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The last time National Hockey League players competed against each other internationally, it was back in 2016 during the electric, best-on-best World Cup of Hockey. Canada emerged victorious in a thrilling final nine years ago in Toronto, and nearly a decade later, they'll continue vying for hockey supremacy along with Finland, Sweden and the United States at the highly-anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off.
And after months of waiting, the tournament is finally here. The four powerhouse hockey countries have already descended on Montreal and hit the ice for their first practices on Monday. Canada and Sweden will kick off the festivities on Wednesday night at the Bell Centre; each country will play twice between now and Saturday night. Following that, the tourney will move to Boston for the final round robin tilt for each team, culminating in the championship game at TD Garden on February 20.
Here's how it works. Each team will play three tournament games under a traditional round robin format: three points for a win in regulation time; two points for a win in overtime/shootout; one point for a loss in overtime/shootout; and no points for a loss in regulation time. The teams with the two best records will advance to a one-game final.
Although there were snubs aplenty from all four countries, the amount of talent that will be on display is gargantuan. Just look at Canada's top powerplay unit: Sidney Crosby (who confirmed on Monday that he's good to go), Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar. Not too shabby. The anticipation for the event just continues to grow, and that's especially true with no NHL participation in the Olympics since 2014. This is just the kind of tournament hockey fans have been waiting for, and with a 13-day pause until the National resumes, everyone will be locked in when the puck drops on Wednesday night.
With no National Hockey League action for the next couple of weeks, ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings will take a brief pause next Monday, but will return for Week 20 on February 24. But after another packed seven-day slate, there's no shortage of storylines holding us over during the pause. While there may not be a new No. 1 or No. 32 in Week 19, there's a ton of change in between.
Thanks as always for reading CP's latest PR's, and from one hockey fan to another, enjoy the 4 Nations. It's going to be terrific.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | 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. Winnipeg Jets (no change)
The Jets continue to make things easy for NHL Power Rankings writers everywhere. No, Winnipeg isn't going anywhere after racking off eight consecutive wins and continuing to lead the President's Trophy race early in February. Kyle Connor will go from the top line on the league's best team to a top line with Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk at the 4 Nations, while Connor Hellebuyck will look to backstop the United States to a gold medal. Mark Scheifele — who leads all Canadians with 31 goals — should be playing for his country, and he was going to be the replacement if Crosby couldn't play. That's undoubtedly the worst snub in this tournament, but the 31-year-old will get to enjoy some rest and relaxation instead. The Jets can do no wrong lately, and the break probably didn't come at a great time for a team with so much momentum. It'll be intriguing to see if they can keep this kind of dominance up when the schedule resumes on February 22.
2. Washington Capitals (no change)
The Capitals are just a point back of the Jets in the President's Trophy race despite losing three of their last five. Considering all three of those defeats came past regulation, Washington will easily retain the No. 2 NHL Power Rankings slot in Week 19. After dropping a pair of overtime games to the Jets and Senators (both 5-4), the Caps beat the Panthers and Flyers, and were oh-so-close to making the comeback against Utah before the break. Down 3-1 and 4-2, Washington forced extra time before eventually falling in a shootout. This team is still in a league of its own in the Eastern Conference, with the Panthers and Hurricanes nine and 10 points back, respectively. The magic number for Alex Ovechkin is down to 16 after he added a couple more tallies last week.
3. Dallas Stars (no change)
We knew Miro Heiskanen was going to miss the 4 Nations with injury, but him now being month-to-month after undergoing knee surgery is just brutal. But even without the key defenseman, the Stars have continued their winning ways, managing six of them in their last eight games. That included an 8-3 shellacking of the last-place Sharks on Saturday, which produced this classic beer league style celebration from Jamie Benn after scoring No. 8:
Jamie Benn puts an EIGHTH (8) goal on the board for the Stars and just skates to the bench after 🫡 pic.twitter.com/mNmVLOo9ml
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) February 9, 2025
Despite the injuries they're facing, Dallas is looking well-positioned to finish either second or third in the Central Division, and Mikael Granlund has looked very solid on a line with Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment. GM Jim Nill is certainly not done making moves, especially with the LTIR space he'll recoup from Heiskanen and Tyler Seguin's injuries.
