The new year is here, and that means it’s time to begin resolutions. Everyone has something they can work on or a goal to achieve, and I have identified a resolution for each NHL team in the newest Power Rankings.
The halfway point of the 2024-25 season is approaching, so we know a good bit about these teams by now. Their strengths and weaknesses are quite clear, so choosing a resolution for every team wasn’t too hard. Some teams, like the Edmonton Oilers, just need to start seizing the opportunities that are already available to them.
Other teams, like the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs, can find ways to improve off the ice. Whether that’s by bringing in a new player or getting a star player fully healthy, those squads would benefit greatly from some self-care.
Of course, it’s easy to say all of these things on Jan. 1. Who isn’t determined to stick to their resolutions today? The interesting thing will be seeing which teams stick with their resolutions through the rest of the season and which ones fall off by the end of next week.
As a new year begins, here is a resolution for each team in the newest NHL Power Rankings.
All expected goals and goals saved above average data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
Biggest Movers
|
Rk |
Teams |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Golden Knights |
Create more of a good thing | Only five teams have a better power play than the Golden Knights, but only one team gets fewer power play opportunities per game. Vegas is lethal on the man advantage, and that will only give the team a bigger edge if it can start creating more power plays. I would never advocate for diving, but… | 3 | 25-9-3 |
| 2 |
 Jets |
Step up when it matters | The Jets are once again among the hottest teams in the NHL. They’ve won four in a row and were 9-4-1 in the month of December. Winnipeg is on track for another excellent regular season, but that hasn’t mattered much in the last two years. The Jets have gotten bounced in the first round two times in a row, so they will need to be at their best when the lights are brightest in 2025. | 11 | 27-11-1 |
| 3 |
 Oilers |
Seize opportunities | The Oilers are fourth in the NHL in high-danger scoring chances per game (12.7), but their shooting percentage ranks 22nd (10.2%). If Edmonton can start cashing in on those opportunities more often — as they have the talent to do — it will start racking up wins at an alarming rate. | 2 | 22-12-3 |
| 4 |
 Kings |
Make a splash | The Kings have quietly been one of the best teams in the league for a while now, and they’ve managed to do that with star defenseman Drew Doughty on long-term IR. Los Angeles has played strong two-way hockey, but it does seem like the roster needs a little more firepower in order to get past teams like the Oilers. GM Rob Blake may not want to mess with a good thing, but I’d like to see him take a big swing for a scorer ahead of the trade deadline. | 3 | 21-10-5 |
| 5 |
 Capitals |
Feed Ovechkin | The Capitals have been a pleasant surprise, and they’ll get their chance to do big things in the playoffs. Having said that, their New Year’s resolution is all about getting Alex Ovechkin ahead of Wayne Gretzky on that all-time goals list. Just 25 goals to go. | 2 | 25-10-2 |
| 6 |
 Avalanche |
Welcome newcomers | Colorado has completely revamped its goaltending in December, and the new guys have been getting the job done. Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have combined to save 11.9 goals above average. That duo has provided a welcomed change and much-needed improvement in Denver. | 9 | 23-15-0 |
| 7 |
 Maple Leafs |
Get healthy | This has nothing to do with diet and/or exercise. I’m sure these NHL athletes are in fine shape. I’m referring to the Maple Leafs getting Auston Matthews back to full health. He’s been in and out of the lineup with a shoulder injury, and while Toronto has played well in his absence, it will need Matthews at his best in the playoffs. | 3 | 23-13-2 |
| 8 |
 Devils |
Achieve full potential | If you can find a more complete team than the Devils, I’d love to see it. This team has everything you want in a Stanley Cup contender, and while it was probably too young to make a true Stanley Cup run two years ago, there is now much more experience on this roster. If New Jersey plays to its standard every night, it will be lifting the Cup next summer. | 7 | 24-13-3 |
| 9 |
 Panthers |
Avoid complacency | Winning a Stanley Cup is an incredible achievement, and I’m sure the party that ensues can take a lot out of a team. That said, there hasn’t really been a championship hangover for the Panthers. They’ve been far from perfect, but they still look every bit like a team poised to repeat. That’s good because Florida can’t afford to rest on its laurels with other juggernauts in the East. | 1 | 23-13-2 |
