Following the NHL Draft and the initial frenzy of free agency, the league`s offseason has settled into its traditional quiet period. Over the past month, teams have actively sought to enhance their rosters in preparation for the 2025-26 season, but the degree of actual improvement varies significantly.
This offseason edition of the NHL Power Rankings provides an assessment of each team`s standing now that the key events of the draft and free agency are behind us. While many questions still linger across the league, one fact is abundantly clear: the Florida Panthers currently represent the premier organization.
Florida successfully retained all three of their significant free agents, reportedly securing them at favorable average annual values. The Panthers appear to have effectively reloaded their roster for what could be a fourth consecutive deep playoff run. It`s entirely expected to find the back-to-back champions positioned at the very top of these rankings.
Below the Panthers, there has been considerable movement within the league hierarchy. In the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights made a major acquisition by trading for Mitch Marner, while the Los Angeles Kings seem to have taken a few steps backward. The Carolina Hurricanes have visibly attempted to narrow the competitive gap with Florida, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are left with a significant void to address.
With every team having completed some offseason business, here are the updated NHL Power Rankings as free agency winds down.
Biggest Movers
- Panthers: Up 8 spots
- Kings: Down 12 spots
| Rk | Teams | Details | Chg | Rcrd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panthers | Bill Zito continues to work wonders. Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad all remain Panthers. Whether it`s masterful management or the allure of winning and perpetual sunshine, Florida is well-positioned for the first three-peat since the Islanders` dynasty in the early 80s. | +8 | 47-31-4 |
| 2 | Golden Knights | Is it truly surprising that the Golden Knights secured the most coveted player on the market this offseason? Mitch Marner is now a member of the Vegas roster, forming a formidable duo alongside Jack Eichel. Another defensive addition could solidify this team as a true powerhouse. | — | 50-22-10 |
| 3 | Avalanche | This summer hasn`t been overly flashy for the Avalanche, but they`ve managed their affairs effectively. Colorado re-signed Brock Nelson and bolstered their defense with an economical one-year deal for Brent Burns. The Avalanche are once again among the primary contenders for the 2025 Stanley Cup. | +3 | 49-29-4 |
| 4 | Stars | The Stars are facing genuine salary cap challenges, but as the roster stands today, they appear poised to contend with the Avalanche for supremacy in the Central Division. Jason Robertson is still with the team for now, and Dallas must exert every effort to avoid trading him, as that would represent a significant organizational loss. | +3 | 50-26-6 |
| 5 | Hurricanes | Carolina`s recent moves have been impressive. They signed Logan Stankoven to a very team-friendly contract, acquired K`Andre Miller from the Rangers, and added skilled winger Nikolaj Ehlers. Carolina is clearly making strong efforts to close the gap with Florida in the Eastern Conference. | +6 | 47-30-5 |
| 6 | Oilers | Giving Trent Frederic nearly $4 million for bottom-six minutes was a questionable decision, and they again attempted to boost their depth scoring by signing Andrew Mangiapane. Goaltending remains their biggest question mark, and it remains to be seen if the Oilers will find a solution at that position before October. | +6 | 48-29-5 |
| 7 | Lightning | The Bolts have been quiet this summer, but that might not last. Even if their roster remains largely unchanged, this is still a very capable team. If the Lightning can successfully improve (and get younger) on defense, they will present a significant threat heading into 2025-26. | -2 | 47-27-8 |
| 8 | Maple Leafs | Even without Mitch Marner, the Maple Leafs still possess a talented lineup. Three members of the core four remain, and Matthew Knies is expected to take another significant step forward. Additionally, the acquisition of Matias Maccelli is one of the more underrated moves of the offseason. Nevertheless, Toronto has lost a player who consistently produced 100 points, and the team is undoubtedly weaker because of it. | -7 | 52-26-4 |
