The 2026 iteration of the NHL Stadium Series might be one of the best outdoor hockey games ever played. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins treated the sold out crowd at Raymond James Stadium to a tilt for the ages on Sunday night, with the Bolts overcoming a four-goal deficit to win 6-5 in a shootout in front of the 64,317 fans in attendance.
The game only got more entertaining as it went on, which is saying something considering there was a goal just 11 seconds in. It featured 11 of those overall, but the highlight was Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jeremy Swayman exchanging haymakers in a goalie fight that was as rare as it was exhilarating. The fight absolutely electrified the crowd, and both netminders were all smiles afterwards as they recognized the gravity of the moment.
It was an all-timer between two of the NHL's elite, and goes to show that when an outdoor game is done right, despite how saturated they are these days, it can still be an absolute treat for fans. Huge props to the league, the Patriots, and the Buccaneers, who made the 47th outdoor contest a roaring success. Jake Guentzel said it best: “This was one you’ll remember for the rest of your life.” What a time to be a hockey fan.
With all of the outdoor games now in the rearview mirror for the 2025-26 season, the focus now shifts to the Winter Olympics in Milan. There are four more days of play before the the league halts from Feb. 6-24, meaning fantasy hockey managers will finally get a bit of a break. But more importantly, we're gearing up for the highly-anticipated return of NHL players to the international competition.
With no National Hockey League play for nearly three weeks, ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings will be taking a short hiatus and returning on March 2. But we'll be back next Monday with a full Olympic preview and power rankings before the ice hockey festivities commence in Milano-Cortina on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Until then, it's the final sprint before the break, and these 96 hours are critical for teams trying to bank points and improve playoff positioning before all eyes turn to Italy. And for the first time since Week 6 (!), there's a new team at the top of CP's PR's. As always, thanks for reading, and enjoy the Olympics!
Previous 2025-26 NHL Power Rankings: Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Tampa Bay Lightning (+1)
For the first time in three months, the almighty Avalanche have been dethroned. It took an incredible comeback by the Lightning in the Stadium Series, but they're getting the distinction of the best team in the National Hockey League heading into the Olympics. Nikita Kucherov is scoring at an otherworldly pace (he had four points on Sunday), captain Victor Hedman is back in the lineup, and Andrei Vasilevskiy has been absolutely lights out — with both the pads and the fists — to help Tampa Bay win a ridiculous 17 of 19 games since Dec. 18. This is looking a lot like the Bolts team of 2018-19, which won 62 regular season games before being shockingly swept by the Blue Jackets in one of the biggest playoff upsets of all time. They would march to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals right after that — winning two of them — and even in an increasingly strong Eastern Conference a couple of years later, this is the favorite.
2. Colorado Avalanche (-1)
It's taken 53 games, but we are officially a little bit worried about the Avalanche. Not too worried, of course; Colorado is still tops in league standings with an outrageous plus-74 goal differential. Still, the Avs have lost eight of their last 13 games — six of those in regulation — opening the door in the President's Trophy race. The Lightning, Hurricanes and Wild are all just seven points back with under 30 games left. Devon Toews has certainly been missed on the blue line, while the elite tandem of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood has faltered in the New Year. This is an ultra-skilled team that will bounce back, as evidenced by a 5-0 triumph over one of the East's better teams in the Red Wings to end Week 17. But it's been a tough month, and the Olympic break probably came at the perfect time for Jared Bednar's group. One bright spot as of late has been breakout defenseman Sam Malinski, who saw an increased role with Toews out and signed a well-earned four-year extension last week.
3. Carolina Hurricanes (+1)
The Hurricanes are looking like the overwhelming favorite to win the Metropolitan Division as they continue to surge in the New Year. Make that 10 wins in 14 tries since Jan. 4, with three of the four defeats coming past regulation. Carolina is a well-oiled machine in the beginning of February, having no trouble scoring goals and getting excellent goaltending from rookie sensation Brandon Bussi. He continues to make all kinds of NHL history, and after being picked up off waivers in October, should be a Calder Trophy finalist come June. Could he pull a Cam Ward and lead the Canes to a Stanley Cup championship exactly two decades after Ward did? It would be an incredible story for both the franchise and the Sound Beach, New York native, who is making the most of his shot — and then some.
