Losing remains a constant as young Blackhawks take a step forward in this week's power rankings

In this week’s power rankings, the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche carry lengthy winning streaks, while the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets are struggling to climb out of their losing trends. These power rankings are determined mostly by a team's win-loss record, but also by their recent performance, injuries, and the strength of the week's schedule. For example, if teams have similar records or point totals, they will receive a higher ranking based on who they played and the margins of victory. Teams will also be ranked higher or lower depending on how they have played over their last 10 games.

The Past Week (1-1-1)

The Blackhawks earned three of a possible six points over the last week as they snapped their six-game losing streak in Dallas, as I'm sure we all predicted. Arvid Soderblom played a stellar game, and the Blackhawks won in a shootout behind Nick Lardis's game-winning goal. They followed up that performance by getting blown out by the Pittsburgh Penguins in an extremely lackluster performance. With their third game in four days, the Blackhawks picked up a point in a shootout loss against the New York Islanders.

One thing that has stood out in the last few games has been the visible confidence of their younger players. Oliver Moore picked up two primary assists while Artyom Levshunov was extremely noticeable (in a good way) against New York. Nick Lardis was wisely paired with Teuvo Teravainen, who actually shot the puck and scored a goal, as their skill sets complement each other well. With Connor Bedard skating and Frank Nazar also on the mend, it will be interesting to see these players' development when the team is fully healthy.

Power Rankings

32 - Winnipeg Jets (15-18-4)
31 - Chicago Blackhawks (14-18-7)
30 - St. Louis Blues (15-17-8)
29 - Vancouver Canucks (16-20-3)
28 - Utah Mammoth (18-19-3)
27 - Calgary Flames (17-18-4)
26 - Nashville Predators (17-17-4)
25 - Seattle Kraken (16-14-7)
24 - Ottawa Senators (18-15-5)
23 - Boston Bruins (20-18-2)
22 - New Jersey Devils (20-17-2)
21 - Columbus Blue Jackets (17-15-6)
20 - Los Angeles Kings (16-13-9)
19 - San Jose Sharks (19-17-3)
18 - Toronto Maple Leafs (18-15-6)
17 - New York Rangers (19-17-5)

16 - Pittsburgh Penguins (17-12-9)
15 - Anaheim Ducks (21-16-2)
14 - Washington Capitals (20-14-5)
13 - Buffalo Sabres (20-14-4)
12 - Vegas Golden Knights (17-9-11)
11 - Florida Panthers (21-15-3)
10 - Philadelphia Flyers (20-11-7)
9 - Edmonton Oilers (20-14-6)
8 - Tampa Bay Lightning (22-13-3)
7 - New York Islanders (22-14-4)
6 - Montreal Canadiens (21-12-6)
5 - Detroit Red Wings (23-14-3)
4 - Carolina Hurricanes (24-12-3)
3 - Dallas Stars (25-7-7)
2 - Minnesota Wild (24-10-6)
1 - Colorado Avalanche (29-2-7)

Top Heavy Central Division

The Central Division continues to be the NHL’s most top-heavy, with the Avalanche, Stars, and Wild leading the way and sitting among the league’s top three teams in points. However, the remaining five teams (Mammoth, Predators, Blues, Blackhawks, and Jets) are in the bottom seven in the league standings. The top teams in this division will continue to feast on these teams as the trade deadline approaches and the talent gap widens when these trades take place.

Eastern Conference Continues to Fluctuate

The Columbus Blue Jackets, who are in last place in the Eastern Conference, remain only seven points behind the last wild card position. We have seen how quickly the standings can shift in this conference, as the Sabres, on a nine-game winning streak, are only one point out of a playoff spot. The Sabres were counted out, and head coach Lindy Ruff was on the hot seat before this winning streak started. As we hit the midway point of the season this week, it just goes to show what a good two-to-three-week stretch can do as far as playoff positioning and job security.

Looking Ahead

As the Blackhawks closed out 2025 with an overtime loss against the Islanders, they begin 2026 at home against the Stars (1/1). They follow that up with back-to-back games against the Capitals in Washington (1/3) and then back in the United Center against the Golden Knights (1/4). As they begin the new year, it will be interesting to watch if some of these prospects continue to grow and gain confidence in the NHL. If so, this team could play an important spoiler role once Bedard and Nazar return to the lineup.