4. Florida Panthers (+2)
This is the Panthers team hockey fans have gotten used to watching over the last two seasons. After a delayed and lengthy Stanley Cup hangover, Florida has won five of six, managing a remarkable 25 goals in that span. All of the top guys who were struggling to score no longer are, and the offense is coming from everywhere. And with that, the Cats are back into a top-five spot in the NHL Power Rankings. This team is sending a league-high eight players to the 4 Nations, with Barkov captaining Finland, along with Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Gustav Forsling, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola all participating for their respective countries. It goes without saying: Panthers fans should have a lot to cheer about in Montreal and Boston.
5. Edmonton Oilers (-1)
After a bit of a down week, the Oilers are taking a light hit in the NHL Power Rankings leaderboard. With three losses in five tries — including a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the team directly below them — Edmonton is in the midst of one of its worst stretches in 2024-25. That's saying a lot for the Oil, who remain 34-17-4 and right at the top of the Pacific Division. It's a shame Leon Draisaitl won't be able to participate at the 4 Nations, as he's been otherworldly this year. But McDavid will be the best player there, and he will be a ton of fun to watch alongside Crosby and MacKinnon.
6. Colorado Avalanche (+1)
Not a lot of hockey fans had Martin Necas being better than Mikko Rantanen after the two star forwards switched places in a Friday night blockbuster. The former has been unbelievable on a line with Nathan MacKinnon, amassing nine points in eight games — including back-to-back game winners to help the Avalanche streak into the break. The latter has managed just two points in six contests with the Hurricanes, and was held out of the team's last game before the 4 Nations. This is a very short sample size, of course, but the trade is not looking bad at all from a Colorado perspective right now. And the Avs look fantastic, with four wins in five games — all with Mackenzie Blackwood between the pipes. There are a ton of players representing this franchise in Montreal, and what a treat it's going to be to watch MacKinnon and Makar alongside Crosby, Reinhart and McDavid on Canada's top powerplay.
7. Carolina Hurricanes (-2)
It's going to be very interesting to see where the Avalanche and Hurricanes finish after teaming up for one of the NHL's most shocking trades. Right now, Colorado is getting the better of Carolina, just as Necas has been more effective than Rantanen since the deal. The Canes lost three games in a row to begin February, getting bested by the Kings, Jets and Wild before ending this portion of the schedule with a bounce-back, 7-3 triumph over the Utah Hockey Club. Seth Jarvis has been the guy as of late, and he could be a darkhorse difference-maker for Canada at the 4 Nations. The Hurricanes are nearly assuredly finishing either second or third in the Metropolitan, and they'll continue fighting for home-ice advantage in Round 1 when their schedule resumes in Toronto on February 22.
8. Vegas Golden Knights (no change)
It's hard to believe that the Golden Knights were once 28-9-3 and a contender to win the President's Trophy. But after losing 11 of 16, Vegas is just trying to figure out what's going wrong. After somehow losing nine times in 11 tries between January 14 – February 4, the Knights have won two games in a row for the first time since early January. And they badly needed some confidence before the 4 Nations. Adin Hill backstopped his team to a 3-1 win over the Devils on Thursday before Ilya Samsonov secured a 4-3 victory over the Bruins two nights later. The overall picture is still quite concerning, but ending this phase of the season on a winning streak is a silver lining. They're still tied with the Oilers at the top of the division, but if the winning ways don't continue after the pause, that won't last long.
9. Minnesota Wild (+1)
After struggling mightily when Kirill Kaprizov went down with injury, the Wild have begun to adjust to life without their superstar. Captain Jared Spurgeon returning to the lineup is enormous for this club, and he's helped Minnesota win two in a row and five of seven since January 26. Filip Gustavsson returning to form after a couple of really tough starts has also been a catalyst to the club's recent success. The Wild have built a bit of a cushion in the Western Conference, and they're seven points up on the final wildcard team. But currently third in the Central Division, Minnesota is just two points ahead of surging Colorado with a game in hand. The play going into the break is extremely encouraging in the State of Hockey, and it needs to continue for the group to comfortably advance to the dance come April.