| 9 | Senators | Ottawa hasn`t made any major headline-grabbing moves yet, but the two under-the-radar additions they`ve made are quite shrewd. Jordan Spence is a young defenseman I highly regard who was underutilized in Los Angeles, and Lars Eller is an excellent fourth-line center. The Senators are positioning themselves to challenge the top teams in the Atlantic Division. | -1 | 45-30-7 |
| 10 | Mammoth | Expect me to be championing the Mammoth until the season starts. I like the talent on this team, especially following the trade for JJ Peterka. He has the potential to score 40 goals in this league, and while losing Michael Kesselring stings, Utah`s offense has received a significant upgrade. | +6 | 38-31-13 |
| 11 | Devils | As things stand, the Devils appear ready to essentially bring back the same roster. This isn`t necessarily a negative. There`s plenty to admire about this group, particularly with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the charge. The key question is whether New Jersey can get a full 82 games from Hughes. | +3 | 42-33-7 |
| 12 | Capitals | Not much has changed for the Capitals, and that`s acceptable. If it`s not broken, don`t fix it. Washington is set to return the majority of the team that achieved 51 wins and 111 points last season. While some regression is likely, Washington should remain firmly in contention in the Metro Division. | -2 | 51-22-9 |
| 13 | Jets | The Jets seemed unsure of Nikolaj Ehlers` value, and now he`s gone. Furthermore, Winnipeg significantly aged their roster with the signings of Jonathan Toews and Gus Nyquist, two players whose prime years are behind them. At this point, it appears the Jets might be facing a substantial step backward after winning the Presidents` Trophy. | -10 | 56-22-4 |
| 14 | Wild | I still have reservations about the Wild`s ability to score, and while the addition of Vladimir Tarasenko might offer some help, he is a player in decline. Minnesota likely isn`t finished making moves with Marco Rossi rumored to be on the trade block. If the Wild can trade Rossi and acquire a genuine first-line center, it would cap off a great summer. Otherwise, the team may be destined for another early playoff exit. | +3 | 45-30-7 |
| 15 | Canadiens | The Canadiens are a particularly intriguing team for the 2025-26 season, having made the playoffs last year despite a minus-20 goal differential, suggesting some good fortune. On the other hand, Montreal is an exciting, young squad. Lane Hutson is coming off a Calder Trophy win, and the team just executed a significant trade for Noah Dobson. | — | 40-31-11 |
| 16 | Kings | Missing out on Mitch Marner, trading Jordan Spence, and signing Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin to sizable contracts make it difficult to view the Kings as anything other than one of the major losers of the offseason thus far. Los Angeles will probably still be a playoff team, but a potential fifth straight loss to the Oilers appears likely. | -12 | 48-25-9 |
| 17 | Blues | St. Louis has improved its center depth with the additions of Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad, and there are positive aspects elsewhere on the roster. However, the Blues seem to lack sufficient high-end scoring talent to truly compete with the top teams in their division. Perhaps Jim Montgomery`s defensive strategies can guide this team back to the postseason. | -4 | 44-30-8 |
| 18 | Rangers | The Rangers have essentially swapped K`Andre Miller for Vladislav Gavrikov. They moved on from a veteran player with a costly contract in Chris Kreider. Mike Sullivan has taken over as head coach. It`s been a mixed offseason for New York, a team that appears poised to be on the playoff bubble next season. | +4 | 39-36-7 |
| 19 | Canucks | Pius Suter is gone, Evander Kane has arrived, and Brock Boeser has returned. These developments are surprising to varying degrees, making it challenging to assess these Canucks. Will they resemble the 2023-24 team that nearly reached the conference finals, or will they repeat last year`s performance when they missed the playoffs by six points? The latter seems more probable. | +1 | 38-30-14 |
| 20 | Red Wings | The Red Wings acquired the top available goaltender on the trade market in John Gibson. They also added defensive forward Mason Appleton to their forward group. Is this sufficient to end Detroit`s long playoff drought? I am quite skeptical, suggesting Steve Yzerman may need to pursue a significant trade acquisition in the coming months (like Jason Robertson). | +1 | 39-35-8 |
