Just past the quarter mark of the 2025-26 NHL season, the league’s early storylines are beginning to take shape.
A handful of teams have surged out of the gate with statement wins and cohesive play, while others are struggling to keep pace amid inconsistent performances and mounting pressure.
As the calendar turns toward midseason, the gap between the contenders and the clubs searching for answers is becoming harder to ignore
Let’s take a look at three teams who are hot, and three teams who are not.
HOT: Colorado Avalanche
Sitting atop the league standings, the Colorado Avalanche are feeling good. They’re 16-1-5 on the season, including a dominant 9-0-1 stretch over their last 10 games. Nathan MacKinnon is leading the league in nearly every major offensive category and shows no sign of slowing down. In net, Scott Wedgewood leads the NHL with 13 wins and ranks second in goals-against average at 2.09. The Avalanche enter the quarter mark as clear Stanley Cup favorites, and so far, no team has found a way to slow them down.
NOT: Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are sitting at the .500 mark with a 10-10-5 record to open the season. While that’s not disastrous a quarter of the way in, familiar concerns in net have resurfaced. Stuart Skinner allowed four goals on eight shots in a lopsided home loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. According to Sportsnet, the Oilers hold an .860 team save percentage — their lowest through 25 games since their inaugural season. If the back-to-back Stanley Cup runner-ups want another run this spring, they’ll need to establish some stability in goal.
HOT: Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes sit atop both the Eastern Conference and the Metropolitan Division, entering the quarter mark as favorites to win the East. While they’ve cooled slightly in recent outings, they’re still 6-2-2 over their last 10 games. The past few seasons have been viewed as the Hurricanes’ competitive window, and expectations continue to rise. But with a 1-16 record in conference finals appearances dating back to the 2008-09 season, some fans are understandably cautious. Still, optimism is warranted. Carolina plays consistently sound hockey and controls the neutral zone as well as any team in the league. A few contenders may challenge them along the way, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Hurricanes make their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2005-06.
NOT: Toronto Maple Leafs
Through 22 games, the Toronto Maple Leafs sit in last place in the Eastern Conference and are the only team below .500 at 9-10-3. They also hold the conference’s worst goal differential at minus-8 and have allowed 82 goals. Auston Matthews has appeared in only 17 games, and his return from a brief absence should provide some relief. Still, inconsistent 5-on-5 play and struggling special teams have placed head coach Craig Berube squarely on the hot seat. Whether Berube and the Leafs can turn things around before the season’s midpoint remains uncertain, but it’s clear something needs to change — and soon.
HOT: Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are flying high behind Vezina Trophy–caliber goaltending from Lukas Dostal, who owns a .917 save percentage at even strength. Their offense has done its part as well, averaging 3.59 goals per game — second only to Colorado. It was a turbulent offseason for Anaheim’s front office, highlighted by the trade of young forward Trevor Zegras, the addition of Mikael Granlund and the hiring of head coach Joel Quenneville. So far, those moves have paid off. Twenty-two games into the season, the Ducks sit atop the Pacific Division.
NOT: Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a team that needs to get younger, and that shift may be on the horizon. They’ve looked slow and methodical through the first quarter of the season and currently sit at the bottom of the NHL with a 6-12-4 record. With a league-worst goal differential of minus-29, the Predators may need to consider moving veteran players such as Steven Stamkos and Brady Skjei. General manager Barry Trotz has suggested that roster changes could come within the next seven to 10 games and noted that he has already received calls from other teams about his top players. A full rebuild may be looming, and Nashville may be wise to get out in front of it by making the first moves.
As the NHL edges toward the season’s midpoint, the separation between contenders and strugglers is becoming clearer by the week.
The teams riding early momentum are establishing identities that could carry them into spring, while those mired in slow starts are running out of time to correct course.
Injuries will heal, systems will tighten and front offices will make their moves, but the foundation being built now will shape the league’s playoff picture very soon.
For the clubs surging, the task is staying healthy and sustaining the pace.
For those stuck in neutral — or sliding backward — the challenge is tougher: finding answers before the season gets away from them. If the first quarter has proved anything, it’s that momentum can shift quickly in the NHL. And as the race tightens, the next few weeks will tell which teams are truly built to last.
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