ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 14: Jets hitting rock bottom in real time

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ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 14: Jets hitting rock bottom in real time

Colin Gallant, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Jan 5, 2026 ·

26 min read

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What on earth has happened to the reigning President's Trophy winners in 2025-26? After championing last year's regular season for the first time ever on the back of Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck , the Winnipeg Jets authored a miraculous Game 7 comeback against the St. Louis Blues before bowing out to the Dallas Stars in a hard-fought six game, Round 2 series.

No, we didn't expect this Jets team to be quite as potent as the 56-22-4 iteration, especially without Nikolaj Ehlers . But nor did we expect them to sit 32nd in league standings through 40 contests — and, spoiler alert — dead last in ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings in Week 14. It's been an unbelievable fall from grace for Scott Arniel's team, and you've got to think the longtime head coach is approaching the hot seat in 2026 after the club lost a ninth consecutive contest on Saturday.

Have we ever seen a team go from first to worst in the National Hockey League before? It's notable enough to miss the playoffs the campaign after finishing at the top of the table, but to fall all the way to the basement? It's unheard of, and if you make it to the bottom of this week's edition of CP's PR's, we have even more to say on the subject.

Changing gears from the continued futility of the former Central Division behemoths to international puck, Olympic rosters were unveiled last week — and there were no shortage of snubs, especially from powerhouses like Canada and the United States. More on that later. And speaking of Canada and the United States, both have been ousted from the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship. America fell to Finland in the QF, while Canada lost to Czechia in the semis, the third straight year the Europeans have knocked their North American rivals out of the tournament.

It'll be Czechia against Sweden for all the marbles on Monday, and although the attendance in Minnesota hasn't reflected it, this iteration of the World Juniors has been exciting, showcasing a ton of parity and even more high-flying hockey. A little Monday night gold medal game is a great way to kick off both Week 14 and the official second half of the 2025-26 season .

As always, ClutchPoints has you covered on all fronts in the latest edition of the NHL Power Rankings.

1. Colorado Avalanche (no change)

Although the Avalanche had their 10-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup champions on Sunday night, the squad added even more history to an already incredulous 2025-26 resume. Colorado is just the fourth team in NHL history to record two double-digit win streaks in a single season, and for anyone who watches this team, it probably won't be the last. Both Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood were snubbed from Team Canada, which is a bit of a head scratcher as they form the best tandem in the sport. Still, it's the hardest team to make in the world, and for now, the focus is getting back in the win column against the red hot Lightning in a rematch of the 2022 SCF on Tuesday night. Special shoutout to Brent Burns , who played his 965th consecutive game last week, and now sits just 98 behind legend Phil Kessel for the all-time Ironman streak.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (+3)

It's been a while, but we finally have a new No. 2 in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 14. Would anyone be opposed to an Avalanche-Lightning Stanley Cup rematch come June? The 2022 iteration was one of the best championship series' in recent memory, and if we took the best team from each conference as of January 5, it would be Colorado and Tampa Bay doing battle. The Bolts are on a tear, having won seven games in a row and looking like a dominant force in the process. It took a little while, but Nikita Kucherov is reminding us in real time that he's still one of hockey's greats, with 16 points in his last six games. Meanwhile, Andrei Vasilevskiy has been lights out since returning from injury, helping the Lightning improve to 25-13-3 and tops in the East. Nobody would be surprised to see them finish in that spot, and Tuesday night's tilt with the Avs at Benchmark International Arena should be appointment viewing for hockey fans.

3. Dallas Stars (-1)

It says a lot about the Stars that they've lost five games in a row but remain second place in league standings in Week 14. They aren't quite in the same spot in the NHL Power Rankings, but close. Dallas is in unfamiliar territory, their previous longest losing streak in 2025-26 being four games. Three of these defeats came past regulation, so things could certainly be going a different way. But the big news in Texas last week was Jason Robertson's Team USA snub ; it could be the biggest of its kind in the history of international hockey. How many American forwards can we name better than the 26-year-old, who has 24 goals and 49 points in 42 games? Not 14, that is for sure. Disappointing for Robertson, but his main focus right now is getting the Stars out of the funk. Their next chance to get the first win of 2026 is Tuesday night in Carolina — the start of a gruelling six-game road trip.

4. Minnesota Wild (-1)

The Wild have begun to falter for the first time in over a month, losing four of seven games directly after a seven-game winning streak that coincided with Quinn Hughes ' arrival in the State of Hockey. Minnesota is in the midst of a challenging seven-game road trip, but they've won three of the first five, and three of their last four losses have come past regulation. Yes, that is a lot of numbers. They'll play twice more away from home as the World Juniors conclude in Saint Paul, first in Los Angeles on Monday and again in Seattle on Thursday. This squad will be thrilled to return to Minnesota after a lengthy journey, and it would be a highly successful trip if they can find a couple of wins against the Kings and Kraken this week.

