NHL Power Rankings: Capitals hold No. 1 spot, plus January trends for all 32 teams
Friday marks the final night of games for the month of January in the 2024-25 NHL season. In addition to our latest updated Power Rankings, let’s check in on how all 32 teams performed this month.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Jan. 24. Points percentages, paces and January stats are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 72.55%
Alex Ovechkin or no Alex Ovechkin, this team just keeps winning, and January was no different; the Caps racked up 22 points in 14 games, extending their lead atop the Metropolitan Division.
Next eight days: vs. WPG (Feb. 1), vs. FLA (Feb. 4), @ PHI (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 70.75%
No, this isn’t the dominant team that was setting records in the season’s first weeks. But they’ll take an 9-3-2 record any month, given the sizable lead they built in October and November.
Next eight days: @ WSH (Feb. 1), vs. CAR (Feb. 4)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 66.67%
Some teams that lose in the Stanley Cup Final swoon in the following season. That hasn’t been the case for Edmonton, and a 10-3-1 January has them atop the Pacific Division.
Next eight days: vs. TOR (Feb. 1), @ STL (Feb. 4), @ CHI (Feb. 5)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 65.38%
Carolina’s point percentage was the fifth highest in the league in January — and most of those games were played without Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall. Are those two additions enough to finally get the Canes back to the Stanley Cup Final?
Next eight days: vs. LA (Feb. 1), @ WPG (Feb. 4), @ MIN (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 65.38%
Just as some other teams quietly crept up the standings in the month of January, the Knights stumbled a bit (at least in a relative sense); a 6-6-3 record isn’t in line with what we’ve come to expect out of one of the NHL’s elite contenders.
Next eight days: @ NYR (Feb. 2), @ NYI (Feb. 4), @ NJ (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 65.00%
An injury this week to Miro Heiskanen puts his participation in the 4 Nations Face-Off in jeopardy. What’s not in jeopardy is the Stars’ playoff positioning, particularly as they have gone 10-4-0 in January.
Next eight days: vs. VAN (Jan. 31), vs. CBJ (Feb. 2), @ ANA (Feb. 4)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 60.58%
The Panthers started strong this season, which was good because January wasn’t their best month ever: the Cats had a 7-6-1 record, despite a plus-6 goal differential.
Next eight days: vs. CHI (Feb. 1), vs. NYI (Feb. 2), @ WSH (Feb. 4), @ STL (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 60.78%
If the Maple Leafs are playing the long game, dropping to second in the Atlantic might make sense — they’ll likely avoid the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. In that regard, a 7-6-0 January gets a thumbs-up?
Next eight days: @ EDM (Feb. 1), @ CGY (Feb. 4), @ SEA (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 63.46%
Given their negative goal differential in January, the Wild are lucky to escape with a record north of .500. And thanks to their early success, there remains a gap between Minnesota and the teams behind it.
Next eight days: @ OTT (Feb. 1), @ BOS (Feb. 4), vs. CAR (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 60.38%
Some nights, the Devils look as strong as any team in the league; other nights, not so much. (Just look at the two different results against the Flyers this week.) Accordingly, they’ll finish January with a 5-5-3 record.
Next eight days: @ BUF (Feb. 2), @ PIT (Feb. 4), vs. VGK (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 59.18%
The Kings are looking up at the Oilers and Golden Knights in the Pacific Division, as those two clubs appear to be on another tier at this point. A 5-7-1 January didn’t help the cause, and they are teetering close to being caught from behind (though they have games in hand on all the teams chasing them).
Next eight days: @ CAR (Feb. 1), vs. MTL (Feb. 5)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 57.69%
The Avalanche remain in the driver’s seat for a wild-card spot (if not a higher position in the Central Division), although their January results leave a bit to be desired, with a 6-6-2 record.
Next eight days: vs. STL (Jan. 31), vs. PHI (Feb. 2), @ VAN (Feb. 4), @ CGY (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 56.86%
Is this the season the Senators make it back to the playoffs? An 8-5-2 January — despite a minus-10 goal differential — has kept them right in the mix.
Next eight days: vs. MIN (Feb. 1), @ NSH (Feb. 3), @ TB (Feb. 4), @ TB (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 57.00%
The good news for the Lightning: Racking up a bunch of points earlier this season meant they had some wiggle room. The bad news: a month of 46.90 points percentage hockey has reduced that space to the smallest of wiggles.
Next eight days: vs. NYI (Feb. 1), vs. OTT (Feb. 4), vs. OTT (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 57.00%
The Flames have more or less held serve in January, with a 7-6-0 record. Thanks in large part to rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf, they remain on the wild-card bubble.
Next eight days: vs. DET (Feb. 1), @ SEA (Feb. 2), vs. TOR (Feb. 4), vs. COL (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 57.00%
It’s unquestionable that the Blue Jackets are the best “story” of the 2024-25 season, and their quest for a playoff return was greatly aided in January: a record of 9-3-1 generated the sixth-best points percentage for the month.