10. Toronto Maple Leafs (-1)
Since January 9, the Leafs have gone 6-7. That has them going nowhere fast in the NHL Power Rankings, especially as the Lightning have closed the gap in the division to just two points. Tampa just looks much better than Toronto lately, and the two Atlantic rivals could be hurtling towards yet another Round 1 matchup. It was a solid four-game road trip for Craig Berube's group; the Leafs beat all of the Oilers, Flames and Kraken on the road, with William Nylander recording his first hat trick of the season in Tuesday's 6-3 victory over Calgary. Although the trip ended with a 2-1 loss in Vancouver, it was at least a positive final week before the break. Although the overall play remains a bit concerning, Toronto is 33-20-2 in 2024-25 — and they'll take it.
11. New Jersey Devils (no change)
The Devils haven't lost a game in Montreal in over a decade, and they continued that epic streak with a 4-0 victory over the Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Saturday afternoon. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt were the catalysts, and both remained in Quebec to wait for the rest of Team USA to arrive on Sunday. For New Jersey, the play has improved following an abysmal four-game losing streak in the middle of January. They've played .500 hockey since then, so they aren't going anywhere in the NHL Power Rankings, but they're still entrenched in the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division. The most encouraging thing going into the break is that Jake Allen has been great since Jacob Markstrom went down with injury, managing two shutouts over his last four starts.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (+3)
That's the Lightning team we're more used to seeing. Right when it looked like Tampa Bay was headed for a middle-of-the-pack finish in Week 19's iteration of the NHL Power Rankings, Jon Cooper's club has gone on a tear. The Bolts have won four straight and five of six, overtaking the Senators and returning to third place in the Atlantic Division. Calling the hold precarious is an understatement, but this team looks fantastic as of late. And, for once, Nikita Kucherov hasn't had to drive the bus. Brandon Hagel was just named the NHL's first star after exploding for four goals and eight points in four games. He's breaking out in a big way in 2024-25, and should be a key piece of Canada's group at the 4 Nations. The Lightning will be well-represented, with Hagel, Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel, Anthony Cirelli and Victor Hedman all participating.
13. Los Angeles Kings (-1)
Getting Drew Doughty back is massive for the Kings, but he hasn't made too much of an impact, managing just an assist over six games. And Los Angeles continues to struggle, losing five of eight since January 25. Although this team did manage a three-game winning streak to begin February, they've just been unable to sustain any kind of meaningful forward momentum in 2025. The Kings had a phenomenal start to the campaign, and because of that remain third place in the Pacific Division. But the Canucks and Flames are knocking on the door, and if the play doesn't improve, it won't be long before they're out of a playoff spot altogether.
14. Detroit Red Wings (+3)
The Red Wings have just been a completely different team since Todd McLellan took over behind the bench, and the squad is fresh off another long winning streak. After triumphing in seven straight at the beginning of 2025, Detroit put together another impressive seven-game heater from January 23 – February 4. Although they couldn't make it eight before the break, losing 6-3 to the surging Lightning on Saturday, it's still been an incredibly positive stretch in Michigan. Now back into a playoff spot, it looks high time for GM Steve Yzerman to make a couple of win-now moves to help the franchise break a long drought. They have the team to do it, but there are a ton of good clubs in the East with postseason aspirations. This is a key squad to watch on the trade market ahead of the March 7 deadline.
15. Columbus Blue Jackets (-2)
We're all wondering what kind of team the Blue Jackets would be in 2024-25 if they weren't absolutely riddled by injuries. Kirill Marchenko going down was probably the final straw for a team that is already missing Boone Jenner, Yegor Chinakhov, Sean Monahan, Dante Fabbro and Erik Gudbranson. Just awful for Columbus, which has surprised all year long but is having a tough time overcoming all of the injuries. Now losers of four games in a row, the Jackets have fallen out of a playoff spot — but remain just a point back. The 4 Nations break came at a great time, and the hope is that a couple of reinforcements will be ready to return when play resumes against the Blackhawks on February 22.