| 10 |
 Wild |
Seek out help | For a while, the Wild looked like they were just going to roll through the regular season, but they have hit a speed bump recently. Minnesota has had trouble lighting the lamp recently. That’s not a new issue for the team, but it’s still one that needs to be remedied. GM Bill Guerin has to be on the lookout for players who can help Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldly and Marco Rossi at the top of the lineup. | 8 | 23-11-4 |
| 11 |
 Lightning |
Strive for longevity | By NHL standards, the core of this Lightning team isn’t made up of spring chickens. Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Jake Guentzel, Ryan McDonagh and Andrei Vasilevskiy are all 30 or older. That hasn’t been a problem yet, but we’ll see how the Bolts hold up as the season progresses. Personally, I won’t be betting against that bunch. | 1 | 20-12-2 |
| 12 |
 Stars |
Find your inner youth | Veterans like Matt Duchene, Jamie Benn and Mason Marchment have been doing a lot of the heavy lifting in Dallas. This roster has so much young potential, but those players have yet to fully blossom. Wyatt Johnston has eight goals after notching 33 last year. Logan Stankoven is stuck on four tallies after an incredible debut in 2023-24. Maverick Bourque, one of the team’s best prospects, has two goals in 30 games. It’s time to get those three rolling. | 6 | 22-13-1 |
| 13 |
 Senators |
Break through | The Senators were one of the NHL’s best teams in December. They went 9-3-1 with a 51.2% expected goals share, and perhaps most importantly, Linus Ullmark started to round into form. Ottawa has had an exciting young core for a while now, but it hasn’t come together on the ice. That might be changing, and a playoff berth could be on the horizon as a result. | 7 | 19-15-2 |
| 14 |
 Hurricanes |
Rediscover confidence | More specifically, help Martin Necas get his mojo back. Necas fired out of the gate looking like a Hart Trophy contender, but he has cooled off quite a bit. Necas hasn’t scored in his last 11 games, and he has recorded one point in his last seven. Without Necas contributing, Carolina has been unable to string together wins in bunches. | 3 | 22-13-2 |
| 15 |
 Canucks |
Avoid toxicity | I’m not totally sure what’s been going on behind the scenes in Vancouver this season, but something has definitely been amiss. The Canucks haven’t played to their potential yet, and a few key players have underperformed. Maybe Rick Tocchet needs to burn some sage in the locker room or something. This team is too talented to flounder like this. | 6 | 17-11-8 |
| 16 |
 Bruins |
Find your center | I mean this very literally. The Bruins just aren’t very good down the middle of the ice. Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle are more suited for depth roles, which would be fine if Elias Lindholm was playing at a high level. Instead, Boston’s big free agent acquisition isn’t even on pace for 41 points. The center position is still an issue following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement. | — | 20-15-4 |
| 17 |
 Blues |
Out with the old, in with the new | There have already been changes in St. Louis this year. Drew Bannister was fired and replaced with Jim Montgomery. There will probably be more changes down the road, as long as GM Doug Armstrong is willing to jettison some veterans and embrace younger talent. He’s already shown a willingness to do that when he signed ex-Oilers Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to offer sheets last summer. | 1 | 18-17-4 |
| 18 |
 Penguins |
Defend yourself | The Penguins could use a little more backbone. No team allows goals at a higher rate than Pittsburgh, and only six teams allow expected goals at a higher rate. To make matters worse, the tandem of Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic has been a disaster in goal. The Penguins have to start defending better if they’re going to reach the playoffs. | 1 | 17-17-5 |
| 19 |
 Hockey Club |
Find your missing piece | Utah is a young team on the rise, and while the team probably won’t win big this season, I would still like to see moves that set the franchise up for success in the near future. Buffalo’s Dylan Cozens or Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras would be really exciting additions to a young core that’s starting to find itself. | 5 | 16-15-6 |
| 20 |
 Flames |
Resist temptation | Calgary just keeps picking up points in the standings, and it remains in a playoff spot. If that status quo holds as the trade deadline nears, GM Craig Conroy might be tempted to add a piece or two, but he must resist. The unexpected success is a good sign, but the Flames are still a rebuilding team. They need to retain future assets and add to their prospect pool. | 3 | 18-12-7 |
| 21 |
 Flyers |
