Well, we are only two weeks into the 2024-25 NHL season, and I can already say that I am regretting my championship choice. Of course, the start of the season creates weird statistical anomalies, making it easy to make snap judgments about players and teams with a limited sample size. I mean, Jake Allen is definitely going to maintain a .974 save percentage (SV%) for the entire season.
However, while I typically try not to overreact to hot or cold starts, games played in October count the same as games played in March. Sometimes it’s easy to write off a bad start as growing pains and expect a good team to make a quick turnaround. However, while the Stanley Cup can’t be won in October, it can certainly be lost if you dig too deep of a hole. What the Edmonton Oilers accomplished last season was exceptional, and you can’t expect many other teams to replicate being one of the worst teams in the league five to ten games into the season only to make it to the Stanley Cup Final.
All this to say, I’m making some big, reactionary moves to get my rankings in better shape. Week 1 is often about what people think a team can be, whereas, by the second week, you can start to see what a team is. I expect more fluctuations like these in the coming weeks, but hopefully none as large as these changes.
With that preamble out of the way, please enjoy Week 2 of THW’s NHL Power Rankings!
32-25: Predators Winless Despite All-In Push
32. San Jose Sharks (Previously: 32)
31. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously: 25)
30. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously: 31)
29. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously: 29)
28. Buffalo Sabres (Previously: 28)
27. Anaheim Ducks (Previously: 30)
26. Montreal Canadiens (Previously: 27)
25. Nashville Predators (Previously: 8)
Look, it takes time for players to get adjusted to new surroundings, especially when they are joining a team that is looking to take that next step into contention. It’s been well documented that the Predators made that Stanley Cup push this offseason when they went big-game hunting in free agency. Inarguably, the franchise added some of the top talent available to fix their glaring weakness at offense, and many (myself included) saw this as one of the teams to beat this season.
That’s what makes their start so disappointing. Not only are they winless in five games, but they’ve looked disjointed at all ends of the ice. Their offense has sputtered, their defense is surprisingly porous, and their goaltending is not making those needed saves to win games (or even grab a loser point). I expect this to change, but for now, I moved them into the bottom part of the Rankings until they can prove this winless start is an anomaly.
Elsewhere on the Rankings, I’ve been pretty impressed with the Ducks, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, and Canadiens, who have all been fun to watch and competitive in many of their games, where the Sabres, Flyers, and Sharks I can’t say the same about. These teams seem to still be a step behind this season, and I question how competitive they will be if they can’t get things moving in short order.
24-11: Standouts in the NHL’s Mediocre Middle
24. Detroit Red Wings (Previously: 21)
23. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously: 20)
22. Colorado Avalanche (Previously: 10)
21. Edmonton Oilers (Previously: 9)
20. Ottawa Senators (Previously: 23)
19. New York Islanders (Previously: 17)
18. Minnesota Wild (Previously: 24)
17. Los Angeles Kings (Previously: 14)
16. Vancouver Canucks (Previously: 16)
15. Washington Capitals (Previously: 22)
14. Seattle Kraken (Previously: 26)
13. St. Louis Blues (Previously: 18)
12. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously: 11)
11. Calgary Flames (Previously: 19)
It’s easy to focus on teams that are having a slow start to the season, so instead I’m going to highlight two teams that are starting surprisingly strong: the Flames and Kraken. Through their games, Calgary is 4-0-1 where Seattle is 4-2-0. Both teams have some obvious holes to fill on their rosters but if they keep this momentum up, they might be on the buyer’s side of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. I also want to shout out the Capitals, who won three straight games against teams I consider contenders, which means I may need to start taking them more seriously moving forward.
Now for the spicy drama. The Avalanche and Penguins appear to be in the midst of full-fledged goaltender meltdowns. While you can make the argument either team should be a contender with their rosters full of star talent, Alexandar Georgiev for Colorado and Tristan Jarry for Pittsburgh simply haven’t been viable options in the net. Their struggles have cost these teams wins, and you have to wonder how long it will be before the franchises look to move on from their former starters.
Also, you have to discuss the Oilers, who apparently have the league right where they want them after another slow start. While there is always a hangover from a long postseason run, the team really has a lot of work to do to get their roster firing on all cylinders again. Four points in six games is well below where I expected them to be at this point, but it’s not the worst-case scenario yet, so it’s just something to keep an eye on right now.
10-1: Utah Impresses in NHL Debut
10. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously: 7)
9. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously: 15)
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously: 12)
7. Boston Bruins (Previously: 4)
6. Utah Hockey Club (Previously: 13)
5. Florida Panthers (Previously: 5)
4. New Jersey Devils (Previously: 6)
3. Dallas Stars (Previously: 1)
2. New York Rangers (Previously: 3)
1. Winnipeg Jets (Previously: 2)
So the Utah Hockey Club (Utah HC) might be more than just a fun story. Despite a number of close games (and a bad loss to the Ducks) Utah HC have powered themselves to a 4-1-1 record through their first six games in the NHL. This is a fantastic start for the franchise, and they will look to keep this momentum going in the coming weeks, as they could start stashing points on their divisional rivals who are starting slowly. With any luck, this kind of play can lead to the playoffs.
Speaking of stashing points, the Jets are the last remaining unbeaten team in the league, and they have been either smashing opponents with their offense or grinding them into a fine powder with their defense and goaltending. Through five games, they hold the second-best goals for and goals against in the league, which is a great way to guarantee wins most nights.
Right behind the Jets, I think you can make an argument for the Devils, Stars, and Rangers in any order. I put the Rangers in second place this week because I think they have looked the best in their games so far, but that’s not to speak ill of any of the other teams. This is just a talented league so expect the very top of the standings to see some shuffling each week even if they all win their games.
Major Changes Coming to the 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings
With the NHL season still just two weeks in, I can say that I’m still feeling out where teams fit into the Rankings. There are some great rosters that I think will still be contenders who are off to bad starts (Colorado, Nashville, Edmonton), and some other teams that look great that I’m having trouble buying into just yet.
Related: 2024-25 NHL Season Preview
As each week progresses, however, we will get a better feeling for which starts were real and which ones may have just been part of the adjustment period to the regular season. I have reason to believe there will still be a lot of change happening in the coming weeks, and I look forward to breaking down all the games and drama that comes with it!