NHL Power Rankings, Week 12: Knights, Oilers, Avs rolling into holiday break

Yesterday at 04:58 PM

For maybe the first time since the 2024-25 National Hockey League campaign kicked off three months ago, it’s going to be a relatively quiet week. The NHL will shut down entirely for three days beginning on Tuesday, with no games on the slate for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Of course, it’s a packed schedule on Monday before the 72-hour pause, with 26 of 32 teams in action. That began with the New York Rangers making the short trip to Newark to lose to the New Jersey Devils this afternoon — two squads going in very different directions. The action will finish with an Anaheim Ducks vs. Vegas Golden Knights clash on the strip, concluding a full day of pre-holiday hockey. Overall, it’ll be just a four-day slate this week, and fantasy managers will need to adjust accordingly.

In the interim, along with the holidays comes one of the sport’s great traditions: the World Junior Hockey Championship. The best teenagers on the planet will descend on Ottawa, Ontario for the 11-day, 2025 iteration of the tournament beginning on Boxing Day. The Americans roll in as defending champions, but expect the Swedes to be hungry for revenge after losing a feisty gold medal game on home ice last year (highlights below). And Canada will return as perennial contenders, this year featuring a couple of projected top-four draft selections in Porter Martone and Matthew Schaefer, along with potential 2026 No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna.

The always-exciting holiday tournament is a great complement to NHL hockey at this time of year, and regardless of your nationality, it promises to be another electric event this time around. It’s just a ton of fun for hockey fans to watch top prospects of their favourite teams compete hard with the whole world watching.

It might be a light front half of Week 12, but there is still a ton going on around the league. That includes the continued Matt Rempe debate after his latest antics, the Buffalo Sabres dropping their 13th game in a row, and a couple of surging Western Conference clubs making a case for President’s Trophy consideration in 2025. Happy holidays from ClutchPoints, and as always, thanks for reading the latest NHL Power Rankings.

Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. Washington Capitals (no change)

For the second straight week, the Capitals have earned the esteemed top spot in the NHL Power Rankings. It wasn’t exactly a hard decision; Washington has won six of eight and 10 of 13 dating back to November 25. Considering this was all done without captain Alex Ovechkin, it was a no-brainer to keep the nation’s capital at the peak. There are just so many new players making a difference on this roster in 2024-25, most prevalently Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matt Roy and Logan Thompson. Although The Great Eight won’t return until after the break, that means the Caps will probably play just one more game without the superstar. And after back-to-back 3-1 triumphs over the Hurricanes and Kings, the squad will look for one more win in Boston on Monday before a well-deserved four-day break.

2. New Jersey Devils (+2)

The Devils are looking like an absolute powerhouse, and after steamrolling the Rangers on Monday, they’re back into the top-two. Jacob Markstrom recorded his second shutout in a row; he made 12 saves in a 3-0 victory over the Penguins last week and another 12 in the 5-0 final against the Blueshirts. Easy work for the Swedish netminder, but it goes to show how good a job New Jersey is doing at defending as of late; they’ve allowed 20 shots or less in seven consecutive games. This is a real contender for a future No. 1 spot in the NHL Power Rankings, and that becomes more and more obvious every tilt. It’s been a busy few months for the Devils, starting with a trip to Czechia early in October. And after playing 36 games — more than any other team in the Eastern Conference — it’s going to be a restful couple of days in Newark.

3. Vegas Golden Knights (+2)

The premier team in the Western Conference right now is the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights. Vegas has been sluggish at different points in the 2024-25 season, but have looked anything but as of late. Make that three wins in a row and seven of eight for Bruce Cassidy’s club. Adin Hill is playing especially well, but Ilya Samsonov has also been more than solid in limited playing time on the strip. This is still a high-flying offense, with one of the league’s best defensive units and a proven champion between the pipes in Hill. It seemed like only a matter of time before this roster really got it going, and that’s what we’re seeing right before Christmas. It’s Anaheim on Monday and then three days off for the top team in the Pacific Division.

4. Winnipeg Jets (-1)

Despite beating the Leafs on Monday — and now sitting first place in league standings — the Jets are heading the wrong direction in the NHL Power Rankings. The way that each of Washington, New Jersey and Vegas has played lately, along with the fact Winnipeg is coming off four consecutive losses at the beginning of the month, it was a tough but necessary decision. The Jets are still a powerhouse in the Western Conference and should be hanging around the top-three the rest of the campaign, but there are some teams that have just been better. Still, it’s been a phenomenal first three months in Manitoba, capped off by a nice win on the road in Toronto. After four days off, Scott Arniel’s squad will resume play against the Senators in Winnipeg on Saturday night.

