1 burning question for all 32 NHL teams at halfway mark
The 2025-26 NHL season crossed the halfway mark last week, which means it's time to pause and take stock of what's unfolding across the league.
Here's one burning question for all 32 teams.
Jump to:
ANA | BOS | BUF | CAR | CBJ | CGY | CHI | COL | DAL | DET | EDM | FLA | LAK | MIN | MTL | NJ | NSH | NYI | NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | SEA | STL | SJ | TB | TOR | UTA | VAN | VGK | WPG | WSH
Anaheim Ducks
Can veterans lift up youngsters?
The Ducks were a first-quarter success story. However, a dreadful past month (2-10-2) has led to a free fall in the standings and a projected point total of just 84. While the likes of Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Lukas Dostal have cooled off following hot starts, Anaheim needs more from veterans Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Mikael Granlund, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas.
Boston Bruins
Will lack of discipline tank playoff chances?
Boston, a retooling team that's remained in the playoff hunt all year, has been one of 2025-26's pleasant surprises at 23-19-2. Imagine how much better its record would be if the NHL's 18th-ranked penalty kill wasn't overworked. The Bruins have been assessed 190 minors in 44 games for a league-high 4.3 per game. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov (29 minors) has spent way too much time in the penalty box, while a lack of discipline throughout the lineup has led to a minus-78:33 special teams time differential - by far the worst in the league.
Buffalo Sabres
Does new front office buy, sit, or sell?
Buffalo's won 12 of its last 13 games, including nine of 10 since the hiring of general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. The front office, which also added ex-Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and former Blue Jackets assistant GM Josh Flynn, has ample time to debate the merits of buying, sitting, or selling ahead of the March 6 trade deadline. At the moment, all three routes should be on the table for a franchise that's missed 14 straight postseasons and, despite the midseason hot stretch, currently sits ninth in an airtight Eastern Conference.
Calgary Flames
How will Rasmus Andersson saga end?
The rebuilding Flames would be foolish to hold onto the 29-year-old pending unrestricted free agent for much longer. Andersson doesn't fit into Calgary's competitive timeline. The right-handed defenseman's trade value is also extremely high (strong year statistically, premium position, weak rental class). Plus, every game he plays for the Flames and Team Sweden is an injury risk.
Carolina Hurricanes
What big name is reeled in this time?
Carolina is the only division leader with more than $5 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. The Hurricanes, seventh in the entire NHL in space with $15 million, acquired Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen in back-to-back seasons. GM Eric Tulsky is again motivated to add and has plenty of ammo - four first-round picks in the next three years and a deep prospect pool.
Chicago Blackhawks
Which promising defensemen are for real?
Chicago has done a superb developing defensemen over the past handful of years. Draft picks Artyom Levshunov, Alex Vlasic, Wyatt Kaiser, Sam Rinzel, Louis Crevier, and Kevin Korchinski are all full-time NHLers or on track to become one. That's six homegrown, under-25 blue-liners with varied skill sets. That said, the jury is still out on Rinzel's and Korchinski's trajectories.
Colorado Avalanche
Will history be made?
The 2022-23 Bruins set a record for most points in a regular season with 135, thanks to a ridiculous 65-12-5 record. The 2025-26 Avalanche are an astonishing 32-4-7 through 43 games, putting them on pace for 135 points.
Columbus Blue Jackets
What's Zach Werenski thinking?
Werenski, arguably a top-five defenseman on the planet, is under contract through the 2027-28 season. That means the 28-year-old can't sign an extension until July 1, 2027. So, no panic. But we've seen stars get fed up with losing and plot their way out of less-than-ideal situations. Maybe it won't happen with Werenski, a career-long Blue Jacket. Maybe it will. He's appeared in only 29 playoff games, and this season is likely bringing zero.
Dallas Stars
Is extreme approach a feature or bug?
Dallas has become a specific kind of team. It generates the second-most inner-slot shots and eighth-most slot shots per game yet ranks 31st and 32nd in shots on goal and shot attempts, respectively. In other words, the Glen Gulutzan-coached Stars don't fire many pucks at the net, but when they do, it's from a high-leverage area in the offensive zone. Emphasizing quality over quantity is generally a smart approach in the modern NHL, and 26-10-8 Dallas wins a ton. Nevertheless, the extreme nature of its statistical profile is unsettling.
Detroit Red Wings
Can they continue to dodge injuries?
The Red Wings have lost the fewest man games to injury in 2025-26, according to NHL Injury Viz. Most crucially, Detroit's five best players - Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Moritz Seider, and Simon Edvinsson - have missed a combined five games. That's it - five! Injuries are unpredictable, though, so who knows what the second half will bring on the health front.
Edmonton Oilers
Will another year be wasted?
