The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have wrapped up, with players returning to NHL action amid a mix of triumphs and injuries. Stars like Kevin Fiala, Sidney Crosby, and Mikko Rantanen headline the injured list, but teams are shaking off any post-Olympic rust. ESPN analysts Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash have polled experts for a fresh 1-32 ranking through Thursday’s games, adding over/under points total bets from DraftKings for each squad.
Colorado holds the top spot, while Tampa Bay and Carolina cling to elite status in a tight Presidents’ Trophy race. Lower down, playoff hopefuls like Montreal and Vegas push for postseason spots, and bottom feeders eye the draft lottery. With the trade deadline looming on March 6, these rankings highlight momentum shifts and betting value.[1]
Top teams holding strong
The Colorado Avalanche remain no. 1 after a decisive win over Utah, even resting Nathan MacKinnon. Brock Nelson, Martin Necas, Gabriel Landeskog, and Cale Makar all contributed offensively in their return. New addition Brett Kulak bolsters the defense, positioning them for further deadline moves. Their points percentage sits at 74.6%, with an over/under of 119.5 favoring the over at -115 odds.
Tampa Bay Lightning sit second at 70.2% points percentage, pacing for the Atlantic Division crown. However, their 113.5 over/under looks steep, prompting an under pick at -120 as they may rest stars late. Carolina Hurricanes rank third but face a tough 110.5 line, leaning under despite Brandon Bussi’s strong season. Minnesota Wild, fresh off acquiring Quinn Hughes, boast a 15-5-5 record since and eye the over on 106.5.
Dallas Stars round out the top five at 68.1%, projecting to win 14 of their last 24 despite Rantanen’s absence. GM Jim Nill eyes upgrades for their 107.5 over/under, picked over at -120. These teams dominate polls, but Olympic fatigue and schedules will test their resolve. For more on playoff positioning, check our post-Olympics NHL bubble watch.
In the next week, Colorado faces Chicago, LA, and Anaheim. Tampa hosts Buffalo before road trips to Minnesota and Winnipeg. Carolina welcomes Detroit, then travels west to Seattle and Vancouver. Minnesota plays at Utah tonight, hosts St. Louis and Tampa. Dallas hosts Nashville, then Vancouver and Calgary. These matchups could solidify or shake the top tier.
Mid-tier playoff contenders
Montreal Canadiens jumped to sixth at 62.9% points, with Juraj Slafkovsky peaking post-Olympics. Jacob Fowler provides goaltending depth for their 100.5 over at -110. Pittsburgh Penguins hold seventh despite a brutal schedule including Colorado and Dallas; they favor over 95.5. Detroit Red Wings slipped to eighth but track for playoffs, picking over 97.5 amid key games vs. Florida and Tampa.
Buffalo Sabres dropped to ninth but push for playoffs, leaning over 97.5 at -130 if they retain Alex Tuch. Vegas Golden Knights rank 10th, hinging on Adin Hill’s form for 99.5 over. Boston Bruins at 11th eye wild card with over 93.5, while New York Islanders’ Sorokin and Schaefer fuel over 94.5 ambitions. These clubs balance momentum and deadline drama.
Schedules intensify: Montreal vs. Washington, at San Jose. Pittsburgh at Rangers, hosts Vegas, at Boston, vs. Buffalo. Detroit at Carolina, Nashville, hosts Vegas. Buffalo at Florida tonight, Tampa, hosts Vegas, at Pittsburgh. Vegas at Washington tonight, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit. Boston at Philly, hosts Pittsburgh, at Nashville. Islanders at Columbus, hosts Florida, at Anaheim and LA.
Rising squads like Montreal echo trends from our recent February power rankings, where Olympic performers shone. Injuries test depth here, but savvy trades could propel over picks.
Bubble teams and long shots
Columbus Blue Jackets at 13th face a gauntlet with three vs. Carolina, picking under 93.5. Utah Mammoth hold wild card at 14th, with Logan Cooley healthy and home-heavy schedule favoring over 93.5. Anaheim Ducks ride a 10-2-0 streak into over 91.5, boosted by Leo Carlsson. Washington Capitals at 16th near 91.5 under, depending on Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Edmonton Oilers tumbled to 17th, with Leon Draisaitl demanding more; under 92.5 looms without goaltending fixes. Ottawa Senators pick under 91.5 absent Linus Ullmark’s peak form. Seattle Kraken at 19th grab over 87.5 in playoff spot. Toronto Maple Leafs post-Marner push over 89.5 despite urgency.
Upcoming: Utah hosts Minnesota tonight, Chicago, Washington, at Philly. Anaheim hosts Winnipeg tonight, Calgary, Colorado, Islanders. Washington hosts Vegas tonight, at Montreal, Utah. Edmonton at San Jose, hosts Ottawa. Ottawa at Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary. Seattle hosts Vancouver, Carolina, St. Louis. Toronto hosts Ottawa, Philly, New Jersey, at Rangers.
These teams fight for wild cards, with soft schedules aiding some overs. Florida Panthers at 22nd defy odds with Matthew Tkachuk back, picking over 91.5 despite projections.
Bottom of the standings
Los Angeles Kings added Artemi Panarin to offset Fiala, eyeing over 91.5 with easiest schedule. Philadelphia Flyers surprise with over 88.5 at +100 value. San Jose Sharks home cooking favors over 85.5 via Macklin Celebrini. Nashville Predators risk under 85.5 with potential sell-off of Ryan O’Reilly and others.
New Jersey Devils under 86.5 without Jack Hughes dominance. Winnipeg Jets chase wild card over 80.5 on Connor Hellebuyck’s form. Calgary Flames under 76.5 if Nazem Kadri departs. Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, and Vancouver Canucks all lean under amid trades and slumps.
Key games: LA vs. Calgary, Colorado, Islanders. Philly vs. Boston, at Toronto, Utah. San Jose vs. Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal. Nashville at Dallas, hosts Detroit and Columbus, Boston. New Jersey at St. Louis, hosts Florida and Toronto. Winnipeg at Anaheim, San Jose, Chicago, Tampa. Calgary at LA and Anaheim, Dallas, Ottawa. Bottom teams prioritize youth.
As detailed in ESPN’s full rankings, overs cluster among contenders, unders for sellers. See Olympics recap here.
The stretch run favors stacked teams like Colorado and Tampa, but deadline deals could flip scripts. Bettors eye overs for surging squads, while playoff races tighten in both conferences. Watch how injuries and trades shape the final 24-25 games—what it means for the Cup chase starts now.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.