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What an incredible feeling it is to be back watching NHL hockey on a daily basis. And what a thrilling first seven days of the 2024-25 season it's been — not counting the Global Series Czechia — with multiple noteworthy feats being seen across the league.
Arranging the second edition of the NHL Power Rankings was a tricky affair, as some teams, like the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, have only played a single game. Others, like the New Jersey Devils, have five contests under their belt, so the gap is significant. Regardless, the Power Rankings are in complete flux in Week 2, with a couple of serious jumps up and down the list.
But what an encouraging first week of the National Hockey League campaign. Who saw the assumed bottom-feeder Calgary Flames getting off to a red-hot 3-0 start? What about the Utah Hockey Club winning their first three games, the opener in front of a crowd in Salt Lake City that looks well-deserving of a professional team? Or, maybe most surprisingly, the defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers failing to secure a single point through their first three games? This is why we love the NHL: it's pure chaos, and all predictions go straight out the window once the puck drops.
A huge storyline in Week 2 centers on Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, as the two Pittsburgh Penguins legends look to etch their name in even more history. Crosby is a single point away from 1,600 in his illustrious career, while Malkin needs just one more goal to join the 500-club. The standing ovations could be plentiful for the pair of three-time Stanley Cup champions this week.
It's way too early to read too much into the first week of the season, but hockey fans across North America and beyond will just be happy to be watching the sport again after a long summer. Without further preamble, here is the latest edition of ClutchPoints' weekly NHL Power Rankings.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 1
1. Dallas Stars (+2)
It didn't take long for the Panthers to be ousted from the top spot in the NHL Power Rankings, and it could be a while before the Cats return to the coveted No. 1 slot. That belongs to the Dallas Stars in Week 2. A powerhouse in every sense of the word, the Stars took care of business in their first three tilts of 2024-25, beating the Predators, Islanders and Kraken. They allowed just three goals in that span, with superstar Jake Oettinger recording a 34-save shutout against New York, and Casey DeSmith following suit with a 25-save SO of his own against Seattle. Even without Chris Tanev and Joe Pavelski, Dallas looks like the team to beat in the Western Conference, with a winning combination of electric offense, stifling defense and outstanding goaltending. They'll look to make it a perfect 4-0 in a home tilt with the lowly Sharks on Tuesday.
2. Vegas Golden Knights (+10)
The Golden Knights were the top team in the NHL Power Rankings after their 2023 Stanley Cup championship, but it's been a solid year since they've been this high after an up-and-down 2023-24 campaign. Vegas looks back to form, winning their first three games in convincing fashion. They took care of the Avalanche, Blues and Ducks — all at home — and are showing no signs of slowing down. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone on the same line was a long time coming, and the two star forwards have looked exceptional along with Ivan Barbashev. The Knights still boast one of the best defensive units in the NHL, and the new goaltending tandem of Adin Hill and Ilya Samsonov has looked rock solid as well. They'll look to make it four straight in the nation's capital on Tuesday night.
3. New Jersey Devils (+5)
After shellacking the Sabres in the 2024 Global Series, the Devils returned to North America and didn't skip a beat. A 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs in the home opener was disappointing — especially against head coach Sheldon Keefe's former club — but New Jersey followed it up with back-to-back victories over the Capitals and Utah Hockey Club. Now 4-1 (and having played more games than any other team), the Devils get a well-deserved bump up the NHL Power Rankings. This looks like a completely different team than the one we saw in 2023-24, and Jack Hughes hasn't even gotten going yet. Once that happens, a place in the top-three could be a familiar spot for the Devils all season long.
4. New York Rangers (no change)
After capturing the President's Trophy in 2023-24, this Rangers roster looks almost identical to the one that won 55 games last year. And it looks like New York will be near the top again this year, especially the way Igor Shesterkin is playing in a contract year. The superstar netminder blanked the Penguins in a 6-0 season-opening win, and he was excellent again in a 4-1 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. A 6-5 overtime loss to Utah was a small blip, but this continues to look like one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. Artemi Panarin is already building off his outrageous 120-point campaign — his seven points in three games is tied for first in league scoring. The two Russians will continue to drive the bus for the Blueshirts ahead of a rematch with Detroit — this time in Michigan — on Thursday.
