ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 3: Oilers, Panthers in free fall

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ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 3: Oilers, Panthers in free fall

Colin Gallant, ClutchPoints

Mon, Oct 20, 2025 ·

25 min read

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The post ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings, Week 3: Oilers, Panthers in free fall appeared first on ClutchPoints .

It's been exactly 13 days since the 2025-26 National Hockey League campaign kicked off at Amerant Bank Arena on October 7. And although it's still extremely early, the chaos brewing in Week 3 of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings is palpable. Some teams are absolutely shattering their preseason expectations — like the resurgent Detroit Red Wings and Seattle Kraken — while other squads just can't seem to buy a win — we're looking at you, San Jose .

Who expected the Wings and Kraken to have one regulation loss between the two of them through 11 games? What about Shane Pinto leading the league in goals, potting seven tallies in just six contests? Or the LA Kings , one of last year's best teams, winning just once in their first six tries? There have been some significant glitches in the matrix as we enter Week 3 in the National. And that's not even considering that Connor McDavid doesn't have a single goal through his first seven games in 2025-26.

There have certainly been some surprises in the early going, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. Jack Eichel and Nathan MacKinnon are in fine Hart Trophy form, leading the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche to the tops of their respective divisions. The Sharks remain without a win, which can't be too surprising to any hockey fan that has watched this club over the last few years. And the plethora of injuries are finally catching up to the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers , who won their first three but have dropped four in a row since.

Every squad has now played between five and seven games, and things aren't yet taking shape — but we're getting close. Where does your favorite team land in Week 3 of CP's NHL Power Rankings? Let's find out.

Previous 2025-26 NHL Power Rankings: Week 2 | Week 1

1. Carolina Hurricanes (+2)

There's only one truly perfect team remaining through two weeks of play, and the Hurricanes will gladly take their rightful spot at the top of the NHL Power Rankings in Week 3. Now a perfect 5-0-0 after a 4-3 overtime triumph over the reeling Kings on Saturday night, Carolina is looking absolutely fantastic in the early going. Seth Jarvis has put the team on his back, sporting an utterly absurd four (!) game-winning goals in five games. Even with Andrei Svechnikov and marquee free agent signing Nikolaj Ehlers both surprisingly without a point, the terrific defense and overall depth has helped make up for it. This is, once again, looking like a true threat to come out of the Eastern Conference next spring — and the squad should only get better once a couple of talented players inevitably find their stride.

2. Colorado Avalanche (+3)

The Hurricanes might be the class of the Eastern Conference, but it's the Avalanche who lead the President's Trophy race through six games. Now a sparkling 5-0-1 after a second consecutive 4-1 victory, Colorado is in fine, fine form through two weeks. Scott Wedgewood has been just ridiculous, starting every single game in the absence of Mackenzie Blackwood and allowing just nine total goals. Four of those came in a 5-4 shootout loss to the rival Stars, the only game the Avs have dropped this year. In the other five, he's allowed just a single goal in each. That's a huge credit to the veteran, and also to the blue line, which has been bolstered in a big way by steady veteran Brent Burns . It's all sunshine in Denver these days, and with MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas continuing to lead the charge offensively — the latter in a contract year — the sky's the limit for Jared Bednar's club in 2025-26.

3. Winnipeg Jets (+3)

Not to be outdone, the reigning President's Trophy winners are getting a nice bump up the NHL Power Rankings after following up a season-opening loss with four consecutive victories. Connor Hellebuyck has picked up right where he left off after his Hart Trophy 2024-25 campaign, while the top line of Mark Scheifele , Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi could be the NHL's best, with 21 points already. The addition of Jonathan Toews has also been welcome , with the three-time champ adding three assists while playing just under 17 minutes per night. The Jets should be right back at the top of the Central Division again this year, with a legitimate chance to finish first in league standings in back-to-back campaigns.

4. Vegas Golden Knights (+3)

After a challenging start to the year, the Golden Knights are back on track after back-to-back-to-back victories. Two of those came against the reeling Flames, but a win is a win. Mitch Marner has his first goals with Vegas, potting a pair in a 6-1 drubbing of Calgary on Saturday night. And Jack Eichel continues to absolutely dominate; he's leading the league with 15 points in just six games. Mark Stone isn't far behind, amassing an excellent 13 of his own in the same span. With Marner now on the second line alongside Pavel Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl , and Eichel and Stone having too easy of a time scoring goals, the top-six on the strip is fearsome. Now 4-0-2, the Knights will look to stay perfect in regulation in a mouthwatering home matchup against the undefeated Hurricanes on Monday night.