5. Florida Panthers (-1)

What a gutsy effort by the Panthers on Sunday night. After a brutal 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers in the Winter Classic — and without key defenseman Seth Jones, who Paul Maurice labelled week-to-week — Florida took on a Colorado team that hadn't lost since December 9. And with Daniil Tarasov between the pipes, the Cats got the better of the Avs, beating their cross-conference foes 2-1 to end the week. They're still heading the wrong way in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 14 after losing three of five overall, but still, an excellent performance all around. The Panthers now head on the road for six consecutive contests, and Matthew Tkachuk is with the team and should return during that span. That is going to be huge as they look to keep pace with the Lightning at the peak of the East the rest of the way.

6. Detroit Red Wings (+1)

The Red Wings were unable to beat the Penguins in their first matchup of the season in Pittsburgh on New Year's Day. And they were unable to beat them in the second meeting of the season in Detroit two days later. That's not ideal, but considering it came after five wins in six games, the Wings are still climbing up the NHL Power Rankings. At 24-15-4, it's been an absolutely terrific first half of the season in Motown, and they're just a point back of the Atlantic Division lead with 39 games to go. It feels like we've been saying this for weeks, but Patrick Kane remains two goals shy of 500, with three more chances to reach the milestone in Week 14.

7. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)

It was a challenging week for the Hurricanes, who played four times and secured just two points in that span. The losses came against a few of the league's hotter teams in the Penguins, Canadiens and Avalanche, but still, not a great showing. Carolina is slowly falling down the NHL Power Rankings, and the news of Pyotr Kochetkov 's season being over after surgery makes things even worse. Brandon Bussi has been excellent between the pipes this year, but you've got to think that the front office is mulling adding another goaltender considering Frederik Andersen 's struggles in 2025-26. This is still a Stanley Cup contender, but the Canes will certainly be hoping that January treats them better than December did.

8. Montreal Canadiens (+2)

Through 42 games, the Canadiens are 23-13-6 and third place in the Eastern Conference. For a team looking to take a step forward in 2025-26, this has been a massive one. Ivan Demidov is right in the thick of the Calder Trophy race, Juraj Slafkovsky continues to get better, and Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are both hovering around a point-per-game pace. Add an even better sophomore campaign from Lane Hutson — he's at 42 points in 42 games — and it's not hard to see why Montreal has been so consistently good this year. The only real area of concern is the goaltending, with the club still holding onto all of Samuel Montembeault , Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes . Eventually, something is going to have to give, but it's safe to say that Marty St. Louis will ride the hot hand down the stretch. Following a long seven-game holiday road trip, the Habs are back at the Bell Centre for four straight, starting with a visit from the Flames on Wednesday.

9. Edmonton Oilers (no change)

The Oilers are tied for the Pacific Division lead, but they're standing pat in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 14 after going 3-3 over their last six. Connor Ingram had his first stinker of the season on New Year's Eve in a 6-2 loss to the Bruins, while Calvin Pickard wasn't much better in a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Flyers three nights later. As we all know, goaltending is the one thing holding the back-to-back defending Western Conference champions from their full potential, although a 20-16-6 record is fine halfway through the year. We expect an even better pace in the back half of the campaign — as per usual — along with a trade deadline acquisition or two ahead of another run for Lord Stanley in the primes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

10. Buffalo Sabres (+2)

The Sabres finally lost a game, but not before the incredible heater reached double digits. From December 9-31, Buffalo went a perfect 10-for-10, and now, they're into the NHL Power Rankings top-10 for the first time in the history of ClutchPoints' rankings. In less than a month, Lindy Ruff's group went from an Eastern Conference afterthought to a legitimate playoff contender, and that's got to feel good for fans in Western New York. It's been nothing but pain for the last 15 years, but are we seeing a light at the end of the tunnel in real time? It's too early to say, but the Sabres are now just two points out of a postseason slot, and they have a ton of positive momentum on their side. After the Blue Jackets snapped the streak, Tage Thompson and co. will look to begin another one when the Canucks visit KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

11. New York Islanders (+2)

The show goes on for Matthew Schaefer , who last week became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to reach 25 points — as well as scoring an electric overtime winner against the Leafs . He's completely changed the trajectory of this Islanders team, who have won four of six since December 23. Bo Horvat got injured again, which is discouraging, but he's only expected to be out a week, and should be healthy for the Olympics after being named to Team Canada. In the absence of another injured player in Ilya Sorokin , David Rittich has been phenomenal, starting seven straight games and picking up at least a point in five of them. This was expected to be a playoff bubble team, but now 23-15-4 and second in the Metropolitan Division, the expectations are even higher on Long Island the rest of the way.

