NHL power rankings, Week 3
No. 1 Tampa Bay Lightning (+0.7), No. 2 Colorado Avalanche (+0.5), No. 3 Minnesota Wild (+0.5). Each number is goals per game against an average team, from margin, schedule, recent form and efficiency in every final game through Oct 11. Biggest rise: Carolina Hurricanes, up 17 to No. 4. Biggest drop: St. Louis Blues, down 18 to No. 26.
All 32 teams, Oct 12-18
86 games counted, through Oct 11| # | Team | Power | Sched. | Last 10 | Eff. | This week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 5 | Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1-0 Outscoring teams by 0.8 goals a game; the 2nd-hardest schedule so far. This week: at NYR Tue (L 1-4), vs SEA Thu (W 4-3), vs VAN Sat | +0.7 | 2 | 4-1 | 7 | at NYR Tue (L 1-4), vs SEA Thu (W 4-3), vs VAN Sat |
2 1 | Colorado Avalanche 3-2-0 Outscoring teams by 1.8 goals a game; the 2nd-easiest schedule so far. This week: at DAL Tue (W 3-2), vs DAL Wed (OTL 2-3), vs PIT Fri | +0.5 | 31 | 3-2 | 6 | at DAL Tue (W 3-2), vs DAL Wed (OTL 2-3), vs PIT Fri |
3 1 | Minnesota Wild 3-1-1 Outscoring teams by 1.2 goals a game; the 13th-hardest schedule so far. This week: vs VGK Mon (W 4-2), at WPG Tue (L 2-5), vs STL Thu (W 5-4), vs CBJ Sun | +0.5 | 13 | 3-2 | 13 | vs VGK Mon (W 4-2), at WPG Tue (L 2-5), vs STL Thu (W 5-4), vs CBJ Sun |
4 17 | Carolina Hurricanes 5-1-1 Outscoring teams by 1.4 goals a game; the easiest schedule so far. This week: vs WSH Tue (W 4-2), at WPG Sat, at CGY Sun | +0.5 | 32 | 5-2 | 2 | vs WSH Tue (W 4-2), at WPG Sat, at CGY Sun |
5 1 | New York Rangers 5-2-0 Outscoring teams by 1.4 goals a game; the 3rd-hardest schedule so far. This week: vs TBL Tue (W 4-1), at NJD Thu (L 1-7), at CBJ Sat | +0.4 | 3 | 5-2 | 15 | vs TBL Tue (W 4-1), at NJD Thu (L 1-7), at CBJ Sat |
6 12 | Edmonton Oilers 4-0-1 Outscoring teams by 1.6 goals a game; 10th in shot edge per game. This week: at LAK Tue (W 4-1), vs UTA Thu (L 2-4), at UTA Sat | +0.4 | 20 | 4-1 | 10 | at LAK Tue (W 4-1), vs UTA Thu (L 2-4), at UTA Sat |
7 | Utah Mammoth 4-2-0 Outscoring teams by 1.2 goals a game; 3rd in shot edge per game. This week: vs TOR Tue (W 5-4), at EDM Thu (W 4-2), vs EDM Sat | +0.4 | 27 | 4-2 | 3 | vs TOR Tue (W 5-4), at EDM Thu (W 4-2), vs EDM Sat |
8 9 | Washington Capitals 3-2-0 Outscoring teams by 0.6 goals a game; the hardest schedule so far. This week: at CAR Tue (L 2-4), vs MTL Wed (W 5-4), vs NJD Sat | +0.4 | 1 | 3-2 | 18 | at CAR Tue (L 2-4), vs MTL Wed (W 5-4), vs NJD Sat |
9 6 | Vegas Golden Knights 5-1-0 Outscoring teams by 1.5 goals a game; 4th in shot edge per game. This week: at MIN Mon (L 2-4), at NSH Tue (W 5-2), vs CGY Thu (W 6-2), vs PIT Sat | +0.4 | 24 | 5-1 | 4 | at MIN Mon (L 2-4), at NSH Tue (W 5-2), vs CGY Thu (W 6-2), vs PIT Sat |
10 7 | Boston Bruins 4-2-0 Outscoring teams by 1.2 goals a game; the 4th-hardest schedule so far. This week: at SJS Tue (W 6-3), at ANA Fri, at LAK Sat | +0.4 | 4 | 4-2 | 21 | at SJS Tue (W 6-3), at ANA Fri, at LAK Sat |
11 1 | Ottawa Senators 4-1-0 Outscoring teams by 0.8 goals a game; 13th from the bottom in shot edge per game. This week: at NJD Mon (W 4-1), vs STL Tue (L 2-7), vs NYI Thu (W 2-1), at PHI Sat | +0.3 | 15 | 4-1 | 20 | at NJD Mon (W 4-1), vs STL Tue (L 2-7), vs NYI Thu (W 2-1), at PHI Sat |
12 7 | Dallas Stars 2-2-1 Outscoring teams by 0.6 goals a game; the 4th-easiest schedule so far. This week: vs COL Tue (L 2-3), at COL Wed (W 3-2), at CHI Sat | +0.2 | 29 | 2-3 | 11 | vs COL Tue (L 2-3), at COL Wed (W 3-2), at CHI Sat |