5. Florida Panthers (+2)

That’s the Panthers team we’re more used to seeing. Following a delayed Stanley Cup hangover in November, Florida has gone on a tear, losing just three times in 13 games dating back to November 27. That includes four consecutive victories in Week 11, three against playoff teams in the Oilers, Wild and, most recently, Lightning. Aleksander Barkov continues to be incredible at both ends of the rink, while Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart remain prolific offensively. Now 22-11-2 and back into the top-five in the NHL Power Rankings, the Cats will look to beat the Bolts again on Monday before four days off. After that, it’s four more home games against the Canadiens, Rangers, Hurricanes and Penguins, in that order.

6. Minnesota Wild (-4)

Just two weeks ago, the Wild were the class of the NHL Power Rankings. But how quickly the mighty can fall — and in such an alarmingly short period of time. Minnesota has dropped four games in a row for the first time this season, and they’ve also dropped four spots on this list. Joel Eriksson Ek’s absence continues to loom large, while Filip Gustavsson’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. He’ll be between the pipes on Monday night as the Wild look to right the ship against the Blackhawks before the holidays. Marcus Foligno threw shade at his former team last week, but he and the rest of the roster need to just be focused on themselves as the skid continues.

7. Edmonton Oilers (+3)

There may not be a better team in the NHL over the last month than the Oilers. Over the last 31 days, Edmonton has won 11 and lost just two, an absolutely dominant stretch for Connor McDavid and co. This squad is surging up league standings and the power rankings, with no indication they’ll be slowing down any time soon. The hope in Alberta is that the holiday break won’t halt the momentum, which just continues to build every game. Now 21-11-2, the Oilers are off the rest of the work week before playing a back-to-back set over the weekend: Saturday against the Kings and Sunday vs. the Ducks — both in California.

8. Colorado Avalanche (+1)

The Avalanche have more wins than almost any other team this month, racking off eight victories in 11 tries since December 3. Mackenzie Blackwood has fit like a glove in Denver, and all Colorado needed was competent goaltending to return to its usual powerhouse form. After back-to-back-to-back victories — two Blackwood, one Scott Wedgewood — the Avs look to have shed their .500 play for good. Now 21-15, it’s four days off for the club before returning to action in Utah on Friday night. The Avalanche still have a real chance to win the Central Division; the Jets are currently nine points up. That quest will continue in earnest after a little bit of rest and relaxation.

9. Los Angeles Kings (-3)

It’s hard to stay in the upper echelon of the NHL Power Rankings, and nearly impossible if you aren’t winning games. That’s the position the Kings are in, having lost two in a row and four of six. That’s all it took for LA to go for a little tumble, although there’s no reason to panic. The Kings still aren’t a month removed from an impressive six-game winning streak, and this figures to just be a bump in the road. It also doesn’t help that each of the team’s last seven games have been on the road. At least that’s in the rearview, with LA getting a few holiday sleeps to reset before a five-game homestand that begins against the high-flying Oilers on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday.

10. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2)

The Leafs lost to the Jets on Monday afternoon, officially making them .500 over their last 10. Toronto has been rolling three goalies since Anthony Stolarz’s brutal injury — which will keep the American out of the lineup for 4-6 weeks — with Joseph Woll, Matt Murray and Dennis Hildeby each winning a start between December 15-20. But a tough 6-3 home loss to the Islanders was followed up by a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Jets, and a two-game losing streak going into the holidays isn’t ideal. The Leafs will look to right the ship in a divisional clash with the Red Wings in Detroit on Friday.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning (+2)

The Lightning have been one of the NHL’s hottest teams over the last three weeks, triumphing in six of eight since the calendar flipped to December. Although Week 11 ended with a tight 4-2 loss in the Battle of Florida on Sunday, Tampa Bay is now 18-11-2 and occupying the top wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. The Bolts have four games in hand on all of the Panthers, Leafs and Bruins, and it’s going to be tough to keep them out of a top-three spot the rest of the season. That’s especially true the way Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point continue to play offensively. With less than 24 hours to lick the wounds, it’s Tampa Bay-Florida again on Monday — this time from Amerant Bank Arena — before the holiday break.

12. Boston Bruins (+2)

Tyler Johnson had his contract terminated by the Bruins this week; the two-time Stanley Cup champion managed just two assists over nine games. It’ll be interesting to see if he gets a chance elsewhere, but Boston is already looking ahead. The squad has won three of four and seven of 10 in the month of December, remaining in the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. But the Senators are right on the tail, and although this team has been playing well, they need to find some sustained success in the New Year to remain in the coveted slot. The Capitals visit TD Garden on Monday night before the break, and the B’s would love to make it four wins in five tries ahead of Christmas.

13. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)

The Hurricanes have been fine over the last few weeks, but a couple of surging teams have the club on the down slope in the NHL Power Rankings. It doesn’t help that Rod Brind’Amour’s team is playing just about .500 hockey in the month of December. Dustin Tokarski was excellent in his first start of the season, making 27 saves on 28 shots in a 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets. The Canes also feasted on the Isles and Rangers, with Pyotr Kochetkov looking great between the pipes in those tilts. But a few losses have been sprinkled in there, and although Carolina is still 21-11-1, they’re not looking like a top team right now. There’s significant room for this club to surge back up the rankings, but right now, it’s another peg down.

14. Dallas Stars (-3)

After advancing to back-to-back Western Conference Finals, this is not the Stars team hockey fans are used to watching. Very recently 16-8, Dallas has now fallen to 19-13 after five losses in eight games. The Tyler Seguin injury continues to loom large, and Mason Marchment has also missed time, which isn’t helping. Losing 3-1 to the Rangers is a difficult final considering how poor New York has been, and something just seems to be off with this roster right now. Once an NHL Power Rankings darling, the Stars are now officially out of a playoff spot, and a holiday reset will be much-needed for this club. But first, a trip to Salt Lake City on Monday night.

15. Utah Hockey Club (+2)

The Utah Hockey Club have been just excellent as of late, picking up a point in eight straight contests — and winning six of them. It goes to show how well some teams are doing that they’re still just above the midway point in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 12. Still, some hugely encouraging hockey in Salt Lake City, with Karel Vejmelka looking fantastic between the pipes in Connor Ingram’s extended absence. Add some prolific offense from Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and especially Dylan Guenther, and this is looking like a playoff contender in the West. Now just one point back of a postseason slot, Utah will look to enter the holiday break with at least another point against Dallas on Monday night.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins (no change)

After an encouraging four-game heater at the end of November, the Penguins have won four and lost four since December 6. That has Crosby and co. standing pat in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 12, although the 2025 outlook is positive. Pittsburgh was at one point 7-12-4, but they’ve battled back to 15-15-5. Will the Pens enter the holiday break below or above .500? The Flyers are in the exact same position, and of course, the two teams are meeting on Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. Tristan Jarry will make his seventh start in eight games, and it looks like the embattled netminder has put the early-season woes behind him. He’s ready to reclaim the starting role, and the Pens are still right there in the wildcard conversation at the end of December.

17. Vancouver Canucks (-2)

Although Elias Pettersson and JT Miller have both downplayed the drama, the media circus continues in Vancouver. The Canucks have been unable to recreate their magic from last year, and some of that has got to be attributed to the amount of noise around this franchise right now. Rick Tocchet’s club has lost three in a row and six of eight, falling to 16-10-7 and being relegated to a wildcard spot in the Western Conference in the process. The holiday break is probably coming at a perfect time; this team needs to reset and just settle down. A home matchup with the Sharks feels like a must-win before four days off.

18. Ottawa Senators (+3)

The Senators had their six-game winning streak snapped by maybe the hottest team in the NHL right now in the Oilers, but it’s still been a phenomenal stretch in Canada’s capital. Ottawa has been scoring plenty of goals and Linus Ullmark has been elite keeping at keeping pucks out of his net, and that’s a great combination. This is an inspired team that is desperate to make the playoffs next spring, and through 34 tilts, they occupy the second wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. Holding onto that spot is going to be quite a challenge, but it looks like this roster is up to it. That’s especially true as three of the four wins in the streak came on the road. The Sens won’t play again until next Saturday, and have five more contests on the road (Winnipeg, Minnesota, Dallas, St. Louis, Detroit) before finally returning to Canadian Tire Centre on January 9.

19. Calgary Flames (no change)

The Flames are getting some vintage Jonathan Huberdeau play as of late — the veteran is on a tear and now leading the team with 13 goals and 25 points in 34 games. Unfortunately for Calgary, it hasn’t translated to too much success on the ice. The squad has played under .500 throughout December, although they’re still 16-11-7 on the year. That has the club standing pat in the NHL Power Rankings, but it’s encouraging that they’re in a playoff spot ahead of the holiday break. The Flames beat the Hawks 6-4 on Saturday night, and won’t play again until next Saturday and Sunday against the Sharks and Golden Knights, respectively — both away from home.

