-(1).jpg?w=2560 "Bleacher Report")
NHL Power Rankings: Golden Knights, Oilers Lead the Way With Hurricanes and Lightning Right Behind
The cream, to steal a line from Randy Savage, is beginning to rise.
The top two teams in the NHL's overall standings to begin the week were the two teams, Vegas and Carolina, that battled for the Stanley Cup a few months back. And each of the top 10 teams in terms of points percentage on Monday morning was a participant in the tournament that followed the 2025-26 season.
The B/R hockey staff was heading toward midseason form, too, as it got together to put together the latest installment of Power Rankings.
Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought in the app comments.
Statistics through games of Monday, Oct. 19.
32. Los Angeles Kings
1 of 32
Last Week: 28
Their start has been lousy by any measure, but captain Drew Doughty is hoping a road trip that began Tuesday in Washington will turn things for the Kings. "Just the boys getting together, going for dinner," he said, "it's a good time for us to gel."
31. Calgary Flames
2 of 32
Last Week: 32
They'd lost six of seven, so of course the Flames would earn win No. 2 (No. 1 on home ice) against the champs. "They're putting in a lot of good work in different areas and tonight it was nice to see them get rewarded," coach Ryan Huska said.
30. Vancouver Canucks
3 of 32
Last Week: 29
It's home sweet home for the Canucks, who were a minus-15 in regulation on a six-game trip. "The execution of details within our game," coach Manny Malhotra said, "things that we've continuously talked about that are just non-negotiable,"
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29. Philadelphia Flyers
4 of 32
Last Week: 31
Break up the Flyers, who not only defeated Colorado on Monday but got two goals from Matvei Michkov as trade rumors swirled. "Our team goes with the young guys, and the steps that they take," defenseman Travis Sanheim said.
28. Pittsburgh Penguins
5 of 32
Last Week: 16
A recent skid continued for the Penguins on Monday in Utah and seven losses in eight games (1-6-1) were enough for coach Dan Muse to circle the wagons. "We're facing some adversity right now," he said. "We have to stay together."
27. Chicago Blackhawks
6 of 32
Last Week: 30
A two-game win streak was ended by visiting Dallas, but coach Jeff Blashill was pleased with the opportunities the Blackhawks had. "We have to find a way to have one of those end up in the net," he said, "just from a momentum standpoint."
26. Columbus Blue Jackets
7 of 32
Last Week: 24
The difference between effort and execution was the difference between winning and losing, according to coach Rick Bowness, at Minnesota. "We worked very hard, he said. "But the execution ... That would be the biggest disappointment."
25. St. Louis Blues
8 of 32
Last Week: 22
A four-game trip that began with seven goals in a win at Ottawa ended with losses in which the Blues allowed 10 goals in Minnesota and Nashville. "We just didn't have the patience necessary to play the right way," coach Jim Montgomery said.
24. Anaheim Ducks
9 of 32
Last Week: 7
The skidding Ducks lost at Madison Square Garden on Monday after a 15-hour travel day thanks to an airport change and plane maintenance. "It was definitely different, but nothing you can do about it, obviously," Jackson LaCombe said.
23. Detroit Red Wings
10 of 32
Last Week: 27
Michigan native Alex DeBrincat signed a seven-year extension worth $91 million on Oct. 13, then began paying it off four days later with a late tying goal that enabled Detroit to beat San Jose in a shootout. "I love being a Red Wing," he said.
22. San Jose Sharks
11 of 32
Last Week: 17
A 3-1-0 start devolved to .500 after a loss in Toronto in the third game of what'll be six on the road before the Sharks are home on October 27. "I think we're all right," coach Ryan Warofsky said. "We know we can feel it. We're not scoring right now."
21. Toronto Maple Leafs
12 of 32
Last Week: 15
The Maple Leafs had lost three in a row heading into Monday (0-2-1) but all it took for Gavin McKenna was a duel with the player drafted after him in 2026. McKenna scored the game-winner against San Jose. Ivar Stenberg was minus-1 on the night.
20. New Jersey Devils
13 of 32
Last Week: 26
It only took 48 hours for the Devils to tumble from a seven-goal output in a defeat of the New York Rangers to scoring just twice in a loss to Washington. "I don't know if we won a puck battle the entire second period," coach Sheldon Keefe said.
19. Nashville Predators
14 of 32
Last Week: 18
Three straight near misses (0-2-1) came to an end for the Predators at St. Louis, where they buried five of 24 shots against Jordan Binnington. "It's a big win for us," coach Andrew Burnette said. "We've got a few days to breathe a little bit."
18. Buffalo Sabres
15 of 32
Last Week: 23
Consecutive losses to playoff nemesis Montreal weren't good news, but Jack Quinn pulled positives from Buffalo's in-game rallies against the Canadiens. "Just a lot of compete and the belief we have in here that we can come back in games," he said.
