ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 21: Stanley Cup contenders on full display

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ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 21: Stanley Cup contenders on full display

Colin Gallant, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Mar 16, 2026 ·

27 min read

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Hockey fans, we've officially reached the final month of the 2025-26 NHL campaign. With exactly 31 days left in the regular-season, the best tournament in professional sports is now just around the corner. It's been just over a week since the trade deadline , and if we didn't know already, it's becoming crystal clear who the Stanley Cup contenders are this spring.

If you've watched the Stars recently, who are in the midst of a ridiculous 14-0-1 stretch — without Mikko Rantanen or Roope Hintz in the lineup — you'll know that Dallas is one of them. So are the resurgent Buffalo Sabres , who have lost just once since league play resumed after the Winter Olympics. As superstar defenseman Rasmus Dahlin stated so eloquently, the club is so close this year because of the players "drinking beers" together. What a culture.

Of course, Nazem Kadri and the Colorado Avalanche remain the favorites, with a three-point cushion in what is shaping up to be a terrific President's Trophy race down the stretch. And don't count out the Tampa Bay Lightning , Carolina Hurricanes or Minnesota Wild , who round out the league's elite.

Every squad now has between 14-17 games left , and the wildcard race in both conferences is getting insane. In the East, nine teams are separated by just eight points. And in the West, the fight for the final postseason slots has four clubs within five points. And that's not even counting the surging Winnipeg Jets or St. Louis Blues — more on that shortly. It's going to be a ridiculous race to the finish on both sides, and we're here for it.

Things are only going to get better — and more heated — over the final month of the campaign. We've already seen a playoff atmosphere in several games in March, and that's going to continue in a big way down the stretch. If you don't believe me, just look at Connor McDavid and Connor Bedard , who both decided to drop the gloves last week. Definitely didn't have that on our bingo cards.

All that said, every single contest is absolutely critical for so many franchises, and even the teams that are out will be looking to play spoiler over the final four weeks. Of course, ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings has recorded all of the movement after another frantic seven days of hockey — and we fully expect the jockeying to continue in earnest ahead of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Read on for all the latest.

1. Colorado Avalanche (no change)

The Avalanche are at the top of the mountain for another week, but the hold is getting more and more precarious by the day. They've greatly improved after a challenging month of January, but have watched what should have been an insurmountable President's Trophy lead drop to mere points. Now, Colorado doesn't care about that, but they do care about winning the Central Division and getting away from Minnesota in Round 1. And the way the Stars are playing, that is no sure thing. Still, the Avs have won six of eight, and with Kadri back in the fold, all signs point to Jared Bednar's group finishing strong over their final 17 games of the regular-season.

2. Dallas Stars (+1)

It's one thing to go on a 15-game point streak; it's another thing completely to do it without your best player and top center. The Stars are looking like an absolute wagon at the perfect time, and have gotten even better and harder to play against with the additions of Tyler Myers and Michael Bunting . After losing in back-to-back-to-back Western Conference Finals, this roster is desperate to advance to Round 4 for the first time in six years. And this is probably the best chance they'll have, considering the Oilers have been much worse than in previous years. Dallas continues to have Colorado's number in the playoffs, but will that continue in 2026? We can't wait to potentially find out.

3. Buffalo Sabres (+1)

Tage Thompson , five one-timers in a row anyone? The Sabres are just having fun out there, and it's clear that this team is truly having a blast in 2025-26. Buffalo has vaulted into first place in the Atlantic Division, and into the top-three in the NHL Power Rankings for the first time in ClutchPoints history. We just love watching this club play, especially when the games end 8-7. Not only is there going to be playoff hockey in Western New York for the first time in 15 years, this is a legitimate contender to come out of a wide open Eastern Conference, and the way they're playing, Buffalo could beat any team in the NHL in a seven-game series.