Connor McDavid has been on one since the start of December, posting an insane 41 points in 18 games. He's neck and neck with Nathan MacKinnon in the Art Ross Trophy race, while buddy Leon Draisaitl sits fourth in points. The 22-16-6 Oilers remain a flawed team, though. Like clockwork, the bulk of the Edmonton's success or failure falls on the shoulders of its megastars.
Florida Panthers
How do they handle demanding stretch?
The Aleksander Barkov-less Panthers are hanging around the East's playoff cutline. But this week, they began a pre-Olympics meat grinder - 16 games, including a whopping 11 on the road, in 31 days. The Olympic break won't involve rest and relaxation for a huge chunk of the roster, with nine Panthers players making national teams.
Los Angeles Kings
Is season destined for anticlimactic end?
The Kings are headed toward one of three outcomes, and none of them are promising. They could miss the playoffs despite having a win-now roster. They could snatch a West wild card and face juggernaut Colorado, Vegas, or Edmonton in the first round. Or they could finish third in the Pacific Division and meet Vegas or Edmonton - the latter rival having beaten L.A. in four straight playoff series. The chances of coach Jim Hiller returning for 2026-27 are slim.
Minnesota Wild
Is another impact move coming?
Minnesota is 7-2-3 since Quinn Hughes' Dec. 16 debut, having outscored the opposition 20-13 in the blue-liner's difficult five-on-five minutes. Even so, the Wild's roster feels incomplete, considering 2025-26 is the first of two guaranteed playoff runs with Hughes. Leading the deadline shopping list: a top-six center.
Montreal Canadiens
Has Jacob Fowler officially arrived?
Fowler, 21, helped stabilize Montreal's goaltending in December while starter Sam Montembeault worked on his game in the AHL and backup Jakub Dobes continued to struggle with the big club. Fowler's strung together a .912 SV% through his first eight NHL games - an impressive feat in a season in which the league average is .897 - earning the trust of coach Martin St. Louis in the process. How often does Fowler play in the second half? And how does he fare as the book on him grows and shooters attempt to expose weaknesses?
Nashville Predators
What happens with trade chips?
Cup winners Steven Stamkos, Ryan O'Reilly, and Jonathan Marchessault will garner plenty of interest on the trade market. Them actually leaving Nashville is another story. All three have term on their deals, Stamkos and Marchessault are armed with trade protection, and GM Barry Trotz might opt to keep them.
New Jersey Devils
How short is Tom Fitzgerald's leash?
Jan. 20 marks five years of the Fitzgerald experience in New Jersey, and the GM's approval rating has never been lower. The 22-20-2 Devils, a trendy preseason dark horse Stanley Cup pick, have been massively disappointing. The past week has been an absolute gong show: three losses by a combined score of 16-2, the booing of young defenseman Luke Hughes on home ice, and goalie Jacob Markstrom getting shelled for nine goals in one night. Fitzgerald is responsible for a handful of anchor contracts, and in May 2024, he hired a coach whose playing style seems misaligned with the personnel.
New York Islanders
Will Ilya Sorokin get his due?
History suggests NHL GMs mostly consider wins, goals against average, and save percentage when filling out their Vezina Trophy ballots. Sorokin, the Islanders' 30-year-old starter, owns a 13-10-2 record, 2.45 GAA, and .915 SV% - pretty good but not wowing, goalie-of-the-year numbers. But wait, more sophisticated metrics that factor in team environment are actually giving Sorokin a ton of credit this season. He ranks first in goals saved above expected (total and 60-minute rate), first in inner-slot SV%, first in steal percentage, and third in quality start percentage, according to Sportlogiq.
New York Rangers
Do they wave white flag and (try to) trade Artemi Panarin?
New York's best player, goalie Igor Shesterkin, was recently placed on injured reserve. Star defenseman Adam Fox recently landed on long-term IR. The Rangers are staring down 16.6% playoff odds, according to MoneyPuck. GM Chris Drury needs to focus on the future and try to move Panarin. The winger makes $11.6 million against the cap and controls his own destiny with a no-move clause. A trade won't be easy, but Drury should be doing everything in his power to cash in on the 34-year-old pending unrestricted free agent.
Ottawa Senators
Will season go from bad to worse?
The Senators have enough talent on the roster to earn a postseason spot yet consistently leave points on the table due to poor puck management, horrific penalty killing, and league-worst goaltending. Moving forward, 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark remains unavailable for an indefinite period (personal leave), while the Sens face the NHL's third-toughest schedule.
Philadelphia Flyers
What do next extensions look like?