13 7 | Anaheim Ducks 4-1-0 Outscoring teams by 1.0 goals a game; 10th from the bottom in shot edge per game. This week: vs CGY Tue (L 2-4), vs BOS Fri | +0.1 | 19 | 4-1 | 23 | vs CGY Tue (L 2-4), vs BOS Fri |
14 5 | Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2-1 Outscoring teams by 0.8 goals a game; the 7th-easiest schedule so far. This week: at CHI Tue (L 3-5), at COL Fri, at VGK Sat | even | 26 | 3-3 | 19 | at CHI Tue (L 3-5), at COL Fri, at VGK Sat |
15 9 | New York Islanders 2-3-0 Outscoring teams by 0.6 goals a game; the 10th-hardest schedule so far. This week: vs VAN Tue (W 3-2), at OTT Thu (OTL 1-2), at TOR Sat | even | 10 | 2-3 | 25 | vs VAN Tue (W 3-2), at OTT Thu (OTL 1-2), at TOR Sat |
16 12 | Seattle Kraken 4-2-0 Outscoring teams by 1.5 goals a game; 5th from the bottom in shot edge per game. This week: at PHI Tue (W 3-2), at TBL Thu (OTL 3-4), at FLA Sat | even | 22 | 4-2 | 28 | at PHI Tue (W 3-2), at TBL Thu (OTL 3-4), at FLA Sat |
17 9 | Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2-1 Outscoring teams by 0.3 goals a game; the 11th-hardest schedule so far. This week: at UTA Tue (L 4-5), vs BUF Thu (OTL 4-5), vs NYI Sat | even | 11 | 3-3 | 24 | at UTA Tue (L 4-5), vs BUF Thu (OTL 4-5), vs NYI Sat |
18 7 | Nashville Predators 2-1-2 Even on the scoreboard so far; 4th from the bottom in shot edge per game. This week: vs VGK Tue (L 2-5), vs SJS Thu (OTL 2-3), vs STL Sat | even | 7 | 2-3 | 29 | vs VGK Tue (L 2-5), vs SJS Thu (OTL 2-3), vs STL Sat |
19 3 | Detroit Red Wings 1-3-1 Outscored by 1.0 goals a game; 5th in shot edge per game. This week: vs NJD Tue (OTL 4-5), vs PHI Thu (W 2-1), vs SJS Sat | -0.1 | 5 | 1-4 | 5 | vs NJD Tue (OTL 4-5), vs PHI Thu (W 2-1), vs SJS Sat |
20 6 | Montreal Canadiens 2-2-1 Outscored by 0.8 goals a game; the 14th-hardest schedule so far. This week: vs BUF Tue (W 4-3), at WSH Wed (L 4-5), vs BUF Sat | -0.1 | 14 | 2-3 | 22 | vs BUF Tue (W 4-3), at WSH Wed (L 4-5), vs BUF Sat |
21 1 | Buffalo Sabres 2-3-0 Outscored by 1.6 goals a game; 8th in shot edge per game. This week: vs FLA Mon (W 5-3), at MTL Tue (OTL 3-4), at TOR Thu (W 5-4), at MTL Sat | -0.1 | 21 | 2-3 | 8 | vs FLA Mon (W 5-3), at MTL Tue (OTL 3-4), at TOR Thu (W 5-4), at MTL Sat |
22 5 | New Jersey Devils 2-2-0 Outscored by 1.0 goals a game; 1st in shot edge per game. This week: vs OTT Mon (L 1-4), at DET Tue (W 5-4), vs NYR Thu (W 7-1), at WSH Sat | -0.1 | 25 | 2-2 | 1 | vs OTT Mon (L 1-4), at DET Tue (W 5-4), vs NYR Thu (W 7-1), at WSH Sat |
23 11 | Winnipeg Jets 3-1-1 Outscored by 0.4 goals a game; the 12th-hardest schedule so far. This week: vs MIN Tue (W 5-2), at CHI Thu (OTL 3-4), vs CAR Sat | -0.1 | 12 | 3-2 | 27 | vs MIN Tue (W 5-2), at CHI Thu (OTL 3-4), vs CAR Sat |
24 1 | Florida Panthers 2-1-2 Outscored by 0.6 goals a game; 9th in shot edge per game. This week: at BUF Mon (L 3-5), at CBJ Tue (W 7-3), vs VAN Thu (W 3-2), vs SEA Sat | -0.1 | 16 | 2-3 | 9 | at BUF Mon (L 3-5), at CBJ Tue (W 7-3), vs VAN Thu (W 3-2), vs SEA Sat |
25 | Columbus Blue Jackets 2-2-0 Outscored by 0.3 goals a game; the 5th-easiest schedule so far. This week: vs FLA Tue (L 3-7), vs NYR Sat, at MIN Sun | -0.2 | 28 | 2-2 | 12 | vs FLA Tue (L 3-7), vs NYR Sat, at MIN Sun |
26 18 | St. Louis Blues 2-2-1 Outscored by 0.4 goals a game; the 3rd-easiest schedule so far. This week: at OTT Tue (W 7-2), at MIN Thu (L 4-5), at NSH Sat | -0.3 | 30 | 2-3 | 14 | at OTT Tue (W 7-2), at MIN Thu (L 4-5), at NSH Sat |
