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2026 MLB schedule and results in Excel .xlsx and csv format

Note: Schedule last updated March 11, 2026. The season hasn’t started yet, so of course there’s no results yet!

Here’s a copy of the 2026 MLB schedule and the results of each of the games played so far in Excel .xlsx format, and here’s another copy in CSV format. I’ll try to update it each morning through the regular season.

If you’re looking for a copy of the 2025 schedule and results, it’s available in this post.

The Excel file consists of 2 worksheets: one contains the original MLB schedule as described in this post; the other, named As-Played Schedule, contains the same contents, with the addition of the scores for each team and whether the game hasn’t been played yet, the starting pitchers for each team, and the pitchers credited with the win, loss, and save. Here’s a quick summary of the columns:

Date: the date of the game
Start Time (Sask): the game’s start time in Saskatchewan (where I live!)
Start Time (ET): the game’s start time in the Eastern Daylight Time Zone
Away: the name of the away team
Away Score: the away team’s score if the game has been played, otherwise this field is empty
Home: the name of the home team
Home Score: the home team’s score if the game has been played, otherwise this field is empty
Status: one of two values:
- Scheduled: if the game hasn’t been played yet
- Final: if the game is over
Away Starter: the probable starter of the away team if the game status is “Scheduled”, or the actual starter if the game status is “Final”
Home Starter: the probable starter of the home team if the game status is “Scheduled”, or the actual starter if the game status is “Final”
Winner: the name of the pitcher who got the win if the game has been played, otherwise this field is empty
Loser: the name of the pitcher who got the loss if the game has been played, otherwise this field is empty
Save: the name of the pitcher who got the save if the game has been played and a save was credited, otherwise this field is empty

For example, here’s three example lines of the worksheet:

In the first game in this example, the game was played on April 9, 2024, with the Washington Nationals playing against the San Francisco Giants, in San Francisco. The game has been completed, and Washington won 5-3. Joan Adon started the game for the Nationals, and Kyle Harrison started for the Giants. Jordan Weems was credited with the win, Ryan Walker was charged with the loss, and Kyle Finnegan earned the save.

The second game in the example is similar, but in the game, no save was awarded, so the Save field is left empty.

The third game is a game that hasn’t been played yet. In it, it is scheduled to be played on April 10, 2024, with the Dodgers playing the Twins, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:10 PM Eastern. Bobby Miller has been announced as the starter for Dodgers, and Chris Paddack is expected to start for the Twins. The score columns and the Win / Loss / Save columns are all blank, because the game hasn’t been played yet.

The CSV file contains only the As-Played worksheet. It has the same fields as described for the Excel file. You can easily import this file into Excel or whatever spreadsheet of your choice!

2026 MLB schedule in Excel .xlsx and csv formats

Here’s a copy of the 2026 MLB schedule in Excel .xlsx format, and here’s another copy in CSV format. If you want a copy of the results as well, you can find an Excel sheet containing the schedule AND results as described in this post. If you’re looking for a 2025 schedule, you can find it in this post, and a 2025 schedule with results is in this post.

The Excel file consists of 2 worksheets: one called “Original Schedule” contains the original MLB schedule before any schedule changes due to rainouts, etc.; the other, named About, describes the contents of the Excel file. Here’s a quick summary of the columns:

Date: the date of the game, in the format YYYY-MM-DD
Start Time (Sask): the game’s start time in Saskatchewan (where I live!)
Start Time (EDT): the start time of the game in the Eastern Daylight Time Zone
Away: the name of the away team
Home: the name of the home team

For example, here’s the first couple lines of an example worksheet:

In this example, the game is scheduled to be played on March 20, 2024 at 4:05 AM in Saskatchewan and 6:05 PM Eastern Daylight time, the away team is the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the home team is the San Diego Padres.

The CSV file contains only the “Original Schedule” worksheet. It has the same fields as described for the Excel file. You can easily import this file into Excel or whatever spreadsheet of your choice!

McDonald NHL Power Ratings: Sabres Charge the Summit While the Atlantic Hierarchy Flips

What a week of hockey! As we wrap up the first full week of March, the playoff picture is sharpening, and a few teams are making loud statements at just the right time. We’ve seen high-scoring thrillers, major divisional shifts, and a new heavyweight contender officially crashing the top two.

The Top 5 Heavyweights

1. Colorado (1, 1613)

The Avalanche remain the gold standard. They padded their rating this week with a gutsy 3–2 shootout win over Minnesota, essentially locking up their postseason plans with playoff odds at >99%.

2. Buffalo (2, +2, 1596)

The hottest team in the league. Buffalo went a perfect 4–0 this week, capped off by an unbelievable 8–7 victory over Tampa Bay. They’ve seen a massive surge in their divisional win odds, now sitting at 51%, and look like a true threat with a 13% chance to hoist the Cup.

3. Dallas (3, 1576)

The Stars are the model of consistency. They took care of business against Chicago and Vancouver, maintaining their rank and keeping their playoff odds at >99%.

4. Carolina (4, +1, 1570)

The Hurricanes continue to blow through the Metropolitan. Even with a late-week stumble against Calgary, their overall body of work has pushed their division-winning probability to a commanding 90%.

5. Tampa Bay (5, -3, 1565)

It was a week to forget for the Bolts. Dropping three out of four games—including that high-octane loss to Buffalo—has seen them slide out of the top two. While they are still a safe bet for the playoffs at 99%, they’ve lost their grip on the Atlantic lead.

Biggest Risers

• St. Louis (20, +7, 1485): The Blues are singing a happy tune after a flawless 3–0 week. By taking down Seattle, San Jose, and Anaheim, they’ve climbed seven spots. While their playoff hopes remain slim at 3%, this momentum is a pride-builder for the franchise.

• Utah (12, +5, 1520): Utah is officially on a tear. A perfect week, including a shutout against Philadelphia, has catapulted them five spots up the rankings. More importantly, their playoff odds jumped by 19% this week, now sitting at a very comfortable 93%.

Biggest Fallers

• Toronto (25, -5, 1471): A difficult stretch for the Buds. They failed to find the win column this week, dropping games to New Jersey, the Rangers, and Tampa Bay. Their playoff chances have effectively evaporated, now sitting at less than 1%.

• Vegas (15, -3, 1494): The Golden Knights are stumbling at the wrong time. Losses to Buffalo and Edmonton have caused a 10% drop in their playoff security, though they still hold an 81% chance to make the dance.

Division Dogfights

• Atlantic: We have a new leader! Buffalo’s spectacular week saw their division win odds skyrocket from 15% to 51%, leapfrogging Tampa Bay, who saw their odds crater by 32%.

• Metropolitan: Carolina has turned this into a one-horse race. Their division win odds hit 90% this week, while Pittsburgh’s slide has them sitting at just a 7% chance to reclaim the top spot.

• Central: This remains the Colorado show. With a 94% chance to win the division, the Avalanche are just waiting for the regular season to end. Dallas is the only other team with a mathematical pulse at 5%.

• Pacific: This is the wildest race in the league. Anaheim holds the edge at 37%, but Vegas (27%), Edmonton (16%), and Seattle (9%) are all within striking distance. San Jose also remains a dark horse here with a 9% chance to steal the crown.

Streaks and Postseason Impact

The story of the week is undoubtedly Buffalo’s four-game win streak. By sweeping their schedule, they didn’t just move up the rankings; they completely reshaped the Atlantic Division. Their Cup odds nearly doubled, rising from 8% to 13%.

Meanwhile, Utah’s three-game win streak has almost entirely punched their ticket to the postseason. Starting the week with a 74% chance, their perfect run has pushed them to 93%, making them one of the most dangerous “risers” heading into late March. Conversely, Seattle’s recent struggles have been costly; their playoff odds plummeted by 23% this week, leaving them in a precarious 52% “coin-flip” scenario for the final weeks.

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1613, ▲10)

Record: 43-10-9, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 92% (▲16)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 20% (▲2)

Last week: 4-0-0

March 2: Won 4-2 @ Los Angeles Kings (24th, 1472)
March 3: Won 5-1 @ Anaheim Ducks (27th, 1469)
March 6: Won in SO 5-4 @ Dallas Stars (3rd, 1576)
March 8: Won in SO 3-2 vs. Minnesota Wild (6th, 1546)

Next week:

March 10: vs. Edmonton Oilers (17th, 1490)
March 12: @ Seattle Kraken (19th, 1488)
March 14: @ Winnipeg Jets (17th, 1490)

2. Buffalo Sabres ▲2 (1596, ▲24)

Record: 39-19-6, 1st in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99% (▲5)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 13% (▲5)

Last week: 4-0-0

March 3: Won 3-2 vs. Vegas Golden Knights (15th, 1494)
March 5: Won 5-1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (9th, 1533)
March 7: Won 3-2 vs. Nashville Predators (21st, 1479)
March 8: Won 8-7 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (5th, 1565)

Next week:

March 10: vs. San Jose Sharks (28th, 1460)
March 12: vs. Washington Capitals (16th, 1493)
March 14: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (25th, 1471)

3. Dallas Stars ▲2 (1576, ▲7)

Record: 39-14-10, 2nd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 5% (▼2)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 10%

Last week: 3-0-1

March 2: Won 6-1 @ Vancouver Canucks (32nd, 1392)
March 3: Won 6-1 @ Calgary Flames (26th, 1470)
March 6: Lost in SO 5-4 vs. Colorado Avalanche (1st, 1613)
March 8: Won in OT 4-3 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (30th, 1434)

Next week:

March 10: vs. Vegas Golden Knights (15th, 1494)
March 12: vs. Edmonton Oilers (17th, 1490)
March 14: vs. Detroit Red Wings (12th, 1520)

4. Carolina Hurricanes ▼1 (1570, ▼6)

Record: 40-17-6, 1st in Metropolitan Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1% (▼7)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 10% (▼1)

Last week: 2-2-0

March 2: Lost 2-1 @ Seattle Kraken (19th, 1488)
March 4: Won 6-4 @ Vancouver Canucks (32nd, 1392)
March 6: Won 6-3 @ Edmonton Oilers (17th, 1490)
March 7: Lost 5-4 @ Calgary Flames (26th, 1470)

Next week:

March 10: vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (9th, 1533)
March 12: vs. St. Louis Blues (20th, 1485)
March 14: @ Tampa Bay Lightning (5th, 1565)

5. Tampa Bay Lightning ▼3 (1565, ▼17)

Record: 39-19-4, 2nd in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 99% (▼1)
Winning the President’s Trophy: <1% (▼8)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 8% (▼3)

Last week: 1-3-0

March 3: Lost 5-1 @ Minnesota Wild (6th, 1546)
March 5: Lost 4-1 @ Winnipeg Jets (17th, 1490)
March 7: Won 5-2 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (25th, 1471)
March 8: Lost 8-7 @ Buffalo Sabres (2nd, 1596)

Next week:

March 10: vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (11th, 1524)
March 12: vs. Detroit Red Wings (12th, 1520)
March 14: vs. Carolina Hurricanes (4th, 1570)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1613 (▲10)
 2       Buffalo Sabres (▲2)           1596 (▲24)
 3       Dallas Stars (▲2)             1576 (▲7)
 4       Carolina Hurricanes (▼1)      1570 (▼6)
 5       Tampa Bay Lightning (▼3)      1565 (▼17)
 6       Minnesota Wild (▲2)           1546 (▲18)
 7       Montreal Canadiens            1541 (▼2)
 8       Ottawa Senators (▲2)          1538 (▲15)
 9       Pittsburgh Penguins (▼3)      1533 (▼18)
10       Boston Bruins (▼1)            1530 (▲6)
11       Columbus Blue Jackets (▲2)    1524 (▲10)
12 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▼1)        1520 (▲5)
12 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲4)             1520 (▲17)
14       New York Islanders            1495 (▼14)
15       Vegas Golden Knights (▼4)     1494 (▼21)
16       Washington Capitals (▼1)      1493 (▼14)
17 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▲2)          1490 (▲3)
17 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲3)            1490 (▲4)
19       Seattle Kraken (▼2)           1488 (▼9)
20       St. Louis Blues (▲7)          1485 (▲18)
21 (tie) Nashville Predators (▼3)      1479 (▼11)
21 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      1479 (▼5)
23       Florida Panthers              1475 (▼4)
24       Los Angeles Kings             1472 (▼6)
25       Toronto Maple Leafs (▼5)      1471 (▼15)
26       Calgary Flames                1470 (▼4)
27       Anaheim Ducks (▼2)            1469 (▼6)
28       San Jose Sharks               1460 (▲8)
29       New Jersey Devils             1445 (▲7)
30       Chicago Blackhawks (▼1)       1434 (▼4)
31       New York Rangers              1422 (▲3)
32       Vancouver Canucks             1392 (▲4)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           90% (▲6)
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins           7% (▼5)
 3       New York Islanders            2% (▼2)
 4       Columbus Blue Jackets         1% (▲1)
 5 (tie) New York Rangers (▼1)         <1%
 5 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▼1)        <1%
 5 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▼1)      <1%
 5 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼1)      <1%

Atlantic Division

 1       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           51% (▲36)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning (▼1)      37% (▼33)
 3       Montreal Canadiens            7% (▼3)
 4       Detroit Red Wings             3%
 5       Boston Bruins                 1% (▼1)
 6 (tie) Florida Panthers              <1%
 6 (tie) Ottawa Senators               <1%
 6 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs           <1%

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            94% (▲6)
 2       Dallas Stars                  5% (▼6)
 3 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       <1%
 3 (tie) Minnesota Wild                <1% (▼1)
 3 (tie) Nashville Predators (▲1)      <1%
 3 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▲1)          <1%
 3 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲1)             <1%
 3 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲1)            <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Anaheim Ducks (▲1)            37% (▲7)
 2       Vegas Golden Knights (▼1)     27% (▼15)
 3       Edmonton Oilers (▲1)          16% (▲8)
 4 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▲1)          9% (▲5)
 4 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▼1)           9% (▼3)
 6       Los Angeles Kings             2% (▼1)
 7 (tie) Calgary Flames                <1%
 7 (tie) Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           >99%
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins           83% (▼8)
 3       New York Islanders            68% (▼11)
 4       Columbus Blue Jackets         54% (▲20)
 5       Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      13%
 6       Washington Capitals (▼1)      7% (▼15)
 7       New Jersey Devils             1%
 8       New York Rangers              <1%

