The Winnipeg Jets are on an unholy tear in 2024-25. The Central Division juggernauts set a National Hockey League record with 14 wins in their first 15 games this season, an unbelievable run that has immortalized the entire organization. No other NHL team has jumped out to a start quite as dominating as this, and if regression is coming, it's not here yet.
The Jets don't look anywhere near done winning prolifically, either. Now 14-1 and the heavy favorites to win the President's Trophy for the first time ever, this squad is entrenched in the No. 1 spot in ClutchPoints' weekly NHL Power Rankings. That's extremely encouraging for fans in Manitoba, but after a phenomenal regular-season in 2023-24, the club is looking to do one better next spring: finally have success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
We'll see if the Jets can make it 17-in-18 during a tough three-game road trip against the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and defending champion Florida Panthers in Week 6. But before that, the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2024 will officially be enshrined on Monday night in Toronto.
This year's class is led by two-time Stanley Cup champion and magician Pavel Datsyuk, along with 500-goal scorer Jeremy Roenick, perennial All-Star Shea Weber, three-time Olympian Natalie Darwitz and NCAA standout Krissy Wendell-Pohl. In the builder category, longtime executives Colin Campbell and David Poile — the latter the longest-tenured GM in NHL history — will enter the HHOF. The seven will become hockey's newest legends.
Meanwhile, there's no shortage of storylines ahead of another busy seven days of hockey. Sidney Crosby is just two goals shy of 600. Connor McDavid is five back of 1,000 points — when No. 97 reaches the milestone, he'll be the fourth-fastest player to get there after Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy. And Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Erik Johnson, two grizzled veterans with championship rings, will each play NHL game No. 1000 this week.
As usual, the movement in the latest iteration of CP's NHL Power Rankings is significant as November rolls on. Let's discuss.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 5| Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Winnipeg Jets (no change)
What else can we say about the 2024-25 Jets through five weeks? Connor Hellebuyck was two minutes away from posting back-to-back-to-back shutouts in a commanding 4-1 win over the Stars on Saturday. That's nearly three full games without Winnipeg allowing a goal against, a ridiculous stat in today's NHL. The American netminder is well on his way to a second straight Vezina Trophy, and he'll certainly start for the USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. The Panthers have won seven games in a row, and right now, they're the only team that can even come close to challenging the Jets' reign at the top of the hill. And they aren't yet close. It'll be intriguing to see if this roster can compete with the 2022-23 Bruins, who finished 65-12-5. Regardless, it's a historic start, and this organization is earning a ton of respect across the league after 15 games.
2. Florida Panthers (no change)
The Jets might be the class of the NHL, but the Panthers continue to look like the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Now back to full health, Florida is on a roll of its own. The Cats have racked off seven straight victories, vaulting into first place at 11-3-1. They've simply overpowered opponents as of late, scoring 33 goals over the current winning streak. The offense is coming from everywhere, especially captain Sasha Barkov since his triumphant return to the lineup in Finland. With Sergei Bobrovsky putting together another solid regular-season, it's likely this roster will remain near the top of the NHL Power Rankings for the foreseeable future. And what a treat it is to watch this offensive powerhouse in 2024-25.
3. Minnesota Wild (+3)
For the first time since ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings began, the Wild are in a top-three spot. It's been a truly magical start to the campaign for a team that failed to qualify for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Although Minnesota laid an egg against Chicago on Sunday, losing 2-1 in overtime after tying it late, the Wild are a sparkling 10-2-3 overall. The goaltending is back to elite after Filip Gustavsson's resurgence, while Kirill Kaprizov continues to make his Hart Trophy case; he's second in league scoring with 28 points. The squad just looks like it's having fun out there, and it's translating to continued success on the ice. Now just behind the Jets in the Central Division, the Wild are off until a trip to Montreal to play the lowly Canadiens on Thursday.
