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With the fourth Thursday of November — and Thanksgiving — firmly in the rearview mirror, we have officially entered the holiday season. And in the latest edition of ClutchPoints' weekly NHL Power Rankings, that looks a lot different for a lot of teams. For the continuously floundering, 7-12-6 Nashville Predators, it's not going to feel much like Christmas at all. In the North Star State, on the other hand, the festive cheer should continue in earnest as the Minnesota Wild roll into the month of December in first place.
Yes, you read that right. The Wild are now at the top of league standings at 16-4-4, and for the first time since CP began the PR's, occupying the No. 1 slot. Last season at this time, the squad was in an absolute free fall, struggling just to stay out of the league basement. Now they're trading former first-round picks to acquire top prospects. How things can change in a year.
As Week 9 of the National Hockey League campaign kicks off on Monday night — hard to believe we're over two months in — every team has now surpassed the one-quarter mark in their respective seasons. At this point, we're starting to get a better idea of who's in, who's on the bubble, and who's already looking toward the 2025 NHL Draft. Although the slate isn't quite as busy as it was last week, there is still a ton of hockey to watch over the next seven days, including 10 games on Tuesday, nine on Thursday and another 11 on Saturday.
Highlighting the schedule are the highly-anticipated final roster announcements for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Canada, Finland, Sweden and the USA must submit their choices on Monday, and the teams will be unveiled publicly on Wednesday. The tournament hopes to entertain to the level the fantastic 2016 World Cup of Hockey did — the last time best-on-best NHL players competed against each other internationally.
The movement in the NHL Power Rankings is always significant at this time of year, but for the first time since Week 3, there's a new team at the top of the mountain — and it's not hard to guess who. Read on for the full list.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Minnesota Wild (+1)
Welcome to Saint Paul, David Jiricek. GM Bill Guerin proved he means business amid the franchise's best start to the season since winning the Northwest Division back in 2007-08. Guerin acquired the former No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft on Saturday, and although it wasn't cheap, the Czech defenseman should be a staple on the blue line for years to come. As it stands, the Wild just continue to roll, going 3-1 in Week 8 to leapfrog the Jets and take over first place in league standings. The longer this heater goes, the better are Kirill Kaprizov's chances to win the Hart Trophy — he's leading the league in scoring. Along with the Russian superstar, Filip Gustavsson's play cannot be lauded enough. Now tops in the league in both goals-against average and save percentage, he'll almost certainly be the starter for Sweden in February. The Wild look like they're ready to compete for the President's Trophy all campaign long, and it's a well-deserved trip to the top for hockey's most impressive team in 2024-25.
2. Winnipeg Jets (-1)
For the first time since Week 3, the powerhouse Jets are no longer at the top of the hill. A team that has had no trouble at all scoring goals is now finding the task mighty difficult. Winnipeg has managed just 10 of them over five games — four of those losses. Once 15-1, the Jets are now 18-7, mired in a three-game losing skid, and no longer deserving of No. 1 in the NHL Power Rankings. To their defense, the team played each of the last six tilts on the road, and they'll be thrilled to be back in Manitoba after a long trip. The Jets play just once at Canada Life Centre against the Blues before heading back to the United States — to Buffalo and then Chicago. It's just a bump in the road, but the Jets need to be much better if they hope to return to the peak of the rankings before the New Year.
3. New Jersey Devils (+1)
The Devils only went .500 in Week 8, but as they've won six of nine dating back to November 12, they're back into the top-three. They're doing their best to hold off the Capitals, who have already usurped them for first place in the Metropolitan Division after a 6-5 victory on Saturday. Washington looks poised to do the same in the NHL Power Rankings over the next few weeks. Still, New Jersey is playing some great hockey, now up to 16-9-2 and looking like one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. Stefan Noesen has been a phenomenal addition to the top-six, and he's been fantastic on a line with captain Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. Along with Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes playing at well over a point-per-game pace, the Devils can overwhelm offensively with two excellent lines. The squad heads to MSG to battle the struggling Rangers on Monday night.
4. Washington Capitals (+7)
What an incredible run it continues to be for the Capitals, who have surged into first place in the Eastern Conference after winning four straight and seven of nine going back to November 15. That has Washington a sparkling 17-6-1, which is even more impressive considering Alex Ovechkin hasn't been an option for the last two weeks. The Great Eight was already back on the ice on Monday, and no one will be surprised if he's back in the lineup ahead of the schedule. The rest of the team is stepping up in his absence, especially Jakob Chychrun, who was one of the NHL's three stars of the week after recording seven points in four games. Logan Thompson is staking a claim for Team Canada's starting job in February as his hot play between the pipes continues, and Spencer Carbery has this club playing out of its mind. Is this a true Stanley Cup contender in 2024-25? The NHL Power Rankings sure thinks so.
