For the primary three months of the 2025-26 NHL season, the Colorado Avalanche have been on a tempo that logically was not sustainable. They’ve confirmed simply that this month.

The Avalanche earned not less than one level in 38 of their first 40 video games this marketing campaign, bettering to 31-2-7 with a 5-3 conquer the Carolina Hurricanes of their first recreation in January. They’ve gone 5-7-2 since, shedding three of their 4 contests in Week 17 as their lead within the race for the President’s Trophy has shrunk to 5 factors.

5 of these 9 defeats got here at house, the place Colorado went 17-0-2 previous to the 2026 calendar yr. The membership has another recreation at Ball Enviornment — and general — earlier than the NHL begins its 19-day break for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Whereas the Avalanche had per week they’d wish to neglect, two groups had improbable seven-day stretches and now are nipping at their heels. The Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars each gained all 4 of their video games and enter Week 18 trailing Colorado within the league standings by solely 5 and 6 factors, respectively.

A number of different golf equipment have been excellent in Week 17, with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Seattle Kraken and Ottawa Senators all going 3-0-0 and the Tampa Bay Lightning successful each of their contests. In the meantime, the Montreal Canadiens posted a 3-0-1 report, and the Hurricanes and Boston Bruins every went 2-0-1.

Solely two squads had a worse time than Colorado final week, because the Florida Panthers suffered 4 regulation losses to drop out of the highest 10 scores and the New York Rangers have been 0-3-0. The Vegas Golden Knights have been the one different crew that didn’t get within the win column, however they earned two factors by shedding as soon as in additional time and as soon as in a shootout.

Every week in the course of the season I am going to rank the league’s prime 10 groups based mostly on each the earlier week’s performances and general physique of labor in 2025-26. I am going to additionally give transient synopsis for every membership that explains why they’re ranked the place they’re.

Let’s dive into the facility scores getting into Week 18 of the 2025-26 NHL season and spotlight a couple of of the groups’ notable accomplishments.

NHL Week 18 energy scores 

1. Colorado Avalanche (1-3-0 in Week 17; 36-9-9 general)

The Avalanche started final week with back-to-back street losses towards the Senators and Canadiens, giving them setbacks in six of eight contests (2-4-2). They bounced again with a 5-0 conquer the Detroit Purple Wings to interrupt even on their four-game trek however wound up splitting the home-and-home collection as they have been shut out themselves 2-0 at Ball Enviornment on Monday. Nathan MacKinnon recorded two objectives and an help in Colorado’s lone victory however was saved off the scoresheet in every defeat and is 4 factors behind Edmonton Oilers famous person Connor McDavid, who leads the NHL with 95. Two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar had an much more uneventful week as he didn’t report a degree. The 27-year-old enters Week 18 together with his longest drought since a four-gamer from Jan. 6-11, 2025. Together with Ross Colton, Parker Kelly additionally scored twice final week and has transformed in each different contest over his final eight.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (2-0-0; 35-14-4)

Tampa Bay saved rolling in Week 17, cruising previous the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 at house earlier than recording an historic 6-5 shootout victory over the Bruins at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday on this season’s installment of the NHL Stadium Collection. The Lightning overcame a four-goal deficit for the primary time in franchise historical past in that contest as Boston was forward 5-1 halfway by the second interval earlier than imploding. It was the eighth consecutive house win for Tampa Bay, which has gone 17-1-1 over its final 19 general video games. Two-time defending Artwork Ross Trophy winner and three-time general recipient Nikita Kucherov is using an eight-game level streak and has landed on the scoresheet in 18 of his final 19 outings. The 32-year-old Russian proper wing is also within the midst of a four-game multi-point run as he had a purpose and an help towards Winnipeg earlier than netting a tally and establishing three others versus Boston. In the meantime, defenseman Darren Raddysh’s profession season continued because the 29-year-old racked up two objectives and three assists final week. Raddysh, who enters Week 18 with a four-game goal-scoring streak, already has set private bests this marketing campaign with 16 tallies, 33 assists and 49 factors.

3. Dallas Stars (4-0-0; 33-14-9)

The Stars started final week with an ideal three-game street journey earlier than ending it with their fifth consecutive general victory and sixth in seven video games, a 4-3 additional time conquer the Jets. Defenseman Thomas Harley was spectacular as he scored with 1:07 remaining within the third interval final Tuesday to present Dallas a 4-3 win towards the Blues in St. Louis, transformed a power-play alternative in a 3-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Saturday and netted the additional time winner versus Winnipeg two days later. Matt Duchene tallied in every recreation throughout Dallas’ trek, together with twice at St. Louis, to increase his goal-scoring streak to 4 contests and notched a pair of assists towards the Jets. Mikko Rantanen received on the scoresheet in all 4 Week 17 video games, accumulating a purpose and 4 assists, captain Jamie Benn arrange 5 tallies and Sam Metal and blue-liner Miro Heiskanen recorded 4 assists apiece.

