It's been a long 113 days since the Florida Panthers broke the hearts of the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight time in the Stanley Cup Final, but hockey fans, we are back. The 2025-26 NHL campaign kicked off with a tripleheader on Tuesday night, starting with the Cats raising the banner at Amerant Bank Arena once again.
It was elation for the Panthers at the end of June in Sunrise, and after a quick summer, the good times kept on rolling after a tight 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks — an important win in the absences of Matthew Tkachuk and Sasha Barkov. Elsewhere, Arturs Silovs and the Pittsburgh Penguins spoiled Mike Sullivan's debut behind the New York Rangers bench, while the Colorado Avalanche started off on the right foot with a convincing W over the Kings in Los Angeles.
And just like that, the new campaign is off and running. We're not reading too much into the first day of the season when compiling Week 1 of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings — but we are taking notice. It's the official third year of CP's PR's, which begin on this Wednesday but will be releasing every Monday going forward.
As always, there's no shortage of storylines heading into another unpredictable nine months of NHL hockey. But right now, fans of the game will just be happy to have it back. We captured 27 weeks of Power Rankings last season, and there should be no shortage of movement once every team gets a couple of tilts under their respective belts.
Apologies in advance if your favorite team didn't debut in the No. 1 spot. The beauty of it is, we're just getting started. Without further preamble, here's Week 1 of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings.
1. Edmonton Oilers
Despite coming up short two years in a row in the sport's ultimate series, the Oilers are debuting at No. 1 in the NHL Power Rankings in 2025-26. Florida just isn't the same team without Tkachuk and Barkov, while Edmonton is at full health and has the best player in the world locked up on a ridiculously team-friendly deal. Connor McDavid making just $12.5 million doesn't seem fair, and it's already allowed GM Stan Bowman to throw money at key defensemen Jake Walman and Mattias Ekholm. The roster could get even more potent over the next few years, and the superstar core will be intact for at least the next three. As we all know, it's Stanley Cup or bust for the West's best team, and they kick off the conference defense in a mouthwatering Battle of Alberta clash with the Flames on Wednesday night.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have been unable to get over the Eastern Conference Final hump, but they look as well-positioned as ever after the marquee free agent signing of Nikolaj Ehlers. Add another year of development from young stars Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, a key defensive addition in K'Andre Miller, and rock solid goaltending (as always), and you're looking at a serious contender for the President's Trophy. But this franchise doesn't care about the regular season. Florida has knocked Carolina out in two of the last three years, but the latter should match up even better this time around. The Canes are a wagon, but it's time for them to deliver when it matters most.
3. Dallas Stars
The Stars are the Hurricanes of the Western Conference, a perennial contender but one that still has been unable to win with the current core. They got close in 2020, but haven't been back to the Finals since. A full year without drama for Mikko Rantanen should see him return to his superstar status — as he showed in the 2025 postseason — while the forward depth remains terrific, with Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin on the third line. Jake Oettinger is one of the best at his position and should challenge for the Vezina, while Miro Heiskanen could be in for a huge bounce-back year after a challenging, injury-riddled 2024-25 campaign. This roster is still a wagon, but there could be some growing pains with a new head coach. Still, the Stars should be at the top of the West once again this year.
4. Florida Panthers
It's hard to keep pushing the Panthers down the NHL Power Rankings after they've won 11 of their last 12 playoff series, but — stop me if you've heard this before — they just aren't the same team without their captain. Subtract Tkachuk as well until at least late December and it could be tough sledding in the early stages for the back-to-back champs. Game 1 was a good start, but the Hawks are widely expected to be bottom-feeders again this season. Everybody is going to need to step up to keep the momentum going in Sunrise, and Jesper Boqvist did just that on Tuesday, scoring a slick game-winner midway through the third period. The defensive unit is still elite and Sergei Bobrovsky is still manning the crease, so everything will be ok in Florida. But it could be hard to keep up with the rest of the Eastern Conference elite as the year goes on.