4. Carolina Hurricanes (-2)

Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour was behind the bench for the 600th time in Saturday night's 4-2 win over the Lightning, and he made history by recording his 367th victory. That's the most of any bench boss in NHL history through the first 600 games of a career, which is incredibly impressive for the superstar-turned-coach. After captaining Carolina to its first and only Stanley Cup championship in 2006, he's come extremely close to taking this club back to the Finals. In 2025-26, the Canes are again a wagon at 42-18-6. Will this be the year they finally break through and return to hockey's ultimate series for the first time in 20 years? Only time will tell.

5. Minnesota Wild (no change)

It doesn't really matter how the Wild play over their last 14 games; not mathematically, anyways. There's no way they're catching a Stars team that simply cannot lose right now, and there's also no way the Mammoth , who are 14 points back, are catching them. Barring an absolute miracle, it'll be Minnesota finishing third place in the Central Division. That means it'll be either Colorado or Dallas in Round 1, which is going to be incredibly challenging to say the least. It would be nice to finish strong, though, and this team is doing the opposite. The Wild have lost four of five, and really need to right the ship and start creating some positive momentum before the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

6. Tampa Bay Lightning (no change)

Where is the Lightning team that only lost two games between Dec. 20 and Feb. 25? This has looked like a completely different club since the Olympic break, and the 2-7 record since then is telling. Andrei Vasilevskiy , one of the best goalies in NHL history, has been terrible. He needs to find his game, and fast, while the Bolts need to find a way to start scoring more goals. They can still win the Atlantic Division if they turn things around, but that's looking less and less likely with every defeat. This is still a Stanley Cup contender, but for a squad that hasn't been past Round 1 since 2022, we are a lot less confident than we were a couple of weeks ago.

7. New York Islanders (+1)

With every game that goes by, the Islanders look more and more playoff ready. Brayden Schenn was a key addition at 2C, while Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal continue to play inspired hockey on the top line. Add in strong goaltending and continued excellence from future franchise defenseman Matthew Schaefer , and it's not hard to see why New York continues to climb up the NHL Power Rankings in 2026. They won't catch Carolina, who are nine points ahead, but they look like the favorites to finish second in the division. That's obviously not a sure thing, but with no other Metro teams looking competitive besides Pittsburgh and Columbus, it would take a serious fall from grace to fail to advance to the postseason this spring. This is a team built to make some noise, and that's especially true with Schenn and Ondrej Palat — guys who know what it takes to win — in the fold.

8. Montreal Canadiens (-1)

For the first time in his 13-year NHL career, Brendan Gallagher served as a healthy scratch in a 4-2 loss to Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks on Saturday evening. He was back in the lineup the next day, but was a non-factor as Montreal fell 4-3 to Anaheim to end what was a poor weekend at the Bell Centre. It was a disappointing couple of tilts for the Canadiens, but considering it came on the heels of three consecutive victories, they're only taking a minor hit in the NHL Power Rankings on this Monday. The Habs remain in third in the Atlantic Division, and just six points out of first, but they're going to need to be much better to hold onto that spot with the Bruins , Red Wings and Senators lurking. The postseason is by no means a sure thing, and the next two games — against Boston and Detroit — are absolutely crucial.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins (no change)

The Penguins have, understandably, struggled in the absences of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin , but they won't have to play too many more games without the future Hall of Famers. Malkin will return on Monday night in Colorado after his five-game suspension for slashing Rasmus Dahlin in the face ends, while Crosby was working with the extras and could be an option as soon as Wednesday night in Carolina. A gauntlet of a way to start the week, and Pittsburgh has lost five of seven as it is. We expect those results will improve with the veterans back in the fold, although they're in jeopardy of falling behind the Islanders and Blue Jackets , who both have been much better as of late.

