NHL Power Rankings: Each team's biggest shock of the 2026-27 season

A bit over two weeks into the 2026-27 NHL season, teams are approaching the 10-game point. While some teams have performed at expectation, there has been no shortage of surprises -- both good and bad -- on the individual and club-wide level. So as part of our latest update to the ESPN NHL Power Rankings, we've identified the biggest shock of the season for each team. How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday. Those ballots are combined to come up with the rankings you see below. Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published on Oct. 9. Points percentages are through Thursday's games. 1. Carolina Hurricanes Previous ranking: 8 Points percentage: 81.25% While the Canes' spot near the top of the standings (and as the No. 1 team here) isn't too surprising, their poor injury luck is. In just the past week, captain Jordan Staal (torn calf muscle) and Taylor Hall (upper body) were lost; Staal will miss one to two months, while Rod Brind'Amour commented that it "doesn't look good" for Hall. Next seven days: @ WPG (Oct. 17), @ CGY (Oct. 18), @ VAN (Oct. 20), @ EDM (Oct. 22) 2. Vegas Golden Knights Previous ranking: 3 Points percentage: 77.78% The Golden Knights continue to roll on the ice -- but there are now fewer people in the stands watching. Oct. 8 was the first time the Knights didn't sell out a home game in franchise history, breaking a nine-year streak (and coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance). Next seven days: vs. PIT (Oct. 17), vs. TB (Oct. 20), @ STL (Oct. 22) 3. Edmonton Oilers Previous ranking: 6 Points percentage: 78.57% It's no surprise that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are among the top scorers in the league. What might be shocking to some is that defenseman Evan Bouchard is right there as well, as he had 14 points through the first six games. That's on pace for 196 at season's end! Next seven days: @ UTA (Oct. 17), vs. MIN (Oct. 20), vs. CAR (Oct. 22) 4. Utah Mammoth Previous ranking: 2 Points percentage: 75% Following a playoff appearance this past spring, the Mammoth have been a wagon to start the campaign. Led by Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Mikhail Sergachev, the Mammoth are scoring 3.88 goals per game, more than half a goal more per contest than last season. Next seven days: vs. EDM (Oct. 17), vs. PIT (Oct. 19), @ SEA (Oct. 22) 5. New York Rangers Previous ranking: 5 Points percentage: 66.67% The Rangers' hot start may have been surprising to some, but the season-ending injury to goaltender Igor Shesterkin is clearly a bigger shock. That's put Dylan Garand in the spotlight, and he's been a pleasant surprise himself (up until Thursday's misstep against the rival Devils). Next seven days: @ CBJ (Oct. 17), vs. ANA (Oct. 19), @ TOR (Oct. 22) 6. Colorado Avalanche Previous ranking: 1 Points percentage: 64.29% The Avs look every bit the part of a top Cup contender, as expected. What wasn't expected? That Nathan MacKinnon would already have two fights under his belt in the season's first two weeks. Next seven days: vs. PIT (Oct. 16), @ PHI (Oct. 19), @ NJ (Oct. 20) 7. Boston Bruins Previous ranking: 19 Points percentage: 71.43% The Bruins are trending well ahead of their expected point total, and a big reason why is Fraser Minten. The 22-year-old is scoring at a point-per-game pace after just 35 in 82 games in 2025-26. Next seven days: @ ANA (Oct. 16), @ LA (Oct. 17), @ DAL (Oct. 20), vs. NSH (Oct. 22) 8. Minnesota Wild Previous ranking: 4 Points percentage: 68.75% Perhaps we shouldn't be all that surprised given the chatter during the summer, but it is a bit of a shock that the Wild have begun the season with Quinn Hughes on an expiring contract. Unsurprisingly, Hughes is battling with Kirill Kaprizov for the team scoring lead -- the winger currently has a slight edge on the defenseman. Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Oct. 18), @ EDM (Oct. 20) 9. Tampa Bay Lightning Previous ranking: 10 Points percentage: 71.43% Andrei Vasilevskiy and the goal suppressors in Tampa continue to do their jobs; the Lightning are allowing 2.67 goals per game through six contests, about on par with last season. The goal scoring is lagging, however: the Lightning's 2.83 goals per contest are 21st in the NHL and a far cry from the 3.49 per game rate of last season. Next seven days: vs. VAN (Oct. 17), @ VGK (Oct. 20) 10. Seattle Kraken Previous ranking: 16 Points percentage: 68.75% Short-sample warning and all, but ... are the Kraken good? A 5-2-1 record has them among the Pacific Division leaders, and a plus-9 goal