A complete review of all 32 NHL teams for the 2024-25 season, ranked by standings with their records as of November 28th, 2024:

 

Top of the Standings

1. Winnipeg Jets (18-5-0, 36 PTS)
The Jets are thriving with balanced scoring and stellar goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck. Their consistency on both ends makes them early Cup contenders. This team sits comfortably in 1st with a +37 goal differential to start the year.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (16-5-1, 33 PTS)
Carolina’s puck possession style and elite defensive core have them near the top of the standings. They’re a constant threat in the Eastern Conference putting up good numbers night in and night out. They rank 1st in shots per game this season to boot..

3. Minnesota Wild (14-4-4, 32 PTS)
The Wild are benefiting from strong defensive play and steady goaltending. Their well-rounded lineup keeps them competitive in the Central Division. If they continue to play like they are the Wild will be a threat come playoffs. Kirill the Thrill leads his team with 34 points in just 20 games this year.

4. New Jersey Devils (15-8-2, 32 PTS)
The Devils youthful core, led by Jack Hughes, has helped them stay competitive. Their offensive pace and power play have been lethal sitting 3rd in the NHL 30.3% for power play percentage. They also kill penalties at an 84.3% that’s the 5th best in the NHL. Special teams have been crucial to their success.

5. Washington Capitals (15-6-1, 31 PTS)
Washington’s aging core is keeping up with their young prospects. This may come as a little shock considering the off season this team had but they have retooled in a deadly fashion and could be in the hunt for another cup if Ovi comes back scoring at the same rate he was before his leg injury. Even without him they’ve shown resilience.

6. Vegas Golden Knights (14-6-3, 31 PTS)
This team remained consistent despite some early challenges in the year. Their depth and experience make them a tough opponent every night and I think Bruce Cassidy has his team playing how he wants. The power play has been especially impressive converting at an NHL 2nd best 30.4% on the year. Jack Eichel continues to prove that he is one of the best 2nd overall picks in recent history. Sorry Buffalo fans…

7. Toronto Maple Leafs (13-7-2, 28 PTS)
The Leafs are leaning on their defense under new head coach Craig Berube only allowing 57 goals in 22 games this season, 4th in the NHL. This team needs to improve offensively to stay  atop of the Atlantic Division. Matthews has been out of the lineup and they seem to play better without him, we will see what happens when he returns to the lineup (i suspect he will return this weekend). Anthony Stolarz has been a great addition to the crease this year. Him and Woll share a .909 save percentage, 6th in the NHL.

8. Calgary Flames (12-7-4, 28 PTS)
The Flames are finding their rhythm with improved defensive play and depth scoring this year, something they lacked last season. They’re holding their own in a competitive Western Conference thanks to goaltenders Dustin Wolf and Dan Vladar, they combine for an NHL 5th best .910 save percentage. Scoring has stemmed from the blue line with Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar leading the team with 13 points each.

 

 

Mid-Tier Teams

9. Los Angeles Kings (12-8-3, 27 PTS)
LA’s mix of young talent and veteran leadership has kept them in contention. Their balanced approach has been key in the Pacific Division. No team stats stick out they seem to be in the middle of the pack analytically but Anze Kopitar has zero rust on his blades this season, 25 points in 22 games for the veteran forward. Brandt Clarke has also been a great addition to the blueline with Drew Doughty’s absence 14 points in 22 games.

10. Florida Panthers (13-9-1, 27 PTS)
The defending cup champs remain dangerous offensively, but defensive issues have held them back allowing 76 goals in 22 games, 26th in the NHL. They’ll need to tighten up to replicate last year’s playoff success. Freshly extended Sam Reinhart is living up to his contract’s expectations with a team leading 31 points in 22 games played.

11. Dallas Stars (13-8-0, 26 PTS)
Dallas continues to build on their strong foundation with contributions from Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger but their 2nd line of Duchane, Seguin and Marchment has been their main driving force this year. They’re one of the more balanced teams in the West and are still underperforming to a degree. The offence ranks 8th in the NHL with 74 goals in 22 games played.

12. Colorado Avalanche (13-10-0, 26 PTS)
Led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, Colorado continues to show why they’re among the NHL’s elite. After a very shaky start with goaltender Alexander Georgiev the Av’s have found their footing upon reinforcements, their depth and offensive firepower was struggling until they got key members like Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin and Arturi Lehkonen. The Avalanche have a power play percentage of 29%, 4th best in the NHL.

13. New York Rangers (12-8-1, 25 PTS)
The Rangers boast a potent mix of youth and experience. Their power play, led by Artemi Panarin, and goaltending from Igor Shesterkin have been keys to their success but have struggled to close out the 1 goal games. Their special teams have been critical to their success with a penalty kill that’s 2nd in the NHL and a powerplay that sits 15th. They also hold onto a +11 goal differential, 9th best in the NHL this season.  