4. New York Rangers (-1)
The Rangers remain steadily excellent after three wins in their last four, but they played just two games last week — and one was an uncharacteristic shellacking at the hands of the Sabres. It was a rare off night for Igor Shesterkin, who allowed five goals on 12 shots before being replaced by Jonathan Quick. That one ended 6-1 at Madison Square Garden, but the Blueshirts rebounded two nights later, blanking the Red Wings 4-0. Quick was between the pipes and masterful in that one; he's appeared in four games for New York this season and allowed just four total goals. The two-time Stanley Cup champion still has some game, and head coach Peter Laviolette might give him a bit of a longer leash as the campaign goes on. As it is, the Rangers are 9-3-1 and continuing to battle with the Devils and Hurricanes for both the top spot in the division and better standing in the NHL Power Rankings.
5. Vegas Golden Knights (-1)
Like the Blueshirts, the Golden Knights played two games in Week 5 and won one of them. That's part of six wins in eight games overall, but the split will still cost Vegas a spot in the rankings. They blew a 2-0 lead against the Kraken on Friday night, eventually losing 4-3 in overtime. That came after back-to-back victories over Utah and Edmonton, respectively, so there's no cause for panic on the strip. Adin Hill looks to have solidified himself as the undisputed starter after a tough start — especially with Ilya Samsonov battling an injury — and the Knights are just a point back of the Kings for the top spot in the division with two games in hand. The Hurricanes are in town on Monday night.
6. Carolina Hurricanes (+1)
Speaking of the Hurricanes, Carolina continues its climb up the NHL Power Rankings after an eight-game winning streak was snapped by Colorado on Saturday night. That was a tough result, but the Canes are proving that they remain one of the league's premier clubs after a reasonably mundane start. They're now 10-3, with the goals coming in bunches and Pyotr Kochetkov doing a great job keeping them out of the net. Frederik Andersen's return will be another boost to an already surging team, but things are sunny right now in Raleigh. A three-game road trip that began in Denver will take the Hurricanes through Las Vegas and Utah this week before back-to-back home games against Ottawa and St. Louis over the weekend.
7. New Jersey Devils (+1)
The Devils have won as many games as the Hurricanes in 2024-25 — but they've lost double as many, and their 18 games played are the most in the National through five weeks. The 10-6-2 record is still encouraging, especially considering New Jersey has won five of seven to regain the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. That hold is quite precarious, as the Canes are just two points back with five games in hand. Still, Jack Hughes has finally started playing like a superstar, and that's been just what this roster needs. He's up to 18 points after potting three goals and six points over his last three, while Jesper Bratt continues to lead the way with 19 of his own in the same span. New Jersey is settling in as a top team in the Eastern Conference, but it'll be a tough three-game test in Florida in Week 6. The Devils play twice against the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday and Thursday before heading to Tampa Bay for a tilt with the Lightning at Amalie Arena on Saturday.
8. Dallas Stars (-3)
The Stars have been having a tough time since the NHL Global Series Finland. Dallas was beaten back-to-back by Florida in Tampere, and got a quick win over the Blackhawks before losing to the league's best team in the Jets on Saturday. With that, it's back to 8-5 for the Texas-based franchise, and thus a tumble down the NHL Power Rankings. This is still one of the league's top teams, they just aren't playing like it right now. Flying to and from Europe can't be easy during the early days of the season, but the trip didn't seem to fatigue the Panthers. The same can't be said for the Stars, who are holding onto the No. 3 spot in the Central Division by a thread. The difficult start continues for Wyatt Johnston, who is off the top powerplay unit after managing just six points in his first 13 games. The team badly needs him, Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson to get going.