5. Vegas Golden Knights
Welcome to the strip, Mitchell Marner. The former 102-point scorer couldn't get it done in the postseason once again with the Maple Leafs, and after a tumultuous tenure in Toronto, he's headed to Las Vegas. After winning Lord Stanley in 2023, the Golden Knights have suffered a couple of tough playoff defeats, but they should be right back in the thick of things in 2025-26 — especially with Marner in the fold. Losing Alex Pietrangelo for the year hurts, but this is one of the deepest teams in the league at all three positions, and they should be right back at the top of the Pacific Division once again. It'll be interesting to see just how good Jack Eichel and Marner are together, and whether a few elite but injury-prone players (like Mark Stone and Shea Theodore) can stay healthy.
6. Colorado Avalanche
So far, so good for the Avalanche, who went to Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night and came away with a convincing victory. The name of the game for Colorado is health in 2025-26. If captain Gabriel Landeskog and key forward Valeri Nichushkin can stay on the ice for a large chunk of the season, this roster is among the NHL's elite. But that's no guarantee, and the Avs aren't as deep as they once were. Still, any team with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar on the roster is going to be a contender, and Marty Necas looks primed for a huge showing in his contract year. He scored two goals against LA and should continue to feast playing on the top line, while Victor Olofsson could be a sneaky good add. It will be another winning campaign in Denver, but the Central Division remains a behemoth.
7. Winnipeg Jets
The Jets got their big piece of business done just hours before their regular season opener, signing superstar Kyle Connor to a mammoth $96 million extension. The 28-year-old just gets better and better, and he's well worth the price tag after a 41-goal, 97-point showing in 2024-25. He's going to have to continue that pace and then some without Ehlers, whose loss will be felt in Manitoba for years to come. Jonathan Toews returning to his hometown team is a great story, but he's a complete wildcard this year. Despite being somewhat disrespected in Week 1 of the NHL Power Rankings — the Jets did win the President's Trophy, after all — Winnipeg has the potential to shoot up the list with a strong start. And let's not forget Connor Hellebuyck, who remains the best goalie in the world. He's fresh off winning the Hart Trophy, the first time a netminder has done it since Carey Price in 2014-15.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning
Despite a few disappointing playoff losses to the Panthers — a matchup that is now turning into one of the league's best rivalries — the Lightning remain elite. The core is aging, but still capable of greatness, led by back-to-back Art Ross winner Nikita Kucherov. Along with Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay still has what it takes to win a third Stanley Cup since 2020. The X-factor this year could be Gage Goncalves, who was one of the bright spots in a five-game Round 1 defeat to Florida. The Bolts should be at the top of the Atlantic once again, but the division is getting better and better, and there probably won't be any easy first-round matchups come April.
9. Washington Capitals
No one was quite sure what to expect from the Capitals in 2024-25, but I don't think anyone expected them to be THAT good. Winning the Metropolitan Division for the first time in five years, it felt like everything that could go right, went right. Alex Ovechkin went nuclear by scoring 44 goals in 65 games, in the process becoming the greatest goal scorer of all time. Multiple players also enjoyed breakout campaigns, including Aliaksei Protas, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor McMichael. Along with excellent goaltending from Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren, as well as great years from John Carlson and Jakob Chychrun, it was a phenomenal run in the nation's capital. It's hard to not see at least a bit of regression in 2025-26, but in what could be The Great Eight's final NHL campaign, expect the Caps to once again be competing for a Stanley Cup next spring.