Atlantic Division

 1       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           >99% (▲5)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning (▼1)      99% (▼1)
 3       Montreal Canadiens            89% (▼2)
 4       Detroit Red Wings             79% (▲2)
 5       Boston Bruins                 66% (▲3)
 6       Ottawa Senators               40% (▲13)
 7       Florida Panthers              1% (▼3)
 8       Toronto Maple Leafs           <1% (▼3)

Central Division

 1 (tie) Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 1 (tie) Dallas Stars                  >99%
 1 (tie) Minnesota Wild                >99%
 4       Utah Mammoth                  93% (▲20)
 5       Nashville Predators           23% (▼18)
 6       Winnipeg Jets                 16% (▲9)
 7       St. Louis Blues               3% (▲2)
 8       Chicago Blackhawks (▼1)       <1% (▼1)

Pacific Division

 1       Anaheim Ducks (▲1)            86% (▲1)
 2       Vegas Golden Knights (▼1)     81% (▼9)
 3       Edmonton Oilers (▲1)          69% (▲13)
 4       Seattle Kraken (▼1)           52% (▼11)
 5       San Jose Sharks               48% (▲8)
 6       Los Angeles Kings             28% (▼11)
 7       Calgary Flames                2% (▼2)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            92% (▲16)
 2       Dallas Stars (▲2)             5% (▼2)
 3 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲3)           1% (▲1)
 3 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▼1)      1% (▼7)

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            20% (▲2)
 2       Buffalo Sabres (▲3)           13% (▲5)
 3 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▼1)      10% (▼1)
 3 (tie) Dallas Stars (▲1)             10%
 5       Tampa Bay Lightning (▼3)      8% (▼3)
 6       Minnesota Wild (▲2)           5% (▲1)
 7 (tie) Montreal Canadiens            4% (▼1)
 7 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▼1)      4% (▼2)
 7 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲4)             4% (▲2)
10 (tie) Boston Bruins                 3%
10 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲1)    3% (▲1)
10 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▲1)        3% (▲1)
13 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▼2)          2%
13 (tie) New York Islanders (▼2)       2%
13 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▲5)          2% (▲1)
13 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▼2)           2%
13 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▼5)     2% (▼2)
18 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▼7)            1% (▼1)
18 (tie) Los Angeles Kings             1%
18 (tie) Nashville Predators           1%
18 (tie) San Jose Sharks               1%
18 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲5)            1% (▲1)
23 (tie) Calgary Flames                <1%
23 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
23 (tie) Florida Panthers              <1%
23 (tie) New York Rangers              <1%
23 (tie) New Jersey Devils             <1%
23 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers           <1%
23 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
23 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs           <1%
23 (tie) Vancouver Canucks             <1%
23 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼5)      <1% (▼1)

Olympic Aftershocks: Buffalo Charges the Top 5 While Toronto Hits the Wall

It has been a bit of a somber week for us north of the border. After the high-octane thrill of seeing NHL stars back on the Olympic stage in Milan, coming home with two silver medals feels like a polite Canadian tragedy. Watching both our men’s and women’s squads push the Americans to overtime in the gold medal games, only to have Jack Hughes and Megan Keller provide the heartbreak, is a tough pill to swallow—especially with Sidney Crosby watching the men’s final from the sidelines due to that late-tournament injury. But with the Olympic torch extinguished, the focus shifts back to the grind of the NHL season, and the data shows that the post-Olympic fatigue is already starting to shake up the standings.

The Top 5

1. Colorado (1st, 1603)

The Avalanche remain the undisputed juggernauts of the league. Despite a head-to-head loss to Minnesota this week, their underlying metrics are so strong that they still hold an 18% chance to hoist the Cup. When Nathan MacKinnon is playing at this level, they are nearly impossible to dethrone from the top spot.

2. Tampa Bay (2nd, 1582)

It was a rocky week for the Bolts, highlighted by a lopsided 6-2 loss to Buffalo. While they still sit comfortably at #2, their grip on the Atlantic Division has loosened, with their division win odds sliding to 70%. Still, with a Cup win probability of 11%, nobody is counting out the veterans in Florida.

3. Carolina (3rd, +1, 1576)

The Hurricanes are surging. A massive 5-4 win over Tampa Bay helped propel them up the rankings this week. They are the most dominant force in the Metropolitan right now, boasting an 84% chance to finish as division champions.

4. Buffalo (4th, +1, 1572)

Is it finally happening in Buffalo? The Sabres were the story of the week, taking down both Tampa Bay and Florida. Their playoff odds have skyrocketed to 95%, and for the first time in over a decade, the “City of Good Neighbors” is looking like a legitimate Cup contender with an 8% chance at the title.

5. Dallas (5th, -2, 1569)

The Stars took a bit of a tumble after a loss to Seattle, but they remain a statistical powerhouse. Even with the slight drop in rank, they still hold a 10% chance to win the Cup, second only to Colorado in the West.

Biggest Risers

Nashville (18th, +6, 1490): The Predators are howling again! A massive six-spot jump this week has reignited their playoff hopes, which now sit at 41%.

Ottawa (10th, +3, 1523): The Sens have cracked the Top 10. Despite a close OT loss to Detroit, they rallied to beat Toronto 5-2, proving they belong in the conversation.

NY Islanders (14th, +3, 1509): The Isles had a perfect week of grit, securing OT wins against Montreal and Columbus before beating Florida. Their playoff odds jumped a staggering 20 points to 79%.

Biggest Fallers

Toronto (20th, -5, 1486): It was a week to forget in the 6ix. After getting dismantled by Florida, Tampa, and Ottawa, the Leafs’ playoff odds have cratered to a dismal 3%.

Los Angeles (24th, -4, 1478): An 8-1 drubbing at the hands of Edmonton was the low point of a week that saw the Kings slide further away from a guaranteed Pacific spot.

Columbus (13th, -3, 1514): A tough week of OT losses has seen the Blue Jackets’ playoff security take a major hit, dropping 18 points to 34%.

Division Dogfights

Atlantic

Tampa Bay is still the favorite, but Buffalo’s recent hot streak has made this a legitimate race. The Sabres now have a 15% chance to steal the division crown. Meanwhile, Montreal and Detroit are essentially neck-and-neck for the third spot, both sitting at 91% and 77% playoff odds respectively.

Central

Colorado owns this division with an 88% win probability. The real fight is for the runner-up spot between Dallas and Minnesota. The Wild had a mixed week, beating Colorado but losing to St. Louis, keeping them at a 1% division win chance but a near-lock for the playoffs at >99%.

Metropolitan

Carolina has essentially checked out from the pack with an 84% chance to win the Metro. The drama here is the Islanders’ late-season push; their three-win week has them looking like a lock for the postseason, leaving Washington (22% playoff odds) and Columbus (34%) to fight for the scraps.

Pacific

This is the wildest race in the league! Vegas’s lead is shrinking (now 42% to win the division) as Anaheim makes a monumental charge. The Ducks’ win odds for the Pacific jumped from 13% to 30% this week. With Edmonton (56% playoff odds) and Seattle (63%) struggling for consistency, the Ducks are suddenly the hottest team on the West Coast.

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1603, ▼1)

Record: 39-10-9, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 76% (▲4)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 18%

Last week: 2-1-0

February 25: Won 4-2 @ Utah Mammoth (16th, 1503)
February 26: Lost 5-2 vs. Minnesota Wild (8th, 1528)
February 28: Won 3-1 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (29th, 1438)

Next week:

March 2: @ Los Angeles Kings (24th, 1478)
March 3: @ Anaheim Ducks (25th, 1475)
March 6: @ Dallas Stars (5th, 1569)
March 8: vs. Minnesota Wild (8th, 1528)

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (1582, ▼11)

Record: 38-16-4, 1st in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 8% (▼9)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 11% (▼3)

Last week: 1-2-0

February 25: Won 4-2 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (20th, 1486)
February 26: Lost 5-4 @ Carolina Hurricanes (3rd, 1576)
February 28: Lost 6-2 vs. Buffalo Sabres (4th, 1572)

Next week:

March 3: @ Minnesota Wild (8th, 1528)
March 5: @ Winnipeg Jets (20th, 1486)
March 7: @ Toronto Maple Leafs (20th, 1486)
March 8: @ Buffalo Sabres (4th, 1572)

3. Carolina Hurricanes ▲1 (1576, ▲13)

Record: 38-15-6, 1st in Metropolitan Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99% (▲1)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 8% (▲4)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 11% (▲2)

Last week: 2-0-0

February 26: Won 5-4 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd, 1582)
February 28: Won 5-2 vs. Detroit Red Wings (11th, 1515)

Next week:

March 2: @ Seattle Kraken (17th, 1497)
March 4: @ Vancouver Canucks (32nd, 1388)
March 6: @ Edmonton Oilers (19th, 1487)
March 7: @ Calgary Flames (26th, 1474)

4. Buffalo Sabres ▲1 (1572, ▲22)

Record: 35-19-6, 2nd in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 95% (▲12)
Winning the President’s Trophy: <1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 8% (▲3)

Last week: 3-0-0

February 25: Won 2-1 @ New Jersey Devils (29th, 1438)
February 27: Won 3-2 @ Florida Panthers (23rd, 1479)
February 28: Won 6-2 @ Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd, 1582)

Next week:

March 3: vs. Vegas Golden Knights (11th, 1515)
March 5: @ Pittsburgh Penguins (6th, 1551)
March 7: vs. Nashville Predators (18th, 1490)
March 8: vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd, 1582)

5. Dallas Stars ▼2 (1569, ▲2)

Record: 36-14-9, 2nd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 7% (▲2)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 10% (▲1)

Last week: 2-0-0

February 25: Won 4-1 vs. Seattle Kraken (17th, 1497)
February 28: Won in OT 3-2 vs. Nashville Predators (18th, 1490)

Next week:

March 2: @ Vancouver Canucks (32nd, 1388)
March 3: @ Calgary Flames (26th, 1474)
March 6: vs. Colorado Avalanche (1st, 1603)
March 8: vs. Chicago Blackhawks (29th, 1438)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1603 (▼1)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           1582 (▼11)
 3       Carolina Hurricanes (▲1)      1576 (▲13)
 4       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           1572 (▲22)
 5       Dallas Stars (▼2)             1569 (▲2)
 6       Pittsburgh Penguins           1551 (▲9)
 7       Montreal Canadiens            1543 (▲4)
 8       Minnesota Wild                1528 (▼7)
 9       Boston Bruins                 1524 (▼1)
10       Ottawa Senators (▲3)          1523 (▲7)
11 (tie) Detroit Red Wings             1515 (▼5)
11 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights          1515 (▼5)
13       Columbus Blue Jackets (▼3)    1514 (▼8)
14       New York Islanders (▲3)       1509 (▲9)
15       Washington Capitals (▲2)      1507 (▲7)
16       Utah Mammoth (▼2)             1503 (▼8)
17       Seattle Kraken (▼1)           1497 (▼7)
18       Nashville Predators (▲6)      1490 (▲9)
19       Edmonton Oilers               1487 (▼7)
20 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▼5)      1486 (▼20)
20 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲1)            1486
22       Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      1484 (▲2)
23       Florida Panthers (▼1)         1479 (▼6)
24       Los Angeles Kings (▼4)        1478 (▼9)
25       Anaheim Ducks (▲1)            1475 (▲5)
26       Calgary Flames (▼1)           1474 (▲2)
27       St. Louis Blues               1467 (▲9)
28       San Jose Sharks               1452
29 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       1438 (▲1)
29 (tie) New Jersey Devils             1438 (▼2)
31       New York Rangers              1419 (▲2)
32       Vancouver Canucks             1388 (▼4)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           84% (▲5)
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins           12% (▼3)
 3       New York Islanders            4% (▲1)
 4 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▼1)    <1% (▼3)
 4 (tie) New York Rangers (▲1)         <1%
 4 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▲1)        <1%
 4 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      <1%
 4 (tie) Washington Capitals (▲1)      <1%

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           70% (▼14)
 2       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           15% (▲10)
 3       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       10% (▲3)
 4       Detroit Red Wings             3%
 5       Boston Bruins                 2%
 6 (tie) Florida Panthers              <1%
 6 (tie) Ottawa Senators               <1%
 6 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs           <1%

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            88%
 2       Dallas Stars                  11% (▲3)
 3       Minnesota Wild                1% (▼2)
 4 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
 4 (tie) Nashville Predators           <1%
 4 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
 4 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  <1%
 4 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          42% (▼6)
 2       Anaheim Ducks (▲1)            30% (▲17)
 3       Seattle Kraken (▼1)           12% (▼5)
 4       Edmonton Oilers               8% (▼4)
 5       San Jose Sharks (▲1)          4% (▲1)
 6       Los Angeles Kings (▼1)        3% (▼4)
 7 (tie) Calgary Flames                <1%
 7 (tie) Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           >99% (▲1)
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins           91% (▲5)
 3       New York Islanders            79% (▲20)
 4       Columbus Blue Jackets         34% (▼18)
 5       Washington Capitals           22% (▼1)
 6       Philadelphia Flyers           13% (▼1)
 7       New Jersey Devils             1% (▼1)
 8       New York Rangers              <1%

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           >99%
 2       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           95% (▲12)
 3       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       91% (▲2)
 4       Detroit Red Wings             77% (▼1)
 5       Boston Bruins                 63% (▼3)
 6       Ottawa Senators               27% (▲4)
 7       Florida Panthers (▲1)         4% (▼4)
 8       Toronto Maple Leafs (▼1)      3% (▼15)

