NHL Power Rankings: February 2025

NHL Power Rankings: February 2025

January (and early February) 2025 will be remembered for one thing in the NHL World: trades. The build-up to the Four Nations Faceoff indeed created a second deadline, leading to a rare flurry of activity. It wasn’t just quantity, either; some big players changed hands. Nothing quite at the Luka Dončić level, but deals that could significantly impact how things play out the rest of the season. Their effect on our power rankings wasn’t quite as significant, but that will surely change as we see how the traded players fare in their new surroundings. Until then, we have best-on-best international hockey for the first time since 2016 — and this month’s power rankings, of course.

T-31. San Jose Sharks (15,34-7, January: 32)

Andrew: 32; Trey: 31

This ranking reflects the Sharks being in the bottom third of the league in every major category I track while making my picks. However, Mike Grier continued his strong run by turning Mikael Granlund from cap dump to first-round pick (while also moving Cody Ceci and adding a conditional fourth from Dallas). Of course, that also makes the team weaker in the short term, so hopefully, his departure doesn’t mean the kids will be thrown to the wolves.

T-31. Chicago Blackhawks (16-31-6, January: 31)

Andrew: 31; Trey: 32

Chicago may be ahead of San Jose in the standings, but the Sharks will almost certainly be the better sellers. Unless some ponies up for Ryan Donato (who is having a career year, in fairness), the third-round pick they got for Taylor Hall/retaining 50% of Mikko Rantanen‘s contract may be the biggest asset they bring in.

30. Buffalo Sabres (22-26-5, January: 30)

Andrew: 29; Trey: 30

Time will tell if the Sabres are the next team to join the blockbuster parade (if they do, it would likely be for Elias Pettersson). But Buffalo’s bigger issue is defense, as the Sabres are a bottom-10 team at shot, goal, and 5-on-5 expected goal prevention (their penalty kill has suppressed chances well, but that hasn’t translated into much success). That’s a blue line with two Four Nations players, by the way (albeit one injury replacement in Henri Jokiharju).

29. Nashville Predators (18-27-7, January: T-27)

Andrew: 28; Trey: 27

The Predators feel stuck in Groundhog Day (the movie, not the holiday, although happy belated). They control the puck in the offensive zone. They generate lots of shots. And they create lots of chances! And yet they can’t score. That four-part meme from Despicable Me may be a better film comparison for the Preds.

T-26. Anaheim Ducks (23-24-6, January: 29)

Andrew: 30; Trey: 25

With some of the bad teams, you can at least point to some young players having great seasons as a reason for hope. I’m unsure if Anaheim is one of them, at least with their skaters. Jackson LaCombe may be the exception, as he’s quietly scoring at a half-point-per-game clip and driving play offensively. But everyone else feels a bit stuck in the mud, even though “third-line guy” quote-on-quote Mason McTavish is the team’s third-leading goal scorer.

T-26. Seattle Kraken (23-29-4, January: T-23)

Andrew: 26; Trey: 29

They finally had enough of Phillipp Grubauer‘s woes, as the 2021 Vezina finalist was waived and sent to the American Hockey League. You’d expect a buyout is imminent, costing Seattle roughly $2 million in three of the next four seasons (the number swells to about $3 million in 2026-27). At least Kappo Kakko looks like a nice find.

T-26. Pittsburgh Penguins (22-24-9, January: 21)

Andrew: 27; Trey: 28

Any hopes of avoiding a third straight playoff miss went away when Marcus Pettersson was shipped off to Vancouver for a return centered around the Rangers’ 1st-round pick (top-13 protected). Pittsburgh has already been porous defensively this season, and now they’re down to 37-year-old Kris Letang, 34-year-old Erik Karlsson (never a defensive stalwart), and a bunch of guys in roles way too rich for their talents. Plus, Evgeni Malkin‘s on injured reserve, and Sidney Crosby is banged up. A top-five pick is very much in play.

Is Kyle Dubas Waving The White Flag In Pittsburgh?

25. Philadelphia Flyers (23-26-7, January: T-23)

Andrew: 24; Trey: 24

The Joel Farabee–Morgan Frost trade does offer some utility for the Flyers in the future. Clearing Farabee’s $5 million cap hit through 2027 could open the door to securing much-needed help for the slumping Matvei Michkov (his former KHL teammate Andrei Kuzmenko, acquired in the deal, is probably not a difference-maker). It leaves the Flyers perilously thin at center, as their first three-game stretch without a goal in regular season history indicates. Granted, that streak only included one game after the deal, so it’s not like this team was making waves before.

24. New York Islanders (25-21-7, January: T-27)

Andrew: 21; Trey: 26

A seven-game win streak has brought the Islanders back from the dead, but Mathew Barzal‘s indefinite injury may cancel those gains. New York is already a bottom-10 scoring team, and it’s hard to see them making a big push (there are currently two teams between them and a playoff spot) without his abilities. It will be interesting to see if this affects how they handle Brock Nelson‘s deadline status.