27 8 | San Jose Sharks 3-2-0 Outscored by 0.8 goals a game; the 10th-easiest schedule so far. This week: vs BOS Tue (L 3-6), at NSH Thu (W 3-2), at DET Sat | -0.4 | 23 | 3-2 | 26 | vs BOS Tue (L 3-6), at NSH Thu (W 3-2), at DET Sat |
28 15 | Los Angeles Kings 0-2-2 Outscored by 1.8 goals a game; lost the last 4. This week: vs EDM Tue (L 1-4), vs BOS Sat | -0.4 | 17 | 0-4 | 17 | vs EDM Tue (L 1-4), vs BOS Sat |
29 | Philadelphia Flyers 0-5-2 Outscored by 2.9 goals a game; last in shot edge per game. This week: vs SEA Tue (OTL 2-3), at DET Thu (L 1-2), vs OTT Sat | -0.7 | 6 | 0-7 | 32 | vs SEA Tue (OTL 2-3), at DET Thu (L 1-2), vs OTT Sat |
30 | Vancouver Canucks 2-5-0 Outscored by 1.6 goals a game; 3rd from the bottom in shot edge per game. This week: at NYI Tue (L 2-3), at FLA Thu (OTL 2-3), at TBL Sat | -0.7 | 8 | 2-5 | 30 | at NYI Tue (L 2-3), at FLA Thu (OTL 2-3), at TBL Sat |
31 1 | Calgary Flames 0-5-0 Outscored by 3.8 goals a game; the 9th-hardest schedule so far. This week: at ANA Tue (W 4-2), at VGK Thu (L 2-6), vs CAR Sun | -0.8 | 9 | 0-5 | 16 | at ANA Tue (W 4-2), at VGK Thu (L 2-6), vs CAR Sun |
32 1 | Chicago Blackhawks 1-5-0 Outscored by 2.3 goals a game; 2nd from the bottom in shot edge per game. This week: vs PIT Tue (W 5-3), vs WPG Thu (W 4-3), vs DAL Sat | -0.8 | 18 | 1-5 | 31 | vs PIT Tue (W 5-3), vs WPG Thu (W 4-3), vs DAL Sat |
Power is goals per game against an average team. Sched. is strength of schedule so far, 1 the hardest. Last 10 is the record over the last 10 games. Eff. is the rank in shot edge per game.
How the ranking works
- Rating: every game's goal margin, capped at 3 either way, a shootout counted as a draw and 0.15 goals taken off the home side, solved so a team's rating is its average margin plus the average rating of the teams it played. That second half is its strength of schedule.
- Recent form: the last ten games, each margin adjusted the same way for the opponent.
- Efficiency: shots on goal for minus against per game, times the league's shooting percentage, so a shot edge counts in goals.
- Power score: 50% rating, 20% form and 30% efficiency, in goals per game against an average team on neutral ice.
- The 2025-26 start: last season's goal margin per game, half of it pulled back to average because rosters change. It counts as ten games of this season, so it fades as the games pile up.
Change is against last week's ranking, built the same way from the games before last week. Every number comes from final scores and shots on goal; nobody sorts the list by hand.
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Common questions
How are these NHL power rankings made?
From final scores alone, in four parts: each game's margin adjusted for the opponent and home ice, strength of schedule, the most recent games and shot edge. The power score is goals per game against an average team, and nobody hand-sorts the order.
When do they update?
The ranking rolls every Monday, when the new fantasy week begins. Each week keeps its own page, so you can see how a team moved.
Is the power score a prediction?
No. It measures how teams have played so far, in goals. A team ranked first has played best on that measure; it says nothing certain about the next game.
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By the Parlae deskRanking updated Oct 16, 2026 at 8:25 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number