NHL power ratings: Oilers at top of the pack five weeks into 2026-27 season
SportsLine NHL analyst Scott Erskine breaks down his top 10 teams ahead of Week 6 of the 2026-27 season
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After back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers made a disappointing first-round exit last postseason. The organization made a controversial change behind the bench over the summer, but five weeks into the 2026-27 NHL season, it seems like the decision was a good one.
The Oilers have taken off under head coach Mike Babcock, who replaced Kris Knoblauch this past June - nearly three years after being hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets, only to be forced to resign less than three months later following investigations regarding his methodologies and interactions with players. The 63-year-old has made three trips to the Stanley Cup Final as a head coach during his career and won the championship in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings.
Edmonton lost Babcock's debut with the team, falling in overtime to the Vancouver Canucks, but won its next five games. The club has suffered only two regulation losses through 16 overall contests and is sensational 7-0-1 on the road.
Connor McDavid continues to be an offensive wizard as he leads the NHL with 40 points (40) and has begun the season with a record 16-game streak. Leon Draisaitl (29) and defenseman Evan Bouchard (28) give the Oilers the top three on the leaderboard, making it no surprise the team is first in the league in goals (67).
The reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes are proving last season wasn't a fluke as they have earned an NHL-high 26 points. In 2025-26, Rod Brind'Amour's squad finished atop the Eastern Conference with 113 points and went 12-1 over the first three rounds of the playoffs before defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in the Final in six games.
Vegas also has gotten off to a good start in 2026-27, sitting just three points behind Edmonton in the Pacific Division, while the Minnesota Wild lead the Central and the Boston Bruins are first in the Atlantic. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils have surprised some thus far as they are second to Carolina in the Metropolitan with a 10-5-0 record.
With five weeks of the season in the books, let's take a look at my 2026-27 top 10 power rankings. I'll also give a brief synopsis for each club that explains why they're ranked where they are and include their odds to win the 2027 Stanley Cup.
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