10. Anaheim Ducks (+1)

The Ducks were plastered across NHL headlines last week after Radko Gudas' knee-on-knee hit that ended Auston Matthews' season . A five-game suspension just doesn't feel right, and considering it came just weeks after the bruising Czech defenseman took out Sidney Crosby in the Olympics, it probably left a bad taste in the mouths of many hockey fans — this writer included. On a more positive note, John Carlson made his Anaheim debut on Sunday, and played over 22 minutes in a thrilling 4-3 victory over Montreal at the Bell Centre. It was a necessary victory, as the Ducks had lost three of four, all in regulation, before that. It's another busy week for the club, as Trevor Zegras returns to the Honda Center as a visitor on Wednesday night. We're very curious to see what the reception will be for the former ninth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

11. Boston Bruins (+2)

The Bruins continue to rotate wins and losses, a reality that hasn't changed since before the Olympic break. They remain in the Eastern Conference's top wildcard slot, and are just two points away from the Habs in the Atlantic. At the same time, they're a point away from being out of a playoff spot altogether. That's how tight things are with 31 days left. It's looking like a coin flip as to whether Boston will remain in the position they're in, although the play certainly needs to improve. They've banked a couple of key points past regulation, which has helped them make up some ground in the NHL Power Rankings, but there's a long way to go with 16 games left. After beating the Capitals on the road on Saturday, they'll look to do the same against the Devils and Canadiens on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

12. Ottawa Senators (+4)

It's been a phenomenal week for the Senators, both on and off the ice. On it, they've won five of six games, with Linus Ullmark , for the most part, dialling in. Off it, they got their first-round pick in 2026 restored , which was originally rescinded after the Sens failed to tell the Golden Knights back in 2021 that Evgenii Dadonov had a 10-team no trade list in his contract. That became an issue when, after trading the Russian to the strip, Vegas tried to trade Dadonov to Anaheim, who were on that list, midway through the 2021-22 season. Ottawa was viewed as the guilty party for that mishap, but with new management taking over, they'll again have a selection in the first-round of June's draft. That is huge for the franchise, which is surging and now just three points out of a playoff spot. Still lots of work to do, but this roster is looking potent right now, and that's without the services of top defenseman Jake Sanderson .

13. Utah Mammoth (-1)

Nick Schmaltz got the bag from Utah last week , signing a Mammoth eight-year, $64 million contract extension that will keep him in Salt Lake City for, most likely, the rest of his career. That pact has the potential to age quite badly, but it looks great right now, especially as the 30-year-old is in the midst of his best ever campaign. Him and Clayton Keller are leading the charge, and the club has a four-point cushion at the top of the wildcard race. But things are tightening up, as the Mammoth have lost four in a row, two in regulation and two in overtime. They need to bust the slump quickly, as a bad final month won't be enough to keep them in the top-eight. And that would be devastating for an energized fanbase that is ready for postseason puck at the Delta Center.

14. Detroit Red Wings (-4)

The wheels are completely falling off for the Red Wings, who are still in a playoff spot but are not providing any type of confidence that they still will be in a month from now. Not only has Detroit lost three in a row and six of eight, but they're now playing without two of their most important players in Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp . The pair will be re-evaluated in around a week and a half, but the depth down the middle in Motown right now is, well, not good. It's just brutal for fans of the Wings, as they looked like a shoo-in to advance to the dance not too long ago. The way things are going, they could be out of postseason positioning by this time next week.

15. Florida Panthers (-1)

The Panthers continue to be battered by injuries, with Sam Reinhart the latest victim. The star Canadian, who has played more hockey than almost anyone else over the last three seasons — three Stanley Cup runs, 4 Nations Face-Off, Olympics — won't travel with the team on its four-game road trip. The playoff chances are basically dashed anyways after a stretch of nine losses in 11 games, although Florida was able to come out on top in three straight before an uncharacteristic 6-2 beatdown at the hands of Seattle to end the week. The dream is basically over for the back-to-back defending champions, although the NHL Power Rankings continues to rate them higher than they deserve. At this point, they're playing spoiler, and they'd love to continue that on Thursday against the team whose hearts they broke in both the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers won the first matchup between the two teams in November, but this time around, there's a lot less to play for from a Panthers perspective.

