The National Hockey League is close to wrapping up its third official week of 2025-26, and — finally — every team has both won and lost a game. Last year at this time, the Winnipeg Jets remained undefeated, while the San Jose Sharks still hadn't found a way to bank two points. It's a little different this time around, although the top and bottom team in ClutchPoints' latest NHL Power Rankings will probably surprise you.
Heading into another busy seven-day stretch, hockey fans won't need to wait long for the highlight of Week 4: Frozen Frenzy. On a random Tuesday night at the end of October, all 32 teams will be in action. Most of the start times are staggered by 15 minutes, with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers kicking things off in an all-Pennsylvania clash at 6:00 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Kings and Sharks wrap things up, with puck dropping in SoCal just past 11 ET.
It'll be a chaotic night of hockey — a fantasy manager's dream come true. And in true NHL scheduling fashion, there's only two games on Monday and one on Wednesday. Make it make sense. Alas, there are a couple of milestone watches on the docket this week, with Alex Ovechkin sitting at 899 goals, John Tavares one away from 500, and Tyler Seguin set to play game No. 1,000 on Tuesday. That comes after reigning Art Ross winner Nikita Kucherov recorded the 1,000th point of his incredible career on Saturday night.
With every squad now having played between eight and 10 games, the new season is quickly approaching the 1/8 mark. And after another telling seven days of hockey, there has again been quite a bit of movement in CP's latest PR's. Here's how it shakes out ahead of another eventful week.
Previous 2025-26 NHL Power Rankings: Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. New Jersey Devils (+7)
Welcome to prime time, New Jersey. A very talented roster is finally putting it all together under Sheldon Keefe, and it's showing. The Devils followed up a season-opening loss by racking off eight consecutive victories — and counting. Considering the team has beaten the likes of the Panthers, Oilers and Avalanche in that span, it's a well-deserved debut at the peak of the NHL Power Rankings in Week 4. Jack Hughes is leading the charge with 12 points in nine games, and the squad is sporting a league-best 3.89 goals per game while sitting in the top-four of goals against. It's a perfect recipe to shoot the Devils to the top of league standings, and they're looking like true Stanley Cup contenders in the early going. Let's not forget a very similar roster won 52 games back in 2022-23. If they can stay healthy, this club is as dangerous as any.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)
A slight bump down the NHL Power Rankings for a Hurricanes team that was undefeated through five games but lost two of three in Week 3. Speaking of lost, Andrei Svechnikov has somehow not managed a single point in 2025-26, earning him a demotion to the fourth line — and likely a demotion to the fantasy waiver wire in many leagues. Meanwhile, marquee free agent signing Nikolaj Ehlers has added only three assists. It's a good thing Seth Jarvis (11 points) and Sebastian Aho (10 points) are there to pick up the slack. Carolina is riddled with injuries on the blue line, with Jaccob Slavin, K'Andre Miller and Shayne Gostisbehere all on the shelf. Still sitting 6-2 despite the ailments, the Canes will be fine, especially considering they played each of their last six games on the road. They'll return to Raleigh to welcome the Golden Knights to town on Tuesday night.
3. Colorado Avalanche (-1)
The Avalanche are lucky they aren't falling further down the NHL Power Rankings after losing four consecutive games. That's probably because Colorado banked 11 of a possible 12 points to begin the campaign. They've also had some bad luck throughout the losing streak, with three of the four games going past regulation — and Jeremy Swayman stealing the other one on Saturday afternoon. The Avs are still a wagon, and have played some excellent teams in the Hurricanes, Devils and surging Mammoth during the skid. This is still a powerhouse at 5-1-4, and that's with backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood in goal for all but two contests. Once Mackenzie Blackwood is cleared, it'll get even harder to score on a team that is already second in goals against per game.
4. Winnipeg Jets (-1)
Last season, the Jets began with a ridiculous 15 wins in 16 games en route to the first President's Trophy in franchise history. This iteration of the roster hasn't been quite as potent, but they'll take a 6-3 record through nine games — and a top-three spot in the Central Division. A 2-2 showing in Week 3 wasn't ideal, but Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor continue to prove why they're one of the best duos in the NHL, with a combined 24 points already. This remains one of the better rosters in the Western Conference, although it's not as good as last year. They'll have a chance to rectify a tough seven-day stretch against a reeling Wild team during Frozen Frenzy.