Central Division

 1 (tie) Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 1 (tie) Dallas Stars                  >99%
 1 (tie) Minnesota Wild                >99%
 4       Utah Mammoth                  73% (▼7)
 5       Nashville Predators           41% (▲11)
 6       Winnipeg Jets                 7%
 7 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            1% (▼1)
 7 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▲1)          1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          90% (▼1)
 2       Anaheim Ducks (▲1)            85% (▲19)
 3       Seattle Kraken (▼1)           63% (▼8)
 4       Edmonton Oilers               56% (▼8)
 5       San Jose Sharks (▲1)          40% (▲6)
 6       Los Angeles Kings (▼1)        39% (▼12)
 7       Calgary Flames                4% (▼1)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            76% (▲4)
 2 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▲2)      8% (▲4)
 2 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning           8% (▼9)
 4       Dallas Stars (▼1)             7% (▲2)
 5       Minnesota Wild                1% (▼1)

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            18%
 2 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▲1)      11% (▲2)
 2 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning           11% (▼3)
 4       Dallas Stars (▼1)             10% (▲1)
 5       Buffalo Sabres                8% (▲3)
 6       Pittsburgh Penguins (▼1)      6% (▲1)
 7       Montreal Canadiens (▼2)       5%
 8 (tie) Minnesota Wild (▼3)           4% (▼1)
 8 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▲1)     4%
10       Boston Bruins                 3%
11 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▲6)            2% (▲1)
11 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▼1)    2% (▼1)
11 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▼1)        2% (▼1)
11 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▲4)          2%
11 (tie) New York Islanders (▲4)       2%
11 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▼1)           2% (▼1)
11 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▼1)             2% (▼1)
18 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▼1)        1%
18 (tie) Nashville Predators (▼1)      1%
18 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▼1)          1%
18 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▼1)          1%
18 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼1)      1%
23 (tie) Calgary Flames (▲2)           <1%
23 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▲2)       <1%
23 (tie) Florida Panthers (▲2)         <1%
23 (tie) New York Rangers (▲2)         <1%
23 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▲2)        <1%
23 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▼6)      <1% (▼1)
23 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▲2)          <1%
23 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▼6)      <1% (▼1)
23 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▲2)        <1%
23 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲2)            <1%

Shadows, Slides, and the Sprint to the Rings: McDonald NHL Power Rankings

Happy Groundhog Day, hockey fans! While Punxsutawney Phil is busy checking for his shadow, the NHL is staring down a much more imposing figure: the five-ringed shadow of the Winter Olympics. With the final games before the international break set for February 5th and the league not resuming play until February 25th, teams are desperate to head into the hiatus on a high note. Whether we get six more weeks of winter or an early spring, these rankings are heating up!

The Elite Five

Despite some turbulence this week, the heavyweights are largely holding their ground at the top of the mountain.

Colorado (1, 1610): Still the kings of the hill, though they took a few uncharacteristic lumps this week. Their Cup odds remain a league-high 19%.
Tampa Bay (2, 1589): The Bolts are surging, closing the gap on the top spot. They are virtually locks for the postseason with 99% playoff odds.
Dallas (3, 1564): A steady, professional week keeps the Stars in the bronze position. Their consistency is reflected in a >99% playoff probability.
Carolina (4, 1551): The Canes are playing lockdown hockey, maintaining their spot as the Metropolitan’s gold standard with 7% Cup odds.
Buffalo (4, +1, 1551): The Sabres have officially crashed the party! By jumping into a tie for fourth, Buffalo now sees their playoff chances sitting at a strong 85%.

Biggest Risers

If these teams saw their shadows today, they certainly didn’t hide. It’s been a blistering week for a few unexpected squads.

Columbus (12, +8, 1510): The Blue Jackets are the story of the week! A massive 8-spot jump has completely revitalized their season, moving their playoff odds to 41%.
Seattle (15, +7, 1503): The Kraken are finding their sea legs at exactly the right time, climbing seven spots with a 67% chance to play in the spring.
Montreal (8, +5, 1530): The Habs are making a legitimate push, leaping into the Top 10 with an impressive 85% chance to make the dance.
Ottawa (11, +5, 1513): The Senators are refusing to go quietly, putting together a string of wins that keeps their slim hopes alive.

Biggest Fallers

For every riser, someone has to slide down the icy slope. These teams are looking for answers before the Olympic break.

Florida (19, -9, 1497): A disastrous week for the Panthers, who tumbled nine spots. Their playoff odds cratered by 31 points, landing at just 18%.
Toronto (22, -8, 1489): It’s getting late early in Toronto. An 8-spot drop has the Leafs facing a steep climb with only 10% playoff odds remaining.
Detroit (10, -4, 1517): A tough stretch saw the Wings slip out of the top tier, though they remain in a solid playoff position at 78%.
Vegas (12, -4, 1510): The Golden Knights are feeling the heat, as their lead in the Pacific is suddenly under siege.

Division Dogfights

Atlantic: Tampa’s Kingdom

Tampa Bay has effectively seized control here, with their division win odds jumping to 77%. While Montreal and Buffalo are surging, Detroit is sliding in the opposite direction, making the race for the remaining guaranteed spots a total free-for-all.

Central: Colorado’s Castle

Colorado holds a massive 93% chance to win the division, but don’t tell Dallas or Minnesota. The Wild have climbed to the 7th overall rank, ensuring that while the Avalanche might lead, they certainly can’t rest.

Metropolitan: Canes and Chaos

Carolina remains the favorite at 68%, but the real news is the charge from Pittsburgh (24% win odds) and the rapid ascent of Columbus. Even the Islanders are hanging tough in 3rd, making this the most defensive-minded dogfight in the league.

Pacific: The Wild West

This is easily the most volatile division. Vegas saw their win odds plummet by 20% this week, leaving the door wide open for Edmonton (25% win odds), Seattle (15%), and a surging Los Angeles Kings squad (16%).

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1610, ▼11)

Record: 36-8-9, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 81% (▼10)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 19% (▼3)

Last week: 1-2-0

January 28: Lost 5-2 @ Ottawa Senators (11th, 1513)
January 29: Lost 7-3 @ Montreal Canadiens (8th, 1530)
January 31: Won 5-0 @ Detroit Red Wings (10th, 1517)

Next week:

February 2: vs. Detroit Red Wings (10th, 1517)
February 4: vs. San Jose Sharks (27th, 1463)

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (1589, ▲8)

Record: 35-14-4, 1st in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 99% (▲1)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 11% (▲6)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 13% (▲2)

Last week: 3-0-0

January 26: Won 2-0 vs. Utah Mammoth (18th, 1499)
January 29: Won 4-1 vs. Winnipeg Jets (21st, 1491)
February 1: Won in SO 6-5 vs. Boston Bruins (9th, 1525)

Next week:

February 3: vs. Buffalo Sabres (4th, 1551)
February 5: vs. Florida Panthers (19th, 1497)

3. Dallas Stars (1564, ▲14)

Record: 32-14-9, 3rd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99% (▲1)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 3% (▲2)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 8% (▲1)

Last week: 3-0-0

January 27: Won 4-3 @ St. Louis Blues (26th, 1469)
January 29: Won in SO 5-4 @ Vegas Golden Knights (12th, 1510)
January 31: Won 3-2 @ Utah Mammoth (18th, 1499)

Next week:

February 2: vs. Winnipeg Jets (21st, 1491)
February 4: vs. St. Louis Blues (26th, 1469)

4 (tie). Buffalo Sabres ▲1 (1551, ▲5)

Record: 31-18-5, 5th in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 85% (▲6)
Winning the President’s Trophy: <1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 6% (▲1)

Last week: 2-1-0

January 27: Won 7-4 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (22nd, 1489)
January 29: Won 4-1 vs. Los Angeles Kings (16th, 1501)
January 31: Lost 4-2 vs. Montreal Canadiens (8th, 1530)

Next week:

February 2: @ Florida Panthers (19th, 1497)
February 3: @ Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd, 1589)
February 5: vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (6th, 1542)

4 (tie). Carolina Hurricanes (1551, ▲4)

Record: 34-15-6, 1st in Metropolitan Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 98% (▲2)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 2% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 7%

Last week: 2-0-1

January 29: Won 5-4 vs. Utah Mammoth (18th, 1499)
January 31: Lost in OT 4-3 @ Washington Capitals (20th, 1493)
February 1: Won in OT 3-2 vs. Los Angeles Kings (16th, 1501)

Next week:

February 3: vs. Ottawa Senators (11th, 1513)
February 5: @ New York Rangers (31st, 1423)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1610 (▼11)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           1589 (▲8)
 3       Dallas Stars                  1564 (▲14)
 4 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           1551 (▲5)
 4 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes           1551 (▲4)
 6       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1)      1542 (▲10)
 7       Minnesota Wild (▲2)           1536 (▲12)
 8       Montreal Canadiens (▲5)       1530 (▲17)
 9       Boston Bruins (▲2)            1525 (▲5)
10       Detroit Red Wings (▼4)        1517 (▼18)
11       Ottawa Senators (▲5)          1513 (▲15)
12 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲8)    1510 (▲22)
12 (tie) Edmonton Oilers               1510 (▼4)
12 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▼4)     1510 (▼16)
15       Seattle Kraken (▲7)           1503 (▲23)
16       Los Angeles Kings (▲3)        1501 (▲5)
17       New York Islanders (▲3)       1500 (▲12)
18       Utah Mammoth (▼4)             1499 (▼9)
19       Florida Panthers (▼9)         1497 (▼26)
20       Washington Capitals (▼4)      1493 (▼5)
21       Winnipeg Jets (▲2)            1491 (▲12)
22       Toronto Maple Leafs (▼7)      1489 (▼15)
23       Nashville Predators (▲3)      1482 (▲12)
24       Philadelphia Flyers (▼6)      1475 (▼22)
25       Calgary Flames                1473 (▲1)
26       St. Louis Blues (▼2)          1469 (▼7)
27       San Jose Sharks (▲2)          1463 (▲2)
28       Anaheim Ducks                 1462 (▼6)
29       New Jersey Devils (▼2)        1454 (▼15)
30       Chicago Blackhawks            1435 (▼10)
31       New York Rangers              1423 (▼16)
32       Vancouver Canucks             1401 (▲2)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           68%
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins           24% (▲3)
 3       New York Islanders            5%
 4       Columbus Blue Jackets (▲1)    2% (▲1)
 5 (tie) New York Rangers (▲3)         <1%
 5 (tie) New Jersey Devils             <1% (▼1)
 5 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▼1)      <1% (▼3)
 5 (tie) Washington Capitals           <1% (▼1)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           77% (▲13)
 2       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           9% (▼1)
 3       Montreal Canadiens (▲1)       7% (▲3)
 4       Detroit Red Wings (▼2)        4% (▼13)
 5       Boston Bruins                 3%
 6 (tie) Florida Panthers              <1% (▼2)
 6 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▲1)          <1%
 6 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▲1)      <1%

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            93% (▼5)
 2       Dallas Stars                  5% (▲3)
 3       Minnesota Wild                2% (▲1)
 4 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
 4 (tie) Nashville Predators           <1%
 4 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
 4 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  <1%
 4 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          29% (▼21)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               25% (▲5)
 3       Los Angeles Kings (▲1)        16% (▲7)
 4       Seattle Kraken (▲2)           15% (▲11)
 5       Anaheim Ducks (▼2)            8% (▼3)
 6       San Jose Sharks (▼1)          7% (▲1)
 7 (tie) Calgary Flames                <1%
 7 (tie) Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           98% (▲2)
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins           88% (▲8)
 3       New York Islanders            58% (▲12)
 4       Columbus Blue Jackets (▲2)    41% (▲19)
 5       Washington Capitals           24% (▲1)
 6       Philadelphia Flyers (▼2)      14% (▼28)
 7       New Jersey Devils             10% (▼10)
 8       New York Rangers              <1% (▼1)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           99% (▲1)
 2 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           85% (▲6)
 2 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▲2)       85% (▲22)
 4       Detroit Red Wings (▼2)        78% (▼11)
 5       Boston Bruins                 70% (▲12)
 6       Ottawa Senators (▲2)          21% (▲10)
 7       Florida Panthers (▼1)         18% (▼31)
 8       Toronto Maple Leafs (▼1)      10% (▼12)

Central Division

 1 (tie) Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 1 (tie) Dallas Stars (▲1)             >99% (▲1)
 3       Minnesota Wild                99% (▲2)
 4       Utah Mammoth                  62% (▼14)
 5       Nashville Predators           30% (▲6)
 6       Winnipeg Jets                 10% (▲3)
 7 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            2% (▼4)
 7 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▲1)          2% (▼3)

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          81% (▼11)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               78% (▲2)
 3 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▲1)        67% (▲9)
 3 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲3)           67% (▲26)
 5       Anaheim Ducks (▼2)            52% (▼12)
 6       San Jose Sharks (▼1)          46% (▼3)
 7       Calgary Flames                5% (▼1)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            81% (▼10)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           11% (▲6)
 3       Dallas Stars                  3% (▲2)
 4       Carolina Hurricanes (▼1)      2% (▲1)
 5       Minnesota Wild (▲1)           1% (▲1)

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            19% (▼3)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           13% (▲2)
 3       Dallas Stars                  8% (▲1)
 4       Carolina Hurricanes (▼1)      7%
 5 (tie) Buffalo Sabres                6% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins           6% (▲1)
 7       Minnesota Wild (▲2)           5% (▲1)
 8       Montreal Canadiens (▲2)       4% (▲1)
 9 (tie) Boston Bruins (▲1)            3%
 9 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▼4)        3% (▼2)
 9 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▲1)          3%
 9 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲9)           3% (▲2)
 9 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▼4)     3% (▼2)
14 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲4)    2% (▲1)
14 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▲1)        2%
14 (tie) New York Islanders (▲1)       2%
14 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▼4)             2% (▼1)
18 (tie) Anaheim Ducks                 1%
18 (tie) Florida Panthers (▼8)         1% (▼2)
18 (tie) Nashville Predators           1%
18 (tie) Ottawa Senators               1%
18 (tie) San Jose Sharks               1%
18 (tie) Washington Capitals           1%
24 (tie) Calgary Flames (▲3)           <1%
24 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▲3)       <1%
24 (tie) New York Rangers (▲3)         <1%
24 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▼6)        <1% (▼1)
24 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▼9)      <1% (▼2)
24 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▲3)          <1%
24 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▼6)      <1% (▼1)
24 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▲3)        <1%
24 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲3)            <1%

ARCTIC ASSAULT: COLORADO REIGNS SUPREME WHILE THE PENS SCORCH THE DEEP FREEZE!