16. Vegas Golden Knights (+2)

The Golden Knights are lucky that the Pacific is the worst division in the National Hockey League, as they remain second despite slumping since the middle of January. Vegas has finally gotten back on track, following up a brutal stretch of six regulation losses in seven games by winning two straight to conclude Week 20. Those were both Adin Hill masterclasses; he allowed just two goals in a 6-2 win over the Penguins before shutting out the Blackhawks in a 4-0 final two nights later. He's started four straight games and taken back the net from Akira Schmid , and it's encouraging to see him finally find his game after an abysmal month and a half. Both of those contests were at T-Mobile Arena, and the homestand continues against the Sabres and Mammoth on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

17. Columbus Blue Jackets (+2)

The Blue Jackets continue to surge under Rick Bowness, and they're now just a single win away from leapfrogging both the Bruins and Red Wings and taking over top spot in the wildcard race. They're also just two points back of both the Penguins and Islanders, who are second and third in the Metropolitan Division, respectfully. All that to say, Columbus is going to control its destiny down the stretch. Conor Garland has been a magical fit in Ohio; he recorded consecutive multi-goal games for the first time in his career shortly after being traded from Vancouver , and he adds another weapon to a very deep offensive core. The Jackets have lost in regulation just once since the end of the Olympics, but they've lost a ridiculous four times in overtime in that span. It's time to turn around that 3-on-3 fortune down the stretch, or better yet, start winning in regulation.

18. San Jose Sharks (-1)

The Sharks continue to be oh-so-close to breaking a long postseason drought, but losing four of six games is not how they wanted the true stretch run to begin. The top line of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Collin Graf is excellent, but there's just not enough help from lower down the roster right now. The silver lining is that San Jose has games on hand on every single other team in the Western Conference playoff race; they're one of just three teams with 17 contests remaining. That's a small bonus, but it won't matter if they can't bank some points. Things won't get any easier with Edmonton and Buffalo on the docket to start the week. Hopefully they can get Ty Dellandrea back in the lineup soon; he hasn't played since January due to injury, but signed a two-year extension on Friday .

19. Washington Capitals (-4)

The Capitals are taking a significant hit in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 21, mainly because this is just not the same roster without legendary defensemen John Carlson. Oh, and they've lost five of seven games as the already fading playoff hopes take another hit. Could Cole Hutson be the Carlson replacement? The younger brother of Lane Hutson signed his entry-level contract late last week after racking up 80 points in 74 games for Boston University over the last two seasons. He could join the lineup right away, but things are not looking good in the nation's capital. Now six points back of the playoffs with only 14 games left, it's going to take a miracle to get Washington in. And the invisibility of Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin as of late is not helping matters at all.

20. Edmonton Oilers (no change)

You know things are getting bad in Alberta when Connor McDavid is dropping the gloves. That is just not something you see very often from the NHL's leading scorer. But frustrations have boiled over, and it's hard to blame No. 97, who has 114 points in 68 games. The captain is doing everything he can, and you have to respect his willingness to play the hard game, especially when getting destroyed by the Stars on Thursday night (final score: 7-2). The Oilers are still third place in the Pacific Division and very likely to make the playoffs, but the Kraken, Sharks and Kings are hot on the trail. The most concerning part of all of it is Leon Draisaitl getting injured in Sunday's win over Nashville , and head coach Kris Knoblauch not having an update on the German superstar afterwards. It goes without saying that this team cannot afford to lose him for any length of time. The marquee game this week comes on Thursday night, a two-time Stanley Cup Final rematch against a struggling Panthers squad in a rivalry contest that may have already run its course.