5. Utah Mammoth (+12)
All you can say about the Mammoth is my goodness. The former Utah Hockey Club is finally putting together the puzzle pieces, and the result is one of the biggest jumps in NHL Power Rankings history. The team is scoring the fourth most goals in the league and giving up the third least, with an embarrassment of riches up front. Utah has four players in the top 20 of league scoring, including an out-of-his-mind Nick Schmaltz, who is tied with Jack Eichel for the league lead with 16 points. Add Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther to that equation, and you have maybe the most formidable top-six in the NHL. Karel Vejmelka has also been a calming presence between the pipes, and he's looking to be worth every dollar and then some of his contract extension. Add it all together and you have a Mammoth team that is 8-2 and first place in the Western Conference. Let's see if they can keep it going.
6. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)
Tough week for the Golden Knights, who officially lost Mark Stone to long-term injured reserve. That's on top of starting netminder Adin Hill, who is week-to-week. Vegas is currently running Akira Schmid and Carl Lindbom between the pipes, and it's not too surprising to see why Carter Hart was officially signed to a two-year deal. That certainly won't help the Knights shed their villain label — not at all. Still, at his best, Hart is better than both Schmid and Lindbom, and he could very quickly earn himself the starting nod on the strip. Vegas is on a two-game losing streak after dropping contests to Florida and Tampa Bay on back-to-back days, and they're losing two spots in the NHL Power Rankings because of it.
7. Montreal Canadiens (+3)
What a start to the year it's been for the Habs, who are taking another step forward after returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-25. Montreal is 7-3 through 10 games, including winning three of four in Week 3. It's been the Jakub Dobes show early on; the Czech netminder is 5-0 with a sparkling 1.77 GAA and .940 SV%, and his outstanding play has earned him the starting role over Samuel Montembeault — at least for now. The news of Patrik Laine getting core muscle surgery and missing 3-4 months is brutal, but he wasn't moving the needle too much anyways. The depth is really showing out in the early going, with 12 players managing five points or more. Don't look now, but Montreal is first place in the Eastern Conference.
8. Dallas Stars (-3)
The Stars started the season with three straight wins, followed it up with four consecutive losses, and righted the ship with back-to-back 3-2 triumphs last week. That's enough for a 5-3-1 record, which is underwhelming considering the amount of talent on this roster. Jake Oettinger is getting back on track, but still not even close to the level that had many around the hockey world pencilling him into the Vezina Trophy conversation in 2025-26. This roster can certainly get to another gear, and a great chance to open up another three-game winning streak awaits in a cross-conference clash with the Capitals in Texas on Tuesday. That'll be game No. 999 for Tyler Seguin; he's set to reach 1,000 on Thursday in Tampa Bay.
9. Washington Capitals (no change)
The Capitals looked primed for a bump up the NHL Power Rankings in Week 4 after winning six of seven games. Instead, they're standing pat after a truly shocking 7-1 drubbing at the hands of the Senators on Saturday night. That was by far Charlie Lindgren's worst start of the year, and Logan Thompson continues to get the bulk of play between the pipes, and for good reason. He's given up just five goals in his last four starts — all of them wins. The spotlight remains on Alex Ovechkin this week; he became just the eighth player to record 1,500 games with one franchise, and everyone is waiting with baited breath as he approaches 900 goals. With only two tallies in nine games, it's taken longer than expected for The Great Eight. But with three games on the docket this week, expect Ovi to hit the incredible milestone sometime in the next seven days.
10. Florida Panthers (-4)
It continues to be tough sledding for the defending champions, who are now nearly out of the NHL Power Rankings top-10. The Panthers have lost five of seven, dropping back to .500 at 5-5, with an opportunity to fall even further if they can't beat the Ducks on Tuesday. Brad Marchand has been the team's best player with 11 points in 10 games, but he won't be available for that tilt as he deals with a personal matter. After Marchand, no player has more than seven points, which is of significant concern. Florida badly needs Sam Reinhart to step up, but instead, he's managed a head-scratching five points in 10 games. Just about every player on this roster needs to be better if the Cats hope to be in a playoff spot when Matthew Tkachuk returns.