20. New York Rangers (-2)

We’ve now officially approached nightmare territory in the Big Apple. The Rangers lost their fifth game in six tries on Monday afternoon in New Jersey, an abysmal 5-0 loss to the divisional rivals. And it gets even worse. The longest serving player on the team was scratched, with Chris Kreider watching the defeat from the press box. The loss came shortly after Rempe was suspended for eight games for an extremely dangerous hit on Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen. It’s now been 13 losses in 17 games for last year’s President’s Trophy winners, and it’s hard to believe how quickly things have imploded. Kaapo Kakko was scratched and then traded, closing a very disappointing chapter for the 2nd overall pick in New York. What’s it going to take to fix this team? Nobody seems to know, and a once-powerhouse Rangers team continues the free fall down both the NHL Power Rankings and league standings. There’s just no right answer right now.

21. Philadelphia Flyers (+1)

Although the Flyers have played .500 hockey over the last two weeks, they get a slight bump up the NHL Power Rankings ahead of the holidays. A 5-4 win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday helped to erase the pain of three consecutive losses; Philly is now 15-15-4 on the year. Will this team be above or below .500 going into the pause? We’ll know after an all-Pennsylvania matchup between the Flyers and Penguins in Pittsburgh on Monday night. After a four-day break, John Tortorella’s team is on the road for five more, passing through Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Las Vegas and Toronto before returning home on January 7.

22. St. Louis Blues (-2)

It was certainly odd watching Cam Fowler don a Blues jersey for the first time, and it hasn’t exactly been a smooth start for the veteran with his new team. St. Louis has now lost three games in a row and five of six, a brutal stretch after some early success with Jim Montgomery behind the bench. The squad has fallen below .500 at 15-16-4, and that has seen the magic number for a playoff spot increase to five points. To be fair, it’s going to be tough to have a winning record over a stretch of playing the Stars, Rangers, Devils, Lighting and Panthers. St. Louis will have a chance to right the ship in Detroit on Monday night before the state of Missouri’s focus shifts to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day.

23. New York Islanders (+2)

With Semyon Varlamov being placed on long-term injured reserve, it’s been the Ilya Sorokin show in New York. He’s started 10 games in a row for the Islanders, winning five and losing five. Considering the struggles of a couple teams lower down the NHL Power Rankings, Patrick Roy’s club gets a little boost ahead of the holidays. Having Mathew Barzal back in the lineup is huge, and he pocketed an empty netter in Saturday’s 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs in Toronto. Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson have also gotten going offensively, which is just what this team needs to have success. The Islanders will have a chance to make the Sabres’ losing streak hit 14 games on Monday before a four-day break. Then, it’s a home-and-home against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins to end the week.

24. Anaheim Ducks (+2)

Although the Ducks just don’t look the same without Fowler on the blue line — he was a heart and soul player for over 14 seasons — the team is playing well without the veteran. Anaheim squeaked out a 5-4 come-from-behind shootout win over Utah on Sunday, making it three wins in four tries for the California franchise. That’s hugely encouraging after a five-game losing skid, especially Wednesday’s 3-2 victory over the powerhouse Jets. Troy Terry and Frank Vatrano continue to lead the way offensively, while John Gibson’s return has helped to provide some stability between the pipes. A playoff spot is still probably too lofty of a goal for this roster, but the way things are going, they’re at least creating some separation from the bottom dwellers. The Ducks are on the strip for the last NHL game before the holiday stoppage.

25. Montreal Canadiens (+5)

Team Finland GM Jere Lehtinen took a chance on Patrik Laine for the 4 Nations Face-Off despite the sniper not having played a game in 2024-25. And has he ever been rewarded. Laine has been a powerplay freak in the best sense of the word, scoring eight goals in his first nine regular-season games as a Canadien — all with the man advantage. That has the Finn making all kinds of history, but even more importantly, it’s provided much-needed hope for this team. Montreal has won three games in a row and six of nine going back to December 3, triumphantly getting out of the league basement in the process. The Habs are only seven points out of a playoff spot, and with Samuel Montembeault starting to play consistently well between the pipes, along with Lane Hutson flourishing offensively, this could turn into a dark horse as the year goes on. Marty St. Louis’ team is in Columbus on Monday night before the break.

26. Columbus Blue Jackets (-2)

The wheels have completely fallen off for the Blue Jackets, who just cannot stop the bleeding right now. It’s been a terrible December; once 11-9-3, Columbus has now lost nine of 12 games this month, falling to 13-15-6 and last place in the Metropolitan Division. The mid-November magic is completely gone, and this roster is back to playing like the projections said it would back in September. That’s disappointing, as this is one of the easiest teams to cheer for in the National. The Jackets are at the Bell Centre to play the Canadiens on Monday, and will finish the week with a back-to-back against the Bruins after Christmas.

