Friday marks the final night of games for the month of January in the 2024-25 NHL season. In addition to our latest updated Power Rankings, let's check in on how all 32 teams performed this month.
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, which generates our master list.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Jan. 24. Points percentages, paces and January stats are through Thursday's games.
1. Washington Capitals
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 72.55%
Alex Ovechkin or no Alex Ovechkin, this team just keeps winning, and January was no different; the Caps racked up 22 points in 14 games, extending their lead atop the Metropolitan Division.
Next eight days: vs. WPG (Feb. 1), vs. FLA (Feb. 4), @ PHI (Feb. 6)
2. Winnipeg Jets
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 70.75%
No, this isn't the dominant team that was setting records in the season's first weeks. But they'll take an 9-3-2 record any month, given the sizable lead they built in October and November.
Next eight days: @ WSH (Feb. 1), vs. CAR (Feb. 4)
3. Edmonton Oilers
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 66.67%
Some teams that lose in the Stanley Cup Final swoon in the following season. That hasn't been the case for Edmonton, and a 10-3-1 January has them atop the Pacific Division.
Next eight days: vs. TOR (Feb. 1), @ STL (Feb. 4), @ CHI (Feb. 5)
4. Carolina Hurricanes
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 65.38%
Carolina's point percentage was the fifth highest in the league in January -- and most of those games were played without Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall. Are those two additions enough to finally get the Canes back to the Stanley Cup Final?
Next eight days: vs. LA (Feb. 1), @ WPG (Feb. 4), @ MIN (Feb. 6)
5. Vegas Golden Knights
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 65.38%
Just as some other teams quietly crept up the standings in the month of January, the Knights stumbled a bit (at least in a relative sense); a 6-6-3 record isn't in line with what we've come to expect out of one of the NHL's elite contenders.
Next eight days: @ NYR (Feb. 2), @ NYI (Feb. 4), @ NJ (Feb. 6)
6. Dallas Stars
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 65.00%
An injury this week to Miro Heiskanen puts his participation in the 4 Nations Face-Off in jeopardy. What's not in jeopardy is the Stars' playoff positioning, particularly as they have gone 10-4-0 in January.
Next eight days: vs. VAN (Jan. 31), vs. CBJ (Feb. 2), @ ANA (Feb. 4)
7. Florida Panthers
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 60.58%
The Panthers started strong this season, which was good because January wasn't their best month ever: the Cats had a 7-6-1 record, despite a plus-6 goal differential.
Next eight days: vs. CHI (Feb. 1), vs. NYI (Feb. 2), @ WSH (Feb. 4), @ STL (Feb. 6)
8. Toronto Maple Leafs
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 60.78%
If the Maple Leafs are playing the long game, dropping to second in the Atlantic might make sense -- they'll likely avoid the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. In that regard, a 7-6-0 January gets a thumbs-up?
Next eight days: @ EDM (Feb. 1), @ CGY (Feb. 4), @ SEA (Feb. 6)
9. Minnesota Wild
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 63.46%
Given their negative goal differential in January, the Wild are lucky to escape with a record north of .500. And thanks to their early success, there remains a gap between Minnesota and the teams behind it.
Next eight days: @ OTT (Feb. 1), @ BOS (Feb. 4), vs. CAR (Feb. 6)
10. New Jersey Devils
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 60.38%
Some nights, the Devils look as strong as any team in the league; other nights, not so much. (Just look at the two different results against the Flyers this week.) Accordingly, they'll finish January with a 5-5-3 record.
Next eight days: @ BUF (Feb. 2), @ PIT (Feb. 4), vs. VGK (Feb. 6)
11. Los Angeles Kings
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 59.18%
The Kings are looking up at the Oilers and Golden Knights in the Pacific Division, as those two clubs appear to be on another tier at this point. A 5-7-1 January didn't help the cause, and they are teetering close to being caught from behind (though they have games in hand on all the teams chasing them).
Next eight days: @ CAR (Feb. 1), vs. MTL (Feb. 5)
12. Colorado Avalanche
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 57.69%
The Avalanche remain in the driver's seat for a wild-card spot (if not a higher position in the Central Division), although their January results leave a bit to be desired, with a 6-6-2 record.
Next eight days: vs. STL (Jan. 31), vs. PHI (Feb. 2), @ VAN (Feb. 4), @ CGY (Feb. 6)
13. Ottawa Senators
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 56.86%
Is this the season the Senators make it back to the playoffs? An 8-5-2 January -- despite a minus-10 goal differential -- has kept them right in the mix.
Next eight days: vs. MIN (Feb. 1), @ NSH (Feb. 3), @ TB (Feb. 4), @ TB (Feb. 6)
14. Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 57.00%
The good news for the Lightning: Racking up a bunch of points earlier this season meant they had some wiggle room. The bad news: a month of 46.90 points percentage hockey has reduced that space to the smallest of wiggles.
Next eight days: vs. NYI (Feb. 1), vs. OTT (Feb. 4), vs. OTT (Feb. 6)
15. Calgary Flames
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 57.00%
The Flames have more or less held serve in January, with a 7-6-0 record. Thanks in large part to rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf, they remain on the wild-card bubble.
Next eight days: vs. DET (Feb. 1), @ SEA (Feb. 2), vs. TOR (Feb. 4), vs. COL (Feb. 6)
16. Columbus Blue Jackets
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 57.00%
It's unquestionable that the Blue Jackets are the best "story" of the 2024-25 season, and their quest for a playoff return was greatly aided in January: a record of 9-3-1 generated the sixth-best points percentage for the month.
