NHL Power Rankings: Capitals Rested and Ready

The Washington Capitals lead the latest NHL power rankings.

Feb 6, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates win against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The 4 Nations Face-Off is wrapping up as the United States and Canada battle for gold. With the tournament ending, regular season games are set to resume soon. It's been nearly two weeks, so let's dive into the latest NHL power rankings.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are becoming a very dangerous team as the season progresses. Winger Jake Guentzel fits like a hand in glove with Tampa Bay, and their offense is elite again. Andrei Vasilevskiy is stellar in net as well. It's all adding up to the rest of the Eastern Conference hoping to avoid them in round one.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs are battling with the Florida Panthers and Lightning for the Atlantic Division lead. It's anyone's guess who will claim it, giving the Leafs an equal chance. Getting Auston Matthews to full health is the biggest concern for Toronto, as fellow stars William Nylander and Mitch Marner continue their All-Star performances. With Anthony Stolarz returning from injury, the team's goaltending tandem is encouraging. The perennial question remains: can the Leafs overcome their postseason struggles?

8. Minnesota Wild

The Wild are one of the hardest-working teams and continue to trudge through despite the absence of superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov. So far, the Wild are 33-19-4 and are flying under the radar as the postseason nears.

7. Carolina Hurricanes

The adjustment process for the Hurricanes and their new top-six forwards, Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall, is still taking place. As they build chemistry, their Stanley Cup odds are increasing. They entered the 4 Nations break with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 and are looking to continue that upward trajectory when games resume.

6. Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights are in a dog-fight with the Edmonton Oilers for the Pacific Division title, and currently the Oilers have the upper-hand. Vegas is fighting through inconsistent goaltending, and whether or not they seek an upgrade before the Trade Deadline is a huge question for this team.

The positives are overwhelming, however. Their star center, Jack Eichel, is having a career-defining season, and winger Pavel Dorofyev is breaking out as a top-six winger. There are many reasons for optimism; it's just whether or not the positives will outweigh the negatives.

5. Florida Panthers

The defending Stanley Cup champions could be in for a bit of trouble after the 4 Nations concludes. Forward Matthew Tkachuk took a beating while giving it his all for the United States, and he likely needs a few weeks to return to 100%. Their Finnish players who participated in the tournament, Aleksander Barkov, Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, and Nikko Mikkola, also made an impressive showing. All signs point to the Panthers making a strong defense of their Stanley Cup in the 2025 postseason.

4. Dallas Stars

The second-place team in the Central Division, the Stars are building towards something special. They trail the Jets by nine points for the division lead, but they're 7-2-1 in their previous 10 and have increased their goal differential to an impressive +43. When the postseason comes, this team will be very difficult to eliminate. The NHL is on warning.

3. Edmonton Oilers

While Connor McDavid attempts to capture gold for Canada, the remaining Oilers resumed skating in Edmonton. They entered the break with the third-most points in the NHL despite a 5-4-1 record in their last 10. The Pacific Division is a tight race between the Oilers and Golden Knights, but Edmonton has the upper hand.

2. Winnipeg Jets

The top team in the Western Conference is well represented at the 4 Nations, and their star goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, is again the center of attention. He's having another incredible campaign and guiding the Jets to their impressive record. They are the best team in the West as the post-4 Nations schedule begins.

1. Washington Capitals

The best part of the 4 Nations Face-Off break for the Capitals was the rest it allowed. With no team representatives at the international tournament, the entire roster received two weeks off in the middle of the season. Coming out of the break, the Caps are healthy and gunning for the Stanley Cup.

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