to the Flyers (3-1) and Senators (2-1) over the weekend, the Devils are home for one more tilt against the Bruins before making a trip to the Bell Centre to play the Habs on Saturday. We thought this roster had left its troubles in 2023-24, but that no longer seems to be the case.

14. Montreal Canadiens (+1)

Not every fan base will agree with this take, but the NHL is just a lot more fun when the Canadiens are competitive. The most storied franchise in hockey has struggled through some awful seasons, but Montreal is looking like a legitimate postseason contender this January. Make that three wins in four tries and 12 in 16 dating back to the middle of December. The continued hot stretch has Marty St. Louis' team just a single point back of a berth, and there's a ton of hope around Quebec that the roster can make it happen for the first time since marching all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. The story right now is Jakub Dobes; the rookie is 5-0-0 and just won his first start at the Bell Centre, a thrilling 5-4 victory over the visiting Rangers on Sunday night. Although that came after an epic collapse against the Leafs the night before, this roster is firing on all cylinders right now — and Arber Xhekaj proved in a fight against Matt Rempe that he's one of the toughest players in the sport today.

15. Calgary Flames (-1)

We're over halfway through the 2024-25 season and the Flames remain in a playoff spot in the Western Conference. After back-to-back brutal seasons in Alberta, Calgary fans will take it. Dustin Wolf is back into the Calder Trophy conversation after a hot stretch, and the squad has won four of six to improve to 22-16-17 through 45 games. There's no breathing room whatsoever, but if the second half mirrors the first half, Calgary has a very decent chance to return to the dance. After a couple of days off, the Flames welcome the Sabres to the Saddledome before heading out on the road to visit the Wild and Jets to close out Week 16.

16. Columbus Blue Jackets (+2)

We've already said quite a bit about the Blue Jackets, but it's hard to really describe how surprising their success is. Although many of the players are the same, this is looking like a completely different roster than the one that faded into insignificance in each of the past two NHL seasons. They're tough, they're fast, they're skilled, and they're looking as good as any East team battling for a wildcard berth in 2025. If this sustained success keeps up, it won't be long before Columbus is starting to knock on the door of a top-three position in the Metropolitan Division. Right now, they're just six back of Carolina and seven behind New Jersey, and there's no doubt this roster is capable of catching either of those teams — especially the way New Jersey is playing. The cannon has been sounding in earnest at Nationwide Arena as of late, although that will take a pause for a four-game road trip that began against the Rangers and continues against the Islanders on Monday night.

17. Detroit Red Wings (+3)

For those wondering if the Red Wings' hot streak would ever come to an end, it did in a big way last week. On the heels of seven consecutive victories, Detroit has dropped three of four, including an abysmal 6-3 loss to the Sharks last Tuesday. And just like that, Todd McLellan and co. are back to .500 at 21-21-4. Any kind of sustained losing streak is going to be detrimental to any East time with playoff aspirations, and the Wings are learning that. The roster now knows that it's good enough to win prolifically, but securing a playoff spot in three months time is going to be a very tall task. A chance to get rolling again awaits in the City of Brotherly Love on Tuesday night.

18. St. Louis Blues (-1)

The Blues continue to hang around a playoff spot in the Western Conference, currently sitting three points back after a 4-2 loss to Utah on Saturday. That was after three wins in four tries, including a pair of victories over the Flames — both at home — on Tuesday and Thursday. Another back-to-back awaits for St. Louis in Week 16, this time against the struggling Golden Knights. STL heads to Vegas on Monday before two days off, and then another tilt with the same team — this time in Missouri on Thursday. It's steady as she goes for the Blues, who have missed two postseasons in a row but are working hard to rectify that in 2025.

19. Boston Bruins (-3)

It's been just a brutal stretch for the Bruins, who improved immediately under interim head coach Jim Sacco but have fallen back to their losing ways as of late. Despite just barely beating the lowly Sharks, Boston has lost seven of 10. The franchise has now fallen into a completely unfamiliar spot: on the verge of being out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference entirely. Calling it a trying season in New England would be a huge understatement, and there's a real chance the Bruins miss out on the dance for the first time since 2015-16 come mid-April. A quick road trip to New Jersey is up next on Wednesday night.