5. Dallas Stars (-1)

The Stars were undefeated through their first three tilts of 2025-26, but faltered in Week 2. Dallas lost 5-3 to Vancouver on Thursday night, a game they led 2-0 in the second period. Two nights later, a 3-1 defeat at the hands of St. Louis dropped Glen Gulutzan's team to 3-2, and just barely holding onto a top-five berth in the NHL Power Rankings. Certainly no panic here, but the way the Avalanche and Jets are playing, it's going to take better results to keep up in a powerhouse Central Division. Jake Oettinger continues to struggle, but he's too good to not right the ship sooner or later. Up front, it's the usual suspects, with all of Mikko Rantanen , Wyatt Johnston , Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz playing at above a point-per-game pace. The Stars are home for their next three, hosting the Blue Jackets , Kings and Hurricanes, in that order, in Week 3.

6. Florida Panthers (-5)

We wondered if and when the injuries were going to eventually catch up to the defending champions, and unfortunately for the Panthers, it's happened a lot sooner than anticipated. After starting the season perfect, Florida has lost four straight games, all in regulation, while scoring a measly four goals. That's not a recipe for any kind of success, and it has the back-to-back Stanley Cup owners tumbling down the NHL Power Rankings in Week 3. On top of Matthew Tkachuk and Sasha Barkov, the Cats will now be down a key defensive player long-term after Dmitry Kulikov suffered an injury that will need surgery . A 3-0 loss to a mediocre Sabres team was an awful way to end the week, and Paul Maurice's troops will desperately be looking to get back in the win column in Week 4. That begins with Brad Marchand 's return to Boston on Tuesday. It should be an emotional evening at TD Garden as the 37-year-old plays as a visitor for the first time in the city where he called home for nearly 17 seasons. He'll always be remembered in Beantown for helping the Bruins win it all in 2011.

7. Edmonton Oilers (-5)

The defending Eastern Conference champions are reeling heading into Week 4, and the same goes for the 2024-25 Western Conference victors. The Oilers are under .500 after three consecutive regulation losses, and stop me if you've heard this before, but the goaltending just continues to struggle. Edmonton has given up 13 goals in three games, and Connor McDavid doesn't quite look like the best player in the world right now. He remains without a goal — although seven assists in six games is still great — while Leon Draisaitl is under a point-per-game for the first time in what feels like forever. The Oilers don't care too much about the regular-season, but they're out of a playoff spot right now. Mercifully, the end of a long five-game road trip comes on Tuesday night in Canada's capital. That will also be Adam Henrique 's 1,000th game; he's set to become the 405th NHL skater to reach the milestone.

8. New Jersey Devils (+1)

It feels like the Devils have never been fully healthy over the last couple of seasons, but even so, they look great so far. With Jake Allen taking over for an injured Jacob Markstrom , New Jersey has won four games in a row, rectifying a season-opening loss to Carolina. Similar to the Golden Knights, the Devils have a terrific one-two punch up front, with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt feasting on the top line, while Nico Hischier and Timo Meier also playing great hockey on line two. This squad seems to be putting it all together in the early going in 2025-26, evidenced by an excellent 4-1 record through five games. NJ will look to make it five straight in Toronto on Tuesday.

9. Washington Capitals (-1)

For the most part, the Capitals have picked up where they left off last season, with a respectable 4-2 record through six tilts. They were almost able to erase a 4-0 deficit against the Canucks on home ice on Sunday, but eventually lost 4-3. Still, that defeat comes after four consecutive wins, and Washington probably deserves a better showing in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 3. We're still on Alex Ovechkin milestone watch; he only has one goal this year, but remains two away from 900 in his unbelievable career. That could come as soon as Tuesday night against the Kraken at Capital One Arena. Even if it doesn't, it'll be 1,500 NHL games for The Great Eight on Saturday when the Senators come to town.

10. Montreal Canadiens (+3)

What a start for the Canadiens, who have captured four victories in six tries and are into the top-10 in the NHL Power Rankings for the first time maybe ever. Noah Dobson has been an excellent addition to the back end, while Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield continue to lead the charge offensively. The latter played hero on Thursday night against the Predators, tying things up with 20 seconds left in regulation before calling game with just three seconds left in OT. That had the Bell Centre in an uproar, and although the Habs lost to the Rangers two nights later, they remain second in the Atlantic Division. This is a team that is taking another step forward in front of our very eyes, and a star young core gets better every game. Montreal hosts Buffalo on Monday Night Hockey to mark the end of a four-game homestand.

11. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)

Although there is some frustration in Toronto through six games, the Maple Leafs are still 3-2-1 and third place in the Atlantic Division. This squad certainly has another gear, although William Nylander is tied for third in league scoring with 11 points already. He's one of five Leafs players who are producing at a point-per-game pace or better, so although the defense and goaltending leaves something to be desired, the offense continues to produce. After alternating an overtime win with an OT loss, Toronto will look to have some more success in regulation, beginning against the visiting Devils on Tuesday night. That's because Monday is reserved for what should be an electric Game 7 of the ALCS between the Blue Jays and Mariners at the Rogers Centre (apologies to the non-baseball fans).

12. Minnesota Wild (-2)

It was the Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy show through three games for the Wild in 2025-26, but no one has played particularly well over a three-game skid in Week 2. Minnesota lost to Dallas on Tuesday, Washington on Friday and Philadelphia on Saturday, erasing what was a pretty encouraging start to the campaign. Filip Gustavsson recorded a shutout in the first game of the new season, but he's been poor since. And the offense has dried up, with only four goals scored over those three losses. Not great. In their defense, all three of those defeats were on the road, and the Wild have two more away from the State of Hockey — against the Rangers at MSG on Monday and the Devils in Newark on Wednesday — before returning home.

13. Detroit Red Wings (+9)

The NHL Power Rankings were not high on the Red Wings in the first two weeks of the season, but we all make mistakes. Detroit erased a miserable home-opening loss to the Canadiens by racking off five straight victories, with Cam Talbot and John Gibson both looking like great options in that span. Dylan Larkin has been leading the way — like he usually does — posting a seriously impressive 11 points in six games. He's gotten some help from rookie Emmitt Finnie, who scored his first two NHL goals in Sunday afternoon's win over Edmonton. He's one of three rookies making an impact in Motown early on, and the Wings are getting the most significant bump up the leaderboard of any team in Week 3. Let's see if they can keep it going as the quest to finally return to the postseason continues in earnest this year.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning (-3)

This is not the Tampa Bay Lightning team we are used to seeing — not at all. It's been a long, long time since reigning Art Ross winner Nikita Kucherov has started the season under point-per-game, and he's a minus-eight to boot. Tampa Bay has lost five of their first six games, and they are lucky they aren't falling further in the NHL Power Rankings. Nothing seems to be going right for both Florida franchises right now, and the lack of offense for the Bolts is certainly concerning. Just 16 goals in six games is not at all what we're used to seeing from this superstar core. A 1-3-2 record has this squad right at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and if this continues, they won't be anywhere near the top-15 in the PR's in Week 4. After a couple of days off, a great chance to right the ship presents itself, in the form of the visiting Blackhawks , on Thursday night.

15. St. Louis Blues (+1)

It's been a decent if unspectacular start for the Blues, who have rotated between Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer between the pipes and won three times in five tries. One of the only teams that hasn't gone past regulation this year, St. Louis is holding onto the final wildcard berth in the Western Conference in the early going, with a nearly even 15 goals for and 18 against. It's going to take a longer sample size to know exactly what kind of team this is in 2025-26, but a winning record is a good start. Following a nice 3-1 triumph over the Stars on Saturday, Jim Montgomery's club will look to make it two straight against the struggling Kings on Tuesday.

16. Vancouver Canucks (+4)

What a week for the Canucks, who began a long five-game road trip with three consecutive victories. Vancouver erased two 2-0 deficits in back-to-back nights: in Dallas on Thursday and Chicago on Friday, both leading to two points. It was a different story in the nation's capital on Sunday, with the Canucks roaring out to a 4-0 lead before just squeaking out a 4-3 final. Still, a win is a win, and the team could really use the good juju early in the year. Now 4-2 and back on track, they'll look to sweep the road trip by beating Pittsburgh and Nashville on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

17. Utah Mammoth (+2)

The Mammoth have also enjoyed a terrific week, winning three of their last four games to improve to 4-2. Utah is desperate to make the playoffs in Year 2 in Salt Lake City, and early returns have been encouraging. Karel Vejmelka has looked like the guy between the pipes, giving up just eight goals in four starts. And the dynamic duo of Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz is leading the way offensively; the pair have combined for 16 points in six games. It's early, but this is looking like a squad that will be competitive for a playoff spot in the Western Conference all campaign long.