Listen up, puck-heads! While the rest of North America was busy digging their cars out of record-breaking snowdrifts and shivering in a Polar Vortex that saw wind chills hit -30, the NHL was heating up to a boiling point! We’re talking about a weekend where over 185 million people were under winter alerts, yet these gladiators on ice were out there delivering absolute carnage!

If you thought the ice storm in Georgia was intense, you haven’t seen the shift in these rankings. We’ve got teams rising from the depths and others sliding faster than an 18-wheeler on an icy Trans-Canada. Grab your coffee, turn up the heat, and let’s dive into the carnage!

THE ELITE ELITE: THE TOP 5

The air is thin at the top, and for these teams, the “extreme cold” is just their natural habitat.

Colorado (1, 1621): The Avalanche are a force of nature. Even with a slight rating dip, they hold a 99% chance of making the dance and a staggering 22% chance to hoist the Cup. They are the gold standard.
Tampa Bay (2, 1581): The Bolts are as steady as a block of permafrost. They’ve locked down a 98% playoff probability and show no signs of cracking under the pressure.
Dallas (3, 1550): Deep in the heart of Texas, where the power grids were struggling, the Stars kept the lights on. They remain a lock at 99% playoff odds.
Carolina (4, 1547): The Canes are a nightmare for the rest of the Metro. They’re sitting pretty with a 96% chance to play spring hockey.
Buffalo (5, +4, 1546): BOOM! The Sabres just kicked the door down! A massive four-spot jump into the top five. Buffalo is officially dangerous, seeing their playoff odds skyrocket by 19% this week alone!

THE BIGGEST RISERS: CLIMBING THE GLACIER

While everyone else was hibernating, these squads were out there hunting!

Pittsburgh (7, +7, 1532): Absolute FIRE! The Penguins are the biggest story of the week, jumping seven spots! Sid and the boys are defying the aging process, boosting their playoff hopes by 19% in a single week.
Philadelphia (18, +4, 1497): Don’t count out the Broad Street Bullies! They fought through the freeze to gain 12 rating points and climb four spots.
Seattle (22, +4, 1480): The Kraken are emerging from the deep! A four-spot climb keeps their postseason dreams alive at 41%.

THE BIGGEST FALLERS: SLIPPING ON BLACK ICE

Some teams forgot to put the winter tires on, and it shows. The carnage is real.

Edmonton (12, -7, 1514): TOTAL COLLAPSE! The Oilers hit a patch of black ice and spun out, dropping seven spots and losing 20 rating points. Their Cup odds took a 2% hit, and fans are screaming for answers!
NY Islanders (20, -5, 1488): A disaster on Long Island. They plummeted five spots and saw their playoff odds crater by 24%. That’s not just a slump; that’s a freefall!
Calgary (25, -5, 1472): The Flames are getting extinguished. A five-spot drop has them sitting at a measly 6% chance to make the playoffs.

DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: THE WAR FOR THE CROWN

The divisional boundaries are turning into trenches. Here is how the landscape shifted after a weekend of blizzard-fueled hockey:

Atlantic Division

It’s a three-headed monster! Tampa Bay (2, 1581) holds the best win odds at 64%, but Detroit (6, +2, 1535) is the current divisional leader in the odds race at 17% (up 6%). Meanwhile, Buffalo (5, +4, 1546) is the dark horse charging from behind. Toronto (15, -4, 1504) is in serious trouble, with their playoff odds tanking by 23%!

Central Division

Colorado (1, 1621) has a literal vice grip on this division with 98% win odds. Minnesota (9, -3, 1524) and Dallas (3, 1550) are just fighting for the scraps at this point. The rest of the division—Chicago, St. Louis, Winnipeg—are effectively frozen out of the title race with <1% win odds.

Metropolitan Division

Carolina (4, 1547) is the king of the hill with 68% win odds, but look out for Pittsburgh (7, +7, 1532)! The Pens saw their division win odds jump by 10% this week to a respectable 21%. The Islanders are the biggest losers here, seeing their division hopes nearly vanish.

Pacific Division

Vegas (8, -2, 1526) still leads the pack with 50% win odds, but they’re bleeding. Edmonton (12, -7, 1514) dropped a massive 10% in their division win probability. Keep an eye on Anaheim (28, +1, 1468)—their odds to win the Pacific jumped by 8%, the biggest shift in the division!

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1621, ▼5)

Record: 35-6-9, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 91% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 22%

Last week: 2-1-1

January 19: Won 5-2 vs. Washington Capitals (16th, 1498)
January 21: Lost in SO 2-1 vs. Anaheim Ducks (28th, 1468)
January 23: Lost 7-3 vs. Philadelphia Flyers (18th, 1497)
January 25: Won 4-1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (15th, 1504)

Next week:

January 28: @ Ottawa Senators (16th, 1498)
January 29: @ Montreal Canadiens (13th, 1513)
January 31: @ Detroit Red Wings (6th, 1535)

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (1581, ▼7)

Record: 32-14-4, 2nd in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 98%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 5% (▼1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 11% (▼1)

Last week: 2-1-0

January 20: Won 4-1 vs. San Jose Sharks (29th, 1461)
January 23: Won in SO 2-1 @ Chicago Blackhawks (30th, 1445)
January 24: Lost 8-5 @ Columbus Blue Jackets (20th, 1488)

Next week:

January 26: vs. Utah Mammoth (14th, 1508)
January 29: vs. Winnipeg Jets (23rd, 1479)
February 1: vs. Boston Bruins (11th, 1520)

3. Dallas Stars (1550, ▲3)

Record: 29-14-9, 3rd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 99% (▲1)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 7% (▲1)

Last week: 2-1-0

January 20: Won 6-2 vs. Boston Bruins (11th, 1520)
January 22: Lost 1-0 @ Columbus Blue Jackets (20th, 1488)
January 23: Won 3-2 vs. St. Louis Blues (24th, 1476)

Next week:

January 27: @ St. Louis Blues (24th, 1476)
January 29: @ Vegas Golden Knights (8th, 1526)
January 31: @ Utah Mammoth (14th, 1508)

4. Carolina Hurricanes ▲1 (1547, ▲12)

Record: 32-15-5, 1st in Metropolitan Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 96% (▲2)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 7% (▲1)

Last week: 2-0-1

January 19: Won 2-1 vs. Buffalo Sabres (5th, 1546)
January 22: Lost in SO 4-3 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (30th, 1445)
January 24: Won 4-1 @ Ottawa Senators (16th, 1498)

Next week:

January 29: vs. Utah Mammoth (14th, 1508)
January 31: @ Washington Capitals (16th, 1498)
February 1: vs. Los Angeles Kings (19th, 1496)

5. Buffalo Sabres ▲2 (1546, ▲15)

Record: 29-17-5, 3rd in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 79% (▲14)
Winning the President’s Trophy: <1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 5% (▲1)

Last week: 3-1-0

January 19: Lost 2-1 @ Carolina Hurricanes (4th, 1547)
January 20: Won 5-3 @ Nashville Predators (26th, 1470)
January 22: Won 4-2 @ Montreal Canadiens (13th, 1513)
January 24: Won 5-0 @ New York Islanders (20th, 1488)

Next week:

January 27: @ Toronto Maple Leafs (15th, 1504)
January 29: vs. Los Angeles Kings (19th, 1496)
January 31: vs. Montreal Canadiens (13th, 1513)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1621 (▼5)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           1581 (▼7)
 3       Dallas Stars                  1550 (▲3)
 4       Carolina Hurricanes (▲1)      1547 (▲12)
 5       Buffalo Sabres (▲2)           1546 (▲15)
 6       Detroit Red Wings (▲3)        1535 (▲10)
 7       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲8)      1532 (▲31)
 8       Vegas Golden Knights (▼4)     1526 (▼17)
 9       Minnesota Wild                1524 (▼1)
10       Florida Panthers (▼1)         1523 (▼2)
11       Boston Bruins (▲2)            1520 (▲8)
12       Edmonton Oilers (▼6)          1514 (▼20)
13       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       1513 (▼8)
14       Utah Mammoth (▲1)             1508 (▲7)
15       Toronto Maple Leafs (▼7)      1504 (▼23)
16 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▲1)          1498 (▲2)
16 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼2)      1498 (▼4)
18       Philadelphia Flyers (▲8)      1497 (▲22)
19       Los Angeles Kings             1496 (▲6)
20 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲4)    1488 (▲9)
20 (tie) New York Islanders (▼2)       1488 (▼7)
22       Seattle Kraken (▲1)           1480 (▼3)
23       Winnipeg Jets (▼1)            1479 (▼8)
24       St. Louis Blues (▼3)          1476 (▼12)
25       Calgary Flames (▼6)           1472 (▼18)
26       Nashville Predators (▼1)      1470 (▼8)
27       New Jersey Devils             1469 (▲11)
28       Anaheim Ducks (▲2)            1468 (▲21)
29       San Jose Sharks               1461 (▲12)
30       Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       1445 (▲6)
31       New York Rangers (▼4)         1439 (▼19)
32       Vancouver Canucks             1399 (▼11)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           68% (▲2)
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1)      21% (▲11)
 3       New York Islanders (▼1)       5% (▼9)
 4       Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      3%
 5 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲1)    1% (▼1)
 5 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▲2)        1%
 5 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼1)      1% (▼3)
 8       New York Rangers              <1%

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           64% (▼4)
 2       Detroit Red Wings             17% (▲7)
 3       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           10% (▲4)
 4       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       4% (▼4)
 5       Boston Bruins                 3%
 6       Florida Panthers (▲1)         2%
 7 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▲1)          <1%
 7 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▼2)      <1% (▼3)

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            98%
 2       Dallas Stars                  2% (▲1)
 3       Minnesota Wild (▼1)           1%
 4 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
 4 (tie) Nashville Predators           <1%
 4 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
 4 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  <1%
 4 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          50% (▼13)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               20% (▼5)
 3       Anaheim Ducks (▲3)            11% (▲10)
 4       Los Angeles Kings             9% (▲6)
 5       San Jose Sharks               6% (▲4)
 6       Seattle Kraken (▼3)           4%
 7 (tie) Calgary Flames (▼1)           <1% (▼1)
 7 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▲1)        <1%

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           96% (▲2)
 2       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1)      80% (▲26)
 3       New York Islanders (▼1)       46% (▼18)
 4       Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      42% (▲14)
 5       Washington Capitals (▼1)      23% (▼15)
 6       Columbus Blue Jackets         22% (▲1)
 7       New Jersey Devils             20% (▲5)
 8       New York Rangers              1% (▼6)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           98%
 2       Detroit Red Wings             89% (▲9)
 3       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           79% (▲14)
 4       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       63% (▼11)
 5       Boston Bruins                 58% (▲6)
 6       Florida Panthers (▲1)         49% (▲6)
 7       Toronto Maple Leafs (▼2)      22% (▼30)
 8       Ottawa Senators               11% (▼4)

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 2       Dallas Stars                  99% (▲1)
 3       Minnesota Wild                97% (▲1)
 4       Utah Mammoth                  76% (▲11)
 5       Nashville Predators           24% (▼13)
 6       Winnipeg Jets                 7% (▼8)
 7       Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       6% (▲1)
 8       St. Louis Blues (▼1)          5% (▼9)

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          92% (▼5)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               76% (▼12)
 3       Anaheim Ducks (▲3)            64% (▲33)
 4       Los Angeles Kings             58% (▲12)
 5       San Jose Sharks               49% (▲10)
 6       Seattle Kraken (▼3)           41% (▼8)
 7       Calgary Flames                6% (▼15)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            91% (▲1)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           5% (▼1)
 3 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes           1%
 3 (tie) Dallas Stars                  1%
 3 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▲3)        1% (▲1)

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            22%
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           11% (▼1)
 3 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes           7% (▲1)
 3 (tie) Dallas Stars                  7% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲2)           5% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▲2)        5% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲8)      5% (▲3)
 5 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▼2)     5% (▼1)
 9       Minnesota Wild (▼2)           4%
10 (tie) Boston Bruins (▲3)            3% (▲1)
10 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▼4)          3% (▼2)
10 (tie) Florida Panthers (▲1)         3%
10 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▼3)       3% (▼1)
10 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲3)             3% (▲1)
15 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▼2)        2%
15 (tie) New York Islanders (▼2)       2%
15 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲4)      2% (▲1)
18 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▲10)           1% (▲1)
18 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲1)    1%
18 (tie) Nashville Predators (▲1)      1%
18 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▲10)       1% (▲1)
18 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▲1)          1%
18 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▲1)          1%
18 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲1)           1%
18 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▼7)      1% (▼2)
18 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼5)      1% (▼1)
27 (tie) Calgary Flames (▼8)           <1% (▼1)
27 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       <1%
27 (tie) New York Rangers (▲1)         <1%
27 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▼8)          <1% (▼1)
27 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▲1)        <1%
27 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▼8)            <1% (▼1)

AVALANCHE WARNING: COLORADO KEEPS THE CROWN WHILE UTAH IGNITES A DESERT FIRESTORM!

LACE ‘EM UP, HOCKEY FANS! We are officially hitting the mid-season grind where the ice gets harder, the hits get heavier, and the pretenders start looking for the exit! If you can’t handle the heat in January, get out of the rink! We’ve got teams surging like rockets and others sinking like stones in a frozen pond.

Here is your NHL Power Rankings Summary for the week ending January 18, 2026!

THE ELITE FIVE: THE KINGS OF THE ICE

These are the heavyweights. The teams everyone else is terrified to see on the schedule.

