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The NHL Global Series Finland was a smashing success — unless you're a fan of the Dallas Stars. The excitable crowd at Nokia Arena in Tampere were treated to two thrilling games, with a total of 16 goals scored in just 120 minutes of hockey. It was the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers coming out on top in both contests, besting their cross-conference foes 6-4 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday.
A handful of Finns had the opportunity to play NHL hockey in their home country for the first time over the weekend: Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell played for Dallas, while Niko Mikkola, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and captain Aleksander Barkov suited up for Florida.
Barkov was the difference-maker in his hometown, scoring a goal and three assists on Friday and adding another assist on Saturday. He was exceptional in the mini-series, while Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight outdueled Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith between the pipes. Like earlier in the season when the New Jersey Devils beat up on the Buffalo Sabres in the Global Series Czechia, it was mostly a one-sided affair in the NHL's 45th and 46th regular-season game outside of North America.
With that, the league has played a preseason game in Germany, two regular-season games in Czechia and two regular-season games in Finland in 2024-25. Not counting the pair of tilts in the Czech Republic, Tuesday is the official one-month mark of the campaign. And it took nearly that long for all 32 teams in the National to be defeated. Finally, the Winnipeg Jets suffered a loss at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 28, although they remain a ridiculous 11-1 on the season.
With the early fall vibes of October now making way for earlier sunsets in November, the temperature of the rink is starting to match the temperature of the air in North America. Without further preamble, here is ClutchPoints' Week 5 NHL Power Rankings.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Winnipeg Jets (no change)
Despite finally failing to secure two points in a game after losing 6-4 to the Leafs at home last Monday, the Jets are going nowhere in the NHL Power Rankings. Winnipeg followed up its first defeat with back-to-back-to-back shellackings. The Jets beat the Red Wings 6-2, the Blue Jackets 6-2 and the Lightning 7-4. Talk about a response. Make that 11-1 for a roster that is showing no signs of slowing down whatsoever. This team is scoring a ridiculous 4.92 goals per game and producing prolifically on the powerplay with a scorching 44.1 percent success rate. Those numbers are both tops in the league, and with Connor Hellebuyck hurtling towards another Vezina Trophy, the Jets could be hanging around at the top of the hill long-term.
2. Florida Panthers (+2)
It was a fantastic trip overseas for Barkov and his Panthers in Week 4. The captain looks no worse for wear after his trip to the injured list; in fact, he looked like one of Florida's best players in Finland. And after a perfect sweep of the Stars in the Global Series, the Cats return to a top two place in the NHL Power Rankings — where Dallas was last week. The Panthers just looked like the better team in both contests in Tampere, and they've now improved to 9-3-1 on the 2024-25 campaign. With a fully healthy squad and a ton of momentum, Florida should be in competition for the President's Trophy all season long. But first, a trip back to Sunrise for a well-deserved five-game homestand.
3. New York Rangers (no change)
For the second straight week, the Rangers are standing pat in the NHL Power Rankings despite winning three of their last four. New York has only lost twice since October 14, with those defeats coming at the hands of the Panthers and surging Capitals. Igor Shesterkin shut the door in two consecutive victories over the Senators (2-1) and Islanders (5-2), and he's been a catalyst in the early going. Along with two excellent performances from backup Jonathan Quick, the Rangers boast the league's best goals-against average at 2.18 and save percentage at .937. That is a proven recipe for winning games, especially with the offense scoring 4.0 goals per game — good for fourth league-wide. The hot start continues for the Rangers, who are first place in the Metropolitan Division.
4. Vegas Golden Knights (+1)
Besides a small blip in the middle of October, the Golden Knights are on a tear to start 2024-25. Vegas has won five of six to improve to 8-3-1 and retake top spot in the Pacific Division. The offensive depth has been on full display in the early going, with the roster scoring a terrific 4.50 goals per game — behind just the Jets. The usual suspects keep leading the way — Mark Stone and Jack Eichel are among the league leaders in points — but Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Dorofeyev have scored seven goals apiece, while Brett Howden has six and Keegan Kolesar has four. Along with Adin Hill starting to figure it out between the pipes after a slow start, the Golden Knights are again looking like a true threat in the Western Conference, and the depth looks much-improved through four weeks.
