NHL Power Rankings: Each team's most pleasant surprise
Welcome to the third edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2025-26 season.
In this instalment, we identify each team's most pleasant surprise so far.
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1. Colorado Avalanche (19-1-6)
Previous: 1
Scott Wedgewood. The veteran netminder put up strong numbers after the Avalanche acquired him last season, but he's been unexpectedly outstanding as the club's starter this campaign. Wedgewood owns a .920 save percentage in 19 appearances and has played his way into Canada's Olympic conversation.
2. Dallas Stars (18-5-5)
Previous: 10
Sam Steel. The offensive numbers are nothing to write home about, but Steel has served as a steadying defensive presence up front for the Stars. He's averaging over 17 minutes per night, ranking fifth among Dallas forwards.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning (16-8-2)
Previous: 7
J.J. Moser. The Swiss blue-liner has been vital to the Lightning's success, stepping up amid numerous absences on the back end. Moser has averaged 23:48 since Nov. 15, while Tampa Bay has gone 8-2-0 over that stretch despite missing Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh during that time.
4. Carolina Hurricanes (16-7-2)
Previous: 5
Alexander Nikishin. Carolina's had high hopes for the Russian rearguard since drafting him in 2020, and he's making a strong impact in his rookie year. Nikishin has chipped in nine points, averages nearly 20 minutes per game, and leads the team as a plus-15.
5. Minnesota Wild (15-7-5)
Previous: 28
Jesper Wallstedt. Concerns about Wallstedt's development would've been fair after he posted a .879 save percentage in the AHL last season. However, the 23-year-old has erased all doubt. Proving why he was touted as among the league's best goalie prospects for years, he's put together an unreal 8-0-2 run this season, highlighted by four shutouts.
6. Washington Capitals (17-9-2)
Previous: 16
Tom Wilson. Even into his 30s, Wilson somehow keeps getting better and better. The hulking power forward hasn't lost any bite to his game, but he's playing at a 88-point pace - a mark that would shatter his previous career high of 65, set last season.
7. New Jersey Devils (16-10-1)
Previous: 4
Arseny Gritsyuk. The Calder Trophy race is crowded this year, but Gritsyuk is on track to get some downballot attention. He's notched 13 points this campaign and hasn't looked out of place in a top-six role.
8. Vegas Golden Knights (12-6-8)
Previous: 3
Braeden Bowman. An unheralded rookie, Bowman has collected nine points in his first 11 NHL games after going undrafted. He's out-produced the likes of William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, and Brandon Saad so far this season.
9. Anaheim Ducks (16-10-1)
Previous: 13
Leo Carlsson. Anaheim went against consensus by taking Carlsson with the No. 2 pick in 2023, and it sure looks like a great call. The 20-year-old has blossomed in his third NHL season and looks like the kind of dominant power center every team dreams of. Carlsson is likely to star as Sweden's top-line center at the Olympics after being scratched for most of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
10. Los Angeles Kings (12-7-7)
Previous: 19
Corey Perry. The 40-year-old veteran has scored at a 29-goal pace since entering the lineup Oct. 21 after suffering a knee injury in training camp. That production is shaping up to make Perry a huge bargain, as he counts for just $2 million against the cap this season.
11. Pittsburgh Penguins (13-7-5)
Previous: 15
Ben Kindel. The Penguins' selection of Kindel at 11th overall was among the most surprising picks in the first round of June's draft. He's immediately proven Pittsburgh correct by sticking in the NHL as the youngest forward in the league. Kindel looks like a key piece for the Penguins for many years to come.
12. Philadelphia Flyers (15-8-3)
Previous: 25
Trevor Zegras. He has his mojo back. Zegras is playing with confidence again after a tough couple of seasons in Anaheim, and he's added much-needed offensive creativity for the Flyers. He's still only 24 years old and looks to be back as a legit first-line producer.
13. Boston Bruins (15-13-0)
Previous: 27
Morgan Geekie. The 27-year-old was tabbed as a prime candidate for regression following an unexpected 33-goal season, but Geekie has responded with 20 goals in 28 games. The Bruins appear to have struck gold with the winger.
14. Florida Panthers (12-12-1)
Previous: 11
Brad Marchand. Even with the injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, did anyone see Marchand being the one to lead the way for Florida? The 37-year-old is scoring goals at a career-high clip in his 17th season.
15. Ottawa Senators (13-9-4)
Previous: 20
Shane Pinto. The $30-million extension the Senators handed Pinto is an indication of how good he's been. He's scoring at well over a 30-goal pace and is set to cruise past his career highs in production. Pinto has also emerged as one of the league's better defensive centers.
16. Montreal Canadiens (14-9-3)
Previous: 6
Oliver Kapanen. The 22-year-old has been thrust into Montreal's second-line center role and looks capable of being a long-term NHLer. Kapanen has 14 points in 25 games, while the Canadiens are outscoring opponents at five-on-five with him on the ice.
