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Another Friday night, another National Hockey League blockbuster. Exactly seven days after Mikko Rantanen was shockingly traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes, another huge deal went down, ending JT Miller's tenure in Vancouver. The embattled forward was shipped back to the New York Rangers, the place he spent the first six seasons of his career, in exchange for a package that included Filip Chytil and a first-round pick.
It was a busy day for Canucks' brass, who moved Miller before acquiring the top rental defenseman on the market in Marcus Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins. That flurry of activity came less than 24 hours after the Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames teamed up on a deal that sent four roster players to new homes.
And the day after the dust had settled, the Dallas Stars got involved, snagging key forward Mikael Granlund — along with Cody Cedi — from the San Jose Sharks. It was just a wild Friday-Sunday stretch that felt a little like a mini trade deadline ahead of the real one in 32 days.
Although there wasn't a trade quite as notable as the Rantanen megadeal — not counting the stunning Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic NBA blockbuster — it was still a chaotic weekend in the National. A ton of solid hockey players changed teams in under 72 hours, and the implications will be significant over the last few months of the 2024-25 regular-season.
Week 18 will mark the final seven-day stretch of hockey before the league pauses for the 4 Nations Face-Off. More on the tournament next week, but after Sunday, 92 players will head to Montreal and Boston to represent Canada, Sweden, Finland and the United States. The rest of the NHL will enjoy a 13-day break, and you can bet there will be a great deal of rest and relaxation — along with a lot of sunshine — over that time.
Of course, every game before the pause will be crucial as the margin of error in the playoff race continues to be razor thin. As is the case in both conferences, there are no shortage of storylines after another big week of movement in ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings — including a new team in the No. 1 slot. Let's talk about it.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Winnipeg Jets (+1)
After a couple weeks out, the Jets are back — with a vengeance — to the top of the NHL Power Rankings. Winnipeg hasn't lost since January 20, racking off six consecutive victories in that span and returning to the driver's seat in the President's Trophy race. That included a thrilling 5-4 overtime win over the Capitals to end the week, making the decision to have them leapfrog Washington an easy one. The combination of prolific goal scoring and league-best netminding from Connor Hellebuyck has Scott Arniel's team at the forefront of Stanley Cup contention. The postseason has been a brutal place for the Jets over the last few years, but they're well-positioned to finally have success in 2025. It'll be interesting to see what moves GM Kevin Cheveldayoff makes ahead of March 7 to try to get a fantastic roster to the next level.
2. Washington Capitals (-1)
The Capitals are in the midst of one of their worst stretches of the 2024-25 campaign, which is saying a lot for the 34-11-7 club. Washington has lost two in a row and three of four since January 25, in the process falling out of the top spot in both the NHL Power Rankings and league standings. They're still a full seven points up on the next best team in the Eastern Conference, and the points they've been banking all season are paying dividends during the mini-slump. Despite three losses in four tries, two of those defeats came in overtime, allowing the club to pick up four of a eight possible points in that span. The record-breaking magic number for Alex Ovechkin is down to 18 after he recorded his 877th career tally in Saturday's loss to the Jets. With three games remaining before the break, the Caps will look to right the ship against the defending Stanley Cup champs in the nation's capital on Tuesday night.
3. Dallas Stars (+1)
It's been a bittersweet week for the Stars — and a whirlwind one at that. Miro Heiskanen going down week-to-week with a lower-body injury is just brutal, and the Finn will miss out on the 4 Nations due to the ailment. Dallas also announced that Nils Lundqvist will be out for the regular-season. Along with Tyler Seguin being placed on LTIR, it's just an awful sequence of events. But one of the sport's better GMs in Jim Nill used the extra cap space to bring Granlund and Ceci to Texas, and the former got involved right away, recording an assist in his first game with his new team. Despite a couple of abysmal injury updates, the Stars have won five in a row and are meshing into a juggernaut at the perfect time. The top line of Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston is absolutely on fire, and it's led this squad back to the top of the Western Conference. The Stars were oh-so-close to getting into the NHL Power Rankings top-two for the first time this season, and if this play continues ahead of the break, they could be debuting at an all-time high come next Monday.
