Another 365 days of hockey is nearly in the books.
Colin Gallant
With the last Monday of 2024 falling the day before New Year's Eve, we decided at ClutchPoints to change up the NHL Power Rankings a little bit this time around. Although capturing the week-to-week progress of each team is the usual goal of this exercise, we're looking at the big picture on the verge of the calendar flipping to 2025. In that spirit, we're rolling out one New Year's resolution for each of the 32 National Hockey League franchises. It's safe to say that every organization has a plethora of resolutions heading into January, but we narrowed it down to one each.
Before we enter the New Year, it's important to mention that 2024 looked a lot different for a lot of teams. For the Panthers, it was a triumphant one after capturing a first ever Stanley Cup championship. For Connor McDavid and the Oilers, it was heartbreak after coming oh-so-close to completing one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. But some things are much more important, and nothing can overshadow the tragic losses of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, which will forever be felt in the hockey world.
Highlighting the Week 13 slate in the National Hockey League is the annual Winter Classic, which pits the St. Louis Blues against the Chicago Blackhawks on New Year's Eve. For the first time ever, the outdoor game — which brands itself the “2025 Winter Classic” — will technically take place in 2024. Although the teams participating could be stronger this time around, Wrigley Field is a legendary venue, and the NHL's 42nd game on the ODR should be a dandy.
With the campaign nearly reaching the halfway point, and the holiday break in the rearview, things are going to get very interesting down the stretch. The playoff race in both conferences is heating up in a huge way, and every game is going to be important once the calendar flips. From everyone here at CP, a very Happy New Year, wherever and however you are celebrating — and thanks again for reading the NHL Power Rankings.
Previous 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings: Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
Lock up Adin Hill: For the first time since midway through the 2023-24 season, the Golden Knights are back to the top of the mountain in ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings. Vegas has been on an absolute tear in December, playing 11 games in the calendar month and winning 10 of them. With that, it's a sparkling 25-8-3 record and the official title of President's Trophy front runner after shutting out the Flames on Sunday night. The Knights' front office has already been busy this year, locking up pending UFAs Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, Keegan Kolesar and Brett Howden. Hill should be next after being a catalyst in the 2023 Stanley Cup win. He's been terrific as of late after a slow start, boasting a 9-2-1 record along with a .927 save percentage since November 13. This roster is looking for another championship in 2025, and Hill will play a huge role in the quest for two titles in three seasons come spring.
Witness Alex Ovechkin make history: Well, this one is easy. The Capitals' New Year's resolution, along with countless other NHL fans worldwide, is to watch The Great Eight score 25 goals and break Wayne Gretzky's all-time record in 2025. Ovechkin has played two games since returning from a broken leg, and, of course, he's scored in both of them. Washington remains a powerhouse in 2024-25, the 24-10-2 record good enough for second in the Eastern Conference. And the club should get even better with the Russian injected back into the lineup. Ovechkin has scored 17 goals in 20 games this year, a prolific pace; if he keeps that up, he'll achieve the feat this season despite missing 16 contests. Whether it happens late this campaign or early next, it's almost certain that No. 8 will become the greatest goal scorer in National Hockey League history in 2025.
Skip the dreaded second-half collapse: In January of 2024, the Jets were the NHL's best team, with a 30-10-4 record through 44 games. They entered the postseason on an eight-game winning streak, just to be beaten handily in five games by the Avalanche in Round 1. That's a year after a very similar roster was beaten in the same amount of games, in the same round, by the Golden Knights. The 2024-25 iteration of the Jets made history by winning 15 of its first 16 games, and this is again a regular-season powerhouse. But no one in Winnipeg cares too much about that; the fans are looking for the club to get it done at crunch time, which just hasn't been happening. The Jets need to avoid riding on a high that comes crashing down in the postseason, and that starts as soon as the calendar flips to January. Sitting at 26-10-1 and tops in the Central after five wins in six games, the squad will look to secure a couple victories before the New Year against the Predators and Avalanche on Monday and Tuesday night, respectively.
