NHL power rankings: Where champion Florida Panthers rank after major injuries.
The
Florida Panthers enter the
2025-26 season with a chance at a rare NHL three-peat.
No NHL team has won three in a row since the
New York Islanders won four in the early 1980s, and the Panthers are also looking for a fourth consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
But their chances are complicated because
captain Aleksander Barkov and
Matthew Tkachuk will miss considerable time with injuries. Both are recovering from surgery, Barkov after he was
hurt in practice.
Of course, the Panthers remain among the elite teams, especially after general manager Bill Zito was able to
re-sign his key free agents.
Here where the Panthers and the other 31 teams place in
USA TODAY's initial NHL power rankings for the 2025-26 season:
New coach Glen Gulutzan inherits a strong team in his second stint with the Stars, starting with a full season out of
trade deadline acquisition Mikko Rantanen.
2. Vegas Golden Knights
They addressed their need for more scoring from the wing by
signing 100-point scorer Mitch Marner. But they'll have to deal with an injury to defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
The Oilers have changed up the people surrounding Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but those two make Edmonton a contender for a third consecutive trip to the final.
4. Florida Panthers
The two-time defending champions have tremendous injuries.
Barkov is gone for seven to nine months and
Tkachuk is out until December. But they also have tremendous depth and a front office and coaching staff that will help them overcome.
After two seasons of being unable to get trade acquisitions to stay, they added coveted free agent Nikolaj Ehlers. The defense also got younger.
Always a threat to win the division, they're aided as rival Toronto and Florida deal with key absences.
No goalie has won three consecutive Vezina trophies since Dominik Hasek in the 1990s. Connor Hellebuyck will try to join him and also is the
reigning Hart Trophy winner.
8. Colorado Avalanche
Captain Gabriel Landeskog is back for a full season, adding to an already loaded roster that has Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar and former MVP Nathan MacKinnon.
9. Washington Capitals
The Capitals have brought back key contributors from last season. Everything went right in the 2024-25 regular season, especially
Alex Ovechkin's goal record. Can coach of the year Spencer Carbery repeat the magic?
Coach Craig Berube faces the challenge of guiding a team without Marner. The Leafs' bottom six is better, but a second consecutive division title might be out of reach.
11. New Jersey Devils
All is good with the Hughes brothers. Jack is healthy after
last year's surgery and Luke is averaging $9 million a year in a deal he signed during the preseaon.
Kirill Kaprizov signed a record extension, which eliminates a potential distraction this season. They made the playoffs in 2024-25 despite Kaprizov missing half a season. They now need to figure out how to get out of the first round.
Their defense has taken a step back, but the team will be motivated to try to make a run in
Anze Kopitar's final season.
They ended a seven-year playoff drought, and Brady Tkachuk and company have the tools to get back.
15. Utah Mammoth
A playoff appearance seems likely. JJ Peterka joins a talented forward group and they added Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Nate Schmidt.
The Blues squeezed into the playoffs and
nearly upset the No. 1 overall Jets. They'll push for another berth.
They rode the
memory of Johnny Gaudreau to within two points of a playoff berth. Better scoring depth and goalie Jet Greaves could get them there this season.
18. Vancouver Canucks
Goalie Thatcher Demko is healthy, Brock Boeser re-signed and
Adam Foote was promoted to coach. They really need Elias Pettersson to return to elite status.
Pretty much everything went wrong as the Rangers missed the playoffs a year after winning the Presidents' Trophy.
New coach Mike Sullivan has his work cut out to get them back to the playoffs.
The Canadiens made the playoffs and added Noah Dobson. They'll be among many teams competing for a wild-card spot.
The Flames extended goalie Dustin Wolf, coach Ryan Huska and others after missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker. They'll be in the mix again this season.
22. Anaheim Ducks
New coach Joel Quenneville will continue Anaheim's upward trajectory. The Ducks are deeper, but they aren't a playoff team yet, especially if they improve on their league-worst power play.
23. New York Islanders
The Islanders need better injury luck after Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair missed a combined 90 games last season. Dobson is gone but that creates an opportunity for
No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer.
24. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres, trying to end a record
14-year playoff drought, are dealing with injuries. Not a good sign.
The Red Wings are trying to end a long drought (nine years). They had a fine offseason but it doesn't seem enough.
26. Boston Bruins
Goalie Jeremy Swayman will be better after not missing training camp this year and David Pastrnak is always dangerous. Does this team have enough depth after last season's sell-off?
27. Philadelphia Flyers
The key additions are coach Rick Tocchet, forward Trevor Zegras and penalty killer Christian Dvorak, but the question, as usual, is whether they can keep the puck out of their net.
28. Pittsburgh Penguins
Longtime coach Sullivan is gone,
replaced by Dan Muse. The Penguins' core is skilled but aging and the team could end up shedding some secondary veterans, depending on how the season goes.
29. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken
fired coach Dan Bylsma after one season and
brought in Lane Lambert, who didn't last two seasons as Islanders head coach. This team is still looking for an identity.
30. Nashville Predators
The Predators can't be as disappointing as last season, right? After
"winning" the 2024 offseason, they finished with the third worst record. The 2025 offseason was low-key, and they'll need plenty of bounce-back individual efforts.
31. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks loaded up with second-tier veterans to reach the cap floor but youngsters Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith hold the key.
The Blackhawks will be better with Spencer Knight in net for a full season and with improvement from Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, but they'll be in the mix for top prospect
Gavin McKenna.