10. New Jersey Devils
Similar to the Avalanche, the Devils are a fantastic hockey club — when healthy. Jack Hughes has officially earned the injury-prone label, missing exactly 20 games in each of the last two seasons. He's a superstar when he's on the ice, but New Jersey needs him to be on it for more time this year. The same goes for Dougie Hamilton, who is a stud on the blue line but has played just 84 games in the last two campaigns. At their best, the Devils have what it takes to make a run for the Cup, but a lot of things need to go right. Luke Hughes finally getting locked up long-term is huge, and keep an eye on forward Arseny Gritsyuk in 2025-26 — he was nearly a point-per-game player in the KHL last season. NJ also needs a strong year from the usual suspects — Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier.
11. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs are going to play their first game without Mitch Marner in almost a decade when the Canadiens come to Scotiabank Arena for each team's respective season opener. Toronto is still a great team, and the additions of Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua from the Mammoth and Canucks, respectively, could pay huge dividends. But the engine is captain Auston Matthews, who dealt with a nagging upper-body injury throughout 2024-25 but insists he's now healthy. The Leafs need the former 69-goal scorer to be at his best, and a bounce-back from Morgan Rielly after a miserable individual year wouldn't hurt. Anthony Stolarz remains the guy in Joseph Woll's absence, and on paper, this roster remains elite. Now, it's up to Craig Berube's troops to execute, starting with one of the league's best rivalries on Wednesday night.
12. Minnesota Wild
McDavid took a pay cut to help the Oilers win, Connor took a pay cut to help the Jets win, and Kirill Kaprizov, well, he did no such thing. The new richest player in National Hockey League history will cost the Wild $136 million from 2026-34 — a $17 million AAV. It's not that he isn't deserving of the ultra-lucrative contract extension, it's just that it makes it more difficult for GM Bill Guerin to build a contender around him. It's time for Kaprizov to prove he's worth it by leading Minnesota to the promised lands for the first time in franchise history. With a strong supporting cast, a potential defenseman of the future in Zeev Buium, and one of the league's best goaltenders in Filip Gustavsson, the Wild are well-positioned to make the playoffs again. But things won't be easy in a crowded Central Division. Minnesota kicks off the new season against the Blues in St. Louis on Thursday night.
13. Los Angeles Kings
It's the last dance for Anze Kopitar, a Kings legend and the greatest Slovenian player of all time. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has given everything to the city of Los Angeles, and he'd love nothing more than to bring one more championship to California next June. But it won't be easy without Vladislav Gavrikov — arguably the best defensive defenseman in the NHL — who joined the Rangers in free agency. This is still a potent roster, with a great mix of veteran talent and up-and-coming young stars, along with a rock-solid tendie in Darcy Kuemper (Tuesday night's showing against the Avalanche aside). Kopitar and the Kings will again be challenging for the top of the Pacific, but making a deep playoff run is going to be a serious challenge with this roster. The players, front office and fans alike are all just hoping they can get away from the Oilers in Round 1.
14. Ottawa Senators
Fresh off advancing to the postseason for the first time in eight years, the Senators are looking for more in 2025-26. They came close to making a historic comeback from down 0-3 to the Leafs in Round 1, but were unable to force a Game 7. Still, Ottawa projects to be a bubble playoff team again this season, led by a couple true stars in Brady Tkachuk, Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle. Linus Ullmark staying healthy will be a huge key, although Leevi Merilainen is waiting in the wings and ready for his shot. The difference-makers could be Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund, who both came over at the trade deadline and will be relied upon in their respective first full campaigns with the club. The Sens are out to prove that last season wasn't a fluke, beginning with a divisional clash against the Lightning on Thursday.
15. St. Louis Blues
The Blues are a very difficult team to gauge. After a slow start in 2024-25, this was one of the league's best squads under head coach Jim Montgomery, who replaced Drew Bannister and was given a five-year contract — all on the same day in November. St. Louis went on a heater after that and deserved better against the Jets in Round 1, leading by two goals late in Game 7 but somehow losing in heartbreaking fashion in double overtime. Is this a playoff team again in 2025-26? Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg have completely changed the roster's trajectory after signing offer sheets and being poached from Edmonton. Pius Suter was also a terrific free agency add to shore up the center depth after a strong season in Vancouver. Expect the Blues to compete hard in the Central Division all season long, and if Jordan Binnington plays how he does when he dons the Team Canada jersey, they could get in again.