Trade for another forward ahead of the deadline: The Devils have looked like a wagon for most of the 2024-25 season, and the club is in a fantastic spot heading into 2025. With 24 wins in 39 games, New Jersey is right at the top of the Eastern Conference. Sheldon Keefe has done a terrific job in his first year behind the bench, and general manager Tom Fitzgerald has already said he wants to add forward depth. With an excellent top-six, one of the league's best blue lines and a bonafide star between the pipes in Jacob Markstrom, the Devils have looked like Stanley Cup contenders for much of the year. Bound for the NHL postseason, this should be one of the busier organizations ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
Win the Stanley Cup: Although you could realistically make a case that this is the New Year's resolution for every playoff-bound team in the National Hockey League, it just seems different for the Oilers. Edmonton marched through the Western Conference last postseason before making a miraculous comeback from 3-0 down to the Panthers in the Finals. Although it ended in heartbreak, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be even more motivated to drag this team back to hockey's ultimate series next spring. And the Oil are well on their way, with 11 wins in 15 tilts dating back to November 23. That has them 21-12-3 and back into the top-five of the NHL Power Rankings, again looking like one of hockey's premier teams. It's Stanley Cup or bust for a couple of clubs in 2024-25, but none more so than the Oilers.
Re-sign Mikko Rantanen: The Avalanche's true New Year's resolution was getting goaltending stability, but they sorted that out a bit early by trading for Mackenzie Blackwood and subsequently signing him to a five-year extension. The 28-year-old has been lights out between the pipes in Denver, and Colorado has vaulted right back onto the Stanley Cup contender list. Another huge reason for the team's recent success has been Rantanen, who is fourth in league scoring with 53 points in 37 games. He's going to command a massive raise on the $9.25 million AAV he currently makes, and there will be no shortage of suitors willing to pay him what he's worth. Fifth in the NHL in goals over the last three years, it should be top priority for GM Chris MacFarland and the front office to get the Finnish superstar locked up long-term. The Avs have won four in a row and nine of their last 12, and are continuing the slow and steady climb up the NHL Power Rankings.
Make a huge decision on Sam Bennett: With all of the star power the Panthers boast up front, it's gotten a little bit lost how important Bennett has been in each of the last two Stanley Cup runs. The 28-year-old has watched Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe sign new contracts in Florida, and he's gotta be wondering if he's next. A pending UFA in the summer — along with Aaron Ekblad, who also hasn't been extended — GM Bill Zito has a couple of really tough decision to make. There's certainly a path to an extension for Bennett, although he's also one of the team's most valuable trade chips. Something will have to give between now and next offseason. The Panthers have gone two games without scoring a goal, losing back-to-back 4-0 finals at the hands of the Lightning and Canadiens on either side of the holiday break. They'll look to break that streak on Monday night against the flailing Rangers at home.
Fix the awful penalty kill: The Wild have been a force for much of the 2024-25 season — at one point occupying the top spot in the NHL Power Rankings — but things have started to go off the rails in Saint Paul. And a big part of that is the penalty kill, which is third worst in the league at 70.5 percent. Minnesota hasn't allowed a PP goal in each of its last two games, which is a good start, but it needs to consistently improve if this club wants to have a chance in the playoffs. Following four losses in a row, Minnesota has strung a couple victories together, coming out on top in two of three, although Kirill Kaprizov being injured is really hurting the roster. Still, the Wild will be a top-two team in the Central Division when the calendar flips to 2025 — and they'll most certainly take it.
Win a couple of playoff rounds: Yes, the (potential) extensions of John Tavares and Mitch Marner are important, especially the way the two have played this regular-season. But the regular-season hasn't been an issue at all for the Maple Leafs over the last couple of years. It's getting deep in the postseason, which hasn't happened since 2004. Toronto beat Tampa in Round 1 of the 2023 postseason, but got ousted by the Panthers in the next round. There's only one thing that will silence the critics, and it's the Leafs winning a Stanley Cup for the first time since 1967. That's the ultimate goal, but the aim should be getting out of the first round — and going from there. Craig Berube's team continues to look strong, with a 22-13-2 record through 37 games, good for first in the Atlantic Division.