9. Los Angeles Kings (+2)
For the first time this season, the Kings are into the top-10 in the NHL Power Rankings. And it's well-deserved after LA jumped into first place in the Pacific Division after three wins in four tries in Week 5. That includes victories over the Predators (3-0), Wild (5-1) and Blue Jackets (5-2), with a hard-luck loss to the Canucks mixed in. Still, it's up to 9-4-3 for the Kings, who are playing great offensive hockey and benefiting from a stifling defensive system. Brandt Clarke's breakout continues on the blue line, and he looks like he's going to be an elite player for this franchise for a long time. The Kings are on the road in Calgary and Colorado this week before heading home for a date with the Red Wings at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
10. Vancouver Canucks (no change)
The Canucks had a great week, enjoying back-to-back-to-back regulation victories over the Sharks, Ducks and Kings. After the perfect California sweep, Vancouver headed home and suffered a disappointing 7-3 loss to rival Edmonton on Hockey Night in Canada. Overall, it's been a positive stretch for the team, although losing Brock Boeser indefinitely after a dirty hit by Kings forward Tanner Jeannot is brutal. Jonathan Lekkerimaki was called up from the American Hockey League's Abbotsford Canucks, and he's set to make his NHL debut on Tuesday night against the Flames after ripping up the AHL. Even without Thatcher Demko, Vancouver is off to another strong start at 7-3-3, and they should get even better once the star netminder is ready to return. According to hockey insider Frank Seravalli, that could happen before the end of November.
11. Washington Capitals (+1)
The scorching start continues for Alex Ovechkin and his Capitals in 2024-25, and every goal The Great Eight scores is motivating his teammates to keep the positive momentum going. Despite rotating wins and losses over the last week, Washington is 10-4 to start the year, an encouraging sign after a busy offseason for the front office. Ovechkin has been excellent as of late, with eight goals and 13 points over his last seven games. And Dylan Strome continues to quietly set up the star Russian prolifically; he's up to a phenomenal 22 points of his own, good enough for seventh league-wide. Although Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren continue splitting starts, it looks like the former is securing his case for the 1A; he hasn't lost yet in seven starts. The good times keep on rolling in the nation's capital, and it's looking more and more like Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record could be shattered by No. 8 this season. He's now just 31 goals back.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (-3)
The Lightning are right in the middle of a full seven day break, which couldn't have come at a better time. Tampa has lost four straight games, going from 7-3 to 7-6-1 in the blink of an eye. The Bolts are battling just to stay above .500, and have fallen to a wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. Andrei Vasilevskiy has been up-and-down this season, but he struggled last week, and Nikita Kucherov hasn't gotten a ton of help since Brayden Point went down with an injury. The hope is that he'll be able to return on Thursday night when Hellebuyck and the formidable Jets visit Amalie Arena. Two nights later, it'll be the Devils heading south for a cross-divisional clash.
13. Toronto Maple Leafs (+2)
After a brutal stretch of five losses in seven games, the Maple Leafs have righted the ship following three consecutive home victories at Scotiabank Arena in Week 5. And all three of them came without the services of captain Auston Matthews. Toronto finally beat Boston in regulation, the first time it's happened since January of 2023. And the Leafs followed up the monumental triumph with two encouraging wins over the Red Wings and Canadiens. Anthony Stolarz was terrific in a 3-1 win over Detroit, while Joseph Woll performed similarly in a 4-1 W over Montreal the next night. With that, the Leafs are 9-5-2 and just three points back of the first-place Panthers. Ekman-Larsson is a lineup fixture in Toronto, and he will play his 1,000th game against Washington in the nation's capital on Wednesday.
14. Colorado Avalanche (-1)
The reinforcements are on the way for the Avalanche, and they couldn't have come at a better time. Colorado has lost four of six to once again fall below .500 at a disappointing 7-8. Still, the Avs won twice in three tries in Week 5, defeating the Kraken and Hurricanes with a tough 1-0 loss to Hellebuyck and the Jets sandwiched in. The goaltending is still not up to par, whether it's Alexandar Georgiev or Justus Annunen between the pipes, and Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are doing everything they can to keep this team afloat. The return of Artturi Lehkonen is huge, and he'll be joined by Valeri Nichushkin later this week. That is absolutely massive, although the roster is still riddled with injuries, and Gabriel Landeskog suffering a disappointing setback is not at all ideal. We're still trying to find out what kind of team the Avalanche are in 2024-25, but they should be much better than a .500 one once at full strength.
