Who had Quinn Hughes being traded to the State of Hockey on their bingo card in 2025-26? After six NHL teams made legitimate offers for the former Vancouver Canucks superstar, it was Bill Guerin who swooped in with an incredulous offer. The Minnesota Wild GM parted with the equivalent of four first-round picks, sending Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Ohren and a 2026 first-rounder to British Columbia to win the sweepstakes — and complete one of the biggest trades in league history.
It's an absolute haul for the Canucks, who knew that Hughes wasn't going to re-sign when his contract expired at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season. With their leverage as high as it was going to be, the front office pulled the trigger and traded the best defenseman in franchise history in his prime. It'll be a tough pill to swallow for Vancouver fans — especially considering the fact that management were never able to build a winner around him — but the return is terrific. And the skill of both Buium and Rossi was on full display in their respective debuts on Sunday afternoon.
While the trade signals a rebuild for the Canucks, the Wild immediately become legitimate contenders. They added Hughes to an ultra-skilled core that already features the highest paid player in hockey in Kirill Kaprizov, along with Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and Jesper Wallstedt. It's now Stanley Cup or bust in the Lone Star State, with a secondary but crucial goal being convincing Hughes to sign in Minnesota — and not with his brothers and the New Jersey Devils.
Remarkably, that wasn't the only blockbuster trade in Week 10, as the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins teamed up for a Stuart Skinner-Tristan Jarry swap that will certainly leave a lot of fans scratching their heads (more on that shortly). But if this is a sign of things to come — that being more trades as the campaign rolls on — we are certainly not complaining.
Clearly, there's a lot to talk about in the latest edition of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings, and we are also on milestone watch in Week 11, with Leon Draisaitl approaching 1,000 points and Patrick Kane on the verge of 500 goals. Never a dull moment in the National Hockey League these days, and that's just how we like it. Let's make sense of another busy seven days.
Previous 2025-26 NHL Power Rankings: Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Colorado Avalanche (no change)
It's now been over a month since the Avalanche vaulted into the top spot in the NHL Power Rankings — they debuted back in Week 6 — and we're status quo in the middle of December. Colorado secured five of a possible six points over a three-game slate, improving to a ridiculous 23-2-7. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar lead their respective positions in scoring, while Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have settled into a sort of timeshare that looks to be benefiting both netminders. We're looking at a team with a plus-54 goal differential through 32 games, which is just dominant. With the Wild adding Hughes, and the Stars second in league standings, winning the Central and getting away from one of those teams in Round 1 is key. The Avs can beat either of them, but it still wouldn't be an ideal matchup. Despite that, this is still the favorite to win the division come April.
2. Dallas Stars (no change)
If the Stars want to keep pace with the Avalanche, they're going to have to win prolifically over the next four months. And losing two games in a row — both in regulation — is not going to help in that quest at all. Things have gotten more intense for Dallas, who are now staring down a gauntlet of a first-round matchup with a Wild team that just added one of the best blue liners on the planet. Still, the Stars had won eight of nine games before a difficult end to Week 10, and they remain just six back of the Avs. Thomas Harley and Matt Duchene are both back in the lineup after long absences, and now at nearly full health, this roster should be challenging for the President's Trophy the rest of the way. We wouldn't be at all surprised if Jim Nill adds another key piece or two before the deadline.
3. Carolina Hurricanes (+2)
Here's a stat: Brandon Bussi is the fastest goalie in NHL history to 10 wins. The 27-year-old took just 11 games to get there, and he's been just fantastic for a Hurricanes team that badly needs stable goaltending. Pyotr Kochetkov is battling injuries and Father Time is catching up to Frederik Andersen, which would be a huge problem if Bussi wasn't playing the way he is. He's earned the full trust of Rod Brind'Amour, and at this point, it would be shocking if he isn't the Round 1, Game 1 starter in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's helped Carolina open up a four-game heater, which has the squad up to a sparkling 21-9-2 and occupying the top seed in the Eastern Conference through 32 games.