4. Edmonton Oilers (-1)
Connor McDavid led the Oilers to a 4-2 win over the Kraken in his first contest back from a three-game suspension, but Edmonton lost twice afterwards to end the week. That included a tough 3-2 shootout defeat at the hands of the Red Wings, followed by a terrific Leafs-Oilers Hockey Night in Canada thriller on Saturday. Edmonton was down 4-1 to Toronto in the third period before scoring three unanswered goals. The problem was, Leon Draisaitl's game-tyer was called back for offside, and the Leafs skated away with a 4-3 victory after some Joseph Woll heroics at the buzzer. Now with two losses in a row and four of seven overall, the Oil are going the wrong way in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 18. Still a powerhouse at 32-16-4, they'll look for better results against the Blues on Tuesday and Blackhawks on Wednesday — both on the road.
5. Carolina Hurricanes (+2)
After a lengthy absence from the top-five, the Hurricanes are back. Rantanen just adds another element to a ferocious Carolina attack, and the Finnish superstar scored his first with his new team in a 3-2 win over the Hawks on Thursday. The Canes are 2-1-1 since the trade, and continue to look like a wagon in the East. The offensive depth is particularly encouraging, with Seth Jarvis playing his best hockey of the season on the third line. Basically every forward has been contributing, and that's just what Rod Brind'Amour's team is going to need to get over the hump in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. An enormous test against the surging Jets looms in Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
6. Florida Panthers (+3)
Welcome to the 900 win club, Paul Maurice. The Stanley Cup champion is the fourth head coach to hit the remarkable milestone, joining Barry Trotz (914), Joel Quenneville (969) and Scotty Bowman (1244). And his Panthers are humming right along after an extended slump. Florida has won three in a row and seven of 10 going back to mid-January, reclaiming the top spot in the Atlantic Division in the process. A couple of forwards who were really struggling have woken up, including Carter Verhaeghe, who scored a hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the Islanders to end Week 17. With Sergei Bobrovsky back to fine form, it seems like the Cats have put the Stanley Cup hangover firmly in the rearview, and it couldn't have come at a better time. With 28 games left, this team is still in the conversation to win the President's Trophy.
7. Colorado Avalanche (+1)
After a difficult stretch of play for Mackenzie Blackwood, the 28-year-old was lights out for the Avalanche last week. He recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time in his career, blanking the Blues 5-0 on Friday before stymying the Flyers en route to a 2-0 victory on Sunday. This team still looks very weird without Rantanen, although both Martin Necas and Jack Drury have made an impact in a small sample size. Is it possible that both the Avs and Canes will win the trade in the end? It's way too early to say, but it'll come down to two things: how well each team does in the playoffs, and whether Carolina is able to re-sign the star forward or not. Regardless, the roster is looking to move on as it chases a potential second Stanley Cup championship in four seasons come spring. The Avalanche will be on the road for their next five games — three before the break and two more after the 4 Nations pause.
8. Vegas Golden Knights (-3)
The wheels continue to fall off for the Golden Knights, who were on the wrong side of a couple of 4-3 finals against the Stars amid Dallas' five-game winning streak. For Vegas, it's now three losses in a row and eight of 10 since January 14 as the slump continues. Although they've frequently been able to get past regulation, Bruce Cassidy's team is having a tough time closing games, and it has them out of first place in the Pacific Division. The signing of Brandon Saad — who has just 16 points in 44 games this year — shouldn't move the needle too much, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if GM Kelly McCrimmon makes a move or two ahead of the deadline. Things are still ok on the strip — for now — but the wildcard teams in the West are starting to close the gap.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs (-3)
Woll was the hero for the Maple Leafs in a crazy victory over the Oilers on Saturday — but it came after three consecutive losses. And considering Toronto scored just three total goals over those three defeats, it's a minus-three for the Buds in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 18. The Leafs badly needed Saturday's victory to get back on track, but they're still just six points away from being out of a playoff spot altogether despite still sitting in second in the Atlantic. That's how close the Eastern Conference is right now, and this squad needs to string some wins together or things are going to get precarious. The Leafs are on the road all week — in Calgary, Seattle and Vancouver, in that order — before the 4 Nations.