20. New York Rangers (+2)

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) before the game against the against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena.

Jonathan Quick remains a single win away from the 400 club, although he's been stuck there since January 2. With Igor Shesterkin back in the lineup, you never know when the veteran is going to get a rare start between the pipes. Either way, the milestone is going to come eventually, and the two-time Stanley Cup champion is well deserving of a future induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Rangers have looked like a completely different team in 2025 compared to 2024, and the rest of season outlook is much, much sunnier than it was a couple of weeks ago. Now on an eight-game point streak — and with five victories in that stretch — New York has returned to relevance in both the Eastern Conference and NHL Power Rankings. With three points separating them from a wildcard, the work continues over a four-game homestand that begins against the Senators at MSG on Tuesday.

21. Ottawa Senators (+2)

Brady Tkachuk doesn't have a point in seven games, but despite the captain completely disappearing offensively, the Senators have won five of six, and picked up a point in all of them. In Linus Ullmark's absence, rookie Leevi Meralainen has stepped up tremendously. He's won four of his last five starts, the only defeat a tough 1-0 loss to Alex Ovechkin and the first-place Caps. It's been a couple of great weeks in Canada's capital, and Ottawa is back to the top of the pack in the wildcard race. This squad should get even better once Ullmark is ready to return, and if Tkachuk can get going, Travis Green's group will be well-positioned to break a playoff drought that dates back to 2017-18.

22. Vancouver Canucks (-3)

Believe it or not, at this time last year, the Canucks were in the top spot in ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings. Vancouver's downfall in 2024-25 should be studied, and it seems impossible that things have deteriorated so quickly this season. Will one of JT Miller or Elias Pettersson — two cornerstone franchise players — actually be traded ahead of March 7? It's looking like Miller is going to be the odd man out, although GM Patrik Allvin hasn't found a suitor for him yet. Although Saturday night's 3-2 win over the Oilers was much needed, the Canucks remain mired in a brutal stretch that's seen the team lose eight times in 11 tries. After occupying a playoff spot for most of the season, that's no longer the case for this club, who are now a point back of the Flames. Buffalo, Edmonton and Washington are on tap in Week 16.

23. New York Islanders (+1)

It's really hard to know what to make of the Islanders this season. They've been as up-and-down as any team in the league, but despite being last place in the Metropolitan Division, are still just eight points out of a playoff spot. Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat have finally remembered that they are the engine, and along with solid offensive play from Anders Lee and Brock Nelson, New York has won four of six games. The most logical move is still for this team to sell a couple of veteran UFAs — Nelson and Kyle Palmieri likely aren't long for Long Island — but if the club can continue having success, it might give GM Lou Lamoriello pause. Now two contests into a six-game homestand, Columbus, Philadelphia, Carolina and Colorado will all be passing through, in that order, over the next nine days.

24. Philadelphia Flyers (+2)

After a period of futility that stretched back to early December, John Tortorella's Flyers have begun to right the ship in the New Year. With four wins in five tries, Philadelphia has improved to 21-20-6 and are part of the massive logjam in the Eastern Conference. Currently three points back of the Blue Jackets, this team can't yet be counted out from making a late playoff push. But based on what we've seen most of the season from this club, it's bold. Still, Samuel Ersson has looked great recently after working his way back from injury, and that could be the first step to the Flyers creating some sustained positive momentum in 2025. Every game against an East opponent is important, including a Tuesday night tilt against the visiting Red Wings to begin the new week.

25. Pittsburgh Penguins (-4)

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

It's been one whirlwind of a week in Pennsylvania. Evgeni Malkin reportedly had his three Stanley Cup rings stolen in a burglary, but recovered them inside the property. Tristan Jarry was also waived and sent down to the American Hockey League. But most notably, Nedeljkovic made incredible NHL history on the road in Buffalo, managing an assist early in the game before hitting the bullseye empty netter late in regulation. That's a game that the 29-year-old won't soon forget, and the hope is that the netminder can use it as a jumping off point to start playing better overall. Despite the thrilling event, it was only Pittsburgh's second win in January. They've lost seven this month, and are taking a huge hit in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 16.