4. Minnesota Wild (+4)
Is it possible that the three best teams in the NHL are all in the Central Division? While a few East contenders will debate that, the Wild have just thrown their hat in the President's Trophy ring. They had already won three games in a row without Quinn Hughes, and they won again in the Orlando, Florida native's debut on Sunday, crushing Boston 6-2. Hughes himself got on the scoresheet, something that will probably happen a lot more over the course of this season. The Wild now have one of the best forwards in Kaprizov, one of the best defensemen in Hughes, and an up-and-coming goalie of the future in Wallstedt. The big question is whether Guerin will be able to convince Hughes to stay in the state long-term, but that's a future question. Today, the Wild deserve to be named amongst the NHL elite, and they begin Monday 10 points back of the Avalanche.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning (-2)
After winning seven games in a row and returning to the peak of the Atlantic Division, the Lightning have lost five of seven since the calendar flipped to December. Making matters worse, Victor Hedman got injured again right after returning to the lineup, and he's set to undergo elbow surgery which will keep him out until February. Disappointing all around, especially with Andrei Vasilevskiy already on IR. It's going to be tough sledding for Tampa Bay over the next several weeks, although Darren Raddysh has been absolute superb on the back end; he's fourth in team scoring with 23 points in 26 games. He's been a great story in 2025-26, although the star core needs to be the catalyst in the Bolts righting the ship without their captain.
6. Vegas Golden Knights (+1)
While the Lightning were great in November but have been bad in December, it's been the opposite for the Golden Knights, who were brutal last month but have been excellent since the calendar flipped. Vegas has won six of seven, with the lone loss coming in a shootout. It's even more impressive considering each of their last five contests have been on the road. Carter Hart has shaken off the rust and been more than solid between the pipes, while Akira Schmid is rounding into a reliable backup. But it's captain Mark Stone being back that has really turned this club around; he just does so much all over the ice. His 24 points in 15 games is special, while Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel continue to produce prolifically as well. Right now, this is the best team in the Pacific Division.
7. Washington Capitals (-3)
All it takes is one bad week to take a tumble down the NHL Power Rankings, and the Capitals are learning that in real time. Washington has lost three of four games, and although it came on the heels of seven straight wins, they're going the wrong way in Week 11. A 5-1 loss to Winnipeg was especially disappointing to end the week, as Connor Hellebuyck returned to the Jets' lineup and stymied Alex Ovechkin and co. in the process. The Caps have conceded second place in the Metropolitan Division to the Islanders, and they're just two points up on the Flyers. They'll look to return to their winning ways in a tough matchup with the Wild in Minnesota on Tuesday night.
8. Florida Panthers (+1)
After losing four games in a row to end November, the Panthers have looked like a different team this month. Florida has won four of five, including a hugely impressive 4-0 shutout win over the Stars on Saturday night. Sergei Bobrovsky looks to be back on track, as does the offense, which has scored 21 times in five games. They're still outside a playoff spot, which is a bit concerning for the two-time defending champs, but we're getting closer and closer to a Matthew Tkachuk debut. And even without him, the Cats are surging ahead of a mouth-watering Battle of Florida in Tampa Bay on Monday night. As always when these two teams meet, there will be fireworks.
9. Anaheim Ducks (-3)
The Ducks have Lukas Dostal back in the lineup, which is huge, but he struggled in a 4-1 loss to the Devils on Saturday afternoon. That came two days after a 5-2 loss to the Islanders, costing Anaheim a couple of spots in the NHL Power Rankings. Nothing to panic about, but they'd love to get back in the win column on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, and not just for the sake of the standings. Chris Kreider will make his return to New York after spending 13 productive seasons with the Blueshirts. He's third on the franchise's all-time goals list, and will be getting a well-deserved tribute and ovation from the MSG crowd after being traded from Broadway to California over the summer.
10. Boston Bruins (+2)
Although the Bruins ended their week with a tough road loss to the Hughes-equipped Wild, they're still vaulting into the top-10 in the latest NHL Power Rankings. Boston had won four in a row and five of six previous, and they're just a point back of the Atlantic lead. The division is turning out to be ultra-crowded, with the Bruins, Lightning, Canadiens and Red Wings all within a single point. Even in December, every point counts, and with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy back in the lineup, this team is proving that it belongs in more than just the playoff conversation. This has been a terrific bounce-back in Beantown, and at 19-14-0, the B's have their sights firmly set on returning to the dance in four months.
11. Montreal Canadiens (-1)
The Canadiens struggled mightily for most of November, but have won seven of their last 12 games overall. That has them third in the Atlantic Division, a place they won't be too upset with through 32 games. They ended the week with a convincing 4-1 victory over the Oilers, which is what is keeping them ahead of Edmonton in the NHL Power Rankings this time around. Jacob Fowler is the goalie of the future in Quebec, and he made the most of his NHL debut by beating the Penguins 4-2 on Thursday. With three goalies on the roster, something is going to have to give, but the 21-year-old has certainly earned a longer look in the major leagues. A four-game homestand continues with tilts against the Flyers, Blackhawks, and Penguins, in that order, over the next six days.