12. Vegas Golden Knights (-4)

What a brutal stretch it's been for the Golden Knights, who are badly missing Adin Hill right about now. Both Carter Hart and Akira Schmid have been abysmal as of late, and Vegas has lost five in a row and eight of nine. A truly miserable holiday season on the strip, and the Knights are lucky they aren't falling even further in Week 14. It's really hard to believe that they're still tops in the Pacific Division, especially considering they're just three points away from dropping out of a playoff spot altogether. Since a couple of the losses came against teams like the Predators, Blues and Blackhawks , the cold streak is even more concerning. Vegas is trying hard to turn the page in 2026, and they remain without a win this calendar year ahead of a matchup with the Jets on Tuesday. With 14 combined losses in a row between the flailing Western Conference clubs, something will have to give at Canada Life Centre.

13. Washington Capitals (-2)

Tom Wilson is well-deserving of a place on Team Canada, and he was the Capitals' best player last week. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury that will cost him at least Monday night's tilt against the visiting Ducks , if not longer. Of even more concern is the fact that Washington has been one of the league's worst teams over the last calendar month, losing 10 of their last 14 games. That has the Caps out of a top-three spot in the Metro, and they're just a point away from falling out of the playoffs altogether. A lot of players need to be better, but Alex Ovechkin managing just three points in 10 games is probably the most glaring stat in this stretch. One roster player who continues to pull his weight despite the skid is Logan Thompson , who also deserves a place on Canada's roster despite being omitted from the 4 Nations Face-Off team last February.

14. New Jersey Devils (no change)

After playing .500 hockey over the last nearly three weeks, the Devils are remaining in the same spot they've been for a little while in the NHL Power Rankings. After beating Columbus on New Year's Eve and Utah three nights later, Luke Hughes had one of his most forgettable major league performances against Carolina on Sunday. Hughes scored two own goals in a 3-1 defeat, and was booed by some of the fans at the Prudential Center. Captain Nico Hischier immediately came to the defense of the youngster, as did a few others, and he should bounce back. Still, it was not a good scene in New Jersey to end the week, and the Devils will look to have a goldfish memory ahead of a four-game road trip that begins in Long Island on Tuesday.

15. Philadelphia Flyers (+2)

The positive results just keep on coming for the Flyers, who have slowly but surely climbed their way up the NHL Power Rankings over the last several weeks. They're now into the upper echelon, which makes sense considering they've won four of six and are just four points back of the Eastern Conference lead. The defensive side of the puck deserves a ton of credit, with Dan Vladar and Sam Ersson both playing inspired hockey, and the blue line — led by Travis Sanheim , Cam York and Jamie Drysdale — becoming one of the league's stingier defensive units. Rick Tocchet has turned this into a playoff contender, and it'll be interesting to see if the Flyers can continue this pace and return to the dance for the first time since 2019-20.

16. Ottawa Senators (no change)

The Senators are off to a great start in 2026, beating the Capitals on New Year's Day and the Jets 48 hours later to begin a fresh calendar year undefeated. Considering it came after three straight losses, though, Ottawa is sticking right in the No. 16 slot in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 14. The Sens currently reside in the murky middle of the Eastern Conference; they're just three points away from a playoff spot, and just three points away from being in the conference basement, that's how close things are right now. Every game is going to be meaningful down the stretch, and that's music to the ears of hockey fans. Travis Green's team will look to make it back-to-back-to-back victories to kick off 2026 against the Red Wings in Canada's capital on Monday night.

17. San Jose Sharks (+1)

Another all-time high for the Sharks in 2026! San Jose was badly outclassed by Tampa Bay on Saturday, losing 7-3, but they had won three games in a row beforehand, and are getting a light bump up the NHL Power Rankings in Week 14. Alex Wennberg secured a well-deserved three-year extension, and he's been terrific in California this year, to the tune of 26 points in 41 games. It continues to be the Macklin Celebrini show; he was a shoo-in for Team Canada after starting his campaign with a ridiculous 63 points in 41 tries. Now tied for the final wildcard berth with the Kraken and Kings, the question of the Sharks returning to the playoffs could come right down the wire before being answered. And we're here for it.