21. Philadelphia Flyers (+1)

The Flyers have actually been relatively good since the Olympic break, winning six of their last nine games and getting within six points of a playoff spot. We still aren't at all convinced that Philly has the juice to finish the job, but we'll wait to see what the next couple of games bring. This club is on the road for all three this week, playing in Anaheim on Wednesday, LA on Thursday and San Jose on Saturday. The big one is obviously the former, as Zegras — who has been outstanding in the City of Brotherly Love — returns to the team that drafted him. The first time the Ducks and Flyers played this season, in Philly, he scored twice. How will he be received in his first game back as a visitor at the Honda Center? Given how poor he was to end his career there, we can't imagine the reception will be overly positive.

22. Winnipeg Jets (+2)

Don't look now, but there's a new Captain America in town. Move aside Jack Hughes , because Connor Hellebuyck has his eyes on the playoffs, and the reigning league MVP is going to do everything he can to get his club there. The Jets have won six of 10, picked up a point in eight of those, and have decreased the magic number for a postseason berth in the West to just five points. They're in a very similar boat to the surging Blues, which we'll talk about shortly, but with two more points and a game in hand. Unfortunately for Winnipeg, they have a very challenging schedule the rest of the way, with Colorado and Vegas twice, along with Dallas, as a couple of the opponents. This team has been great lately, and will need to be even better to avoid being one of the few teams that have followed up a President's Trophy win by missing the dance altogether the next season.

23. New Jersey Devils (-2)

The Devils have played just under .500 hockey since the end of January, and that pace is not going to be anywhere good enough to take them on a miracle run into playoff positioning. In fact, they're now just four points up on the surging Rangers, and there's a very real chance they finish dead last in the Eastern Conference. Just a brutal season in Newark, NJ, and considering nine of their final 16 games are on the road, we have no confidence left in this roster. We'll see what the next couple of games bring, but a difficult five-game road trip that begins on Wednesday could be curtains on the near-zero postseason chances.

24. Seattle Kraken (-1)

As has been the case for weeks, the Kraken continue to hold onto the final wildcard berth in the West for dear life. They've won back-to-back games after dropping four straight, and currently have a one-point cushion on the Sharks, and are two up on the Kings. It goes without saying that every point will matter over their final 16 contests. How about Bobby McMann, who has fit like a glove in the Emerald City to the tune of three goals and five points in his first two games? Seattle badly needs him to keep up that kind of production, and a 6-2 victory over the defending champion Panthers on Sunday is encouraging. Next up is a visit from the Lightning on Tuesday before a gruelling six-game road trip that will surely make or break the campaign.

25. St. Louis Blues (+3)

There's no chance the Blues are going to go from last place in the Central Division to a playoff spot. Surely not after trading captain Brayden Schenn and top defenseman Justin Faulk. What is in the water in Missouri in March?! St. Louis went on a tear at this exact time last year, and with Robby Thomas back in the lineup, they've won seven of 10. It would be an incredible story, but there is still a long way to go. The Blues are seven points back, and they only have 15 games left. Crazier things have happened, but it would take probably 12 or 13 wins. It's not impossible, it's just very improbable. Nonetheless, an extremely impressive run for a roster that could have folded without Schenn and Faulk, but has instead done the complete opposite. Wednesday (in Calgary) and Saturday (in Vancouver) against the two worst teams in the league are absolute must-wins.

26. Los Angeles Kings (no change)

Anze Kopitar became the Kings' all-time leading scorer last week, and he'll go down as probably the greatest player to ever wear an LA jersey not named Wayne Gretzky. The Slovenian star, in his final NHL season, recorded his 1,308th career regular-season point on Saturday night, passing fellow legend Marcel Dionne. It's an incredible accomplishment for one of the game's most respected players, and he'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer when the time comes. But right now, you know he'd love to go on one more playoff run, and the Kings are just two points out of a wildcard berth. The quest continues in Artemi Panarin's return to New York on Monday night — more on that in about two seconds.