15. Edmonton Oilers (-1)
The Oilers have been one of the most up-and-down teams in the NHL through five weeks, and they're sitting right at 7-7-1 because of it. Edmonton followed up back-to-back regulation defeats at the hands of New Jersey and Vegas by crushing Vancouver, opening up a huge lead and eventually winning 7-3. McDavid recorded three points in that contest, and the superstar looks healthy and ready to resume his run into the record books. With three games on tap this week, there's a great chance No. 97 becomes the fourth-fastest player to reach the incredible 1,000 point mark. Could he do it on Saturday against the hometown Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada? It would be fitting.
16. Boston Bruins (+2)
After a challenging couple of weeks, the Bruins look to be turning the corner — sort of. There haven't been any more high-profile benchings or viral head coach outbursts, and that's a good start. As well, Boston has won three of five, and picked up a point in four of those. It's still been a bad start overall — the Bruins aren't used to being this low in the NHL Power Rankings — but they're at least back to .500 at 7-7-2. The B's will head on a quick two-game road trip to St. Louis and Dallas for a couple of cross-conference matchups before returning home to play the Blues again on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden.
17. Calgary Flames (-1)
With every day that passes, the Flames' scorching hot start begins to fade more into insignificance. After five wins in six tries to begin the campaign, Calgary has now lost seven of nine. The club remains above .500 at 7-5-3, but it does look like the wheels have fallen off. The Flames don't have a player anywhere near a point-per-game pace, and defenseman Rasmus Andersson leading the team in scoring is great for the player, but not so much for the team. This roster does deserve some credit for picking up four of a possible six points on a three-game road trip, although they've still been relegated to a wildcard spot. That's not terrible, and there's certainly room for this squad to make some ground back up in the NHL Power Rankings. It'll be interesting to see if that happens, or if the Flames will continue to slowly fade away as the year goes on. Anthony Mantha going down with a season-ending injury certainly doesn't help things.
18. Utah Hockey Club (-1)
The Utah Hockey Club have been in a similar boat to the Flames for most of the season, starting off strong before watching the tables turn. For Utah, it's now been nine losses in 12 games. What was once a perfect 3-0 record is now a .500 one at 6-6-3. Connor Ingram is continuing to get most of the starts, and he continues to struggle turning them into wins. Utah is now just out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and the blue line remains a huge concern after the losses of John Marino and Sean Durzi. The NHL's newest city will play only twice this week, once against Carolina on Wednesday and again vs. Vegas on Friday — both in Salt Lake City.
19. Buffalo Sabres (+4)
The Sabres went on a convincing three-game winning streak in Week 5, riding excellent play from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen en route to triumphs over the Senators, Rangers and Flames. And Buffalo looked like it was going to make it four consecutive after holding multiple leads against the lowly Canadiens on Monday afternoon. But in the earliest game of the week, the Sabres blew it, eventually losing 7-5 to the Atlantic Division's weakest team. It's still been an encouraging stretch, but UPL was pulled in front of the home crowd, and it was one of those games the Sabres probably should have found a way to win. Still, the team gets a nice little jump up the NHL Power Rankings despite the defeat. They'll look to get back in the win column on Thursday against the Blues before heading out on a four-game road trip.
20. Nashville Predators (-1)
Predators GM Barry Trotz made headlines this week by saying if his team doesn't start to figure it out, he's going to begin the rebuilding process. Through his remarks might have been slightly taken out of context, Nashville has been one of the worst surprises in 2024-25, and they've lost five of seven as the abysmal run continues. In a four-game Week 5 slate, the Preds lost to the Kings, Capitals and Panthers before bouncing back with a shutout victory over Utah on Saturday. Despite that, the panic bells are sounding in Smashville. It's unlikely that Trotz will blow this thing up — it is still pretty early, after all. But his comments should light a fire under the roster, and it looks like it did on Saturday. The club will look to string a couple of wins together on a long five-game Western road trip with stops in Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle.