12. Edmonton Oilers (+1)
The Oilers management team said that they wouldn't make a lateral goaltending move, then they went out and made a lateral goaltending move. After helping Edmonton reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, Stuart Skinner, who has never gotten an easy time in Canada, is headed to Pittsburgh. GM Stan Bowman believes that Tristan Jarry will produce better results, although he's battled injury and inconsistency over the last few years. To his credit, he helped Edmonton beat Toronto 6-3 on Saturday night in his team debut. The Oil and Pens will meet immediately after the trade, doing battle at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday. Expect both Skinner and Jarry to be between the pipes, and also expect Draisaitl to hit 1,000 points — he's currently just one away and will be the 14th active player to get there. Add in Connor McDavid vs. Sidney Crosby as a side plot, and this is as close to a must-watch game as you'll get in the regular-season.
13. Detroit Red Wings (+1)
What a run it's been for Patty Kane. The three-time Stanley Cup champion is on the verge of two incredible milestones ahead of a four-game week for the Red Wings. He's just two goals away from 500 in his illustrious career, and nine points away from a much grander achievement: passing Mike Modano for the most points among US-born players. It's hard to argue that he's not the greatest American of all time, and he's helped Detroit to an 18-12-3 record in 2025-26, which includes four wins in five games. The Wings are back to relevance, currently sitting second in the division in the middle of December. On paper, this looks like a playoff team, and after nine straight misses, fans are desperate for Kane and co. to keep up this pace.
14. New York Islanders (+2)
The Islanders are on an absolute tear, and they probably deserve even more love from the NHL Power Rankings in Week 11. Patrick Roy's team has racked off six wins in seven tries, improving to 19-11-3 and looking like the best New York team in the process. That's saying a lot considering the Isles and Devils were on very different trajectories a month ago. Today, they're right in the thick of the division lead, sitting second and just three points back of the Hurricanes. Was this team supposed to be retooling in 2025-26? That doesn't seem to be the case as the wins just keep on coming on Long Island.
15. New Jersey Devils (-4)
The wheels continue to fall off for the Devils, and we'll try not to keep pinning it all on the absence of Jack Hughes. Timo Meier is also on a personal leave, further gutting the forward core. New Jersey has lost seven of nine games, including a 2-1 defeat on home ice to Vancouver on Sunday that had the boo birds out in force at the Prudential Center. It's been a really, really bad stretch for a team that was leading the Metro not too long ago. They're now out of a playoff spot entirely, and watching Quinn end up in Minnesota and not Newark with Luke and Jack must be grim. The Devils are broken right now, and badly need a fix if they hope to keep pace in a crowded Eastern Conference.
16. Philadelphia Flyers (-1)
The Flyers are quickly learning the price of consistent losing in this league. Despite owning the top wildcard berth in the East, they're just six points back of the conference basement. And after dropping three straight contests, they're on the verge of losing their playoff positioning. Considering all three of those defeats came past regulation, we aren't hitting Philly too hard in the PR's this week. But it's been a challenging month so far with five losses in seven tries, and things won't get much easier as a road trip takes them through Montreal, Buffalo and New York to play the Habs, Sabres and Rangers, respectively, between now and Saturday. We're waiting and waiting for Matvei Michkov to heat up offensively; it's been the Trevor Zegras show instead in the City of Brotherly Love this year.
17. New York Rangers (+2)
The Rangers have captured at least a point in five of their last six games, although three of them were losses. The overall picture is getting better in New York, though, and they suffered a couple of tough-luck overtime defeats to the Avalanche and Golden Knights last weekend. At 16-13-4, the Blueshirts are just two points out of a playoff spot, and that's without Adam Fox in the lineup. The big story on Monday is Kreider returning to MSG, although the small story is Mika Zibanejad being scratched after missing a team meeting. That's not ideal, but all eyes will be on the Ducks' No. 20 at Madison Square Garden. You know the career sniper would love to score against his old team.
