By Gary Pearson, BetMGM

Of the seven Canadian NHL teams, only the Edmonton Oilers would have a chance to win the Stanley Cup if the playoffs started today. 

For hockey fans in the Great White North, it's a good thing there's still a ton of hockey to be played. I can assure you that nobody north of the border will want to repeat the 2015-16 NHL playoffs, which had no Canadian participants. 

To avoid that unlikely and unthinkable scenario, what do Canadian teams need to do to rise from the doldrums?  

Defensive Frailties Headline Shortcomings

Going purely by the Stanley Cup odds, you won't be surprised to learn that the Oilers are the only Canadian outfit in a playoff position.

But if you looked at the standings a couple of weeks ago and not since, you'll be taken aback by the current pecking order.

All but one Canadian team ranks in the bottom 15 according to points percentage, with the Montreal Canadiens the best of the bunch. With a .569 points percentage, they rank 16th. 

Where Do Canadian Teams Rank Defensively?

Poor defensive play, subpar goaltending or a combination of both are the primary reasons for the sluggish start to the 2025-26 season. 

Four Canadian teams rank among the bottom 10 in three primary defensive categories, including goals against, goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, and goals against above expected. 

The Vancouver Canucks allow the most goals per game (3.60), the most goals per 60 minutes in all situations (3.55) and, logically, have conceded the most goals overall (108). 

The Canadiens allow the second-most goals per game (3.55), the third-most goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (2.9) and the third-most goals against above expected (5.65). 

The Oilers, meanwhile, concede the fifth-most goals per game (3.47) and the eighth-most goals against above expected (-1.82). 

And then there are the Ottawa Senators, which allow the ninth-most goals per game (3.31) and goals per 60 minutes in all situations (3.25), and the most goals against above expected (10.32).

Four Best Long Shots To Win The NHL's Eastern And Western ConferenceThe Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild among the NHL squads that are long shots to advance to the Stanley Cup final, but can they pull it off?

Thanks to a recent defensive resurgence, along with solid goaltending from the now-injured Joseph Woll and call-up Dennis Hildeby, the Toronto Maple Leafs have climbed out of the basement in most categories, where they were entrenched for the first quarter of the season. 

You might be surprised to learn of the Calgary Flames' absence from those ignominious stats. The polar opposite issue plagues the Flames, whose offense is about as toothless as a four-month-old baby. 

Most tellingly, only one Canadian team – the Winnipeg Jets – ranks in the top half of the league in overall goals against.

You don't have to be a hockey savant to know what is causing insomnia for the coaches north of the 49th parallel. 

The Stars have ascended to the top of the standings to challenge the Avalanche, though by points percentage, they still have some ways to go. 

The closing gap, however, means the Avs will have a serious challenger for the NHL power rankings lead and the Presidents' Trophy, though they're still on pace to match the Bruins' record-setting 135 points in the cap era. 

The rest of the standings is cramped like sardines or like an Italian-made ice rink. Only eight points separate the third-place Capitals and the 22nd-ranked Sharks.

It’ll be a busy month as the holidays approach, both with the Olympic teams being selected and a looming trade deadline that will come soon after the conclusion of the Games.

Here are this week's NHL power rankings.

1. Colorado Avalanche (21-2-7, +48. PR: 1)

After a 6-3 loss to the Isles, which was just their second (!) regulation loss of the season, it does seem like the margins are getting tighter. The Avs pulled off two one-goal wins and then nearly pulled off a comeback win against the Preds. Alas, they can't win any shootouts. 

2. Dallas Stars (21-5-5, +29. PR: 3)

The Stars were 3-3-1 in the first two weeks but since then have basically kept pace with the Avs, though they're still a little behind on points percentage. Regardless, this is shaping up to be the Stars' best season in the cap era with a killer power play that ranks third after finishing 17th last season.

3. Anaheim Ducks (19-10-1, +13. PR: 5)

No idea how they've managed to pull off the wins they have with Ville Husso in net, especially Tuesday against the Pens when they were outshot 47-28 with Beckett Sennecke forcing overtime with 0.1 seconds remaining on a shorthanded goal (!) and winning in a shootout. What a great pick by the Ducks, by the way, when they took Sennecke third overall in 2024 when he wasn't even ranked in the top 10 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. 

4. Washington Capitals (18-9-3, +28. PR: 7)

The Caps' dressing room vibes are second to none, and they've lost just once in regulation since Nov. 17, ripping off a 10-1-1 record and limiting opponents to two goals or less seven times. They're doing this without Pierre-Luc Dubois and John Carlson, which is really impressive.

NHL Hart Trophy Rankings: There's No Doubt About Who's The MVPColorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has his team posting excellent results, while Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini remain in our top five front-runners for the NHL's Hart Trophy.

5. Minnesota Wild (16-9-5, +4. PR: 2)

Good goaltending can mask a lot of deficiencies, and Jesper Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson's hot streaks have come to an end, resulting in a 2-2-0 record during their road trip. Note the Wild are one of the league's worst possession teams, per naturalstattrick.com, so we shall see if the Wild can stay at the top.

