NHL Power Rankings at the All-Star Break
The NHL All-Star break is upon us meaning we have a pretty good idea of which teams are good and which teams aren’t. So let’s take a look at where all 32 teams rank.
The Blackhawks have missed rookie sensation Connor Bedard in recent weeks and now sit 14-32-2 through 50 games played. Their -1.84 AVG Goal difference is the worst in the NHL, per TSN.
The Sharks are the only other 14-win team in the NHL and sit bottom of the pile with a -92 goal difference, according to the NHL-reported stats.
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The Daily Face Off has described the Blue Jacket’s season as a “disaster,” which feels about right considering their awful 16-24-10 record.
The Ducks are the last of the really bad teams, in comparison to some of the other basement dwellers, the Ducks’ -41 goal difference seems perfectly acceptable.
The Senators are struggling to string any wins together this season, losing to playoff teams and struggling against everyone else.
The biggest news around the Habs is whether they trade center Sean Monahan given he has been, “white-hot of late with 11 points in his last seven games,” per the Daily Face Off. When all the chatter is about trading away your best player, it’s never a good sign.
CBS Sports optimistically calls the Wild a, “pretty big longshot to reach the postseason,” and that is about as much as you need to know. They’re not awful, they just aren’t good either.
The Flames being ranked 25 in our power rankings is not the worst thing to happen to them in recent weeks, but their on-ice performance is uninspiring, to say the least.
CBS Sports have suggested the Sabres, “need some help in goal,” which may be an understatement.
The Coyotes have lost three straight, which is never a good way to enter the All-Star break, but there is reason for optimism with Logan Dooley looking, “downright electric with the puck,” according to the Daily Face Off.
The Islanders seem to confound experts in the hockey space, with TSN and CBS ranking them at 27 while the Daily Face Off has them up at 20. We don’t think they’re quite as bad as 27 but 20 also seems a stretch.
The Capitals remain in the hunt for a postseason spot, sitting just five points back from the Flyers but with three games in hand.
According to CBS Sports, the Blues are 8-4-1 in January. Despite that, they remain a long way back in a very competitive division.
The Devils have struggled with injuries all year which certainly hasn’t helped them but they are also giving up -.37 AVG Goal Difference a game per TSN which puts them in the bottom 10 in the league.
The Kings looked like the real deal at the start of the season, but as CBS Sports puts it, they have, “hit the skids in a major way,” in the past couple of months.
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The Predators are underperforming their XGOAL Diff by nearly half a goal a game, per TSN, which suggests they can turn things around with just a little luck.
The Kraken are starting to find their feet again after a rough start to the year, with the Daily Face Off describing their defense as, “one of the best,” if they can keep improving, they still have a great chance to make the playoffs.
The Penguins sit fifth in the Metropolitan Division but have four games in hand to the Flyers who are struggling of late. Pittsburgh can turn things around and make the playoffs.
The Flyers flew out of the blocks in 2024, reeling off five straight wins, now, after five straight losses, things are looking much worse in the City of Brotherly Love.
The Red Wings have, “won six of their last eight games, and have beaten some good teams,” per the Daily Face Off, which may surprise some as they never look that good, but they find ways to win.
As CBS Sports puts it, “playing hockey in Toronto can be a lot at times,” which is the story of recent Leafs teams. Often loaded with talent, they are unable to win the games that matter.
The Lightning are starting to fire, going 8-2 in their last 10 before the break, per NHL, if they can keep this form going, no one will want to face them in the postseason.
The defending Stanley Cup champions have one of the best XGOAL Diffs in the league at .72, per TSN, suggesting there is more to come from them down the late-season stretch.
The Canes know how to stack wins without making too much of a splash, the guys at the Daily Face Off put it well, saying the Canes have, “quietly and consistently crept their way back into the conversation”.
The Rangers top the Metropolitan Division but their underlying numbers suggest they may be outperforming themselves at this point of the season. TSN has them with a .18 XGOAL Diff which is significantly lower than the teams around them.
The Stars are absolutely loaded this season and are on track to make a serious run for another Stanley Cup.
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We have the Panthers a little lower than some, with one write at the Daily Face Off putting them number one in their rankings. Whilst the Panthers look great, we have other teams ahead of them for now.
The Avs are churning out victories and are going to be in the mix all season, a deep playoff run is almost inevitable with a team this talented.
Another team that is outperforming its XGOAL Diff by a significant margin, the Jets are one of the best teams in the NHL, but they could potentially regress in the latter part of the season.
The Bruins are a great team, and look set to win the Atlantic Division once again this season, can they make a deep playoff run this year? Only time will tell.
The Canucks boast easily the best AVG. GOAL Diff this season with a 1.24, which is nearly .9 above their XGOAL Diff, per TSN. Could this be a sign they are set to regress to the mean? Maybe, but for now they look formidable.
The Oilers boast the best player in the world in Connor McDavid and look like a team desperate to win their first Stanley Cup in more than 40 years. They also boast a .76 AVG. GOAL Diff and are underperforming their XGOAL Diff significantly, per TSN. The Oilers are the team to beat.
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