11. Edmonton Oilers (-4)
Like the Panthers, the Oilers continue to struggle mightily through three weeks. A potent offense is managing just 2.90 goals per game, which has them in the lower echelon of the NHL. Not counting Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, there's no player who has more than five points. Add league average goaltending and it's not hard to see why Edmonton is 4-4-2 and losers of five of seven. Zach Hyman's return cannot come soon enough, and much to the delight of Oilers fans, he's targeting a return on Saturday against the visiting Blackhawks. First, the Oil will welcome the roaring Mammoth and reeling Rangers to Rogers Place on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
12. Detroit Red Wings (+1)
After enjoying a five-game heater between October 11-19, the Red Wings have lost two of three since — but they're still making positive strides in the NHL Power Rankings. Detroit will take a 6-3 record through nine games, even if one of the wins required a four-goal comeback (see a 6-4 victory over the Blues on Saturday). The Wings can take some solace in the fact that they're still in a playoff spot, being led by captain Dylan Larkin, who looks like one of the league's best players after recording six goals and 13 points in nine games. Things are about to get very difficult, as the Wings, who are 1-2 away from Little Caesars Arena, embark on a five-game road trip beginning in St. Louis on Tuesday.
13. Pittsburgh Penguins (+7)
Are the Penguins for real? Both Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs have been great between the pipes, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have fully turned back the clock, and Pittsburgh is thriving under new head coach Dan Muse. A team that was widely expected to occupy one of the dreaded bottom-five slots in the NHL Power Rankings is instead creeping up towards the top-10 through nine games. The Pens haven't lost in regulation since October 14, and at 6-2-1, the roster clearly has a ton of belief that it can keep this kind of play going. Losing Rickard Rakell for 6-8 weeks is brutal, but the depth — guys like Justin Brazeau, Filip Hallander and Anthony Mantha — looks ready to step up. Now just a point away from the top of the East, the Penguins will look to get there by beating the visiting Blues in one of just two games on the slate on Monday.
14. Seattle Kraken (+5)
The Kraken continue to surprise in 2025-26 after winning three of five games dating back to October 18. That's without franchise leading scorer Jared McCann, who was placed on injured reserve last week. Joey Daccord has been a wall in the crease, playing some of the best hockey of his career. He's allowed just two goals over his last two starts, shutting out the Jets on Thursday before making 31 saves on 33 shots en route to a 3-2 victory over the Oilers two nights later. The offensive output still needs some work, but after back-to-back missed postseasons, Seattle is currently second place in the Pacific Division at a very respectable 5-2-2.
15. Toronto Maple Leafs (-4)
The early-season struggles continue for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped out of a playoff spot completely despite a 4-3 overtime victory over the Sabres on Saturday. John Tavares was the hero in the extra frame, scoring goal No. 499. The veteran will have three chances to make it 500, against the Flames on Tuesday, the Blue Jackets on Wednesday and the Flyers on Saturday. He's been a bright spot, with 12 points through his first nine games. Still, Toronto looks out of sorts overall, having lost three straight before the home triumph over Buffalo. Anthony Stolarz is struggling, and looking nothing close to the top form he showed last year. On the bright side, Joseph Woll has rejoined the team, although it's going to be a couple more weeks before he's ready for game action.
16. Minnesota Wild (-4)
After allowing the Sharks to win just their second game of the season on Sunday night, the Wild are lucky they aren't taking even more of a hit in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 4. It's been a seriously concerning start in the State of Hockey; Minnesota has lost six of seven, with Filip Gustavsson struggling mightily between the pipes. The defense isn't doing him many favours, and allowing 3.90 goals per game — 30th league-wide — isn't a recipe for any sort of success. Kirill Kaprizov is doing his best, with 14 points in 10 games, but even the Russian superstar can be better. This is the last week we're saying ‘it's still early' before the Wild suffer a dramatic drop down the PR's.
17. Tampa Bay Lightning (-3)
What is going on with Andrei Vasilevskiy? One of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history has won just one of his six starts while posting a 3.00 GAA and .892 SV% in 2025-26. The hope is that age and injuries aren't catching up to the Russian, but if he isn't an above-average goaltender, the Lightning are in trouble. Tampa is currently 3-4-2 after one of the worst starts in recent memory. The fact that Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point have combined for just 30 points in 34 games is also of serious concern considering the offensive depth seems to get worse every year. Kucherov has eight points in seven tilts and has been much better recently, reaching an incredible milestone and scoring the overtime winner against the Golden Knights on Sunday. Still, not a good start for the Bolts, but lots of time to turn things around.