6. Carolina Hurricanes (18-9-2, +15. PR: 9)

It's been a pretty uneven stretch for the Canes lately, and I do believe part of it is their loyalty to the struggling Frederik Andersen and being stubborn about having a three-goalie rotation. Since Nov. 11, they're just 6-5-2 and ranked 20th in points percentage. 

7. Vegas Golden Knights (14-6-9, +4. PR: 10)

The Knights are leaving points on the table with a league-leading nine losses in overtime or shootout; otherwise, they might be near the top of the league. An important part of the story is goaltending, where it does seem like Carter Hart has the inside track on the starting job until Adin Hill returns.

8. Tampa Bay Lightning (17-11-2, +18. PR: 4)

Some mild panic with a four-game losing streak, but then they righted the ship with a 6-1 win against the Habs on Tuesday in the second game of a back-to-back on the road. The Lightning survived – thrived, even – when Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov were out of the lineup, but can do the same without Andrei Vasilevskiy? Victor Hedman, who's barely missed time throughout his career, has suddenly become injury-prone this season.

9. Los Angeles Kings (14-8-7, +3. PR: 9)

After a string of losses in extra time, I think it's a testament to the Kings' resilience that they avenged a 2-1 loss to the Hawks by beating them 6-0 in the following game, and then making quick work of the Mammoth with a 4-2 win. And, what's this, a defenseman on the Kings' top power-play unit?! Does Jim Hiller know he's allowed to do that?!

10. Detroit Red Wings (16-11-3, -7. PR: 11)

I swear, the Red Wings rollercoaster has more twists and turns than a Knives Out mystery. After going 0-3-1, the Wings are back on the right track, going 3-0-1 over the past week. They needed some help, and John Gibson turned in some (surprisingly) solid performances, but as long as they can peel off winning streaks here and there, they should be playoff-bound.

Who's Hot And Cold In The NHL: Seider Impresses, Heineman FizzlesThe Oilers' Draisaitl and Red Wings' Seider are among the NHL players who had stellar weeks. But other players had weeks to forget.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins (14-7-7, +7. PR: 13)

The loss of Evgeni Malkin will hurt, but the Pens continue to play well and got some bad luck losing two shootouts in a row in games that they could've won. The NHL has a Masterton award for dedication to the game, but I do wish there were also a comeback player of the year award. Tristan Jarry's definitely in the running for that. 

12. Philadelphia Flyers (16-9-3, +7. PR: 14)

At what point do we stop joking about how the Flyers are overachieving and admit that they're actually pretty good? Part of me wonders when their goaltending will fall off, but the other part acknowledges that they have a pretty balanced lineup without a superstar.

13. New York Islanders (17-11-3, +3. PR: 17)

What a resurgent season by Ilya Sorokin, and the Isles' lone loss over the past week was when he didn't start. Impressive wins against the red-hot Lightning, the league-leading Avs and then a (sort of) comeback win against the Knights cap off an impressive run. 

14. Boston Bruins (18-13-0, +5. PR: 22)

It's been a soft part of the schedule, but kudos to the Bruins for taking advantage, winning three of five games without David Pastrnak before his return Tuesday night. They're in the hunt for the Atlantic Division title… which is a wild sentence to type considering their pre-season outlook. 

15. New Jersey Devils (17-12-1, -4. PR: 8)

A five-game losing streak was snapped against the Sens, and that stopped the Devils from plummeting down the rankings. Prior to Tuesday's win, the Devils had scored just one goal in three games. Nico Hischier is a very dependable player, but he's been streaky on offense, so without Jack Hughes, it's been hard for the Devils to score when Hischier's not productive. Acquiring Quinn Hughes might help, though. Make the calls, Fitzy. 

16. New York Rangers (15-12-4, +2. PR: 21)

Discount the back-to-back overtime losses against two of the toughest teams in the West, and the Rangers are 5-1-0 with wins against some top-tier teams. They're still having trouble winning at home, but their turnaround is a really good sign, and now they find themselves right in the midst of the wild-card race.

17. San Jose Sharks (14-14-3, -16. PR: 15)

Still too many blowout losses where the Sharks aren't really in it, and they're winless when Macklin Celebrini doesn't score a point. We're nitpicking here because it's been quite fun watching them, and if the Sharks finish the season at .500, I'd call that a win. 

18. Montreal Canadiens (15-11-3, -12. PR: 20)

Some Bronx cheers for Sam Montembeault in a 6-1 loss to the Lightning Tuesday night, though Jakub Dobes didn't fare much better. Any time the Habs look like they're going on a run, they just seem to crash. After a brilliant 8-3-0 in October, they won just once in regulation over their next nine games. After a strong bounce-back game against the Leafs following an 8-4 loss to the Caps, the Habs won two more games before going 2-4-0 with zero regulation wins. Good news: the Habs called up Jacob Fowler. 

19. Toronto Maple Leafs (14-11-4, +4. PR: 23)

Things looked so dire when the Leafs were 9-10-3 with a 5-2 loss to the rival Habs, but since then, they’re 5-1-1 and getting some excellent goaltending from surprise hero Dennis Hildeby. They're on a scoring binge with 19 goals in five games, though I do want to point out I don't think Auston Matthews gets enough credit for his two-way game.