5. Winnipeg Jets (+8)
After a horrible showing in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Jets are quickly looking to put another disappointing postseason in the rearview mirror. And it's going swimmingly so far. Mark Scheifele is the No. 1 player in fantasy hockey, with four goals and six points in his first three games, while Connor Hellebuyck is already looking like the favorite to win back-to-back Vezina Trophies. The American has given up a ridiculous two goals in three games — all of them victories — and the Jets are getting contributions from all over the lineup. Six different players scored goals in a season-opening smackdown of the reeling Oilers, and it again looks like the Jets are going to be a phenomenal regular-season team in 2024-25. They'll welcome the Sharks to Canada Life Centre on Friday.
6. Florida Panthers (-5)
After a quick week at the top of the list, the Panthers have already been usurped in the NHL Power Rankings. Florida is 2-2 after seven days, and now missing two crucial pieces of the offense. Sasha Barkov injured his leg in a loss to the Senators and will be out around 2-3 weeks, while Matthew Tkachuk is dealing with an illness that is expected to keep him sidelined for the rest of this week. Not exactly an ideal start for the defending Stanley Cup champions. On the bright side, star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is approaching 400 wins, and the two-time Vezina Trophy winner could hit the milestone this week. The Panthers play three more times after beating the Bruins on Monday night, and ‘Bob' is just two victories away. If he runs the table, Florida will be back in the top-five of the Power Rankings next week, and the surefire Hall of Famer will have 400 victories under his belt.
7. Utah Hockey Club (+15)
What an electric start to the season for the Utah Hockey Club. The debut was a smashing success, a 5-2 victory over Bedard and the Blackhawks in front of an energized Delta Center crowd. Utah then went on the road and impressively defeated the Islanders and Rangers, beginning the campaign 3-0 before losing by that exact score to the Devils on Monday night. Still, an overall terrific first couple of games for a team that is probably starting to believe it can make the playoffs. The NHL Power Rankings were kind to the Hockey Club in Week 2, but it'll be difficult for them to hold a spot this high going forward. But the way the offense is producing — specifically Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Dylan Guenther — there's certainly a chance.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (+3)
The Maple Leafs have gotten excellent goaltending in the early going, and that's without presumed starter Joseph Woll. He suffered an injury before the season opener, leaving Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby to man the crease. And the two have done so brilliantly, allowing just five total goals in three games. Unfortunately for Leafs Nation, the season-opener was a 1-0 loss to the Canadiens at the Bell Centre. But it was followed up by back-to-back 4-2 triumphs, over the Devils and Penguins, and Auston Matthews still hasn't scored a goal. That will change very soon, but a week in, Toronto looks more than alright.
9. Tampa Bay Lightning (+5)
The Lightning were a difficult team to place in the NHL Power Rankings considering they've played just once since the season started. But Nikita Kucherov made sure they got right into the top-ten, continuing his torrid pace from last year. The league's premier right winger recorded a hat trick and added an assist in the Bolts' 4-1 over the Hurricanes last week — the only contest for either teams ahead of Tuesday. Andrei Vasilevskiy looked great in that one, and that'll be a catalyst as Tampa Bay looks to return to the peak of the Atlantic Division this season. They're finally back in action to host the Canucks at Amalie Arena on Tuesday night.
10. Boston Bruins (-4)
Similar to the Panthers, the Bruins have gotten off to a lukewarm start, and it's affected their short-term standing in the NHL Power Rankings. They're also 2-2, the two losses coming to, you guessed it, Florida, with two victories sandwiched in between against the Canadiens (6-4) and Kings (2-1), respectively. Jeremy Swayman is back between the pipes, but he struggled in both defeats to the Cats, and the organization will be hoping for better as he shakes off the rust. After a three-game homestand, Boston is heading on the road to take on Colorado, Utah and Nashville in Week 2.
11. Vancouver Canucks (-4)
A disappointing start to the campaign for the Canucks, who are still searching for their first victory through two games. Both against the Flames and the Flyers, the Nucks held a lead, just to lose both in extra time. They were defeated 5-4 by Calgary in overtime despite leading 4-1, and downed 3-2 in a shootout by Philadelphia after being ahead 2-1. The silver lining is, Vancouver hasn't yet lost in regulation, and they'll hope to keep that streak alive — and ideally get in the win column — in a road trip that will take them through Tampa Bay, South Beach and Philly this week. If Tyler Myers is healthy, he will ring in his 1,000th game in the City of Brotherly Love.
