ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 8: Avalanche in a league of their own ahead of Thanksgiving

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ClutchPoints’ NHL Power Rankings, Week 8: Avalanche in a league of their own ahead of Thanksgiving

Colin Gallant, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Nov 24, 2025 ·

28 min read

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The post ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings, Week 8: Avalanche in a league of their own ahead of Thanksgiving appeared first on ClutchPoints .

We could be watching Dallas Stars superstar Mikko Rantanen turn into a villain in front of our very eyes. One of the most skilled players in the NHL made headlines for all of the wrong reasons in Week 7, throwing two dirty hits from behind in a span of three games — the latter of which earned him a call from the league.

It started on Tuesday, when Rantanen crushed New York Islanders defenseman Alex Romanov into the boards from behind late in a one-goal game. He was surprisingly not suspended, despite Romanov suffering an injury that will cost him 5-6 months. Four days later, Rantanen received a match penalty for boarding Calgary Flames' Matt Coronato , and this time, the Department of Player Safety did suspend him.

It was a tough stretch for the Finn, who has also been fined multiple times for embellishment this season. Let's just say that the final meeting between the Stars and Isles — on March 26, 2026 — will be appointment viewing for hockey fans, and one way or another, there will be fireworks.

Headlining Week 8 of the NHL slate is American Thanksgiving; the league will step aside and let the National Football League rule the day, with no games scheduled for this Thursday. It's a generally packed slate otherwise , with 15 tilts and 30 teams in action on both Wednesday and Friday, as well as 11 more games on Saturday. That includes a full day of puck on Friday; the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings kick things off at 12:00 p.m. ET, with games continuing throughout the day. That should be a terrific 12 hours of hockey.

With the 2025-26 season now nearly two full months in, the movement in the latest edition of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings is significant as a busy month of November reaches its climax. Let's dive in.

1. Colorado Avalanche (no change)

There used to be some intrigue when it came to the peak of the NHL Power Rankings, and there have generally been at least a couple of teams that could stake a claim for that No. 1 slot on any given week. But that is no longer the case nearly eight weeks into the 2025-26 season. The 16-1-5 Avalanche are the best team in the National, and it's not even remotely close at this point. What else can you say? Colorado has won nine games in a row, opened up a seven-point lead in the President's Trophy race, and not lost in regulation since October 25. As it stands, Nathan MacKinnon will be winning the Hart, Cale Makar has another Norris locked up, and Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood are well on their way to winning the Jennings Trophy, given to the tandem that gives up the fewest goals scored in a season. It's been a while since we've asked this question — about any team — but the time has come. Will the Avs ever lose again?

2. Dallas Stars (no change)

Despite Rantanen drawing significant ire across the league after his actions last week, the Stars remain the only team that can keep up with the Avalanche — in both the Western Conference standings and atop the NHL Power Rankings. Dallas has won six of eight games, the only two losses being the two where Rantanen received five-minute majors. Those were a pair of 3-2 defeats at the hands of the Isles and Flames, two contests that could have went either way. The squad will be without its leading scorer for Tuesday night's tilt in Edmonton , which is the only NHL game on the schedule for that night. But Jason Robertson continues his tear, and he's now up to 13 goals and 28 points in 22 games. The reinforcements have also started to arrive; captain Jamie Benn returned from a collapsed lung sustained in the preseason, while Matt Duchene is with the team on its four-game road trip and could return from LTIR at some point over the next seven days.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning (+3)

After starting the season with six losses in seven games — and looking like an afterthought — the Lightning said not so fast. Since then, Tampa Bay has lost just three times in 14 tries, which is incredibly impressive for a league with this much parity. Even with multiple players out with injury — the most notable being captain Victor Hedman — the Bolts just keep on winning prolifically. They've improved to 12-7-2 after winning all three of their games in Week 7; a 5-1 victory over the Devils, followed by a 2-1 overtime win over the Oilers , capped off by a 5-3 triumph over the Capitals. This is the Lightning team we are used to seeing, and in a wide open Eastern Conference, no one would be too surprised to see them at the top of the table come April.

4. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)

The Hurricanes are one of the NHL's elite, but they've begun to falter, if only slightly, as of late. After racking off four straight wins early in the month, they've rotated losses and wins since November 11, failing to create any continued forward progress in that span. A 4-1 loss to the Sabres was an ugly way to end the week, although it did come at the end of a four-game road trip. The team will return home for the next seven, which will keep them in Raleigh until December 9. That has to be a good feeling after spending a week in hotels, and the results should begin to turn around for a roster with a ton of skill. Oddly, there were reports this week that Andrei Svechnikov asked for a change of scenery earlier in the year and was denied. He's been a lot better as of late, so it seems that trade request is now firmly in the rearview mirror.

5. Anaheim Ducks (+3)

Welcome to the top-five, Anaheim. The way this young roster is playing, it was only a matter of time. The Ducks won three of four in Week 7, two of those coming in overtime. Olen Zellweger was the hero in a 3-2 victory over the Mammoth last Monday, and Cutter Gauthier called game to secure a 4-3 win over the Golden Knights on Saturday night. The sniper is up to 13 goals — tied for sixth league-wide — and he's got to be getting at least a look for Team USA come February. With Lukas Dostal continuing to start most games and almost always giving his team a chance to win, the Ducks are now 14-7-1 and still first place in the Pacific Division. What a first nearly two months for Joel Quenneville's club.

6. New Jersey Devils (-2)

The Devils just aren't even close to the same team without Jack Hughes , and it showed in a big way in Week 7. New Jersey lost three straight, all in regulation. The fact that all of them were on the road is the only reason they aren't falling even further in the NHL Power Rankings on this Monday. Jacob Markstrom has just had a brutal year, and although Jake Allen is an excellent backup, he conceded six goals in a 6-3 loss to the Flyers on Saturday. That came after a 1-0 loss to the Panthers , which followed a 5-1 shellacking at the hands of the surging Lightning. Getting Dougie Hamilton back in the lineup is huge, but the defense has been sound; it's the offense that is worrisome right now. Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier especially have both really cooled off, and that cannot become a trend. This is still a great roster, but there is some concern in Newark right now.

7. Vegas Golden Knights (+2)

The Golden Knights are back on the right track after a brutal stretch at the beginning of the month. Over the last six games, Vegas has either won in regulation (three times) or at least gotten past regulation (three times), securing nine of a possible 12 points in that span. All three losses came in overtime, one to the Islanders, one to the Wild and one to the Ducks. Still, an excellent stretch of play for a team that is still missing its starting goaltender. Akira Schmid has won the starting role, and he's been very solid over the past two weeks. But the big surprise on the strip is Braeden Bowman, who was called up from the AHL and has managed four goals and five points in his first six NHL games. Absolutely unreal for an undrafted player who began his career with the Henderson Silver Knights but is now, just over a year later, playing on Jack Eichel 's wing, along with the top powerplay unit. Life comes at you fast, and the 22-year-old is making the most of his shot — and then some.

8. Detroit Red Wings (+5)

The new top team in the Atlantic Division is the Red Wings, and they're getting some serious love from the NHL Power Rankings in Week 8. Detroit has won four of six, the highlight being a come-from-behind victory over the Blue Jackets on Saturday. Despite trailing 3-1 midway through the third, the Wings scored two late goals to force overtime before Alex DeBrincat called game in the extra frame. He believes he should make Team USA , and the way he's playing (10 goals and 24 points in 22 games), he certainly deserves a look. After a bit of a timeshare between Cam Talbot and John Gibson , the former has started three of the last four games, winning all three and allowing just six goals. If this team gets good goaltending, and DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond keep up their excellent play, we could finally see Detroit back in the postseason next spring.

9. Florida Panthers (+2)

It took longer than expected, but the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions are finally starting to come around. After hovering around .500 for the first month and change, the Panthers have won four of their last six to improve to 11-9-1. With Eetu Luostarinen suffering a barbecue-related mishap , another forward joins the long injured list, which is disappointing. But Matthew Tkachuk is reportedly targeting a return in the next month, and that's absolutely huge for a team that is still lacking star power. Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart have been great, and they'll be thrilled to have another star back in the fold. It's hard to classify what Florida was dealing with as a Stanley Cup hangover considering all the ailments, and as this roster slowly gets healthy, it should continue banking points going forward.