14. Vancouver Canucks (11-7-3, 25 PTS)
The Canucks are back in the mix, with Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes leading the way. Goaltending has been a major concern but Kevin Lankinen has been solid in Demkos absence. Vancouver is more of a selective team when it comes to scoring, they sit 16th in the NHL for goals for and only have 27.05 shots per game, 27th in the NHL.

15. Boston Bruins (11-10-3, 25 PTS)
Boston is dominating defensively with strong contributions from their goaltenders. Offseason adjustments have paid a toll on this team but they remain in the middle of the NHL. The power play ranks dead last in the NHL, they rank 26th in shots per game and hold a -18 goal differential 28th in the NHL. Recently the Bruins fired head coach Jim Montgomery so there is still some uncertainty about the direction this team may go but we will have a better understanding come January. Collecting more wins will be crucial for Boston’s playoff hopes in a bloodbath of an atlantic division.

16. Tampa Bay Lightning (11-8-2, 24 PTS)
Tampa Bay is up and down this season as a result of depth issues, but their core remains very dangerous. Nikita Kucherov has 32 points in 20 games this year and proving that he will be in the Heart Trophy conversation yet again. Andrei Vasilevskiy has been solid for the Lightning with a 2.24 goals against average and .915 save percentage. The Lightning also hold onto the 8th best goal differential this season at +16 and a power play converting at 8th best in the league 23%.

17. Edmonton Oilers (11-9-2, 24 PTS)
The Oilers have rebounded after a rough start, thanks to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl who’ve combined for 58 points in 41 games. Defensive inconsistency remains their Achilles heel, they sit 19th for goal differential at -19. Special teams have struggled to start the year too with a penalty kill of 70.9%, 30th in the NHL and a power play converting at only 15.8%, 27th in the NHL. The Oilers have some work to do if they want to contend for the cup again this spring.

18. Buffalo Sabres (11-10-1, 23 PTS)
Buffalo’s young core, led by Rasmus Dahlin, hasn’t fully clicked yet. They’re still a year or two away from serious contention but the signs are starting to show. Goaltending has been hit or miss game to game but that will get settled once this team finds some consistency. Veteran forward Alex Tuch leads the way with 21 points in 22 games this season. Most stats point to the middle of the pack for this Sabres team but their power play only converting at 16.9% is concerning for a team with so many offensive weapons.

19. Seattle Kraken (11-11-1, 23 PTS)
Seattle’s gritty, hardworking style keeps them competitive. They’re solid defensively with a league 7th best goals against but need more consistent scoring to push them higher in the standings as they only sit 20th for goals scored. Goaltender Joey Daccord has been the backbone of their success and if he continues to start games the Kraken could be in a good spot come playoffs especially if Jaren McCann stays at a point per game pace.   

20. Philadelphia Flyers (10-10-3, 23 PTS)
Philadelphia is struggling to keep their heads above .500 mainly due to a lack of goaltending, all three Ersson, Fedotov and Kolosov have caused this team to struggle; they sit 26th in combined save percentage and allow the 28th most goals against this year. The bright spots of this Flyers roster has been Russian phenom Matvei Michkov who sits 2nd on the team in points with 17 in 21 games played. If this team wants to contend, John Tortorella will need to make adjustments on the blueline and in the crease.

21. St. Louis Blues (11-12-1, 23 PTS)
The Blues are in a rough patch, with offensive struggles and defensive lapses holding them back with a 26th ranked goals for of 57 and 76th ranked goals against to start the year. Just below .500 this season the Blues might see a rebuild looming over the horizon. The Blues should not be counted out as we all remember what they did in 2019 but this is a shade of the team they used to be. If the Blues want any playoff hopes they will need to turn this ship around soon, they need more offensive production from their top guys, relying on depth just won’t get this team to where they want to be.

 

 

Struggling Teams

22. Detroit Red Wings (10-10-2, 22 PTS)
Detroit’s young stars like Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider total for 40 points this season and are stepping up when it matters most but it just hasn’t been enough for this Red Wings team to rally around. They sit 24th in goal differential at -11 and rank 31st in shots per game at 24.73. The penalty kill has been the Red Wings kryptonite this year, only killing 68.9% of their penalties, a league worst. Detroit could benefit from shaking things up, maybe a coaching change? Maybe a front office change? It’s time to set a time limit on this so-called “Yzerplan”.