21. St. Louis Blues (-1)
First the Blues lost Torey Krug, then Robert Thomas, and now Philip Broberg. The injury bug is exactly what St. Louis did not need this year, and the last few weeks have not been encouraging. The Blues were crushed 8-1 by the Senators on October 29, and they lost by the same unsightly scoreline on Saturday, this time at the hands of Ovechkin and the Capitals. At full health, this team should be at least competing for a spot in the dance. But that's not the case right now, and instead the Blues are under .500 after losing five of their last seven games. It's hard to see this team turning things around without otherworldly goaltending from Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer, and that also hasn't been happening. The Blues have the potential to drop even further down the NHL Power Rankings if they can't buoy the sinking ship over the next few weeks.
22. Ottawa Senators (-1)
Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman summed up Ottawa's roster perfectly (as well as Buffalo's) in his latest 32 Thoughts column: “The Senators and Sabres are like the Spiderman pointing meme. So much talent, so much potential. We’re begging for them to do it more often.” That could not be more true about the two Atlantic Division dwellers. And again in 2024-25, the Sens are failing to live up to that potential. They've lost five of eight, and despite the plethora of talent up front, are having trouble scoring goals. Anton Forsberg is getting into a groove behind Linus Ullmark, and he's arguably been the better of the two goaltenders so far. As it stands, there's room for concern in Canada's capital after a 7-7 start.
23. Detroit Red Wings (-1)
The ‘Yzerplan' is taking much longer than Red Wings fans probably anticipated, and it's hard to think that Derek Lalonde isn't at least on the hot seat right now. Like a few other middling Atlantic Division teams, Detroit is down to 6-7-1 after losing two in a row and five of seven dating back to October 26. There just isn't too much to get excited about with this roster right now, and the way things are going, this isn't going to be a playoff contender next spring. Maybe that will change over the next few weeks and months, but it's been a highly discouraging start in Motown. It doesn't help that the team is scoring 2.43 goals per game, good enough for 30th league wide. The Wings will try to get back in the win column over a four-game road trip that goes through Pittsburgh, Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose in Week 6.
24. Pittsburgh Penguins (+2)
The Penguins are still having a real tough time overall in 2024-25, but they get a little bump up the NHL Power Rankings after winning three of their last five games. Before that, it was six losses in a row, so Pittsburgh isn't out of the weeds just yet. Not even close. Still, Crosby's chase for 600 goals will keep Pens fans excited. Sid the Kid already joined the 1,300 point club in October, and he will likely reach another huge milestone this week. When he scores No. 600 — Crosby is just two away — he will become just the 21st member of the exclusive club. Pittsburgh is in action four times this week, and it's likely that No. 87 will accomplish the feat in Week 6. But will it lead to success for the team as a whole? We will find out the answer to that over the next few days.
25. New York Islanders (+4)
The Islanders could have spiralled without the services of Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech and Anthony Duclair. Instead, New York has racked off three wins in five games, returning to .500 and to relevance in the Eastern Conference. Things are still precarious on Long Island, but there's now belief that the roster can tread water until a few key reinforcements are ready to return. The Isles beat the Penguins and Senators last week before dropping a tough overtime contest to the Devils on Saturday night. But NY continues to pick up points, and that's going to be key once the playoff race really heats up in 2025. A difficult yet crucial five-game road trip begins on Tuesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
26. Columbus Blue Jackets (-1)
The Blue Jackets were one of the NHL's most pleasant surprises in the early going, but it was only a matter of time before the injury-riddled roster came back down to earth. That's happened in a big way in November; Columbus is yet to win a game since the calendar flipped, suffering five consecutive losses to drop to 5-7-2. It's been an awful stretch for a squad that was hanging around in the Metro, but are now probably destined to be bottom-feeders. Still, the top line of Yegor Chinakhov, Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko has been electric, and there are some other exciting young talents on this team. This is definitely a step forward from last year, although the Jackets badly need to stem the bleeding before they really go tumbling down the NHL Power Rankings.