Colorado (1st, 1626) The Avalanche are still the gold standard, holding a 100% chance to make the dance. Even after a weird 7-3 stumble against Nashville, they own the Central with a 98% win probability. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are playing like men possessed.
Tampa Bay (2nd, 1588) The Bolts are screaming down the tracks! With an 11-game point streak and Vasilevskiy playing out of his mind, they’ve seized a 68% stranglehold on the Atlantic. Their Cup odds jumped to 12% this week!
Dallas (3rd, 1547) The Stars took a few bruises this week, dropping games to Utah and Anaheim, but they remain a tier-one threat. They are sitting pretty with 98% playoff odds, though their grip on the Central is slipping.
Vegas (4th, 1543) The Golden Knights are doing what they do best: winning. They dominated Nashville 7-2 and are now the favorites to take the Pacific with a 63% chance to win the division.
Carolina (5th, +3, 1535) WELCOME TO THE TOP 5, CANES! After absolutely obliterating Florida 9-1, Carolina is the new boss of the Metropolitan. Their odds to win the division skyrocketed by 14% this week to a total of 66%.

THE ROCKET SHIPS: BIGGEST RISERS

Somebody call the fire department, because these teams are RED HOT!

Utah (15th, +8, 1501): The biggest jump of the week! Utah destroyed Toronto 6-1 and Seattle 6-3. Their playoff odds swung up to a massive 65%. This team is for real!
Buffalo (7th, +6, 1531): Don’t look now, but the Sabres are charging! They moved up 6 spots and now have a 65% chance to end the drought.
Boston (13th, +6, 1512): The Bruins are back from the dead! A massive week has their playoff odds sitting at 52%, up significantly from last week.

THE FREE FALLERS: DROPPING LIKE FLIES

Check the parachutes, because these teams are in a controlled (or uncontrolled) descent.

Philadelphia (26th, -11, 1475): TOTAL DISASTER. The Flyers plummeted 11 spots after a winless week. Their playoff hopes are fading fast at just 28%.
Seattle (23rd, -8, 1483): The Kraken are lost at sea. They dropped 8 spots in the rankings and their playoff odds fell by 21%, now sitting at a coin-flip 49%.
Toronto (8th, -3, 1527): Panic in the 6ix! After getting embarrassed by Utah and losing to Vegas, the Leafs are sliding. They only have a 3% chance to win the Atlantic.

DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: THE WAR FOR THE CROWN

Every point is a prisoner! Here’s how the four fronts look:

Atlantic Division

It’s the Tampa Bay (68%) show right now. Detroit (10%) is trying to keep pace after a big OT win against Ottawa, but the Bolts are pulling away. Keep an eye on Buffalo (6%)—they are the dark horse here!

Central Division

Colorado (98%) has the division in a locker and threw away the key. Dallas (1%) and Minnesota (1%) are basically fighting for scrap metal at this point. The Avalanche are playing a different sport.

Metropolitan Division

Carolina (66%) is the undisputed king this week. The NY Islanders (14%) and Pittsburgh (10%) are in a bloody battle for the second spot, while Washington (4%) is fading into the background.

Pacific Division

Vegas (63%) is the frontrunner, but Edmonton (25%) is charging hard! The Oilers just posted back-to-back high-scoring shutouts, including a 5-0 thumping of St. Louis. Seattle (4%) and LA (3%) are barely clinging to the conversation.

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1626, ▼14)

Record: 33-5-8, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 90% (▼4)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 22% (▼3)

Last week: 0-1-1

January 12: Lost in OT 4-3 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (8th, 1527)
January 16: Lost 7-3 vs. Nashville Predators (25th, 1478)

Next week:

January 19: vs. Washington Capitals (14th, 1502)
January 21: vs. Anaheim Ducks (30th, 1447)
January 23: vs. Philadelphia Flyers (26th, 1475)
January 25: @ Toronto Maple Leafs (8th, 1527)

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (1588, ▲13)

Record: 30-13-4, 1st in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 98% (▲3)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 6% (▲4)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 12% (▲2)

Last week: 3-0-1

January 12: Won 5-1 @ Philadelphia Flyers (26th, 1475)
January 13: Won in SO 2-1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (15th, 1501)
January 16: Lost in SO 3-2 @ St. Louis Blues (21st, 1488)
January 18: Won 4-1 @ Dallas Stars (3rd, 1547)

Next week:

January 20: vs. San Jose Sharks (29th, 1449)
January 23: @ Chicago Blackhawks (31st, 1439)
January 24: @ Columbus Blue Jackets (24th, 1479)

3. Dallas Stars (1547, ▼18)

Record: 27-13-9, 2nd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 98% (▼1)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1% (▼1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 6% (▼1)

Last week: 1-3-0

January 12: Won 3-1 @ Los Angeles Kings (19th, 1490)
January 13: Lost 3-1 @ Anaheim Ducks (30th, 1447)
January 15: Lost 2-1 @ Utah Mammoth (15th, 1501)
January 18: Lost 4-1 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd, 1588)

Next week:

January 20: vs. Boston Bruins (13th, 1512)
January 22: @ Columbus Blue Jackets (24th, 1479)
January 23: vs. St. Louis Blues (21st, 1488)

4. Vegas Golden Knights ▲1 (1543, ▲5)

Record: 24-11-12, 1st in Pacific Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 97% (▲4)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 6% (▲1)

Last week: 3-0-0

January 14: Won in OT 3-2 @ Los Angeles Kings (19th, 1490)
January 15: Won in OT 6-5 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (8th, 1527)
January 17: Won 7-2 vs. Nashville Predators (25th, 1478)

Next week:

January 19: vs. Philadelphia Flyers (26th, 1475)
January 22: @ Boston Bruins (13th, 1512)
January 23: @ Toronto Maple Leafs (8th, 1527)
January 25: @ Ottawa Senators (17th, 1496)

5. Carolina Hurricanes ▲3 (1535, ▲7)

Record: 30-15-4, 1st in Metropolitan Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 94% (▲4)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 6% (▲1)

Last week: 2-1-1

January 12: Lost in OT 4-3 @ Detroit Red Wings (9th, 1525)
January 13: Lost 3-0 @ St. Louis Blues (21st, 1488)
January 16: Won 9-1 vs. Florida Panthers (9th, 1525)
January 17: Won 4-1 @ New Jersey Devils (27th, 1458)

Next week:

January 19: vs. Buffalo Sabres (7th, 1531)
January 22: vs. Chicago Blackhawks (31st, 1439)
January 24: @ Ottawa Senators (17th, 1496)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1626 (▼14)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           1588 (▲13)
 3       Dallas Stars                  1547 (▼18)
 4       Vegas Golden Knights (▲1)     1543 (▲5)
 5       Carolina Hurricanes (▲3)      1535 (▲7)
 6       Edmonton Oilers (▲4)          1534 (▲10)
 7       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           1531 (▲3)
 8       Toronto Maple Leafs (▼2)      1527 (▼4)
 9 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▼2)        1525 (▼4)
 9 (tie) Florida Panthers (▲4)         1525 (▲10)
 9 (tie) Minnesota Wild (▼5)           1525 (▼18)
12       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       1521 (▼1)
13       Boston Bruins (▲5)            1512 (▲22)
14       Washington Capitals (▼2)      1502 (▼19)
15 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲2)      1501 (▲6)
15 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲8)             1501 (▲22)
17       Ottawa Senators (▲5)          1496 (▲15)
18       New York Islanders (▼3)       1495 (▼5)
19 (tie) Calgary Flames (▲2)           1490 (▲8)
19 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▼3)        1490 (▼9)
21       St. Louis Blues (▼1)          1488 (▲3)
22       Winnipeg Jets (▲3)            1487 (▲16)
23       Seattle Kraken (▼4)           1483 (▼5)
24       Columbus Blue Jackets (▲2)    1479 (▲14)
25       Nashville Predators (▼1)      1478 (▲5)
26       Philadelphia Flyers (▼12)     1475 (▼28)
27 (tie) New York Rangers (▼1)         1458 (▼7)
27 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▲2)        1458 (▲3)
29       San Jose Sharks (▲1)          1449 (▲5)
30       Anaheim Ducks (▲1)            1447 (▲11)
31       Chicago Blackhawks (▼3)       1439 (▼22)
32       Vancouver Canucks             1410 (▼23)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           66% (▲15)
 2       New York Islanders            14% (▼3)
 3       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲2)      10% (▲2)
 4       Washington Capitals           4% (▼5)
 5       Philadelphia Flyers (▼2)      3% (▼10)
 6       Columbus Blue Jackets         2% (▲1)
 7       New Jersey Devils (▼1)        1%
 8       New York Rangers (▼2)         <1% (▼1)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           68% (▲12)
 2       Detroit Red Wings             10% (▼4)
 3       Montreal Canadiens            8% (▼4)
 4       Buffalo Sabres                6% (▼4)
 5 (tie) Boston Bruins (▲1)            3% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs           3% (▼2)
 7       Florida Panthers (▼1)         2%
 8       Ottawa Senators               <1%

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            98% (▲1)
 2 (tie) Dallas Stars                  1% (▼2)
 2 (tie) Minnesota Wild (▲1)           1%
 4 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
 4 (tie) Nashville Predators           <1%
 4 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
 4 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  <1%
 4 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          63% (▲14)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               25% (▼1)
 3       Seattle Kraken                4% (▼6)
 4       Los Angeles Kings (▼1)        3% (▼7)
 5       San Jose Sharks               2% (▼1)
 6 (tie) Anaheim Ducks                 1%
 6 (tie) Calgary Flames                1%
 8       Vancouver Canucks             <1%

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           94% (▲4)
 2       New York Islanders            64% (▼4)
 3       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲2)      54% (▲9)
 4       Washington Capitals           38% (▼15)
 5       Philadelphia Flyers (▼2)      28% (▼32)
 6       Columbus Blue Jackets (▲2)    21% (▲11)
 7       New Jersey Devils (▼1)        15% (▲4)
 8       New York Rangers (▼2)         7% (▼4)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           98% (▲3)
 2       Detroit Red Wings             80% (▲2)
 3       Montreal Canadiens            74% (▼1)
 4       Buffalo Sabres                65% (▼1)
 5 (tie) Boston Bruins (▲2)            52% (▲19)
 5 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs           52% (▼2)
 7       Florida Panthers (▼1)         43% (▲3)
 8       Ottawa Senators               15% (▲3)

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 2       Dallas Stars                  98% (▼1)
 3       Minnesota Wild                96% (▼2)
 4       Utah Mammoth                  65% (▲23)
 5       Nashville Predators           37% (▲4)
 6       Winnipeg Jets (▲2)            15% (▲5)
 7       St. Louis Blues               14%
 8       Chicago Blackhawks (▼2)       5% (▼17)

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          97% (▲4)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               88% (▲5)
 3       Seattle Kraken (▲1)           49% (▼13)
 4       Los Angeles Kings (▼1)        46% (▼17)
 5       San Jose Sharks               39% (▼1)
 6       Anaheim Ducks (▲1)            31% (▲12)
 7       Calgary Flames (▼1)           21% (▲1)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             <1% (▼4)

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            90% (▼4)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           6% (▲4)
 3 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▲2)      1% (▲1)
 3 (tie) Dallas Stars (▼1)             1% (▼1)
 3 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▲2)     1% (▲1)

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            22% (▼3)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           12% (▲2)
 3 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▲1)      6% (▲1)
 3 (tie) Dallas Stars                  6% (▼1)
 3 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▲1)     6% (▲1)
 6       Edmonton Oilers (▲1)          5% (▲1)
 7 (tie) Buffalo Sabres                4%
 7 (tie) Detroit Red Wings             4%
 7 (tie) Minnesota Wild (▼3)           4% (▼1)
 7 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▲4)       4% (▲1)
11 (tie) Florida Panthers (▲3)         3% (▲1)
11 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▼4)      3% (▼1)
13 (tie) Boston Bruins (▲6)            2% (▲1)
13 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▲1)        2%
13 (tie) New York Islanders (▲1)       2%
13 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1)      2%
13 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲6)             2% (▲1)
13 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼2)      2% (▼1)
19 (tie) Calgary Flames                1%
19 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲7)    1% (▲1)
19 (tie) Nashville Predators           1%
19 (tie) Ottawa Senators               1%
19 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▼8)      1% (▼2)
19 (tie) San Jose Sharks               1%
19 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▼5)           1% (▼1)
19 (tie) St. Louis Blues               1%
19 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲7)            1% (▲1)
28 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▼2)            <1%
28 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▼2)       <1%
28 (tie) New York Rangers (▼2)         <1%
28 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▼2)        <1%
28 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▼2)        <1%

AVALANCHE OF AGGRESSION: VEGAS VAMPED, BOSTON BURNING, AND THE CANES CRUSHING THE METRO!

LISTEN UP, HOCKEY NATION! If you’re looking for soft landings and participation trophies, you’re in the wrong zip code! The mid-season grind is turning into a full-blown war zone, and the latest data from January 11, 2026, proves that only the stone-cold killers are surviving the frost!

Grab your smelling salts—here is your McDonald NHL Power Rankings blitz!

THE ELITE FIVE: THE KINGS OF THE HILL

These are the titans. The heavyweights. The teams that don’t just win—they leave a trail of broken spirits and shattered glass behind them.

Colorado (1st, 1640) The Avalanche are essentially a cheat code at this point. They’re sitting on a 1640 rating and a 99% chance to hit the postseason. They took a tiny -1 dip in rating this week, but they’re still the undisputed apex predator of the Central.
Tampa Bay (2nd, +1, 1575) The Bolts are surging! Up one spot and looking absolutely lethal. With a 95% playoff probability, Tampa is reminding the rest of the Atlantic that the road to the Cup still runs through Florida.
Dallas (3rd, -1, 1565) A minor stumble for the Stars, dropping one spot, but don’t you dare look away. Their 99% playoff odds match Colorado for the best in the league. They are a defensive juggernaut waiting to explode.
Minnesota (4th, 1543) The Wild stay put at number four. They aren’t flashy, but they are effective. A 98% playoff lock means the State of Hockey is going to be rocking come April.
Vegas (5th, +2, 1538) BOOM! The Golden Knights are back in the Top 5! A massive +19 rating boost and a two-spot jump. They just hung a 7-2 beatdown on San Jose to close the week. This is a team with bad intentions!