Return to a top-three spot in the Atlantic Division: Speaking of the Atlantic, for the first time in seven seasons, the Lightning didn't finish top-three in their division in 2023-24. And, for the second consecutive time, Tampa was ousted in the first round of the playoffs. Right now, the roster looks dialed in to make sure at least one of those things doesn't happen again. The Bolts have won eight of their last 11 and have surged up the standings — but still remain in a wildcard spot. All of the Bruins, Leafs and Panthers are ahead in the division, although not all of them are in the NHL Power Rankings. Still, this team is looking good right now, and quite capable of continuing to win prolifically. Jake Guentzel has been a great addition, while Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point continue to pile up points. Despite it all, Tampa is 1-4 against the Atlantic in 2024-25, and improving the divisional record will go a long way towards finishing in a more familiar top three slot come April.
Inject Drew Doughty back into the lineup: A two-time champion with the Kings, Doughty suffered an unfortunate preseason ankle fracture that has cost the 35-year-old the first 36 games of the season — and counting. Even without the stalwart blue liner, Los Angeles is one of the better teams in the West with a 21-10-5 record, good for second place in the Pacific Division. There's a chance one of the hardest teams in the league to score on gets even stingier once Doughty returns, which is likely to happen sometime in January. The Kings are looking to rectify back-to-back-to-back first round postseason losses next spring, and No. 8 will be right at the forefront in that quest.
Make a monumental decision on Brad Marchand: The 2011 Stanley Cup champion has been a heart and soul player for the Bruins since being selected 71st overall in the 2006 NHL draft. But the captain's contract is up at the end of this year, and Boston hasn't been as dangerous this season as year's past. Joe Sacco replacing Jim Montgomery behind the bench seems to be making a difference in Beantown, and if the results continue to be positive, an extension is more likely than a trade. Marchand has picked it up after a slow start to the season, which makes sense after the multiple procedures he underwent over the summer. Still a high-end winger, how the front office handles the future of the star forward will go a long way in determining the franchise's path forward. Right now, things are good for the Bruins, who have won nine of 13 games.
Get Frederik Andersen healthy: Pyotr Kochetkov has emerged into an above average starting goalie, and he's almost certainly the netminder of the future in Raleigh. But the Hurricanes would love to have Andersen come back healthy early on in the New Year. He was lights out at the end of the 2023-24 regular-season after going down with blood clots, and fantastic again at the beginning of this year before knee surgery in November. The veteran Swede could return at some point in February, and he will be a huge boost for a Canes team that is 6-8 since November 29. Carolina has rolled out five NHL goalies in 2024-25 — matching a franchise high.
Remember who they are: Is this really the same Stars team that advanced to back-to-back Western Conference Finals in each of the last two postseasons? It's sure not looking like it right now. Despite having one of the top goal differentials in the conference, Dallas has lost six times in 11 tries, falling to 21-13-1 and just barely holding onto a wildcard spot. There are a ton of underachieving forwards on this roster — Tyler Seguin wasn't one of them before undergoing hip surgery — most notably Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. It's surprising that a team of this caliber has one of the league's worst powerplays, and that's a glaring problem. The Stars should be near the top of league standings, but the longer this goes, the harder it will be for them to climb back up the NHL Power Rankings.
Trade Marcus Pettersson and Rickard Rakell: After a brutal first month and a half of the season, the Penguins have been one of the league's better teams since the end of November. Pittsburgh has secured 10 wins in 15 games to improve to 17-16-5 and sit just a final point back of the final wildcard berth in the East. Despite that, general manager Kyle Dubas is focusing on the big picture, and he shouldn't be potentially moving assets in a push to make the playoffs. Both Pettersson and Rakell should get a change of scenery ahead of the deadline, and each should fetch a decent return. The Penguins need draft capital as they look towards the future, although you can't count Sidney Crosby out to lead a late run even if the roster gets worse in 2024-25.
