The biggest couple of months in ice hockey are about to get into full swing, with the Playoffs set to begin after a bruising (literally in some cases) regular season. The table is now set for a feast of hockey right through to June and the Stanley Cup Finals.
But which teams are in the driving seat? Fans will have different opinions, but these are our picks for the top ten right now:
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche is the NHL team to beat. They’ve looked dominant for most of the season, and getting Cale Makar back only strengthens the case. They are the favorites in the Stanley Cup odds with DraftKings for a reason, and that’s because they have been the standout team so far this season.
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina earned the No. 1 seed in the East and stayed near the top of every late-season ranking. They are built for playoff hockey, though goaltending remains the one obvious question mark.
Dallas Stars
Dallas closed the regular season on a five-game winning streak and finished 50-20-12 with 112 points. They feel like a genuine Cup threat, especially because they combine a good roster with a bit of momentum.
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo is one of the best stories in the league and not just a feel-good one. They won the Atlantic, finished 50-23-9, and have carried serious late momentum into the playoffs. The city is famed for its long-standing sports droughts. Could 2026 be the year?
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa still deserves respect because of its playoff pedigree, star power, and the fact they finished with 50 wins and home-ice advantage in Round 1. Even after missing out on the division, they remain one of the more dangerous teams in the field thanks to Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal has had a really strong finish and was tied around the top of the Atlantic race late in the season before ending on 106 points. With Cole Caufield hitting 50 goals and Nick Suzuki passing 100 points, they’ve become one of the toughest outfits in the East.
Minnesota Wild
Minnesota is a bit harder to place than the teams above it, but it still belongs in the top 10. The Wild are respected in the April power rankings, though their late-season form and goalie uncertainty stop them from feeling like a true contender. Something will have to change in the coming weeks.
Boston Bruins
Boston is not just as imposing as the very top teams, but they did steady themselves late and got into the playoffs in decent shape. They’re the kind of team nobody will be thrilled to face because they can still defend, get goaltending, and grind out ugly postseason games.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh is not a glamorous pick, but they could still end up a strong playoff team. They were already locked into second in the Metro before the finish and spent the closing stretch getting healthier, which makes them an interesting dark horse pick.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers round out this list, which is partially subjective. They finished with 98 points and held their place in the NHL.com top 10 entering the playoffs, which says a lot about how much respect they earned from their body of work this season.