26. Utah Hockey Club (-1)

The 2024-25 season continues to go off the rails in Salt Lake City. Despite getting both defenseman John Marino and goaltender Connor Ingram back from the injured list, the Utah Hockey Club has dropped three of four and five of eight since the calendar flipped to January. Despite continued production from the trio of Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz, there's not much else contributing to success in the NHL's newest city. It's hugely disappointing considering this roster has the talent to still be competing for a playoff spot in April. Right now, they're six points back of a wildcard slot after a 4-2 victory over the Blues on Saturday. They'll look to win two games in a row for the first time since mid-December when the Jets come to town on Monday night.

27. Nashville Predators (+2)

Finally, some signs of life from the Predators. Make that three victories in a row and five of seven for a Nashville team that is finally going in the right direction in the NHL Power Rankings. Both Jonathan Marchessault and Filip Forsberg have been excellent as of late, and that's going to need to continue if the uphill climb has any chance of continuing. The magic number for a playoff spot is now 11 points, and while not impossible, the early-season woes might just be too much to overcome in Smashville. But there's still a long way to go, and if this kind of play keeps up, GM Barry Trotz might pause before deciding to sell at the deadline.

28. Anaheim Ducks (-1)

After winning four of five at the end of December, the Ducks have fallen back into their mediocre ways. Anaheim has lost three in a row and six of seven since January 6, falling to 18-22-6 and a full nine points back of the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference. While all hope isn't gone, it's looking more likely every week that this team will be on the outside looking in in a couple of months. After a gruelling six-game road trip, the Ducks will finally return to California this week, welcoming the Panthers, Penguins and Predators to the Honda Center over the next six days.

29. Seattle Kraken (-1)

The Kraken have started to play some better hockey after a four-game losing streak at the beginning of January, but they're still going the wrong way in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 16. Seattle won two times in three tries last week, beating Pittsburgh and Los Angeles while losing to the Jets in between. Joey Daccord is back and playing well, which is a great sign, but there's still not enough juice on this roster. Jaden Schwartz has been the team's best forward as of late; he scored a hat trick against LA on Saturday night. Next up is a date with the team directly below them on the leaderboard for a home tilt that began at 4 ET.

30. Buffalo Sabres (no change)

As another nightmare campaign continues for the Sabres, of course they are the club to allow the first goalie goal of the season. Buffalo had won three of four games before posting a dud against the Penguins, which concluded with Nedeljkovic sailing one into the yawning cage. That's still slightly encouraging, but the Sabres aren't yet ready to climb back up the NHL Power Rankings considering the team directly ahead of them beat them 6-2 last Saturday. It was a 1-1 week for the Sabres, but a huge ending in Western New York as Josh Allen and the Bills beat the Ravens on Sunday night. Fans of this franchise can't be blamed for focusing on the good Buffalo team instead, who will face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in a mouthwatering AFC Championship game next Sunday.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (no change)

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek (34) hugs defenseman Seth Jones (4) after the game against the Vegas Golden Knights at United Center.
Matt Marton-Imagn Images

For once, the Blackhawks and Sharks are not changing places in the NHL Power Rankings. Neither team has been able to decide who wants to remain in the basement, but it'll be back-to-back times that Chicago gets the benefit of the doubt in Week 16. Not that they've been any good; San Jose just continues to be even worse. Connor Bedard's team finally rectified four consecutive losses with an impressive 5-3 victory over the Golden Knights on Saturday, improving to 15-28-3. That was the first of a four-game homestand; the Hawks will remain at United Center to welcome the Hurricanes, Lightning and Wild to town this week.

32. San Jose Sharks (no change)

After the Sharks kicked off MLK Day with a tight loss to the struggling Bruins, it wasn't hard to keep San Jose in the basement of the NHL Power Rankings yet again in Week 16. That's because Ryan Warsofsky's troops have won just three times since December 14. The Sharks are now 14-29-6 and ahead of the Blackhawks in league standings, but Chicago is just a point back with three games in hand. And for that reason, it's at least seven more days in the No. 32 spot. It's all but confirmed that this club will be missing the playoffs yet again, but it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the year goes for a franchise that would love another No. 1 overall pick.