16. Montreal Canadiens
Sitting right at the halfway point of the NHL Power Rankings is the Canadiens, who took a significant step forward last year, erasing three miserable eighth place finishes in the Atlantic Division. Montreal returned to the dance for the first time since marching all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020-21, putting the league on notice in the process. Although it ended in a five-game loss to the Capitals, it turned back the clock at the Bell Centre nonetheless. This is one of the most exciting young teams in the league, led by a true superstar in Nick Suzuki, a budding franchise cornerstone in Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, and a blockbuster acquisition in Noah Dobson. Add current Calder favorite Ivan Demidov to the mix, along with a few other key pieces, and this is the best roster the Habs have had in years. It's now up to them to prove that they belong with the Eastern Conference elites. That will be no easy feat, but there is a ton of optimism in this market ahead of Wednesday's clash with Toronto.
17. Utah Mammoth
If the Stars are the Hurricanes of the Western Conference, then the Mammoth are the Canadiens. Filled with young talent and a lot to prove, the now-defunct Utah Hockey Club is postseason or bust in 2025-26. The forward core is electric, with Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Barrott Hayton and Nick Schmaltz forming one of the best pure skill top-six's in the NHL. Karel Vejmelka is now the guy with Connor Ingram traded to Edmonton, and he was given a five-year contract extension for his strong play last year. Adding Stanley Cup champion Nate Schmidt was slick, and if John Marino and Sean Durzi can stay healthy, this is also an excellent D core led by Mikhail Sergachev. This will be one of the more fun teams to watch this season. My prediction is, the Mammoth snag a wildcard slot for the first time since the Arizona Coyotes were one of the last eight standing back in 2019-20.
18. Vancouver Canucks
With no more drama and no black cloud hanging over them, it's time for the Canucks to focus on hockey and prove that last season was a fluke. Vancouver is not far removed from winning the Pacific Division in 2023-24, and on paper, they have the roster to compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. A couple of American Hockey League standouts — and Calder Cup champions — are ready for their shot, namely Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Aatu Raty and Arshdeep Bains. They'll all be in the lineup for opening night, along with Braeden Cootes, who was selected 15th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft and did enough at training camp to earn a spot himself. Elias Pettersson needs to bounce back in a huge way, and Thatcher Demko must return to the form he showed before his injury troubles. A lot needs to go right, but with superstar Quinn Hughes leading the charge, and Evander Kane injected into the top-six, this roster has what it takes to remain relevant all season long. That will be even more true if Filip Chytil can stay healthy and excel in the 2C role.
19. New York Rangers
We aren't putting too much stock in the first game of the season, but what a brutal 2025-26 debut for the Rangers. Mike Sullivan moved from Pittsburgh to New York, and facing his old team right off the bat, watched as his squad couldn't score a single goal against what is expected to be one of the league's worst teams. Reigning Calder Cup MVP Arturs Silovs was traded from the Canucks to the Penguins in the offseason, surprisingly named the starter on Tuesday, and completely shut the door at Madison Square Garden. JT Miller and Artemi Panarin are still getting in the swing of things after missing most of the preseason with injuries, but after last year's disaster, it's not going to be a long leash. It's possible that the Blueshirts just aren't the team they once were, especially considering the serious lack of talent in the bottom-six.