5. Dallas Stars (-3)
With the Panthers and Golden Knights both making up some ground in the NHL Power Rankings, it makes sense that the Stars are seeing a slight dip. Although they had won three of four before an unsuccessful trip across the pond, back-to-back defeats has Dallas down to 7-4 and a full eight points back of the Jets for the divisional crown. The Stars will likely be thrilled to touch back down in Texas, although they don't have the privilege of a long homestand like Florida. It'll be one game against the visiting Blackhawks at American Airlines Center on Thursday before the squad is back in a plane for a road trip with stops in Winnipeg and Pittsburgh over the next week.
6. Minnesota Wild (+3)
The phenomenal start continues for Marc-Andre Fleury and the Wild in 2024-25. ‘Flower' put on a show in his final game in Pittsburgh — the place where he won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins — stymying his old club in a 5-3 win at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday. Minnesota followed that up with back-to-back victories against Tampa Bay and Toronto, the latter on a beautiful Matt Boldy overtime winner on Sunday. And with that, the Wild have won seven of eight and sit a sparkling 8-1-2 on the season. It's a fairytale start for a roster that was expected to be on the playoff bubble at best next April. That could still hold true, but more likely, this will be a top-10 team all season long. That's especially true if Kirill Kaprizov continues his insane pace; he's currently leading the league with 21 points in just 11 games.
7. Carolina Hurricanes (+8)
A long overdue surge up the NHL Power Rankings has arrived for the Hurricanes, who haven't lost a game since October 19. With that, Carolina gets the most significant jump of any team in Week 5, vaulting into a top-seven slot. Frederik Andersen going down week-to-week is disappointing, but Pyotr Kochetkov has been performing admirably in the veteran's absence. The Russian has helped the Hurricanes win each of their last three games with Andersen on the shelf, and the squad has now racked off six consecutive victories overall. It doesn't hurt that the star power is showing up in spades; the Canes are scoring 3.90 goals per game, good for fifth in the league. A huge part of that has been the ascent of Martin Necas, who is leading the team with 18 points in just 10 games. The Hurricanes don't look to be slowing down, and could continue the surge with a light schedule this week.
8. New Jersey Devils (-2)
The Devils have fallen into mediocrity over the last two weeks, coming up short in five of their last seven games to allow the Rangers, Hurricanes and Capitals to all leapfrog them in the Metropolitan Division. Jacob Markstrom has been up-and-down in his first season in Newark, but he was masterful in consecutive wins over the Ducks and Canucks in Week 4, the latter a shutout in the first Hughes Bowl of the campaign. But the Devils followed that up with a discouraging 3-0 loss to the struggling Flames, and that has them back down to 7-5-2 and battling to stay above .500. That's disappointing after a superb start. New Jersey will look to get back in the win column against the Connor McDavid-less Oilers as the road trip to Western Canada concludes on Monday night.
9. Tampa Bay Lightning (-2)
Tampa Bay had quite a difficult schedule in Week 4, embarking on a road trip that had stops in Colorado, Minnesota and Winnipeg. The Lightning took care of the Avs, but suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of the Wild and Jets, respectively, allowing 12 goals over those two games. With that, the Bolts are back to 7-5 and, like the Devils, working hard to stay above .500. Nikita Kucherov is doing everything he can, with 20 points in 10 games, but he might be without linemate Brayden Point after the star center suffered an injury in Sunday's loss. The road trip concludes for the Lightning at Enterprise Center against the Blues on Tuesday.