10. Minnesota Wild (+1)
What a finale for Marc-Andre Fleury in Montreal. One of the most likeable players in National Hockey League history recorded a shutout in his final game at the Bell Centre, and he earned a well-deserved standing ovation from the Canadiens crowd in the process. Although he's taken a back seat to Filip Gustavsson this season, the 40-year-old is still capable of stealing games in the twilight of his career. And after a horrible couple of weeks, the Wild are back on track after winning three of their last four. Things are only going to get more challenging down the stretch, with Kirill Kaprizov now out another four weeks and Ryan Hartman on the verge of a long suspension after virtually tackling Tim Stutzle to the ice in Saturday's loss to the Senators. Holding onto the third slot in the Central for dear life, Minnesota would love to bank some points against Boston, Carolina and the NY Islanders this week.
11. New Jersey Devils (+1)
While the Devils still seem a bit out of sorts overall — and no Jacob Markstrom is going to be really difficult to overcome — New Jersey has won three of five on the heels of a four-game skid. While the Capitals aren't within striking distance, the Hurricanes still are; the Devils are just four points back of second in the Metro. The week ended miserably, and not only because the team was unable to beat the lowly Sabres in Western New York on Sunday afternoon. Key forward Stefan Noesen also threw one of the season's dirtiest hits against Buffalo superstar Tage Thompson, but he'll shockingly not be getting any supplemental discipline for his antics. Still, that's not something anyone wants to see.
12. Los Angeles Kings (-2)
Drew Doughty made his long-awaited return to the Kings lineup on Wednesday night, and it couldn't have come at a better time for the struggling club. But it's going to take the Canadian some time to shake off the rust after missing multiple months, and he's already minus-four through three games — two of them losses. Los Angeles had dropped eight of 10 before a convincing victory over the Hurricanes on Saturday, but the alarm bells are still ringing in California. The fact this roster is still in a top-three spot in the Pacific is surprising, but at this pace, that's not going to last long. The Flames are just one point back; the Canucks, three. And both teams figure themselves playoff contenders come April. The play just needs to pick up for the Kings, who are in legitimate jeopardy of missing the postseason if they can't turn things around.
13. Columbus Blue Jackets (+2)
The Blue Jackets have suffered 222 man games to injury this season, which is just absurd. By all accounts, this should be one of the Eastern Conference's bottom-feeders, especially after what the organization has been through. But the best story of the 2024-25 campaign continues to find a way. The latest blow is Kirill Marchenko, who suffered a broken jaw in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Stars — while sitting on the bench. The team's best forward this year, and not by a little, he now joins Boone Jenner, Yegor Chinakhov, Sean Monahan on the shelf. And despite it all, Columbus continues to win. Sunday's loss to Dallas came after three straight triumphs, and the Jackets remain in a playoff spot through 53 games. You'd be hard-pressed to find a hockey fan who doesn't want them to stay right there come April.
14. Calgary Flames (no change)
Although they've played just over .500 hockey for the last little while, the Flames continue to hang around the playoff picture — and the roster has earned the faith of its GM. Craig Conroy brought a couple of players who badly needed a change of scenery to Calgary in Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, and the former already has his first as a Flame. The squad has won five of eight since January 18, and at 26-19-7, are two points up on the Canucks for the final wildcard berth. It's been a promising season in Alberta, and with Dustin Wolf continuing to shine, there's a lot of belief that this team can still be playing meaningful hockey in a couple of months.