16. Ottawa Senators (no change)
After racking off five victories in a row, the Senators have come back down to earth after losing each of their last three games before the break. A four-game road trip was a tough way to go into the pause, and Ottawa had a real tough time on it. After beating the Predators in Nashville, the Sens were outclassed over three games in the Sunshine State. Tampa Bay beat Ottawa 4-3 on Tuesday and 5-1 on Thursday before Florida got the better of their divisional rival, by the same 5-1 score, on Saturday. A disappointing road stretch, no doubt, but this team remains in the top wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. The lead is precarious, and the margin for error will be razor thin over their last 26 games. Jake Sanderson will replace Quinn Hughes at the 4 Nations, and it's well deserved for the young defenseman in the midst of a career year.
17. Vancouver Canucks (+5)
The Canucks have officially turned a corner. The Miller-Pettersson drama is no more, Thatcher Demko has returned to form, and Vancouver has vaulted back into a playoff spot after winning six of eight — and picking up a point in seven of those. Marcus Pettersson has been excellent since coming over from the Penguins, and he signed a very reasonable six-year deal to remain in British Columbia long-term. Demko was named the NHL's second star of the week after winning both of his starts, shutting out the Avalanche before allowing just one goal in a 2-1 victory over the Sharks. He was injured in the first period of Saturday's statement win over the Leafs, but Kevin Lankinen allowed just one goal in another stingy 2-1 win for the club. It was the perfect way to go into the break for the Canucks, who are in fine shape to make the playoffs for a second straight year. If they can get Hughes healthy after the 4 Nations — the superstar American has missed the last three games and won't play in the tournament — this roster could realistically make a run at another Pacific Division title.
18. New York Islanders (no change)
The Islanders have been working their way up the NHL Power Rankings as of late, but they're halting in Week 19 after losing three of their last four games before the break. Considering that came after seven consecutive victories, there's not too much panic in Long Island. But the rough ending hits right in the playoff chances; New York is now four points out. It's been an impressive month for Patrick Roy's team, but the loss of Mathew Barzal yet again is just brutal. He's expected to miss six weeks with his latest ailment, while defenseman Noah Dobson — who is also on the shelf — has reportedly been made available for trade. GM Lou Lamoriello has a ton of decisions to make over the next month, on Dobson but also concerning the futures of pending UFAs Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri.
19. Calgary Flames (-5)
Right when it looked like the Flames had it figured out in 2024-25, the wheels started to fall off. Once 24-16-7 and occupying a playoff spot in the Western Conference, Calgary has lost six of eight to drop to 26-21-8 — and out of the postseason picture entirely. With the Canucks surging, the Flames have fallen to three points back of the final wildcard. And none of Utah, St. Louis or Anaheim are providing any kind of breathing room. This was probably worst-case scenario heading into the break, especially as GM Craig Conroy already made a couple of win-now moves by adding Farabee and Frost. He might not be done making moves ahead of the deadline, but the roster as currently constructed needs to be much better after the 4 Nations, lest it be a third season without meaningful hockey in Cowtown.
20. New York Rangers (no change)
The Rangers have simultaneously won three of their last four and lost four of their last seven. And for that reason, they're standing pat in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 19. JT Miller's arrival has helped New York play some of its best hockey of 2025, culminating in tight victories over the Golden Knights, Bruins and Blue Jackets. The Blueshirts are officially back to relevance in the East, now just three points out of a playoff spot. But the conference is crowded, and they're going to need to keep stringing wins together to get back into a top-three spot in the Metropolitan Division. Igor Shesterkin is injured and expected to miss 1-2 weeks, and the Rangers are hoping he'll be back in time for the real stretch run, which begins on February 22 in Buffalo.