5. Florida Panthers (no change)
Despite winning three straight games — the finale Spencer Knight's first shutout of the season — the Panthers are standing pat this week. It looks like the delayed Stanley Cup hangover has been cured, as Florida defeated Toronto once and Carolina twice in Week 8. Since it came on the heels of four consecutive losses, we'll wait for some more consistent play before considering putting the defending champions back into the top-three. It continues to be the Sasha Barkov and Sam Reinhart show in Sunrise; the captain is up to 24 points in just 17 games, while the Canadian is leading the league with a ridiculous 18 goals in 25 contests. The Cats are going to be just fine, and they already look to be righting the ship ahead of a quick Pennsylvania road trip with stops in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia this week.
6. Dallas Stars (no change)
Another team that's on a bit of a roll but not seeing results in the NHL Power Rankings is the Stars, who won two tough tilts against the Avalanche and Jets last week. The problem is, it came after back-to-back defeats in Carolina and Chicago, respectively. With that, Dallas is 15-8-0 and just six points back of the Wild and Jets with a couple of games in hand. The three-headed Central Division monster that included the Stars, Jets and Avalanche last season could end up being four if Colorado can figure things out. It's a juggernaut of a division, with multiple teams hoping to hoist Lord Stanley next June. Dallas is built for the playoffs, but whoever comes out of the division is going to be battered and bruised. Still, that's a long way away, and this team is still looking elite in the Western Conference.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)
The Leafs couldn't stop winning without Auston Matthews in the lineup, and with the superstar back, nothing has changed. Toronto has triumphed in five of six and eight of 10 to improve to 14-7-2, good enough for a point back of the Panthers for first in the Atlantic Division with two games in hand. This team is scoring a lot, not giving up a ton defensively, and getting consistently good goaltending from Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz. Chris Tanev has been a terrific addition to the blue line, and he continues to be one of the league's best defensive players. The Leafs are hoping this is the year more regular-season success finally translates into winning a couple of rounds in 2025. The destination is important, but it's clear this club is really enjoying the journey right now.
8. Carolina Hurricanes (-5)
With healthy goaltending, the Hurricanes are undoubtedly a top-five team in the NHL. But with both Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov on the shelf, things have started to go off the rails in Raleigh. Spencer Martin was ghastly over back-to-back starts against the Panthers over the weekend, allowing 10 goals in consecutive defeats. The Canes have lost four of six, and they are a completely different team without one of their two goaltenders healthy. The silver lining is that Kochetkov looks to be on the verge of a return from a concussion, and that should coincide with more sustained success if he can stay healthy. Besides that, it continues to be the Marty Necas show — he's up to a remarkable 37 points in 24 games.
9. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)
The Golden Knights have been playing just above .500 since mid-November, and it'll cost the 2023 Stanley Cup champions a couple spots in the NHL Power Rankings. A 6-0 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday was especially disappointing, with Ilya Samsonov getting shelled in that one. The Russian hasn't been particularly good, but Adin Hill has been much better than he was at the start of the year. He's on the bubble for Team Canada, and it'll be interesting to see if he ends up making the team on Wednesday. Vegas is still first place in the Pacific Division at 15-7-3, but the Kings and Canucks are nipping at the heels after strong weeks.
10. Los Angeles Kings (+4)
The Kings have been fantastic over the last month, and that's without the services of Darcy Kuemper. David Rittich has performed admirably between the pipes in LA, and even though the team isn't scoring prolifically, they're still winning games. They've triumphed in three consecutive and five of seven, improving to 14-8-3 and looking ready to return to the top of the division. The big question is whether Drew Doughty will be selected for Team Canada; the two-time Stanley Cup champion hasn't yet played a game in 2024-25. The Kings have a light but difficult week, welcoming the Stars and Wild to Crypto.com Arena.