27. Chicago Blackhawks (+1)
It's hard to say the Blackhawks are playing good hockey as of late, but they've certainly improved after a ghastly start to the campaign. Chicago lost six of eight to kick things off, but have now four victories in their last seven tries. It's nothing special, but it's something for a roster that is not getting a ton of production from Connor Bedard right now. It hasn't exactly been an easy stretch for the team having to play two of the division's top three teams in the Stars and Hawks. But Chicago kept it close against Dallas before getting a huge 2-1 OT win over a surging Minnesota team. There's another level to this roster once Bedard really gets going, and a 6-9-2 record still isn't good. But with Petr Mrazek playing great between the pipes, this may not be a bottom-feeder in 2024-25 after all.
28. Seattle Kraken (-1)
The Kraken were finally able to snap a miserable four-game losing skid, coming from behind to beat the Golden Knights in overtime on Friday night. But it's still been seven losses in nine games for Seattle, who are struggling both to score goals and keep them out of their own net in 2024-25. Now 6-8-1, the Kraken have fallen to sixth in the division, and they're just one point ahead of the lowly Ducks and Sharks. This isn't what the front office anticipated when it signed Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour to long-term deals, and something needs to change for this roster to start having success. This club still cannot find the magic that saw them advance to the dance in 2023 and even beat the defending champion Avalanche in Round 1. Will they at all this season?
29. Montreal Canadiens (-5)
The Canadiens are lucky they haven't fallen further after a miserable couple of weeks. Montreal had lost six games in a row before finally getting off the schneid by beating the Sabres in a wild 7-5 matinee on Monday. Despite that, the Habs are a mess right now, both offensively and defensively, and the rebuild is looking like it's going to take a couple more years yet. It doesn't help that the Canadiens boast the worst goal differential in the league at a glaring -21. The hope is that Patrik Laine's return will help to spark the roster, but right now, frustration is setting in in Quebec. After winning their first game in November, the Habs will remain on the road to play the Wild in Minnesota on Thursday.
30. San Jose Sharks (+2)
In a miraculous turn of events, the Sharks are out of the NHL Power Rankings basement for the first time since last year. With Macklin Celebrini inserted back into the lineup, San Jose has actually been playing some pretty good hockey. After losing nine straight right off the bat, the Sharks have now won five of their last seven, returning to some sort of relevance in the Pacific Division. One of the big reasons for the streak is the goaltending; both Vitek Vanecek and Mackenzie Blackwood have been solid as of late, with the latter posting a 44-save shutout against his old team in a 1-0 triumph over the Devils on Sunday. This roster might be better than it was given credit for, especially with Celebrini back in the fold. The road trip that began in New Jersey continues in Philadelphia, New York and Pittsburgh this week for the resurgent Sharks.
31. Anaheim Ducks (no change)
No team has scored less goals than the Ducks in 2024-25, but they remain out of last in the NHL Power Rankings after doubling up the Blue Jackets on Sunday night. It had been four straight losses before that, so it's a small victory for a reeling Anaheim squad. Despite the plethora of young talent on the roster, no one has been able to consistently score. Cutter Gauthier is off to a slow start, Frank Vatrano has been unable to recreate his 2023-24 magic, and Lukas Dostal is the only thing keeping this team out of last place in league standings. Getting John Gibson back is nice, but it's hard to see him playing any better than his fellow netminder has so far. Now 5-7-2, another dismal campaign continues in California.
32. Philadelphia Flyers (-2)
It was tough to decide who to put in the dreaded No. 32 spot in the NHL Power Rankings, as the Sharks have called it home for so long. But after scratching Matvei Michkov for back-to-back games and losing three of their last four, it's the Flyers falling to the basement. More lineup changes are coming on Monday, with John Tortorella inserting the rookie back onto the bench. It'll be Morgan Frost and Jamie Drysdale coming out against San Jose as the head coach looks to create a spark. Erik Johnson didn't end up playing his 1,000th game last week, but he could reach the milestone as early as Wednesday night against the Blue Jackets. Philly has yet been unable to capture the magic of last season — the opposite, really. We'll see how the next couple of weeks go for Torts and his disgruntled Flyers.
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