18. Pittsburgh Penguins (+6)

We thought the dream was over for the Penguins after they lost eight straight games between December 7-20. But fast forward a couple of weeks and Pittsburgh has opened up a five-game heater — with victories in six of seven — to return to relevance in the Eastern Conference. In fact, they're back into a playoff spot, and getting the biggest jump of any team in the NHL Power Rankings. It was a busy seven days in Pennsylvania, with Kris Letang hitting 1,200 games, Erik Karlsson reaching 900 points, Yegor Chinakhov scoring his first goal with the Pens, and Sidney Crosby making even more NHL history . Him and Bryan Rust are carrying the offense right now, and both have recorded points in every game throughout Pittsburgh's streak. After three full days off, Dan Muse's club will look to make it six straight triumphs when the Devils visit PPG Paints Arena.

19. Calgary Flames (+1)

Another week, another bump up for the Flames, who continue to look like a playoff team as of late. Despite being third last in the Western Conference, Calgary is just three points out of a wildcard berth, and they've won nine of 13 games to keep the hopes alive. While it seems like Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar rotate standout seasons, both have been rock solid in 2025-26, as has Dustin Wolf between the pipes over the last month. He'll be back in against the visiting Kraken on Monday night as the squad looks to continue to inch closer to postseason positioning in the back half.

20. Anaheim Ducks (-5)

The Ducks might still be above the Flames in league standings, but they're taking a huge hit in ClutchPoints' standings in Week 14. This has been one of the NHL's worst teams over the last month, and Anaheim has secured just two wins in their last 11 games. The offense has fallen off a cliff, most notably Leo Carlsson , who once looked like one of the league's top players but has now not scored a goal since December 11. To make matters worse, Lukas Dostal has been brutal since returning from injury, getting shelled on multiple occasions. He'll get a rest on Monday night in favor of Petr Mrazek , who will look to help the squad snap a five-game losing streak against a Capitals team that has also been struggling mightily. Joel Quenneville's club might still be in a playoff spot, but if this skid continues, they won't be next Monday.

21. Boston Bruins (-2)

The Bruins got the better of the Oilers and Canucks in their last two games, but considering it came after six straight losses, they're continuing on the downward trend this week. Morgan Geekie has cooled off after an incredible first half, while you never know what version you are going to get of Jeremy Swayman between the pipes these days. David Pastrnak is continuing to produce, but he's not getting a ton of help offensively, nor has the blue line succeeded in limiting high-danger opportunities. Like many teams in the mushy middle of the East, Boston is three points out of the basement and three points out of a playoff spot, and we can't wait to see how the conference shakes out in a couple of months.

22. New York Rangers (-1)

While it's been another overall disappointing campaign in the Big Apple, could the Rangers have turned their season around in the 2026 Winter Classic? Mika Zibanejad exploded for five points , including the first hat trick in the history of the event, and New York crushed Florida 5-1 in Miami. Mike Sullivan's club will be looking straight ahead after the big victory, and not back at a stretch of four losses in five tries beforehand. Adam Fox was a brutal snub from Team USA, although his injury and play at the 4 Nations didn't do him any favors. The Blueshirts will look to build on their outdoor success over a brief homestand, with the Mammoth visiting MSG on Monday and the Sabres coming to town three nights later.

23. Nashville Predators (+2)

Welcome to the 600-goal club, Steven Stamkos. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is the 22nd player to reach the incredible feat, and he's helped the Predators continue to surge in 2026. Nashville is officially rejuvenated, with six wins in eight games since December 20. And for the first time since late October, they're back above .500 at 19-18-4. The depth scoring is finally coming through, with guys like Luke Evangelista and Michael Bunting pulling their weight, along with key veterans Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg, and, of course, Stamkos. There's legitimate hope in Smashville for a Preds team that is one point out of a playoff spot, and showing no signs of slowing down in 2026.

24. Seattle Kraken (+4)

The Kraken have looked like a completely different team since being put in the basement of the NHL Power Rankings a couple of weeks ago. On paper, that looks like a seven-game point streak, with 13 of a possible 14 points secured in that span. Add Seattle to the growing list of West teams with playoff aspirations, as they now occupy the top wildcard berth in the conference. Trading Mason Marchment might have lit a fire under this roster, while Phil Grubauer and Joey Daccord have been splitting starts and both looking lights out recently. At 18-14-7, the postseason dream is legitimately alive, and the Kraken will look to keep things rolling in 2026 against the Flames in Calgary on Monday.

25. Los Angeles Kings (-3)

The mediocre stretch continues for the Kings, who are teetering on the edge of complete futility over the last month. Los Angeles has lost eight of 11, but were able to stem the bleeding somewhat in a big 5-4 shootout win over Minnesota on Saturday. Still, a 17-14-9 record is not acceptable for a roster of this caliber, and they've dropped into the final Western Conference wildcard spot, with five teams all within three points. It's as precarious as it gets, and this team just needs to win games at a better pace to avoid missing the postseason altogether. After beating the Wild at home, they'll again play the Wild at home on Monday night, looking for a clean sweep of their cross-division foes.

26. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)

Auston Matthews certainly has a complicated legacy in Toronto, but you can no longer argue that he isn't the greatest sniper in franchise history. Matthews scored his 421st goal last week, passing Mats Sundin to become the Maple Leafs' all-time leading goal scorer. He's been on a heater as of late, highlighted by a hat trick against the lowly Jets on Thursday. The Leafs are on a six-game point streak, with four wins in that span, and are out of the Eastern Conference basement and instead eyeing the Atlantic Division elite. Things are going to get much, much harder without Chris Tanev , who could get surgery and miss the rest of the regular season due to his injury. With Jake McCabe also expected to be out around a week, and William Nylander being placed on IR, it's a next-man-up mentality in Toronto ahead of a visit from the rival Panthers on Tuesday.

27. Utah Mammoth (-4)

We are still waiting for the version of the Mammoth that won eight of 10 games to start the 2025-26 season, and with every week that goes by, it looks less and less likely that that team is coming back. Utah continues to spiral, with four losses in their last six, including a 4-1 defeat at the hands of New Jersey on Saturday. Karel Vejmelka returning to full health is huge, and he'll look to help right the ship at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. But this roster just needs more from its best players, and the Logan Cooley injury continues to be felt. Now 19-20-3, every single point is critical as the quest for the playoffs continues in Salt Lake City.

28. St. Louis Blues (-2)

In his first game after being selected to Team Canada, Jordan Binnington got absolutely shelled by the Avalanche. In his second game after being selected, he shut out the high-flying Canadiens. That's a microcosm of Binnington right there, who was one of the more controversial inclusions to Canada's roster. What he did at the 4 Nations was special, but his play in 2025-26 for the Blues has been abysmal. Regardless, St. Louis continues to hover around .500, and with multiple players on the trade block, it's unlikely they'll be in the dance come April. But crazier things have happened, and there's still a good mix of young talent and responsible veterans on the roster. They'll play three games this week, all on the road, beginning against the Blackhawks in the Windy City on Wednesday.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets (+2)

After spending some time in the basement of the NHL Power Rankings, it looks like the Blue Jackets are turning the page in 2026. Columbus has won four of six games, with Jet Greaves starting all of them. He's looking potent between the pipes, while Mason Marchment has fit like a glove with his new team. The 30-year-old has six points in six games since the trade from Seattle, and he's seeing time on the top line with Kirill Marchenko, along with the top powerplay unit. The Jackets are still last place in the East, but they're only five points out of a playoff spot, and they have some serious momentum on their side. After blowing a 4-1 lead against the Penguins and losing in overtime, they'll look to return to their winning ways over a four-game road trip that begins in San Jose on Tuesday.

30. Chicago Blackhawks (+2)

The Blackhawks have finally shown some signs of life for the first time since Connor Bedard went down. Chicago has followed up eight losses in nine games by winning three straight, including a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Vegas that was highlighted by a Tyler Bertuzzi hat trick. Wins over Washington and Dallas were also encouraging, and the Hawks are one of just a few NHL teams that still haven't lost in 2026. It's not much, but it's something, especially without Bedard or Frank Nazar in the lineup. It'll be interesting to see if this team can keep stringing wins together in January.

31. Vancouver Canucks (-1)

The wheels continue to fall off for the Canucks, who have lost five of six and returned to the basement of the Pacific Division. It's hard to see this team making a second half run, especially considering the injuries are piling up in Vancouver. The lack of talent across the roster doesn't help things, either. Most likely, it will be a high draft pick in 2026, which is probably exactly what management was hoping for after trading away Hughes. Linus Karlsson has been a bright spot and and earned a two-year contract extension , while Tom Willander is getting some reps with the top powerplay unit. It's all about the future now in British Columbia.

32. Winnipeg Jets (-3)

How do the Jets keep on getting worse? After Hellebuyck's injury was announced, Winnipeg is an atrocious 3-14-4, which is a .238 points percentage. The Blackhawks, who are 31st in that span, were 7-13-3. There's just no team even close to as bad as the Manitoba franchise right now, and something is going to have to give. The Jets haven't won since December 13, and Jonathan Toews has got to be wondering what he got himself into. The interesting thing is that Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor continue to produce prolifically; it's the secondary scoring and overall defense that is really hurting them. This is truly rock bottom, and it's going to be intriguing to watch Winnipeg try to climb out of it over the next 42 games.

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