BIGGEST RISERS: THE CLIMBERS

Boston (18th, +7, 1490) The Bruins are screaming back from the dead! A massive seven-spot jump! They dismantled the Rangers 10-2—yes, you read that right—and followed it up with a shutout over Pittsburgh. They’ve boosted their playoff odds by 8% in one week!
Carolina (8th, +5, 1528) The Canes are a hurricane of momentum right now. Up five spots into the Top 10, they now hold a 51% chance to win the Metro. They are officially the “Team No One Wants To See” right now.
Buffalo (8th, +4, 1528) Don’t look now, but the Sabres are charging! Up four spots and their playoff odds skyrocketed by 17%!

BIGGEST FALLERS: THE CRASH & BURN

Washington (12th, -7, 1521) Total collapse in D.C.! The Capitals plummeted seven spots after a brutal week, losing 10% of their playoff equity. The wheels aren’t off yet, but they’re wobbling hard.
Florida (13th, -7, 1515) The Panthers are in a tailspin, matching Washington with a seven-spot drop. Their playoff odds tanked by 11%. Someone wake up the Cats before they sleep through the postseason!
St. Louis (20th, -5, 1485) The Blues are singing the blues. A five-spot drop and a massive 20% hit to their playoff odds. The window is slamming shut!

DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: THE TRENCH WARFARE

Atlantic: The Shark Tank

Tampa Bay is the powerhouse here with a 56% chance to take the division, but Detroit (7th, +3, 1529) is breathing down their necks with 14% win odds. Montreal (11th, -4, 1522) is fading, losing 5% of their division-winning probability this week.

Metropolitan: The Carolina Takeover

The Hurricanes have seized control! Their odds to win the Metro jumped by a staggering 23% this week, now sitting at 51%. The Islanders (15th, +4, 1500) are the only ones keeping pace, while Washington and Pittsburgh are falling into the abyss.

Central: The Avalanche Monopoly

Is there even a race? Colorado has a 97% chance to win the division. Dallas and Minnesota are basically playing for second place at this point. The rest of the division is just trying to stay relevant in the Wild Card race.

Pacific: The Vegas Power Grab

The Golden Knights are the big winners here, jumping 19% in division win odds to lead the pack at 49%. Edmonton (10th, +1, 1524) is hanging tough at 26%, but Los Angeles (16th, -2, 1499) saw their hopes take a 10% nosedive.

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1640, ▼1)

Record: 33-4-7, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 94% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 25% (▲1)

Last week: 2-1-0

January 6: Lost 4-2 @ Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd, 1575)
January 8: Won 8-2 vs. Ottawa Senators (22nd, 1481)
January 10: Won 4-0 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (26th, 1465)

Next week:

January 12: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (6th, 1531)
January 16: vs. Nashville Predators (24th, 1473)

2. Tampa Bay Lightning ▲1 (1575, ▲15)

Record: 27-13-3, 2nd in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 95% (▲4)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 2% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 10% (▲2)

Last week: 2-0-0

January 6: Won 4-2 vs. Colorado Avalanche (1st, 1640)
January 10: Won 7-2 @ Philadelphia Flyers (14th, 1503)

Next week:

January 12: @ Philadelphia Flyers (14th, 1503)
January 13: @ Pittsburgh Penguins (17th, 1495)
January 16: @ St. Louis Blues (20th, 1485)
January 18: @ Dallas Stars (3rd, 1565)

3. Dallas Stars ▼1 (1565, ▼2)

Record: 26-10-9, 2nd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 2% (▼1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 7% (▼1)

Last week: 1-1-1

January 6: Lost 6-3 @ Carolina Hurricanes (8th, 1528)
January 7: Won 4-1 @ Washington Capitals (12th, 1521)
January 10: Lost in OT 5-4 @ San Jose Sharks (30th, 1444)

Next week:

January 12: @ Los Angeles Kings (16th, 1499)
January 13: @ Anaheim Ducks (31st, 1436)
January 15: @ Utah Mammoth (23rd, 1479)
January 18: vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd, 1575)

4. Minnesota Wild (1543, ▼10)

Record: 26-11-9, 3rd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 98%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1% (▼1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 5% (▼1)

Last week: 1-1-1

January 5: Lost 4-2 @ Los Angeles Kings (16th, 1499)
January 8: Won in OT 3-2 @ Seattle Kraken (19th, 1488)
January 10: Lost in OT 4-3 vs. New York Islanders (15th, 1500)

Next week:

January 12: vs. New Jersey Devils (29th, 1455)
January 15: vs. Winnipeg Jets (25th, 1471)
January 17: @ Buffalo Sabres (8th, 1528)

5. Vegas Golden Knights ▲2 (1538, ▲19)

Record: 21-11-12, 1st in Pacific Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 93% (▲15)
Winning the President’s Trophy: <1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 5% (▲1)

Last week: 4-0-0

January 6: Won in OT 4-3 @ Winnipeg Jets (25th, 1471)
January 8: Won 5-3 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (26th, 1465)
January 10: Won 4-2 vs. St. Louis Blues (20th, 1485)
January 11: Won 7-2 @ San Jose Sharks (30th, 1444)

Next week:

January 14: @ Los Angeles Kings (16th, 1499)
January 15: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (6th, 1531)
January 17: vs. Nashville Predators (24th, 1473)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1640 (▼1)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning (▲1)      1575 (▲15)
 3       Dallas Stars (▼1)             1565 (▼2)
 4       Minnesota Wild                1543 (▼10)
 5       Vegas Golden Knights (▲2)     1538 (▲19)
 6       Toronto Maple Leafs (▲3)      1531 (▲13)
 7       Detroit Red Wings (▲7)        1529 (▲22)
 8 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲3)           1528 (▲18)
 8 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▲4)      1528 (▲19)
10       Edmonton Oilers               1524 (▲12)
11       Montreal Canadiens (▼4)       1522 (▲3)
12       Washington Capitals (▼7)      1521 (▼4)
13       Florida Panthers (▼7)         1515 (▼5)
14       Philadelphia Flyers (▲2)      1503 (▼2)
15       New York Islanders (▲5)       1500 (▲8)
16       Los Angeles Kings (▲2)        1499 (▼1)
17       Pittsburgh Penguins (▼1)      1495 (▼10)
18       Boston Bruins (▲7)            1490 (▲14)
19       Seattle Kraken (▲5)           1488 (▲9)
20       St. Louis Blues (▼5)          1485 (▼21)
21       Calgary Flames (▼2)           1482 (▼13)
22       Ottawa Senators (▼9)          1481 (▼27)
23       Utah Mammoth (▲4)             1479 (▲14)
24       Nashville Predators (▼3)      1473 (▼7)
25       Winnipeg Jets (▲3)            1471 (▲8)
26 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▼5)    1465 (▼15)
26 (tie) New York Rangers (▼5)         1465 (▼15)
28       Chicago Blackhawks (▲2)       1461 (▲10)
29       New Jersey Devils (▼3)        1455 (▼19)
30       San Jose Sharks (▲2)          1444 (▲5)
31       Anaheim Ducks (▼2)            1436 (▼21)
32       Vancouver Canucks (▼1)        1433 (▼15)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           51% (▲22)
 2       New York Islanders (▲3)       17% (▲5)
 3       Philadelphia Flyers (▼1)      13% (▼6)
 4       Washington Capitals           9% (▼6)
 5       Pittsburgh Penguins (▼2)      8% (▼8)
 6 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲2)    1% (▼1)
 6 (tie) New York Rangers (▲1)         1% (▼2)
 6 (tie) New Jersey Devils             1% (▼3)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           56% (▲8)
 2       Detroit Red Wings (▲1)        14% (▲5)
 3       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       12% (▼6)
 4       Buffalo Sabres                10% (▲3)
 5       Toronto Maple Leafs (▲2)      5% (▲1)
 6 (tie) Boston Bruins (▲2)            2%
 6 (tie) Florida Panthers (▼2)         2% (▼5)
 8       Ottawa Senators (▼2)          <1% (▼5)

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            97% (▲2)
 2       Dallas Stars                  3% (▼1)
 3       Minnesota Wild                1% (▼1)
 4 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
 4 (tie) Nashville Predators           <1%
 4 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
 4 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  <1%
 4 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          49% (▲17)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               26% (▲2)
 3 (tie) Los Angeles Kings             10% (▼6)
 3 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲1)           10% (▼2)
 5       San Jose Sharks (▲2)          3% (▼1)
 6 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▼1)            1% (▼7)
 6 (tie) Calgary Flames                1% (▼4)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             <1% (▼1)

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           90% (▲16)
 2       New York Islanders (▲3)       68% (▲16)
 3       Philadelphia Flyers (▼1)      60% (▼2)
 4       Washington Capitals (▼1)      53% (▼4)
 5       Pittsburgh Penguins (▼2)      45% (▼12)
 6 (tie) New York Rangers (▲1)         11% (▼12)
 6 (tie) New Jersey Devils             11% (▼17)
 8       Columbus Blue Jackets         10% (▼11)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           95% (▲4)
 2       Detroit Red Wings (▲1)        78% (▲20)
 3       Montreal Canadiens (▼1)       75% (▲3)
 4       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           66% (▲17)
 5       Toronto Maple Leafs (▲2)      54% (▲17)
 6       Florida Panthers (▼2)         40% (▼11)
 7       Boston Bruins (▲1)            33% (▲8)
 8       Ottawa Senators (▼2)          12% (▼29)

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 2       Dallas Stars                  99%
 3       Minnesota Wild                98%
 4       Utah Mammoth (▲2)             42% (▲17)
 5       Nashville Predators (▼1)      33% (▼6)
 6       Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       22% (▲5)
 7       St. Louis Blues (▼2)          14% (▼20)
 8       Winnipeg Jets                 10% (▲1)

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          93% (▲15)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               83% (▲11)
 3       Los Angeles Kings             63% (▲3)
 4       Seattle Kraken                62% (▲10)
 5       San Jose Sharks (▲2)          40% (▲12)
 6       Calgary Flames                20% (▼14)
 7       Anaheim Ducks (▼2)            19% (▼24)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             4% (▼7)

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            94% (▲1)
 2 (tie) Dallas Stars                  2% (▼1)
 2 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning (▲2)      2% (▲1)
 4       Minnesota Wild (▼1)           1% (▼1)

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            25% (▲1)
 2       Tampa Bay Lightning           10% (▲2)
 3       Dallas Stars (▼1)             7% (▼1)
 4 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▲4)      5% (▲2)
 4 (tie) Minnesota Wild                5% (▼1)
 4 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▲1)     5% (▲1)
 7 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           4% (▲1)
 7 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▲1)        4% (▲1)
 7 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▲1)          4% (▲1)
 7 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▲8)      4% (▲2)
11 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▼6)       3% (▼1)
11 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▼3)      3%
11 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼6)      3% (▼1)
14 (tie) Florida Panthers (▼6)         2% (▼1)
14 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▲1)        2%
14 (tie) New York Islanders (▲1)       2%
14 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▼6)      2% (▼1)
14 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲1)           2%
19 (tie) Boston Bruins (▲3)            1%
19 (tie) Calgary Flames (▼4)           1% (▼1)
19 (tie) Nashville Predators (▲3)      1%
19 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▼4)          1% (▼1)
19 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▲3)          1%
19 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▼4)          1% (▼1)
19 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲3)             1%
26 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▼4)            <1% (▼1)
26 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▲4)       <1%
26 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▼4)    <1% (▼1)
26 (tie) New York Rangers (▼4)         <1% (▼1)
26 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▼4)        <1% (▼1)
26 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▲4)        <1%
26 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▲4)            <1%

AVALANCHE OF DOMINANCE: Tampa Surges, Winnipeg Sinks, and the Mid-Season War for the Crown Explodes!

LISTEN UP, HOCKEY FANATICS! The 2026 NHL season is hitting the mid-season grind, and the ice is absolutely ON FIRE! We’ve got juggernauts stumbling, dark horses charging, and divisional races that look more like a chaotic pile-up in the crease! Here is your weekly breakdown of who’s king of the mountain and who’s sliding into the abyss!

THE ELITE FIVE: THE KINGS OF THE ICE

Colorado (1st, 1641) The Avalanche are essentially playing a different sport right now. Even with a microscopic rating dip, they are sitting on a projected 99% chance to make the postseason. They are the gold standard, and everyone else is just fighting for the right to lose to them.
Dallas (2nd, 1567) The Stars maintained their silver medal position despite a brutal week that saw their rating tank by 22 points. Their Cup odds took a hit—dropping to 8%—but they remain the heaviest heavyweight in the chase pack.
Tampa Bay (3rd, 1560) The Bolts are SURGING! With a 13-point rating boost, Tampa has clawed their way into the Top 3. Their playoff probability has skyrocketed to 91%, and they look like the terrifying championship-caliber squad of old.
Minnesota (4th, -1, 1553) The Wild slipped one spot, but don’t let that fool you. They are locked in with 98% playoff odds. They are consistent, they are mean, and they are a nightmare to play against every single night.
Washington (5th, +2, 1525) The Caps break into the Top 5! Despite some volatility in their metrics, they jumped two spots this week. However, with playoff odds sitting at 57%, the tightrope they’re walking is razor-thin!

BIGGEST RISERS: CLIMBING THE LADDER

Ottawa (13th, +6, 1508): The Sens are making moves! A six-spot jump puts them within striking distance of the elite. Their playoff odds moved up to 41% as they find their rhythm!
Toronto (9th, +5, 1518): Never count out the Buds! A massive 5-spot leap into the Top 10 has the 6ix buzzing. They’ve boosted their playoff chances to 37%.
Nashville (21st, +5, 1480): Smashville is waking up! They gained 12 rating points and jumped 5 spots, desperately trying to claw back into the conversation.