10. Winnipeg Jets (-5)

The Jets are taking a significant hit in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 8, not just because of their struggles over the last two weeks, but because they just lost the reigning Hart Trophy winner. Connor Hellebuyck , who is far and away the most important player on this team, underwent a minor knee procedure that will cost him 4-6 weeks. It's now up to Eric Comrie to roll with the starting job, and it's been a tough start; he has lost two straight games while giving up seven goals. The mettle is going to be tested and then some over the next month, and we're going to get to see how Winnipeg copes without the best goaltender on the planet. Captain Adam Lowry is back, which is a silver lining, and he signed a five-year, $25 million contract extension to keep him in Manitoba for the foreseeable future.

11. Ottawa Senators (+4)

The Senators just continue to pile up points, and the return of captain Brady Tkachuk is imminent. Ottawa is proving that last year's regular-season success wasn't a fluke, winning five times in seven tries to keep pace with the Red Wings and Lightning in the Atlantic. Linus Ullmark has found his stride, winning two of his last three games while allowing just five total goals. The Sens are 2-for-2 in the first leg of a long road trip, and they'll make five more stops before returning home at the beginning of December. There's no firm date for Tkachuk's return, but Friday night in his hometown of St. Louis would make a lot of sense.

12. Minnesota Wild (+11)

It's almost unbelievable how different this Wild team looks in November compared to October. Minnesota is on an unholy tear, winning five games in a row and nine of 11 dating back to the first of the month, improving to 12-7-4 in the process. You can't say enough about top goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt , who in his last four starts has given up: zero goals, three goals, zero goals, zero goals. Yes, that's three shutouts in four starts, which is just incredible. Filip Gustavsson got in on the action on Friday, shutting out the Penguins in a 5-0 final. That's two full games now the Wild haven't given up a goal, and the offense could probably still reach even greater heights. They'll soon be calling Wallstedt the Wall in St. Paul, and the league leader in shutouts could lead this team right back to the playoffs come April. So far, so good for the league's second hottest team, and there's still a ton of ground to be made up in the NHL Power Rankings.

13. Montreal Canadiens (-6)

The Canadiens were finally able to stem the bleeding following five straight losses, and it was a much-needed victory against the bitter rival Maple Leafs . It's still been an awful stretch for Montreal; the team has won just three times in November, and fallen to 11-7-3 in the process. The injuries are going to take a toll, but even more concerning is the below-average play of both Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes between the pipes. That needs to improve, as does the play of a couple of forwards, including Juraj Slafkovsky , who has only managed 10 points in 21 games. Florian Xhekaj made his NHL debut at the Bell Centre on Hockey Night in Canada, joining brother Arber, and it was an electric one. The 21-year-old got the crowd going with his first fight, and added an assist in the 5-2 win over Toronto . The Habs also added Alex Texier to the roster after he was discarded by the Blues . He could make his debut with the team as soon as this week, over a three-game road trip that takes Montreal through a gauntlet: Utah, Las Vegas and Colorado in Week 8.

14. Boston Bruins (+3)

Although the Bruins have cooled off significantly directly after a seven-game winning streak, the NHL Power Rankings is giving them the benefit of the doubt — and admitting they were probably ranked too low in Week 7. Boston has lost four of six, but three of those defeats came against three strong teams in the Senators, Hurricanes and Ducks, in that order. They're still getting a bump considering they've won seven times in 11 games in the month of November. This is certainly a difficult squad to rank, and at 13-11, it's hard to decide what kind of team this is long-term. We'd be remiss not to mention Morgan Geekie , who is now, wait for it, tied with MacKinnon for the league lead in goals with 17. He's doing his absolute best to help fill the gap that Marchand left when he was traded to Sunrise, and he's been just terrific on a line with David Pastrnak this year.

