NHL Power Rankings: Best in the West Top Latest Edition

The reigning NHL champions are from the Eastern Conference, but the elite teams in the West are making a substantial claim on preeminent status now that the regular season has turned into 2025.

Four of the top five teams in this week's installment of our rankings reside in the West, led by the Vegas Golden Knights, who were a unanimous voting choice for the top spot after earning runners-up billing last week.

Coach Bruce Cassidy's team supplanted the Winnipeg Jets, who dipped to third, while the Minnesota Wild jumped three spots from fifth to second. The Los Angeles Kings climbed one place from sixth to fifth to complete the Western quartet, one spot behind the Washington Capitals, who represent the East at No. 4.

In fact, only the Capitals and the No. 6 Toronto Maple Leafs held off a complete Western takeover, given the placements of the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche in positions 7, 8 and 9, respectively.

The New Jersey Devils had the week's biggest tumble from fourth place to 10th. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings were the biggest positive movers of the week, jumping five spots from 27th to 22nd.

Votes were cast that awarded 32 points for first place all the way down to a single point for No. 32. Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought of your own in the app comments.

*Votes were tallied after games played on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Previous Ranking: 32

Overall Record: 13-25-2

It's not gone well lately for the Blackhawks, who had lost six of seven heading into Wednesday's date with Colorado, but don't blame Connor Bedard.

The 19-year-old is the fourth Chicago teenager in 50 years with a point streak of at least seven games, joining Jonathan Toews, Eddie Olczyk and Denis Savard.

Previous Ranking: 31

Overall Record: 13-24-6

Losing to high-flying Vegas to end a two-game win streak is one thing. Falling behind by two goals early is another, and Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky wasn't happy with the approach.

"[We have to] be ready to start from puck drop," he said. "[Our] puck play was soft. We didn't execute. We were soft to play against."

Previous Ranking: 30

Overall Record: 13-21-7

A loss at Winnipeg on Tuesday ended a brief two-game uptick for the Predators, but they did get a positive jolt in the form of a goal by Filip Forsberg, who hadn't scored since November 18.

The 30-year-old is on pace to score 20 goals this season after netting a career-best 48 in 82 games in 2023-24.

Previous Ranking: 28

Overall Record: 15-21-5

It's been tumultuous time for the Sabres, with three wins followed by three losses and then a win over high-flying Washington, but forward Alex Tuch appreciates the spike in work ethic.

He said: "The commitment to playing the right way, to better D-zone, to blocking shots, to sacrificing for one another, I think has been a lot better."

Previous Ranking: 24

Overall Record: 17-21-3

It's the same old story as of late for the skidding Kraken, who are 0-2-1 in their last three while generating just seven goals and averaging 23 shots.

Goalie Philipp Grubauer has won just five of 18 starts in 2024-25 with a career-worst .880 save percentage.

Previous Ranking: 26

Overall Record: 15-18-7

Captain Anders Lee scored 20 goals in 81 games last season, but he's a good bet to surpass that number in 2024-25 thanks to a torrid recent stretch in which he's scored five goals in five games to get to 18.

The 34-year-old is on pace for 37 across 82 games, which would be the second-best total in a career that began in 2013.

Previous Ranking: 29

Overall Record: 18-20-2

The Rangers have split four games since ending a four-game losing streak, but they'll move forward for at least the next few without forward Chris Kreider, who has been put on injured reserve with an upper-body issue.

The 33-year-old was out for Tuesday's OT loss to Dallas, in which New York had a 3-0 lead before eventually losing, 5-4.

Previous Ranking: 23

Overall Record: 17-19-5

Drawing the Maple Leafs for a Sunday/Tuesday home-and-home pair wasn't exactly good news for the struggling Flyers, who lost a pair of 3-2 decisions and have lost three straight and eight of their past 11.

Goalie Ivan Fedotov, who stands 6'7", took both losses and allowed six goals on 42 shots for an .857 save percentage.

Previous Ranking: 25

Overall Record: 17-18-5

It hasn't translated to a plus-.500 record just yet, but the Ducks are starting to generate confidence thanks to a string of positive results and some in-game comebacks.

