Between the historic goalscoring efforts of Alexander Ovechkin and the drama of a late-season head coach firing, I may have lost track of the time a bit. However, when I sat down to start the next 2024-25 NHL Power Ranking, it hit me that this was going to be the last one of the regular season. While there are a few games left on the calendar (the final games take place on April 17th), by the time next Monday rolls around, we will be entranced by a weekend of playoff hockey.
So, that means this will be the finale of THW’s NHL Power Rankings for the 2024-25 regular season! This is always a bittersweet and exciting moment, as these Rankings are a lot of fun to put together each week, but we all know that the Stanley Cup Playoffs are where the greatest moments in the sport take place.
However, no one is here to listen to me wax poetic about the season that was (at least not yet). You are here to check out the changes taking place in the Rankings as we look towards playoff season. Unsurprisingly, this final full week of play really brought the playoff picture together across the league. Many teams simply ran out of runway, with eliminations coming in hot after each and every game.
Despite this, we still are far from knowing everything about the 2025 Playoffs. With postseason positioning and playoff spots on the line, let’s take a week at Week 25 of THW’s NHL Power Rankings, the final on of the 2024-25 NHL season!
32-23: Waiting for the NHL’s Draft Lottery Special
32. San Jose Sharks (Previously: 30) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
31. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously: 32) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
30. Nashville Predators (Previously: 29) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
29. Boston Bruins (Previously: 31) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
28. Seattle Kraken (Previously: 28) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
27. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously: 27) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
26. New York Islanders (Previously: 22) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
25. Anaheim Ducks (Previously: 26) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
24. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously: 25) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
23. New York Rangers (Previously: 21) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
It’s been rough at the bottom of the Rankings for a while. Many of these teams are here for good reason; they simply haven’t been playing well for most of the season. However, once the final game is played on Thursday, many of these teams get to enjoy what could be the best part of their likely long regular season experiences… the NHL Draft Lottery!
While there will always be scuttlebutt around a draft class being better or worse than another, every class has talented players who can help reshape the future of a franchise. For teams like the Blackhawks, Bruins, and Predators, the thought of taking home a top prospect like Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, or Porter Martone could make this painful season more tolerable.
Of course, this brave new future is locked behind a bit of random luck. While the Sharks will have the best odds for the first-overall pick at the 2025 NHL Draft, we know the team with the best odds are rarely a lock to win the selection. So, while you may not be able to root for a team in the playoffs, there’s still a lot to look toward in the coming weeks as we wait to see how the lottery balls fall.
22-16: Blue Jackets Likely Fall Short of Miracle Season
22. Detroit Red Wings (Previously: 20) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
21. Buffalo Sabres (Previously: 24) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
20. Vancouver Canucks (Previously: 18) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
19. Utah Hockey Club (Previously: 19) – Eliminated from Postseason Contention
18. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously: 23)
17. Calgary Flames (Previously: 17)
16. Montreal Canadiens (Previously: 15)
I think we can all say that we were rooting for the Blue Jackets this season, even if you had no interest in their franchise prior to this season. However, while the clock has yet to strike midnight for Columbus, the team would need everything to go right in their final two games to stay alive. A four-game winning streak is a great start, but their future is in the Canadiens’ hands, as they would need to win two more and have Montreal lose their remaining games for something to change in the playoff picture. Not impossible, but not likely either.
Another team right on the edge of the postseason bubble are the Flames, who let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers after suffering a devastating overtime loss to the Ducks this week. This team felt like they were close all season long, but they just couldn’t find consistent scoring to get them over the top. However, with a stud rookie goaltender in Dustin Wolf to build around, you can’t help but feel bullish on the franchise, assuming they are able to address some of their major issues this offseason.
Much like Columbus, Calgary would need to win their final two games and have the Blues or Wild lose their final games in regulation to hop one of these teams in the standings. It’s still possible, but that extra point last week against Anaheim could have been a major difference-maker in the equation.
15-1: NHL’s Muddled Playoff Picture
15. New Jersey Devils (Previously: 10) – Clinched Playoff Berth
14. St. Louis Blues (Previously: 1)
13. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously: 11) – Clinched Playoff Berth
12. Minnesota Wild (Previously: 16)
11. Dallas Stars (Previously: 3) – Clinched Playoff Berth
10. Colorado Avalanche (Previously: 9) – Clinched Playoff Berth
9. Edmonton Oilers (Previously: 13) – Clinched Playoff Berth
8. Ottawa Senators (Previously: 12) – Clinched Playoff Berth
7. Washington Capitals (Previously: 5) – Clinched Playoff Berth
6. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously: 8) – Clinched Playoff Berth
5. Florida Panthers (Previously: 14) – Clinched Playoff Berth
4. Los Angeles Kings (Previously: 6) – Clinched Playoff Berth
3. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously: 4) – Clinched Playoff Berth
2. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously: 2) – Clinched Playoff Berth
1. Winnipeg Jets (Previously: 7) – Clinched Playoff Berth
The 2025 NHL Playoff picture is still a bit muddy, even if we can see parts of it. This week, the Maple Leafs locked down home ice in Round 1 and likely the Atlantic Division as the Lightning blew a golden opportunity to claim it for themselves. After some struggles for both teams in Florida, a meeting between the cross-state rivals on Tuesday could decide who hosts their Playoff series (barring a collapse by Toronto).
In the Metropolitan Division, the Capitals and Hurricanes are keeping pace with each other, where the Devils have fallen off the proverbial cliff. As injuries hamper this team’s potential, there’s a real argument that they are the worst team in the playoff picture in their current hobbled state.
Out West, the Pacific Division is looking familiar, as the Golden Knights have won their division again, so the Kings and Oilers will get the honor of facing each other in Round 1 for the fourth-straight season. The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh?
Finally, the Central Division has turned into a bloodbath. While the Jets clinched the President’s Trophy on Sunday, the Stars have lost five games in a row and seem to be ending their season on a low note. Speaking of losing streaks, the Avalanche lost three straight before winning the final game of their season Sunday, and the Blues hit a wall after winning 12 straight by suffering three straight losses of their own. Oh, and the Wild are finally getting healthy again, so there is a chance that they might emerge as one of the best teams in the conference assuming they don’t blow their final game of the season.
NHL Playoff Madness Begins!
All I can say to anyone making a postseason bracket is… good luck predicting this year! The talent and depth are truly outstanding, and there isn’t a team remaining that feels out of place. Some teams are filled with young guns who don’t know any better yet, whereas others are grizzled veterans taking one more shot at history, and either team could be primed to go on a run.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Guide
No matter what happens, we are in for a treat in the coming days, weeks, and months. The NHL Postseason is the best time of the year for hockey fans and some of the most fun in any sport. I know we are in store for historic wins, heartbreaking losses, and storylines that will leave us buzzing for the rest of the year. So, let’s have some fun!