NHL first-quarter grades 2025-26 for all 32 teams: Complete report cards at the season’s quarter mark

The 2025-26 NHL season has reached its quarter mark, and the standings have never been tighter. With Colorado threatening to break regular-season records and surprising contenders emerging across both conferences, every point matters in what players and coaches describe as a “playoff-like” atmosphere. Teams have played between 20-23 games, giving us a substantial sample size to evaluate performance against preseason expectations.

This comprehensive assessment examines what has gone right and wrong for each franchise, with grades reflecting both results and underlying metrics. From multiple A-plus performances to a failing mark that signals a franchise in crisis, these evaluations capture the narrative of a season defined by unprecedented parity and compressed scheduling ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Elite tier: A grades at the quarter mark

Colorado Avalanche: A+

The Avalanche aren’t just leading the NHL—they’re threatening history. With points in all but one game through the quarter mark, Colorado has established a 137.9-point pace that could challenge Boston’s record 135-point season from 2022-23. Nathan MacKinnon is producing Hart Trophy-caliber numbers while Cale Makar mounts a legitimate case for both the Norris and Hart trophies. The Avs lead the league in goals per game (4.00) while simultaneously allowing the fewest, a dominant two-way profile supported by elite underlying metrics. Their 59 percent expected goal share dwarfs the second-place team by nearly four percentage points.

What keeps this from perfect marks is a surprisingly pedestrian power play converting at just 15.7 percent, ranking in the bottom ten. However, when a team is this dominant at even strength, special teams inefficiencies become minor footnotes rather than fatal flaws. The supporting cast has exceeded expectations, providing the depth necessary to sustain this torrid pace.

Anaheim Ducks: A

Perhaps no team has shattered expectations more dramatically than the Ducks. Preseason projections had them finishing with 83.5 points; they’re currently on pace for 108.1 while fighting for the Pacific Division crown. Leo Carlsson’s development has been nothing short of revolutionary—the second-year center is projected to finish with 108 points, which would rank among the greatest individual seasons in franchise history and threaten Teemu Selanne’s record of 109 points. Veteran addition Chris Kreider has provided immediate dividends with 14 points in his first 15 games.

The concern lies in their defensive structure and goaltending workload. Anaheim ranks in the top three in scoring chances allowed, shots against, and high-danger chances allowed per 60 minutes. Lukas Dostal’s 5.42 goals saved above expected masks significant systemic issues, and his projected 63-game workload raises durability questions. Still, when a team expected to finish near the basement is instead leading its division, such concerns feel like luxuries rather than crises.

Surprising contenders: Strong B performances

Dallas Stars: A-

After an early four-game stumble, Dallas has righted the ship and sits within striking distance of Colorado in the Central Division. Jason Robertson is playing his way onto Team USA’s Olympic roster, while Mikko Rantanen justifies his contract and Wyatt Johnston takes a leap into superstardom. The Stars’ efficiency stands out—they rank second in power-play percentage despite being in the bottom ten in scoring chances and shots per 60 minutes, suggesting a team that makes the most of its opportunities.

The goaltending from Jake Oettinger has been pedestrian rather than elite, which actually represents upside—when he rounds into form, Dallas could reach another level. The penalty kill has been problematic at 75.7 percent, but Glen Gulutzan’s second tenure has shown admirable adaptability after losing three key forwards in the offseason. The Stars’ ability to maintain contention while integrating new faces demonstrates organizational stability.

Pittsburgh Penguins: A

The Penguins entered the season with bottom-five expectations after trading Mitch Marner and hiring rookie head coach Dan Muse. Instead, they’ve become the Eastern Conference’s most pleasant surprise, sitting in playoff position with the league’s best power play and second-fewest goals allowed per game. Arturs Silovs and Tristan Jarry have formed a formidable goaltending tandem, while the defensive structure has completely transformed under Muse’s system that grants players more operational freedom.

Injuries have tested depth—Rickard Rakell’s two-month absence with a broken hand and Jarry’s recent IR stint create challenges. More concerning is the 0-4 record in games beyond regulation, including overtime and shootout losses that have cost valuable points in the compressed standings. Still, for a team many projected to tank, Pittsburgh’s competitive identity represents a triumph of coaching and execution.

Solid but unspectacular: B-tier teams

Detroit Red Wings: B+

The Red Wings are experiencing their best start in a decade, a testament to Steve Yzerman’s vision taking shape under Todd McLellan’s guidance. Dylan Larkin leads the team in goals and points while providing invaluable leadership to rookies Emmitt Finnie and Nate Danielson. Defensive commitment shows in the numbers—Detroit averages among the fewest shots against per game, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka has emerged as a crucial depth piece on the blue line.

The even-strength scoring remains a question mark, as does goaltending consistency. John Gibson’s acquisition hasn’t yielded the expected savior performance, and Cam Talbot, while improved, hasn’t been elite. The power play has masked some deficiencies, but relying on the extra man won’t be sustainable through a grueling 82-game schedule. Detroit sits atop the Atlantic Division, but the margins are razor-thin with Boston breathing down their necks.

Seattle Kraken: B+

Seattle has overcome significant adversity to amass 28 points in 23 games, with injuries devastating their roster. Lane Lambert’s defensive system has the Kraken limiting high-danger chances effectively, while young players Matty Beniers and Shane Wright have driven results. The goaltending trio of Joey Daccord, Philipp Grubauer, and Matt Murray has provided remarkable stability, leading the NHL in team save percentage in 5-on-5 situations.

The offensive production represents the glaring weakness. Seattle ranks 30th in goals per game (2.55) and last in scoring chances, shots, and high-danger chances per 60 minutes. With identical goals for and against averages (2.68), every game becomes a coin flip. While defensive structure keeps them competitive, the lack of offensive punch threatens their playoff viability as the schedule intensifies.