27. Seattle Kraken (-4)

It makes sense that Kaapo Kakko will now play for the Kraken — it just rolls off the tongue — but he chose a bad time to get traded to the Emerald City. Seattle has lost five games in a row, managing to score just six goals in that span. The Finnish forward recorded one in his debut with the team, which came in a 5-2 loss to the Avalanche on Sunday night. Absolutely nobody is scoring on this squad right now, and Kakko will be relied upon much more than he was in New York to create offense. The Kraken won’t play again until Saturday night in Vancouver, and will have nearly a full week to reset and figure out how to turn things around. This roster has become the definition of mediocre, and the outlook certainly isn’t sunny heading into the New Year.

28. Detroit Red Wings (-1)

The Red Wings are still struggling mightily, but at least they now have Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot healthy. Detroit had managed to win two games in a row against Toronto and Philadelphia, and had a chance to go streaking in a back-to-back set against Montreal at the end of last week. But the Canadiens rode Patrik Laine to one victory in Motown and one in Quebec, with each of Lyon and Talbot taking a loss. That’s a tough, tough way to end the week after the Wings had won three of four heading into the mini-series. The Habs deserve some credit for improved play, but it’s a hugely discouraging result from Derek Lalonde’s guys. Detroit plays St. Louis at Little Caesars Arena on Monday before the holiday break.

29. Nashville Predators (+3)

The Predators hit rock bottom in Week 11 — at least in the NHL Power Rankings — but they’ve already climbed out in seven days time. Not too convincingly, to be honest, but Nashville has done enough to jump up a few spots. After an atrocious eight-game losing streak, the Preds have won three of their last five, including impressive triumphs over the Stars (4-1), Rangers (2-0) and Kings (3-2 in OT). That finally has them out of last place in league standings, although the Blackhawks and Sabres are just one point back. Still, are we seeing a squad that is starting to turn the corner? It’s too early to say, but Andrew Brunette’s team at least has some momentum — and that hasn’t been the case for much of the year. The Hurricanes are in town on Monday before the holiday break, and fans in Smashville would love to get another victory before the pause.

30. Chicago Blackhawks (+1)

After an abysmal stretch through the first two weeks of December, the Blackhawks racked off three wins in a row before dropping a tough 6-4 final to the Flames on Saturday. That’s enough to take Connor Bedard’s team into an unfamiliar spot — that is, not 31st or 32nd in the NHL Power Rankings. It’s a rare bump for the 12-20-2 Hawks, who welcomed back Petr Mrazek last week. Arvid Soderblom won all three games on the streak, including a seriously impressive 3-2 triumph over the powerhouse Capitals. He could get a couple more starts because of it, but it’s nice to see guys like Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi contributing again. There’s some untapped potential on this Blackhawks team, and they’ll look to keep the momentum going against the Wild in Minnesota on Monday.

31. San Jose Sharks (-2)

After climbing a few spots up the NHL Power Rankings over the last few weeks, the Sharks are back on a downward trajectory after losing four games in a row and seven of eight dating back to December 5. A couple of winning streaks throughout the last month and a half have all gone to waste, and San Jose is back to last place in the Western Conference. Without Mackenzie Blackwood, this team should struggle even more as the campaign goes on. Alex Georgiev and Vitek Vanecek project as one of the league’s worst tandems, and the blue line is weak enough as it is. There’s still some room for excitement — like Macklin Celebrini playing his first game against his hometown Canucks on Monday — but this roster doesn’t have us fooled. Only the Sabres’ consistent futility is keeping Ryan Warsofsky’s club out of the basement in Week 12.

32. Buffalo Sabres (-4)

It really is saying a lot that the Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since 2011, yet still haven’t hit rock bottom in nearly 15 years — there’s always a new low in Western New York. Buffalo hasn’t won a game since November 23, somehow dropping 13 consecutive contests to fall to last place in league standings and enter the basement of the NHL Power Rankings. This is a place the Sabres have never been in nearly 1.5 years of PRs, but where else can you put this club? Fans of the franchise must be fully apathetic at this point, and the holiday break could not have come at a better time. This entire organization needs a reset, but the outlook has to be as bleak as it is for any North American professional sports team right now. From 11-9-1 to 11-19-4, there are just no answers right now. How much longer can owner Terry Pegula wait before cleaning house? We’ll likely find out very soon.

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