15. Tampa Bay Lightning (-2)
Despite their ultra-talented core, the Lightning haven't been able to make up any significant ground in either the NHL Power Rankings or league standings over the last little while. While Nikita Kucherov continues to pile up points prolifically, the supporting cast — especially Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli — has not been able to follow suit. Tampa has lost five of seven, completely falling out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference in the process. Although the Senators and Red Wings remain just below in the leaderboard, both Ottawa and Detroit are ahead in league standings, and it's only a matter of time before the Bolts suffer an even larger drop. Something just needs to change, and the break couldn't have come at a better time. The Lightning will play four games before that, starting with a home tilt against the Sens on Tuesday.
16. Ottawa Senators (+3)
Let the good times roll for the Senators, who have won four games in a row — including three against playoff teams. Considering Linus Ullmark has been out of action for Ottawa's continued string of success, it's very promising. With every win, the Sens get closer to snapping a postseason drought that dates back to 2016-17. Nine of 12 games since January 11 have ended in victory, and Travis Green's troops have snatched up the third spot in the Atlantic Division. While the Bruins and Lightning will continue to try to change that, this roster looks well-positioned to keep winning games down the stretch. That being said, things can change quickly, and the Senators have a brutal schedule before the break. They'll play four games, all on the road, starting Monday night against the Predators — the only NHL game on the schedule.
17. Detroit Red Wings (+3)
Are the Red Wings back…again? After a seven-game heater, Detroit lost four of five, and it looked like it may have just been a glitch in the matrix. Instead, the Wings are in the midst of another six-game winning streak, and this one has them into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. An Alex DeBrincat overtime winner against the Canucks on Sunday night helped Detroit improve to 27-21-5, and they're showing no signs of slowing down. The NHL Power Rankings probably could have been even kinder to this team, and if the streak continues, they could be going nuclear in Week 19. A great chance to make it seven straight awaits against the struggling Kraken in Seattle on Tuesday.
18. New York Islanders (+3)
Like the Senators and Red Wings, the Islanders are getting a nice jump up the NHL Power Rankings in Week 18. A crucial seven-game winning streak was finally snapped by the defending champions on Sunday, but Long Island is back to relevance. After middling for most of the season, the Isles are now just four points back of the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. A huge part of that is Ilya Sorokin, who has been dialed in and was just named one of the league's three stars of the week. Unfortunately for Patrick Roy and his group, they'll again be without Mat Barzal, who blocked a shot in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win over the Lightning and is out indefinitely. It'll be interesting to see if the team can overcome another brutal injury blow, but the signing of Tony DeAngelo is paying dividends early. He's playing upward of 24 minutes a night and scored the OT winner on a great pass from Bo Horvat against the Bolts. Three difficult opponents stand between New York and the break: Vegas on Tuesday, Winnipeg on Friday and Minnesota on Saturday.
19. Boston Bruins (-2)
David Pastrnak is looking as unstoppable as any player in the NHL right now — he's got 23 points in his last 10 games — but the Bruins continue to be up-and-down. Pasta virtually willed them to a home victory over the Rangers on Saturday, scoring a hat trick and recording an assist in a 6-3 triumph. But it had been three losses in five tries before that, including a truly surprising 7-2 shellacking at the hands of the Sabres on Tuesday. And that was followed up by a 6-2 defeat to the Jets two nights later. Boston is right in the thick of things, but still on the outside looking in through 54 games. It'll be a tough schedule before the break, with the Wild, Rangers and Golden Knights on the docket in Week 18.
20. New York Rangers (-2)
It took a while to get that last one, but Jonathan Quick is finally a member of the 400 club. He's the first American goaltender to reach the milestone, which came in a 4-2 victory over the flailing Golden Knights on Sunday. The Rangers badly needed the win, especially after they had lost back-to-back-to-back games — and given up 15 goals in that span. Miller certainly adds an element to New York's roster that it badly needs, and he should be productive on a line with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. But it's been a rough go for the Blueshirts, and Miller is going to need to make a big impact right away for a NY team that is a full five points out of the final playoff spot as of Monday.
