My 2025-26 NHL Regular Season Standings Predictions

The 2025-26 NHL regular season is officially underway, and it's time to give my annual regular season standings predictions! I compile these based on how I think every team will perform this season based the changes each team made over the offseason and preseason. In addition, I try to stay as objective as possible with these, and predictions on how many points each team will finish with at the end of the regular season will not be included in this post. Lastly, I do not expect all of my predictions to be correct, as there are always at least a few surprises that occur every season. Based on how each team improved or did not improve this past offseason and how I feel they will perform in the new season, presenting this year's rendition of my NHL regular season standings predictions:

Atlantic Division

1) Tampa Bay Lightning 

2) Florida Panthers 

3) Toronto Maple Leafs 

4) Ottawa Senators 

5) Montreal Canadiens 

6) Detroit Red Wings 

7) Buffalo Sabres 

8) Boston Bruins 

Metropolitan Division

1) Carolina Hurricanes 

2) Washington Capitals 

3) New York Rangers 

4) New Jersey Devils 

5) New York Islanders 

6) Columbus Blue Jackets 

7) Philadelphia Flyers 

8) Pittsburgh Penguins 

Central Division

1) Colorado Avalanche 

2) Dallas Stars 

3) Winnipeg Jets 

4) Minnesota Wild 

5) St. Louis Blues 

6) Utah Mammoth 

7) Nashville Predators 

8) Chicago Blackhawks 

Pacific Division

1) Vegas Golden Knights 

2) Edmonton Oilers 

3) Vancouver Canucks 

4) Los Angeles Kings 

5) Anaheim Ducks 

6) Calgary Flames 

7) San Jose Sharks 

8) Seattle Kraken 

In other news, the Sharks have announced that they will be entering the new season without a designated captain for the first time since the 2014-15 season, but instead with five rotating alternate captains. Their five alternate captains for the 2025-26 season are Tyler Toffoli, Mario Ferraro, Macklin Celebrini, Barclay Goodrow, and Alexander Wennberg. Toffoli will wear an 'A' for all Sharks games, Goodrow and Celebrini will serve as alternate captains for home games, while Ferraro and Wennberg will serve as alternate captains for road games. This approach makes sense for the Sharks, as their rotation of alternate captains consists of established veterans with leadership capabilities and a young superstar and current face of the franchise. In addition, Macklin Celebrini may not be fully ready to take on the Sharks captaincy just yet, and the Sharks and their fans know that it's just a matter of time before Celebrini eventually becomes the next Sharks captain. Lastly, the Sharks open their season tomorrow night at home hosting the Vegas Golden Knights, and I will be in attendance at the Sharks' season opener tomorrow night. Stay tuned for my personal experience post from tomorrow's Sharks season opener coming very soon. 

Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, ESPN 

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