April 2, 2025
By Tab Bamford

POWER RANKINGS

CHICAGO, IL — Welcome to April, hockey fans! We’ve reached the point in the season where the Frozen Four is set in the NCAA, CHL playoffs are getting heated up and prospects are starting to make their late season debuts with NHL clubs.

Only four teams have been officially eliminated from the postseason to date, but more will join them quickly in the coming days. For about a dozen fan bases, the NHL Draft Lottery can’t come soon enough.

For other cities, there’s a playoff push happening. And that’s exciting, especially for teams that haven’t been in the dance in recent years. For some others, the expected playoff clinch is coming and then the real work begins.

We let April Fool’s Day pass without running the risk of making our Power Rankings too much fun. Here’s our first edition of ranking the NHL teams in the final month of the regular-season.

As always, let us know what we got right and where we’re terribly, horribly wrong.

32. San Jose Sharks (e)

Even with the excitement around Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks have the worst goal differential in the league (minus-88).

31. Chicago Blackhawks (e)

The record is ugly in Chicago, but the roster turnover has begun. Six of Kyle Davidson’s eight first-round picks were in the lineup earlier this week.

30. Nashville Predators (e)

What was supposed to be a big season in Nashville has become a season with a lot of lottery balls instead of playoff tickets to sell.

29. Seattle Kraken (e)

Seattle joined the group of eliminated teams most recently. They’re 4-4-2 in their last 10 games.

28. Boston Bruins

The Bruins are riding a league-leading six-game losing streak and have won only once in their last ten. This will be a very interesting summer in Boston.

27. New York Islanders

With a 3-4-3 record in their last 10 games, the Isles are limping into another long summer with early tee times.

26. Columbus Blue Jackets

If they wanted to make the playoffs, the Jackets needed to be better than 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.

25. Buffalo Sabres

When the Sabres do the postmortem on this season, their 12-22-3 record away from home will be the focus of the discussion.

24. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pens’ minus-56 goal differential is better than only San Jose and Chicago. Not exactly the way they wanted to give Sid another run.

23. Philadelphia Flyers

They moved on from Torts and got a little energy boost on the ice. They’re going to be one of the teams marketing their young players to coaching candidates this summer.

22. Anaheim Ducks

At 18-17-2 at home, the Pond has been kind to the Ducks. They’re a lottery win from being out of the top five in the draft – which is a good thing.

21. New York Rangers

Maybe the Rangers are being smart about their tank; their first-round pick, which was traded to Vancouver in the J.T. Miller deal, is top-13 protected. They’re sitting at 12 entering Wednesday.

20. Detroit Red Wings

This hasn’t been what the Wings wanted, and a coaching change was made in attempt to salvage a playoff run. It doesn’t appear to be in the cards in Detroit again this year.

19. Minnesota Wild

The Wild maybe got too comfortable with their spot in the Central Division, and now the red-hot Blues are right on their tail. They’re only 4-4-2 in their last 10 games.

18. Utah Hockey Club

A year of adjustments and injuries is going to see the newest franchise in the league miss the playoffs. But the excitement for hockey in Salt Lake City is real.

17. Vancouver Canucks

A 15-13-7 record on home ice isn’t good enough. We’ll see if they’re in the coaching market this summer or if they run it back with Rick Tocchet.

16. Calgary Flames

The Flames are clinging to playoff hope, but need a lot of help from Minnesota’s opponents at this point. It doesn’t’ look like the Blues are going to slow down.

15. Montreal Canadiens

There have been some exciting moments in Montreal this season, including Tuesday night’s win. But that win improved them to just 4-3-3 in their last 10 games.

14. New Jersey Devils

If the Devils could stay healthy, who knows how dangerous they could be. Unfortunately, that hasn’t played out in recent years.

13. Ottawa Senators

Their big move at the deadline might be enough to propel them into the postseason for the first time in ages. Which would be great for the fans in Ottawa.

12. Edmonton Oilers

The defending Western Conference Champs will have their hands full defending that crown this year. They’re more focused on getting/keeping McDavid and Draisaitl healthy down the stretch.

11. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs being outside the top ten on our list is as much about how hot other teams are as it is about them being 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.

10. St. Louis Blues

The hottest team in the entire league sprints into our top ten this week. So much for a rebuilding year! They’re climbing the playoff board, not just hoping to get in any longer.

9. Colorado Avalanche

The Avs are just 6-2-2 in their last 10 but get a road game in Chicago on Wednesday night. They’re 20-15-1 on the road.

8. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts are, once again, the Bolts. Their plus-69 goal differential is third in the league.

7. Florida Panthers

At just 5-5-0 in their last 10 games, the defending champs are trying to get healthy in time to defend their title. They’ll have to make do without Aaron Ekblad to start the first round, too.

6. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have won seven of their last ten and have an impeccable 27-4-4 record at home. They’re going to be a tough out in the first round.

5. Washington Capitals

Their point percentage has them in front in the Eastern Conference, but a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 means four hotter teams jump ahead of them in our power rankings this week.

4. Carolina Hurricanes

The Canes are 8-2-0 in their last 10, which makes them the hottest team in the Eastern Conference. They might not have enough runway left to catch the Caps, though.

3. Vegas Golden Knights

One of two teams in our top three riding a six-game win streak entering Wednesday, the Knights have grabbed control of the Pacific Division.

2. Dallas Stars

Even with their injuries, the Stars are also winners of their last six and are intriguingly close to the league’s best record, which belongs to...

1. Winnipeg Jets

One of two teams with a point percentage above .700 (Washington is the other), the Jets’ plus-83 goal differential is the best in the NHL. They’re 7-3-0 in their last 10 and could win the Presidents’ Trophy.