10. Vancouver Canucks (-2)
After following up a season-opening three-game losing streak with four straight triumphs, the Canucks came back to earth with consecutive defeats at the hands of the Hurricanes and Devils, respectively. The former was a tight overtime loss, while the latter did not live up to the hype in the first Hughes Bowl of the 2024-25 season. New Jersey crushed Vancouver 6-0, with the home team playing one of their worst games of the campaign. The Canucks were able to get back on track with a victory over the lowly Sharks on Saturday night, but this roster is still looking to recreate the magic from last year. As it stands, Vancouver is barely looking like a top-10 team — in league standings or the NHL Power Rankings — after a 5-2-3 start.
11. Los Angeles Kings (+5)
Darcy Kuemper is back to full health, and the Kings are keeping pace with the Golden Knights for the top of the Pacific Division after a month of play. Los Angeles has won three of five, and picked up points in four of those, improving to 6-3-3 on the campaign. Brandt Clarke continues his breakout season; the youngster is second to just Anze Kopitar in team scoring, with 11 points in his first 12 games. Alex Laferriere has also been terrific, with a team-leading eight goals and 11 points of his own. Losses to the Sharks and Hawks certainly wasn't encouraging in Week 4, but the Kings have done enough over the last couple of weeks to justify a significant jump in the NHL Power Rankings. They're back in action to take on the Predators in Smashville on Monday night.
12. Washington Capitals (+6)
Don't look now, but Alex Ovechkin and his Capitals are on a mission to prove everyone wrong in 2024-25. Washington has been one of the league's best surprises, currently sitting 8-3 after winning three of four in Week 4. And The Great Eight is a catalyst of the ascent; the captain has gone four straight games with a goal, amassing nine points in that span. He joins Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas, who are all playing at above a point-per-game pace. Things are just going swimmingly in the nation's capital, the Washington earned a significant jump in the NHL Power Rankings because of it. Could this end up being a top-10 team? The pieces certainly look to be in place for a sustained run of success this regular season.
13. Colorado Avalanche (-3)
Right when it looked like the Avalanche had put their early-season woes behind them, they're back to mediocrity after back-to-back-to-back 5-2 losses. It's a microcosm of Colorado's 2024-25 campaign that three different goalies played in those games, and each lost. Alex Georgiev was between the pipes against Chicago, Kaapo Kahkonen was in net vs. Tampa Bay, and Justus Annunen manned the crease in Nashville. With that, the Avs are back to 5-7 and out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. It's going to take a while before we know how good this roster really is; no squad has been as decimated by injuries — not even close. Add Ross Colton and Miles Wood to the injured list as well, although Artturi Lehkonen is now healthy, and Valeri Nichushkin is rumored to be returning in mid-November. The reinforcements can't come soon enough for the battered and bruised Avalanche.
14. Edmonton Oilers (no change)
Although the Oilers have won four of their last five games, they're standing pat in the NHL Power Rankings at least for Week 5. That's mainly due to McDavid's injury, which is obviously worst-case scenario for this club. The good news is, the captain told reporters on Monday that he was already feeling day-to-day, and he could be an option as soon as Saturday night against the Canucks. As it stands, Edmonton is starting to make up some ground after another terrible start. They're now above .500 at 6-5-1, and could surge once No. 97 is cleared to return. The Oil are home to New Jersey on Monday night.
15. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2)
The Leafs are having a real tough time scoring goals lately, and they've lost five of their last seven games because of it. Auston Matthews doesn't look at all like himself; he's on pace to score 32 goals after potting an insane 69 last year. That should rectify itself as the campaign goes along, but it's a discouraging trend nonetheless. Toronto has scored just 19 goals in seven games, and that is not a recipe for any kind of success in the Six. Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz have both been fine lately, but neither has stolen a game when the team has really needed it. The Leafs will look to right the ship when they welcome four Atlantic Division teams to Scotiabank Arena over the next week: Boston, Detroit, Montreal and Ottawa, in that order.
