A No. 1 goalie? Another top-nine forward? Each NHL team could use a granted wish to improve during the holiday season, even those at the top of this week's power rankings.

The 2025-2026 season is through ten weeks. Colorado and Dallas are off to torrid starts, while Vancouver and Nashville are struggling for production. The league’s youth has stepped their production as San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini and Chicago’s Connor Bedard are ranked 3rd and 4th among league points leaders.

Two alums of the final version of that grouping—the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers—are doing their lineage proud with positions among the top 10 teams in this week's edition of B/R's NHL Power Rankings. The Capitals climbed five positions to No. 3 after staff voting, and the Flyers skipped up two rungs from No. 11 to No. 9.

No, it's not surprising that we have another Super 16. The power rankings are a weekly staple on NHL.com. It's not surprising either that the Colorado Avalanche are No. 1 and the Dallas Stars are No.

The NHL has completed nine weeks of the 2025-2026 season. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are the two best teams in the league and are playing better than their competitors. Nashville, Vancouver,

One team has made the playoffs for eight straight seasons and was parade-worthy in the spring of 2022, while the other has reached the Western Conference Final in each of the last three years and was in the title round as recently as 2020.

The Stars are making a real case to be our top team as they meet the level of their Central Division rival. Dallas has won four in a row. It is is 8-0-2 in its last four. The Stars haven't lost in regulation since Nov. 18. It's already getting me excited for the inevitable playoff clash between these two Stanley Cup contenders.

Ivar Stenberg, Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff are some top NHL draft prospects, but what traits make them so valuable?

J.T. Miller, C (rostered in 88.4%): It's tempting to stay calm after his strong post-trade run last year -- 2.44 FPPG in 32 games -- but his even-strength play has cratered. Across nine line combos he has logged 20-plus minutes with, the Rangers have been outscored 13-7 at 5-on-5. That's a big red flag. Panic.