12. Calgary Flames (+18)
Maybe the biggest surprise of the 2024-25 season so far? The Calgary Flames. From 30th to 12th in the NHL Power Rankings, this squad looks great despite being a shell of what it once was talentwise. The Flames are surging, defeating the Canucks, Flyers and Oilers in Week 1 and scoring 16 goals in the process. Jonathan Huberdeau is looking like a huge bounce-back candidate after potting three goals and five points, while Dan Vladar and youngster Dustin Wolf are holding down the fort so far. It's still so early, but Calgary is actually looking very decent in the early going. Can they keep this up for 79 more games?
13. Nashville Predators (-3)
No team got better in the summer more than the Predators, although Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei aren't making too much of an impact in the early going. Nashville is without a victory through two games, beginning the 2024-25 campaign by suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of the Stars and Red Wings. The latter was a Cam Talbot masterclass; the former, a tough 4-3 loss to one of the league's top teams. No reason to panic in Smashville, although obviously not the start the city was hoping for after a big offseason. They'll look to right the ship when the Kraken come to town on Tuesday, and will celebrate Luke Schenn's 1000th game on Thursday against the Oilers.
14. Colorado Avalanche (-9)
It hasn't just been a bad start for the Avalanche in 2024-25, it's been a nightmare. This club has a serious goaltending problem; Alexandar Georgiev was pulled in two of his team's three losses to open the year, posting a ghastly 6.58 GAA and .790 SV% in the process. Colorado is lucky it isn't falling further down the NHL Power Rankings, especially as they join the Oilers as the only teams in the league without a point through three contests. It is important to note that none of Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen and Jonathan Drouin are currently healthy, and this will be a transformed roster in a couple of weeks. But will the Avs just be treading water until those players are ready to return? The way things are going right now, it looks like it. Colorado badly needs a victory at home against the Bruins on Wednesday.
15. Carolina Hurricanes (-6)
The Hurricanes don't deserve such a significant dip down the NHL Power Rankings, but as they've played just one game, they get the short end of the stick this week. It certainly hasn't been a bad start, just an uneventful one for Rod Brind'Amour's club. The Canes lost to the Lightning in their season opener at home on Friday, being victimized by a vintage Kucherov performance. Still, they didn't look bad in that one, with two of the Russian's goals going into an empty net. After Frederik Andersen began the season between the pipes, it'll be Pyotr Kochetkov in net as the Hurricanes look to get in the win column against the high-flying Devils on Tuesday night.
16. Edmonton Oilers (-14)
The two teams from Alberta are shockingly going in completely different directions in 2024-25. The one that lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final is 0-3, while the one that finished 24th in the regular season is 3-0. That's NHL hockey for you. Just like in 2023-24, the Oilers are off to a brutal start, joining the Avalanche with three regulation losses and not getting any scoring from the prolific offense. Edmonton has scored just three goals in losses to Winnipeg, Chicago and Calgary in Week 1, and they've gone freefalling down the NHL Power Rankings standings because of it. After last year, it seems a matter of when, not if this roster will turn it around, but Stuart Skinner needs to be better. He was pulled against the Jets and poor vs. the Flames, and his improved game should help a very talented club start to string some wins together.
17. Minnesota Wild (no change)
The second team on the list to not make any waves either way in the NHL Power Rankings, the Wild are off to a very mundane start. They still haven't lost in regulation, but have more losses than wins through three tilts. Minnesota began with a tight victory over Columbus before suffering back-to-back losses to the Kraken and Jets, the former in a shootout and the latter on a Kyle Connor overtime marker. Both Jared Spurgeon and Joel Eriksson Ek are suffering from early ailments, and the absence of those two completely changes this roster. The hope is that the pair will be back in the lineup this week; neither will be when the Wild play the Blues in Missouri on Tuesday.
18. Los Angeles Kings (no change)
Like the Wild, the Kings are off to a pretty average start in 2024-25. Also 1-0-2, LA got the season started on a great note, with Anze Kopitar recording a natural hat trick in a 3-1 win over Buffalo in Western New York. The Kings were well-positioned to make it 3-0, but lost back-to-back overtime games to the Bruins and Senators, respectively. The latter was a wild 8-7 final in an afternoon matinee on Monday. Starting the campaign on a brutal seven-game road trip, the Kings still have stops in Toronto, Montreal, Anaheim and Las Vegas before heading home.