18. Winnipeg Jets (no change)
It's not often that a team loses nine times in 12 games and stands pat in the NHL Power Rankings. This might be the first time, actually. And it's all because of Connor Hellebuyck, who mercifully returned to the lineup after a really challenging stretch for Eric Comrie. He's just not a starting goaltender in the NHL, and he will immediately return to backup duties after the return of the reigning league MVP. The American showed why on Saturday, slowing down an excellent Capitals team and holding them to just one goal in a 5-1 victory. The results should immediately turn around for the Jets, although there are still some significant holes in this lineup. At 15-15-1, the dream of back-to-back President's Trophy honors is already dead.
19. San Jose Sharks (+4)
Once again, the Sharks are hitting an all-time high in the history of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings. San Jose continues to shed the rebuild label in 2025-26, as evidenced by an insane comeback win over Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Sharks erased a 5-1 third period deficit by scoring four unanswered goals before John Klingberg called game in OT. It was an electric win — the team's best of the year — and was one of three victories in four tries. Ryan Warsofsky's team needs to be taken seriously this season, and they're proving it on a game by game basis. After five straight away from California, the Sharks are back home to welcome the Flames, Stars and Kraken to the SAP Center this week.
20. Los Angeles Kings (+1)
The Kings have lost four of their last six games, but due to some significant struggles from some other teams in the murky middle, they're getting a slight jump up the NHL Power Rankings. Los Angeles played three games last week and won the first in regulation before dropping the next two in overtime. Both of those games — a 3-2 loss to the Kraken and a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Flames — could have went either way, and the Kings continue to occupy the third seed in the Pacific Division. The hold is precarious, with the Oilers just one point back, and the Sharks two. This is a roster struggling to score and still working to figure things out overall, although at its best, it's playoff caliber despite a reasonably disappointing start in 2025-26.
21. Ottawa Senators (-4)
Another week of misery for the Senators, who are adjusting to life with Brady Tkachuk in all of the wrong ways. Ottawa is slumping in a huge way, with seven losses in 10 games dating back to November 24. Once a fixture in the top-three of the Atlantic Division, the Sens have fallen all the way to seventh place, and tied for last with the Sabres. That's how quickly things can change in the Eastern Conference. Missing Thomas Chabot and Shane Pinto is really hurting this roster, although both players should be back before the New Year. Right now, it's up to the guys in the room to get them out of this rut, starting with a trip to Winnipeg on Monday.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins (-2)
While Jarry has already made his debut for the Oilers, Skinner is still waiting to get the proper clearance to play in the United States. That looks to have been resolved on Monday morning, and he will be in line to make his Penguins debut on Tuesday. You can't write a better script, and with Pittsburgh having lost five games in a row — and struggling mightily to protect leads — the starting goalie job is wide open at this point. Skinner has the chance to secure his spot in the Steel City, and making his team debut against the Oilers, it's just going to mean that much more to one of the nicest guys in the game.
23. Calgary Flames (+2)
Slowly but surely, the Flames are working their way up the NHL Power Rankings. Calgary was 5-13-3 on November 18. Today, they're 13-16-4 after winning eight of their last 12. We thought this was going to be a bottom-feeder, but instead, it looks like they might be a playoff contender after all. There's still a long way to go, but with Dustin Wolf looking like a top goalie, and Rasmus Andersson playing some inspired hockey on the blue line, the Flames are just five out of a wildcard spot. They have a crucial stretch coming up, with five straight games against Pacific Division opponents. A strong couple of weeks could put this club in even better postseason positioning as we approach the New Year.
24. Utah Mammoth (no change)
The Mammoth are once again standing pat as they continue to battle mediocrity. Utah has been streaky but ultimately ineffective after opening up an 8-2 record at the end of October. They're now just above .500, following up three consecutive losses by beating the Kraken on Friday and Penguins on Sunday. The latter was a wild affair, with the Mammoth trailing 3-0 in the third period before tying things up, taking the lead, blowing said lead, and winning in overtime. This team has the best goal differential of any non-playoff club in the Western Conference, and that's at least a little bit encouraging. The path to the postseason is still there, especially as they're currently tied with the Sharks for the final berth as of Monday.
25. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)
Huge credit to Dennis Hildeby, who has been mostly solid as the short-term starting goaltender in Toronto. The Maple Leafs remain without Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz, although head coach Craig Berube said the former could be back as soon as Tuesday night against the Blackhawks. The Leafs have lost three of four, but two of those went past regulation, and they are above .500 in the month of December. They're slowly turning things around, although William Nylander being demoted to the third line is never something you want to see. Toronto is just five points back of the wildcard, but they need to shake off this funk quickly.