4. Minnesota Wild (+2)
After a challenging start to the month, the Wild are back on track, in the form of three wins in a row and six in their last eight games. With Colorado continuing to struggle, Minnesota is not out of the Central Division arms race just yet. They're now only seven points back, although the Avs do have three games in hand. It's unlikely but not impossible that they could catch their rivals, although a more likely scenario is still a Round 1 matchup with the Stars. If that is the case, home-ice advantage will be key, and the Wild continue to do the right things to put themselves at least in the No. 2 spot in the division. The trade rumors have swirled around top prospect Jesper Wallstedt as of late, and with Filip Gustavsson signed long-term between the pipes, could GM Bill Guerin move the young goalie star in the quest to improve the forward core? It might not be the worst idea as this club, already transformed by Quinn Hughes, looks to bring a Stanley Cup to the State of Hockey.
5. Detroit Red Wings (-2)
Tough week for the Red Wings, who had climbed into the NHL Power Rankings top three before dropping three consecutive contests last week. Detroit scored just four total goals over losses to Los Angeles (3-1), Washington (4-3 in SO), and Colorado (5-0), and that's not going to do them any favors in an ultra-crowded Eastern Conference playoff race. The Wings are still in great shape with 70 points, but the Atlantic Division has become a huge problem. Montreal, Boston and Buffalo are all hot on the trail, and there are only so many playoff spots to go around. They'd love to get back in the win column before the Olympics, but that will be easier said than done against the Avalanche on Monday and Mammoth on Wednesday — both on the road.
6. Buffalo Sabres (-1)
The Sabres' journey up the NHL Power Rankings has been Thanos levels of inevitable in 2025-26. Buffalo started from the bottom, or close to it, and have gotten as high as the top-five in a span of two months. Although a five-game winning streak was snapped by Montreal on Saturday, this team has lost just five times since Dec. 8, and Alex Tuch is already making Stanley Cup declarations. The Sabres need to stay focused on the task at hand, which is just getting into the playoffs. But what an incredible ride it's been in Western New York, and no matter what happens over the next three games, Lindy Ruff's squad will be in postseason positioning at the Olympic break. That's a huge win, and the energy around this club right now hasn't been seen in many, many years.
7. Dallas Stars (+1)
The Stars are just way too talented to not eventually turn things around, and eventually has quickly become the present day. After somehow losing 11 of 14 games between mid December and mid January, Dallas has won four in a row and five of six, not allowing Minnesota to create any breathing room despite being leapfrogged by their Central Division rivals. It was more of an extended slump than management would have liked, but this team is still in great positioning heading into the Olympics. We all know that GM Jim Nill isn't afraid to take big swings, and although it seems unlikely, he'll probably be right in the thick of the Artemi Panarin sweepstakes over the next month.
8. Montreal Canadiens (+2)
The Canadiens and Sabres played a truly exceptional game in Buffalo on Saturday, combing for 69 shots in a high-flying affair between two bottom-feeders turned Eastern Conference contenders. Montreal came out on top in that tilt, and they've won five of their last seven games. Cole Caufield is showing that Team USA leaving him off the roster is nothing short of foolishness; he's scored 11 goals in eight games and is now tied for third in the NHL in goals. The Habs are in a fantastic spot before the Olympics — currently third in the Atlantic — and have a chance to overtake the Red Wings for second if they can beat the Wild and Jets, both on the road, this week.