differential indicates that it's not all smoke and mirrors. Next seven days: @ FLA (Oct. 17), vs. DET (Oct. 20), vs. UTA (Oct. 22) 11. Winnipeg Jets Previous ranking: 12 Points percentage: 71.43% If the Jets were going to contend amid the ongoing Connor Hellebuyck trade request fiasco, their stars would need to shine the brightest. Kyle Connor understood the assignment, beginning the season with a shocking seven goals through six games. Next seven days: vs. CAR (Oct. 17), @ STL (Oct. 20), @ DAL (Oct. 22) 12. Ottawa Senators Previous ranking: 13 Points percentage: 75% With Brady Tkachuk in the lineup last season, the Senators were a wild-card team. Without him this season, they're ... more dangerous? Netminder Linus Ullmark posting a 1.20 goals-against average and .949 save percentage through six starts (all wins) is the type of pleasant surprise that drives success like Ottawa's. Next seven days: @ PHI (Oct. 17), vs. FLA (Oct. 21), vs. SJ (Oct. 22) 13. Florida Panthers Previous ranking: 7 Points percentage: 62.5% Was there something in the air on opening night in Raleigh? Just like the Hurricanes, the Panthers have been beset by a shocking string of injuries to key players, principally Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand. Next seven days: vs. SEA (Oct. 17), @ OTT (Oct. 21), @ PIT (Oct. 22) 14. Anaheim Ducks Previous ranking: 9 Points percentage: 66.67% It has been an up-and-down start for the Ducks after their impressive flight in 2025-26. But one area that has been a nice surprise is the power play: Their man-advantage unit is clicking along at 33.3% through six games, up from 18.6% last season. Next seven days: vs. BOS (Oct. 16), @ NYR (Oct. 19), @ NYI (Oct. 20), @ NJ (Oct. 22) 15. Washington Capitals Previous ranking: 15 Points percentage: 57.14% The Capitals' front office did a nice job making additions this summer, including Alex Tuch. The former Sabre leads the team with five goals through seven games; that's on pace for 60, which would shatter his career high of 36. Next seven days: vs. NJ (Oct. 17), vs. LA (Oct. 20) 16. St. Louis Blues Previous ranking: 28 Points percentage: 50% Perhaps this will only surprise those who weren't paying close attention to the Blues last season, but Joel Hofer has emerged not only as the Blues' best option in the crease, but as an upper-echelon netminder leaguewide, with a 1.76 goals-against average and .920 save percentage through four starts. Next seven days: @ NSH (Oct. 17), vs. WPG (Oct. 20), vs. VGK (Oct. 22) 17. Dallas Stars Previous ranking: 17 Points percentage: 50% After having the NHL's second-best power play last season (28.6%), the Stars have struggled there this season, converting at a 12.5% rate through seven games. Next seven days: @ CHI (Oct. 17), vs. BOS (Oct. 20), vs. WPG (Oct. 22) 18. Pittsburgh Penguins Previous ranking: 11 Points percentage: 50% Typically, Sidney Crosby gets out to quick starts: Up through last season, he scored 1.2 points per game in the first month during his career. Through seven games, he has just four points (0.57 points per game). Something tells us he'll turn things around soon. Next seven days: @ COL (Oct. 16), @ VGK (Oct. 17), @ UTA (Oct. 19), vs. FLA (Oct. 22) 19. Toronto Maple Leafs Previous ranking: 21 Points percentage: 50% Following a disappointing 2025-26, there was some chatter that captain Auston Matthews wanted out. Instead, he and William Nylander have both been on a tear to start the season, with 12 points apiece through seven games. Next seven days: vs. NYI (Oct. 17), vs. SJ (Oct. 19), @ CBJ (Oct. 20), vs. NYR (Oct. 22) 20. Buffalo Sabres Previous ranking: 14 Points percentage: 56.25% A goals-per-game rate of 3.45 last season brought about major success for the Sabres: the first playoff appearance since 2011, and a whole slew of new fans. Unfortunately, that scoring has dried up considerably in the opening weeks of 2026-27, with just 3.00 goals per contest through eight of them. Next seven days: @ MTL (Oct. 17), vs. PHI (Oct. 21) 21. Montreal Canadiens Previous ranking: 20 Points percentage: 50% Goaltender Jakub Dobes was a major part of the Canadiens' run to the 2026 Eastern Conference finals -- and a big reason why many prognosticators had the Habs taking another step forward this season. Unfortunately, Dobes has had difficulty at launch this season, with a 4.63 goals-against average and .841 save percentage through four starts. Next seven days: vs. BUF (Oct. 17), vs. SJ (Oct. 20) 22. New York Islanders Previous ranking: 23 Points percentage: 50% Some scoffed at the idea that Isles sophomore D-man Matthew Schaefer was worthy of the No. 16 in the ESPN NHL Top 100 this