18. New York Rangers (-1)

The Blueshirts made some of the most unwanted history imaginable to start the year, getting shut out in each of their first three home games for the first time since the now-defunct Pittsburgh Pirates 'accomplished' the feat back in 1928. That is a horrendous stat, but New York has been much more effective on the road, picking up seven of a possible eight points away from Madison Square Garden. Altogether, it's a 3-3-1 record for Mike Sullivan's team, which is slightly disappointing but manageable considering the absolute futility in the Big Apple. A full six days after their last home game — a 2-0 loss to the Oilers last Tuesday — the Rangers will finally try to score a goal at MSG in 2025-26 against the visiting Wild on Monday night.

19. Seattle Kraken (+5)

What a start to the season it's been for the Kraken, who are trying to turn back the clock to the version of the Seattle team that went all the way to Game 7 of the second round back in 2022-23. So far, so good; Lane Lambert's team remains undefeated in regulation with a phenomenal 3-0-2 record through five games. Josh Mahura was the hero on Saturday night, with the Canadian defenseman scoring the overtime winner against the Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada. Now one of only four teams undefeated in regulation, it's a storybook start for the fifth year NHL franchise. They'll try to keep it going in the back half of a six-game road trip that continues in Philadelphia on Monday.

20. Pittsburgh Penguins (+3)

It looks like the 2025-26 Penguins aren't just a flash in the pan — at least not yet. After capturing their first two games, Pittsburgh has won two of four to improve to 4-2 on the campaign. That's a terrific start for a rebuilding club that was widely expected to be a bottom-feeder this year. Sidney Crosby has been great, as per usual, with seven points in six games. But it's Evgeni Malkin who is really turning back the clock; in what could be his final season, the all-timer is leading the team with nine points. There might be an overall lack of talent in Pennsylvania, but there is a lot of pride, and with an effective new head coach, this club is not going to go quietly. It'll be interesting to see if the Pens can continue to string together wins going forward.

21. Ottawa Senators (-6)

It's been a truly abysmal start for the Senators, who are looking to improve on a 2024-25 campaign that saw the team make the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. Unfortunately, it's been the opposite in Canada's capital. Captain Brady Tkachuk is out 6-8 weeks after a hand injury that required surgery, which is a devastating blow for this squad. Add disappointing starts for basically every player not named Shane Pinto, and it's not surprising to see why the Sens are tumbling in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 3. Linus Ullmark has also been just brutal, and him finding his way between the pipes is going to go a long way towards this team righting the ship without its captain.

22. Los Angeles Kings (-8)

Things have been bad in Ottawa, costing the Senators six spots in the NHL Power Rankings. But it's been even worse for a Kings team that is 30th place through six games and absolutely free falling. Also like Ottawa, Los Angeles has lost its captain long-term, with Anze Kopitar labelled week-to-week. That's just awful considering this is his last NHL season. All hopes for a quick recovery for the Slovenian, but it's up to the roster now to pick up the slack, and that just hasn't been happening. Currently 1-3-2, things are only going to get harder for a Kings team that embarks on a five-game road trip, starting in St. Louis on Tuesday before making stops in Dallas, Nashville, Chicago and San Jose .

23. Boston Bruins (-5)

The NHL Power Rankings gave the Bruins the benefit of the doubt after a hot start, but they've fallen back down to earth in a big way in Week 3. Boston is losers of four straight, all in regulation, and not even a red-hot David Pastrnak can stop the bleeding. Jeremy Swayman went from unbeatable to full of holes in a matter of days, while Joonas Korpisalo has also lost each of his last two starts. You know the B's would love to get back in the win column not just against a Panthers team that has knocked them out of the playoffs twice in the last three years, but one that also features a resurgent Brad Marchand . The rat's return to Beantown makes Tuesday's Boston-Florida tilt must-see TV, despite the fact each squad is on a four-game losing streak.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets (-3)

Although the Blue Jackets are 2-3 in the early going and seventh place in the Metropolitan Division, they've had one of the hardest early schedules in the NHL. Four of the five teams they've played were in the postseason last year, and things will get easier as the year goes on. Despite that, we are still waiting for the Zach Werenski magic from 2024-25. More concerningly, the next wave of talent is struggling early on, with Adam Fantilli , Cole Sillinger and Kent Johnson combining for just five points. Sean Monahan , the 1C, failing to record a point in five games isn't helping. It's a small sample size and we need to see more from Columbus, but they're heading the wrong way in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 3.

25. Anaheim Ducks (no change)

The Ducks are sitting right at .500 through five games, a 2-2-1 record not quite what Joel Quenneville is used to seeing behind the bench. Anaheim is still rebuilding, although the goal is to come out of it and grab a playoff spot next April under the new head coach's leadership. The early returns have been decent but not exactly encouraging, although a veteran in Chris Kreider and a youngster in Leo Carlsson have been leading the charge offensively with 11 combined points. We're still waiting to see what kind of team the Ducks are going to be in 2025-26, although the talent — especially up front — is undeniable. After beginning a five-game road trip with a loss to the Hawks on Sunday night in OT, Anaheim will look to get back above .500 in Smashville on Tuesday.