Make a huge trade deadline splash: It would be nothing short of electric if the Utah Hockey Club were to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Year 1 in Salt Lake City. That's especially true after the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes were unable to make the dance in any of their last four seasons in the desert. In 2024-25, Utah is right there, with a solid 16-13-6 record despite being without key defensemen Sean Durzi and John Marino. General manager Bill Armstrong has already made it clear he isn't afraid to make a splash — see the Mikhail Sergachev trade — and he should be looking to do the same before March 7. Utah is proving it is good enough to hang around the playoff picture, and it could just take a couple of savvy moves to finish the job next spring. Whenever it happens, playoff hockey at the Delta Center promises to be exciting.
Trade Nazem Kadri: The Flames have missed back-to-back playoffs in the Western Conference after trading Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers, and they remain right around the middle of the pack in 2024-25. There's certainly reason for optimism with this young core, featuring a couple of players who should be part of the equation long-term, such as Matthew Coronato, Dustin Wolf and Connor Zary. This roster is still missing an elite player, though, and the only way to rectify that is to flip assets or roster players. Kadri's trade value is probably higher than any other player on the squad besides Rasmus Andersson, and they could certainly live without the dynamic center. If it was part of a bigger package, it would be wise for GM Craig Conroy to move on from the veteran. Regardless of the direction the front office goes at the deadline, the Flames continue to hang around. They're right in the thick of the wildcard race, and are slowly climbing up the NHL Power Rankings as well.
Figure out the style and chemistry woes: The Canucks caught magic in a bottle last season, winning the Pacific Division for the first time in over a decade and looking like one of the league's most dangerous teams for long stretches. But after a heartbreaking Game 7, Round 2 loss to Edmonton, Vancouver just hasn't been able to find that same level of success in 2024-25. The absences have been piling up, with Filip Hronek, JT Miller and Brock Boeser all missing time, and now both Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson on the shelf. There have been rumors that Pettersson and Miller don't get along, and whether or not there's any truth to that is irrelevant. The name on the front is bigger than the one on the back. But more pressingly, the Canucks have turned into a defending team, and although they have the 13th best point percentage since Miller returned from his leave, they have the NHL's lowest 5-on-5 shot rate. The defensive style isn't really paying dividends, and the results are going to start to turn — they already have in the NHL Power Rankings — unless this roster can transform back into the dynamic offensive force it was last year.
Make a significant move ahead of the deadline: After years of mediocrity, the Senators appear to be in good shape to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. With nine wins in 12 games, Ottawa is up to 19-15-2 and currently occupying the second wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. It's been an encouraging campaign, and Linus Ullmark's play as of late has been absolutely lights out. The Swedish star is on the shelf right now, but should return to the lineup early into the New Year. It's time for general manager Steve Staios to make a win-now move, to take this roster from playoff hopeful into legit contender. That could happen ahead of the deadline or in the summer, but it's time for this franchise to take the next step.
Don't sacrifice draft capital to make playoffs: Despite missing the postseason in back-to-back years, the Blues certainly have a bright future. There are nine St. Louis prospects taking part in the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship, and the organization boasts even more that aren't participating. Although GM Doug Armstrong wants to compete for a playoff spot — and the Blues have been better under new head coach Jim Montgomery — it would be smart to stick to the retool. He shouldn't be trading away any draft assets ahead of the deadline, and he's already given up a second-round pick to acquire Cam Fowler earlier in December. The front office now needs to have faith that the roster as currently constructed can keep pace in the Western Conference for the rest of the year. Giving up more precious draft picks won't be worth it just to sneak into the postseason next April, even if it means a better showing in the NHL Power Rankings.