23. Anaheim Ducks (9-9-3, 21 PTS)
Despite drafting Leo Carlsson the ducks are still struggling, the young talent is great but Anaheim’s rebuild is in full swing right now and the growing pains are showing. They’re giving their prospects valuable experience with much needed ice time but this team is still in the basement of the NHL in terms of stats to start the year. The Ducks sit 23rd in goal differential, 30th in power play, 29th in penalty kill, 25th in shots per game and 1st in shots against per game. Time will be Anaheim’s best friend in the coming years, give this team some time and they will be a contender in the west before you know it.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets (9-9-3, 21 PTS)
Columbus is enduring a tough season yet again they have dealt with injuries and underperformance from key players contributing to their struggles. One bright spot for the Blue Jackets has been their offence, young players are getting onto the scoresheet and they rank 8th in goals for in the NHL and 3rd in shots per game, so there is some potential here, on the other hand goaltending has been awful for Columbus, they sit 31st with a .874 save percentage between Merzlinkins and Tarasov.  

25. Ottawa Senators (10-11-1, 21 PTS)
Ottawa is underperforming after an offseason of high expectations. Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk are bright spots as per usual, but consistency is lacking with this squad despite an NHL 5th best power play. The Lunis Ullmark trade has not panned out like Sens fans would have hoped, currently posting a .881 save percentage and 3.10 goals against average. The Senators will have to be better if they want to contend this season.   

26. Utah Hockey Club (9-10-3, 21 PTS)
Utah seems to still be settling into the league in their inaugural season. They have games where they underperform and some where they excel expectations. The young roster is scrappy but lacks the talent to compete consistently. Dylan Guenther remains a bright spot with 10 goals and 10 assists leading the team. The 20 year old forward Logan Cooley has also been impressive this season with 17 points in 22 games.

27. New York Islanders (8-10-5, 21 PTS)
The Islanders are underwhelming yet again this season despite strong goaltending from both goaltenders. Scoring struggles are a significant issue with this team and have been for quite some time. There is a reason we call them the “Tielanders” this team has seen extra hockey in 8 of their 23 games to start. Special teams have been terrible with a power play and penalty kill both ranking 31st in the NHL and pair that with only 54 goals in 22 games, 27th in the NHL. Seems like we still have a team in the NHL today that is from the dead puck era in the early 2000’s. This team will need some serious retooling in order to be a contender again.  

28. Pittsburgh Penguins (8-12-4, 20 PTS)
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are still producing, combining for 44 points leading the team but Pittsburgh’s aging core and lack of depth are hurting their playoff chances this season. The lack of production down the entire lineup mixed with poor goaltending has put the Penguins into a pit they may not be able to get themselves out of. They hold the league’s worst goal differential at -32. Expect GM Kyle Dubas to make some big moves at the trade deadline in February.  

29. Montreal Canadiens (8-11-3, 19 PTS)
Montreal is rebuilding but competitive… well sometimes… Young stars like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are showing flashes of brilliance in an inconsistent season; they lead the team with a combined total of 38 points. Head coach Martin St. Louis has some work to do with this young core, the first step should be to get out of last place in the NHL for shots on goal per game. They also hold the league’s 2nd worst goal differential at -20.

30. San Jose Sharks (7-13-5, 19 PTS)
The Sharks remain in rebuild mode as we expected, with the focus on developing younger players like 2024 1st overall pick Macklin Celibrini who already has 10 points in the NHL. Wins have been hard to come by but the Sharks show no signs of remorse, they continue to play as hard as they can each night. One positive for the Sharks has been their penalty kill which ranks 8th in the NHL at 82.3%, a good stepping stone to build on. 

31. Chicago Blackhawks (8-12-2, 18 PTS)
The Blackhawks defensive struggles keep them near the bottom of the standings yet again this season ranking 29th in goals for with 55 in 22 games. Connor Bedard continues to lead this team in his sophomore season, he’s got 16 points in 22 games leading the Blackhawks in scoring. Goaltending has seen a massive improvement despite not making any changes to the position, Mrazek and Soderblom are simply just playing better this season. The lack of offence from this team stems from being ranked 30th in shots per game, they just aren’t generating enough opportunities to keep themselves competitive. Give the Blackhawks some time to figure out their identity.

32. Nashville Predators (7-12-4, 18 PTS)
Well finally, the team we all want to talk about… the Predators. Currently tied for last place in the NHL are the Predators, a team a lot of hockey fans were high on going into the 2024-25 campaign. With additions like Stamkos, Skjei and Marchessault in the off season most would have considered this team that was on the cusp of playoff last season to finally break through but all they have to show for is a penalty kill that’s ranked 1st in the NHL at 90.5%. The NHL season is 82 games for a reason so I wouldn’t count out the Predators yet but this hole they’ve dug themselves seems impossible to get out of after seeing the way they have played. In order for them to compete they need to improve their 29th ranked goals for and 23rd ranked goals against position in the NHL. 

 

Let me know if you’d like specific details about any team!

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