Keep intruders out | The goaltending situation is impossibly bad in Philadelphia. Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov have all started for the Flyers. None of them have a save percentage anywhere near .900, and they’ve combined to allow nearly 22 goals above average. Anyone and everyone is putting the puck in Philly’s net right now. | — | 17-17-4 |
| 22 |
 Blue Jackets |
Keep up the fight | Against all odds, the Blue Jackets are in the thick of the wild card race in the East. They’re just two points out of a playoff spot, and while their five-on-five play has dipped, it’s far from terrible. Columbus has exceeded expectations thus far, and they’ve been a tough out every night. If they can keep that rolling in the second half, they’ll be playing meaningful hockey in March and April. | 3 | 16-16-6 |
| 23 |
 Kraken |
Make wiser investments | To their credit, the Kraken were one of the teams that stepped up and spent big in free agency last year. Unfortunately, spending just to spend isn’t usually a great strategy. Chandler Stephenson, signed for seven years and nearly $44 million, has been a major disappointment. Brandon Montour, signed for seven years and $50 million, has played well but hasn’t reached the heights he did in Florida. | 4 | 17-19-2 |
| 24 |
 Islanders |
Be special | In a way, the Islanders’ special teams have been very “special” this year, but not in a way they want. The Isles are dead last on the power play (11.2%) and the penalty kill (63.9%). That is truly amazing stuff, and it’s costing the team valuable points in the playoff race. If they can just be semi-competent on special teams in the second half, the Isles could make a playoff push. | — | 14-17-7 |
| 25 |
 Canadiens |
Take the next step | The Habs and their fans have been waiting for this rebuild to take the next step, and it seems like that might be happening now. The Canadiens have rattled off three straight wins and are now 7-3-0 in their last 10. Montreal still has a long way to go, but this does look like progress. Cole Caufield is cruising toward a career year, Lane Hutson is putting up numbers in the offensive end and Sam Montembeault has been surprisingly good in net given the defensive mess in front of him. | 4 | 17-17-3 |
| 26 |
 Ducks |
Grow | The Ducks’ rebuild has also stagnated, and it’s time for some of their key youngsters to show some growth. Right now, veterans like Troy Terry, Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome are carrying the team. At some point, potential stars like Mason McTavish and Pavel Mintyukov will need to take over. | 2 | 15-17-4 |
| 27 |
 Red Wings |
Keep your nose clean | The Red Wings’ penalty kill is ranked 31st (69.6%), so it’s imperative that they stay out of the penalty box. Detroit isn’t nearly good enough at stopping the puck to be giving opponents power play opportunities. It’s been a struggle for the Wings in every area, but they can alleviate their penalty kill woes by staying out of trouble. | 5 | 15-18-4 |
| 28 |
 Sabres |
Forget struggles of the past | One way or another, the Sabres need to put their past behind them. Unfortunately, it looks too late for Buffalo to end its playoff drought this year. The team needs to build momentum the rest of the way and have a strong offseason so the franchise can finally get back to the postseason in 2026. | 4 | 14-20-4 |
| 29 |
 Predators |
Achieve goals | Scoring goals is a key element to winning hockey games, and the Predators are very bad at it. Their 91 tallies are tied for the least in the league, they’ve already been shutout six times and Filip Forsberg hasn’t scored in over a month. Some goals would go a long way toward getting this team out of the basement. | 2 | 11-20-7 |
| 30 |
 Blackhawks |
Identify reasons for hope | It’s probably fair to say the Blackhawks are even worse than anticipated this season, so they need to find some hope for the future, especially after getting blasted in the Winter Classic. Maybe that hope is in the form of Connor Bedard showing some emotion and leadership after a dismal showing at Wrigley Field. | — | 12-24-2 |
| 31 |
 Rangers |
Cleanse | The Rangers need to go on a juice cleanse or a water cleanse or something. No team in the league has worse vibes than them. Players know they’re on the trade block. The world-class goaltender is hurt. They might struggle to defend a beer league team. This downward spiral by a Cup contender needs to be studied by scientists of all kinds. | 5 | 16-19-1 |
| 32 |
 Sharks |
Prepare for the future | The Sharks have been pretty plucky, but they are still a step or two or three behind most opponents. That’s OK. They should be considering they’re still in the early stages of a rebuild. That just means GM Mike Grier will have to do some selling in the coming months to stockpile more possible franchise cornerstones. | 5 | 11-23-6 |