21. Boston Bruins (-2)
The Bruins have been on an odd trajectory over the last three weeks. They won two, lost two, won two, then lost two again heading into the 13-day break. Overall, Boston is exactly 4-4 since January 23, and that's not doing them any favors in either the playoff race or the NHL Power Rankings. Still out of a postseason slot completely, the Bruins are now dealing with the Red Wings, Senators and Lightning, and it seems like at least two of those teams are on a winning streak at any given time. This pace just isn't going to be enough to advance, and GM Don Sweeney has already said he's considering selling if things look bleak around March 7. Things don't look great heading into the break, but expect a motivated team once play resumes in two weeks.
22. Montreal Canadiens (-1)
The wheels continue to come off for the Canadiens — at the absolute worst time. A month ago, the Habs were back to playoff contention and looked like they would be surging into the 4 Nations break. Instead, Montreal has lost eight of nine games, including a back-to-back afternoon set over the weekend. To the huge disappointment of the fans at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens lost both games, 4-0 to the Devils on Saturday and 5-3 to the Lightning on Sunday. And with that, they're back to seventh place in the Atlantic Division and six points out of a wildcard berth. With the hockey world descending on Quebec's largest city, it would have been nice if the club had been anything but futile leading up to the tournament. It's going to take a herculean effort after the 4 Nations for Montreal to advance, and they'll have to hope that a couple of Eastern Conference teams play as bad as they have over the last three weeks.
23. Anaheim Ducks (+1)
The wins just keep on coming for the Ducks, who have slowly but surely been making their way up the NHL Power Rankings in 2025. Make that three consecutive victories and six in seven tries since January 23 for an Anaheim team that is not ready to give up just yet. Far from it. With John Gibson and Lukas Dostal both providing excellent goaltending lately, along with the talented offense beginning to score some goals, the Ducks are back to .500 at 24-24-6. There's still a long way to go, but it's been a very encouraging stretch. The magic number for a playoff spot is now nine points. It's unlikely, but if the team can keep this play up after the break, not impossible.
24. St. Louis Blues (-1)
The Blues have been hanging around the playoff picture for the entire 2024-25 season, but with just three wins in their last 10, things are starting to look bleak. The goaltending isn't getting it done, the offense is stagnant, and now GM Doug Armstrong has reportedly been taking calls on captain Brayden Schenn. St. Louis trading the 2019 Stanley Cup champion would basically be waving the white flag on the campaign, although they remain only eight points out of a playoff spot. Considering three of their first four games out of the break are against the Jets, Avalanche and Capitals, the obstacle becomes even more significant. It's only going to get harder from now until April, and it doesn't look like this roster has the juice to get it done.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins (no change)
Despite playing .500 hockey over the last month, the Penguins remain just six points back of an Eastern Conference playoff spot heading into the break. For that reason, Pittsburgh's brass would probably have loved if Crosby decided to skip the 4 Nations. But that was never going to happen for one of the greatest Canadian players of all time, who confirmed he'll suit up against Sweden on Wednesday night. No. 87 continues to drive the bus for the Pens, leading the team with 58 points in 55 games. And after the tournament, he'll need to be otherworldly if this organization still has plans to be one of the last eight standing in the East come mid-April. But as his career winds down, it's a treat every time fans get to watch him put on the Maple Leaf.
26. Utah Hockey Club (+3)
What a week it was for Dylan Guenther. After missing 12 games with an injury, the 21-year-old didn't take any time at all to make his presence felt. He scored with one second left in overtime against the Flyers on Tuesday, and called game yet again in the extra frame against the Blue Jackets two nights later. After securing the pair of 3-2 OT wins, Guenther became just the second player in NHL history to score in the final minute of overtime in consecutive games. Pretty impressive work from the youngster. Utah won one and lost one after that, entering the break above .500 at 24-23-9 and six points out of a playoff spot. It's a huge but not impossible challenge, and one that will get easier if Sean Durzi returns shortly after the break. In Salt Lake City's first season, expect GM Bill Armstrong to make at least one win-now move in the postseason quest.