4. Minnesota Wild (4-0-0; 33-14-10)

With their 4 victories in Week 17, the Wild have earned factors in six straight video games (5-0-1) and eight of their final 9 (7-1-1). Three gamers contributed offensively in all 4 wins, with Matt Boldy scoring a purpose and establishing 4 others, Joel Eriksson Ek registering three tallies and three assists and defenseman Quinn Hughes amassing a purpose and 6 assists. Boldy is within the midst of a six-game level streak (two objectives, six assists), Eriksson Ek has netted a tally in 4 of his final 5 outings and Hughes has arrange 14 objectives throughout his nine-game help streak whereas additionally changing twice in that span. Kirill Kaprizov has scored 4 occasions over his final three contests and posted multi-point performances in seven of his previous 9 outings.

5. Carolina Hurricanes (2-0-1; 34-15-6)

Very like the Lightning, the Hurricanes have stormed to the highest of the Jap Convention are using an eight-game level streak (6-0-2) and have gone 10-1-3 during the last 14 contests. They started final week with a 5-4 conquer Mammoth — scoring 3 times within the ultimate 1:59 of the third interval, with captain Jordan Staal netting the successful purpose with 30 seconds remaining. Carolina then squandered a three-goal lead in a 4-3 additional time loss to the Washington Capitals and let a two-goal benefit slip away earlier than edging the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in OT. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere collected three objectives and three assists in Week 17, whereas Andrei Svechnikov had two of every. Sebastian Aho seems to have damaged out of his droop as he ended his 12-game drought with a tally towards the Capitals and transformed 1:25 into additional time versus the Kings.

6. Buffalo Sabres (3-1-0; 32-18-5)

The Sabres simply is likely to be for actual as they gained three of their 4 video games final week. Since their three-game shedding streak in early December, they’ve gone 21-4-1 over their final 26 contests. Alex Lyon has gained 11 of his final 12 choices, setting the franchise report with 10 consecutive victories in the course of the stretch, and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has landed on the scoresheet in 11 of his final 12 outings. Dahlin matched a profession excessive with 5 factors in a 7-4 conquer the Toronto Maple Leafs final Tuesday, registering his first NHL hat trick within the contest. Two days later, Alex Tuch recorded his fourth profession hat trick as Buffalo defeated Los Angeles 4-1. The 29-year-old proper wing hasn’t gone back-to-back video games with no level since Dec. 20-21, amassing 11 objectives and eight assists over his final 20 outings. 

7. Montreal Canadiens (3-0-1; 31-17-8)

Montreal was lower than 13 minutes away from an ideal week because it defeated Vegas, Colorado and Buffalo earlier than taking a 3-2 lead towards Minnesota 12 seconds into the third interval on Monday. Nevertheless, the membership allowed the tying purpose with 12:55 remaining and fell 4-3 in additional time. Defenseman Noah Dobson received on the scoresheet in all 4 video games for the Canadiens, notching a purpose and 4 assists, whereas Nick Suzuki elevated his team-leading level complete to 65 with two tallies and 4 assists. The 26-year-old Suzuki has picked up not less than one level in eight of his final 9 outings and hasn’t been blanked in consecutive contests since Nov. 11 and 13.

8. Detroit Purple Wings (1-2-1; 33-18-6)

The Purple Wings fell eight spots within the scores resulting from their tough week. They scored a complete of 1 purpose in regulation losses to Los Angeles and Colorado, and so they have been lucky to earn a degree of their shootout defeat towards Washington as they tallied twice within the ultimate 1:40 of the third interval. Alex DeBrincat was Detroit’s prime offensive producer in Week 17 as he netted three tallies and arrange one other. The 28-year-old proper wing scored within the crew’s 2-0 conquer the Avalanche on Monday to achieve the 30-goal plateau for the second straight marketing campaign and fifth time in his nine-season NHL profession. 

9. Boston Bruins (2-0-1; 32-20-4)

The Bruins enter Week 18 with a six-game level streak and have gone 12-2-3 over their final 17 contests. They squandered a two-goal lead earlier than defeating the Nashville Predators 3-2 in additional time final Tuesday and cruised previous the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 however have been unable to carry a four-goal benefit in Sunday’s Stadium Collection matchup towards Tampa Bay and fell 6-5 in a shootout. Morgan Geekie collected 5 factors (three objectives, two assists) final week whereas defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Jonathan Aspirot each notched 4 assists. The 27-year-old Geekie is using a seven-game level streak throughout which he has netted seven tallies and arrange 4 others. In the meantime, McAvoy has racked up a purpose and eight assists throughout his six-game run.

10. Pittsburgh Penguins (2-1-0; 28-15-11)

Pittsburgh started final week with victories over the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers — scoring six objectives in every triumph — however dropped a 3-2 choice to the Senators on Monday, ending its six-game successful streak and nine-game level run (7-0-2). Captain Sidney Crosby has a quiet Week 17, recording only one help, however Anthony Mantha scored three objectives and arrange two others. Connor Dewar and Noel Acciari every registered two objectives and two assists, whereas Evgeni Malkin had an help in every of the Penguins’ three contests to increase his level streak to 6 video games (three objectives, 5 assists). A two-time Artwork Ross Trophy winner, the 39-year-old Malkin has landed on the scoresheet in 13 of his final 15 contests, accumulating seven objectives and 12 assists in that span.