season. But after a unanimous Calder Trophy win last year, he's scoring at a point-per-game pace this season. Next seven days: @ TOR (Oct. 17), vs. ANA (Oct. 20), vs. LA (Oct. 22) 23. New Jersey Devils Previous ranking: 27 Points percentage: 57.14% Overall expectations have gone unmet for the Devils this season, and part of it is a penalty kill that is lagging behind last season's edition. Killing just 71.4% of penalties thus far, that's good for 26th in the NHL, a meaningful drop from killing 79.3% of them last season (17th). Next seven days: @ WSH (Oct. 17), vs. COL (Oct. 20), vs. ANA (Oct. 22) 24. San Jose Sharks Previous ranking: 18 Points percentage: 57.14% The Sharks have stumbled out of the blocks this season amid heightened expectations, and part of the blame must be placed in the crease. Yaroslav Askarov has posted a 3.99 goals-against average and .848 save percentage through five starts, well below his marks from 2025-26. Next seven days: @ DET (Oct. 17), @ TOR (Oct. 19), @ MTL (Oct. 20), @ OTT (Oct. 22) 25. Nashville Predators Previous ranking: 24 Points percentage: 50% At this point, no one should really be shocked when Steven Stamkos delivers production -- he scored 42 goals last season, after all. Nevertheless, it's surprisingly encouraging for Preds fans that No. 91 is scoring above a point-per-game pace through six games this season; if the pace holds, it'll be his first season above that pace since 2023-24. Next seven days: vs. STL (Oct. 17), @ BOS (Oct. 22) 26. Columbus Blue Jackets Previous ranking: 22 Points percentage: 40% The Blue Jackets completed the biggest trade of the NHL season thus far, with the biggest players involved being Kirill Marchenko headed to Toronto and Matthew Knies returning to Columbus. While Knies was shockingly good in his first game for his new team -- two goals and an assist in the Blue Jackets' 6-3 win over the Sabres -- he scored just one point in the four following games. Next seven days: vs. NYR (Oct. 17), @ MIN (Oct. 18), vs. TOR (Oct. 20) 27. Detroit Red Wings Previous ranking: 26 Points percentage: 42.86% Based on their chaotic offseason -- including the fact that Dylan Larkin hasn't been traded, Simon Edvinsson continues to be unsigned and there is no permanent GM -- it qualifies as a shock that Alex DeBrincat signed a seven-year, $91 million contract extension that keeps him a Red Wing through 2033-34. Next seven days: vs. SJ (Oct. 17), @ SEA (Oct. 20), @ VAN (Oct. 22) 28. Chicago Blackhawks Previous ranking: 30 Points percentage: 37.5% When news broke of Connor Bedard's offseason shoulder surgery, the Blackhawks said that they "expect [Bedard] to make a full recovery in an approximate timeline of four months." That would've brought him back on Nov. 8. Instead, Bedard made his return to the lineup Tuesday, skating against the Penguins in the Frozen Frenzy, weeks ahead of schedule. Next seven days: vs. DAL (Oct. 17) 29. Los Angeles Kings Previous ranking: 29 Points percentage: 20% Heading into the season, goal scoring was thought to be an issue for L.A., and it has been; through five games, the Kings have scored just 2.20 goals per game. However, goal suppression was supposed to be a strength, and the Kings have faltered there too, allowing 4.20 goals per contest (compared to just 2.90 per game in 2025-26). Next seven days: vs. BOS (Oct. 17), @ WSH (Oct. 20), @ NYI (Oct. 22) 30. Vancouver Canucks Previous ranking: 25 Points percentage: 27.78% Welcome back to the world of superstars, Elias Pettersson? Following 102 points in 2022-23 and 89 in 2023-24, the 2017 first-rounder managed just 96 points total in the following two campaigns. It looks like he might have found his old scoring touch, registering nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the first eight games. Next seven days: @ TB (Oct. 17), vs. CAR (Oct. 20), vs. DET (Oct. 22) 31. Calgary Flames Previous ranking: 32 Points percentage: 14.29% No one thought that the rebuilding Flames would go the entire season without a win, but it was nonetheless shocking that their first W of the campaign came against the Ducks, a playoff team from a season ago. Next seven days: vs. CAR (Oct. 18), vs. MIN (Oct. 22) 32. Philadelphia Flyers Previous ranking: 31 Points percentage: 16.67% Following a playoff return -- and a series win over the rival Penguins -- the first nine games of 2026-27 have been shockingly bad overall for Philly (including a 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh on opening night). Goals have been particularly hard to come by, as the Flyers have scored a league-worst 1.22 per game. Next seven days: vs. OTT (Oct. 17), vs. COL (Oct. 19), @ BUF (Oct. 21)