27. Buffalo Sabres (+1)
Although the Sabres are long past playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, the team finally showed some signs of life in Week 19. Buffalo won four consecutive games from January 28 – February 4, getting the better of the Predators, Bruins, Devils and Blue Jackets while scoring 18 goals in that span. The squad was unable to make it five consecutive for the first time this season, instead losing 6-4 to Nashville in their last game before the break. A disappointing ending, but overall, a positive couple of weeks in Western New York. While there's an avenue for the Sabres to get out of the Atlantic Division basement — the Canadiens are just six points ahead — that would be as far as they're going to get in 2024-25.
28. Philadelphia Flyers (-1)
It took until near the end of January, but the 2024-25 season has officially gotten away from the Flyers. Now losers of seven of their last nine, Philadelphia has fallen to the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and already shipped away a couple of trade chips in Farabee and Frost. Could heart and soul forward Scott Laughton be next? There have been reports that the veteran has been linked to multiple teams, including a couple north of the border in the Leafs and Jets. He'll likely be the next domino to fall as the front office continues to trust the process and build for the future. Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim will represent their country at the 4 Nations, and the two watched the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX along with the rest of Team Canada on Sunday night. The City of Brotherly Love won't be getting an NHL championship anytime soon, but what a dominant year for another Philly sports team.
29. Seattle Kraken (+1)
Due to the continued futility of the team below them in the NHL Power Rankings, the Kraken are getting a rare bump despite a trying couple of weeks. A 3-2 overtime win over the Flames was a nice way to enter the 4 Nations break, but it came on the heels of five losses in six tries dating back to January 27. And with that, Seattle is 11 points back of the final wildcard slot in the Western Conference with only 25 games left. It's just not going to happen for a Kraken team that has slowly fallen further and further out of playoff contention as the season has progressed. Even strong play between the pipes from Joey Daccord can't keep this group afloat, and it's likely going to be a third missed postseason in four years of existence in the Emerald City.
30. Nashville Predators (-4)
I wrote last week that the Predators were too high in the NHL Power Rankings compared to the way they were playing, and after a futile week, it's back to a bottom-three spot for Andrew Brunette's team. Nashville will enter the break having lost six of seven, and if it wasn't for a 6-4 win over the Sabres on Saturday, it would have been seven consecutive losses. If we weren't there already — and we probably were — don't expect anything but a bottom-five finish for the Preds in 2024-25. This roster just doesn't have the gusto to do what it did in the second half last year. At 19-28-7 and a full 18 points back of a wildcard spot in the West with only 28 games left, it's curtains on the campaign for this club. It'll be interesting to see if GM Barry Trotz will embrace the sell between now and early March.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (no change)
Although the Blackhawks are still losing proficially, they'll enter the break having gone 3-3-5 in their last 11. Only three of those eight losses came in regulation, and it's not surprising that that level of mediocrity is the team's most respectable sustained stretch of the 2024-25 campaign. After beating the Golden Knights and Lightning, and taking the Hurricanes and Oilers to overtime, the Hawks are close to making up some ground in the NHL Power Rankings — which can't be said about the team below them. Ryan Donato has been absolutely phenomenal on a line with Connor Bedard; he's managed four goals and eight points over his last four games. The way the 28-year-old is playing — and considering he's a UFA on July 1 — he's probably Chicago's best trade chip ahead of the deadline.
32. San Jose Sharks (no change)
At this point, we might as well put an asterisk beside the Sharks; they're never coming out of the NHL Power Rankings basement. And it doesn't even look like they want to finish anywhere but 32nd in league standings after sending Yaroslav Askarov to the AHL. The tandem of Alex Georgiev and Vitek Vanecek is one of the NHL's worst, and it helps to explain why San Jose has won just two games since January 7. After winning only 19 times in 2023-24, this iteration of the Sharks is at 15-35-7 through 57 games. Surely they'll come out on top in at least five more over the next 25, right? The way things are going, that's far from a guarantee. What we do know is that, besides the Hawks, no team will have a better chance at picking No. 1 overall come June's NHL Draft.