11. Colorado Avalanche (-1)
It's hard not to ask ‘what if' about the Avalanche's 2024-25 season. What if Colorado hadn't lost more man games than any other NHL team by far? What if the injuries didn't continue to pile up right when the squad started to get healthy? And most importantly, what if Alex Georgiev and Justus Annunen didn't combine for the worst save percentage the league has seen since the Senators in 1992-93? GM Chris MacFarland had finally seen enough last week, shipping Annunen to the Predators for Scott Wedgewood. It'll be interesting to see if a change of scenery helps out two struggling goaltenders, but Wedgewood is not going to solve the goaltending woes in Denver. And losing Miles Wood and Jonathan Drouin long-term is another brutal blow in a season that has been full of them. The Avs went 1-3 last week, and have fallen out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
12. New York Rangers (-3)
The rapid decline continues for the Rangers, who finally stemmed the bleeding of a five-game losing streak by defeating the Canadiens at home on Saturday afternoon. They nearly lost that one, blowing a two-goal lead before escaping with a goal in the final minute to pull out the victory. That's not going to do much for a frustrated fan base, and could Peter Laviolette be on the hot seat? This team is continuing to disappoint, now 13-9-1 and relegated to a wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. The Blueshirts will look to turn things around with four more games at MSG, with the Devils, Penguins, Kraken and Blackhawks visiting over the next eight days.
13. Vancouver Canucks (+2)
Quinn Hughes is the best defenseman in the history of the Canucks, and he's only been part of the equation since 2018. The superstar American recorded three assists in a thrilling 5-4 overtime win over the Red Wings on Sunday, in the process passing Alex Edler and becoming Vancouver's all-time defenseman assists leader (313). Last year's Norris Trophy winner is making a strong case to capture it again in 2024-25, and Hughes is now first in team scoring with 28 points in 23 games. Along with his continued incredible play, Elias Pettersson looks all the way back, while Thatcher Demko's return is closing in. Now with two wins in a row and four of five, the Canucks are back into a top-three spot in the Pacific, just four points back of Vegas with two games in hand. Things are looking up in British Columbia ahead of a huge tilt vs. the first-place Wild in Saint Paul on Tuesday.
14. Edmonton Oilers (+3)
It's taking a little longer than it did last year, but the Oilers are slowly, surely rounding into one of the league's better teams. Edmonton is now 13-9-2 after winning three consecutive games — and scoring 14 goals in the process. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are both on fire and carrying this club, as per usual, but Stuart Skinner's goaltending has improved, and that's been key. Calvin Pickard has been solid, and if the two can continue provide at least league average goaltending, the Oil should have no trouble continuing on their upward trajectory. Edmonton is on the strip to play the Golden Knights on Tuesday before returning home for games against the Blue Jackets and Blues — the latter will be the return of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to Edmonton.
15. Tampa Bay Lightning (-3)
The Lightning have dropped four of their last six, and they lost one of the league's best players in Nikita Kucherov in the process. The former Hart Trophy winner is technically day-to-day, although no update has been provided. The Russian superstar runs the offense in Tampa Bay, and any potential absence he faces will be devastating for this team. It's been a rough couple of weeks regardless, as the Bolts have fallen to 12-9-2 and are currently out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They'll have a few days to reset before welcoming the surprisingly hot Sharks to Amalie Arena on Thursday.
16. Calgary Flames (-3)
The Flames continue to be as streaky as they come in 2024-25, following up four consecutive victories with four straight losses last week. Calgary lost to Ottawa on Monday, Detroit on Wednesday, Columbus on Friday and Pittsburgh on Saturday — all on the road. Considering the strength of schedule, the Flames are lucky they aren't falling further down the NHL Power Rankings. A brutal stretch for the club, and one that has them down to 12-9-4 and just barely holding onto the final wildcard berth in the West. Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf have both been solid this year, but it was certainly a forgettable week for the tandem. The Flames will look to right the ship in a rematch against the Blue Jackets, this time in Calgary, on Tuesday.
17. Boston Bruins (+1)
With Joe Sacco behind the bench, the Bruins are starting to turn things around. Boston has won three of five games, finally getting back above .500 at 12-11-3 in the process. It's not much, but it's a start for one of the league's most disappointing teams early on. The Bruins have only allowed 11 goals in six games since Sacco took over, and that's an encouraging sign going forward. This has been one of the NHL's best defensive squads over the last few years, and that's a huge part of their overall success. It's even more important that that gets cleaned up the way the top guys have struggled to produce. Even that is starting to rectify itself, and the B's look to be returning to relevance in the Atlantic Division. Right now, they're just four points back of the first place Panthers.
18. Buffalo Sabres (-2)
After playing hugely encouraging hockey for a span of just over two weeks, the Sabres have begun to regress back to their old ways. Buffalo failed to win last week, dropping games to the Wild (1-0), Canucks (4-3 in OT) and Islanders (3-0), in that order. With that, it's back to .500 at 11-11-2. That's quite discouraging considering this team was looking really good not too long ago, winning seven of nine games between November 5-23. The offense really dried up in Week 8, and that needs to be rectified quickly if the Sabres hope to continue battling for a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. Now three points out of a playoff spot, Buffalo will remain home for a season-long five-game homestand that begins against Casey Mittelstadt and the Avalanche on Tuesday.