Next eight days: @ UTA (Jan. 31), @ DAL (Feb. 2), @ BUF (Feb. 4), vs. UTA (Feb. 6)
17. Vancouver Canucks
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 56.00%
The well-reported locker room strife between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller was confirmed by general manager Jim Rutherford this week, lending more credence to the idea that one of the two stars will be traded. Hopefully that will spur the team to earn more wins, as a month of .500 hockey isn't a great sign looking ahead.
Next eight days: @ DAL (Jan. 31), vs. DET (Feb. 2), vs. COL (Feb. 4), @ SJ (Feb. 6)
18. Boston Bruins
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 52.83%
The Bruins have gone 5-7-2 this month and appear more in need of the 4 Nations Face-Off break than many other teams. Is there a trade in the works to shake things up?
Next eight days: vs. NYR (Feb. 1), vs. MIN (Feb. 4), @ NYR (Feb. 5)
19. New York Rangers
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.00%
As the Rangers collapsed earlier this season, there was no shortage of fan frustration along with takes on how to properly fix them. Quietly, they've charged back up the standings, due in part to an 8-3-3 January.
Next eight days: @ BOS (Feb. 1), vs. VGK (Feb. 2), vs. BOS (Feb. 5)
20. Detroit Red Wings
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 53.92%
Detroit's 2024-25 season has been a bit of a roller coaster, including the dismissal of coach Derek Lalonde and hiring of Todd McLellan. This month has been a high point, with a 10-3-1 record that has the Red Wings back on the wild-card bubble.
Next eight days: @ CGY (Feb. 1), @ VAN (Feb. 2), @ SEA (Feb. 4)
21. Montreal Canadiens
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 51.96%
The fact that the Canadiens remain on the fringes of the playoff race into February is remarkable, and their 7-5-2 record in January is a big part of that. Does the front office add to the roster before the trade deadline, or keep the slow build process going?
Next eight days: @ ANA (Feb. 2), @ SJ (Feb. 4), @ LA (Feb. 5)
22. New York Islanders
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 53.00%
Are we all sleeping on the Islanders? Patrick Roy has his team pointed back in the right direction after a rough start, going 9-3-0 in January.
Next eight days: @ TB (Feb. 1), @ FLA (Feb. 2), vs. VGK (Feb. 4)
23. Philadelphia Flyers
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 49.06%
The Flyers' build back into a contender continues apace, though their minus-8 goal differential for the month would surely be helped if they had better goaltending on a consistent basis.
Next eight days: @ COL (Feb. 2), @ UTA (Feb. 4), vs. WSH (Feb. 6)
24. Utah Hockey Club
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
The Hockey Club remains mathematically alive for a playoff berth but will have to reverse trends from a month in which it had fewer standings points (12) than games played (13).
Next eight days: vs. CBJ (Jan. 31), vs. STL (Feb. 2), vs. PHI (Feb. 4), @ CBJ (Feb. 6)
25. St. Louis Blues
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 49.02%
Does this week's Brandon Saad contract termination mean that an addition is on the way? Something must be done if the Blues are going to make a move back into the playoff mix during a 5-7-0 January.
Next eight days: @ COL (Jan. 31), @ UTA (Feb. 2), vs. EDM (Feb. 4), vs. FLA (Feb. 6)
26. Pittsburgh Penguins
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 47.17%
How much of the Penguins' current roster will be on the team after March 7? The club's 4-7-3 record in January was better than only the "fun bad" Sharks; Pittsburgh's results seem way less fun, and simply bad.
Next eight days: vs. NSH (Feb. 1), vs. NJ (Feb. 4)
27. Nashville Predators
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 43.88%
The Predators are no strangers to wild turnarounds within the same season -- they pulled one off last season. It's not entirely out of the realm of mathematical possibility that they make the playoffs, and a 7-4-0 mark since the calendar turned to 2025 is a strong start.
Next eight days: @ BUF (Jan. 31), @ PIT (Feb. 1), vs. OTT (Feb. 3)
28. Anaheim Ducks
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 47.06%
Although it hasn't made a huge dent in the overall standings, the Ducks have been a middle-of-the-flock team in January -- with a 6-7-2 record despite a minus-8 goal differential. In which direction will they fly from here?
Next eight days: vs. MTL (Feb. 2), vs. DAL (Feb. 4)
29. Seattle Kraken
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 46.23%
Goaltender Philipp Grubauer -- one of the Kraken's early, big free agent signings -- was put on waivers recently, and it wouldn't be shocking if the club made additional moves ahead of the trade deadline. A 6-8-1 January record has kept them well below expectations.
Next eight days: vs. CGY (Feb. 2), vs. DET (Feb. 4), vs. TOR (Feb. 6)
30. Buffalo Sabres
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 43.00%
A 45.83 points percentage in January has actually raised the Sabres' seasonlong mark, but it's still not good enough to get them out of the Atlantic Division basement.
Next eight days: vs. NSH (Jan. 31), vs. NJ (Feb. 2), vs. CBJ (Feb. 4)
31. Chicago Blackhawks
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 36.27%
This hasn't been the best season in Blackhawks history. But at least for the month of January, they haven't been dead last. (Chicago's points percentage is 29th for the month.)
Next eight days: @ FLA (Feb. 1), vs. EDM (Feb. 5)
32. San Jose Sharks
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 33.33%
The Sharks began the month among the NHL's basement dwellers in the standings, and that trend will continue into February.
Next eight days: vs. MTL (Feb. 4), vs. VAN (Feb. 6)