19. St. Louis Blues (+4)
An encouraging start for the Blues, who came from behind to spoil the Kraken's home opener before making it a perfect 2-0 in a shootout against the Sharks two nights later. Although St. Louis suffered a tough 4-3 loss to Vegas, all three opening games were on the road; it's been a solid start for Drew Bannister's team overall. With the road trip over, the Blues are heading back to Missouri for a four-game homestand that begins against the Wild on Tuesday night. They'll look to begin the process of usurping their Central Division rivals in the NHL Power Rankings when puck drops.
20. Detroit Red Wings (-4)
Not an ideal start for Derek Lalonde's Red Wings. Detroit is 1-2 through three games, and Ville Husso was already waived after allowing four goals on 14 shots in a home-opening 6-3 loss to the Penguins. The Wings got back in the win column two nights later at Little Caesars Arena, with Cam Talbot absolutely stymying the Predators en route to a masterful 42-save shutout. For some reason, he didn't start the team's next game, with Alex Lyon manning the crease and surrendering three goals in a 4-1 loss to the Rangers. Alex DeBrincat is off to another hot start, but the team game needs to be better ahead of a rematch with New York at home on Thursday.
21. Montreal Canadiens (+5)
Despite discouraging injuries to Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher, the Canadiens are off to a decent start in 2024-25. They fell back to .500 after losing to the Penguins on Monday night, but Samuel Montembeault is looking like the goalie of the future after recording an electric 48-save shutout against the rival Leafs at the Bell Centre in their home opener. He was also phenomenal in a 4-1 win over the Senators on Saturday, but had a tough go against Crosby, Malkin and Pittsburgh. Still, the Habs are playing decently well in the early going, with Lane Hutson looking like a young Quinn Hughes out there. He's got a serious chance to win the Calder Trophy, while Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield each have four points in four games. Hockey is fun again in Montreal, and should be all year long regardless of how the season ends.
22. Ottawa Senators (+2)
The Senators are neck-in-neck with the Canadiens in the NHL Power Rankings, although the Habs get the nod in Week 2. Ottawa is off to a very decent start, having won two of their three games to begin the 2024-25 season. Linus Ullmark came as advertised in his first game in Canada's capital, stymying the defending Stanley Cup champions in an impressive 3-1 victory. But he missed Monday's wild 8-7 overtime win with a minor injury, and this squad clearly needs him back in the lineup ASAP. Tim Stutzle is leading the way in the early going, with six points in his first three games. The Sens are off for a few days before welcoming the Devils to the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday.
23. Washington Capitals (-8)
The Capitals fell victim to the algorithm of the NHL Power Rankings despite playing just a single game last week. Obviously, it was a loss; Alex Ovechkin and co. were defeated 5-3 by the Devils in their home opener. The Great Eight didn't get any closer to Wayne Gretzky's record in the contest, although he did set up a powerplay goal by John Carlson in the second period. Washington will have no shortage of games going forward, and it's an absolute gauntlet this week. They'll play Vegas and Dallas at home before heading to Newark to play the Devils on Saturday. Those three teams have one combined loss between them.
24. Buffalo Sabres (-4)
After a miserable 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia, things haven't gotten much better for the Sabres in North America. They squandered a 1-0 third period lead against Kopitar and the Kings in their home opener, losing 3-1 to fall to 0-3. A nightmare start, but Buffalo secured a commanding 5-2 win over Florida on Saturday to finally secure a W. They'll look to take that momentum on the road in Pittsburgh Wednesday, Columbus Thursday and Chicago Saturday. JJ Peterka, who suffered a concussion in the Czech Republic, could be back in the lineup in Pennsylvania.
25. New York Islanders (-6)
The Islanders have begun the new season right at .500, getting back there after a convincing 6-2 win over the Avalanche on Monday. Before that, New York had suffered back-to-back losses to Utah and Dallas, the former coming in overtime. At 1-1-1, it hasn't been an ideal start for Patrick Roy's team, but the Hall of Famer did get a win in his return to Colorado on Monday. And Ilya Sorokin looked fantastic in his season debut, turning aside 32 of 34 shots. The Isles will channel that momentum into a cross-conference road tilt with the Blues on Thursday night.