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (+3)
The unexpected but electric run for Zach Werenski and the Blue Jackets continues. Make that six wins in eight games for Columbus, who have gone from bottom-feeders to a legitimate threat in the East. Now above .500 at 11-9-3, the Jackets are just two points out of a wildcard berth in the conference. Sean Monahan is having a fantastic year, playing at a point-per-game pace on a line with Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov, who have also been producing. Elvis Merzlikins has been serviceable between the pipes, and all of a sudden, there's hope in Ohio. Stop me if you've heard this before, but this is a team you just can't help but cheer for. Columbus is in Calgary on Tuesday, and it'll be another emotional night after the tragic passings of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau over the summer.
20. Philadelphia Flyers (+4)
It's hard to believe the Flyers were, at one point this season, in the basement of the NHL Power Rankings. Now with three wins in a row and seven in 10 tries dating back to November 11, Philly has quickly erased any notion that they'd be bottom-feeders in 2024-25. In fact, the club is now occupying a playoff spot in the East after beating the Predators, Rangers and Blues last week. That's 12-10-3 for John Tortorella's squad, and things could get even better once Samuel Ersson makes his return between the pipes this week. Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov have been surprisingly effective in the interim, while Travis Konecny is making his case for Team Canada with an impressive 30 points in 25 games. The defending champs are in the City of Brotherly Love on Thursday.
21. Utah Hockey Club (-1)
Tuesday night's tilt against the Canadiens wasn't exactly an exciting game — even in person — but the Utah Hockey Club were able to squeak out a 3-2 overtime win in Montreal. It was followed up by an overtime loss against the Oilers, then a commanding 6-0 victory over the Golden Knights. Although an overall successful week, Utah has still lost five times in eight games, and are playing .500 hockey in their first year in Salt Lake City. It's certainly disappointing considering the hype, but the return of Connor Ingram should at least begin to help right the ship. Karel Vejmelka has been more than solid in the interim, and it wouldn't be surprising if it was more of a tandem once both are healthy. Now four points out of a wildcard spot, the work continues against the Stars at home on Monday.
22. St. Louis Blues (+1)
The Blues haven't been as good as the Oilers this year overall, but both Holloway and Broberg are having solid seasons with their new team. The former is third on St. Louis in scoring with 13 points in 25 games, while the latter had managed an excellent nine points in 12 games from the blue line before a four-week injury layoff. Both are now healthy, and you can bet they'll be excited to return to Rogers Place for the first time since signing offer sheets in Missouri over the summer. And Jim Montgomery is doing his thing behind the bench, guiding the Blues to a 2-0-1 record since taking over just over a week ago. They're still four points out of a playoff spot, but it's an encouraging start for the former Denver Pioneers' head coach. STL-EDM is set for Saturday night; the Blues are in Winnipeg and Calgary on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
23. Seattle Kraken (-4)
Like the Flames, the Kraken have been an extremely streaky team in 2024-25. Also like Calgary, Seattle is on the wrong end of it entering Week 9. Dan Bylsma's team has lost three in a row and five of seven, dropping to 11-13-1 and a full five points back of a playoff spot. That can be rectified quickly, but the Kraken's roster — especially without Jordan Eberle long-term — just isn't that exciting. Brandon Montour has been terrific on the blue line, as has Ryker Evans, but there's just not enough firepower up front. Besides Jared McCann (23 points in 25 games), no player has more than 16 points, and that's a huge problem. Seattle is back in action against Carolina on Tuesday, the first of a four-game road trip that also passes through Long Island, New Jersey and New York City this week.
24. Nashville Predators (-3)
The Predators continue to be just brutal in 2024-25, and the NHL Power Rankings is still probably too high on this club. Nashville has lost four straight games, but since three of them were in overtime, they've only fallen three spots in Week 9. Despite that, this team badly needs a change, and it's a bit surprising that Andrew Brunette still has a job in Tennessee. Interestingly, the Preds have lost 3-2 in overtime in each of their last three, against the Flyers, Lightning and Wild, in that order. With that, it's 7-12-6 for what was supposed to be a Stanley Cup contender this season. Through over a quarter of the year, Nashville is just two points out of dead last.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins (+5)
Is Tristan Jarry back? The notorious netminder won back-to-back games for the first time since February in Week 8, helping the Penguins put together a three-game winning streak. It's an encouraging stretch, and even more so considering Pittsburgh had lost eight of 10 before that. It still projects to be a firesale out of Pennsylvania ahead of the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline, but still, it's nice to see Sidney Crosby and co. stringing some wins together. Still under .500 at 10-12-4, it'll be tough sledding to keep the winning streak alive against the Panthers, Rangers and Leafs this week.
