Canadiens make biggest jump among Canada's NHL teams in Power Ranking

Our first Power Ranking of 2025 features two Canadian teams in the top 10: the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets.

The Oilers are down two spots from first to third after posting a 3-1-1 record following the Christmas break. Leon Draisaitl continues to be a driving force offensively, riding a 14-game point steak. Draisaitl, the NHL’s leader in goals with 29, has 27 points during his current streak.

While the Oilers rank seventh in points percentage, our model still views them as an elite team and expects them to continue to climb in the standings.

The Jets, losers of three straight games, are still searching for their first win of the New Year. As a result of the current losing streak, the Jets slide from sixth to eighth on our list.

One big question entering the second half of the season is whether regression will work against this team.

Winnipeg sits third in goals for and against per game. However, the Jets sit middle of the pack in terms of expected goals for and against. Connor Hellebuyck should keep the goals against down, but a drop off offensively may challenge the Jets going forward.

 The Toronto Maple Leafs, winners of five of their past six games, remain in 12th place on our list.

Leafs fans got a belated Christmas present with Auston Matthews returning to the lineup this past weekend. Matthews has five points in two games since returning injury, but the big story in Toronto has been the recent play of Matthew Knies. Matthews’ left winger put up five points against the Bruins on Saturday and scored the next night against the Flyers. The Leafs are back in action against the Flyers Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

Despite losing three of their last four games, the Vancouver Canucks are up one spot from 17th to 16th on our list since our last rankings.

Vancouver has been hit hard by injuries to key players with Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek and Thatcher Demko all missing time recently. Some good news, Pettersson practised with the Canucks Sunday and is expected to be a game-time decision for Monday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Vancouver is clinging to the final wild-sard spot in the Western Conference as it looks to get more difference-makers back in the lineup.

Losers of four of their past five games, the Ottawa Senators are down six spots from 11th to 17th on our list. The Sens are one game away from wrapping up a gruelling nine-game road trip as the World Juniors occupied their home rink.

Our model is still somewhat bullish on the Senators, who are without starting goalie Linus Ullmark thanks to a nagging back injury. The Sens face the Red Wings, Sabres, Penguins and Stars this week.

One point behind the Canucks in the standings, the Calgary Flames are down two spots from 18th to 20th on our list. Calgary, like Vancouver, has lost three of its past four games and is struggling to find the back of the net.

The Flames, 29th in goals per game, are averaging just two goals per game over their past five. Shot volume remains strong with Calgary ranking second in the NHL in shot attempts per game but quality remains an issue as the Flames sit 26th in inner slot shots and 28th in expected goals per game.

Don’t look now but the Montreal Canadiens are just two points out of a playoff spot with two games in hand on the Pittsburgh Penguins who occupy the final wild-card spot in the East.

The Habs have won seven of their past nine games and are the fourth highest-scoring team in the NHL in that span. As a result, Montreal is up to 22nd on our list from 24th in our last rankings.

Jake Evans and Cole Caufield have led the way with a team-best, five goals in that stretch. Perhaps, the most impressive is the Canadiens own the second-best goals against average over their past nine games. Jakub Dobes has been a bright spot in goal for the Habs, winning his first two NHL starts while posting a .982 save percentage.