NHL Power Rankings: Red-hot New Jersey Devils, Utah Mammoth on the rise as spooky season arrives
Written by CBS SPORTS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on October 29, 2025
NHL Power Rankings: Red-hot New Jersey Devils, Utah Mammoth on the rise as spooky season arrives
The Devils are playing some inspired hockey as the first month of the season wraps up
The NHL season is nearly a month old, and spooky season is reaching its peak. With that in mind, this week’s NHL Power Rankings will feature a Halloween twist as the surging New Jersey Devils take over the top spot.
On Friday night, kids across the country will go out and load up on Halloween goodies, but not all treats are the same. Compare the thrill of getting a full size Reese’s Cup to the disappointment of getting a popcorn ball. Each treat elicits a unique reaction, and I wanted to capture that same visceral response for each NHL team.
This week, I’ll be assigning a Halloween candy that I believe best fits every NHL squad. The process was less of a science and more of an art. It’s a gut thing. As for my qualifications, please see my less-than-sparkling dental record, which has been redacted for privacy purposes.
So, which teams have come together like the unbeatable combination of peanut butter and chocolate? Which ones will be left in the trick-or-treat bag until they’re thrown out next Halloween? Let’s find out.
Here are the updated NHL Power Rankings with each team as a Halloween treat.
Biggest Movers
|
Rk |
Teams |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Devils |
Hot Tamales | Thanks to Jack Hughes playing like a very early Hart Trophy candidate, the Devils are the hottest team in the league. Also… hot… Devils. It works on two levels. | 3 | 8-2-0 |
| 2 |
 Golden Knights |
Twix | One of the better candies out there, Twix has a little bit of everything. Soft nougat. Crispy cookie. Creamy caramel. Similarly, the Golden Knights are built to win in a variety of ways. | — | 6-1-3 |
| 3 |
 Hurricanes |
KitKat | Year after year, it remains atop the Halloween candy power rankings. There’s really nothing to dislike. And yet, it always seems like there are just one or two treats that are a little better. | — | 6-3-0 |
| 4 |
 Mammoth |
Nerds Gummy Clusters | The hottest new candy on the block. Personally, I can’t get enough of them. | 8 | 8-3-0 |
| 5 |
 Avalanche |
Milky Way | When Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Cale Makar are on the ice together, everything just looks silky smooth for the Avalanche. There’s no smoother candy than a fresh Milky Way. | 4 | 6-1-4 |
| 6 |
 Jets |
3 Musketeers | Shades of a Milky Way or Twix. Just not quite as good. Somewhat unspectacular. But it just keeps chugging along as a consistent presence at the top of the candy bowl. | 1 | 7-3-0 |
| 7 |
 Stars |
Snickers | Similar to the Twix, a Snickers has a little something for everyone to enjoy. Snickers is a classic Halloween all-star, but its reach extends well beyond the holiday. Similarly, the Stars will still be doing good work in May — and perhaps June. | — | 6-3-1 |
| 8 |
 Canadiens |
Reese’s pumpkins | The flavor of the month. The Canadiens are rolling, and they’ve been must-see TV all October. I still have questions about staying power, but there’s no denying their greatness right now. | — | 8-3-0 |
| 9 |
 Capitals |
Whoppers | I may have made the mistake of underrating them yet again. On the surface, they don’t seem like much, but they’re greater than the sum of their parts. | 3 | 6-4-0 |
| 10 |
 Penguins |
M&M’s | Sidney Crosby is one of the all-time greats. If you can’t count on anything else, you can count on him to make the Penguins competent. Likewise, you can bet M&M’s will be a reliable option on Halloween. | 5 | 7-2-2 |
| 11 |
 Red Wings |
Mr. Goodbar | A classic candy bar that has been around for a long time, but it’s been surpassed by other treats in recent years. Is it finally starting to make a comeback? | 2 | 7-3-0 |
| 12 |
 Maple Leafs |
Baby Ruth | Like the Leafs, it’s been decades since anyone since it was all the rage. | 1 | 5-4-1 |
| 13 |
 Oilers |
Reese’s eggs | Out of season. Please check back once spring arrives. | 4 | 5-4-2 |
| 14 |
 Panthers |
Reese’s cups | The back-to-back Cup champs, the Panthers are the cream of the crop. Have they been perfect to start this season? No, but you know they’ll deliver when it matters most. | 4 | 5-5-1 |
| 15 |
 Senators |
Fun-size Skittles (without grape) | The Senators may not have their star player right now, but they’re still a solid squad. Ottawa should have enough to get the job done, even without Brady Tkachuk for a while. | 4 | 5-5-1 |
| 16 |
 Ducks |
Airheads | I think they might just be fun and good? Hopefully things don’t take a sour turn. | — | 5-3-1 |
| 17 |
 Kraken |
Fun Dip | Not the worst, but still kind of a mess. | 3 | 5-2-3 |
| 18 |
 Kings |
Hershey’s bar | Fine. Solid. I’m not gonna turn it down, but I like the other candy around it a lot more. | 3 | 5-3-3 |
| 19 |
 Blue Jackets |
Butterfinger | Tough — and much like the peanut butter crisp that sticks to your teeth — the Blue Jackets won’t go down without a fight. | 3 | 5-4-0 |
| 20 |
 Lightning |
Crunch bar | There may be newer and more exciting candy bars in your bag, but don’t forget about this one. Still a staple of Halloween, and it shouldn’t be dismissed as a quality treat. | 3 | 4-4-2 |
| 21 |
 Flyers |
Heath | Not my first choice, but I’m kinda surprised by how much I’m digging it right now. | 4 | 5-3-1 |
| 22 |
 Canucks |
Tootsie rolls | If that’s all I have left, I guess I’ll eat it. But I will not enjoy it. | 4 | 5-6-0 |
| 23 |
 Blackhawks |
Tootsie Pops | They may not be great, and there are far better options out there, but it’s edible. For the Blackhawks, that represents progress, folks. | 3 | 5-3-2 |
| 24 |
 Islanders |
Sour Patch Kids | First they’re sour (0-3-0 start), then they’re sweet (4-1-1 since). Also, they have an 18-year-old kid (Matthew Schaefer) leading the way. | 3 | 4-4-1 |
| 25 |
 Rangers |
Razzles | Better on paper than in reality. Also, both are referenced in the cinematic classic “13 Going on 30.” | 1 | 4-5-2 |
| 26 |
 Sabres |
Dots | “Hey, these could be good! … Oh, I immediately take that back, and now I have candy stuck all in my teeth.” | 4 | 4-4-2 |
| 27 |
 Blues |
Sour Punch straws | They aren’t as good as I remember them being, and they’ve got noticeable holes. | 13 | 3-6-1 |
| 28 |
 Wild |
Popcorn ball | Has this really gotten stale already?! That’s how it’s starting to feel in Year 3 under John Hynes. | 11 | 3-5-3 |
| 29 |
 Bruins |
Jawbreaker | Fun for a few minutes, but you quickly realize that it will be a long and unpleasant experience. The Bruins will always have that 3-0-0 start. | 1 | 5-7-0 |
| 30 |
 Predators |
Werther’s Original | Old. Boring. No one is excited to see it in their trick-or-treat bag. | 1 | 4-5-2 |
| 31 |
 Sharks |
Fun-size Starburst | Could be two pinks. Could be a pair of yellows. You don’t really know what you’re going to get out of it, but I’m gonna have a good time regardless. | 1 | 2-6-2 |
| 32 |
 Flames |
Candy still around from last Halloween | This stuff was way more enjoyable last year. | 1 | 2-8-1 |
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