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.
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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.
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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%.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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Seattle Kraken (23rd, +7, 1473): Total insanity! The Kraken have been unleashed, dragging their playoff odds up by 15% in a single week.
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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.
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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.
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Boston Bruins (28th, -6, 1464): Absolute disaster in Beantown. A 5-game losing streak has decimated their playoff hopes, plummeting 15% this week alone.
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Washington Capitals (6th, -3, 1536): A rough patch for the Caps, losing ground in the Metro as their divisional win odds slipped by 3%.
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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)