After what felt like the longest two-week break in hockey history, welcome back to THW’s Power Rankings! While it may be old news now, before I discuss the present let’s look back one week and congratulate the NHL on a truly impressive tournament with the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off. Even if there was concern heading into the event about how hockey fans would react to the games, it felt like the world at large took note of hockey, with millions of hardcore and casual fans tuning in to watch the biggest games. Hopefully, the NHL can build on this momentum and carry these ratings into the postseason.
Speaking of the postseason, the end of the 2025 Regular season is mere weeks away, but there’s still one more massive date on the calendar, the 2025 Trade Deadline! For most teams, the trade deadline is like Christmas, where you’re either watching your team of choice add great talent for a deep push or selling hope by acquiring future assets.
While many of the biggest names have already been dealt, don’t think this means the deadline will be slow. With the cap going up this offseason, teams are getting creative with their trades, which means we could see more unexpected big-money deals going down that would have felt like a pipe dream four seasons ago. Of course, THW will be covering every move with breaking news, trade grades, and a trade bait board I recommend everyone keep an eye on as we approach Friday!
Related: THW’s NHL Trade Bait List for 2025 Trade Deadline
With so much happening off the ice, it’s easy to forget that we are in peak season across the NHL right now as teams figure out if they are truly contenders or if selling is their best option. The Four Nations Face-Off may have been a big success, but injuries came out of it that have reshaped a few teams and their potential pathway forward this season.
Due to this, I expect things to look very different next week compared to this week. However, as it stands now, let’s dive into Week 19 of THW’s NHL Power Rankings!
32-18: Bruins and Canucks Considering All Options
32. San Jose Sharks (Previously: 32)
31. Chicago Blackhawks (Previously: 31)
30. Nashville Predators (Previously: 30)
29. Seattle Kraken (Previously: 29)
28. Pittsburgh Penguins (Previously: 25)
27. Buffalo Sabres (Previously: 22)
26. Philadelphia Flyers (Previously: 27)
25. Anaheim Ducks (Previously: 24)
24. Boston Bruins (Previously: 18)
23. Vancouver Canucks (Previously: 13)
22. New York Islanders (Previously: 15)
21. Montreal Canadiens (Previously: 28)
20. Calgary Flames (Previously: 21)
19. Utah Hockey Club (Previously: 26)
18. St. Louis Blues (Previously: 23)
If you’re a fan of the Bruins or Canucks, the 2024-25 NHL season has to feel like a bit of a slog. Heading into the season, both of these teams looked like they could be contenders. After hitting various bumps along the road, they appeared to be heading in the right direction before the Four Nations Face-Off provided a break. All it would take is a few strong games for either of them to secure their playoff ticket and look to buy at the Trade Deadline.
Instead, both teams have been miserable since their return, going a combined 2-6-2 in their games. Now the Bruins are considering selling and the Canucks are barely hanging onto the playoffs, mostly due to the Flames not being able to score in Florida. This could be a defining week for both of these franchises, as the right choices could accelerate a retool or double-down on a playoff push.
However, what really defines the bottom of the Rankings is how few teams truly are out of contention. The Blues, Canadiens, and Hockey Club are all surging after their two-week vacation, and if any teams leave the door open in front of them, they could easily walk through and claim a playoff spot. However, they could also hit the eject button and sell high on their valuable assets, so it will be fascinating to see what decisions their general managers make come Friday. No matter what, I’m expecting an exciting few days off the ice for these franchises.
17-12: NHL’s Weak Middle Complicates Trade Deadline
17. New York Rangers (Previously: 19)
16. Ottawa Senators (Previously: 16)
15. Los Angeles Kings (Previously: 12)
14. Detroit Red Wings (Previously: 14)
13. New Jersey Devils (Previously: 17)
12. Columbus Blue Jackets (Previously: 20)
If you’re looking for positives in the middle of the Rankings this week, well there’s not a lot I can bring for you outside the Blue Jackets. After hitting a rough stretch, Columbus has won their last four games, including a thrilling Stadium Series classic against the Red Wings, whom they are in a fight for playoff positioning.
So, despite everything that’s happened this season, it’s looking like the Blue Jackets will not only be buyers at the 2025 Trade Deadline, but they could be a real threat for a Wild Card or even third place in the Metropolitan Division. Given their story this year, you can’t help but cheer for the struggling franchise.
Everyone else in this section of the Rankings seems to fumbling opportunities presented to them. The Senators and Rangers have both failed to make that jump back into Wild Card contention, whereas the Devils and Kings are holding onto their third-place spot in their division somewhat in spite of their mediocre play in recent games.
With a seller’s market this season, you have to wonder if any of these teams on the edge of playoff contention will risk wading into the seller’s market and trade big assets for players to try to change the tide of the season. If they aren’t careful, they may let a postseason date slip through their fingers with inaction or mortgage their future with little to show for it.
11-1: Red Hot Lightning Surging Before Trade Deadline
11. Minnesota Wild (Previously: 9)
10. Carolina Hurricanes (Previously: 6)
9. Edmonton Oilers (Previously: 5)
8. Vegas Golden Knights (Previously: 10)
7. Colorado Avalanche (Previously: 7)
6. Washington Capitals (Previously: 2)
5. Tampa Bay Lightning (Previously: 11)
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (Previously: 8)
3. Winnipeg Jets (Previously: 1)
2. Florida Panthers (Previously: 3)
1. Dallas Stars (Previously: 4)
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. After playing fairly mediocre hockey for the first half of the season, the Lightning have suddenly found their game, leading them to an eight-game winning streak and points in their last 10. Tampa Bay are not only winning their games by scoring a lot of goals but are also relying on Andrei Vasilevskiy to gently remind the rest of the NHL that he still is one of the best goaltenders in the world. In fact, since January 1st, he’s been, arguably, the best goalie in the NHL, and this recent eight-game winning streak should scare those teams who thought he was past his prime.
Despite the Lightning’s stellar play, the NHL is rarely fair. Somehow, two of the other hottest teams in the league share the Atlantic Division with them, as both the Maple Leafs and Panthers are on absolute heaters on their own, going 8-2-0 in their last 10 games played. Florida has already pulled off a blockbuster deal to bolster their defensive corps, and Toronto is expected to make a big move of their own in the coming days, so I expect this arms race to only get more intense in the lead-up to the playoffs.
Another team worth keeping an eye on are the Stars, who have found that next gear in their game. With a 5-1-0 record in their last six games played, they are dominating play with top-end offensive and defensive output. This team is scary and should be considered a top choice to claim the 2025 Stanley Cup.
2025 NHL Trade Deadline Shaking Up Power Balance
Within a week, we will know exactly how the NHL Trade Deadline will shake out. Given how active things have been all season long, it’s hard to imagine there will be that many big-name players left on the move. However, we’ve all seen unexpected blockbusters take place before, so if you think that you know how things are going, think again!
Related: 2025 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
Over the next few days, I recommend keeping an eye on THW’s Trade Tracker, double-checking every trade source you read (as you can’t believe everything you see online), and buckling in for what should be a fun few days. I’m excited to break it all down next week to see how NHL general managers get creative!
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