Anaheim was 4-1-0 in five games before dropping a 3-2 OT decision to Calgary on Tuesday.

"I love the fact that every game we play in, we're in," forward Alex Killorn said.

Previous Ranking: 18

Overall Record: 19-19-4

The second of two straight losses for the Blues was particularly frustrating as it came after they chased Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson and took a two-goal second-period lead.

But they gave up the next four, which irritated coach Jim Montgomery.

"I thought we didn't have enough grit, or as much determination as they did," he said.

Previous Ranking: 27

Overall Record: 18-18-4

Another coaching change, another instant boost in a team's fortunes.

This time it's the Red Wings, who are 5-1-0 since Todd McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde on December 26.

"He's come in and done an incredible job changing things," forward Patrick Kane said. "He's upped the confidence in the room and that's a huge part of this."

Previous Ranking: 22

Overall Record: 17-17-8

A streak of 209 consecutive games for Evgeni Malkin ended on Tuesday when he missed Pittsburgh's game with Columbus with an upper-body injury.

The 38-year-old, who has 32 points in 41 contests this season, hadn't missed a game since a four-match league suspension in 2022.

Previous Ranking: 15

Overall Record: 20-18-5

The honeymoon is over for interim coach Joe Sacco, who went 11-4-1 in his first 16 games after replacing Jim Montgomery but is 1-5-1 since, including five straight losses (0-4-1) after Tuesday's 4-0 blanking by Edmonton.

"We've played against some of the top teams in the league and we played well," he said. "That was not the case (against the Oilers)."

Previous Ranking: 21

Overall Record: 18-17-6

There's been no more positive surprise in the league through the first half than the Blue Jackets, who won game No. 41 in a shootout at Pittsburgh on Tuesday and have gotten two points in five of their last seven.

Columbus hadn't won on the Penguins' home ice since November 2015, a span of 15 games in which it had gone 0-10-5.

Previous Ranking: 17

Overall Record: 19-17-3

It's hardly the stuff championships are made of, but the Senators are plenty happy with a 4-4-1 record across a nine-game road trip prompted by the IIHF World Junior Championship being played in Ottawa.

"That was a difficult couple weeks to get through, but we're still right there," forward Brady Tkachuk said.

Previous Ranking: 19

Overall Record: 17-15-7

It'll be a happy stretch at home for the artists formerly known as the Coyotes, who began a seven-game stand on Wednesday.

They won only once on a four-game trip to Seattle, Edmonton, Calgary and Dallas and exceeded two goals just once while allowing 15.

Previous Ranking: 20

Overall Record: 19-18-3

The success has been plentiful for the Canadiens in the form of eight wins in 10 games, and forward Cole Caufield suggested a developing resilience as a primary reason.

"We're learning how to come back in games and when you start bleeding you've got to figure out how to stop it," he said. "I think we've had times in the past where we just kind of let it get away."

Previous Ranking: 16

Overall Record: 18-12-9

The apparent rift between forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson is an issue, but the Canucks balked on a deal that would have sent the former to the New York Rangers in exchange for Mika Zibanejad, according to The Athletic's Josh Yohe.

However, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said Vancouver is "looking at the market" for both players.

Previous Ranking: 14

Overall Record: 19-14-7

The Flames had been scuffling with two straight losses and three in four games, but they managed an OT win in Anaheim on Tuesday after losing two one-goal leads.

Jonathan Huberdeau got the winner on a power play in extra time.

"It was just a lucky bounce," he said. "It was good for 4-on-3. We've been struggling a little bit, so I think we'll take that bounce."

Previous Ranking: 13

Overall Record: 21-15-2

The Lightning had already lost four straight when they blew a third-period lead on Tuesday against Carolina. But Brayden Point scored late to earn a 3-2 win and left coach Jon Cooper praising the group's resilience.

"Got to give the guys credit because midway through the third period we give up the lead and now… are you going to question yourself and what's happened to us before?" he said. "But we stuck with it."