26. Pittsburgh Penguins (-1)
The Penguins are off to a 2-2 start, which isn't too surprising for a team that a lot of people are expecting to again not make the playoffs. But Crosby and Malkin continue to produce, and the Russian is off to a particularly phenomenal start. The three-time champ is tied for the league lead in scoring along with Panarin and Eichel with seven points, although Crosby has only managed three assists in the same span. Still, one of the greatest ever needs just one point to become the 10th member of the 1,600 club, and that will certainly be happening this week with the Penguins set to play three more times. Now with over 1,300 points of his own, Malkin should also be scoring goal No. 500 this week — he's just one away. Needless to say, Wednesday and Friday with Buffalo and Carolina in town will be appointment viewing as the duo approach two incredible milestones.
27. Philadelphia Flyers (-6)
The Flyers began their 2024-25 campaign on the road, making a come-from-behind victory over the Canucks in Vancouver before losing 6-3 to the Flames in Calgary the next night. Matvei Michkov has been good if not great in his first two games, managing an assist and averaging just over 18-and-a-half minutes per night. Philly probably doesn't deserve to be this low on the NHL Power Rankings, and if they can string a few wins together in Week 2, they could make up the six spots they lost. The road trip continues in Edmonton and Seattle this week before the team finally heads east for the home opener, a rematch with the Canucks on Saturday night.
28. Seattle Kraken (-1)
Even with the marquee additions of Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson in the offseason, the Kraken are off to a sluggish start. After blowing a 2-0 lead in their home opener and losing to St. Louis, Seattle squeaked by Minnesota on a late Jared McCann goal before suffering another disappointing defeat to Dallas on Sunday. Head coach Dan Bylsma still isn't sure if Joey Daccord or Philipp Grubauer is his starting goaltender, but both need to be better if this squad wants to compete for a postseason berth. The Kraken are on the road in Smashville on Tuesday before back-to-back home contests against the Flyers and Flames on Thursday and Saturday.
29. Chicago Blackhawks (no change)
Decent start to the year for the Blackhawks, fantastic start for Bedard, who made sure the first of his sophomore campaign was a beauty. It came in a 5-2 win on the road against the Oilers, but was preceded by back-to-back losses to the Jets and Utah Hockey Club. At 1-1-1, it's not a terrible opening for Chicago, but the NHL Power Rankings still isn't too high on this team. Bedard, Teuvo Teravainen and Seth Jones look great, but the depth needs to produce for this team to make meaningful progress. Still, Bedard is an absolute treat to watch, and he should be even better in his second NHL season.
Connor Bedard's first of the season was a SNIPE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3Gs7aVADqv
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 13, 2024
30. Columbus Blue Jackets (+2)
It only took one week, and the Blue Jackets are out of the NHL Power Rankings basement. They went into a hostile building at Ball Arena and came out with a surprising 6-4 win over the Avalanche, two days after a tight 3-2 loss to the Wild. Considering both of those came on the road, it's an encouraging start. Zach Werenski still looks fantastic on the blue line, and with two goals already, he remains the lone star on this roster. Now back in Ohio, the Jackets will play four straight at Nationwide Arena, beginning against the defending champs on Tuesday night.
31. Anaheim Ducks (-3)
The Ducks are another team that probably doesn't deserve to be this low on the NHL Power Rankings, but they've only played two games, and one of them was against the only squad below them. Anaheim defeated San Jose 2-0, but that was followed by a 3-1 loss to Vegas a couple nights later. The Ducks aren't scoring goals, with some easy addition telling you they've managed just three. It looks like Lukas Dostal is the new starter with John Gibson on the shelf, but new addition James Reimer will have something to say about that. Anaheim could still be better than they've been given credit for, and they'll look to begin the long journey up the rankings against Utah on Wednesday.
32. San Jose Sharks (-1)
Macklin Celebrini made sure the fans at SAP Center got their money's worth in his electric debut on Thursday night — but they'll have to wait a little longer to watch the Sharks' star rookie next. The 18-year-old scored his first goal just seven minutes in and added an assist in a home-opening loss to the Blues, but he was placed on the IR shortly after and isn't with the team on their road trip. Said road trip will take them through Dallas, Chicago and Winnipeg this week, and the club is still looking for its first win of 2024-25. The No. 32 slot in the NHL Power Rankings is quite familiar with San Jose's work.