9. Pittsburgh Penguins (+3)
After three consecutive missed postseasons, the Penguins have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the year — and they're back to legitimate respectability. Despite losing Kris Letang for a month to a fractured foot, which is discouraging, Pittsburgh has dialed in, winning six consecutive regulation games and taking over second place in the Metropolitan Division in the process. The year is far from over, but the Arturs Silovs trade continues to pay dividends, while Stuart Skinner has also been effective between the pipes in Pennsylvania. The young guns and depth scoring are doing their respective parts, but we can't say enough about Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who are leading the charge. We won't jinx it, but getting these two back into the postseason is going to be incredible, and not just for Pens fans.
10. Boston Bruins (+1)
Despite allowing the quickest goal in NHL Stadium Series history to Brandon Hagel on Sunday, the Bruins bounced back by scoring four unanswered. But they weren't able to hold off the Lightning despite the three-goal lead, and it took a disallowed tally in overtime for Tampa Bay to silence Boston. The contest literally could not have been any closer, and although the B's were on the wrong end of it, they were part of history. And this is undoubtedly a playoff team in 2025-26, which is much more important than the final result of one game — pirates or no pirates. Imagine if management had re-signed Brad Marchand instead of trading him to a division rival at last year's deadline. People thought this franchise would be rebuilding after an awful ending to 2024-25, but instead, they're vying for a top-three seed in the Atlantic Division, and look like they have the juice to get there.
11. Florida Panthers (-2)
It's gotten to the point of the season where we are legitimately concerned that the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions won't even get a chance to go for the threepeat. The Panthers have lost three in a row, and are watching in real time as most of the rest of the teams in the Atlantic Division surge. Florida is eight points back of Buffalo, nine behind Boston and 10 away from Montreal, and all three of those clubs have just been better this year. And the injury bug is just relentless. Get Matthew Tkachuk back, lose Marchand and Anton Lundell. Watching this season has got to be excruciating for captain Sasha Barkov, who will probably be able to return if the Cats get into the dance. With 28 games left, Paul Maurice's club is out of excuses, and the only solution now is winning games — regardless of who is in and out of the lineup.
12. Vegas Golden Knights (-5)
The Golden Knights have emerged as one of the streakiest teams in the National Hockey League in 2025-26, and right now, they're in the midst of a brutal one. Vegas has lost five in a row and seven of eight, which came directly after they had won seven straight. And that streak was preceded by a stretch of eight losses in nine games. What on earth is going on in the strip? The goaltending has become a serious problem in Nevada; Adin Hill has been abysmal since returning from injury, and with Carter Hart on IR, Akira Schmid hasn't been able to plug the holes. It's hard to believe this is the situation after Rasmus Andersson was brought to town. Somehow, the Knights are still tops in the Pacific Division, but that won't be the case for much longer if they can't shake this funk.
13. Edmonton Oilers (+1)
The Oilers waived Calvin Pickard last week, basically confirming that Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram would be the tandem to try and finally get Edmonton over the Stanley Cup hump in 2026. Is that duo really any better than Pickard and Stuart Skinner? That's a question for someone a lot smarter, but the goaltending continues to be the Achilles heel in Alberta. Jarry was shelled by the Wild on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday, and he has not looked like any sort of an upgrade after returning from injury. Ingram has been better in a smaller sample size, but there is long-term skepticism he can be a reliable option either. Like usual, it's going to come down to the star power, and Evan Bouchard has cemented himself as one of the top offensive defenseman in the league — if he wasn't already. He's amassed 14 points in his last eight games, while Connor McDavid somehow has 95 points already. The Oil have won five of eight despite shaky defensive play, and they'll try to bank a few more points against the Leafs and Flames this week.
14. New York Islanders (-1)
The Islanders are exactly .500 at 5-5 over their last 10 games, which has them headed the wrong way in the NHL Power Rankings. But the overall picture is positive, as New York GM Mathieu Darche signalled that this team is eyeing a postseason berth by bringing both Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy to town. The former should provide some veteran leadership — he won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning — while the latter should fit nicely on the third pair with Scott Mayfield. The Isles quietly have one of the better blue lines in the league, with Matthew Schaefer creating magic on a nightly basis and Tony DeAngelo also playing some of the best hockey he has in years. With Bo Horvat back from injury, New York has a great chance to rectify a rare missed playoff, which is impressive considering Kyle Palmieri and Alex Romanov are both out long-term.