20. Calgary Flames
The Flames were oh-so-close to getting into the Stanley Cup Playoffs back in April, tying the Blues in points but losing out on a tiebreak. A big reason for that was Dustin Wolf, who earned Calder consideration after a phenomenal campaign. He's the X-factor in Alberta, and needs to be as good or better if Calgary hopes to hang around in a crowded Western Conference. Jonathan Huberdeau starting the year on IR is disappointing, and the roster on paper admittedly leaves something to be desired. The best player on this team in 35-year-old Nazem Kadri, and there's a very real chance that a key defender in Rasmus Andersson could be traded by the deadline. I'm expecting the Flames to take a step back this year, but if a couple of young guns can move the needle — namely Matt Coronato, Matvei Gridin and Zayne Parekh — I could be proven wrong.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets
Absolutely no one expected the Blue Jackets to be anything but bottom-feeders in 2024-25. Instead, Zach Werenski proved that he's one of the best defensemen in the league when healthy, while Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan all proved that they're near point-per-game players in the right environment. The final result was a Columbus team that missed out on the playoffs by just two points. The additions of Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood should help shore up the depth, and although the star power outside of Werenski is still lacking, we aren't making the same mistake this time around. This is a very solid hockey team, and they should be competitive in the Metropolitan Division once again.
22. Detroit Red Wings
The rebuild has gone on and on for the Red Wings, and the results continue to be disastrous. Detroit hasn't made the playoffs since 2015-16, and although they got close last year, the fanbase is getting restless. This remains a good but not great team, and playing in an ultra-competitive Atlantic Division doesn't help. On paper, this just doesn't look like a postseason club, but the big potential X-factor is John Gibson, who was finally, mercifully shipped out of Anaheim. If he can turn back the clock, it could be just what the Wings need to get back to the dance. But with virtually no other significant help from GM Steve Yzerman on the trade market or through free agency this summer, it's going to be an uphill battle in Michigan in 2025-26.
23. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks look to be approaching the end of their rebuild, with Lukas Dostal taking over as the bonafide No. 1 and a plethora of great young players ready to take the next step. That includes a couple of high draft picks in Leo Carlsson, Jackson LaCombe and Beckett Sennecke, who are all expected to play a significant role this year. GM Pat Verbeek also brought in a couple of interesting veterans in Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund, who are both wildcards but could end up being difference-makers. Anaheim looks better on paper every year; is this the campaign they finally emerge from the rebuild and finish top-eight in the West for the first time since 2017-18? There's certainly potential.
24. New York Islanders
The Islanders missed the postseason in 2024-25, the first time that had happened in three years. Despite continued strong goaltending from Ilya Sorokin, New York just isn't the same team that went to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 2020 and 2021. Losing Noah Dobson isn't going to help the team's prospects this year, although there is a ton of excitement surrounding 2025 No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer. Emil Heinamen, who came over from the Habs in the Dobson trade, could be a sneaky good addition, while Jonathan Drouin was a nifty free agency add. All in all, the Isles should be competitive this season, but it's hard to see them getting in in the East unless Bo Horvat and Mat Barzal put the team on their respective backs.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins are widely considered to be one of the worst teams in the conference as the rebuild continues in earnest. But they had a strong start to the campaign, riding a Silovs shutout and some timely scoring to a 3-0 victory on opening night. It's an extremely small sample size, but it must be nice for Pittsburgh players to beat their old coach in his debut for a new team. It's probably Evgeni Malkin's last year, and the all-time NHL great was terrific on Tuesday night. If he and Sidney Crosby can turn back the clock, and Silovs keeps up that level of play, it's possible the Penguins could surprise a lot of people in 2025-26. We aren't holding our breath, but still, Kyle Dubas must have liked what he saw from his roster at MSG.
26. Boston Bruins
Everything that could have went wrong for the Bruins in 2024-25, went wrong. Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy missed huge chunks of the year, Jeremy Swayman never got into a groove after his training camp holdout — instead having one of the worst seasons of his career — and Boston waived the white flag at the deadline by trading heart and soul forward Brad Marchand along with Brandon Carlo. Although they'll be hard-pressed to make the playoffs, this team should be much better this year. Viktor Arvidsson, Casey Mittelstadt and Tanner Jeannot should help shore up the forward depth, while all signs point to Lindholm and McAvoy being fully healthy. David Pastrnak remains the engine after putting together three straight 100+ point seasons — and not missing a game in the process. There's significant opportunity for the Bruins to climb the NHL Power Rankings in 2025-26, but they're starting low.