17. Montreal Canadiens
16 of 32
Last Week: 21
As nicknames go, "Mr. Saturday Night" is pretty strong. And it's well-earned for forward Cole Caufield, who scored his 66th goal in 106 Saturday games in a defeat of Buffalo. "The building's electric and these moments never get old," he said.
16. New York Islanders
17 of 32
Last Week: 25
A weekend win at Toronto was good for the Islanders but it didn't come without a price. Forwards Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli both sustained lower-body injuries that'll keep them out a while. Ritchie is down for 4-6 weeks, Maccelli for 2-4.
15. Seattle Kraken
18 of 32
Last Week: 9
A pleasant 3-0-1 start to a five-game road trip was spoiled a bit by an 8-3 loss at Florida, but coach Lane Lambert was taking away the positives. "(Saturday) was not good, but the trip was good," he said. "Seven out of 10 points? We'll move on."
14. Dallas Stars
19 of 32
Last Week: 19
Jamie Benn is 37 and in his 18th season, but not averse to changing things in pursuit of the Cup he's never won. "When you're younger, you just enjoy playing the game," he said, "and then the older you get the more you appreciate the game."
13. Winnipeg Jets
20 of 32
Last Week: 11
Look for drama in Winnipeg when Connor Hellebuyck's suspension for failing to report to training camp reportedly ends Friday, potentially clearing the way for his return after a trade request. "I don't think our whole group is saying, 'Oh, we don't want you. We don't want you,'" coach Scott Arniel said.
12. Ottawa Senators
21 of 32
Last Week: 3
Forward William Eklund's first season in an Ottawa uniform will be shorter than his teammates' thanks to a left ankle injury suffered against Philadelphia earlier this month that required surgery to repair a torn tendon. He'll miss 10-12 weeks.
11. Washington Capitals
22 of 32
Last Week: 14
Even on a team with offensive talent, some games are going to come down to goalie Logan Thompson. That was the case against visiting New Jersey, when he made 29 saves in a 4-2 win. In his first four 2026-27 wins, he allowed eight goals.
10. New York Rangers
23 of 32
Last Week: 8
What a difference a year makes for the Rangers, who couldn't buy a goal or a win at Madison Square Garden early last season but are 6-0-0 there to start 2026-27. They didn't win a sixth home game in 2025-26 until January 26.
9. Colorado Avalanche
24 of 32
Last Week: 13
The Avalanche are one of the league's elites. But that doesn't mean they can simply show up and win, as evidence by a home loss to Philadelphia. "Sluggish and sloppy," coach Jared Bednar said. "Execution was a big factor. Sloppy."
8. Florida Panthers
25 of 32
Last Week: 20
Just when it looked like Brady Tkachuk might have forgotten how to play productive hockey, he remembered. The first-year Panther became the third player in NHL history with back-to-back natural hat tricks, against Columbus and Vancouver.
7. Utah Mammoth
26 of 32
Last Week: 10
Goalie Sebastian Cossa got in for the streaking Mammoth and picked up his first home win in Utah on Monday. "Great, great win by (Cossa)," coach Andre Tourigny said. "Good to get a win in front of our fans for him. A heck of a performance."
6. Minnesota Wild
27 of 32
Last Week: 6
Hard to imagine a better sendoff for a five-game road trip than a fourth straight home win, which is what the Wild got against Columbus. Minnesota won 23 games at home (10th in the NHL) and 23 on the road (seventh in the NHL) in 2025-26.
5. Boston Bruins
28 of 32
Last Week: 12
The Bruins made one of the league's longest trips to California but came away with three wins after beating San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles. Boston was tied for 26th in the league last season with just 16 road wins in 41 games.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
29 of 32
Last Week: 4
Nikita Kucherov will soon become the Lightning's all-time point-getter. Tyler Johnson saw it coming when 'Kuch' was a kid. "You could just see how detailed he was in everything he did," he said. "He was thinking about the smallest of things."
3. Carolina Hurricanes
30 of 32
Last Week: 1
A seven-game win streak that included a franchise-best five on the road for the reigning champs came to an end in Calgary of all places. "You've got to figure it out," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "This is the no-one-feels-sorry-for-you league."
2. Edmonton Oilers
31 of 32
Last Week: 2
Connor McDavid's 23 points through eight games were the NHL's best since Mario Lemieux (27) in 1995, but No. 97 is happy about the total package. "Everybody is playing really well," he said, "doing things detailed, structured, playing hard."
1. Vegas Golden Knights
32 of 32
Last Week: 5
Goals were coming easy for the Golden Knights, who netted six in consecutive defeats of Calgary and Pittsburgh and 17 across three games. "We've had good starts," forward Jack Eichel said. "We're getting pucks to the net and making plays."
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