Here’s how every team stacks up right now.
We’re just over two weeks into the NHL season, and it’s already been wild. There’s a lot of hockey left to play, but some trends are emerging that look very, very good for some of the Stanley Cup hopefuls, while fans of other teams might be hovering their fist over the panic button, ready to smash it at a moment’s notice.
Two of the most stunning teams to watch are the Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers, two teams who figured to be far removed from the playoffs are experiencing an incredible surge to start the season, though it remains to be seen if it can be sustained. Both teams crack the Top 10 after ranking 29th and 23rd, respectively, in our preseason rankings.
Here are the full rankings right now, then we’ll dive into this a little bit.
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolina Hurricanes | 6-1-1 |
| 2 | Edmonton Oilers | 5-0-1 |
| 3 | Vegas Golden Knights | 6-2-0 |
| 4 | Winnipeg Jets | 4-1-1 |
| 5 | New York Rangers | 6-2-0 |
| 6 | Utah Mammoth | 5-2-0 |
| 7 | Boston Bruins | 5-2-0 |
| 8 | Seattle Kraken | 5-2-0 |
| 9 | Ottawa Senators | 5-2-0 |
| 10 | Colorado Avalanche | 4-2-0 |
| 11 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-2-0 |
| 12 | Minnesota Wild | 4-2-1 |
| 13 | Anaheim Ducks | 4-2-0 |
| 14 | Montreal Canadiens | 3-2-1 |
| 15 | St. Louis Blues | 3-2-1 |
| 16 | Washington Capitals | 3-3-0 |
| 17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3-3-1 |
| 18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 3-3-1 |
| 19 | Buffalo Sabres | 3-3-1 |
| 20 | Florida Panthers | 3-2-2 |
| 21 | San Jose Sharks | 3-3-0 |
| 22 | New York Islanders | 3-3-0 |
| 23 | Nashville Predators | 2-2-2 |
| 24 | New Jersey Devils | 3-3-0 |
| 25 | Dallas Stars | 2-3-1 |
| 26 | Columbus Blue Jackers | 2-3-0 |
| 27 | Detroit Red Wings | 1-3-2 |
| 28 | Vancouver Canucks | 2-6-0 |
| 29 | Chicago Blackhawks | 2-5-0 |
| 30 | Los Angeles Kings | 0-3-2 |
| 31 | Calgary Flames | 1-5-0 |
| 32 | Philadelphia Flyers | 0-5-3 |
The Carolina Hurricanes are even better, somehow
Logic typically dictates that the Stanley Cup Champion should take a step back, but there’s something in the water in Raleigh right now. The Hurricanes opened the season with a rusty two games, but have been a powerhouse ever since — winning six in a row, and beating some good teams along the way.
Carolina’s brand of hockey has always put a premium on team play over star power, comfortably settling to exist in a zone where five or six guys finish the season with 60+ points, rather than a couple registering over a point a game. Thus far in 2026-27 they’re doing both, with Sebastian Aho sitting at 13 points in 8 games, with Andrei Svechnikov at 11 points. Both players have been criticized over their careers for underachieving, but it’s as if the cup transformed them into top-tier superstars over night, and they’re not only playing the best hockey of their careers — but some of the best in the NHL, period.
The Hurricanes currently have six players on pace to finish with over 60 points, with Aho, and Svechnikov trending towards having over 100 points on the season. It’s another gear this team has reached, and they look terrifying.
The Oilers are playing like a team on a mission
Everyone in Edmonton is well aware that there’s a very narrow window for them to truly make a run. Connor McDavid gave the team two years notice when he signed a new contract designed to send a message that the Oilers need to make a run now, or lose him in 2027-28. Time is running out, and Edmonton is doing its best to convince him it can be a contender for the rest of his career.
The undefeated Oilers are the best team in the west right now, and the emergence of Vasily Podkolzin as a goal scorer has added a dimension to the top lines that the Oilers have lacked in the past. A mixture of their stellar top talent in McDavid, Leon Draitsaitl, and Evan Bouchard — paired with young players making the jump makes Edmonton a team to watch.
The Stars are in trouble
Dallas is an excellent team defensively, but for whatever reason this team can’t score a goal to save its life. Getting just two goals apiece from Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson simply isn’t good enough considering how much they’re being paid while being defensive liabilities. Goal scoring is the one thing they are supposed to bring to the table, and it’s not happening.
Jake Oettinger is bailing this team out in goal, but despite having a .944 SV% and a 1.20 GAA, he’s still 2-2 on the season because nobody can find the back of the net. This needs to change, and soon — or it’s going to be a long season in Dallas.
Philadelphia is in hell
I really bought in to the idea that the Flyers would take a step forward in 2026-27 following their playoff run, with both Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov seeming poised to break out. Not only has that not happened, but Philadelphia is ATROCIOUS.
Nobody can’t score, their passing is mediocre, the defense is bad, and Daniel Vladar has taken a step back in goal. The Flyers are winless, sitting at a -21, while being 32nd in goals for, and 31st in goals against. There’s nothing left to say.