NHL Power Rankings Week 2: Avalanche Lead Initial Rankings

The Colorado Avalanche take the No. 1 spot in our initial power rankings with a 0.96 rating, establishing a 0.28 rating gap over the No. 2 Carolina Hurricanes. Because this is our first edition, there are no previous rankings to compare against, meaning we evaluate early results and efficiency directly from scratch. Across the top tier, early results showcase a distinct contrast between high-octane shooting percentages and elite shot prevention.

The Top Five Leaders

Colorado Avalanche (3-2-0, +0.96 rating) Colorado holds the top position behind a league-best goal output of 5.2 goals per game, backed by a rank of 1 in goals for and a shooting rank of 3 at 16.0%. The Avalanche posted a 1-2-0 week record, dropping a 2-3 game to the Winnipeg Jets (No. 24) and a 3-6 home contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs (No. 25) alongside a 7-3 road win over the Calgary Flames (No. 31). Despite a save rank of 25 with an 86.7% save percentage, their high shot volume of 32.4 shots per game maintains their place at the peak.

Carolina Hurricanes (5-1-1, +0.68 rating) Carolina secures No. 2 with 11 standings points and a 0.04 rating gap over the team below them. The Hurricanes went 4-0-0 this week, recording a 6-4 victory over the Montréal Canadiens (No. 14), a 7-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks (No. 32), a 5-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks (No. 30), and a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers (No. 23). Their defensive structure stands out with a shots-against rank of 2, allowing 21.4 shots per game while ranking 4 in goals for at 3.86 per game.

Tampa Bay Lightning (4-1-0, +0.64 rating) Tampa Bay sits at No. 3 with 8 standings points and a 0.09 rating gap over No. 4. Their week record finished at 3-0-0, featuring a 4-1 home victory over the Philadelphia Flyers (No. 23), a 3-2 home win against the Minnesota Wild (No. 5), and a 5-3 road win over the Islanders (No. 16). The Lightning combine a shots-for rank of 7 at 30.4 per game with a goals-against rank of 8, allowing 2.4 goals per game.

Dallas Stars (2-2-1, +0.55 rating) Dallas enters at No. 4 while holding a 0.08 rating gap over the team directly behind them. The Stars put together a 2-0-1 week record, delivering back-to-back shutouts in a 5-0 home win over the San Jose Sharks (No. 29) and a 4-0 road victory against the Buffalo Sabres (No. 10) before falling 1-2 in a shootout against the Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 6). Dallas holds a rank of 1 in save percentage at 93.6% and a rank of 1 in goals against, limiting opponents to 1.4 goals per game.

Minnesota Wild (3-1-1, +0.47 rating) Minnesota rounds out the top group at No. 5 with 7 standings points and a 0.03 rating gap over No. 6. The Wild completed a 1-1-1 week record on the road, dropping a 2-3 result in overtime against the Buffalo Sabres (No. 10) and a 2-3 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning (No. 3) before claiming a 4-1 victory against the Florida Panthers (No. 26). Minnesota showcases tight defensive play with a save rank of 2 at a 93.6% save percentage and a goals-against rank of 2 at 1.8 goals per game.

Early Efficiency Metrics

Across the front-runners, contrasting team profiles define the early numbers. While Colorado relies on sheer scoring drive with 26 goals for through five games, Dallas and Minnesota have set defensive benchmarks by keeping opponent scoring under two goals per game. Carolina leads all featured teams in standings points, using heavy shot control to anchor its spot near the top.

The full rankings

This is our first edition, so there are no previous ranks.

Rank	Team	Record	Rating
1	Colorado Avalanche	3-2-0	+0.96
2	Carolina Hurricanes	5-1-1	+0.68
3	Tampa Bay Lightning	4-1-0	+0.64
4	Dallas Stars	2-2-1	+0.55
5	Minnesota Wild	3-1-1	+0.47
6	Pittsburgh Penguins	3-2-1	+0.44
7	Ottawa Senators	4-1-0	+0.43
8	Boston Bruins	4-2-0	+0.40
9	Utah Mammoth	4-2-0	+0.39
10	Buffalo Sabres	2-3-0	+0.35
11	Washington Capitals	3-2-0	+0.32
12	Vegas Golden Knights	5-1-0	+0.29
13	Edmonton Oilers	4-0-1	+0.27
14	Montréal Canadiens	2-2-1	+0.18
15	New York Rangers	5-2-0	+0.13
16	New York Islanders	2-3-0	−0.04
17	Columbus Blue Jackets	2-2-0	−0.06
18	St. Louis Blues	2-2-1	−0.09
19	Nashville Predators	2-1-2	−0.12
20	Anaheim Ducks	4-1-0	−0.18
21	Seattle Kraken	4-2-0	−0.20
22	Detroit Red Wings	1-3-1	−0.24
23	Philadelphia Flyers	0-5-2	−0.30
24	Winnipeg Jets*	3-1-1	−0.32
25	Toronto Maple Leafs*	3-2-1	−0.32
26	Florida Panthers	2-1-2	−0.33
27	New Jersey Devils	2-2-0	−0.35
28	Los Angeles Kings	0-2-2	−0.37
29	San Jose Sharks	3-2-0	−0.52
30	Chicago Blackhawks	1-5-0	−0.90
31	Calgary Flames	0-5-0	−0.91
32	Vancouver Canucks	2-5-0	−1.25

* Tied on rating rounded to 0.01; ordered by recency-weighted scoring margin.

Ratings as of Monday, October 12, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET, methodology version 1.0.0. No injury or roster context source is configured for this sport.