23. St. Louis Blues (24-26-5, January: 17)

Andrew: 25; Trey: 19

The new coach bump seems to flatten out for St. Louis, as their sub-standard special teams are doing them in. They also said goodbye to an overpaid but still capable NHLer in Brandon Saad, whose contract was mutually terminated after he cleared waivers with the intent of being sent to the AHL. Dylan Holloway‘s emergence has been great, but it can’t cover for the Blues’ flaws.

22. Utah Hockey Club (23-22-9, January: 18)

Andrew: 22; Trey: 20

Utah would be lower on my list if they were in the Eastern Conference, where their 53 points would have them tied for 15th place. Instead, they’re tied for 9th in the West and within shouting distance of a playoff spot. One player who hasn’t gotten enough attention league-wide is Dylan Guenther. He’s got 18 goals in 41 games this year after a two-goal performance on Tuesday that included a last-second overtime winner. His emergence is helping offset a step-back season for Matias Maccelli.

T-20. Montreal Canadiens (25-24-5, January: 20)

Andrew: 23; Trey: 17

I don’t think anyone saw Montreal being over .500 in points percentage 53 games into the season. They deserve props for another respectable month, even if their team is Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, and everybody else. Jake Evans has taken a well-timed offensive leap in a contract year (he’s two points and goals shy of his career highs). He could be an under-the-radar deadline target if Kent Hughes doesn’t extend him.

T-20. Detroit Red Wings (28-21-5, January: 26)

Andrew: 17; Trey: 23

Unlike the Blues, the Red Wings are still going strong under their new bench boss, matching the Islanders with a seven-game win streak. It helps that Simon Edvidsson is starting to come into his own, potentially giving the Red Wings a desperately needed boost of top-end talent. The Red Wings have taken big steps in their 5-on-5 play, although they’re still below 50% in expected goal share by a decent margin. But it does feel like the playoffs are realistic barring another Dylan Larkin injury.

19. Vancouver Canucks (25-18-11, January: 15)

Andrew: 18; Trey: 21

Extending Marcus Pettersson means they’ve avoided the worst-case scenario where they lose J.T. Miller and the primary asset for acquiring him in a matter of months. Right now, the Canucks are in a holding pattern, waiting to see how much Miller’s departure affects Elias Pettersson. Patrik Allvin must decide whether holding onto Brock Boeser is worth it if the answer is not much.

Canucks Acquire Marcus Pettersson

18. Columbus Blue Jackets (26-21-8, January: 25)

Andrew: 16; Trey: 22

We’re starting to become believers in CBJ as they climb five spots on each of our lists. Losing Kirill Marchenko is a tough blow, although hopefully buffered by the impending Four Nations break. The Blue Jackets only have one player (Zach Werenski) playing in that tournament so they should be as well-rested as anyone heading into the stretch.

17. Boston Bruins (27-23-6, January: 14)

Andrew: 20; Trey: 16

There isn’t much in the numbers that says you should believe in this Bruins team. Their power-play has been unfathomably poor, and Jeremy Swayman still wasn’t elite in January (although he’s started February strong).

16. Calgary Flames (26-21-7, January: 19)

Andrew: 19; Trey: 15

The Flames found a way to get better now without sacrificing much for the future — hard to argue with that. Farabee and Frost had their moments in Philadelphia, and the bar for improving a bottom-five scoring team isn’t high. Their arrivals boost the Flames’ playoff odds (as does the drama in Vancouver) and, therefore, help Dustin Wolf‘s Calder chances.

Trade Grades: Farabee & Frost To Calgary, Kuzmenko & Pelletier To Philadelphia

15. Ottawa Senators (29-22-4, January: 16)

Andrew: 13; Trey: 18

It’s all starting to come into focus for Ottawa, who has jumped into a divisional playoff spot and have a 78% chance to qualify, according to The Athletic. A team led by Linus Ullmark (assuming he’s healthy when the playoffs roll around) and a locked-in Brady Tkachuk won’t be fun to play in a seven-game series. Now the question is whether ending an eight-year playoff drought is enough or if the Senators will make a big push to do something more.

14. New York Rangers (26-23-4, January: 22)

Andrew: 15; Trey: 14

Getting Miller is nice, but more importantly, it feels like the drama has settled down on Broadway. The Rangers didn’t need more offense, but their finishing has been poor. Miller should help with that, especially given he scored two goals on six shots in his return to the team. Sadly, his six-year, three-game point streak with the Rangers since his last game in his first stint with the team ended on Wednesday.

Trade Grades: Rangers Acquire JT Miller

13. Los Angeles Kings (28-17-6, January: 12)

Andrew: 14; Trey: 12

After an excellent start to this season, the Kings ran into a rough patch in January, erasing much of the cushion they’d established for a divisional playoff spot. Granted, they have played the fewest games in the league (51) and just got Drew Doughty back, so things aren’t exactly slipping away from them. But the Kings went from first to 11th in expected goals against per 60 at 5-on-5, a trend they should reverse quickly.

12. Tampa Bay Lightning (29-20-4, January: T-10)

Andrew: 11; Trey: 14

Tampa’s drop is all due to Trey, who lowered them by five spots while I kept them in the same place. With the Lightning, I see a team still strong offensively at 5-on-5 with elite special teams results and processes. I also trust Julien BriseBois to make the right calls at the deadline, although maybe I’m giving him too quick of a pass for the Tanner Jeannot fiasco.