Previous Ranking: 7

Overall Record: 24-15-2

The Panthers hoisted the Stanley Cup after a particularly meaningful home game last June, but their most recent stretch at Amerant Bank Arena wasn't quite so successful, yielding just two wins in five games while they were shut out twice and scored one goal once.

Florida will play at home just four times in 10 games through the end of January.

Previous Ranking: 11

Overall Record: 24-15-2

The Hurricanes have a way of making any goalie look capable, but they'll be happy when Frederik Andersen gets himself back into the mix.

The 35-year-old practiced Wednesday for the first time since undergoing knee surgery in November. He's played just four games this season and has a stingy 1.48 goals-against average.

Previous Ranking: 4

Overall Record: 25-15-3

The Devils hadn't seen much adversity through a scalding-hot start before a post-Christmas dip yielded four straight road losses.

New Jersey was beaten in Carolina, Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose before winning at Seattle on Monday.

The defeat of the Kraken ended an overall five-game road skid dating back to a December 19 loss at Columbus.

Previous Ranking: 12

Overall Record: 25-15-1

The Avalanche are among the hottest teams in hockey these days and the missing link may have been consistent goaltending, which they've had since acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood from San Jose on December 9.

The 28-year-old is 7-1-1 in nine games with Colorado with a 1.69 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage.

Previous Ranking: 10

Overall Record: 25-13-1

It's up to five straight wins and points in seven successive games for the streaking Stars, who rallied from 3-0 down in the first period to defeat the Rangers on Tuesday.

The win at New York was the first of five straight on the road, where Dallas is 9-8-0 compared to a 16-5-1 mark at home.

Previous Ranking: 9

Overall Record: 25-12-3

The Oilers have been the best team in the West and second-best overall since December 9 after a 4-0 win at Boston on Tuesday lifted them to 10-2-1 over the last 30 days.

Their 3.85 goals per game are tops in the league in that stretch and no player scored more than Leon Draisaitl, whose 10 goals gave him a league-high 29 for the season.

Previous Ranking: 8

Overall Record: 27-13-2

The Maple Leafs have won five straight since New Year's Eve and three straight with a returned Auston Matthews, who's produced two goals and five assists after missing six games.

The 27-year-old had a goal and an assist in a Tuesday win at Philadelphia and became the fourth-fastest active player with 200 multi-point games.

Previous Ranking: 6

Overall Record: 23-10-5

The Kings have been red-hot at home since the holiday season, but they'll take their show on the road starting Friday.

Los Angeles visits Winnipeg to begin a four-game trip that will include subsequent games against Pacific Division rivals in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Previous Ranking: 3

Overall Record: 26-10-4

When it comes to the Capitals and milestones, it's all about Alex Ovechkin. But veteran defenseman John Carlson got in on the act on Monday when his helper on a goal from Aliaksei Protas gave him 700 points and made him the seventh U.S.-born blue-liner to hit that number.

"Couldn't have dreamt of it as a kid," he said, "so it's pretty special."

Previous Ranking: 1

Overall Record: 28-12-2

The Winnipeg blue line took another hit during Saturday's loss to Detroit, where Colin Miller suffered a fractured larynx and will miss at least two weeks.

The 32-year-old is the third Jets defenseman on the shelf, following Dylan Samberg (foot) and Haydn Fleury (lower body) to injured reserve.

Previous Ranking: 5

Overall Record: 26-11-4

Four straight wins. Six wins in seven games. And now a tie for second in the league in comeback wins with four, the most recent of which came Tuesday after a 4-2 deficit against St. Louis ended in a 6-4 victory.

The bad news? Young defenseman Brock Faber left in the first period with an upper-body injury and didn't return.

Previous Ranking: 2

Overall Record: 28-9-3

The Golden Knights had already won eight of nine games and a ninth in 10 was all but guaranteed with a trip to San Jose, where Vegas is 14-0-3 in franchise history.

The 17-game road point streak against the Sharks is the fifth-longest in league history, and the team is the second ever to earn points in its first 17 road games against an opponent.