26. Anaheim Ducks (+2)
After a 4-3 shootout victory over the Senators on Sunday, the Ducks have returned to .500 at 10-10-3. Anaheim has triumphed in five of eight games dating back to November 15, and the club looks to have put the early-season woes in the rearview. Once 4-7-2, this now looks like a roster that should at least fight to be above .500 all campaign long. Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry are leading the way offensively; the two have combined for 12 points over the Ducks' last four games. With John Gibson back to full health, could this be the start of sustained success for Anaheim? We'll wait and see.
27. Detroit Red Wings (-2)
The Red Wings and Senators are so similar this year, they should be combined in the NHL Power Rankings. Both Atlantic Division dwellers had playoff or bust expectations coming into the campaign, and the frustration is palpable as yet another season goes off the rails. For Detroit, it's now two consecutive losses and six in nine games dating back to November 15. Derek Lalonde still has a job, although the Wings are under .500 at 10-11-3 and four points out of the Eastern Conference basement. Making matters worse, both Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon are injured, and Ville Husso will likely start in Boston on Tuesday. An absolute nightmare in Motown.
28. Ottawa Senators (-2)
The Senators are eerily similar to the Red Wings, although Ottawa has one less point at 10-12-2. That's one point closer to the bottom of the conference, which would truly be rock bottom for a team that hasn't tasted playoff hockey since 2017. And, like Detroit, the goaltending is a big problem. Linus Ullmark just isn't getting it done with his new team, while Anton Forsberg has been good but not great in a smaller sample size. With seven losses in nine tries, something needs to change quickly or it's going to be another lost campaign in Canada's capital. The Senators have a couple of days off before beginning a four-game road trip against, you guessed it, the Red Wings on Thursday.
29. New York Islanders (-2)
“It's the team that Lou gave me and I'm going to work extremely hard for these guys.” That's what Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said about his general manager last week. Was it a shot at Lamoriello? That's hard to decipher, but it's clear that New York is in a world of hurt in 2024-25. The Isles have lost six of their last eight games, falling to 9-10-6 and not providing any type of inspiration on Long Island. Although they remain just three points out of a logjam of a wildcard picture in the East, they're also just five points up on the Canadiens for last place in the East. It's clear that Mathew Barzal is being missed, but there are so many more problems with this roster. The Islanders are at the Bell Centre to play the Habs on Tuesday.
30. San Jose Sharks (+2)
The Sharks have emerged from the bottom of the NHL Power Rankings in terrific fashion, and we've waited over two months to say it: Macklin Celebrini has arrived. The rookie has been outstanding since returning from injury, potting five goals and 10 points over his last eight games. Just named the NHL Rookie of the Month, Celebrini looks like the Calder Trophy favorite, with only Matvei Michkov looking to be in his way in 2024-25. Jake Walman has also been superb in his first season in SJ, recording 19 points in 22 games from the blue line. Along with another step forward from William Eklund and Fabian Zetterlund — both have been great — San Jose is looking like a team that will not be last place. That's a win in itself, but after three wins in four games and 22 goals scored in that span, the Sharks look ready to go on a bit of a run.
31. Montreal Canadiens (-2)
The Canadiens haven't yet been in last place in the NHL Power Rankings this season, but they're oh-so-close. Just one point up on the Blackhawks at 8-13-3, the league's most storied franchise will spend at least one more week not in the basement. Still, the Habs are just brutal, with Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky playing the type of turnover-happy hockey that has had both of them seeing fourth line shifts — when even getting shifts. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield can't power the offense on their own, although the two star players have tried. Without inspiring goaltending, it's all gone off the rails for the Canadiens, who look much closer to a high draft pick than a playoff spot in 2024-25.
32. Chicago Blackhawks (-1)
Connor Bedard finally got the monkey off his back, scoring his first goal since late October in a 6-2 win over the Stars last Wednesday. Unfortunately for Blackhawks fans, it was just the team's second victory dating back to November 14. Chicago has gone 2-5-1 in that span, falling into last place in league standings and subsequently returning to the basement of the NHL Power Rankings. Although Petr Mrazek has been good between the pipes, he hasn't been good enough for one of the NHL's leakiest defensive units. It's now an abysmal 8-14-2 on the 2024-25 campaign, and the rebuild is clearly continuing in earnest in the Windy City. Should Bedard be selected to Team Canada? It's one of the more controversial topics ahead of the 4 Nations roster unveiling on Wednesday.