T-10. Toronto Maple Leafs (33-19-2, January: T-7)

Andrew: 10; Trey: 11

Remember how I said the Sharks were in the bottom third of all the stats I looked at for these rankings? The Maple Leafs are in the middle third in all of them, which I think might be a first in the seven years I’ve been doing monthly power rankings. That speaks to the stability Craig Berube has brought. But it also comes from having seven players with more than five goals. I’d also be concerned about players like Mitch Marner, who are banged up but going to play in the Four Nations Faceoff.

T-10. Minnesota Wild (32-19-4, January: 13)

Andrew: 12; Trey: 9

Speaking of banged-up players (but one who wasn’t eligible for the Four Nations Faceoff), the Wild are five games into life without Kirill Kaprizov, who is expected to be out for about another month. The good news is Minnesota won the first three games to close January. The bad news is they haven’t scored through 120 minutes in February.

9. Colorado Avalanche (32-22-2, January: 9)

Andrew: 9; Trey: 10

Well, would you look at that — Colorado finally has goaltending. You have to wonder where the Avalanche would be if they had a full season of Mackenzie Blackwood and his .926 save percentage in Denver and if that would’ve impacted their decision to trade Rantanen. Players of his level rarely get traded midseason; he’s probably the best to be moved during a season since Joe Thornton during his Hart-winning 2005-06 season. He and Martin Necas are still acclimating to their new surroundings, so we’ll have to wait a little longer to declare an early winner.

8. Winnipeg Jets (38-14-3, January: T-10)

Andrew: 8; Trey: 7

The Jets may not have had much room for improvement in the standings throughout this season. But they have gotten a lot better defensively, going from 28th in xGA per 60 at 5-on-5 in November to 10th by the end of January. Their power play has also moved to the top 10 in xG creation after shooting the lights out early in the season.

7. New Jersey Devils (30-20-6, January: 7)

Andrew: 5; Trey: 8

They dropped out of my No. 1 spot, but the Devils are still an elite, and there’s very little separating them from the teams above them. However, Carolina acquiring Rantanen probably makes the Canes the favorites to come out of the Metro. We’ll see if the Devils get some reinforcements after a quiet trade deadline the last time they were a contender in 2023.

6. Washington Capitals (36-11-4, January: T-7)

Andrew: 6; Trey: 6

Washington is a slightly confusing team as they struggle to generate but not suppress shots, only for things to be flipped in terms of 5-on-5 xG rates. What they are is very good, and now they’ve got some long-term goaltending certainty after extending Logan Thompson. We’ll see if Charlie Lindgren is next, but given that he’s 31 years old and has never won a Cup, he may be more motivated to chase the bag or/and a true No. 1 job.

Capitals Ink Multi-Year Extension With Logan Thompson

T-4. Florida Panthers (33-20-3, January: 3)

Andrew: 4; Trey: 4

Back-to-back excellent months for Sergei Bobrovsky after an underwhelming start to the season should ease concerns about his status as the Panthers gear up for another Cup push. That said, Bill Zito should look to add another defender, especially after the Adam Boqvist experiment didn’t work.

T-4. Dallas Stars (34-18-1, January: 5)

Andrew: 8; Trey: 1

Miro Heiskanen‘s injury (and, to a lesser extent, Nils Lundqvist‘s) reveals how thin the Stars are at the top of their backend, and no, Ceci doesn’t move the needle. I’m a little worried about how Granlund will fit after his struggles in a depth role in Pittsburgh, although he may be in a top-six role until Tyler Seguin returns in the playoffs.

Trade Grades: Stars Add Mikael Granlund, Cody Ceci

3. Edmonton Oilers (34-16-4, January: 4)

Andrew: 1; Trey: 5

It’s always hard to bet against McDavid and Draisaitl. Their penalty kill is middling at preventing chances despite their stellar success rate and it’s not like their overall goaltending track record makes sense as a logical cover.

T-1. Vegas Golden Knights (32-17-6, January: 2)

Andrew: 3; Trey: 2

This is the third straight month Trey has had Vegas at two, while they’ve steadily climbed my polls from 11 to 4 to 3. Their 5-on-5 numbers are somewhat underwhelming, but roster-wise, there’s a lot to like. Plus, they’ve got time to break in Saad before the deadline. With LA and Vancouver’s recent struggles, a second second-round meeting in three years with Edmonton looks likely.

What Kind Of Impact Will Brandon Saad Have With Vegas?

T-1. Carolina Hurricanes (32-19-4, January: 6)

Andrew: 2; Trey: 3

Boldness deserves to be rewarded, so it’s fitting to see Carolina tied for the top spot. Rantanen is the most talented Hurricane since their 2006 title team, and considering how well Jake Guentzel fit in last season (25 points in 17 regular season games and 9 points in 11 playoff games), it shouldn’t be long before he revs it up in Raleigh.

Hurricanes Acquire Mikko Rantanen In Complex Multi-Team Trade

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Advanced Stats via Natural Stat Trick and The Athletic