18. Vancouver Canucks (-2)
After months of trade speculation, Lukas Reichel was traded from the Blackhawks to the Canucks last week — and his speed was on full display in his Vancouver debut on Sunday. The former first-round pick looked solid in a 4-3 OT victory over the Oilers, which snapped a three-game losing skid. The hope in British Columbia is that a change of scenery will gradually help unlock some of his offensive potential. Speaking of offense, it looks like Elias Pettersson is returning to form, which is absolutely critical for his club. He has six points in his last five games after a tough start to the year. The big story in Vancouver this week is the return of JT Miller, whose Rangers come to Rogers Arena on Tuesday night.
19. Ottawa Senators (+2)
Like an eye-opening numbers of teams in the National in the early going, the Senators are 4-4-1 through nine games. They've played admirably during the crushing absence of Brady Tkachuk, including winning two in a row and three of five. The highlight was a 7-1 demolition of the Capitals on Saturday, which proved the team can score in bunches even without its captain. Linus Ullmark's play still leaves something to be desired, and he's getting a full day off on Monday, with Leevi Meralainen set to start against Boston and Hunter Shepard as the backup. It'll be a quick turnaround ahead of Frozen Frenzy; the Sens host the Bruins before travelling to Chicago to play the Hawks on Tuesday.
20. Los Angeles Kings (+2)
The Kings got captain Anze Kopitar back in the lineup ahead of schedule, with the two-time Stanley Cup champion returning for a 5-4 shootout loss to the Predators on Saturday. Los Angeles quickly rebounded with a win over Chicago on Sunday, and they remain without a regulation loss since October 16. After losing four of five to start the year, the Kings are back on track, now above .500 at 4-3-3. It's been all Adrian Kempe so far; no one on the team has more than eight points, except the Swede, who is up to 13 in 10 games. He's on pace to shatter his career-highs across the board, and he's looking like the engine in 2025-26. LA will look to make it four wins in five tries against San Jose on Tuesday.
21. St. Louis Blues (-6)
The Blues are looking worse than average in the early going, which is hugely disappointing considering the turnaround Jim Montgomery helped facilitate last season. St. Louis isn't looking at all like a playoff team, with four losses in five games going back to October 15. Jordan Binnington has been abysmal so far, and although it likely won't keep him off Team Canada at the Olympics, it has to be concerning for the 4 Nations Face-Off champions. Only the Sharks are allowing more goals than the Blues, and a 4.13 goals against per game isn't going to take them anywhere fast. Now 3-4-1, they'll look to snap a three-game skid against the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
22. Anaheim Ducks (+3)
Steady as she goes for the Ducks, who are looking rejuvenated under Joel Quenneville. Anaheim is above .500 at 4-3-1, and that's without the services of Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund for the last couple. This is looking like a true fringe playoff team in 2025-26, but there is significant upside for a young, talented club with a good coach. After picking up at least a point in three of four, the Ducks are just one out of the wildcard picture. They'll look to stay competitive against the defending champion Panthers in Florida on Tuesday.
23. Columbus Blue Jackets (+1)
The Blue Jackets started the season by losing three of four games, and now they're on the heels of winning three times in four tries. That's hockey, baby. Columbus is 4-4 after a shootout victory over the surging Penguins on Saturday, keeping them right at .500 through eight games. That's good enough to have them two points out of a playoff spot, but if the winning pace doesn't improve, that won't last. We're still waiting for the Zach Werenski from last year; one of the league's top defensemen has managed only four goals in eight games. This team is going to go as far as the American star takes them.
24. Chicago Blackhawks (+3)
Not once were the Blackhawks above .500 in 2024-25. Not once. This season, not only is Chicago 4-3-2 through nine games, but they're occupying the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference. It's hard to see that lasting, but the Hawks are at least looking a lot better than they were at this time last year. We're still waiting patiently for the Connor Bedard breakout; he's still playing at under a point-per-game pace. The same can't be said for Frank Nazar, who is leading the club with nine points in nine games. He continues to shine, as does Spencer Knight between the pipes; the former Panther has won three of his last four starts, while allowing just six goals.
25. New York Islanders (+1)
After an abysmal start to 2025-26 — demonstrated by back-to-back-to-back regulation losses — the Islanders are back on track, having won four of their last five games. They were oh-so-close to making it five straight, but Samuel Ersson absolutely robbed Bo Horvat in overtime on Saturday afternoon before eventually leading the Flyers to a shootout win. Still, New York is hanging around at 4-3-1, which is good enough for the second wildcard slot in the Eastern Conference. The NHL Power Rankings are taking notice, and with Calder Trophy favorite Matthew Schaefer bringing the star power from the blue line, the good times will keep on rolling if Ilya Sorokin can figure it out after a challenging start.