15. Utah Mammoth (no change)
The Mammoth have been one of the best teams in the NHL in January, but Week 17 was not kind to the franchise. Not only did Utah lose three of four in a busy four-game slate, but they authored an epic collapse against Carolina on Thursday. Leading 4-2 in the final two minutes of regulation, the Mammoth allowed the Hurricanes to score not once, not twice, but three times in a minute and half. They not only managed to lose the game, but couldn't even get it past regulation. A very disappointing result, but most of them have been positive over the last month. They're now tied for the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference, and you know this franchise is desperate to treat fans in Salt Lake City to playoff hockey this spring.
16. Washington Capitals (+1)
The Capitals continue to disappoint overall after winning the Eastern Conference regular season last year, but they've banked enough points to remain in the thick of the playoff race in early February. Only four points separate them from the No. 3 seed Islanders in the Metro, although New York has a game in hand. Still, Washington has the talent and the experience to make a push down the stretch, and winning three of their last five games is a good start. They're busy before the Olympics, playing three times before the break: against the Isles on Monday, Flyers on Tuesday and Predators on Thursday.
17. San Jose Sharks (-1)
The Sharks have been playing exactly .500 hockey over their last 10 games, and that has them out of the top half of the NHL Power Rankings in Week 18. It won't take much to get San Jose back, but it's been a challenging stretch for Macklin Celebrini and co. nonetheless. The sophomore superstar is still doing his part — to the tune of 79 points in 53 games — but he's not getting a ton of help, and the goaltending in the month of January has left something to be desired. To their credit, the Sharks are done playing firewagon hockey as they look to tighten up and bank points. They're oh-so-close from emerging from the rebuild, and Kiefer Sherwood should help in that quest after the Olympics. Up next is the second ever tilt between Celebrini and Connor Bedard on Monday; in the battle of the rebuilds, San Jose has the leg up as Celebrini looks to steer his club into the dance come April.
18. Anaheim Ducks (+1)
Welcome to the Calder Trophy race, Beckett Sennecke. The rookie has been fantastic this year, and he's battling for first-year supremacy with a couple of Canadiens. He's now the goal scoring leader among rookies, one ahead of Oliver Kapanen, and has 44 points in 2025-26, one behind Ivan Demidov. He's been just terrific in the NHL, and has earned a promotion to the top line with Mikael Granlund, along with the top powerplay unit. Even without Leo Carlsson in the lineup, the Ducks are surging, winning eight of their last 10 games. That includes the final one of Week 17, a 4-3 victory over the struggling Golden Knights. Lukas Dostal is all the way back after shaking off some injury rust, and Anaheim is back in a playoff spot. It's basically a coin flip as to whether they will remain there at the end of April, but right now, things are going well for the California franchise.
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (+4)
With every game that passes, it becomes more and more clear that firing Dean Evason and replacing him with Rick Bowness behind the bench was the right move. Columbus has won five in a row and nine of 10, immediately returning to relevance in the Eastern Conference. In fact, they're now just four points back of the Islanders in the Metro, and six back of the Penguins, who are No. 2. It's been an incredible stretch, and Zach Werenski and co. are showing no signs of slowing down. Will this be enough to convince GM Don Waddell to add to the team for a post-Olympics playoff push? He's already brought Mason Marchment to town, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Jackets weren't done ahead of the deadline.
20. Ottawa Senators (+1)
Welcome back, Linus Ullmark. The Swede was dialled in in his return from a leave of absence, making 26 saves on 27 shots in a key 4-1 victory over the Devils on Saturday night. He'll be right back between the pipes against the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Monday, and head coach Travis Green is going to ride the veteran until the wheels fall off. Ottawa is back on track after a tough stretch, winning three consecutive games to get out of the Atlantic basement. The magic number for a playoff spot is eight points, and a trio of road games before the Olympics will be crucial to closing the gap on a couple of surging teams in the division.