Welcome Ivan Demidov into the lineup: Although it's unknown whether the 2024 fifth overall pick will make the transition to North America in 2024-25, he should certainly be in Montreal before the end of the next calendar year. The 19-year-old has been electric in the KHL in limited minutes, and after seeing what Michkov has done with the Flyers, Canadiens fans should be salivating at the prospect of bringing a Russian of similar skill to Quebec. Making sure Demidov's transition to NA is smooth should be a top priority for the entire organization. Right now, his future team is playing some pretty good hockey — the Habs have won five of their last six after an impressive 5-2 victory over the Lightning on Sunday. That came 24 hours after a convincing 4-0 victory over the Panthers; Jakub Dobes earned a shutout in his NHL debut, making 34 saves. That was electric, and the slow but steady climb up the NHL Power Rankings continues for hockey's most storied franchise.
Sell hard at the deadline: Although the Flyers are hanging around the playoff conversation in the Eastern Conference, president of hockey operations Keith Jones has already made it clear Philadelphia will be selling ahead of the deadline. And the team has a plethora of trade chips, including four underperforming forwards in Bobby Brink, Morgan Frost, Tyson Foerster and Joel Farabee. All four have already been involved in trade rumors, along with blue liner Rasmus Ristolainen. The Flyers are going to be good again soon, but based on the season so far, they aren't quite there yet. Accumulating more draft capital would be wise for GM Danny Briere and the front office, and should help the roster be a true contender even sooner. That's especially true the way Matvei Michkov has played in his rookie season.
Finally make the decision to rebuild: The Islanders just have not been able to decide what kind of team they want to be. Over the last three seasons, they've advanced to the playoffs twice, both times bowing out to the Hurricanes in Round 1. This just isn't the same roster it was during the run of back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals between 2019-21 — it's slower, older and just plain not as good. New York needs a spark, and the front office can't afford to keep going on like it is. A decision must be made, and it's probably time to move on from a couple of pending UFAs like Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson — and maybe even GM Lou Lamoriello in the process. This organization badly needs a new path, and the status quo just isn't the way forward on Long Island.
Do anything to stop the spiral: Fans of the Rangers must be just stunned right now. Last year's iteration of the team won a ridiculous 55 games, capturing the President's Trophy in the process. But in 2024-25, New York has stunningly fallen to 16-18-1 after losing eight times in 10 tries, and they're now in a spot in the NHL Power Rankings no one ever would have expected. It's been a catastrophic couple of months, and both captain Jacob Trouba and former 2nd overall pick Kaapo Kakko have already been shipped out of town. Along with heart and soul forward Chris Kreider getting healthy scratched, it's hard to see things getting any worse in the Big Apple. There's just no quick fix here. Should GM Chris Drury trade Kreider and start a retool on the fly? Is there faith internally that the roster, as currently constructed, can turn things around? It's just a nightmare scenario, and the Rangers should have only one New Year's resolution: turn this ship around, and fast. They're still only eight points out of a playoff spot.
Make a push for the postseason: Despite preseason expectations that saw this club at the bottom of league standings, the Blue Jackets have been surprising to the tune of a 15-16-6 record in 2024-25. It isn't great, but Columbus remains just four points out of a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. With Zach Werenski putting together a Norris Trophy-caliber campaign, along with Sean Monahan, Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov forming a surprisingly terrific top line, the Jackets are well-positioned to at least remain in the postseason conversation. There are solid depth pieces all across this lineup, and if those guys start stepping up, Columbus could remain in the thick of things well into the New Year. The chances aren't great, but the Jackets should hold onto Ivan Provorov at the deadline and keep battling hard for wins in 2025.
Make more moves like the Kaapo Kakko trade: The Kraken have been consistently mediocre over the last couple of seasons, and it's time to shake things up and start taking chances. That's exactly what GM Ron Francis did by acquiring Kakko from the Rangers before the holiday freeze. He added a reasonably high-upside forward with just the sort of profile the team will covet long-term, while sending back a potential second or third pairing defenseman in Will Borgen. Now 16-19-2 — and going nowhere fast in the NHL Power Rankings — Seattle should be looking for more upside as the season goes on. They're just eight points out of a playoff spot, and the dream isn't dead yet in the Emerald City.