16. Calgary Flames (-5)
The wheels have officially fallen off for the Flames after a pleasantly surprising start to the year in Alberta. Calgary has lost four of five, managing a paltry 11 goals in that span. With that, the early Pacific Division leaders are struggling to stay above water, now 6-5-1 after a 4-2 loss to the Oilers on Sunday. Dustin Wolf's early-season magic has worn off, and he's conceded starts to Dan Vladar, who has been better but not great himself lately. Mikael Backlund played his 1,000th game as a member of the Flames in a 5-1 loss to Utah on Wednesday. A three-game road trip takes the club through Montreal, Boston and Buffalo in Week 5.
17. Utah Hockey Club (-5)
Like the Flames, the Utah Hockey Club got off to a fantastic start but are being hit hard by regression over the last few weeks. Utah has lost five of six, the only victory a 5-1 shellacking of the team that remains just above them in the NHL Power Rankings. Now 5-4-3, it's clear that John Marino and Sean Durzi are going to be badly missed on the blue line, and Connor Ingram is as up-and-down as any goaltender in the National right now. When he's on, he's on, but he's very capable of giving up four or more goals on any given night. General manager Bill Armstrong went out and added Olli Maatta from Detroit for a 2025 third-rounder, but it's hard to see the veteran plugging too many holes. The next couple of games will be telling for this roster, beginning with a huge test against the league-leading Jets in Manitoba on Tuesday.
18. Boston Bruins (-1)
The Bruins are off to one of their worst starts in recent memory, just getting back to .500 after back-to-back shutout victories over the Flyers and Kraken. Joonas Korpisalo shut Philly out 3-0 on Saturday, while Jeremy Swayman turned aside all 23 shots he faced in a 2-0 triumph against Seattle the next day. With that, Boston is 6-6-1, although the concerns with this team have not at all been quelled. Boston lost 8-2 to Carolina before the mini winning streak. After the viral moment that saw Jim Montgomery rip into Brad Marchand a few weeks ago, David Pastrnak was benched for the entire third period on Sunday in what was called a “coach's decision.” Could Montgomery be on the hot seat? Probably not, but this is not the Bruins team we are used to seeing. Boston faces off against an all-Canadian trio this week, taking on the Leafs and Flames before Linus Ullmark makes his return to TD Garden along with the Senators on Saturday night.
19. Nashville Predators (+1)
Finally, the Predators are starting to look like the team they were expected to be after the offseason additions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. Stammer recorded two assists in Tampa Bay against the team he won two Stanley Cups with, but the Lightning outlasted their cross-conference foes in overtime. Still, the Preds have won four of six after a ghastly five game losing streak to begin the season, and they're back to relevance in the Central Division. A 4-6-1 record is still less than ideal, but this roster should get better and better as the season goes along. The Predators will welcome the Kings to Bridgestone Arena on Monday night.
20. St. Louis Blues (-1)
Already reeling from the loss of their best forward in Robert Thomas, the Blues were hit with another brutal injury update on Monday. Philip Broberg, who is second on the team in scoring with nine points in 12 games, will miss 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury. The Swede left Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Leafs after getting tangled up on the boards with Mitch Marner. It's a devastating blow, as the youngster was in the midst of a breakout campaign on the blue line in Missouri. Without him and Torey Krug available, the rest of the defensive unit will have to step up to keep this roster away from mediocrity. But after four losses in six tries, the Blues are back to .500 at 6-6 and down a couple of key players — that's not encouraging. They're in Tampa Bay to play the Lightning on Tuesday.
21. Ottawa Senators (no change)
For the first time since his offseason trade to Canada's capital, Ullmark will face off against the team with whom he won the Vezina Trophy in 2022-23. With neither the Senators nor Bruins playing on Friday night, there's a great chance it'll be an Ullmark-Swayman faceoff when the Senators and Bruins meet in Massachusetts on Saturday. The two great friends made up the NHL's best goaltending tandem for the last two seasons, and it'll be odd watching the two play against each other as divisional rivals. The Sens have rotated wins and losses since October 27, and their 6-5 record makes them one of a few teams staying still in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 5.
22. Detroit Red Wings (+2)
Whether the Red Wings are worthy of a bump up the NHL Power Rankings is up for debate, but they get the benefit of a brutal week from a few of their Atlantic Division rivals. After being mired in a three-game skid, Detroit beat one of those teams, outlasting Buffalo 2-1 at home on Saturday. The Wings are playing .500 hockey in the early going at 5-5-1, and there's a ton of room for improvement going forward. Still, it hasn't been an ideal start for a team that is desperate to make the playoffs next spring, and they'll need to be better if they hope to crack the top-20 in the PR's. Wednesday marks a huge Patrick Kane return to the place where he won three Stanley Cups, but the Wings will just be looking for two points against the Blackhawks as they battle to keep pace in the Eastern Conference.
23. Buffalo Sabres (-1)
The Sabres have been one of the streakiest teams in the National through a month, and they're on the wrong side of one heading into Week 5. Buffalo has lost three straight games and scored just six goals in that span, allowing the Panthers, Islanders and Red Wings to snatch two points away. Make that 4-7-1 for another team that is desperate to make the postseason, but just doesn't look like it has the horses in the early going. The Sabers are just below average so far in 2024-25, and after 13 straight missed playoffs, that is a nightmare for the fans in Western New York. The grind continues when the Senators visit KeyBank Center on Tuesday night.
24. Montreal Canadiens (-1)
Like the Sabres, the Canadiens are mired in a three-game losing streak that cost them a spot in the NHL Power Rankings. Montreal is getting poor goaltending from Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau lately, and that quickly needs to change if the squad hopes to keep pace in the playoff race. That's not what is happening right now, with the Habs down to 4-7-1 after getting beaten by the Kraken, Capitals and Penguins in Week 4. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield continue to produce, but the depth isn't doing much at all, and that's a big problem. This could just be a team that needs a few more years to rebuild, but we'll see how Martin St. Louis' club fares over the next couple of weeks. The Flames are at the Bell Centre for an all-Canadian clash on Tuesday night.
25. Columbus Blue Jackets (+2)
Not many people expected the 2024-25 Blue Jackets to be anywhere near .500 during the 2024-25 season. But that's exactly what's happened, with Columbus sitting 5-5-1 and just two points out of a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. The Jackets have been a pleasant surprise, even without the likes of Kent Johnson, Erik Gudbranson and captain Boone Jenner. This actually doesn't look like a bottom-feeder, with a strong first line of Sean Monahan, Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakhov doing most of the heavy lifting offensively. Whether this level of play is sustainable is up in the air, but it really is great to see Columbus having some early success after a heart-wrenching summer.
26. Pittsburgh Penguins (+2)
Kris Letang played his 1,100th NHL game in a 3-1 win over his hometown Canadiens on Saturday night, and he registered an assist during the momentous occasion. After Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin recorded point No. 1,600 and goal No. 500, respectively, Letang joined in on the milestones over the weekend. And they're going to continue — Sid the Kid is just three goals away from 600 in his illustrious career. The Penguins play three times in Week 5, so there's certainly a chance that No. 87 accomplishes the incredible feat this week — he would be the 21st NHL player to do so. Pittsburgh is winners of two straight but still a disappointing 5-7-1 on the campaign, although all of Letang, Crosby and Malkin continue to pull their weight and then some.
27. Seattle Kraken (-2)
Despite decent goaltending from Joey Daccord — the Kraken are in the upper echelon of the NHL in goals-against average — Seattle is having considerable trouble putting the puck in the other team's net. After an encouraging 8-2 shellacking of the fading Canadiens on Tuesday, the Kraken lost three straight games to the Leafs, Senators and Bruins — all on the road. They managed just one goal in those three contests, so it basically goes without saying they were all defeats. This is a significant concern for this roster going forward, as there's really no star power outside of Jared McCann. This club relies on all four lines to score, and that is not happening in the early going. Now 5-7-1, it's officially been another disappointing start to the campaign in the State of Washington.