21. Seattle Kraken (+4)
The Kraken continue to hang around in a crowded Pacific, and after winning four consecutive games, they've jumped into the No. 3 seed in the division. The hold is precarious, as they're tied with the Ducks, a point ahead of the Kings and three up on the Sharks, but they look to have turned things around after losing six of eight games at the beginning of January. Seattle is getting the most out of a strong goaltending tandem of Joey Daccord and Phil Grubauer, and when one of them falters, it seems the other is ready to pick up the slack. That's going to be critical down the stretch. The Kraken are in Anaheim and Los Angeles for a couple of critical divisional tilts on Tuesday and Wednesday before a couple of weeks off.
22. New Jersey Devils (-2)
The Devils are in big trouble. Luke Hughes being on LTIR is a huge blow, and brother Jack getting injured again is exactly what the team could not afford. New Jersey has lost three of four, all in regulation, and now sit tied for last in the Metropolitan Division. It's hard to believe they're only seven points back of the No. 3 seed Islanders, although that seems like a lot more the way Sheldon Keefe's team has played as of late. Ondrej Palat is also no longer part of the equation, being shipped to those same Isles in a cap dump that also brought Maxim Tsyplakov to Newark. The Russian has struggled mightily in Long Island this season, and only played eight minutes in his NJ debut — a 4-1 loss to Ottawa on Saturday. Here's what we're all thinking: the Devils are just not a playoff team without the Hughes brothers, and if they aren't back and healthy after the Olympics, it will take a miracle to get in. It might take a miracle either way.
23. Toronto Maple Leafs (-5)
We knew that the Maple Leafs wouldn't be as good of a hockey team without Mitch Marner. But did we expect them to ever be last place in the Atlantic Division despite his absence? That's exactly where Toronto is in the first week of February after losing eight of 10 games. We are looking at a potential first missed postseason in the 6ix since Auston Matthews was drafted No. 1 overall in 2016. Anthony Stolarz has returned from injury and proceeded to struggle mightily, while Joseph Woll hasn't been much better. But the defensive side of the puck without Chris Tanev in the lineup is an absolute mess, and the star forwards are just not scoring enough goals to make up for it. Eight points out of a playoff spot is not an impossible hill to climb, but if things don't improve directly after the Olympics, it'll be the first time in a decade that fans in Toronto haven't been treated to hockey at the end of April.
24. Philadelphia Flyers (-2)
The momentum that the Flyers built at the beginning of the season under Rick Tocchet is all but gone. It's been a nightmare of a couple of months for a Philadelphia team that has lost four in a row and 11 of 13 going back to Jan. 8. The goaltending is the easiest area to blame — and it would be well within reason — although the scoring outside of Travis Konecny has completely dried up. This kind of skid is detrimental in the Eastern Conference, and Philly has gone from a top-three seed in the Metro to tied for last place in the division in the span of less than a month. Now a full nine points out of a playoff spot, this prolonged futility will probably be the nail in the coffin of the postseason hopes in 2025-26.
25. Nashville Predators (-1)
The big news in Smashville on Monday was the shocking news that general manager Barry Trotz would be retiring from this post. The head coach turned GM will remain on until the franchise finds another executive to take his place, but this was certainly out of left field. The 63-year-old wants to spend more time with family, which makes sense at his age — it's just the timing that is a little bit interesting. The Predators are right in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, and now, right before the deadline, they'll have to begin a GM search. It'll be intriguing to see how this affects the performance on the ice, and it wouldn't be too surprising if Trotz had a successor by the time NHL play resumes on Feb. 25.
26. Los Angeles Kings (no change)
The Kings are holding firm in the NHL Power Rankings after winning two and losing two over the last seven days. Although Los Angeles has won four of six overall, that came after a four-game skid, and we need to see more from this team before they start climbing back up the leaderboard. It's been an incredibly challenging season in California, and at this point, the Kings are looking like a playoff bubble team at best. They do currently occupy the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference, but the Mammoth, Sharks and Predators are all within striking distance. An Olympic reset will be much-needed, but first, a back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday against the Kraken and Golden Knights, respectively.