15. Edmonton Oilers (-3)

Another miserable week for the Oilers, who are now just barely above .500 at 10-9-5. Edmonton has lost four of six, the worst of those a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Sabres last Monday night. Jack Roslovic has been a bright spot with his new team, and it's hard to believe it took so long for him to sign an NHL contract. Despite having the league's third best powerplay, the Oil are 29th in goals against per game and dead last in team save percentage. That's the tale of the tape right there, and not even having two of the best players in the world has been enough to make up for it. No, this team doesn't care too much about the regular-season, but they need to make the playoffs to win the Cup, and right now, they're on the outside looking in.

16. New York Islanders (+6)

A picture is worth 1,000 words, and the above image just about summed up a brutal ending to the Islanders-Stars game last week. Rantanen avoided a suspension, but Romanov will miss the next 5-6 months. Make it make sense. Rantanen is a great player and has been clean throughout his career, but there's no excuse not to suspend the player for this check. The rematch is going to be fiery, to put it lightly, but New York is trying to erase the injustice from their minds. This team has been excellent as of late, winning seven times in nine tries. Ilya Sorokin has turned back the clock, while David Rittich has been a more-than-serviceable backup. And with Bo Horvat scoring 14 goals — tied for third league-wide — and Matthew Schaefer continuing his Calder Trophy case, the Isles are back in business.

17. Seattle Kraken (+3)

There's been a significant disparity between Seattle's standing in the league and in the NHL Power Rankings this season. As of Monday, the Kraken are tied for fifth in the National in points, although they still aren't in the upper echelon of CP's PR's. That will change if the wins keep coming; right now, they've secured nine of a possible 12 points dating back to November 13. We're taking notice of the hot streak, especially with Joey Daccord back to full health. It's safe to say the Kraken have been at least a little bit disrespected in the leaderboard, and that is going to change if they can put together another strong couple of games — starting with a visit from the Stars on Wednesday night.

18. Washington Capitals (+3)

The Capitals still aren't satisfied, but they're starting to turn things around after a middling first month. Washington won three of four games in Week 7, including a 7-4 hammering of the Oilers followed by an 8-4 beatdown of the Canadiens. Although the Caps ended the week with a 5-3 loss to the Lightning, it was a hugely encouraging seven-day stretch nonetheless. And maybe the most encouraging thing of all is the play of Alex Ovechkin ; after managing only two goals in his first 12 games, he's up to 10 goals and 10 assists in 22 games. That included a three-goal, four-point showing against Montreal, and besides being his 33rd career hat trick, it bought him to 1,643 career points. That eclipsed legend Joe Sakic's 1,641, and The Great Eight now stands alone in 10th place all-time in NHL scoring. What him and Sidney Crosby continue to do at this stage in their careers is nothing short of extraordinary. And we aren't taking it for granted.

19. Los Angeles Kings (+1)

20. Chicago Blackhawks (-4)

After picking up a point in six straight games — and winning five of them — between November 5-18, it looked like the Blackhawks were ready to continue climbing up both league standings and the NHL Power Rankings. Instead, Chicago has lost three straight regulation games, managing to score only five goals in that span. A 9-3 beatdown at the hands of the Sabres was concerning, and it's safe to say that absolutely no one expected that kind of final score. Following it up by getting shutout by the Avalanche was enough to send the Hawks on a bit of a tailspin. Just before those three straight losses, Connor Bedard recorded a hat trick in a 5-2 win over Calgary, and he made history along with Macklin Celebrini , who also scored three goals on the same night. They're just the second duo aged 20 or under all-time to score hat tricks on the same day — and the first with both being No. 1 picks. That's a very cool stat, but Bedard probably doesn't care at all. He just wants to get his team back in the win column against the visiting Wild on Wednesday night.

