It’s almost Halloween, and the 2026-27 NHL season has given hockey fans plenty to talk about. From ridiculous comebacks, blazing hot starts, disappointing teams and awkward interview moments, the first few weeks of hockey have delivered. That said, it’s about time the standings told us a team’s trajectory after the first few weeks of on-ice play. Let’s see if your pre-season predictions have been on track and rank the top eight NHL teams to begin the season.
8 – Ottawa Senators
Despite a tough 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Sens have looked sharp behind some remarkable starts from Linus Ullmark. While they haven’t had that statement game yet, the team still looks steady after losing Brady Tkachuk this summer, with guys like Tim Stutzle stepping up big time in his absence.
Ullmark will most likely come back down to earth in the coming weeks; however, if his lights-out netminding stays at this level, Ottawa might have the next Vezina Trophy winner on their hands. In the meantime, the team ranks around the middle of the pack in terms of overall offence stats, so if they want to make some noise come playoff time, they’ll need to become one of the most dangerous offences in hockey.
7 – Winnipeg Jets
Similar to Ottawa, except for one rough loss to the Ducks, the Jets have managed some gutsy wins so far. Most impressively, their wins over the Wild and Avalanche further prove why Winnipeg has been such a great regular-season team over the past several years.
The one thing to keep an eye on will be the goaltending. Stewart Skinner has been passable so far, with some good outings, followed by some poor ones. Both Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti have been pleasant watches, lighting up the stat sheet early in the season. For anyone who values special teams, both their power play and penalty kill look stellar, ranking in the top five league-wide as of writing.
This team will undoubtedly be a playoff team by the end of the year; the question is whether they can finally get over the hump.
6 – Boston Bruins
After two disappointing losses to the Sens and Wild, the Bruins came back with a vengeance, winning (blank) in a row against Utah, Philadelphia and San Jose, all by three or more goals.
They may not be the flashiest team, but Boston has done the job so far, with solid goaltending, plenty of goal-scoring, and stout defence. Captain David Pastrnak has gotten off to a nice start, leading a team that has faced some misdirection over the past couple of years, an unusual course for such a consistent franchise.
Don’t be surprised if this team remains on track over the next week or so, as their schedule is on the easier side.
5 – New York Rangers
The Rangers have had one of the most interesting turnarounds to start the season. After finishing with the worst record in the Eastern Conference last year, New York has flipped the switch completely with some impressive wins, including two over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
New York ranks around the middle in major offensive categories, but don’t let those numbers fool you, because when they’ve beaten teams, they’ve done it in dominant fashion. The team is also second in goals allowed and sixth in shots on goal allowed early in the season.
Alexis Lafreniere and Adam Fox have been nothing short of fantastic thus far, with Fox in particular standing out as one of the best defensemen to open the 2026 campaign.
4 – Edmonton Oilers
Did you expect anything different?
Like the Jets, the Oilers will have another dominant regular season, capped off by a sure-fire Hart Trophy season from Connor McDavid. The captain already has 20 assists and 26 points, with Evan Bouchard close behind after his breakout season last year.
Aside from the Oct. 1 bloodbath against Vancouver, goalie Devon Levi has looked very sharp in net. Edmonton needs consistent goaltending come playoff time, and if anyone can provide it, it’s Levi.
3 – Utah Mammoth
Talk about an offensive powerhouse. The Utah Mammoth keep improving year after year since relocating from the desert just a few years ago.
With one of the youngest and brightest cores in all of hockey, Utah plays fast and furious, highlighted by their deadly power play that ranks second in the league as of writing.
Karel Vejmelka has been the standout thus far. While his .879 save percentage doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, his ability to make timely saves during opposing teams’ onslaughts is what makes him so valuable to this team.
Captain Clayton Kellar and Nick Shmaltz have led the way for a team that took the Golden Knights to six games last year with almost no playoff experience on the roster outside of Mikhail Sergachev. Andre Tourigny has done a great job lifting a once-depressing team out of the gutters and into a promising spot for Utah hockey’s future.
2 – Vegas Golden Knights
Outside of the number one team on the list, the Golden Knights are the best team in hockey overall. While the individual player stats might not show it, Vegas has proven year after year that no matter what their team looks like, they will run you into the ground with their relentless style of play.
Jack Eichel is off to a great start; however, the team still looks to be missing that one piece to push them over the edge against teams like Carolina.
1 – Carolina Hurricanes
Speaking of Carolina, the Canes haven’t missed a beat since their Stanley Cup victory last season, proving to the entire hockey world that the championship hangover doesn’t apply to them.
Down the board, this team remains untouchable, ranking among the league’s best in almost every major team statistical category, including goals for, shots on goal, goals against, and special teams.
It might be way too early to say, but place your Stanley Cup-winning bets now, because Carolina looks like it could be having another flawless year.