Overview
- Colorado is a consensus No. 1 after a dominant stretch that includes a 9-1 win over Edmonton, with newcomer Victor Olofsson cited as an early impact scorer.
- Anaheim leaps into the top three in multiple lists, fueled by a winning run and youth-driven offense highlighted by Cutter Gauthier’s hat trick and Leo Carlsson’s breakout under coach Joel Quenneville.
- Montreal rises into the upper tier, reaching No. 2 in Bleacher Report’s voting on the strength of resilient play echoed by players inside the room.
- Florida tumbles seven spots in Bleacher Report’s rankings and New York slides again, with the Rangers 0-5-1 at home and shut out in four of those games.
- ESPN tags Pittsburgh as a pleasant surprise with veteran resurgence and improved goaltending, while St. Louis and Calgary rank among the early underperformers by record and playoff odds.