20. Ottawa Senators (13-12-4, -6. PR: 12)

A horrendous 1-6-1 run has dropped the Sens to the bottom of the East, saved only by the Sabres. They don't score enough goals, and Linus Ullmark is having a tough season once again. Kinda weird that this is happening with Brady Tkachuk back in the lineup, but you can't pin the lack of goals at even strength and back-breaking giveaways in their own zone on him alone. 

21. Chicago Blackhawks (12-11-6, -5. PR: 16)

Connor Bedard is still performing at a high level as the Olympic selection deadline approaches. It's one thing to go through growing pains, but it's slightly concerning the Hawks are getting blown out lately with back-to-back losses where they were outscored 13-1. 

22. Edmonton Oilers (13-11-6, -7. PR: 27)

Just a sad state of affairs in the West when the Oilers can go 4-4-2 and still hold down a wild-card spot. They were a little lucky to get one point out of the Sabres when Connor McDavid tied it with one second remaining, but it's really unsustainable to count on him to win every game by himself. I still can't believe the Oilers brass have the wherewithal to look at this team and say, "Yup, we're good, no need to make any moves yet." 

23. Florida Panthers (14-12-2, -2. PR: 25)

The smart money is still probably on the Panthers to make the playoffs – they're only four points out – but you can see the concern after a four-game winless streak and needing the Verhaeghe-Bennett-Marchand line to go off just to avoid a multi-goal loss to the Jackets. 

24. Columbus Blue Jackets (13-11-6, -12. PR: 24)

Considering how many leads they've blown this season and their general inability to close out games, the Jackets are actually one of six teams that have yet to lose a game after holding a lead after the first or second periods… in regulation. The kicker is the Jackets are the league leaders in overtime losses when leading after the second period, so they're constantly allowing teams to earn a point by forcing overtime and then giving away the extra point by losing. They're just constantly throwing away points, especially to conference opponents, such as the Leafs and Panthers. 

25. Seattle Kraken (11-10-6, -16. PR: 18)

There was hope, but as I noted in previous rankings when readers kept pointing out I ranked the Kraken too low, their lack of regulation wins and elite players are legitimate causes for concern. They're 0-5-1 and cannot seem to score or keep pucks out of their net. 

26. Winnipeg Jets (14-14-1, -1. PR: 19)

It's really not looking good for the Jets sans Connor Hellebuyck, going 3-6-1 since he last started. Only two teams have been worse during that span: the Canucks and Kraken, which are both 2-6-1. Scott Arniel can mix up the lines all he wants, but what they need – desperately – is Hellebuyck to return before it's too late.

Should The Winnipeg Jets Regret Signing Jonathan Toews?There's still time for Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets to turn their season around, but the team made two mistakes with him, and signing him is not one of them.

27. Nashville Predators (11-14-4, -25. PR: 30)

That's now five wins in seven games, including a thriller against league-leading Avs. Did Preds GM Barry Trotz's biting criticism of his team work? A poor start against the Canes aside, Juuse Saros has won four of his past five with a .938 SP. 

28. Calgary Flames (12-15-4, -13. PR: 31)

The wolfpack is back. After a tough 2-9-2 start to the season, Dustin Wolf and the Flames have now won three straight and seven of their past 10, with the only real inexcusable loss coming in Nashville. However, it's times like these where we ask ourselves if winning right now is in the Flames' best long-term interests…

29. St. Louis Blues (11-13-7, -30. PR: 28)

Winning four of their past seven is certainly an improvement, and it's keeping their bleak playoff hopes alive. But I think what's really going to dominate the discussion with the Blues in the coming weeks is how Jordan Binnington, currently one of the league's worst goalies, will be the starter for the defending 4 Nations champion and gold medal favorites at the Olympics. 

30. Utah Mammoth (14-14-3, +3. PR: 29)

Losing Logan Cooley is a massive blow for a Mammoth team that has long yearned for a true No. 1 center. Their woes started a while ago, however, with a 6-11-3 record since Nov. 1. It will be difficult to make the playoffs without a reliable center, even with all the talent that they have.

31. Buffalo Sabres (12-14-4, -14. PR: 26)

The Sabres won in overtime to snap a three-game losing streak, but it still doesn’t feel great considering they nearly blew a 3-0 lead against the Oilers. Lackluster play, lack of improvement from their young core, general inconsistency and a bungled three-goalie rotation will quickly knock the Sabres out of the playoff race if they don't do something soon. 

32. Vancouver Canucks (11-16-3, -23. PR: 32)

A surprising 4-2 win against the Wild brought some reprieve, but this is a team that's hurtling toward another massive turning point for the franchise, and not in a good way. Trade talk concerning captain Quinn Hughes seems to have hit a fever pitch. The question now is whether the Canucks address this situation now and avoid going through further turmoil like they did last season, or if they keep waiting and hope things work out. (A strategy, by the way, that hasn't worked out for them on numerous occasions). The return of Thatcher Demko buys some time, but the clock is still ticking. 

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