Middle of the pack: C grades define mediocrity

Edmonton Oilers: C-

The two-time defending Western Conference champions find themselves in unfamiliar territory, barely clinging to the final wild-card spot despite Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both averaging more than a point per game. Only five of their ten victories have come in regulation, and they’ve allowed the most goals in the league (13 instances of surrendering four or more goals in 22 games). The defensive structure has completely collapsed, with the lowest team save percentage in the NHL creating an environment where the superstars can’t outscore the problems.

Injuries to Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jake Walman provide some context, but not enough to excuse the systemic failures. The Oilers have overcome slow starts before, but this version feels different—the compressed schedule leaves little time for correction, and the Pacific Division has improved dramatically. November 19’s 7-goal capitulation to Washington may prove a turning point, either toward resurgence or disaster.

Toronto Maple Leafs: C-

Few teams have been more disappointing than the Maple Leafs, who sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference despite John Tavares’ renaissance (12 goals in 21 games) and William Nylander’ s 27 points in 19 games. The offense ranks top-five in goals scored and second in 5-on-5 production, but the defensive structure has completely disintegrated. Toronto ranks third in goals against per game and has no clear identity without Mitch Marner.

Injuries have been catastrophic—Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Anthony Stolarz, Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo, and depth centers Nicolas Roy and Scott Laughton have all missed time. The result is a team playing without chemistry or confidence, evidenced by a recent 1-5-2 stretch that dropped them into the basement. Craig Berube’s defense-first system worked last season; now it looks broken beyond repair.

Struggling franchises: D grades raise alarms

Calgary Flames: D+

The Flames’ offensive ineptitude has reached historic levels. Averaging 2.38 goals per game represents the second-lowest mark in the NHL and would rank among the bottom 200 teams in league history for single-season scoring. While their defensive structure remains sound—top four in fewest scoring chances and high-danger chances allowed per 60—the complete inability to finish has rendered those efforts meaningless.

Matthew Coronato has been a bright spot, but youth underachievement and a muddled retool/rebuild message have created a toxic environment. A recent three-game winning streak that saw them average 4.66 goals provided false hope; regression quickly followed. The Flames face difficult questions about whether their core can ever produce consistent offense or if a more dramatic teardown is necessary.

Vancouver Canucks: D

Vancouver’s season divides neatly into two segments: the first six games (4-2-0) and everything since. After that promising start, the Canucks have endured three separate three-game losing streaks and have used 29 skaters and three goaltenders in just 23 games. Their underlying metrics are gruesome—bottom ten in shots, scoring chances, and high-danger chances per 60, while ranking worst or second-worst in allowing those same chances defensively.

Filip Chytil’s early three-goal burst and Kiefer Sherwood’s nine-goal November provided glimpses of potential, but injuries to Thatcher Demko and the entire center corps have exposed catastrophic depth issues. The Canucks look like a tanking team rather than the fringe playoff contender many projected, and head coach Rick Tocchet has found no answers for the league’s worst defensive structure.

Basement dwellers: The failing mark

Nashville Predators: F

The Predators represent the season’s most complete failure, on pace for 59.6 points and the NHL’s worst record. Their 2.29 goals-per-game average ranks last and threatens to become one of the most offense-challenged seasons in league history. The problems extend everywhere—sixth-most goals allowed, bottom-seven power play, and the loss of Roman Josi for most of the season.

Steven Stamkos, a 580-goal scorer, is projected to finish under 20 goals for the first time in a healthy season. General manager Barry Trotz’s long-term commitment to Juuse Saros looks increasingly problematic as the roster crumbles around him. A fire sale appears inevitable, and the beloved Trotz is burning through goodwill at an alarming rate. The Predators’ only bright spot is an above-average penalty kill, a small consolation for a franchise facing a prolonged rebuild.

St. Louis Blues: F

The Blues’ collapse defies explanation. After nearly upsetting Winnipeg in last season’s playoffs and adding 25-goal scorer Pius Suter, they sit with the third-fewest points in the NHL. Their defensive structure appears sound—they rank top ten in fewest scoring chances and high-danger chances allowed per 60—but the goaltending has betrayed them completely. A .893 team save percentage ranks fourth-lowest in all situations, turning solid defensive play into a 3.64 goals-against average.

Offensively, they rank 28th in goals per game and 26th in shots, creating a perfect storm of futility. The Blues are five points from the final wild-card spot, but the eye test suggests they’re much further adrift. Head coach Drew Bannister faces mounting pressure as a team expected to compete instead finds itself in the lottery conversation.

The road ahead: What these grades mean for the playoff race

The compressed schedule ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics means teams have minimal practice time and play every other day or on back-to-back nights. This environment favors well-structured teams with depth and strong goaltending—exactly why Colorado, Dallas, and Carolina sit atop the standings. The tight margins also mean that special teams efficiency and overtime success become magnified, potentially determining the final wild-card spots by a single point.

For teams like Pittsburgh, Anaheim, and Chicago, the first quarter represents a validation of process over perception. These franchises entered with low expectations but have established clear identities that should sustain them through inevitable regression. Conversely, Toronto, Edmonton, and Vancouver must find solutions quickly or risk having their seasons slip away before the Olympic break. As Seattle coach Lane Lambert noted, “every game feels so important,” creating a playoff atmosphere that will test the mental fortitude of every roster.

The coming weeks will separate legitimate contenders from early-season mirages. Colorado’s pursuit of history, the Pacific Division’s surprising competitiveness, and the Eastern Conference’s middle-class gridlock ensure that these grades are merely snapshots, not final verdicts. With nine points separating all 16 Eastern Conference teams for the first time in an 82-game season history, the margin between celebration and disaster has never been thinner.