21. Montreal Canadiens (-5)
The most significant drop in Week 18 belongs to the Canadiens, who are choosing to slump at the absolute worst time. Putting aside the fact that the hockey world will descend on Montreal for the 4 Nations next week, the Habs just can't get out of their own way right now. After a phenomenal stretch that saw the club win 13 times in 17 tries, it's now been five losses in a row — and four of them in regulation. Every team has ebbs and flows, but the Canadiens had just started to return to playoff contention and look like a team that could make some noise down the stretch. Instead, they're a full six points out, and will need to leapfrog multiple teams to get in. It's not looking good, but it could get a lot worse. Montreal badly needs to right the ship over these next four games before the pause; two in California against the Sharks and Kings before two back at the Bell Centre vs. the Devils and Lightning.
22. Vancouver Canucks (+1)
Exit Miller, Erik Brannstrom, Vinny Desharnais and Danton Heinen; enter Chytil, Pettersson and Drew O'Connor. Are the Canucks a better team before or after? Only time will tell, and there's no indication that the front office is done making moves. Elias Pettersson (no, not the defenseman) could still be on his way out, and he's going to be under the microscope more than maybe any other player over the next couple of weeks. The last thing this organization wants is for the fans to think they traded the wrong player, but that sentiment is already kind of being felt. After a magical 2023-24 season, it's just been a wacky one in British Columbia. And not in a good way. But it's a new era in Vancouver, and the roster is still just two points out of a playoff spot. With the Kings struggling and the Flames playing close to .500 hockey, there's certainly still an avenue for the Canucks to get in. All that matters now is success on the ice, and this club has 30 games to prove it belongs in the dance.
23. St. Louis Blues (-1)
The Brandon Saad era ended in St. Louis last week, and although it was a difficult season for the two-time Stanley Cup winner, he'll get a chance to make it three championships with the Golden Knights this season. The 32-year-old was serviceable in Missouri after signing a five-year deal in 2021, and he scored 26 goals over a full 82-game slate in 2023-24. Other than Saad's contract being terminated, it was a pretty quiet week for the Blues, who snapped a four-game skid by beating the Utah Hockey Club 2-1 on Sunday night. That has them a full seven points out of the wildcard in the Western Conference, and as currently constructed, it doesn't look like the roster has the juice. After two games on the road, they're back home to welcome the Oilers, Panthers and Blackhawks to Enterprise Center between now and Saturday.
24. Anaheim Ducks (+4)
The Ducks have emerged into one of the National's streakiest teams in 2024-25, but they're heading the right direction in both league standings and the NHL Power Rankings in Week 18. Along with a couple of clubs around them flailing, Anaheim has emerged victorious in four of five games, with both Lukas Dostal and John Gibson shutting the door between the pipes. That's turning into a very serviceable duo, and the Ducks have made the magic number for a playoff spot just nine. Considering they aren't going to finish at the bottom of the Western Conference, they might as well keep on trying to win games and get back into legitimate contention. There is a lot of talent on the roster, and a lot of young guys who have something to prove. This is certainly a team to keep an eye on over their last 30 games.
25. Pittsburgh Penguins (+4)
Although the Penguins haven't at all earned a plus-four bump in the NHL Power Rankings, they're getting the benefit of the doubt after a couple of terrible weeks from the teams below them. Pittsburgh actually had a decent showing, winning two games in a row on the heels of three consecutive losses. Although those victories came against a couple of bottom-feeders in Utah and Nashville, they'll take it. With Pettersson now traded, are the Pens waiving the white flag on the season? It's probably a bit too early to tell, but it's not like seven points out of a playoff spot is insurmountable with 28 games left. Especially not when you have Sidney Crosby.