BIGGEST FALLERS: THE ICE IS MELTING

Winnipeg (28th, -7, 1463): ABSOLUTE CATASTROPHE in Manitoba! The Jets fell 7 spots and their playoff odds have cratered to a measly 9%. The season is slipping away!
Los Angeles (18th, -5, 1500): The Kings are bleeding out. A 5-spot drop and a loss of 7 rating points has them looking shaky in the middle of the pack.
NY Islanders (20th, -5, 1492): The Isles are sliding toward the danger zone. They dropped 5 spots this week and need to find an identity—fast!

DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: WAR FOR THE CROWN

Atlantic Division

It is a Tampa Bay world and we’re just living in it! The Bolts have a 48% chance to take the division, while Montreal (7th, +3, 1519) is lurking in the shadows with 18% odds. The middle of this pack is a bloodbath!

Central Division

Stop the fight! Colorado has a 95% lock on this division. Dallas and Minnesota are essentially playing for the “Best of the Rest” title while the Avalanche continue their historic run of dominance.

Metropolitan Division

Chaos reigns! Carolina (12th, -4, 1509) still leads the odds at 29%, but they are fading fast after a 16-point drop in win probability. Philadelphia (16th, +2, 1505) and Pittsburgh (16th, +4, 1505) are surging, turning this into a four-way street fight!

Pacific Division

Vegas (7th, -2, 1519) is the frontrunner at 32%, but they are leaking oil! Edmonton (10th, -4, 1512) is right behind them at 24%, despite a rough week. Keep an eye on Seattle (24th, 1479)—they’re the dark horse gaining ground!

Would you like me to generate a deep-dive scouting report on any of these Top 5 teams?

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1641, ▲3)

Record: 31-3-7, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 93% (▲8)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 24% (▲2)

Last week: 3-1-0

December 29: Won 5-2 vs. Los Angeles Kings (18th, 1500)
December 31: Won 6-1 vs. St. Louis Blues (15th, 1506)
January 3: Won 5-3 @ Carolina Hurricanes (12th, 1509)
January 4: Lost 2-1 @ Florida Panthers (6th, 1520)

Next week:

January 6: @ Tampa Bay Lightning (3rd, 1560)
January 8: vs. Ottawa Senators (13th, 1508)
January 10: vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (21st, 1480)

2. Dallas Stars (1567, ▼22)

Record: 25-9-8, 2nd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 99% (▼1)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 3% (▼8)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 8% (▼3)

Last week: 0-2-1

December 31: Lost 4-1 vs. Buffalo Sabres (11th, 1510)
January 1: Lost 4-3 @ Chicago Blackhawks (30th, 1451)
January 4: Lost in OT 4-3 vs. Montreal Canadiens (7th, 1519)

Next week:

January 6: @ Carolina Hurricanes (12th, 1509)
January 7: @ Washington Capitals (5th, 1525)
January 10: @ San Jose Sharks (32nd, 1439)

3. Tampa Bay Lightning (1560, ▲13)

Record: 25-13-3, 1st in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 91% (▲7)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 8% (▲2)

Last week: 3-0-0

December 31: Won in OT 4-3 @ Anaheim Ducks (29th, 1457)
January 1: Won 5-3 @ Los Angeles Kings (18th, 1500)
January 3: Won 7-3 @ San Jose Sharks (32nd, 1439)

Next week:

January 6: vs. Colorado Avalanche (1st, 1641)
January 10: @ Philadelphia Flyers (16th, 1505)

4. Minnesota Wild ▲1 (1553, ▲15)

Record: 25-10-8, 3rd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 98% (▲3)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 2% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 6% (▲1)

Last week: 2-0-2

December 29: Won 5-2 @ Vegas Golden Knights (7th, 1519)
December 31: Lost in SO 4-3 @ San Jose Sharks (32nd, 1439)
January 2: Won 5-2 @ Anaheim Ducks (29th, 1457)
January 3: Lost in SO 5-4 @ Los Angeles Kings (18th, 1500)

Next week:

January 5: @ Los Angeles Kings (18th, 1500)
January 8: @ Seattle Kraken (24th, 1479)
January 10: vs. New York Islanders (20th, 1492)

5. Washington Capitals ▲1 (1525, ▼11)

Record: 21-15-6, 5th in Metropolitan Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 57% (▼16)
Winning the President’s Trophy: <1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 4% (▼1)

Last week: 1-2-1

December 29: Lost 5-3 @ Florida Panthers (6th, 1520)
December 31: Won 6-3 vs. New York Rangers (21st, 1480)
January 1: Lost 4-3 @ Ottawa Senators (13th, 1508)
January 3: Lost in SO 3-2 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (30th, 1451)

Next week:

January 5: vs. Anaheim Ducks (29th, 1457)
January 7: vs. Dallas Stars (2nd, 1567)
January 9: @ Chicago Blackhawks (30th, 1451)
January 11: @ Nashville Predators (21st, 1480)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1641 (▲3)
 2       Dallas Stars                  1567 (▼22)
 3       Tampa Bay Lightning           1560 (▲13)
 4       Minnesota Wild (▲1)           1553 (▲15)
 5       Washington Capitals (▲1)      1525 (▼11)
 6       Florida Panthers (▲4)         1520 (▲7)
 7 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▲2)       1519 (▲4)
 7 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▼3)     1519 (▼27)
 9       Toronto Maple Leafs (▲4)      1518 (▲12)
10       Edmonton Oilers (▼3)          1512 (▼11)
11       Buffalo Sabres (▲6)           1510 (▲11)
12       Carolina Hurricanes (▼5)      1509 (▼14)
13       Ottawa Senators (▲2)          1508 (▲5)
14       Detroit Red Wings (▼2)        1507 (▼3)
15       St. Louis Blues (▼1)          1506 (▲1)
16 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲3)      1505 (▲10)
16 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲4)      1505 (▲16)
18       Los Angeles Kings (▼7)        1500 (▼11)
19       Calgary Flames (▼2)           1495 (▼4)
20       New York Islanders (▼4)       1492 (▼9)
21 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲3)    1480 (▲8)
21 (tie) New York Rangers (▲1)         1480 (▲5)
21 (tie) Nashville Predators (▲8)      1480 (▲21)
24       Seattle Kraken (▼1)           1479 (▲6)
25       Boston Bruins (▲3)            1476 (▲12)
26       New Jersey Devils (▼2)        1474 (▲2)
27       Utah Mammoth (▼3)             1465 (▼7)
28       Winnipeg Jets (▼8)            1463 (▼26)
29       Anaheim Ducks (▼5)            1457 (▼15)
30       Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       1451 (▲14)
31       Vancouver Canucks (▼1)        1448 (▼6)
32       San Jose Sharks               1439 (▲4)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           29% (▼12)
 2       Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      19% (▲7)
 3       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲2)      16% (▲11)
 4       Washington Capitals (▼2)      15% (▼7)
 5       New York Islanders (▼2)       12%
 6       New Jersey Devils             4%
 7       New York Rangers              3% (▲1)
 8       Columbus Blue Jackets (▼1)    2%

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           48% (▲10)
 2       Montreal Canadiens (▲1)       18% (▲2)
 3       Detroit Red Wings (▼1)        9% (▼8)
 4 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           7% (▼1)
 4 (tie) Florida Panthers              7% (▼3)
 6       Ottawa Senators               5% (▼1)
 7       Toronto Maple Leafs           4% (▲1)
 8       Boston Bruins                 2%

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            95% (▲8)
 2       Dallas Stars                  4% (▼8)
 3       Minnesota Wild                2% (▲1)
 4 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
 4 (tie) Nashville Predators           <1%
 4 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
 4 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  <1%
 4 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          32% (▼17)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               24% (▲3)
 3       Los Angeles Kings             16% (▲3)
 4       Seattle Kraken (▲1)           12% (▲8)
 5       Anaheim Ducks (▼1)            8% (▼1)
 6       Calgary Flames                5% (▲3)
 7       San Jose Sharks               4% (▲3)
 8       Vancouver Canucks (▼1)        1%

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           74% (▼11)
 2       Philadelphia Flyers (▲2)      62% (▲4)
 3 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲2)      57% (▲21)
 3 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼1)      57% (▼16)
 5       New York Islanders (▼2)       52% (▼7)
 6       New Jersey Devils             28% (▼5)
 7       New York Rangers              23% (▼3)
 8       Columbus Blue Jackets         21%

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           91% (▲7)
 2       Montreal Canadiens (▲1)       72% (▲7)
 3       Detroit Red Wings (▼1)        58% (▼9)
 4       Florida Panthers              51% (▼1)
 5       Buffalo Sabres                49% (▲3)
 6       Ottawa Senators               41% (▼2)
 7       Toronto Maple Leafs           37% (▲6)
 8       Boston Bruins                 25% (▲5)

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 2       Dallas Stars (▼1)             99% (▼1)
 3       Minnesota Wild                98% (▲3)
 4       Nashville Predators (▲3)      39% (▲19)
 5       St. Louis Blues (▼1)          34% (▲3)
 6       Utah Mammoth (▼1)             25% (▼5)
 7       Chicago Blackhawks (▲1)       17% (▲10)
 8       Winnipeg Jets (▼2)            9% (▼18)

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          78% (▼12)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               72% (▼5)
 3       Los Angeles Kings             60% (▼4)
 4       Seattle Kraken (▲1)           52% (▲13)
 5       Anaheim Ducks (▼1)            43% (▼13)
 6       Calgary Flames                34% (▲4)
 7       San Jose Sharks               28% (▲7)
 8       Vancouver Canucks             11% (▼1)

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            93% (▲8)
 2       Dallas Stars                  3% (▼8)
 3       Minnesota Wild                2% (▲1)
 4       Tampa Bay Lightning (▼1)      1%

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            24% (▲2)
 2 (tie) Dallas Stars                  8% (▼3)
 2 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning (▲1)      8% (▲2)
 4       Minnesota Wild (▲1)           6% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▲4)       4% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▼2)     4% (▼2)
 5 (tie) Washington Capitals           4% (▼1)
 8 (tie) Buffalo Sabres (▲6)           3% (▲1)
 8 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▼1)      3% (▼1)
 8 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▲1)        3%
 8 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▼1)          3% (▼1)
 8 (tie) Florida Panthers (▲1)         3%
 8 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲6)      3% (▲1)
 8 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲6)      3% (▲1)
15 (tie) Calgary Flames (▲4)           2% (▲1)
15 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▼6)        2% (▼1)
15 (tie) New York Islanders (▼6)       2% (▼1)
15 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▼1)          2%
15 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲4)           2% (▲1)
15 (tie) St. Louis Blues (▲4)          2% (▲1)
15 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▼1)      2%
22 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▼3)            1%
22 (tie) Boston Bruins (▼3)            1%
22 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▼3)    1%
22 (tie) New York Rangers (▼3)         1%
22 (tie) Nashville Predators (▼3)      1%
22 (tie) New Jersey Devils (▼3)        1%
22 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▲8)          1% (▲1)
22 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▼3)             1%
30 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
30 (tie) Vancouver Canucks             <1%
30 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▼11)           <1% (▼1)

AVALANCHE OF AGONY: COLORADO CRUSHES THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT WHILE BOSTON BRUINS HIT ROCK BOTTOM!

LISTEN UP, HOCKEY FANATICS! The holiday leftovers are gone, the ice is scarred, and the mid-season grind has turned into an absolute WAR ZONE! While you were opening presents, these teams were busy opening veins. We’ve got shifts in the bedrock of the standings and teams falling off cliffs!

Here is your McDonald NHL Power Rankings for the week ending December 28, 2025!

### THE ELITE FIVE: THE KINGS OF THE HILL

These are the titans of the frozen sheet. If you aren’t on this list, you’re just prey.

Colorado Avalanche (1st, 1638) The Avs are not just winning; they are a force of nature! With a soul-crushing 22% chance to hoist the Cup, Nathan MacKinnon and crew just survived a 6-5 shootout thriller against Vegas to prove they own the summit.
Dallas Stars (2nd, 1589) Slightly bleeding after a shootout loss to Chicago, but don’t let the scratches fool you—they are still the safest bet in the West with playoff odds locked in at over 99%.
Tampa Bay Lightning (3rd, +1, 1547) The Bolts are SURGING! They’ve vaulted into the top three after a massive week, including a 4-2 statement win over Florida and a shootout guts-check against Montreal.
Vegas Golden Knights (4th, +1, 1546) The house always wins! Despite the shootout loss to the Avs, Vegas is rolling, holding a dominant 90% chance to make the postseason dance.
Minnesota Wild (5, 1538) Holding steady in the top tier! They took down the Jets in a divisional grudge match and look every bit like a contender with 95% playoff certainty.

### THE ROCKET SHIPS: BIGGEST RISERS

Somebody lit a fire under these benches!

Seattle Kraken (23rd, +7, 1473): Total insanity! The Kraken have been unleashed, dragging their playoff odds up by 15% in a single week.
Toronto Maple Leafs (13th, +6, 1506): Don’t call it a comeback! The Buds found their scoring touch, exploding for 7 goals against Ottawa and jumping 9% in playoff probability.
Montreal Canadiens (9th, +4, 1515): The Habs are for real! They dismantled Boston 6-2 and are now sitting pretty with a 65% shot at the postseason.

### THE CRASH LANDINGS: BIGGEST FALLERS

Ice cold. These teams are sliding toward the basement faster than a greased puck.

Boston Bruins (28th, -6, 1464): Absolute disaster in Beantown. A 5-game losing streak has decimated their playoff hopes, plummeting 15% this week alone.
Washington Capitals (6th, -3, 1536): A rough patch for the Caps, losing ground in the Metro as their divisional win odds slipped by 3%.
Ottawa Senators (15th, -3, 1503): The Sens are leaking oil! An 11% drop in playoff odds after getting shelled by their rivals in Toronto.

### DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: THE BATTLE LINES

The map is changing! Here is how the four fronts look after a week of heavy shelling.

