Honestly, if you looked at the NHL standings three days ago, they’re probably already wrong. That is how fast things are moving this January. We are sitting right in the middle of the 2025-26 season, and the "mushy middle" of the league has never felt more crowded. You've got teams jumping from a Wild Card spot to second in their division over a single weekend. It’s chaotic. It's stressful. And if you're a fan of a bubble team, it's probably giving you a minor heart attack every time you check the scores.
Right now, the big story isn't just who is winning. It’s about how many teams are refusing to lose in regulation. We’re seeing a massive influx of "loser points" keeping teams like the Islanders and Penguins afloat in the East, while out West, the Colorado Avalanche are basically playing a different sport than everyone else. If you asked me to show me the standings for the nhl and tell you who is safe, I’d tell you there are maybe four teams that can actually sleep at night.
The Eastern Conference: A Total Traffic Jam
The Atlantic Division is a legitimate nightmare. Tampa Bay and Detroit are currently neck-and-neck at the top with 62 points each, but the vibe in those two cities couldn't be more different. The Lightning have found that old "dynasty" gear again, boasting one of the best goal differentials in the league. Meanwhile, Detroit is scrappy. They’re winning games they probably shouldn't, fueled by a home record that makes Little Caesars Arena look like a fortress.
But look at the gap. Or rather, the lack of one. Montreal is sitting right there with 59 points, and Buffalo and Boston are tied at 56.
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- Tampa Bay Lightning: 62 pts (46 GP)
- Detroit Red Wings: 62 pts (49 GP)
- Montreal Canadiens: 59 pts (48 GP)
- Buffalo Sabres: 56 pts (46 GP)
- Boston Bruins: 56 pts (48 GP)
The Metropolitan Division is just as messy. Carolina is leading the charge, but the Islanders and Penguins are lurking. What’s wild is that Sidney Crosby is still doing Sidney Crosby things, closing in on 1,700 career points while keeping Pittsburgh relevant in a year many experts thought they’d finally fade away. The Rangers, surprisingly, are struggling under new coach Mike Sullivan, sitting way further down the list than anyone expected.
The Western Conference: Colorado and Then Everyone Else
If the East is a street fight, the West is a chase. The Colorado Avalanche have 74 points. Read that again. They have a +75 goal differential. It’s actually kind of absurd. Nathan MacKinnon is playing like he’s controlled by a cheat code, and unless something catastrophic happens, they’re locks for the Presidents' Trophy.
Behind them, the Central is fairly top-heavy with Dallas (63 pts) and Minnesota (61 pts) holding firm. The real drama is in the Pacific.
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Vegas is leading with 58 points, but the Edmonton Oilers are right on their heels. Connor McDavid is still hitting speed bursts over 22 mph regularly, which is terrifying for opposing defensemen. But the real shocker? The San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken are basically inseparable in the hunt for that third spot. Macklin Celebrini has been every bit as good as advertised for the Sharks, proving that a teenage superstar can actually shift a franchise’s gravity.
The Wild Card Chaos
This is where the "show me the standings for the nhl" query gets really interesting. Because of the Olympic break coming up in February for the Milano Cortina games, the schedule is compressed. Teams are playing tired. This has led to some bizarre results in the Wild Card race.
In the East, there’s a group of about six teams—including the Capitals, Flyers, and Panthers—separated by maybe three or four points. In the West, the Utah Mammoth (still feels weird to say, right?) are holding onto a spot, but they’ve got the Predators and Kings breathing down their necks. One bad week in January could literally end a season this year because there just isn't time to make up the ground later.
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Why the Standings Look Different This Year
You've probably noticed some names moving around. Alex Ovechkin finally did it—he passed Gretzky. That historic 895th goal (and then 900!) changed the energy in Washington. Even though they aren't leading the division, every game feels like a victory lap.
Also, the "loser point" is more controversial than ever. Some teams have 10 or 12 overtime losses. They’re essentially "losing their way" into the playoffs. It’s a polarizing strategy, but hey, if the rules say a loss in 3-on-3 counts for a point, you take it.
What to Watch For Next
If you’re tracking the race to the Stanley Cup, the next two weeks are the "moving month." With the Olympics looming, teams are trying to bank points now so they don't have to sweat in March.
- Watch the Sabres: They’re on a heater. If they leapfrog the Bruins, the Atlantic Division hierarchy officially breaks.
- The Goalie Factor: Keep an eye on Sergei Bobrovsky in Florida. He’s chasing the record for wins by a foreign-born goalie, and the Panthers need every one of them to climb out of the middle of the pack.
- The Youth Surge: Celebrini in San Jose and Bedard in Chicago are putting up numbers we haven't seen from teenagers in decades. Even if their teams aren't at the top, they are spoiling the season for contenders every night.
The best way to stay on top of this is to check the live-updated "Points Percentage" rather than just total points. Since some teams have played three or four more games than others, total points can be deceiving. A team in 5th place might actually be in a better position than the team in 3rd if they have games in hand.
Next Step for You: Go check the "Games Played" (GP) column for your favorite team. If they’ve played fewer games than the teams above them, they control their own destiny. If they've played more, they need help from the rest of the league. Focus on the "Regulation Wins" (RW) stat too—that’s the first tiebreaker, and it’s going to be the deciding factor for at least two playoff spots this April.