NHL Power Rankings: Week 18
Here we go. We are days away from the 2026 Winter Olympics. This will be the only rankings I do for the month of February as teams only really have a week’s worth of game this month and it’s not worth making any updates on 2-3 games. The NHL will take its own break so it makes sense. After this month, the sprint to the finish will be here and damn its gearing up to be amazing.
#16 Los Angeles Kings (23-17-14; 60 Points)
Previously Unranked
The Kings are the Kings of the loser points. This team is not very good and I can’t say I am surprised. The back end is abysmal and they can’t score. Kopi might miss out on playoffs in his last year in the league and that would be a shame. I think that Holland will try and make a swing but this team is just not constructed to compete for a deep playoff run…I do ask Kings fans, would you rather miss playoffs or face the Oilers again in the 1st round?
#15 Florida Panthers (28-23-3; 59 Points)
Previously #14
Losers of 3 straight and you wonder if time is starting to run out. They need the rest to be fair, they have played a lot of hockey. I don’t know if they will have the juice to do it this year.
#14 New York Islanders(30-20-4, 58 Points)
Previously Unranked
Islanders have the best goalie in the league right now and he might single handedly will this team to a playoff berth. They need to find scoring to help him because that’s not something he can do…
#13 Boston Bruins (32-20-4; 68 Points)
Previously #12
Boston might be the dumbest team in the league. The most penalized team in the league racked up a whopping 25 PIMs and shot themselves right in the foot despite dominating the Bolts early in Raymond James Stadium. Kastelic’s anger for the Bolts scoring their 2nd goal and earning a spot in the box was one of the dumbest things I have ever seen a team do. Their idiocy quite literally opened the door for the Bolts to embarrass the Bruins despite the fact that Bolts were in an embarrassing position themselves. I haven’t felt less about the Bruins than after last night and I know I stand on a lily pad relative to my podcast friends, but this team is a 1st round exit waiting to happen for me.
#12 Edmonton Oilers (28-20-8; 64 Points)
Previously #11
The Oilers have a problem again. I have been proven right to be cautious about the trade for Tristan Jarry, he’s not been great. I appreciate the team in front of him hasn’t played well and that’s true, but they’ve played weak in front of all goalies. He has been as bad as Skinner and it’s not good enough. There is emerging a potential starting goalie for the Oilers and its not Tristan Jarry…I pretzeled my way into believing Jarry would be an upgrade but he’s just not there right now. Connor Ingram should have been brought up before the trade and the Oilers rode with Skinner and Ingram because things look eerily similar to what things looked like with Skinner in net. All that being said, the Oilers play in front of their goalies need to improve fast or things will end up a 1st round exit to someone like the Anaheim Ducks.
#11 Anaheim Ducks (29-23-3; 61 Points)
Previously #15
Ducks are looking a lot better after a tough run of games. Dostal is looking good and the team is starting to carry the play and show some defensive prowess. Dostal’s play will be essential for this team so lets hope his time in Italy keeps his play sharp.
#10 Montreal Canadiens (31-17-7; 69 Points)
Unchanged
The Habs respond to a bad weak with a flawless week. They found a way to win all games. This is a team that continues to quietly string points together and are focused on making the playoffs again and making it past the first round. It wasn’t too long ago that they clinched a Stanley Cup Final berth!
#9 Buffalo Sabres (31-18-5; 67 Points)
Unchanged
The Sabers continue to show that this team has come to play and make the playoffs. They have continued to find wins after their strong streak. When they lose, they aren’t stringing multiple losses together and that is a nice change of pace for this team. The Sabres are not a team I would want to play right now.
#8 Vegas Golden Knights (25-16-14; 64 Points)
Previously #6
The Knights are struggling again and its quite surprising that they didn’t get the jolt from the Anderssen acquisition like I expected. This team on paper is a contending team and their backend is so much better than the beginning of the season. They have been a model of the weakness of the Pacific Division, they still remain tied with the Oilers who are hanging around with their own bought of mediocracy.
#7 Pittsburgh Penguins (28-14-11; 67 Points)
Unchanged
Pens continue to roll and we are going to see the Penguins in the playoffs again! I think this Olympics year has rejuvenated Crosby and it will be a spectacle watching him play his likely last Olympics. He’s been a rock for this team and the question is what will Kyle Dubas do to get this team over the hump and into the contention conversation.
#6 Detroit Red Wings (32-18-6; 70 Points)
Previously #4
Very tough week for the Wings who only gained 1 point in 3 games. Granted they did have to face the mighty Wild and Avalanche. They have let the field tighten up with their Atlantic division peers finding ways to catch up. It is interesting how tight it is for those spots. This has historically been what leads to the downfall of the Wings…can they shake off their recent struggles and ensure they make the playoffs?
#5 Minnesota Wild (32-14-10; 74 Points)
Previously #8
Minnesota has been playing very well as of late and much better from that initial start to 2026. It’s amazing that both the Wild and the Stars can’t separate themselves from each other. When one is doing well the other is doing well and vice versa. Its remarkable how close these teams are and are at a collision course for a 1st round matchup…despite the fact that they really shouldn’t be facing each other this early.
#4 Dallas Stars (32-14-9; 73 Points)
Previously #5
Winners of 4 straight and the Dallas Stars are back rolling. They are also the better team on these wins and that’s not been the case since Christmas came and went. The Dallas Stars are living proof that good teams may slip for a bit but can find traction over a short period of time.
#3 Carolina Hurricanes (34-15-6; 74 Points)
Unchanged
Points in all games and the Hurricanes continue to roll. Their scoring ability is their biggest point of focus this week and after the roster freeze for the Olympics. Find scoring!
#2 Tampa Bay Lightning (35-14-4; 74 Points)
Unchanged
Tampa’s tenure this year has been quite impressive. Their comeback on home FIELD in this year’s Stadium Series was remarkable. This team has been playing so well and they have had so many players in an out of the lineup based on injury. If there was ever a year that Jon Cooper could actually win the Jack Adams, its this season. The Bolts are back and scary as ever. If you ask me, they might be the best team in the East and my favorites to make the Cup Final.
#1 Colorado Avalanche (36-8-9; 81 Points)
Unchanged
4-4-2 in their last 10 games…I am not going to say that the Avs are bad. I am saying this…peaking early is a real thing. If we learned anything about the Avs in January its that they are not invincible. They are a beatable hockey team and the loss of Landeskog is showing its colors yet again. Avs are still the team to beat in the West but I think we learned that they aren’t as iron clad as we were thinking.