NHL Power Rankings: Olympic Break Edition

The 2026 Winter Olympics are here, which means the NHL gets a few weeks off. Many players are heading to Italy, but even more will be watching from home while they rest and recover.

When that time concludes, the NHL will resume, and the dogfight for the postseason will commence. Through almost two-thirds of the regular season, Breakaway On SI presents the latest power rankings.

Credit to first-year head coach Marco Sturm, who has rejuvenated the Boston Bruins. The organization is in fifth place in their division, but that still has them holding tightly to a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Forward Morgan Geekie is the story once again. After scoring 30 goals last season, he's already surpassed that mark in fewer than 60 games.

The Buffalo Sabres are the feel-good story of the NHL right now. With 14 consecutive missed postseasons, the pressure is high to end the drought.

Rasmus Dahlin and company appear up to the task, however. Dahlin has been playing like the best defenseman in the NHL, and he's leading the team to bigger and better things in western New York.

Buffalo Sabres defender RAsmus Dahlin — Jan 27, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

These Pittsburgh Penguins just won't go away. They were never supposed to be playoff contenders, but here they are with the second-best record in the Metropolitan Division. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have turned back the clock to put the Pens in a great position in the second half of the season. One more run might be on the table in Pittsburgh.

Cole Caufield took that Olympics snub personally, and he hasn't stopped scoring since for the Montreal Canadiens. His play has the Habs neck-and-neck for second place in the Atlantic Division. The goaltending position remains a huge question mark, but if that solidifies, look out for Montreal.

The Detroit Red Wings are fighting hard with the Canadiens and the rest of the Atlantic for seeding, but that's a new story for this team. The fact that they are still in the running and primed for a postseason run is a huge step for the franchise.

What's been particularly impressive this season is the resurgence of goaltender John Gibson. After being reduced to a castaway with the Anaheim Ducks, the veteran puck-stopper has been the goalie Detroit needed.

After a rough stretch, the Dallas Stars are back. The Stars are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and enter the break winners of six consecutive contests. They sit a single point back of the Minnesota Wild and trail the division-leading Colorado Avalanche by six points.

But their game has seen a resurgence, and it's just getting better in Dallas.

Dallas Stars players celebrate a goal — Feb 4, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) skates past the Stars team bench after he scores the game winning goal during the third period against the St. Louis Blues at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Could this be the year the Hurricanes finally get over the playoff hump? With 36 wins and 78 points through the 57 games, they control the Metropolitan Division.

Forward Sebastian Aho receives all of the attention, as he should, but players like Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov have also been incredibly impactful offensive players this season. Svechnikov has 21 goals and 49 points, while Jarvis has 25 goals in 49 games.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin swung for the fences with the Quinn Hughes acquisition, and it continues to pay off. The Wild are winners of five straight and 8-1-1 in their last 10, and Hughes looks like the Norris Trophy form he was in several seasons ago. The Wild are a legitimate threat in the West.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are creating some separation from the rest of the Atlantic, takng a six point lead into the Olympic break. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is at the top of his game and foward Nikita Kucherov is scoring at an unreal pace.

The team just won an exciting outdoor classic and a spirited contest against the Florida Panthers entering the break, and they will look to carry that division momentum into the rest of the regular season.

What a year it's been for the Colorado Avalanche. Even as teams like the Lightning, Hurricanes and Wild have gained on them, the Avs are still the best team in the NHL.

From their goaltending, to their defensive group, to their offensive production, there isn't a better squad. Nathan MacKinnon is three points off the scoring lead, but he's a strong bet to end up winning the Art Ross Trophy by the end of the season.

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