If you haven't checked the scores in a week, you might think you're looking at a different league. The NHL is currently a blender. Honestly, trying to pin down exactly what are the national hockey league standings right now is like trying to catch a greased pig in a snowstorm. One day the Tampa Bay Lightning are just another Atlantic threat, and the next, they’ve rattled off 11 straight wins and surged to the top of the Eastern Conference.
It’s January 16, 2026. The "dog days" of winter are supposed to be boring, but the parity this year is actually kind of terrifying. You have the Colorado Avalanche playing like they’re from another planet, while the entire Eastern Conference is basically one giant, 12-team pile-up for the final wild-card spots.
The Avalanche are Breaking the Sport
Let's just start with the elephant in the room. The Colorado Avalanche. At 33-4-8, they aren't just leading the Central Division; they are threatening records that have stood since the 70s. They recently tied the 1975-76 Montreal Canadiens for the most regulation points (70) through 44 games. That is insane. Nathan MacKinnon has 81 points already. He’s scoring at a clip that makes you wonder if he’s actually using a cheat code.
Behind them, the Dallas Stars (27-12-9) and Minnesota Wild (26-13-9) are having incredible seasons that would normally have them comfortably in first place. Instead, they’re just fighting for the right to not face a wild card team that’s been playing "playoff hockey" since November. The Central is a gauntlet. If you're a fan of the St. Louis Blues or Winnipeg Jets, looking at the standings is probably a depressing morning ritual lately.
What Are the National Hockey League Standings in the East?
Over in the Eastern Conference, it’s a total mess. And I mean that in the best way possible. The Tampa Bay Lightning (29-13-3) are the new kings of the hill, mostly thanks to that 11-game heater they're on. Nikita Kucherov is doing Kucherov things, leads the team with 67 points, and they haven't even had a healthy Victor Hedman for the last few weeks.
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The Atlantic Division is absurdly deep this year:
- Tampa Bay Lightning: 61 points (1st in Atlantic)
- Detroit Red Wings: 60 points
- Montreal Canadiens: 59 points
- Buffalo Sabres: 56 points (Wild Card 1)
- Boston Bruins: 56 points (Wild Card 2)
- Toronto Maple Leafs: 54 points (Just outside)
Detroit and Montreal are finally relevant at the same time, which is great for the league but bad for everyone’s blood pressure. The Red Wings have been riding Alex DeBrincat’s 24 goals, while the Canadiens are leaning hard on Nick Suzuki. It’s a literal dogfight every Tuesday night.
The Metropolitan Struggle
The Carolina Hurricanes (28-15-4) are holding steady at the top of the Metro with 60 points, but they’ve looked human lately, dropping a few games while dealing with an injury to goalie Pyotr Kochetkov. The New York Islanders are right on their heels with 57 points.
Wait, the Islanders? Yeah. They’ve become this weirdly dangerous team that nobody wants to play. They aren't flashy, but they win. Meanwhile, the New York Rangers have absolutely plummeted, sitting at the bottom of the division with 46 points after losing five straight. It's a disaster in Manhattan right now.
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The Macklin Celebrini Effect in the West
In the Pacific Division, the Vegas Golden Knights (23-11-12) are leading the pack, but the real story is further down the coast. The San Jose Sharks are actually... good? Sorta. They have 51 points and are currently holding onto a Wild Card spot.
A huge reason for that is Macklin Celebrini. The kid is 19 and leads the entire league in primary assists with 33. Watching him play is like watching a veteran who’s been in the league ten years. He has 71 points total, which puts him third in the Art Ross race behind McDavid (82) and MacKinnon (81).
Speaking of McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers (23-17-8) are currently in a playoff spot, but they’ve been streaky. One week they look like Cup favorites, the next they can't stop a beach ball.
The Wild Card Chaos
If you want to know what are the national hockey league standings for the teams on the bubble, you have to look at the point gaps. In the East, the difference between the 8th seed (Bruins) and the 10th seed (Capitals) is exactly two points. Two! One bad weekend and you’re suddenly planning for the draft lottery.
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The Buffalo Sabres are finally in the mix, which feels like a fever dream for their fans. Tage Thompson is healthy and crushing pucks again. They’re currently the top Wild Card seed in the East. In the West, it's a scramble between the Sharks, Kraken, and Kings.
Why the Standings Feel So Different in 2026
The "loser point" (that single point you get for an overtime loss) is doing a lot of heavy lifting this year. Look at the Golden Knights—they have 12 overtime losses. That’s 12 points they banked just for losing slowly. It keeps the standings artificially tight.
Also, the trade deadline is looming. Teams like the Minnesota Wild, who already landed Quinn Hughes in a massive blockbuster, are looking to add depth centers. The Lightning are reportedly looking for another top-six forward. When these trades happen, the standings usually shift again as teams go on "new-room" heaters.
What You Should Watch For Next
The standings you see today won't be the ones you see in April, but the trends are becoming clear.
- The Atlantic Takeover: Expect at least five teams from the Atlantic to make the playoffs. They are just better than the Metro right now.
- Colorado’s Pursuit of History: Keep an eye on the Avalanche’s home record. They are 19-0-3 at home. They haven't lost in regulation in their own building all season.
- The Celebrini Race: If San Jose makes the playoffs, Macklin Celebrini might actually win the Hart Trophy as a teenager. It sounds crazy, but look at the numbers.
If you’re tracking your favorite team, don’t just look at the points. Look at "Games Played." The Lightning have played 45 games, while the Red Wings have played 48. Those three games in hand are massive.
Your next move: Check the "Regulation Wins" (RW) column in the standings. In a tie-break situation at the end of the year, that’s the number that actually matters, and it's often the difference between a home-ice advantage and a first-round exit on the road.