21. Pittsburgh Penguins (-10)

It's been a slow and steady decline for the Penguins, who followed up a relatively successful trip to Sweden by losing back-to-back regulation games. Pittsburgh lost 5-0 to Minnesota in their return to North America, and followed it up with a 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of Seattle the next day. That equates to seven losses in nine games overall. A drop of this magnitude in the NHL Power Rankings isn't very fair, but the outlook is not sunny considering the multitude of injuries the roster is dealing with. It's up to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to turn this ship around, but as we've seen over the last few years, they can't do it alone. On the bright side, the Pens are still 10-6-5 and right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

22. Utah Mammoth (-8)

The NHL Power Rankings have been patient with the Mammoth, but eventually, enough is enough. After looking like one of the league's most potent teams in the early going, Utah has lost seven of nine, falling to 11-8-3 and just barely holding onto a wildcard berth in the Western Conference. The silver lining is that they're still above .500 — and still in a playoff spot — but they won't be for long if they can't bust this slump. After electric starts from Clayton Keller , Nick Schmaltz and Logan Cooley , all three have cooled off, and the Mammoth need more from all three of them. The same goes for Karel Vejmelka , who started off hot but has just three wins in the month of November. After losing 4-1 to the Golden Knights on Thursday, they'll look for some revenge at the Delta Center on Monday night.

23. New York Rangers (-5)

A really, really tough week for the Rangers, who looked like they were just about to turn a corner. Instead, New York has lost four games in a row, all in regulation, dropping them below .500 in the process. The big story in the Big Apple last week was JT Miller's blatant lack of effort on a goal scored by the Golden Knights in a 3-2 loss on Tuesday, and he's now out with injury. Considering he was given the captainly shortly after getting traded from the Canucks, that is a big problem. Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick are an excellent tandem, but the offensive depth just isn't what it once was. The Blueshirts just expect a ton from their top guys, and for the most part, they are not delivering right now. They'll look to right the ship against the lowly Blues at Madison Square Garden on Monday night — a place they have struggled mightily to bank points in 2025-26.

24. San Jose Sharks (+4)

This could be the highest we've seen the Sharks in the NHL Power Rankings in years. That's not hard considering how futile San Jose has been over the last two seasons, but it's encouraging nonetheless. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky has reunited the top line of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and William Eklund, and that trio should be sticking together for the long haul. The Sharks have won three of their last four games, with Yaroslav Askarov continuing to look excellent between the pipes after a tough start. He's the goaltender of the future in California, and the better he plays, the better it is for everyone involved with the franchise. Celebrini joined Bedard with a hat trick last Tuesday, and he continues to lead the charge — and sit second in league scoring behind only MacKinnon. He surely has to have earned his spot on Team Canada at this point, and he's going to be the person to steer this franchise out of the rebuild.

25. Philadelphia Flyers (+2)

The Flyers are certainly improving on last year's disappointing season, having won three of four games and sitting at 11-6-3 through 20 contests. That's good enough for a playoff spot in the East, although calling the conference crowded is an understatement. Philly is finding a way to win games, and when they don't, they're at least getting past 60 minutes. Rick Tocchet's club has lost just once in regulation since November 2, and this pace will be good enough to keep them in the playoff conversation all campaign long. Dan Vladar looks to have secured the top role, having started four of the last five games despite Samuel Ersson being healthy. It looks like the Flyers will ride the hot hand, and so far, so good.

26. Columbus Blue Jackets (no change)

The Blue Jackets are one of the few teams standing pat in the NHL Power Rankings after rotating losses and wins since November 15. Ridiculously, Columbus has gone past regulation six times over eight games, with an even split of three victories and three defeats in that span. An 11-8-3 record isn't bad at all, but it's still not quite enough for a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. It remains a logjam, with the top wildcard team and the last place Leafs separated by just five points. Something will have to give as the season goes on, but CBJ is just worried about closing out a few games in 60 minutes going forward.

27. Buffalo Sabres (+3)

The Sabres are in the midst of their best stretch of the season, which is somewhat surprising considering they lost eight of nine games between October 25 and November 13. Since then, Buffalo has racked off four wins in five tries, scoring 25 goals in that span. The highlight was a 9-3 shellacking of the Blackhawks, which was followed up by a 4-1 victory over one of the Eastern Conference's best teams in the Hurricanes two days later. With three effective goaltenders on the roster after the ascension of Colten Ellis, it seems like only a matter of time before either UPL or Alex Lyon is traded, and Alex Georgiev has already been placed on unconditional waivers. Up front, Tage Thompson continues to make his Team USA case, with goals in six straight games. If this continues as the Sabres start to get healthy, they could end up being surprise playoff contenders despite a brutal first month. That's hockey, baby.