28. Chicago Blackhawks (+1)
The Blackhawks had a great seven-day showing in Week 4, winning three of four games on a busy Western road trip. Even without Connor Bedard getting on the scoresheet, Chicago beat Colorado and Los Angeles, the latter coming in a shootout. And No. 98 was back to being the catalyst on Sunday, adding three assists in a 4-2 victory over the Ducks. Since it came after four consecutive losses, the Hawks are only getting a minor bump in the NHL Power Rankings. But it's certainly an encouraging sign after Chicago lost seven of nine to begin the season. Now battling back at 5-7-1, the Hawks will look to keep to their winning ways against Patrick Kane and the Red Wings at the United Center on Wednesday.
29. New York Islanders (-3)
Already second last in the league in goals scored (2.25/g), the Islanders will now have to adjust to life without one of their best point producers. Mat Barzal, who was a point-per-game player in 2023-24, will miss 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. Joining him on the shelf long-term is Adam Pelech, one of the team's most reliable defenseman. Thus, New York has fallen to a place they were never close to last season: the bottom-five of the NHL Power Rankings. The goaltending is still solid and the blue line is still effective, but without Barzal and Anthony Duclair, the Isles are going to struggle even more to score goals. Players like Bo Horvat, Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri will need to step up, although even that might not be enough. It's been a terrible start in Long Island, and at 4-6-2, this is nowhere near rock bottom. Life without Barzal and Pelech began with a 5-2 loss to the Rangers on Sunday.
30. Philadelphia Flyers (+1)
Matvei Michkov was benched in a 3-0 loss to the Bruins on Saturday afternoon, and that should tell you everything you need to know about where the Flyers are in 2024-25. Still, they get a little jump up the NHL Power Rankings, mainly due to the futility of the two teams below them. Samuel Ersson rounded into form by posting back-to-back shutouts over the Bruins and Blues in Week 4, but he got injured in the process. He's considered day-to-day, and Philly badly needs this player healthy. At 4-7-1, there is a ton of room for improvement for a squad that was oh-so-close to making the playoffs in April. Erik Johnson will play his 1,000th NHL game against the Panthers in Florida on Saturday, as long as he isn't healthy scratched for tilts in Carolina and Tampa Bay before that. Although he didn't live up to his billing as a No. 1 pick in 2006, Johnson is a Stanley Cup champion and still a solid puck-moving veteran.
31. Anaheim Ducks (-1)
Through 11 games, the Ducks are on a similar trajectory as last year, which has them in the lower tier of NHL talent. Things could be a lot worse than they are for Anaheim if Lukas Dostal wasn't standing on his head every night — and things are already pretty bad in California. The Ducks have lost four of five and scored just nine goals in that span. They're the only team in the league that have scored less than the Islanders, managing a truly awful 2.18 goals per game. Even with a plethora of young talent, the Ducks are struggling mightily to score, and that includes rookie Cutter Gauthier, who's off to a tough start. Anaheim will continue to ride Dostal, and if the offense can start to turn things around, there could be some improvement coming. But as it is, there's not too many positives to write home about with this team.
32. San Jose Sharks (no change)
For yet another week, the Sharks are in the basement of both league standings and the NHL Power Rankings. Is there any hope at all for this club in 2024-25? Yes there is, and his name is Macklin Celebrini. The rookie phenom will finally return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Blue Jackets. We have to give San Jose some credit; after losing their first nine games, they racked up three consecutive wins over Utah, Los Angeles and Chicago. Although they just failed to make it four straight, losing 3-2 to the Canucks on a late goal, the fact we are talking about the Sharks nearly winning four consecutive contests is a very promising sign. They're not out of the basement just yet, but with Celebrini injected into the lineup, there could be brighter days ahead for the NHL's worst team.