27. New York Rangers (+4)

The Rangers probably picked the absolute worst time to go on their best run of the season. Leave it to New York to basically wave the white flag on the season after trading Panarin, just to win four games in a row and seven of eight. Management can't be all too pleased with that, especially considering this team is still last place in the Eastern Conference despite the hot streak, with virtually no chance of advancing to the dance. Speaking of Panarin, he'll make his highly-anticipated return to Madison Square Garden on Monday, with the Kings in town. He should receive a heroes welcome, as he never wanted to leave Broadway and remains one of the best players in franchise history. Besides that, we'd be remiss not to mention the scorching top line of Alexis Lafreniere, Mika Zibanejad and Gabriel Perreault, which has been on an absolute tear over the last few games.

28. Nashville Predators (-3)

After moving on from a couple of effective depth players ahead of the trade deadline, the Predators are fading away in the Western Conference playoff race. Every point counts down the stretch, and Nashville is just not banking enough of them — not by a long shot. After Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Oilers, the Preds have lost eight of 11 and fallen to four points back of the final wildcard berth. It's not an impossible hill to climb, but there are a fair few teams to leapfrog, and the play as of late has not been at all encouraging. A critical four-game week awaits, and contests against two of the teams they are chasing — the Jets and Kraken on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively — are virtual must-wins.

29. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2)

The Maple Leafs finally snapped a long eight-game losing streak against the Ducks on Thursday night, but it still feels like they lost. As we all know by now, Gudas injured superstar and captain Auston Matthews with a dirty knee-on-knee hit in the second period. Gudas was given a five-minute major and eventually given a controversial — to say the least — five-game suspension. But no one on the ice stepped up for Matthews, who has an MCL tear and will miss the rest of the season. Just brutal. What else can you say, it's truly embarrassing all around, and you have to feel for the American gold medalist. It was a new low in a 2025-26 season that has been chalk full of them in Leafland, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if neither Craig Berube nor Brad Treliving had a job next year.

30. Chicago Blackhawks (-1)

Connor Bedard fighting?! It's surprising but not shocking considering it's turning into another lost campaign in the Windy City. And you know the future captain wants to win. The Blackhawks look destined to finish last place in the Central Division after dropping 12 of 16, and their fading postseason hopes seem to be all but dashed with 16 games left. It's nice to see guys like Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen heating up down the stretch, but what this franchise would really like is another high draft pick. After being shut out by the Golden Knights on Saturday, they'll play a home-and-home with the Wild this week, starting at the United Center on Tuesday and concluding at the Grand Casino Arena two nights later.

31. Calgary Flames (-1)

Although you can probably make the argument that the Flames are currently the worst roster in the NHL, lacking a single star player, they remain a full 11 points ahead of the Canucks with 16 games left in both Pacific Division basement dwellers' seasons. For that reason, Calgary is staying out of last place — for at least one more week. Still, this team is terrible, having lost seven of 10 games since the Olympics. But general manager Craig Conroy is rebuilding beautifully, and no franchise has even close to as much draft capital as the Flames do over the next couple of NHL Drafts. In a few years, this club projects to be very, very good. But right now, they're very, very bad, and likely cannot wait to get on the golf course.

32. Vancouver Canucks (no change)

It's hard to fathom that any team could have a goal differential of minus-75 in the greatest hockey league in the world. Enter the 2025-26 Canucks, who seem to sink to new lows on a weekly basis. Make that 13 losses in 16 games for Vancouver, who have nothing at all to play for except lottery odds, which has been the case for months now. Really, it's been the case since Quinn Hughes was traded to Minnesota. The silver lining is that, after a decade and a half of trying to retool on the fly, management has finally decided to tear it down to the studs. It's going to be a brutal couple of seasons in British Columbia, but the hope is that, sometime around 2030, this franchise can again start competing for Stanley Cups again. That'll be a lot easier if they earn the No. 1 overall pick in Buffalo come the end of June.

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