26. Nashville Predators (-2)
Once again, the NHL Power Rankings is being way too kind to the Predators. After winning five in a row, Nashville has floundered again, dropping four consecutive regulation games and again looking like one of the league's worst teams. The most concerning part is that those four losses came against the Ducks, Canucks, Sabres and Penguins — four teams on the outside looking in. The Preds can't hold onto momentum, and even when they get some, it doesn't last for more than a few games. This is a roster that deserves to be blown up ahead of the deadline, and if they can't get back into the win column before the break, it could be back to a bottom-three spot in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 19.
27. Philadelphia Flyers (-2)
Almost every team in the league has suffered a bad stretch or two this season — some many more. But none have been as truly incompetent as the Flyers over the last three games. They've been shut out in back-to-back-to-back contests, failing to score a single goal in 180 minutes of hockey. Philadelphia hasn't found the back of the net since late in a 4-2 win over the Devils on Monday. Afterwards, they lost to those same Devils (5-0) before being blanked by the Islanders (3-0) and Avalanche (2-0). Just awful, and it doesn't help that it came right after trading Frost and Farabee out of town. John Tortorella must be losing his mind right now, but either way, the Flyers are just fighting to stay out of the Eastern Conference basement at this point.
28. Buffalo Sabres (+2)
What a week it was for the Sabres. Buffalo crushed Boston 7-2 on Tuesday, squeaked by the Predators 4-3 on Friday and ended with a 4-3 victory over the Devils on home ice on Sunday. Although the squad is only making a slight jump in the NHL Power Rankings this time around, there's certainly room to improve even more this week — especially with how bad Philadelphia and Nashville are playing as of late. Early reports are that Tage Thompson avoided injury on Sunday, which is huge considering how bad Noesen's hit looked. It's the type of check the league is trying to get out of the game, and the Department of Player Safety should be giving Noesen the book for his antics. The fact that no Sabres came to Thompson's defense in the moment was certainly disappointing. It's too little, too late for this team, but it's always nice to win some games.
29. Utah Hockey Club (-3)
It looks like the Utah Hockey Club's trade deadline plan is coming into focus — or is it? Make that five straight losses for a team that had so much promise at the beginning of the year, but has watched that slowly fade away. Now back under .500 at 21-22-9, things have completely gone off the rails in Salt Lake City. And it makes GM Bill Armstrong's job even harder. Should he try to add another piece or two in the quest to make the playoffs, or sell instead and look to the future? Right now, the roster is making that decision for him. The postseason is now eight points away, and there's no evidence this squad is going to turn things around in the short-term. They badly need a couple of victories over a four-game week before the 4 Nations break.
30. Seattle Kraken (-3)
Seattle's 2024-25 season was derailed long ago, and now the team just continues to battle mediocrity with 28 games left. A No. 30 debut in the NHL Power Rankings is probably a little low for the Kraken, but there truly is just nothing to get excited about on this roster. Jared McCann is leading the team with 41 points in 54 games, and that should tell you everything you need to know. Even with Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour in the fold, this just isn't a very good team. Now with four losses in six games, any chance to make the playoffs has virtually been put to bed in the Emerald City.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (no change)
The more things change, the more they stay the same. And that's the motto for the Blackhawks and Sharks yet again in Week 18. Chicago has managed to be just a little bit better than San Jose, although both teams probably deserve to be in the basement of the NHL Power Rankings. The Hawks have lost five of six and nine of 11, and they probably can't wait for the break to, well, get a little break from losing. Connor Bedard continues to produce, but no one else really is. Only 30 more games and then another miserable campaign in the Windy City will finally come to a close.
32. San Jose Sharks (no change)
Imagine taking the worst team in the National Hockey League, and then taking away their best player. That's what the Sharks did by trading Granlund, and things are probably only going to get worse as the tank continues in San Jose. With two wins and 10 losses since January 11, the horrible pace continues in 2025. Will that be enough to get them back-to-back No. 1 overall picks come June? It's hard to say, especially with how bad Chicago has been. But two teams that were once powerhouses continue to be nothing but an afterthought in 2024-25. The only thing that could save the campaign would be Macklin Celebrini winning the Calder Trophy, and that dream is still alive with 28 games left.