27. Buffalo Sabres
Continuing to own the longest postseason drought in North American sports, the Sabres didn't get any better this summer. Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka are no longer playing in Western New York, although Josh Norris has looked good with his new team. The roster on paper still leaves a lot to be desired, although there are some strong pieces throughout. As usual, it will run through Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson, who continue to produce even when the team is bad. With Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Owen Power and Michael Kesselring beginning the season on IR, it could be tough sledding again for a fan base that is well past fed up with the team's current management.
28. Seattle Kraken
After an unbelievable sophomore season that culminated in the Kraken defeating the then-defending-champion Avalanche in the postseason, Seattle hasn't been anywhere near the dance since. Despite the offseason acquisitions of Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson, the team won only 35 games in 2024-25, finishing seventh in the Pacific Division. The improvement is going to come internally, with Matty Beniers and Shane Wright needing to take the next step if this team hopes to return to relevance. The additions of Ryan Lindgren and Mason Marchment should also help, although it's going to be an uphill climb to make the playoffs for the second time in five years of existence. The Kraken begin their campaign against the Ducks at home on Thursday.
29. Philadelphia Flyers
With John Tortorella no longer in the equation, the Flyers have reunited with Rick Tocchet after the new head coach spent most of his playing career in Pennsylvania. Tocchet inherits an incomplete but highly skilled roster featuring a couple of great young players led by Matvei Michkov. He's a huge breakout candidate now that Torts isn't his coach, and Philly also added Trevor Zegras from the Ducks and Christian Dvorak and Dan Vladar in free agency. Whether it will be enough to improve on a brutal 2024-25 season is yet unknown, but there are a lot of effective pieces on this roster. And Tocchet is a great coach. After nearly making the playoffs two years ago, this team has the potential to surprise.
30. Nashville Predators
The Predators were an absolute disaster last year, turning the marquee offseason additions of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault into one of their worst seasons in franchise history. Everything seemed to go wrong for this club, and it led to them finishing just above the Blackhawks and Sharks. That's where they'll be debuting in the NHL Power Rankings, although there is potential for a bounce-back season. There is still a ton of talent on the roster, starting with the aforementioned forwards but also including Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly and Roman Josi. As well, Juuse Saros remains an above-average goaltender. Was 2024-25 a blip or the start of a true rebuild in Tennessee? It probably won't take long to find out.
31. San Jose Sharks
After back-to-back seasons of 20 or less wins, there's nowhere to go but up for the Sharks in 2025-26. Macklin Celebrini was terrific in his rookie year and is expected to get even better, while the youth revolution also features Will Smith, William Eklund and, potentially, 2025 No. 2 overall pick Michael Misa. San Jose GM Mike Grier also brought in some veteran talent to help balance the roster, adding Jeff Skinner, John Klingberg and Dmitry Orlov. This is still not a very good team, but it shouldn't be as bad as the 20-50-12 Sharks of last year. The rebuild still needs time, but Celebrini has serious breakout potential — and the same goes for opening night starter Yaroslav Askarov.
32. Chicago Blackhawks
Although the Blackhawks are destined for another low finish in the Western Conference, the young guys could keep this club afloat. Frank Nazar was terrific against the Panthers, scoring the first goal of the new season and adding an assist to boot. Top defenseman Sam Rinzel also didn't look out of place at all, quarterbacking the top powerplay unit and seeing over 25 minutes of ice. Chicago is still waiting for the true Connor Bedard breakout, and if it doesn't happen this year, the Hawks are candidates to finish 32nd in NHL standings. Still, losing a one-goal game to the defending champions is nothing to hang your head about, and they'll try again to get in the win column against the Bruins in Boston on Thursday.