| 21 | Ducks | Despite adding some veterans like Mikael Granlund and Chris Kreider, any significant improvements will likely need to come from within the organization. Anaheim needs key young players such as Mason McTavish, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Pavel Mintyukov to take substantial developmental steps under new coach Joel Quenneville. | +4 | 35-37-10 |
| 22 | Sabres | I have conflicting views regarding the Buffalo Sabres. On one hand, they have some entertaining players in their forward group, and their young defense corps is quite impressive. On the other hand, they are still the Sabres. There remain significant gaps further down the lineup that I don`t anticipate them filling. This team struggles to get out of its own way, so I won`t predict a playoff berth until I witness it firsthand. | +1 | 36-39-7 |
| 23 | Bruins | Ranking the Bruins at No. 23 might even be overly optimistic. Beyond David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy, how many players genuinely inspire excitement? Perhaps Hampus Lindholm or Jeremy Swayman. Boston could be facing a very challenging 2025-26 season. | +6 | 33-39-10 |
| 24 | Predators | The Predators have made minor adjustments to their defense, but otherwise, the offseason has been uneventful. Even accounting for expected positive regression, Nashville would likely still be well outside a playoff position next season. The Predators` management might be better served focusing their efforts on the 2026 offseason. | +7 | 30-44-8 |
| 25 | Blue Jackets | This ranking may seem low for a team that finished only two points out of the playoffs last season, but the Blue Jackets significantly overperformed expectations. A lot went right for Columbus, and they still missed the postseason. The acquisition of Charlie Coyle was puzzling, and the Ivan Provorov extension likely caused dismay among the fanbase. | -6 | 40-33-9 |
| 26 | Flyers | The trade for Trevor Zegras was a shrewd move by the Flyers, betting on a highly talented young player whose value was at its lowest. If Zegras excels in Philadelphia, the team gains a star. If not, he`s in the final year of his contract, so there`s minimal long-term risk. Despite this move, I still believe the Flyers need at least one more year before becoming serious playoff contenders. | — | 33-39-10 |
| 27 | Islanders | Change is finally underway on Long Island. Lou Lamoriello is out, and the roster has seen significant shifts. Most notably, star defenseman Noah Dobson has joined the Canadiens, and first overall pick Matthew Schaefer is theoretically expected to fill his void. This change in direction might result in a difficult year for the Islanders, but the future outlook appears much brighter. | -3 | 35-35-12 |
| 28 | Flames | The Flames are another team that narrowly missed the playoffs but have fallen considerably in the offseason power rankings. Calgary benefited from favorable puck luck last season, and their roster remains quite underwhelming, particularly if Rasmus Andersson is traded in the coming weeks. | -10 | 41-27-14 |
| 29 | Kraken | Seattle has been active this summer, but the quality of their moves is questionable. Lane Lambert is now the coach, but his track record with the Islanders was largely unimpressive. Mason Marchment is a capable player, but how much will he truly impact the team? Ryan Lindgren struggled last year and is expected to play a significant role on the Kraken`s defense. | -2 | 35-41-6 |
| 30 | Penguins | As one of the few teams seemingly not focused on immediate improvement for next season, the Penguins are clearly playing the long game. Pittsburgh hasn`t made many significant additions, and GM Kyle Dubas is likely exploring trades for assets like Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. The Penguins are expected to struggle, but this appears to be a deliberate strategy. | -2 | 34-36-12 |
| 31 | Sharks | The Sharks are still projected to be a struggling team, but they might not be quite as poor as last season. They boast a promising trio of young forwards and have added some veteran presence on the blue line. San Jose won`t be challenging for a playoff spot, but they should be capable of more competitive performances on most nights. | +1 | 20-50-12 |
| 32 | Blackhawks | Last year clearly demonstrated that the Blackhawks` rebuilding process still has a considerable distance to cover. Even Connor Bedard faced challenges as Chicago finished at the bottom of the league. Expect younger prospects to play larger roles in 2025-26, and it will be interesting to see how many of them can rise to the occasion and establish themselves with the NHL club for the majority of the season. | -2 | 25-46-11 |
