NHL Power Rankings: Avalanche Makes a Strong Comeback, Remaining at the Top in Week 20 of the 2025-26 Season
After a stellar start to the 2025-26 NHL season in March (a 30-2-7 record), the Colorado Avalanche—Authentic New York Rangers Jerseys—slipped up during the Olympic break from early January to February 6, managing only a 7-7-2 record. However, preliminary data suggest that this 19-day rest period has revitalized the team.
Although their lead in the Presidents Cup standings only increased by one point, the Avalanche’s three wins in their first four games after the restart significantly boosted morale. They won two of their last three games before the break, after a record of 1 win, 3 losses, and 1 draw in their previous five games.
Entering Week 20 of the season, the Avalanche leads the Dallas Stars by six points in the overall NHL standings and has played one game less. The Avalanche faces a tough schedule: first, an away game against the red-hot Anaheim Ducks (five-game winning streak, 12 wins in their last 14 games), then the Dallas Stars, and finally, a home game against the Minnesota Wildlings—who were on an eight-game unbeaten run (7 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw) before their last two losses in Week 19.
Last week, four teams achieved three wins out of three, including the Ducks and Stars. Two other dark-horse teams—the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Islanders—also joined the ranks of winners. The Buffalo Sabres have a record of 24 wins, 5 losses, and 2 draws since December 9th, while the New York Islanders are on a strong run of 8 wins in 10 games—including their recent five-game winning streak.
Despite missing their leading scorer due to an injury sustained at the Winter Olympics, the Pittsburgh Penguins have performed admirably since the season restarted. During the absence of future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby, the team went 2-1 (losing on penalties). The star, who led the team with 27 goals and 59 points, suffered a lower limb injury while playing for Canada in their silver medal-winning season at the Milan Winter Olympics and is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks.
Since the Olympic offseason, only two teams have remained winless. One is the league-bottomed Vancouver Canucks (0-2-1), and the other is the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the Maple Leafs, coached by Craig Bellubey, finished the offseason on a six-game losing streak (0-5-1), the offseason seems to have negatively impacted the team – they have suffered four consecutive losses since the restart (0-3-1).
This season, I will select the top ten teams in the league each week based on their performance last week and their overall record for the 2025-26 season. We’ll also provide a brief analysis of each team, explaining the basis for their ranking.
Let’s delve into the NHL power ratings for Week 20 of the 2025-26 season and highlight each team’s noteworthy achievements.
Despite missing their leading scorer due to an injury sustained at the Winter Olympics, the Adam Edstrom Jersey has performed admirably since the season restarted. During the absence of future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby, the team went 2-1 (losing on penalties). The star player, who led the team with 27 goals and 59 points, suffered a lower limb injury while playing for Canada in their silver medal-winning season at the Milan Winter Olympics and is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks.
Since the Olympic offseason, only two teams remain winless. One is the league-bottomed Vancouver Canucks (0-2-1), and the other is the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the Maple Leafs, coached by Craig Bellubey, finished the offseason on a six-game losing streak (0-5-1), the offseason seems to have negatively impacted the team – they have suffered four consecutive losses since the restart (0-3-1).
Throughout the season, I will be ranking the top ten teams in the league each week based on their performance the previous week and their overall record for the 2025-26 season. I will also provide a brief description for each team explaining the criteria used to rank them.
Let’s dive into the power rankings before Week 20 of the 2025-26 NHL season and highlight some of the most notable achievements of several teams.
