NHL Power Rankings: Capitals remain in top spot, Sharks drop to the bottom

NHL: Washington Capitals at Edmonton Oilers
Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

The Washington Capitals remain atop our NHL power rankings this week.

The Caps, the only team with a point percentage above .700 (.734) continue to find ways to win, whether it’s scoring three times on 14 shots, as they did Tuesday in a 3-2 road win against the Edmonton Oilers, or getting an overtime goal by Alex Ovechkin that gave Washington a 1-0 win against the Ottawa Senators.

Ovechkin’s chase to pass Wayne Gretzky for the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring record gets a lot of the headlines, but Spencer Carbery is the front-runner for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year, and Logan Thompson is in line to at least be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. The Capitals also pay attention to their play away from the puck; 12 players are plus-10 or above and only two regulars are minus players.

The Winnipeg Jets, who lead the Western Conference, remained in second place, followed by the Vegas Golden Knights.

At the other end of the rankings, the San Jose Sharks have dropped into last place. San Jose became the first team this season to lose 30 games in regulation by going 0-4-0 in a six-day span during a six-game road trip. They struggled to score in the first two games (4-1 losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders), then were unable to hold third-period leads in Boston and Nashville, losing 6-3 and 7-5, respectively.

2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: From No. 32 to No. 1

32. San Jose Sharks (14-28-2)

NHL: San Jose Sharks at Nashville Predators
Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

31. Chicago Blackhawks (15-28-4)

NHL: Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings
Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

30. Buffalo Sabres (18-24-5)

NHL: Buffalo Sabres at Vancouver Canucks
Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

29. Nashville Predators (17-22-7)

NHL: San Jose Sharks at Nashville Predators
Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

28. Anaheim Ducks (18-23-6)

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks
Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

27. Seattle Kraken (21-24-3)

NHL: Seattle Kraken at Winnipeg Jets
Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

26. New York Islanders (19-20-7)

NHL: Philadelphia Flyers at New York Islanders
Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

25. Pittsburgh Penguins (20-21-8)

NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres
Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

24. Detroit Red Wings (21-21-5)

NHL: Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning
Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

23. Utah Hockey Club (20-19-7)

NHL: St. Louis Blues at Utah
Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

22. Philadelphia Flyers (22-20-6)

NHL: Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers
Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

21. St. Louis Blues (23-21-4)

NHL: St. Louis Blues at Utah
Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

20. Boston Bruins (23-20-6)

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins
Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

19. New York Rangers (23-20-4)

NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at New York Rangers
Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

18. Vancouver Canucks (20-16-10)

NHL: Buffalo Sabres at Vancouver Canucks
Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

17. Columbus Blue Jackets (23-18-7)

NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at New York Rangers
Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

16. Ottawa Senators (24-19-4)

NHL: Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins
Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

15. Montreal Canadiens (24-19-4)

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens
Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

14. Calgary Flames (22-16-7)

NHL: Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

13. Tampa Bay Lightning (25-18-3)

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens
Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

12. Colorado Avalanche (28-19-2)

NHL: Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks
Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

11. Florida Panthers (28-18-3)

NHL: Florida Panthers at Los Angeles Kings
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

10. New Jersey Devils (27-17-6)

NHL: Boston Bruins at New Jersey Devils
Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

9. Los Angeles Kings (26-14-5)

NHL: Florida Panthers at Los Angeles Kings
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

8. Dallas Stars (29-17-1)

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes at Dallas Stars
Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

7. Minnesota Wild (28-15-4)

NHL: Philadelphia Flyers at Minnesota Wild
Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

6. Carolina Hurricanes (29-16-3)

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Penguins
Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

5. Toronto Maple Leafs (30-17-2)

NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens
Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

4. Edmonton Oilers (29-15-3)

NHL: Washington Capitals at Edmonton Oilers
Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

3. Vegas Golden Knights (29-14-4)

NHL: Vegas Golden Knights at Colorado Avalanche
Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

2. Winnipeg Jets (32-14-3)

NHL: Seattle Kraken at Winnipeg Jets
Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

1. Washington Capitals (32-10-5)

NHL: Vancouver Canucks at Washington Capitals
Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

More About: