Sean AllenCloseSean AllenSpecial to ESPN.comSean Allen is a contributing writer for fantasy hockey and betting at ESPN. He was the 2008 and 2009 FSWA Hockey Writer of the Year.Follow on X and Victoria MatiashCloseVictoria MatiashSpecial to ESPN.comVictoria Matiash is a contributing writer for fantasy hockey and betting at ESPN. Victoria has been a part of the fantasy team since 2010.Follow on XMultiple AuthorsFeb 27, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
play0:55Wyatt Johnston tallies goal for Dallas Stars on the power playWyatt Johnston tallies goal for Dallas Stars on the power play
play0:47Pavel Dorofeyev scores power-play goal vs. KingsPavel Dorofeyev scores power-play goal vs. Kings
play0:53Cutter Gauthier scores late winner for the DucksCutter Gauthier gives the Ducks their first lead of the game with a late tally against the Oilers.
play1:58Jack Hughes praises U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams winning goldJack Hughes receives a tribute in return to the Devils, with U.S. teammate Tage Thompson joining in, and praises the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams.
Which players can be on the move ahead of the NHL trade deadline? (1:47)Greg Wyshynski spotlights three players that headline his trade board with the deadline approaching. (1:47)
Wyatt Johnston tallies goal for Dallas Stars on the power playWyatt Johnston tallies goal for Dallas Stars on the power play
Cutter Gauthier scores late winner for the DucksCutter Gauthier gives the Ducks their first lead of the game with a late tally against the Oilers.
Jack Hughes praises U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams winning goldJack Hughes receives a tribute in return to the Devils, with U.S. teammate Tage Thompson joining in, and praises the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams.
Jack Hughes receives a tribute in return to the Devils, with U.S. teammate Tage Thompson joining in, and praises the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams.
play0:48John Tavares notches goal on the power playJohn Tavares capitalizes on the power play
The 2026 Olympic ice hockey tournament is complete, and all players have returned to their teams — some to the ice, others to injured reserve (most notably Kevin Fiala, Sidney Crosby and Mikko Rantanen).
So as the next segment of the NHL season begins, it’s time to take the temperature with another set of Power Rankings. In addition to a new 1-32 poll, this week ESPN analysts Sean Allen (Eastern Conference) and Victoria Matiash (Western Conference) are assessing the over/under points total for each club and indicating whether an “over” or “under” bet makes the most sense at this point.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Feb. 6. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games. All odds are by DraftKings Sportsbook, subject to change.
O/U 119.5 (over -115; under -115). Post-Olympic fatigue doesn’t appear to be much of an issue, as Brock Nelson, Martin Necas, Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar all hit the scoresheet in their first game back — a victory over Utah in which they could afford to rest Nathan MacKinnon. Already the cream of the NHL crop, and with new defender Brett Kulak aboard, the Avs could be even stronger via trade by next week. Pick: Over (-115)
O/U 113.5 (over -110; under -120). The Bolts remain the class of the East, on pace to claim the division with some breathing room at the end. But 113.5 is still a bold line. Especially if they manage to get there before the final week of the season and rest some key players in the final games. Pick: Under (-120)
O/U 110.5 (over -115; under -115). Going over 110 points is a tall order for the Canes, even with Brandon Bussi’s breakout season. A savvy trade could tip the scales toward the over, but the margin is thin. Pick: Under (-115)
O/U 106.5 (over -115; under -115). Since trading for Quinn Hughes, Minnesota is 15-5-5 and GM Bill Guerin might not be done yet fiddling with his playoff-bound squad. While the well-balanced Wild won’t likely catch the Avalanche, don’t be surprised if they narrow the gap. Pick: Over (-115)
O/U 107.5 (over -120; under -110). The way they’re competing right now, the Stars should have little issue winning 14 of their last 24. And that’s even without Rantanen, who hopefully suits back up before the end of the season. You can bet GM Jim Nill is also endeavoring to improve his already strong club further before next Friday. Pick: Over (-120)
Wyatt Johnston tallies goal for Dallas Stars on the power play
Wyatt Johnston tallies goal for Dallas Stars on the power play
O/U 100.5 (over -110; under -120). With the knowledge that they can pull Jacob Fowler into the mix if the goaltending slumps again, the Habs have all the pieces to drive this to the finish line. Juraj Slafkovsky just played his best hockey of the season in Italy, and there is some flexibility for the Habs to carefully improve at the deadline, too. Pick: Over (-110)
O/U 95.5 (over -120; under -110). The Penguins were on pace for second in the Metropolitan, but a tough remaining schedule — including crossover games against Vegas, Colorado, and Dallas, plus three against Carolina — could limit them. Still, they have enough cushion to make the playoffs and top the 95.5 number. Pick: Over (-120)
O/U 97.5 (over -115; under -115). After a slow start, the Red Wings are still on track for an Atlantic playoff spot. The key will be how they handle the Panthers and Lightning, with three and two matchups remaining, respectively. Pick: Over (-115)
O/U 97.5 (over -130; under +100). One small stumble could derail the Sabres’ long-awaited playoff push, though there’s no pressing concern if the new regime hangs on to Alex Tuch (and possibly gets a contract extension done too). This 97.5 line is fair, as the Sabres can reach 98. Pick: Over (-130)
O/U 99.5 (over -105; under -125). Which form of Adin Hill do we see in the final weeks? If it’s the one that surrendered a single goal on 33 shots to the Kings ahead of the Olympic break, Vegas should have no issue hitting 100 points. But the version that has floated a .854 save percentage and 3.61 goals-against average since returning on Jan. 15 casts greater doubt. Still, the Knights are probably stacked enough otherwise to eke it out. Pick: Over (-105)
Pavel Dorofeyev scores power-play goal vs. KingsPavel Dorofeyev scores power-play goal vs. Kings
O/U 93.5 (over -120/ under -110). The Bruins probably won’t boost the roster at the trade deadline, but they still have enough of a tail wind to extend the season into the playoffs with a wild-card spot. This 93.5 line feels bearish — no pun intended — given the games remaining and pace they’ve been on this season. Pick: Over (-120)
O/U 94.5 (over -125; under -105). With Ilya Sorokin and Matthew Schaefer playing the way they are (as the favorites for the Vezina and Calder Trophies), the Isles can beat anyone. Working in their favor is that going over this line would probably mean bypassing the wild-card spots into the third Metropolitan berth. Pick: Over (-125)
O/U 93.5 (over -120; under -110). Columbus faces a tough finish, including three games against Carolina. The line feels fair, but the Jackets aren’t likely to buy at the deadline and missing the playoffs wouldn’t be a shock — or a major setback long term. Pick: Under (-110)
O/U 91.5 (over -120; under -110). With top forward Leo Carlsson back, this is the healthiest the Ducks have been in some time. Tearing into the break with a 10-2-0 record, one of the hottest teams in the league faces the third-easiest schedule (by record) going forward. Twenty-seven points in 25 games should be no great ask. Pick: Over (-120)
Cutter Gauthier gives the Ducks their first lead of the game with a late tally against the Oilers.
O/U 91.5 (over -125; under -105). With among the fewest remaining games in the NHL and a softer schedule, the Capitals should come close to the 91.5 line. Whether they can push past it — or mount a playoff run in the East — might hinge on how effectively Pierre-Luc Dubois extends the offense now that he’s back from injury. Pick: Under (-105)
O/U 92.5 (over -130; under +100). As Leon Draisaitl suggests, everyone needs to be better through the season’s final stretch. While the Oilers have only 23 games left to stave off potential charges from divisional rivals such as the Kings and Sharks, a .417% pace — floated through their past dozen — isn’t going to cut it. If the goaltending doesn’t improve quickly, not even Connor McDavid will be able to drag this squad into the postseason. Pick: Under (+100)
O/U 87.5 (over -125; under -105). Currently occupying a playoff spot, the Kraken probably deserve a little more respect. Not to suggest they’ll be in the postseason mix by the season’s conclusion, only that 25 points in 25 games seems doable for a team batting .553. Pick: Over (-125)
O/U 89.5 (over -125; under -105). The Maple Leafs face a tall order down the stretch. Missing the playoffs in the first season post-Mitch Marner would sting, and this 89.5 line undersells the urgency of their push. They’ll likely surpass 90 points, though it might not be enough to keep playing into May. Pick: Over (-125)
John Tavares notches goal on the power playJohn Tavares capitalizes on the power play
O/U 91.5 (over -110; under -120). The loss of Kevin Fiala hurts. However, the addition of Artemi Panarin provides some much-needed scoring pop, and GM Ken Holland likely isn’t done yet. Plus, the Kings face the easiest schedule to conclude the season, against teams with a combined points percentage of only .524%. Pick: Over (-110)
O/U 91.5 (over -110; under -120). They don’t project for the playoffs and will need more than 91.5 points to get there, but don’t count out the Panthers, especially now that they have a swagger-laden Matthew Tkachuk back in the lineup. Pick: Over (-110)
O/U 88.5 (over +100; under -130). It’s not going to punch them into the postseason, but getting past 88 points is still on the table for the surprising Flyers. But even being in the mix will be looked back on as a successful campaign. With no pressure and untapped upside still on the roster, a respectable finish should be expected. Pick: Over (+100)