28. Calgary Flames (+3)

Full credit to the Flames, they put together quite an impressive five-day stretch, giving them a nice boost in the NHL Power Rankings and vaulting them ahead of a couple of flailing Canadian clubs in Week 8. Calgary beat Buffalo convincingly on Wednesday, squeaked by Dallas in a shootout on Saturday and downed Vancouver to end the week on Sunday. That equates to their first three-game winning streak of the season, and they've now picked up at least a point in five of their last six games. Not bad at all for a roster that at one point not all that long ago looked entrenched as bottom-feeders. Devin Cooley has been a great story between the pipes; he hasn't played much, but he's leading the league in goals-against average and sits second in save percentage. If he and Dustin Wolf can find consistently strong play, that tandem could be the catalyst in the Flames surprising a lot of people as the campaign rolls on.

29. Vancouver Canucks (-5)

Quinn Hughes is the only thing holding the Canucks together right now, and there's no guarantee he will still be playing hockey in Vancouver at the end of the season. There have been rumblings that, if management doesn't believe he will re-sign long-term, it would be better to trade him this year rather than next, when he's on an expiring contract. That's the last thing this team needs to deal with right now; even with Hughes in the picture, they've already lost three games in a row and six of seven. It's probably not hard to imagine how much worse things could get without the captain in the fold. He scored a highlight-reel goal against the Flames on Sunday night, but the Canucks were already down 5-1 when that happened. It's been a brutal start to Adam Foote's tenure behind the bench, and Thatcher Demko being injured again isn't helping matters at all. Overall, it's hard to imagine a worse start to the 2025-26 campaign in British Columbia.

30. Toronto Maple Leafs (-5)

Yes, the Canucks have had a brutal first eight weeks, but there's another Canadian team that has been just as bad. What an absolute catastrophe this season is turning out to be for the Maple Leafs. Who would have thought Mitch Marner's departure would have such a negative impact? Who would have thought a team of Toronto's caliber would ever be in the bottom-three of the NHL Power Rankings? Auston Matthews and Anthony Stolarz remain injured, along with Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo, and the Leafs have lost seven of their last eight games, falling to 9-10-3. They just can't keep the puck out of their net right now, it's as simple as that. We aren't far from the fanbase changing its attitude from anger to apathy, and that would be a worst-case scenario for one of the league's most storied clubs.

31. St. Louis Blues (-2)

The Blues have had just rotten luck past regulation in 2025-26, and if a couple of bounces had gone another way, they could be much higher on this list in Week 8. St. Louis has gone past 60 minutes six times, and won exactly zero of those games. That includes a pair of 3-2 overtime losses in Week 7, one against Toronto on Tuesday and another vs. Philadelphia two nights later. A 7-9-6 record this early in the campaign is just wacky, but the -23 reveals the extent of the problem. Only one team has a worse goal differential than the Blues, and they're in the NHL Power Rankings basement (more on that in a second). Getting Jake Neighbours back in the lineup is nice, but there are just too many passengers on this roster. If things keep going like they have through 22 games, this squad is going to look a whole lot different after the trade deadline.

32. Nashville Predators (no change)

With only one game on the schedule after flying home from Sweden, the Predators never really had a chance to make up ground in the NHL Power Rankings. But failing to score a single goal in a 3-0 loss to Colorado on Saturday — on home ice, no less — made keeping Nashville in the dreaded No. 32 slot quite easy. Considering they've been shut out in back-to-back games, and have won just twice since October 26, there's really no end in sight for the woes in Smashville. Barry Trotz, if you're reading this, it's time to blow it up. The only silver lining in what is already another lost season for the Preds is that captain Roman Josi returned to the lineup against the Avs, which is great to see after he missed 12 games.

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