We’re in the final stages of the 2023–24 NHL season, and there are still playoff spots up for grabs. The TWC Power Rankings help see which teams are outperforming or underperforming against their records, and can help us see who in the hunt are playing the best hockey to close out the season.
Read on to see which teams are playing their best as they battle for their playoff lives.
TWC Power Rankings explained
If you’re new to our power rankings, this is how it all works.
Here at TWC, we use a statistical model to effectively rank teams on a week-to-week basis. The model takes into effect winning percentages, CF%, SCF%, HDCF% as well as SV%. Each statistical category is weighed and scored differently, giving each team a unique TWC Score that determines their ranking after each week. The formula puts the highest emphasis on winning percentages over other statistics. All numbers are taken in all situations, to incorporate special teams into the fray.
We got some excellent feedback over the course of last season from our readers as to how we could improve this model moving forward. This year we have slightly altered the weightings of the statistical categories, but also re-worked the recency component to make sure that each week the teams that are riding hot streaks are more appropriately demonstrated in the rankings.
Don’t like where your team is ranked? Unfortunately, they will have to turn it around on the ice, as we take zero personal opinions into effect.
Have any suggestions for the TWC Power Rankings for next season? Leave us a comment and let us know. Without further ado, this week’s power rankings are below!
Week 25 NHL Power Rankings
| Rank | Change | Team | Team Name | Last Week | Record | TWCScore |
| 1 | – |
 |
Dallas Stars | 1-1-0 | 48-20-9 | 788.9 |
| 2 | – |
 |
Carolina Hurricanes | 2-1-0 | 49-22-7 | 774.5 |
| 3 | +2 |
 |
New York Rangers | 3-0-0 | 53-21-4 | 763.4 |
| 4 | -1 |
 |
Edmonton Oilers | 2-1-0 | 47-24-5 | 761.1 |
| 5 | -1 |
 |
Colorado Avalanche | 1-1-0 | 48-23-6 | 735.3 |
| 6 | – |
 |
Vancouver Canucks | 1-2-0 | 47-22-8 | 732.6 |
| 7 | +3 |
 |
Florida Panthers | 1-1-1 | 48-24-6 | 721.2 |
| 8 | +3 |
 |
Boston Bruins | 3-0-0 | 46-17-15 | 720.9 |
| 9 | -1 |
 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 1-1-0 | 44-23-9 | 719.2 |
| 10 | -1 |
 |
Tampa Bay Lightning | 2-1-0 | 43-27-7 | 716.8 |
| 11 | -4 |
 |
Nashville Predators | 2-2-0 | 45-29-4 | 713.2 |
| 12 | – |
 |
Vegas Golden Knights | 1-1-0 | 42-26-8 | 705.9 |
| 13 | +2 |
 |
Los Angeles Kings | 3-0-0 | 41-25-11 | 703.1 |
| 14 | – |
 |
Winnipeg Jets | 2-0-0 | 47-24-6 | 698.1 |
| 15 | +1 |
 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 3-0-0 | 36-30-11 | 687.5 |
| 16 | -3 |
 |
Minnesota Wild | 2-2–1 | 37-30-9 | 669.3 |
| 17 | +6 |
 |
New York Islanders | 3-0-0 | 35-27-15 | 661.8 |
| 18 | -1 |
 |
St Louis Blues | 1-1-1 | 41-32-5 | 654.6 |
| 19 | +2 |
 |
New Jersey Devils | 1-2-1 | 37-36-5 | 653.9 |
| 20 | – |
 |
Philadelphia Flyers | 0-2-0 | 36-31-11 | 653 |
| 21 | +1 |
 |
Seattle Kraken | 1-1-0 | 32-31-13 | 651.5 |
| 22 | -3 |
 |
Washington Capitals | 0-3-1 | 36-30-11 | 637.2 |
| 23 | -5 |
 |
Ottawa Senators | 1-3-0 | 34-39-4 | 634.7 |
| 24 | +1 |
 |
Detroit Red Wings | 1-1-0 | 38-31-8 | 632 |
| 25 | +1 |
 |
Buffalo Sabres | 2-1-0 | 37-36-5 | 621.7 |
| 26 | +1 |
 |
Arizona Coyotes | 2-1-0 | 33-39-5 | 614.7 |
| 27 | -3 |
 |
Calgary Flames | 0-3-0 | 34-37-5 | 594 |
| 28 | – |
 |
Montreal Canadiens | 1-3-0 | 29-36-12 | 580.6 |
| 29 | – |
 |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 1-2-0 | 26-40-12 | 553.7 |
| 30 | – |
 |
Chicago Blackhawks | 1-2-0 | 23-49-5 | 524.2 |
| 31 | – |
 |
Anaheim Ducks | 1-1-1 | 25-48-5 | 520.9 |
| 32 | – |
 |
San Jose Sharks | 1-2-0 | 18-51-8 | 474.7 |
Officially, there are five unclinched playoff spots left in the NHL. Unofficially, the real battle remains in the east, with the Western Conference playoff teams looking more or less set. So let’s focus on the east, and the tight battle for the remaining two positions.
A long list of teams has a real chance at those two spots, including the Islanders, Red Wings, Flyers, Capitals, and Penguins. In the eyes of the model, the Pens are playing the best of the bunch currently, perhaps giving them an edge in the race.
The Penguins are above league average in terms of possession, scoring chances, and save percentage. None of their competitors can say the same.
The Red Wings have poor numbers in each of those categories, and the model ranks them accordingly lower, despite actually having two more wins than the Penguins on the year.
The next competitor, the Flyers, are held back by a glaring weakness in goal. Their team save percentage is better than only the Senators this season.
The Isles, despite an undefeated week, struggle to generate more scoring chances than their opponents. Over the long run of an 82-game season, that’s always likely to catch up to you and cost you in the standings.
Despite being in a divisional spot now, the Islanders may be poised to drop out in the final games to the strong teams behind.
Finally, the Capitals. The longtime rival of the Penguins are in a bit of a tailspin, picking up only one of a possible eight points in Week 25. The Caps are unexceptional in the categories considered by the model, and their recent record demonstrates how key these metrics are.
Without a significant turnaround from one of these teams, the rankings suggest the Penguins may just pull off an unlikely playoff appearance after trading away their star winger Jake Guentzel at the deadline. Stay tuned to the NHL season, and these rankings, to see how the final playoff picture plays out.
Past 2023–24 Power Rankings
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | Week 20 | Week 21 | Week 22 | Week 23 | Week 24
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