Next eight days: @ UTA (Jan. 31), @ DAL (Feb. 2), @ BUF (Feb. 4), vs. UTA (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 56.00%
The well-reported locker room strife between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller was confirmed by general manager Jim Rutherford this week, lending more credence to the idea that one of the two stars will be traded. Hopefully that will spur the team to earn more wins, as a month of .500 hockey isn’t a great sign looking ahead.
Next eight days: @ DAL (Jan. 31), vs. DET (Feb. 2), vs. COL (Feb. 4), @ SJ (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 52.83%
The Bruins have gone 5-7-2 this month and appear more in need of the 4 Nations Face-Off break than many other teams. Is there a trade in the works to shake things up?
Next eight days: vs. NYR (Feb. 1), vs. MIN (Feb. 4), @ NYR (Feb. 5)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.00%
As the Rangers collapsed earlier this season, there was no shortage of fan frustration along with takes on how to properly fix them. Quietly, they’ve charged back up the standings, due in part to an 8-3-3 January.
Next eight days: @ BOS (Feb. 1), vs. VGK (Feb. 2), vs. BOS (Feb. 5)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 53.92%
Detroit’s 2024-25 season has been a bit of a roller coaster, including the dismissal of coach Derek Lalonde and hiring of Todd McLellan. This month has been a high point, with a 10-3-1 record that has the Red Wings back on the wild-card bubble.
Next eight days: @ CGY (Feb. 1), @ VAN (Feb. 2), @ SEA (Feb. 4)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 51.96%
The fact that the Canadiens remain on the fringes of the playoff race into February is remarkable, and their 7-5-2 record in January is a big part of that. Does the front office add to the roster before the trade deadline, or keep the slow build process going?
Next eight days: @ ANA (Feb. 2), @ SJ (Feb. 4), @ LA (Feb. 5)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 53.00%
Are we all sleeping on the Islanders? Patrick Roy has his team pointed back in the right direction after a rough start, going 9-3-0 in January.
Next eight days: @ TB (Feb. 1), @ FLA (Feb. 2), vs. VGK (Feb. 4)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 49.06%
The Flyers’ build back into a contender continues apace, though their minus-8 goal differential for the month would surely be helped if they had better goaltending on a consistent basis.
Next eight days: @ COL (Feb. 2), @ UTA (Feb. 4), vs. WSH (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
The Hockey Club remains mathematically alive for a playoff berth but will have to reverse trends from a month in which it had fewer standings points (12) than games played (13).
Next eight days: vs. CBJ (Jan. 31), vs. STL (Feb. 2), vs. PHI (Feb. 4), @ CBJ (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 49.02%
Does this week’s Brandon Saad contract termination mean that an addition is on the way? Something must be done if the Blues are going to make a move back into the playoff mix during a 5-7-0 January.
Next eight days: @ COL (Jan. 31), @ UTA (Feb. 2), vs. EDM (Feb. 4), vs. FLA (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 47.17%
How much of the Penguins’ current roster will be on the team after March 7? The club’s 4-7-3 record in January was better than only the “fun bad” Sharks; Pittsburgh’s results seem way less fun, and simply bad.
Next eight days: vs. NSH (Feb. 1), vs. NJ (Feb. 4)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 43.88%
The Predators are no strangers to wild turnarounds within the same season — they pulled one off last season. It’s not entirely out of the realm of mathematical possibility that they make the playoffs, and a 7-4-0 mark since the calendar turned to 2025 is a strong start.
Next eight days: @ BUF (Jan. 31), @ PIT (Feb. 1), vs. OTT (Feb. 3)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 47.06%
Although it hasn’t made a huge dent in the overall standings, the Ducks have been a middle-of-the-flock team in January — with a 6-7-2 record despite a minus-8 goal differential. In which direction will they fly from here?
Next eight days: vs. MTL (Feb. 2), vs. DAL (Feb. 4)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 46.23%
Goaltender Philipp Grubauer — one of the Kraken’s early, big free agent signings — was put on waivers recently, and it wouldn’t be shocking if the club made additional moves ahead of the trade deadline. A 6-8-1 January record has kept them well below expectations.
Next eight days: vs. CGY (Feb. 2), vs. DET (Feb. 4), vs. TOR (Feb. 6)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 43.00%
A 45.83 points percentage in January has actually raised the Sabres’ seasonlong mark, but it’s still not good enough to get them out of the Atlantic Division basement.
Next eight days: vs. NSH (Jan. 31), vs. NJ (Feb. 2), vs. CBJ (Feb. 4)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 36.27%
This hasn’t been the best season in Blackhawks history. But at least for the month of January, they haven’t been dead last. (Chicago’s points percentage is 29th for the month.)
Next eight days: @ FLA (Feb. 1), vs. EDM (Feb. 5)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 33.33%
The Sharks began the month among the NHL’s basement dwellers in the standings, and that trend will continue into February.
Next eight days: vs. MTL (Feb. 4), vs. VAN (Feb. 6)
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Greg Wyshynski
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh stated the obvious: The 6-2 humbling they suffered against the arch-rival Florida Panthers on Tuesday night was not how they wanted to begin the latest Battle of Florida.
“It’s definitely a salty feeling in here. We didn’t have a great start to this series like we talked about,” the veteran said. “But we know we can be better. We’ve got another level and we’ll find a way to get to that.”
The Panthers took a 1-0 series lead by scoring six times on 16 shots against Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. After Sam Bennett and Jake Guentzel traded goals in the first period, the Panthers scored four straight times — including goals by Nate Schmidt and Matthew Tkachuk that were 14 seconds apart in the second period. Schmidt’s goal was unsuccessfully challenged for goalie interference by the Lightning, earning a delay of game penalty. Tkachuk scored on the ensuing power play to make it 4-1.
“Yeah, you’ve got to stop that bleeding,” defenseman Victor Hedman said. “We give up that third one. The challenge that didn’t go our way and we give up one right away. That’s tough, but we got to make sure it stops there and not give up the fifth one as well.”
Tkachuk, returning to the Florida lineup for the first time after being injured in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, scored his second of the game on the power play at 9:44 of the second period to make it 5-1 for the Panthers, en route to the 6-2 rout.
“You see him being able to step into a game and be impactful,” Schmidt said of Tkachuk. “That’s who he is. He’s a playoff player.”
Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who has won two of the three Battle of Florida playoff series against the Panthers, appreciated his team’s effort despite the result.
“I love this team. They try. They’re always trying, and they did that again tonight. Sometimes the results aren’t there. Most nights they are,” he said. “We can sit here and dissect this game all we want. The bottom line is we lost. Whether you lose 6-2 or you lose 1-0 in overtime, we lost the game. Turn the page and move on. Let’s sit here in 48 hours or whatever it is and dissect that one. This one’s over.”
The Panthers are the reigning Stanley Cup champion. Cooper noted that a number of his players were seeing their first playoff action in Game 1.
“We had a bunch of guys tonight playing their first playoff games, and I thought guys handled it fairly well. But in the end we gave up six goals,” he said. “The series isn’t won in one game, so there’s a positive.”
That said, it took just one game for the Panthers to flex on the Lightning defense and special teams, going 3-for-3 on the power play. One huge factor in that domination was an injury to Lightning center Anthony Cirelli, their best defensive forward and a key to their penalty kill. He left the game after taking two shifts in the second period. There was no update on his status after the game.
Game 2 is Thursday night at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Catcher Miguel Amaya was confident he’d be jogging around the bases when he blasted a two-out, ninth-inning baseball high into the Wrigley Field sky with his Chicago Cubs trailing 10-9 to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
He was right — but just barely.
Amaya’s 388-foot shot landed in the center field basket, sending the home crowd into a frenzy as Dodgers closer Tanner Scott blew the save. And one inning later, the Cubs won the game 11-10 on an Ian Happ run-scoring single off Noah Davis, capping yet another wild affair at Wrigley.
According to Statcast, Amaya’s blast would have been a home run in exactly one park in the majors.
“As a baseball player, its something you dream of,” Amaya said. “As soon as I hit, I felt it was out but then I saw the center fielder getting into position to catch it. Then it was, ‘Oh my god, I have to run,’ but it was enough to get out.
“I love those basket balls.”
It was the second time in five days that both teams playing at Wrigley scored 10 or more runs; on Friday, the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks 13-11 thanks to a six-run eighth inning that was preceded by a 10-run frame by Arizona.
On Tuesday, the Cubs led 5-3 after the first inning, but the Dodgers took a 10-7 lead thanks to a five-run seventh aided by an error from third baseman Gage Workman. As has been the case all month, the Cubs kept fighting back. Right fielder Kyle Tucker brought them within one with an eighth-inning home run before Amaya tied it in the ninth.
“They’ve done some amazing things and some resilient things, most importantly,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of the team’s play on its homestand. “You win games like that early in the season and it’s a great carry forward for the rest of the season.”
The Cubs improved to 15-10 thanks to a high-powered offense that leads the league in scoring at just over six runs per game. They’ve tallied 10 or more runs in seven games already, their most through 25 games of a season since 1895, according to ESPN Research. No other team this season has done it more than 3 times.
Counsell credited his bullpen in shutting down the Dodgers in the final few innings.
The Cubs also did well facing Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. He went 0 for 4, lowering his batting average against them this year to .167. Against all other teams, he’s hitting .302.
He also went 0-for-3 against Shota Imanaga and is now 0-for-10 against the Cubs starter.
“The next 10 at-bats he might get 10 hits,” Imanaga said. “It’s been a small miracle that it’s happened 10 times in a row.”
The Cubs keep on performing miracles at the plate both in the colder conditions this month and in the few games where the weather has been favorable for hitters. That included Tuesday, when it was 71 degrees with the wind blowing out at first pitch. It led to six home runs, none bigger than Amaya’s.
“Basket hurt us a couple times last year,” Counsell said with a smirk. “It was helpful tonight.”
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