26. New York Islanders (+2)

It was a nightmare start on Long Island, with New York dropping back-to-back-to-back regulation games to start the season. But Patrick Roy's club has rebounded, beating the Oilers (4-2) on Thursday and the Senators (5-4) on Saturday to get just a game below .500. Matthew Schaefer continues to impress; the 2025 No. 1 pick is up to five points in five games, just one behind team leader Bo Horvat, who recorded his first hat trick as a member of the Islanders in the win over Edmonton. A terrific chance to get back on even footing awaits against the Sharks on Tuesday, the only team without a win in 2025-26.

27. Chicago Blackhawks (+5)

After losing three straight games to start the year, the 2025-26 Blackhawks could have ridden the early-season skid into obscurity. Instead, Chicago has triumphed in three of four, and that's good enough to have them second place in the Central Division. That likely won't last long, but it was a great Week 2 in the Windy City nonetheless. Spencer Knight is looking solid between the pipes, while Frank Nazar could be this season's big breakout player. He's at seven points in seven games, tied for the team lead with Connor Bedard, who is looking to put together his first point-per-game campaign. It's a small showing, but there are certainly signs of encouragement here — and a fan base that has dealt with a lot of losing over the last half-decade will take it.

28. Nashville Predators (-1)

After spending most of the 2024-25 season in the bottom-three of the NHL Power Rankings, it's been a better start to the year for the Predators — but not by much. This roster is still struggling mightily, with just two wins in six tries. That's been exacerbated by a three-game skid in which Nashville has conceded an eye-opening 14 goals. It's too early to definitively say just yet, but this could be a squad that just needs to rebuild, period. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault just aren't moving the needle as much as they need to be, and outside of a few other effective veterans, there is a significant lack of talent all around. It'll be interesting to see how long Barry Trotz waits before potentially blowing it all up — if the club can't turn things around first.

29. Calgary Flames (-3)

Maybe the most disappointing team through the first two weeks of the new NHL season is the Flames, who missed the playoffs by a hair in 2024-25 but don't look anywhere close to that level right now. Calgary is 1-5, following up a Battle of Alberta victory with five consecutive regulation losses. That first win also came in a shootout, meaning this team is almost as impotent as the Sharks. In fact, despite having zero wins, San Jose is ahead of Calgary in league standings. Yes, the Flames are 32nd place through six games, and they haven't even hit rock bottom yet in the NHL Power Rankings — but they're trending towards it.

30. Buffalo Sabres (+1)

Welcome to the spotlight, Alex Lyon. The 32-year-old has announced himself with his new team, starting all five of Buffalo's games in 2025-26 and giving his club a chance to win all of them. He was especially potent in a game that got out of hand on Saturday afternoon but ended in a 3-0 shutout against the defending champions. He's the bonafide No. 1 option in Western New York, and he's given the Sabres some juice after an atrocious start to the season. We want to see more from Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin, but Lindy Ruff's squad is back on track, with a chance to get back to .500 in an all-Atlantic Division clash with the Habs on Monday night.

31. Philadelphia Flyers (-2)

The Flyers probably don't deserve to be quite this low in the NHL Power Rankings, but a surprisingly good week from the Sabres and Blackhawks forced the hand. Philly certainly hasn't been good, sitting .500 at 2-2-1 while scoring 13 goals and allowing 14. Pretty average all around, but presumed starting goaltender Samuel Ersson continues to be a problem. It already looks like he's conceding the net to veteran Dan Vladar, who has allowed just three total goals in his last two starts — both of them wins. A four-point game from captain Sean Couturier was encouraging, but no one else on the team has more than four points total. Scoring goals looks like it could be a problem for this team in 2025-26, even with the offseason additions of Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak.

32. San Jose Sharks (-2)

The Sharks started the season out of the NHL Power Rankings basement, and they didn't even make it two weeks before they're back to an all-too-familiar spot. Really not hard to slot San Jose back at No. 32 after they've gone five games without a win. We knew this club was going to need some more time before being legitimately competitive, but it's a brutal start in California nonetheless. Macklin Celebrini is still electric, and he's started at a point-per-game pace. But the defense is as leaky as they come, allowing a ridiculous 25 goals in five games. After 19 wins in 2023-24 and 20 last year, do the Sharks have what it takes to improve on those totals? Right now, all things considered, it's hard to say.

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