26. New York Rangers (-8)
What on earth is going on in the Big Apple? Not even a new coach can stop the decline for the Rangers, which began in earnest last season. New York looks just terrible, now losers of six of seven dating back to October 12. The dagger was a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Flames on Sunday — stay tuned to see where they rank this week. Mike Sullivan has to be wondering what he got himself into; the defense is shaky, the offense isn't producing, and not even Igor Shesterkin can stem the bleeding. After two conference final trips in three seasons, it's looking more and more like this is a roster in true decline a few years later. At 3-5-2, New York is now last place in the East, and that's nightmare fuel for Chris Drury and the front office. If the struggles continue when Vincent Trocheck returns, will the Blueshirts have no choice but to trade Artemi Panarin and embrace the rebuild? In other news, Miller is back in Vancouver on Tuesday night, and you know the captain would love to get a win — much easier said than done these days.
27. Buffalo Sabres (+3)
It was a decent Week 3 for the Sabres, who are now sitting right at .500 (4-4-1) through nine games in 2025-26. That's enough to have Buffalo just outside the Eastern Conference wildcard picture with only 73 games left. Getting Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen back between the pipes is nice, although he'll need to shake off some rust after allowing four goals on just 22 shots in an overtime loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday night. The Sabres won the first half of the home-and-home the night before over their Atlantic Division rivals, and that's the last they'll see of Toronto until January. The big surprise offensively in Western New York has been Zach Benson, who is leading the team with eight points in just six games while taking full advantage of his spot on the top line and PP1 alongside Tage Thompson.
28. Nashville Predators (no change)
The Predators have lost five of seven games and are still off to a much, much better start than in 2024-25. That's saying something. A 4-4-2 record isn't bad, but things are about to get a lot tougher with franchise legend Roman Josi going down week-to-week. There's just not enough firepower on this roster; not a single player is playing at a point-per-game pace, not even star forward Filip Forsberg. Still, Nashville is only a point out of a playoff spot, and that will do for right now. It goes without saying that Juuse Saros is going to need to be otherworldly to keep the Preds competitive, especially without Josi for the foreseeable future.
29. Philadelphia Flyers (+2)
The Flyers enjoyed their best seven-day stretch of the season in Week 3, winning two of three to make it three victories in four tries dating back to October 18. It looks like Dan Vladar has taken over starting duties after coming over from the Flames in free agency over the summer. He's been excellent, and Philly looks to have found their footing after a difficult start to the campaign. The 2.75 goals per game could certainly use some work, but a familiar face and a new one have done their respective parts: Sean Couturier and Trevor Zegras have eight points each in eight tilts. A clash with the surging Penguins is up next on Tuesday night.
30. Boston Bruins (-7)
It looks like the Bruins' early-season heater was nothing more than a mirage. After securing back-to-back-to-back wins to start the year, Boston lost six straight regulation contests before finally stemming the bleeding against the Avalanche on Saturday. That was mainly due to Jeremy Swayman's heroics, and there's still quite a bit of concern in Beantown. Marco Sturm's first season in Beantown started well, but it's been downhill ever since. Now last place in the Atlantic Division at 4-6, the B's will look to make up some ground against the Senators in Canada's capital on Monday night.
31. San Jose Sharks (+1)
The Macklin Celebrini show goes on in San Jose; the sophomore forward recorded his first career five-point game in a 6-5 victory over the Rangers on Thursday night, and he's now on a four-game, 10-point streak. At 19 years old. The exclamation point was a breakaway overtime winner over the Wild on Sunday, which helped get the squad out of the No. 32 spot in CP's PR's. Both of those games ended in 6-5 finals. The Sharks are playing true firewagon hockey, scoring a ton of goals and giving up even more. It's fun for the fans, but it's not leading to a ton of wins — and the goaltending is a real concern. Still, a 2-2 week is decent for a team that didn't have a single victory before Monday.
32. Calgary Flames (-3)
For the first time in the history of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings, a team from Alberta is in dead last. The Flames have been absolutely miserable in 2025-26, following up an opening night win by losing eight consecutive games — seven of those in regulation. Calgary has won as many games as San Jose, and that made the decision to send them to the basement a rather easy one, even considering a Sunday night victory over the reeling Rangers. Dustin Wolf has already called out his team, which isn't surprising considering the offense is scoring a league-worst 2.00 goals per game. Just an overall nightmare for Ryan Huska's club, and the Flames will occupy the final spot in the leaderboard until further notice.