Figure out a way to score more goals: Despite a plethora of young talent on the roster, the Ducks just cannot find a way to consistently put the puck in the back of the net. Anaheim's offensive output has been at the bottom of the league for years, and the team remains without a go-to goal scorer. Although Troy Terry and Frank Vatrano have been carrying the offense, neither really fits that mold. In 2024-25, the Ducks are scoring just 2.38 goals per game — good for dead last in the National Hockey League. This roster is still nowhere close to being out of the rebuild, and it's possible that head coach Greg Cronin's system just isn't working for this team. Could it be time for a new voice at some point in 2025? It might not be the worst idea.
Keep Stamkos-Marchessault-Forsberg together: The Predators could not have asked for a worse start to the 2024-25 campaign, especially after the spending spree over the summer. But after hitting rock bottom, Nashville is beginning to come around, having won four of their last seven games dating back to December 12. And the new-look top line of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Filip Forsberg has been a big reason why. Stamkos has 12 goals in his last 10 games, and if there's anything that's going to get Forsberg out of his current slump, it's playing with the two prized offseason additions. It might be too little, too late, but the top line is looking potent, and the trio should remain together for — at least — the rest of this season.
Win some games for their new coach: The Red Wings needed a change, and GM Steve Yzerman finally fired Derek Lalonde after three-and-a-half postseason less campaigns in Motown. Veteran Todd McLellan looks to be a good replacement, but at the end of the day, it's on the players to right the ship. In McLellan's first game behind the bench, the Wings were crushed 5-2 by the Maple Leafs on home ice. Not a good look. This team had lost four consecutive games before a 4-2 victory over the Capitals on Sunday, and it's looking more and more like it'll be another missed postseason for one of hockey's oldest franchises. It's time for the leaders on the roster to step up and get this club back to respectability in the New Year.
Fire GM Kevyn Adams: Sabres owner Terry Pegula visited the team on the road after 11 straight losses, said the fix was internal, and watched as the team went on to lose two more games. Although Buffalo finally got back in the win column by crushing the Islanders and Blackhawks on either side of the holiday break, something's got to give. It's going to be very tough to fire Lindy Ruff for a multitude of reasons, probably the two most important being his legendary status with the franchise and the multi-year contract he signed. Adams has not provided any reason for hope in Western New York in his 4.5 year tenure, and it's time for Pegula to move on and take this flailing franchise in a new direction. Maybe January will be the start of something new: Buffalo has won three straight games after dropping 13, quickly getting out of the basement of the NHL Power Rankings in the process.
Get another star player to pair with Connor Bedard: The Blackhawks added a couple of new forwards to the fold ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, but the roster still lacks a true star player after Bedard. Chicago's front office should be looking to rectify that in the offseason. Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi were solid free agency adds, and Taylor Hall has played well, but none are going to bring out the best in the future of the franchise. No. 98 has been heating up lately with 13 points in his last 11 games, although the Hawks lost seven of them. They're still last place in the Western Conference, and the slim playoff hopes are fading with each defeat. Maybe next year there will be some more star power to write home about.
Give Yaroslav Askarov the net: Make that seven losses in a row for the Sharks, who have returned to the all-too-familiar No. 32 spot in the NHL Power Rankings. San Jose has given up 28 goals in that span and scored just 17, falling to 11-22-6 and last place in the Pacific Division. With the playoff hopes basically snubbed out before the calendar even turns to 2025, it's time for Askarov to get some significant reps as an NHL starter. He'll be in that role almost certainly in 2025-26, with Alex Georgiev and Vitek Vanecek both pending UFAs and neither likely to be re-signed. The 22-year-old Russian made 30 saves on 31 shots in Saturday night's 3-1 loss to the Flames, and he should continue manning the bulk of the work in San Jose's crease, both this season and beyond.
Colin Gallant is the lead senior NHL editor for ClutchPoints. In addition to hockey, he covers the NFL, MLB, and tennis. The Hamilton, Ontario native has a Masters degree in journalism from Western University, and he previously wrote for CBC News, The Hockey News, and Tennis Canada.
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