Christian Dvorak signed a five-year, $25.8-million contract extension Monday, joining fellow forwards Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, and Owen Tippett, and defensemen Travis Sanheim and Cam York on the list of Flyers locked up through 2029-30. Trevor Zegras, who leads the team with 41 points in 42 games, and fellow former Duck and blue-liner Jamie Drysdale are next on GM Daniel Briere's to-do list. Both guys are pending restricted free agents.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Will playoff dream become reality?
In a perfect world, franchise icons and 20-year teammates Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang return to the playoffs amid a shuffling of pieces around them. It's January, and the best-case scenario is very much in play. The Penguins have shockingly maintained a 100-point pace through 42 games. Hitting triple digits basically guarantees entry into the postseason.
San Jose Sharks
Can Igor Chernyshov stick as star sidekick?
Chernyshov, drafted 33rd overall by the Sharks in 2024, has turned heads during his first month as an NHLer. Called up in mid-December, the Russian's found great chemistry with superstar center Macklin Celebrini, putting up eight points across 10 games. San Jose may have found its version of Toronto's Matthew Knies: Chernyshov's a big, powerful winger capable of not only doing most of the dirty work on a first line but also creating on his own.
Seattle Kraken
Can they continue to grind out points?
Winning the second game in a back-to-back set is never easy. However, good NHL teams scratch and claw their way to points regardless of circumstances. The 2024-25 Kraken, meanwhile, finished with a 0-12-0 record in the second game of back-to-back sets. The poor showings continued to start this season, thanks to second-game losses to Washington and Dallas in the first month of action. However, Seattle is 3-0-2 in second games since Nov. 23. It has one more back-to-back in January, two in February, one in March, and two in April.
St. Louis Blues
What kind of shape is roster left in?
In June 2024, the Blues announced that former forward Alex Steen would be taking over as GM following the 2025-26 season. Doug Armstrong, the current GM, will remain president of hockey operations through 2028-29 as part of the succession plan. As of now, Steen's inheriting a no-man's-land roster. St. Louis doesn't have a particularly high ceiling or particularly low floor in the short and long terms. Picking in the top five of the 2026 draft would help.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Can Nikita Kucherov sneak into MVP conversation?
MacKinnon, McDavid, and Celebrini are the top three contenders for the Hart Trophy. As the most impactful player on a potentially historic team, MacKinnon's the guy to beat. There's half a season left for someone else to join the party, though. Kucherov, Tampa Bay's superstar winger, sits third with 1.61 points per game. It's not difficult to imagine the wizardly Russian going on a post-Olympics heater - unlike the others, he'll be well-rested - and challenge for the Art Ross Trophy, thus thrusting him into the MVP debate.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Has Auston Matthews truly returned to form?
The team captain has accumulated seven goals and four assists in Toronto's six post-Christmas games, breaking the franchise's all-time goals record along the way. What's most encouraging: Matthews has looked like an MVP-caliber center for the first time in about 18 months. Six games is ultimately a tiny sample size, of course. Matthews must continue to prove he's returned to his dominant 2023-24 form (69 goals in 81 games) or something resembling it.
Utah Mammoth
Can they stay afloat until Logan Cooley returns?
Cooley, one of the Mammoth's top offensive weapons, suffered a leg injury on Dec. 5. Utah is 8-8-0 with Cooley on the shelf. Those results aren't overly encouraging or discouraging. The electric center is expected back shortly before or shortly after the Olympic break.
Vancouver Canucks
Can front office show patience - for once?
It's abundantly clear that the Canucks' roster is ripe for a proper rebuild. Tearing it down to the studs would probably be overkill, yet there's no denying seismic changes must be made, and nothing meaningful will be accomplished overnight. One issue: The trio of owner Francesco Aquilini, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford, and GM Patrik Allvin loves to cut corners.
Vegas Golden Knights
Is reliable goaltending a pipe dream?
Vegas is an elite defensive squad, protecting its goalies from high-danger scoring chances with the fourth-fewest expected goals against per game. Still, absolutely nothing's worked between the pipes this season. Akira Schmid, Carter Hart, Carl Lindbom, and Adin Hill have each started five or more games, and the best save percentage of the bunch is Schmid's .895.
Washington Capitals
Can power play and/or penalty kill improve?
The Capitals are plus-33 during even-strength action - good for second in the league behind the juggernaut Avalanche (plus-62!). Special teams play has been, uh, not as impressive. Washington is tied for 30th in power-play efficiency (15%) and 24th in penalty killing (77%), resulting in a minus-17 differential.
Winnipeg Jets
Will draft lottery balls bounce favorably?
In an unbelievable turn of events, the Jets have gone from Presidents' Trophy winner to basement dweller. The best outcome for Winnipeg's future is a high draft pick. The club's last top-three selection: Patrik Laine (No. 2, 2016).
John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter/X (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).