26. Seattle Kraken (-4)
The season has been completely derailed for the Kraken, who at one point were a top-10 team in league standings in 2025-26. After losing eight of nine games, though, they're nowhere close to that. In fact, Seattle is back to .500 at 12-12-6 and only three points away from the Western Conference basement. There's just no star power on this team, and with Joey Daccord struggling, there's no light at the end of the tunnel right now. Amid a horrendous stretch, the last team they need to be playing right now is the Avalanche, but that's who's coming to town on Tuesday night.
27. Buffalo Sabres (+3)
It finally happened. After years of misery, Kevyn Adams was removed from his role as general manager on Monday morning, and replaced by Jarmo Kekalainen. How much of a difference it will make on the ice remains to be seen, but it was high time for a shakeup in Western New York. Buffalo actually hasn't been bad lately, winning three games in a row — all on the road. Yes, that came after three straight regulation losses, but it's encouraging the roster didn't let things get out of hand. The fallout of the GM move is going to be interesting, but the Sabres are only six points out of a playoff spot despite being last in the Atlantic Division. A lot can change in a couple of weeks.
28. Chicago Blackhawks (-1)
It's bad enough that the Blackhawks have won just three games since November 20. It's absolutely devastating that Connor Bedard won't be around to try to lead a turnaround until at least the New Year. The star center suffered a shoulder injury in the final seconds of a 3-2 loss to the Blues on Friday night, which is just brual. It was announced on Monday that he would be placed on IR and miss at least the rest of the month. How do you replace 19 goals and 44 points in 31 games? You don't, and Bedard getting injured is the worst-case scenario for a franchise that is already flailing. We were hoping we wouldn't see the Hawks fall this low in 2025-26, but the results speak for themselves. Hopefully, No. 98 will be back on the ice as soon as possible.
29. Nashville Predators (+2)
Another few spots up CP's PR's for the Predators, who have been extremely solid since the end of November. We haven't seen this kind of winning in Nashville in two seasons; they've captured six of nine, and gotten just three games back of .500. Steven Stamkos scoring four goals in a game is just what he needed to build some confidence, while Ryan O'Reilly and Luke Evangelista have both been excellent offensively as of late. There's still a ton of work to do — the Preds are seven points back of the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference — but this is encouraging. Roman Josi and Juuse Saros have stabilized the defensive side of the puck, and the offense is starting to wake up. We're keeping an eye on this roster over a busy four-game slate in Week 11, beginning with a trip to St. Louis on Monday.
30. St. Louis Blues (-1)
The Blues own the worst goal differential in the National Hockey League at a ghastly minus-34, and that's the main thing holding them back from making any significant progress in the NHL Power Rankings. Since November 22, St. Louis has won six and lost six, and that's exactly the kind of team we expect them to be for the rest of 2025-26. There are flashes of momentum and equal flashes of mediocrity, but when you add it all together, it's not a very encouraging picture. Losing 7-2 to the Predators was surprising, and the main reason why STL is back into the bottom-three in Week 11. They won't have to wait long for the rematch; maybe they'll have better results against Nashville on home ice.
31. Columbus Blue Jackets (-3)
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Blue Jackets, who have traded in overtime and shootout woes for regulation ones. Columbus has lost five games in a row, four of those in regulation, falling all the way back to .500 at 13-13-6. They're also last place in the Metropolitan Division, which is hugely disappointing after last year's surprising success. Neither the goal scoring nor the goaltending is up to par, with Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves both struggling between the pipes. Zach Werenski continues to play like a superstar, but he can't do it all by himself. The Jackets badly need to get back in the win column in the last two games of their homestand this week, either against Anaheim on Tuesday or Minnesota on Thursday — easier said than done.
32. Vancouver Canucks (no change)
Although trading away one of the best players in franchise history is never going to be received well, public perception seemed rather mild considering the Canucks' huge return for Hughes. And it's hard to be upset with the debuts of Buium, Rossi and Ohgren in Vancouver. Buium scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in Sunday's 2-1 victory over the Devils, which must have felt good for the team. It came after a stretch of nine losses in 11 games, so they aren't going anywhere in the NHL Power Rankings, but it was great to see ‘Hughes-lite' making an immediate impact. Rossi also added some peripherals while seeing over 18 minutes, and he gives the Canucks another top-six option at center that was badly needed — especially with Elias Pettersson on IR. The front office is probably waving the white flag on this season, but it's going to be very interesting to see how the trio performs the rest of the year.
