NHL Power Rankings: Lightning Inch Closer To The Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche finish the final pre-Olympics NHL power rankings at No. 1 yet again, but the margin between them and the rest of the league just keeps getting smaller.

The Avs rank 24th (!) in points percentage since the calendar flipped to 2026. The Tampa Bay Lightning, meanwhile, are 13-1-1 and have now matched the Avs in total wins (36). They're the only two teams to have a points percentage of at least .700.

What will transpire after the Olympics? That's anyone's guess in a season full of surprises, and there will be two weeks of trade talk until the NHL trade deadline with (potentially) lots of names on the move. Could the break disrupt the Lightning's momentum, or could it allow the Avs to reset?

The NHL power rankings will return in March a week after the NHL resumes play.

The Avs lean on Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar a lot, and so will Team Canada. What will they have left in the tank for the final stretch of the season and a gruelling playoffs?

If the Lightning ever manage to ice a full healthy roster and add Artemi Panarin, we might have a new Cup favorite.

All four of the Canes' most recent games have been decided by one goal, but they have not lost in regulation since Jan. 13. At least they're giving more starts to goaltender Brandon Bussi, who has arguably been their most important player.

The price they paid to acquire Quinn Hughes was a pittance for how he's sparked their offense. Elite players like him don't become available often, and kudos to Wild GM Bill Guerin for stepping up.

A poor stretch where the Stars were 3-7-3 seems to be well behind them after winning five straight. The competition wasn't tough – they play the Blues for the third time on Wednesday – and they'll return from the Olympic break with yet another relatively easy stretch.

Impressive wins against the Avs (7-3) and the Sabres (4-2), but some costly mistakes against the Wild ended the Canadiens' chances of extending their winning streak to four games.

The Sabres are in position to end the NHL's longest active playoff drought, and they should be rewarded with some of acquisition at the deadline after a brilliant turnaround. Alex Lyon is yet again the unsung hero, yet he cannot seem to find a permanent home.

A string of four losses in six games drops the Wings a few spots, but they had an excellent revenge game, shutting out the Avs after losing 5-0 at home. John Gibson has turned out to be an excellent goalie after a poor start to the season.

It's been an incredible run for the Bruins, who are 12-2-2 since Dec. 31. They've been incredibly streaky with two six-game winless streaks and a seven-game winning streak earlier in the season. If they can catch fire at the right time after the Olympic break, they're playoff-bound for sure.

The Isles have really grinded their way through the season with no winning streaks longer than four games and no losing or winless streaks longer than three games. They're one of the teams that may benefit the most from the Olympic break because they can rest Ilya Sorokin.

It'll be really interesting to see what Kyle Dubas does to bolster this roster in what may be Evgeni Malkin's last season. The Penguins rattled off six straight wins only to lose both games of a back-to-back by one-goal margins, and they have one final test in Buffalo before the break.

The best the Mammoth can do is fourth in the Central, which pits them in the middle of a close race in the Pacific. With games against the Avs and the Wild right after the break, the Mammoth can't afford to lose any time when NHL action resumes.

The Oilers have at least figured out their goalie tandem, but it's hardly a convincing one, having allowed 12 goals in their last two games.

The Ducks are back in a playoff spot after a concerning 2-11-2 stretch where it looked like their entire season was done like dinner. They're 17-8-1 at home this season and return after the break with a seven-game homestand. If there was a time to bank a bunch of wins before the final month of the regular season, that's it.

Will it be Joey Daccord or Philipp Grubauer? That's one of the more interesting questions the Kraken will have to answer down the stretch, as well as how they can further develop Shane Wright. He's been stuck in neutral for too long, and giving up on him so early seems so risky.

The loser points can't hide the fact the Knights have not been good, losing seven of their past eight and getting some subpar goaltending from both goalies. They have two games against vulnerable opponents to potentially enter the break on a positive note.

The easiest path for the red-hot Jackets is through the Metro because the Atlantic is just so tough. The hiring of Rick Bowness has really turned them around, and the best part is they're no longer blowing leads late in games.

They got Matthew Tkachuk back but are still without Brad Marchand, and no matter what, the Panthers just can't seem to get any positive momentum going. They're on a four-game losing streak and not getting much clutch goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky. It just doesn't seem like the Panthers will get another chance to defend their title, and instead they should focus on next season, when everyone's a little healthier and more rested.

Had the Sharks managed to secure more points against the division rivals and won the Bedard-Celebrini showdown, they'd be in a playoff position and within striking distance of the division lead. There was zero chance anybody thought that was even close to happening at the start of the season.

There's just no spark with this team, and even with a three-game winning streak, the season still feels incredibly dire. In the Maple Leafs' first 10 games following the break, six of them will be against divisional rivals.

It's been a long time since the Kings were considered the worst team in California, but here we are. With thanks to the loser point, the Kings are one point out of a wild-card spot despite having the second-fewest (!) regulation wins in the league. Is this team one superstar away – ahem, Artemi Panarin – from being a contender, or is this core simply not good enough going forward?

The Sens have looked a lot more settled lately with four wins in their past five games. Their unsung hero this season might be James Remier, even though he joined the team two-thirds of the way into the season. He's provided some stability as a backup behind Linus Ullmark.

The Flyers are 3-8-3 in their last 14 games and quickly fading out of the playoff race. The break could help the team reset and keep Rick Tocchet and the Philly media apart before the whole Matvei Michkov situation goes nuclear.

The Caps have just two regulation wins over the past two-and-half weeks, and it's starting to look like the East's top team last season might miss the playoffs. It's difficult to predict how the Metro will sort itself, but with the Jackets coming on so strong and with three games in hand, claiming the third spot in the division will be really difficult.

Barry Trotz's retirement as the Preds GM was even more shocking, considering the team sits at three wins above .500 when they were viewed as a potential lottery team just a month ago. Does the break end up hurting their momentum? And does Trotz's announcement change their plans at the deadline?

The Jets' biggest problem, and one they've curiously refused to address all season, is the fact that all three forwards on their top line have scored at least 20 goals while their fourth-highest scoring forward has only 20 points.

The Devils' overall record isn't horrible, but they've lost four of their past five with their lone win coming in overtime, and they've looked far too lost and listless for long stretches in their past two games where they've been outscored 7-1.

The Hawks are still far too inconsistent despite having a healthy roster, especially their young defensemen, who seem to keep rotating between good months and bad months.

Hard to pinpoint exactly when it all really fell apart for the Rangers, but after Christmas, they're 3-12-2, the lowest point total and the second-lowest points percentage in the league.

So… what do the Flames do with Jonathan Huberdeau? He's scoring at a 40-point pace with only four points in his past 14 games, and buying out his contract won't save much cap space.

The Blues blew a 5-1 lead (!) to lose their seventh in eight games and remain no closer to figuring out if either of their two goalies can be a viable starter. Team Canada, obviously, feels differently.

With a .375 points percentage, this is tracking to be the worst season in Canucks history in the Salary Cap Era.

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