Atlantic Division

It is a meat grinder! Detroit (12th, -3, 1510) still holds the crown with a 17% chance to win the division, but Tampa Bay is breathing down their necks with an 8% jump in divisional odds. Keep an eye on Buffalo (17th, +1, 1499)—they’ve won eight straight!

Metropolitan Division

Carolina (7th, 1523) remains the apex predator here with a 41% chance to take the division. The NY Islanders (16th, -1, 1501) are trying to keep pace, but the Philadelphia Flyers (19th, -2, 1495) are refusing to go away quietly.

Central Division

Total domination. Colorado has an iron grip on the top spot with an 87% chance to win the division. Dallas is the only one within shouting distance, but even they saw their divisional win odds drop by 6% this week.

Pacific Division

The Vegas Golden Knights have seized control! Their odds of winning the Pacific jumped 8% to a commanding 49%. Edmonton (7th, +1, 1523) is lurking, but a loss to Calgary this week kept them at a distant 21% to take the division title.

Here’s the rankings and ratings. Changes shown are from last week’s report.

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1638, ▲3)

Record: 28-2-7, 1st in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 85% (▲7)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 22% (▲1)

Last week: 2-0-0

December 23: Won 1-0 vs. Utah Mammoth (24th, 1472)
December 27: Won in SO 6-5 @ Vegas Golden Knights (4th, 1546)

Next week:

December 29: vs. Los Angeles Kings (11th, 1511)
December 31: vs. St. Louis Blues (14th, 1505)
January 3: @ Carolina Hurricanes (7th, 1523)
January 4: @ Florida Panthers (10th, 1513)

2. Dallas Stars (1589, ▼5)

Record: 25-7-7, 2nd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: >99%
Winning the President’s Trophy: 11% (▼6)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 11%

Last week: 0-0-2

December 23: Lost in OT 4-3 @ Detroit Red Wings (12th, 1510)
December 27: Lost in SO 4-3 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (31st, 1437)

Next week:

December 31: vs. Buffalo Sabres (17th, 1499)
January 1: @ Chicago Blackhawks (31st, 1437)
January 4: vs. Montreal Canadiens (9th, 1515)

3. Tampa Bay Lightning ▲3 (1547, ▲12)

Record: 22-13-3, 2nd in Atlantic Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 84% (▲11)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1% (▲1)
Winning the Stanley Cup: 6% (▲1)

Last week: 3-0-0

December 22: Won 4-1 vs. St. Louis Blues (14th, 1505)
December 27: Won 4-2 @ Florida Panthers (10th, 1513)
December 28: Won in SO 5-4 vs. Montreal Canadiens (9th, 1515)

Next week:

December 31: @ Anaheim Ducks (24th, 1472)
January 1: @ Los Angeles Kings (11th, 1511)
January 3: @ San Jose Sharks (32nd, 1435)

4. Vegas Golden Knights (1546, ▲6)

Record: 17-8-11, 1st in Pacific Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 90% (▲4)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 6% (▲1)

Last week: 1-0-1

December 23: Won 7-2 vs. San Jose Sharks (32nd, 1435)
December 27: Lost in SO 6-5 vs. Colorado Avalanche (1st, 1638)

Next week:

December 29: vs. Minnesota Wild (5th, 1538)
December 31: vs. Nashville Predators (29th, 1459)
January 2: @ St. Louis Blues (14th, 1505)
January 4: @ Chicago Blackhawks (31st, 1437)

5. Minnesota Wild ▼1 (1538, ▼2)

Record: 23-10-6, 3rd in Central Division

Chances of:

Making the playoffs: 95% (▲2)
Winning the President’s Trophy: 1%
Winning the Stanley Cup: 5% (▲1)

Last week: 1-0-1

December 23: Lost in OT 3-2 vs. Nashville Predators (29th, 1459)
December 27: Won in OT 4-3 @ Winnipeg Jets (20th, 1489)

Next week:

December 29: @ Vegas Golden Knights (4th, 1546)
December 31: @ San Jose Sharks (32nd, 1435)
January 2: @ Anaheim Ducks (24th, 1472)
January 3: @ Los Angeles Kings (11th, 1511)

Overall Ratings

 1       Colorado Avalanche            1638 (▲3)
 2       Dallas Stars                  1589 (▼5)
 3       Tampa Bay Lightning (▲3)      1547 (▲12)
 4       Vegas Golden Knights          1546 (▲6)
 5       Minnesota Wild (▼1)           1538 (▼2)
 6       Washington Capitals (▼3)      1536 (▼11)
 7 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes           1523 (▼2)
 7 (tie) Edmonton Oilers (▲2)          1523 (▼1)
 9       Montreal Canadiens (▲4)       1515 (▲10)
10       Florida Panthers (▲1)         1513 (▲1)
11       Los Angeles Kings (▼4)        1511 (▼14)
12       Detroit Red Wings (▼2)        1510 (▼7)
13       Toronto Maple Leafs (▲5)      1506 (▲15)
14       St. Louis Blues (▼1)          1505
15       Ottawa Senators (▼3)          1503 (▼8)
16       New York Islanders (▼1)       1501 (▲4)
17 (tie) Buffalo Sabres                1499 (▲7)
17 (tie) Calgary Flames (▼2)           1499 (▲2)
19       Philadelphia Flyers           1495 (▲6)
20 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1)      1489 (▲1)
20 (tie) Winnipeg Jets (▼1)            1489
22       New York Rangers (▲4)         1475 (▲4)
23       Seattle Kraken (▲8)           1473 (▲27)
24 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▼2)            1472 (▼15)
24 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲5)    1472 (▲18)
24 (tie) New Jersey Devils             1472 (▼5)
24 (tie) Utah Mammoth (▲1)             1472 (▼4)
28       Boston Bruins (▼5)            1464 (▼14)
29       Nashville Predators (▼1)      1459 (▼4)
30       Vancouver Canucks (▼3)        1454 (▼15)
31       Chicago Blackhawks (▼1)       1437 (▼11)
32       San Jose Sharks               1435 (▲4)

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           41%
 2       Washington Capitals           22% (▼4)
 3 (tie) New York Islanders            12% (▲2)
 3 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers (▲1)      12% (▲3)
 5       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1)      5%
 6       New Jersey Devils (▼1)        4% (▼2)
 7 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲1)    2% (▲1)
 7 (tie) New York Rangers              2%

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           38% (▲12)
 2       Detroit Red Wings             17% (▼3)
 3       Montreal Canadiens            16% (▲1)
 4       Florida Panthers              10% (▼3)
 5       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           8% (▲2)
 6       Ottawa Senators (▼2)          6% (▼7)
 7       Toronto Maple Leafs (▲1)      3% (▲1)
 8       Boston Bruins (▼1)            2% (▼3)

Central Division

 1       Colorado Avalanche            87% (▲7)
 2       Dallas Stars                  12% (▼6)
 3       Minnesota Wild                1% (▼1)
 4 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks            <1%
 4 (tie) Nashville Predators           <1%
 4 (tie) St. Louis Blues               <1%
 4 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  <1%
 4 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 <1%

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          49% (▲12)
 2       Edmonton Oilers (▲1)          21% (▲1)
 3       Los Angeles Kings (▼1)        13% (▼8)
 4       Anaheim Ducks                 9% (▼7)
 5       Seattle Kraken (▲2)           4% (▲3)
 6       Calgary Flames (▼1)           2%
 7 (tie) San Jose Sharks               1%
 7 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▼2)        1% (▼1)

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

 1       Carolina Hurricanes           85% (▼2)
 2       Washington Capitals           73% (▼6)
 3       New York Islanders            59% (▲3)
 4       Philadelphia Flyers           58% (▲5)
 5       Pittsburgh Penguins (▲1)      36% (▼2)
 6       New Jersey Devils (▼1)        33% (▼10)
 7       New York Rangers              26%
 8       Columbus Blue Jackets         21% (▲9)

Atlantic Division

 1       Tampa Bay Lightning           84% (▲11)
 2       Detroit Red Wings             67% (▼1)
 3       Montreal Canadiens            65% (▲6)
 4       Florida Panthers              52% (▼3)
 5       Buffalo Sabres (▲1)           46% (▲9)
 6       Ottawa Senators (▼2)          43% (▼12)
 7       Toronto Maple Leafs (▲1)      31% (▲9)
 8       Boston Bruins (▼1)            20% (▼16)

Central Division

 1 (tie) Colorado Avalanche            >99%
 1 (tie) Dallas Stars                  >99%
 3       Minnesota Wild                95% (▲2)
 4       St. Louis Blues (▲1)          31% (▲1)
 5       Utah Mammoth (▼1)             30% (▼2)
 6       Winnipeg Jets                 27% (▲2)
 7       Nashville Predators           20%
 8       Chicago Blackhawks            7% (▼4)

Pacific Division

 1       Vegas Golden Knights          90% (▲4)
 2       Edmonton Oilers               77% (▲2)
 3       Los Angeles Kings             64% (▼10)
 4       Anaheim Ducks                 56% (▼14)
 5       Seattle Kraken (▲3)           39% (▲23)
 6       Calgary Flames (▼1)           30% (▲3)
 7       San Jose Sharks               21% (▲3)
 8       Vancouver Canucks (▼2)        12% (▼10)

Winning the President’s Trophy

 1       Colorado Avalanche            85% (▲7)
 2       Dallas Stars                  11% (▼6)
 3 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes           1%
 3 (tie) Minnesota Wild                1%
 3 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning (▲4)      1% (▲1)
 3 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights          1%

Everyone else has less than a 1% chance of winning the President’s Trophy.

Winning the Stanley Cup

 1       Colorado Avalanche            22% (▲1)
 2       Dallas Stars                  11%
 3 (tie) Tampa Bay Lightning (▲1)      6% (▲1)
 3 (tie) Vegas Golden Knights (▲1)     6% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Minnesota Wild (▲2)           5% (▲1)
 5 (tie) Washington Capitals (▼2)      5% (▼1)
 7 (tie) Carolina Hurricanes (▼3)      4% (▼1)
 7 (tie) Edmonton Oilers               4%
 9 (tie) Detroit Red Wings (▼2)        3% (▼1)
 9 (tie) Florida Panthers (▲2)         3%
 9 (tie) Los Angeles Kings (▼2)        3% (▼1)
 9 (tie) Montreal Canadiens (▲2)       3%
 9 (tie) New York Islanders (▲5)       3% (▲1)
14 (tie) Buffalo Sabres                2%
14 (tie) Ottawa Senators (▼3)          2% (▼1)
14 (tie) Philadelphia Flyers           2%
14 (tie) Pittsburgh Penguins           2%
14 (tie) Toronto Maple Leafs (▲5)      2% (▲1)
19 (tie) Anaheim Ducks (▼5)            1% (▼1)
19 (tie) Boston Bruins                 1%
19 (tie) Calgary Flames                1%
19 (tie) Columbus Blue Jackets (▲10)    1% (▲1)
19 (tie) New York Rangers              1%
19 (tie) Nashville Predators           1%
19 (tie) New Jersey Devils             1%
19 (tie) Seattle Kraken (▲10)          1% (▲1)
19 (tie) St. Louis Blues               1%
19 (tie) Utah Mammoth                  1%
19 (tie) Winnipeg Jets                 1%
30 (tie) Chicago Blackhawks (▼1)       <1%
30 (tie) San Jose Sharks (▼1)          <1%
30 (tie) Vancouver Canucks (▼11)       <1% (▼1)

The Top 5 Heavyweights

Biggest Risers

Biggest Fallers

Division Dogfights

Streaks and Postseason Impact

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1613, ▲10)

2. Buffalo Sabres ▲2 (1596, ▲24)

3. Dallas Stars ▲2 (1576, ▲7)

4. Carolina Hurricanes ▼1 (1570, ▼6)

5. Tampa Bay Lightning ▼3 (1565, ▼17)

Overall Ratings

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

Winning the President’s Trophy

Winning the Stanley Cup

​The Top 5

​Biggest Risers

​Biggest Fallers

​Division Dogfights

​Atlantic

​Central

​Metropolitan

​Pacific

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1603, ▼1)

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (1582, ▼11)

3. Carolina Hurricanes ▲1 (1576, ▲13)

4. Buffalo Sabres ▲1 (1572, ▲22)

5. Dallas Stars ▼2 (1569, ▲2)

Overall Ratings

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

Winning the President’s Trophy

Winning the Stanley Cup

The Elite Five

Biggest Risers

Biggest Fallers

Division Dogfights

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1610, ▼11)

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (1589, ▲8)

3. Dallas Stars (1564, ▲14)

4 (tie). Buffalo Sabres ▲1 (1551, ▲5)

4 (tie). Carolina Hurricanes (1551, ▲4)

Overall Ratings

Chances of Winning Division

Metropolitan Division

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

Making the Playoffs

Metropolitan Division

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

Winning the President’s Trophy

Winning the Stanley Cup

THE ELITE ELITE: THE TOP 5

​THE BIGGEST RISERS: CLIMBING THE GLACIER

THE BIGGEST FALLERS: SLIPPING ON BLACK ICE

DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: THE WAR FOR THE CROWN

The top 5

1. Colorado Avalanche (1621, ▼5)

The Top 5

Biggest Risers

Biggest Fallers

Division Dogfights

Atlantic

Central

Metropolitan

Pacific

THE BIGGEST RISERS: CLIMBING THE GLACIER

THE ELITE FIVE: THE KINGS OF THE ICE

THE ROCKET SHIPS: BIGGEST RISERS

THE FREE FALLERS: DROPPING LIKE FLIES

DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: THE WAR FOR THE CROWN

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Metropolitan Division

Pacific Division

THE ELITE FIVE: THE KINGS OF THE HILL

BIGGEST RISERS: THE CLIMBERS

BIGGEST FALLERS: THE CRASH & BURN

DIVISION DOGFIGHTS: THE TRENCH WARFARE

Atlantic: The Shark Tank

Metropolitan: The Carolina Takeover

Central: The Avalanche Monopoly

Pacific: The Vegas Power Grab