17. New York Rangers (14-12-2)
Previous: 17
Noah Laba. Third-line center was New York's biggest question mark entering the season, but the 22-year-old rookie has filled the role quite adequately. Laba's averaging 13 minutes a night, posting strong underlying numbers and winning 50.4% of his faceoffs.
18. New York Islanders (14-10-3)
Previous: 22
Matthew Schaefer. The conversation around Schaefer before the season was whether he would play at the world juniors. Now, it's about whether he'll make Canada's Olympic team. No player's stock has risen more this campaign than Schaefer, whose unbelievable play at 18 years old cannot be overstated. If he were born 10 days later, he wouldn't have been eligible until the 2026 draft!
19. Edmonton Oilers (11-11-5)
Previous: 12
Jack Roslovic. There were a lot of questions about why Roslovic took so long to sign as an unrestricted free agent, but he's proved his worth with 10 goals in 23 games. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are the only Oilers with more tallies this season.
20. Detroit Red Wings (14-11-2)
Previous: 9
Emmitt Finnie. Drafted in the seventh round less than three years ago, Finnie ranks sixth on the Red Wings with 12 points and has featured on the top line all season. The only 2023 draft picks to have played more NHL games than Finnie were all selected in the top 15. He went 201st.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets (12-9-5)
Previous: 18
Jet Greaves. The 24-year-old netminder is proving his late-season magic from 2024-25 was no fluke. He's given the Blue Jackets above-average goaltending with a .905 save percentage and 8.06 goals saved above expected.
22. Chicago Blackhawks (11-9-6)
Previous: 26
Connor Bedard. The hockey world has been collectively waiting for Bedard to arrive, and, boy, has he ever. Even the most optimistic preseason prognosticators would be surprised at the 20-year-old sitting third in league scoring at this point in the season.
23. Winnipeg Jets (13-12-1)
Previous: 2
Nino Niederreiter. The Jets' depth scoring is severely lacking - outside of Niederreiter. He's on pace for 47 points, which would be the highest total of his career since 2018-19.
24. Seattle Kraken (11-7-6)
Previous: 21
Philipp Grubauer. His tenure with the Kraken has been a disaster, but Grubauer's finally providing some quality goaltending to the team that handed him a $35.4-million contract in 2021. Grubauer has a .912 save percentage in six games after starting the season in the AHL. Maybe that was the wake-up call he needed.
25. Utah Mammoth (13-12-3)
Previous: 8
Nate Schmidt. The 34-year-old was a depth piece on Florida last campaign but has emerged as an integral member of Utah's blue line. He's averaging more than 20 minutes per night for the first time in four years, has posted 11 points in 28 games, and the Mammoth have outscored the opposition 32-20 with him on the ice at five-on-five.
26. Toronto Maple Leafs (12-11-3)
Previous: 14
Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The 34-year-old has been a bright spot for the Maple Leafs amid a lackluster first quarter. Ekman-Larsson just concluded a nine-game point streak and has a point in 12 of his last 14 contests.
27. San Jose Sharks (13-12-3)
Previous: 31
Macklin Celebrini. We knew after Celebrini's rookie campaign that he was a special talent. But his evolution into one of the league's top offensive producers at just 19 years old is remarkable - the kind of step only the generational talents take.
28. Buffalo Sabres (11-12-4)
Previous: 23
Josh Doan. Although he was the least appealing name in the JJ Peterka trade, Doan has been a terrific fit in Buffalo. The 23-year-old ranks third on the Sabres with 19 points despite averaging only 15 minutes per contest.
29. St. Louis Blues (9-11-7)
Previous: 29
Jake Neighbours. It's a shame Neighbours missed 12 games with a leg injury earlier in the campaign because he's been great when healthy, racking up six goals and four assists in 15 appearances.
30. Calgary Flames (9-15-14)
Previous: 32
Devin Cooley. Many viewed Cooley as a temporary backup to Dustin Wolf, expecting the Flames to seek an upgrade at the position. Instead, Cooley has given Calgary a handful of quality starts. Despite a tough outing in his most recent matchup versus Nashville, he still owns a .920 save percentage.
31. Vancouver Canucks (10-14-3)
Previous: 24
Kiefer Sherwood. The Canucks entered the year knowing they had a good piece in Sherwood, but he's emerged as one of Vancouver's best players with 12 goals this season and unmatched physicality. If Vancouver had gotten off to a better start, it would've been looking to extend the winger instead of trading him.
32. Nashville Predators (9-13-4)
Previous: 30
Matthew Wood. The 20-year-old has tallied seven goals and 11 points through 19 games this campaign as a rookie. Wood isn't playing a massive role yet, but the fact that he's been able to stick in the NHL rather than requiring AHL time is a positive for a Predators team that has a lot of negatives.