27. Winnipeg Jets (+2)
The Jets are getting a rare bump up the NHL Power Rankings in Week 18, despite losing five of eight games. The teams below them have just been even less effective as of late. Still, we're accepting that last year's President's Trophy winners just might not have the juice in 2025-26. Winnipeg is under .500 at 22-25-7 and a full nine points out of a playoff spot. While there's belief internally that the roster can turn things around after the Olympics and make a late postseason push, we'll believe it when we see it. And we just haven't seen enough from this Jets team through the first 54 games to believe it can happen.
28. Calgary Flames (-1)
It's been a brutal couple of weeks for the Flames, who lost a leader in Rasmus Andersson and haven't really been able to recover since. Calgary has lost 10 of 14 games, falling to second last in the Pacific Division and 10 points out of a playoff spot. Considering both Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman could also be getting a change of scenery between now and March 6, we aren't holding out hope that this roster can make a legitimate playoff push after the Olympics. More than likely, GM Craig Conroy will sell as many effective pieces as he can, stockpile draft capital for the future, and hope to get a high pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Flames host a couple of fellow Canadian teams before the break, welcoming Toronto to the Saddledome on Monday before hosting Edmonton on Wednesday.
29. Chicago Blackhawks (-1)
For the second time ever, Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini will face off when the Sharks visit the Blackhawks on Monday night. The two good friends from North Vancouver, British Columbia — and fellow first overall picks — met for the first time last year, when both San Jose and Chicago were bottom-feeders. Both clubs have improved this season, but the Hawks have lagged behind in the rebuild, and have lost five straight games and eight of 10. That has them second last in the Central Division and a full nine points out of a Western Conference playoff slot. The hopes are fading in the Windy City, and it could be another year of pain unless Bedard can lead a resurgence after the Olympic break.
30. New York Rangers (+1)
Where will Artemi Panarin chase a Stanley Cup in 2026? The superstar Russian is being held out of the Rangers lineup until GM Chris Drury can facilitate a trade, and a New York roster missing Panarin, Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin is as lacking as any in the NHL. The Blueshirts have already shipped Soucy to the Islanders, and the downward spiral continues for a team has now lost 14 of 17 games to fall into the basement of the Eastern Conference — with seven points separating them from the next closest club. The franchise will be hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and get the No. 1 overall pick again, like they did in 2020. That's all there is to look forward to for the Rangers right now. Well, that and whatever the return for Panarin is.
31. St. Louis Blues (-1)
Although the Blues and Rangers have both been equally futile as of late, St. Louis is taking the hit in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 18. The minus-54 goal differential just cannot be ignored; it's league-worst in the first week of February. General manager Doug Armstrong said last week that he's “embarrassed” with where his team is at in the standings, and admitted that “it's been a really poor year.” It's hard not to agree about a season that has fallen well short of expectations in 2025-26, with the Blues sitting in the basement of the Central Division. At 20-26-9 and with no indication things are going to turn around — as evidenced by nine losses in 12 games — this franchise will be one of the big sellers ahead of the deadline.
32. Vancouver Canucks (no change)
Another week, another couple minutes of reading before we reach the hopeless Canucks. While Vancouver was able to scrape out a win last Thursday — something that is happening less and less frequently — it's one of only two times the club has triumphed since Dec. 29. The bright spot in British Columbia over the last couple of tilts has been the play of Nikita Tolopilo. With Thatcher Demko getting shut down for the year, and Kevin Lankinen leaving Thursday's game against the Ducks in the first period, the 25-year-old entered in relief and didn't give up a single goal in a 2-0 final. He didn't get credit for his first career shutout, but he should have, and it would have been the first-ever NHL SO by a goalie from Belarus. Welcome to Canucks hockey in 2025-26. Vancouver is on the road in Utah and Las Vegas this week before, mercifully, the Olympics.
